Diligence in Service

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Tracy K

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After studying the scriptures the last two days I have ran across the word ‘diligence’.  So I looked it up so I could see what the Lord was showing me.  First of all diligence is: a careful and persistent work or effort; a persistent exertion of body or mind.  Then I looked up exertion and persistent.  Exertion is: a vigorous action or effort and Persistent means: persisting, especially in spite of discouragement, opposition, obstacles,  etc; and persevering which means steadfast.

When I run across this word, diligence, it shows me that whatever I do for the Lord should be with diligence.  For example in 2 Corinthians 8:7- Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.  I see here that God wants us to have an earnest desire to do his will with diligence.  We should persist despite opposition, despite discouragement, despite those that might come against us.  “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Today we have to have diligence and an earnest desire to do God’s will, to share the gospel, to contend for the faith.  Jude 1:3 says, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”  We have a short time before the Lord returns to gather his church.  He wants us to be responsible and reliable about sharing the gospel and have an earnest desire to do so. We must diligently yield our lives to Him to use as He sees fit.

Luke 14:23 says, “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”  God wants us to share his word and earnestly seek him in all things. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  If you haven’t received Christ, I urge you to pray and call upon him today. Diligently seek and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and accept Him as your Savior.

Related scriptures:

Hebrews 6:11-And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

2 Peter 1-5-And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

2 Peter 3:14-Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Romans 12:8- Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Proverbs 12:24-The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Acts 18:24,25- And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

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Blessings from the Almighty

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Tracy K

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After studying the First Chapter of Ephesians I see where God has blessed his people with so many things; that we can’t even began to imagine how great his love is for us. He gave us his precious son to begin with and extended his love out toward us.  So many blessings God has in store for his people, this text highlights only a few things.  As I looked through this text of scripture I highlighted a few things that brought me encouragement, and I thought I would share it with you.

  1. He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings, including spiritual gifts from above.
  2. Predestinated us unto the adoption of his children by Jesus Christ.
  3. Made us accepted in the beloved by the glory and riches of his grace.
  4. Gave us redemption through his blood and forgiveness of our sins.
  5. Abounded to us wisdom and prudence and made known to us the mystery of his will. (Ephesians 3:6- Gentiles should be fellow-heirs)
  6. He will gather us together as one, all things in Christ, both in Heaven and Earth.
  7. He gives us an inheritance, in Heaven.
  8. Sealed us with the Holy Spirit of promise.
  9. Enlightened us with understanding, so we may know what is the hope of his calling and the riches of his glory and greatness of his power to us-ward who believe.
  10. He manifested his power when he raised Christ from the dead and set him at his own right hand in Heaven, showing his mighty power.
  11. He set Christ above all things of the Church, therefore preventing evil from prevailing against it.

We have only began to see what God has in store for his people.  We know he has a place prepared for us in Heaven.  We know he protects us and gives us strength against our enemies.  We know that he renews our spirit and gives us power to overcome things that come against us.  I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to embracing all those blessings that he has in store for those that love him.

Related Scriptures:
Isaiah 40:29-He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Psalm 28:7-The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Psalm 37:39-But the salvation of the righteous is of theLord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

Ephesians 3:5,6-Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;  That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Ephesians 4:11-13-And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

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Are you a “IF” Christian?

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Tracy K

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Today I heard a sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King on the “If” Christian.  The “If’  Christian is one who has decided to follow Christ only when everything runs smoothly.  They are willing to serve Jesus Christ when it is easy and considered the “In” thing.  Often they bargain with God and agree to follow him “If” everything is easy; if they don’t have to endure sufferings or persecution.  They follow the Lord when it makes sense for them; if they receive something in return, such as: a good job, a nice family, plenty of money and great health. When bad things start to happen to them, then their faith is tested.  They do not want to do anything that will make their life uneasy.  They don’t want to lose friends, family or their great lifestyle, so they often compromise on their beliefs.  They choose to be silent when people oppose their beliefs or their faith.  Dr. Martin Luther King wasn’t a “If” Christian but a minister who stood against those laws that were evil.

In this sermon, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr preached on three Christians that refused to bow down and worship the image of gold.  Daniel Chapter three tells us that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood against the evil of the land.  They had a faith greater than that of man.  They believed on the God above and took a stand against King Nebuchadnezzar and his law.  They knew that God would deliver them out of fiery furnace that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.  They said, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Their faith was deep enough and real enough that nothing was going to compromise their faith; nothing was going to get them to forsake their true God for a false god.  They had enough faith that they trusted in God to deliver them; but if not, they would die with their faith intact.  What about you?  Are you willing to take a stand against injustice or evil laws.  They are coming and coming soon.  We have a president that is writing his own laws.  We have a Roman Pope that is writing and changing laws into what is evil.  Hitler changed laws and they were considered the law of the land.  Are you willing to die for your belief in God?  Are you willing to stand up against those things you know God hates?

Judge Roy Moore of Alabama is taking a stand against “gay marriage” in Alabama.  He says that his God is against it and he will not support anything that his God is against.  He is willing to lose his job, making a lot of money, for his beliefs.  He is willing to take a stand against evil in this land; which shows his faith.  He doesn’t have a “If” faith but a true faith in God.  He is suffering persecution now and has in the past, when he lost his job for refusing to take down the “Ten commandments” statue.

Soon there is coming a law that will require everyone to bow down and worship an “image of the beast.”  One will be required to take a mark in their right hand or forehead in order to buy or sell (Revelation 13).  Those that refuse to take the mark or worship the image will suffer on this earth.  They will be persecuted, perhaps thrown in prison for their refusal.  Those that worship the beast or take his mark will receive judgment of God (Revelation 20).

Jesus told us that we might have to face persecution and sufferings of this life, but he said he would never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).  God will walk with you and will help you in everything you do.  You do not have to walk alone.  You can trust in the Almighty God and believe on his son, Jesus Christ. If you are a Christian, God promised you eternal life (John 5:24).  If you are not, I urge you to accept Christ before it is too late.

Related post:

Take Up Your Cross Daily

Standing for God in This Present Day

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Living in the Flesh (Carnally Minded)

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Tracy K

Living in the Flesh (Carnally Minded)

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by 

Many choose to go about their everyday business saying, “I can do as I please and I don’t care what you say about it.” Christ did not save man to live life as a heathen.  Christians should be set apart and appear different from the world.  I know that I will not cover everything in great detail. When a person’s actions seem ungodly, they defend things ungodly, use sarcasm to get a point across, beware. There a wolves in sheep’s clothing that will try to lead the believer in Christ away from the truth. So to begin, if I had to define what a “carnal” man was, I would look at the definition of the word and then the qualities of the carnal man.

  1. A carnal man is usually a “new babe” in Christ.  1 Corinthians 3:1, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.”
  2. Or one who receives Christ but his fruit does not show it. His character is usually the opposite of the spiritual man and he is therefore living in the flesh.

Qualities of a Carnal Man

  1. Jealous – envious of others and what they have, including their accomplishments.
  2. Prideful – arrogant of self and accomplishments
  3. Double-Minded (Two Faced)- says one thing and does another
  4. Gossiper- talks from person to person and causing strife
  5. Trouble-maker- looking for something to stir up trouble among others or looking for something to gossip about.
  6. Un-compassionate- non caring about the feelings of others
  7. Worldly- cares more for the things of the world instead of God.  Worries about pleasing man instead of God.
  8. Fleshly-minded- worries more about self and things that will please his flesh.
  9. Self-willed- does things he wants to do without listening to the advice of others.
  10. Lustful- looks on things that he shouldn’t including money, opposite sex or worldly things.
  11. Boastful- arrogant and toots his own horn. (similar to prideful)
  12. Forward (Outspoken) -lacks humility and often speaks out when he should be silent.

Let’s look at the Scriptures and see how they define what Carnal means.

  • James 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
  • Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
  •  Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
  • 1 Corinthians 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting
  • Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
  • 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
  • Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
  • 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
  • Proverbs 16:28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
  • 2 Corinthians 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
  • 2 Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
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Seeking the Kingdom of God

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Tracy K

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I woke up thinking about this phrase, “Seek ye the Kingdom of Heaven and all these things shall be added to you.”  As I looked up the scripture related to this, I found it in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  So to dig deeper into the meaning, you must first look at the text preceding it.  6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Jesus was teaching his disciples that what we put our affection on is where our heart is.  If we seek after richly possessions of this world, then our heart is on that (Verse 19).  If we focus our attention on food, water, clothing, then our affection or even our cares will be focused on that more than God (Verse 25-31).

Cares can be defined as: a state of mind in which one is troubled; worry, anxiety, or concern; serious attention; solicitude; heed; caution; protection, charge; grief, suffering; sorrow; to be concerned about. To wish or desire; act on, attend to, deal with, watch over.

See Jesus knew that the Devil would use our cares to throw us off our service for the Lord.  He knows that if he can get your attention on worrying and anxiety, than he can use that to go against you.  He will use your weaknesses, your cares to distract you, and take your focus off the Lord.  I recall the parable of the sower.  It talks about how people who have heard the word can sometimes become unfruitful.  Mark 4:19 say, “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”

God knows what you have need for and he wants us to rely on him for all our needs. Matthew 6:32,33 says, “For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Verse 34 says, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

Learn to trust in the Lord for whatever you need, for whatever is hindering your service to the Lord.  Sometimes sickness, financial troubles, death of family members, and other things can take you away from God.  If you allow it, Satan will bind you up in the cares of this world and before long, you are no longer serving Christ. I have had health issues in the past that has hindered my service to the Lord.  In the past I have dealt with a rapid heart rate, bad cold, cough, sinus issues, and now pneumonia.  I have learned that I must rely on the Lord no matter what comes against me.  God knows your cares and your true desires; whether they are to serve him or whether you care more for your life than him.  Sometimes God allows test to come into our life that test our faith.  I recall Job and his trials that we went through.  Just realize God is there with you and there is nothing that can happen to you without God’s consent.  We don’t need to worry about people or things that might come against us.  We need to allow God to be our main focus and he will take care of everything, if we seek him first.

I remember going to a preaching revival once in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The preacher preached 1 Peter 5:7.  “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  He mentioned how his mother was so afraid of everything that she didn’t even want to leave the house.  She was afraid that something would happen; either she would have a car wreck or it would start snowing.  Then he went on to tell how his dad wanted to leave an inheritance to all his children.  He had either six or seven older siblings.  He was the youngest and when he was young, he worried that he would be left out.  When his father died, he told how they read the will and after each child was mentioned, he was on edge that he wouldn’t be included.  When they got to his name, he was so happy that he was included.  See as Children of God, we have an inheritance waiting for us in Heaven.  We don’t have to worry that we won’t be included because when we get saved, we become part of God’s family.  I urge you to pray and ask God for his help with all your cares and worries, then trust that he will help you.

Related scriptures:

1 Peter 5:7-Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Luke 21:34- And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

Psalm 23:1- The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

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Give and It Shall Be Given You

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Tracy K

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The Lord knows when you do good in this life and when you haven’t.  He wants us to love others enough to give to them and help others that are in need. Give unto others and expect nothing back in return.  Do not let others know what you have done.  Give in secret and you will receive a reward in Heaven.  Luke 6:35 says, But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Giving should be done with charity (1 Corinthians 13:3).

The Lord tells us that we should give to others and we would receive things in return.  Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” We should care for the needs of others.  James 1:27 says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Matthew 25:31-43 says, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.”

Related Scripture:

Ephesians 6:7,8-With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:  Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

James 4:17-Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Hebrews 13:21-Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:17-19- Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

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What is God Like?

Posted on January 31, 2015 by Tracy K

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To get an understanding of what God is like, you must truly be a child of God.  You will never fully understand how great a God we serve, unless you are a born again believer.  Read more about this here.  After you have accepted Christ into your life, you can learn more about God by reading and studying his word and by attending church.

First to know what God is like, look at God’s son.  Jesus said we can know the Father by looking at him (John 14:9).  God’s nature was manifested to us through his son. 1 John 4:9 says, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” Jesus was without sin, cared for the soul of man, healed the sick, and forgave those that wronged him; he went to the cross for all mankind.

God’s  character has several aspects to it and I will try to explain below.  First look at what the Bible says are the fruits of the spirit.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22).  So by this we know that he is a God of love, joy, peace….  This is the character that represents God toward his children as well.  He incorporates these fruits to us through a daily basis.  For example, if we sin, God is long-suffering toward us and wants us to come back to him with repentance.  He doesn’t cast us away but shows us our wrong.

Next look at the beauty that God has created for mankind.  Look at the beautiful landscapes, magnificent waterfalls, artistic patterns of creation, and lovely sounds of nature.  We truly have not seen, the majestic work of the Lord, but one day in Heaven, we can see truly his beauty.  Psalm 27:4 says, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.”

1 John 5:7 says, ” For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”  We know the word is Jesus by reading John Chapter 1.  The Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is what is given to the believers when they accept Christ.  He is also known as the comforter (John 14:26).   John 15:26 says, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.”

God is a just God, long-suffering and his mercy is abundant.  James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” Jeremiah 23:5 says, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” The Lord God is waiting on all those that would to come to him in repentance because he doesn’t want any to perish.  2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

God is a God of love, mercy but a also a God of judgment.  Isaiah 11:4, “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”  If you haven’t repented from your sins and accept the Lord God, I urge you to do so now.  To learn more about salvation of the Lord, click here. 

Related Scriptures:

Hebrews 4:16 – Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Titus 3:5-Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

1 Timothy 1:16- Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

1 John 1:9-If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 3:3- Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Romans 5:5-And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Isaiah 33:17-Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.

1 Chronicles 16:29-Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Psalm 105:2 -Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye all of his wondrous works.

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Ye Have Not because Ye Ask Not

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Tracy K

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Jesus told his disciples many times that they could ask for things and God would give it to them. He said they have not because they ask not (James 4:2). He loves us and he wants to give us the desires of our heart. The Bible tells us that if we “Delight thyself also in the Lord: he shall give thee the desires of thine heart (Psalm 37:4). The Lord wants us to desire things above and not things of the earth. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 said that we should desire spiritual gifts.

Jesus said to his disciples in John 16:23-26, “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:”

Matthew Chapter 7:7-11 says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Related Scripture:
John 15:16-Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Matthew 6:8-Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

John 16:24-Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

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Enduring the Loss of a Loved One

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Tracy K

familyloss

To us there is nothing worse than to lose someone who you are close to. When someone dies we are grieved because we know that we will never see them again in this lifetime. We miss them because they mean so much to us. They may be our mother, father, family or friend. We may question, why did this happen to them? They may have been older or younger than us, and we wonder why God would take them at this time.

Losing someone or something you love or care deeply about is very painful. You may experience all kinds of difficult emotions and it may feel like the pain and sadness you’re experiencing will never let up. These are normal reactions to a significant loss. We might go through a grieving period where we may feel angry, become depressed, question why this happened, or even deny what happened. We will even blame ourselves and wonder what we could have done differently.  The Grieving process not only includes our emotional distress but often involves physical problems, including fatigue, nausea, lowered immunity, weight loss or weight gain, aches and pains, and insomnia. 

To us dying is something that we do not want to face. Some might think that we have all the time in the world, but everyone has an appointment with death (Hebrews 9:27). God does not take your loved one to cause us sorrow, but that he wants to have him in his presence. Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”

One does not need to fear death, if they have received salvation of the Lord. If we believe on the Lord Jesus and have asked him into our heart, than we will have eternal life with him. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:21). We do not have to face uncertainty of death if we are Christians, because the Bible tells us that God will receive us into his presence. Heaven is more real than this earth and it is full of those that love God.

If you are experiencing the loss of a family member or someone you loved, I pray God will help you with this time of grief.  Even though we look at everything as a place of sorrow or distress, we can recover with God’s help. He can give us the peace we need if we learn to trust in him.

Coping With Grief

  • Turn to friends and family members – Now is the time to lean on the people who care about you, even if you take pride in being strong and self-sufficient. Draw loved ones close, rather than avoiding them, and accept the assistance that’s offered. Oftentimes, people want to help but don’t know how, so tell them what you need—whether it’s a shoulder to cry on or help with funeral arrangements.
  • Draw comfort from your faith – If you follow a religious tradition, embrace the comfort its mourning rituals can provide. Spiritual activities that are meaningful to you—such as praying, meditating, or going to church—can offer solace.
  • Take Care of Yourself- the mind and body are connected. When you feel good physically, you’ll also feel better emotionally. Combat stress and fatigue by getting enough sleep, eating right, and exercising.

Thanks to HelpGuide.org for these tips for Coping with Grief.

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Take Up Your Cross Daily

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Tracy K

cross

Luke 9:23,24 says, “ And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”

As I read these scriptures I wondered how it applies to today and to my life in general.  Jesus is talking here to his disciples and telling them that they must be willing to follow him completely.  He knew of a time when they would be persecuted and suffer many things for the name of Christ.  He wanted them to trust in him no matter what came their way.  As I thought about the time we are living in, I see how Christians are persecuted for believing in Christ.  They are mocked and even killed today by those that deny the true Lord, Jesus Christ.  In the day we are living in, many are turning from the true gospel.  They are more concerned with status or what others think of them.  Larger churches are changing their doctrines to serve man and not God.  People are running to and fro looking for a church to appease them because they do not want to hear the truth… The truth is that sin is sin and they must repent from their sin.

Then I looked at how the scripture applied to my life.  I see that Jesus wants us all to have  a personal commitment to him and to serving him.  We must not waver, we must not alter our beliefs for others, we must stand strong in him.  When I look at how wickedness abounds all around us, I see where we might have to take a personal stance for our beliefs.  This evil is not going away and it is increasing in our lands.  When Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me,”  I see that it is personal to me and to each and every man, woman and child.  He said, “If any man….”  He wasn’t talking about a group of men but to ‘any man’.  That means we must deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him.  Deny your cares for this life, deny those friendships that stand in the way of you and Jesus, deny worrying about self, deny the worldly pleasures of this life, deny those selfish times when you want to sit back and be quiet, when you need to speak. 

We need to surrender our life completely for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  That might mean to walk away from a great job to do God’s service….That might mean to do without a life of luxury for a life of poverty.  Jesus lived a life of poverty when he was here.  He never told his disciples to seek after riches of this life.  They didn’t live wealthy but humble lives.  Are you willing to live a humble life like Jesus’ disciples did?  If not, then you are not completely surrendered to him.  I didn’t say go and sell all that you have and give to the poor, although Jesus might ask you to do that one day.  I said to surrender to whatever Jesus tells you to do.  Allow him to lead and direct your life in all things.  Allow him to be your Shephard and take up your cross daily.  You might have to suffer persecution, a life of poverty, or being alone.  Your family might turn away from you and you might have no one in your life, except Jesus.  Are you willing to take up your cross and follow Jesus or are you going to hide somewhere where you don’t have to do anything for the gospel. 

As I read this chapter of scripture I came to the last verse which reads, “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  This not only means those that turn from serving Christ but those that quit serving Christ.  We are not to take our hand off the plough but keep them steady and moving forward.

Related scriptures:

1 Corinthians 15:58-Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Matthew 19:29-And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Matthew 10:32-Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Matthew 10:21,22-And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 25:31-33- When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.  (I encourage you to read the whole chapter).

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