Check Your Spiritual Compass

Stay on the right course before God. Do what is good for all involved so that they may be saved. “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” [1]

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” [2]

“This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right, and faithful before the Lord his God.” [3]

“For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” [4]

[1] 1 Corinthians 10:12
[2] Psalm 139:23-24
[3] 2 Chronicles 31:20
[4] 1 Corinthians 10:33

Shepherds who Receive the Crown of Glory

The Apostle Peter encourages pastors to care for flocks eagerly. Be examples of what we preach! He tells us that if we do this, we will receive a crown of glory when the Chief Shepherd, Jesus, returns.

“Shepherd the flock of God, which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” [1]

“Lord Jesus, please help us to be shepherds who receive the crown of glory from You.”

[1] 1 Peter 5:2-4

Preaching Christ Crucified

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” [1]

It pleases God by the foolishness of preaching to save souls that believe. [2]

Preach Christ crucified! Christ is the power and wisdom of God to them which are called. [3]

Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. God has chosen base things of the world, and things which are despised, yes, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: so that no flesh should glory in His presence, so that He that glories, let him glory in the Lord. [3]

Yes, Lord Jesus, may it be so in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

[1] 1 Corinthians 1:18
[2] 1 Corinthians 1:21-24
[3] 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, 31

Resurrected By the Power of God

“The LORD GAVE David VICTORY wherever he went. David reigned over all Israel, DOING what was JUST and RIGHT for ALL his PEOPLE.” [1]

“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised IMPERISHABLE; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in GLORY; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in POWER; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a SPIRITUAL body.” [2]

Sunday, Jesus opened the door for me to share God’s Word with seventy-seven men at a ministry for homeless and destitute men. The Spirit led me to emphasize resurrection by the power of God. At the moment of death, we are at our most helpless and vulnerable state. We can do nothing for ourselves. We must transfer all our faith to the POWER OF GOD.

The Spirit led me to ask the men, “Why don’t we rely on the power of God all the time? Let us continuously ask GOD to raise us up with HIS POWER. No matter how bad our circumstances are, even if we are dying, GOD has the POWER to GIVE us VICTORY. The LORD delights in those who TRUST in Him.” He works through believing believers.

By GOD’s POWER we can do what is JUST and RIGHT for ALL people. David, in the Bible, lived by faith in GOD. More than that he lived a life of praising and thanking GOD. He knew that His help was in the NAME of the LORD. GOD gave him the POWER to do what was JUST and RIGHT for ALL people.

We believe that GOD raises us the perishable. GOD glorifies the dishonored who TRUST in HIM. GOD resurrects the dead by HIS POWER. GOD GIVES the VICTORY. HE empowers us to do JUST and RIGHT for ALL people. Amen? GLORY to GOD!

[1] 2 Samuel 8:6, 14-15
[2] 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

Rejoicing in Suffering for Christ

Faking suffering for Christ’s sake while pursuing selfish perks is wrong.

“A certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.’” [1]

Rejoicing to suffer for Christ’s sake is right.

“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” [2]

Let’s serve Christ. Let’s turn this world right-side up! Souls hang in the balance.

[1] Acts 5:1-4
[2] Acts 5:41-42

Live Under God’s Grace

“Count yourselves dead to sin

And ALIVE to GOD in Christ JESUS.

Do not let sin reign in your mortal body

So that you obey its evil desires.

Do not offer any part of yourself to sin

As an instrument of wickedness,

But rather OFFER YOURSELVES to GOD

As those who have been brought from death to LIFE;

OFFER every part of YOURSELF to HIM

As an INSTRUMENT of RIGHTEOUSNESS.

For sin shall no longer be your master,

Because you are not under the law,

You are UNDER GRACE.”

Romans 6:11-14

GOD IMPUTES RIGHTEOUSNESS to BELIEVERS in CHRIST

“For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham BELIEVED GOD, and it [his faith] was accounted to him for RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but BELIEVES on HIM who JUSTIFIES the ungodly, His FAITH is ACCOUNTED for RIGHTEOUSNESS.

BLESSED is the one to whom the LORD shall NOT IMPUTE SIN.

Now it was not written for his [Abraham’s] sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It [RIGHTEOUSNESS] shall be IMPUTED to us, who BELIEVE in HIM who raised up JESUS our LORD from the dead, who was delivered up because of OUR OFFENCES, and was raised because of OUR JUSTIFICATION.” [1]

Hallelujah! Salvation is guaranteed to BELIEVERS in CHRIST. HIS righteousness is imputed to us by GOD. JESUS CHRIST is the LAMB of GOD who takes away the sin of the world.

[1] Romans 4:3-5, 8, 23-25

Being Righteous in God’s Sight

“…BY the DEEDS of the law

NO FLESH will be JUSTIFIED in His sight,

For BY the LAW is the KNOWLEDGE of SIN.

…NOW the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God

APART FROM the LAW is REVEALED,

Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

Even the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God,

THRU FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST,

TO all and on ALL WHO BELIEVE.

For there is no difference;

For ALL HAVE SINNED

And FALL SHORT of the GLORY of GOD,

Being JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE…

Thru the REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS,

Whom GOD SET FORTH

As A PROPITIATION (an atoning sacrifice)

By HIS BLOOD,

Thru FAITH, to demonstrate HIS righteousness,

Because in HIS FORBEARANCE

GOD had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

To demonstrate at the present time HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS,

That HE might BE JUST

And THE JUSTIFIER of THE ONE

Who HAS FAITH in JESUS.”

[1]

How to be righteous in God’s sight…

BELIEVE in the LORD JESUS CHRIST

And YOU SHALL BE

RIGHTEOUS in GOD’s SIGHT

[1] Romans 3:20-26