Category: CHRISTIAN LIFE

Read Ephesians 5:1-10 (vs 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:)
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
What is known about light?
It’s cheerful
It radiates warmth
It drives away the darkness
It reveals the things around it
It draws attention to itself
Matthew 5:14 … a city … ever notice how cheerful a city all light up appears and how warm that city appears?
John 8:12 The Lord Jesus drives away the darkness
Matthew 5:15 Reveals things … Gives light to all in the house
Matthew 5:16 Draws attention to self … that others may see
Matthew 5:14 What kind of a light are you?
Flash bulb, Flare, Flashlight, Light Bulb

Flash bulb Type … What is known about them?
They give off a very bright light … very briefly
Everyone knows when one goes off
They usually only shine when something is happening
How does this fit into what we know about light?
Cheerful? … Not always Warm? … Hot or a brief moment
Drive away darkness? … very briefly Reveal things? … very briefly
Draws attention? … O yes However NOT the type of light to stay around!
Some Christians are like Flash Flash bulbs … Only time they show up is when something is happening, they never stay around very long.

⇛ continue reading Lights Part 2

⇛ checkout List of Topics ⇛

During the 60’s and 70’s American was bombarded with INS!
Love-ins, Sit-Ins, Hate-Ins, Stand-Ins, Drive-Ins… Just so many protests!

IT’S A MUD-IN

Everyone wants to be IN … in the group.
Well, God is the originator of the IN group, and He says today, there are only two groups …
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
WE were all born in Adam.
Thru Adam, Sin entered into the world and has passed unto all born of a man and a woman. Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
When we Believe (Death, Burial, Resurrection) and (Confess Jesus as Lord) and are saved, then:
Thru Christ, a new life became available, an eternal life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
A new position in Christ
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Anyone Anywhere Anytime can live a successful Christ life.
The Secret: Allow Christ to live it for you!

⇛ checkout List of Topics ⇛

John 11:16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him..
Bethany was about 2 miles from Jerusalem (John 11:18). The Jews there were trying to kill Jesus (John 10:28,31). Thomas spoke a devoted soldier, ready to follow his leader into the jaws of danger, even death. Thomas was speaking in the natural, but his words were wiser than even he knew. In a very real way, these words are true for everyone who desires to be a disciple of Christ.

What’s the total meaning behind the death of Christ? Many, many Christians never comprehend the real meaning, the real power in the death, burial and resurrection of the Saviour, otherwise their lives would be different.

Christ died for SIN, once (Romans 6:10) and now He’s ALIVE. Because of this, we who believe, are dead to SIN. (Galatians 2:20) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
We are alive, to live for God (Romans 6:11).

The difference between the Blood of Christ and the blood of animals … (Hebrews 9:12-14).
Animal blood covered sin …. Christ blood cleansed sin, washed it away …
When God saved you, He did not merely overlook your SIN, He removed it!
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
When God saved you, He forgave you, completely and finally … you will never beheld guilty for SIN again. (SIN is what you are (born a sinner, rebellion against God. SINS are what you do.)
God washed away, removed your sin with the Blood Of Christ.
He has justified you (Romans 5:8-9),
He has declared you righteous (Romans 5:18-21).
God, sending His own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for SIN, condemned SIN in the flesh (Romans 8:3). Got that … God condemned the flesh, then put His Son in the flesh and killed the flesh … Why?
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Has it really hit you? God has condemned the house (your body) that you live in. It cannot live with God. You were at odds with God, in fact you were His enemy! (If you are not saved, YOU still are!)
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Thomas said “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”.

Have you every said “Oh, if only I could start over again?”.
You can! By believing the Gospel.
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and confessing the Lord Jesus (Romans 10:9-13).
When you do, (2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. You are a new creation.

You may say “I’ve done that, but I’ve sinned since then!”.
Christ died for all your sins, Past present and future.
The Believers life is one in which we must die daily with Christ, Day by day, moment by moment (Romans 8:36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (Psalm 44:22) Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. (Jeremiah 12:3) But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
John the Baptist said (John 3:30) He must increase, but I must decrease.
This should be our daily experience, more of Him, less of us! This is what the world should see in our life.
The Lord wants to work in all areas of your life.
(Galatians 2:20) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Let us also go, that we may die with him.

⇛ checkout List of Topics ⇛

Defined as: a person who is not Jewish.

From Adam to Noah, some 1600 plus years, there is no distinction between the peoples.
After the Flood, Noah’s decedents were instructed to spread out and repopulate the earth Genesis 9:1.
As they multiplied, Nations were formed, Genesis 10:5, but they were all of one speech and one language, Genesis 11:1. They turned their backs on God and they build a city and tower to make a name for themselves: Genesis 11:1-4. So, God scattered them and confounded their language Genesis 11:7-8. Still no Jews. Then God chose one man, Abram a Hebrew, Genesis 12:1-3, and gave him many promises. After many years Abram was renamed Abraham, Genesis 17:5, and Sarai became Sarah Genesis 17:15. Again years passed and they had a son, Isaac Genesis 21:3. Still no Jew. Isaac took Rebekah to wife Genesis 24:67. They had twin boys, Esau and Jacob Genesis 25:26. Esau married, had sons who became the nation Edom Genesis 36:1. (Not Jews). Jacob married and fathered 12 sons Genesis 35:22. Jacob is renamed (by God) Israel Genesis 32:28. The twelve sons of Jacob (Israel) go into Egypt and under the leadership of Joseph prosper and multiply becoming a nation. 400 years later they are slaves of Egypt. God sends Moses to take them out and lead them to the promise land Genesis 12:7. But just when did they become Jews?
NOTE: The English term Jew originates in the Biblical Hebrew word Yehudi, meaning “from the Kingdom of Judah”.
The first mention of JEW is in 2 Kings 16:6. It would appear, as they occupied the promise land and grew as a nation, the descendants of Abram, a Hebrew, started to call themselves JEWS. The promises God gave to Abram were passed unto Isaac and then to Jacob and his 12 sons who became the nation of Israel, JEWS. Now, anyone descending from any of the twelve tribes (sons of Israel) are called Jews. The rest of the people of the world are Gentiles.
One can follow to Jews all thru history by reading the Bible. From Genesis to Acts, chapter 12, when God shuts the door to Salvation to the Nation of Israel, and opens the door of salvation to the Gentiles, who are spread all over the earth Genesis 11:7-8. This includes Europe, Asia, and the Americas. But as the gentiles traveled, they took with them their false gods and false religious practices. Remember the Tower of Babel Genesis 11:1-4? These towers, pyramids are still being discovered in many parts of the earth.
Why did God exclude the Gentiles until He called Saul (Paul) to go to them with the Gospel? The answer is found in Romans 1:18-32. But now, the door of salvation is open to every individual, Jew and Gentile. Romans 1:13-17.

For more about who are Jews, See God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
For more about the tower, See Tower of Babel

⇛ checkout List of Topics

Marriage Success
Things to remember about Marriage:
Marriage is life’s biggest relationship and should be the longest and closest.
Become and expert on your mate. What makes them happy.
Talk over your relationship. Face life together. Remember your vows.
Seek help from others when problems arise.
Keep the Lord center in your marriage.

God has a divine order for EVERYTHING, including the Home.
Christ is head
Ephesians 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
He is over all
Ephesians 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Man is head of the Family
Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Woman is to be the backbone of the family, loved by her husband
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Children are part of the family, obey parents
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Marriage Success includes:
FINICIAL… Partners in everything. Everything above the board.
IN-LAWS… Your mate comes first.
SEXUAL… Be lovers. Remember, love is more than sex, but sex is important. Given by God.
SPIRITUAL… Put Christ first. It’s His will for marriage to succeed.
Four things married couples ought to be:
Partners, Pals, Lovers, Christians
Believers in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and that He is God

⇛ checkout List of Topics

Bowling is like Life:
Everyone has just so many frames to get the best score possible.
Some get good frames but mostly we get bad ones.
Why are some better than others?
— PRACTICE— PRACTICE— PRACTICE
To succeed as a Believer, we must PRACTICE.

Paul compares the life of a Believer to a runner.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Paul rebukes the Believers in Galatia.
Galatians 5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
Paul reminds to keep trying. Practice!
Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
And to believing Jews (applies to all believers).
Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Paul, knowing his ministry is coming to an end, reminds Timothy:
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
And reminds him (and us) the results of practicing a good life.
2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

⇛ checkout List of Topics ⇛

The perfect motherwould first of all be the good wife. 1 Peter 3 Peter gives the qualities of a Good wife and writes of Sarah, who called Abraham, lord.
Ephesians 5:22-24 Paul gives instructions for wives. The perfect mother must be a good wife.
The perfect mother would respect (love) her in-laws. Ruth the example.
Ruth 1:15-17
The perfect mothershould desire to have and love children (how many mothers are only biological moms). Rachel desired to be a mother Genesis 30:1 She pleaded “give me children or else I die”. Genesis 30:22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
The perfect mother would give her children to God and pray for them.
1 Samuel 1:27-28 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
The perfect motherwould teach her child about God. Give them something, someone to believe in.Paul was impressed with Lois and Eunice who gave their child faith. 2 Timothy 1:5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
The perfect motherwould desire the best for her child. The mother of James and John Matthew 20:20-21. Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
The perfect mother would believe God. Luke 1:27-38 Mary, the mother of our Lord, she believed the impossible, she believed God.
How about it Mom? Are YOU The Perfect Mother?
Are you ….. A good wife?
Do you ….. desire children, really want them?
Have you ….. given the ones you have to God?
Do you ….. pray for, with them?
Are you ….. teaching them God’s word?
Are you ….. giving them a real faith … someone, something to believe in.
Do you ….. desire the best for them?
Are you ….. going to God for them?
MOM ….. do you believe in God? The death Burial and Resurrection of Christ?

Dad, replace mother with father, Are YOU The Perfect Father?

⇛ checkout List of Topics

WEDDING PRACTICES AROUND THE WORLD … strange and varied.
Religion or their association with religion always came as a second thought to these customs, NEVER did religion initiate the customs … Prevalent in small nomadic tribes as the practice of group marriage … the men of the tribe married the women of the tribe … this is still practiced today … even in civilized and educated countries (remember Charles Manson …)
TREE MARRIAGE … customs indicate the younger son could not marry until the older brother had taken a wife … The older would therefore marry a tree, a bush or even animal … legally. In India a third marriage was considered bad luck … so to avoid this they would marry a tree, a bush or even animal and then proceed on to the fourth marriage.
INFANT BETROTHAL … still practiced in parts of the world today.
Children being entered into marriage contracts by their parents … sometimes even before birth.
In Australian tribes, girls are promised to someone in the tribe without regards to the age of the man … She might be promised to someone as old as her father or even her grandfather. She may even be betrothed to several men, in case one of them were to die. A man might have several girls betrothed to him for the same reason.
In parts of India a girl 15 years old and not married is considered an old maid and will often be despised by others. Some girls are married by the time they are 8, although the normal age is 12.
Religion has stated they should be married by the time puberty set in.
Early marriages resolve many religious problems:

1. Girls are to be married before they mature.
2. Men must have a son to fulfill his ordained mission of continuing the lie of unbroken descendants.
   The souls of his ancestors cannot remain in heaven unless there is a male descendant to continue sacrifices.
   There are many marriages customs around the world and these a just a few of them. The Bible tells of weddings at the time of Christ. Christ in his parables relate weddings in His time on Earth. However, it is difficult to state:
   THIS IS THE WAY IT WAS! But a few facts are revealed.
   FORMAL BETHROAL – The engagement.
   Usually took place several years before the actual wedding. Usually arranged by parents. This betrothal had to be broken by a paper of divorce from a Rabbi.
   Matthew 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
   The Wedding …
   After a time of festivity and customary rites, which lasted several days (or longer), the Bride began a procession which took her from her home to the house of the Groom. Her trousseau, bridal gifts, as well as musicians and dancers (and sometimes horsemen preforming wild feats) preceded her through the streets. Upon her arrival she was escorted into the best room in the house, which was beautifully decorated as the bridal chamber.
   The groom was absent from the house, but late that same evening (!! Or12) the bridegroom procession began. From the house of a friend his procession came through the streets where women would squeal with delight, “HE IS COMING”. As he neared the house the maidens-in-waiting would go out to the porch and light his way with their lamps … Once the groom and his party were in the house the doors were shut and no-one else could enter. This event sometimes lasted up to 7 days. In most instances the groom provided wedding garments for all the guests and they were required to wear them. Read Matthew 22:1-14 and Matthew 25:1-13 And the marriage of the Lamb Revelation 19:7-9

⇛ checkout List of Topics

Leviticus 18:22-23 Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable. Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.

Romans 1:18-32 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Genesis 19 The story (and sin) of Sodom and Gomorra.
Jude 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
Matthew 10:15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

See Marriage
See Husband
See Wife
See Family

⇛ checkout List of Topics ⇛

Peter gives good advice:
1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them (wives) according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Paul also has instructions for Husbands:
Ephesians 6:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Ephesians 6:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Ephesians 6:33 Nevertheless let every one of you (Husbands) in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
For a good marriage:
1 Corinthians 7:2-4 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
Good Church Leaders:
Titus 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

⇛ checkout List of Topics ⇛