“The Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ” 12/18/2016 written by bruce r. mills

Posted on December 19, 2016 by

“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

Written by bruce r. mills @  www.Godsmanforever.com

 

                       

      “The Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ” 

                              (Revised from 7/11/2013)

Here is the truth about sin, and how God’s grace through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ is given by God, to those who understand and obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…

Romans 5:12… Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (NKJV)

 

Most people believe sin began in the Garden of Eden, but it didn’t.  Sin began when God’s top angel Lucifer, decided to flex his power, and wanted to become equal to God…Isaiah 14:12-14…

Sin, by its very nature, is born into every human being, since Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden, to the serpent’s (Satan’s) temptations.  This natural sin nature is part of everyone’s natural make-up, from the time they are young children, until the time that they pass on from this life.

That 3 year old, who is told NO by their parents, goes right ahead and disobeys their parents at the first chance they get.  This rebellion against their parents turns into rebellion against God, as a child grows older.  God hates sin, because it is independent rebellion against God; and will devastate the lives of everyone that remains living in sin…in bondage to Satan and the ways of the world…1 John 2:15-16…

The sad truth about sin, is that it blinds the unbeliever…

2 Corinthians 4:4… whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (NKJV)   (More about “the light of the gospel” of our Lord Jesus Christ, later)

Satan is the father of sin (John 8:44), and a master of disguise.  The Apostle Paul warns us about false prophets, and Satan himself, in...

2 Corinthians 11:12-14… For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. (NKJV)

Thank goodness God sent His Son Jesus Christ, born to the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18)…who’s shed blood on the cross at Calvary, will cleanse the sins of those who are first drawn in by God…

John 6:44… No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (NKJV)

Upon understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the sins of the unbeliever will be replaced with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:9…&…2 Corinthians 5:21)…as God’s free gift of grace, through saving faith alone in Jesus Christ, fills the heart, mind, and soul of the new redeemed child of God.

Ephesians 2:8-9… For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)

There is nothing an unbeliever can do on their own merit.  No amount of good works done in the name of the Lord, can cleanse away sins.  All of our own righteousness is absolutely worthless…Isaiah 64:6…  Jesus warns those who falsely believe that their good works done in the name of the Lord (like going to church every week), will forgive sins…when Jesus warns those around Him (and us) about this, in.

Matthew 7:21-23… “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (NKJV)

Having one’s lifetime of sins forgiven, is pure grace given to the unredeemed sinner by God.  God’s grace is given by God to those who seek Jesus Christ to become their personal Lord and Savior, through a personal one on One relationship, that is established between the unredeemed sinner and Jesus Christ.

This is accomplished through saving faith alone in Jesus Christ, through obedience to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the sinner realizes they can in no way save themselves, and turns to the Lord to receive God’s grace… (More about obeying the Gospel of Christ later)

So why should you desire to become a redeemed child of God ??  Very simply, to be in-dwelt with the Holy Spirit by God, to be supernaturally empowered to defeat Satan’s temptations, and our own carnal fleshly desires constantly urging us to sin… 1 John 2:15-16…

The Holy Spirit living with-in the “born again” Christian, has been given to them by God to guide and direct EVERY facet of the redeemed child of God’s life…  It is the Holy Spirit that helps the Christian grow and mature the fruit of the Spirit, which the Apostle Paul pens, in…

 

Galatians 5:22-23…  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  (ESV)

Look at this list of attributes the Holy Spirit will empower you with !!

Love, Joy, and Peace, are the most important of these 9 fruit of the Spirit…

How would you like to have a supernatural love that surpasses your mortal knowledge (Ephesians 3:19)…  A love empowered by the Holy Spirit that will enable you to love even someone screaming in your face, as Jesus tells us to do, in…Matthew 5:43-44…

And how about having a supernatural  joy that enables you to go through life’s most difficult trial, and still be able to find joy…  The Apostle James tells us about this joy, in…James 1:2-4…

 

 And wouldn’t you like to have a supernatural peace that will allow you to look upon your own death…knowing without a shadow of a doubt that you will be face to face with Jesus in heaven, the instant you breath your last breath here on earth !!  (2 Corinthians 5:8)

This supernatural peace surpasses our mortal understanding, as the Apostle Paul pens, in…

Philippians 4:6-7… Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God,which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

 

All of these God given blessings will be given to you by God, if you understand and obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…  How is this done ??  You must pray to God, with what some call “the sinners prayer”, that should go something like this…

 

“Father I am sorry for my lifetime of sins…  I believe with ALL my heart, that Your Son Jesus suffered and died on the cross, shedding His blood to cleanse away all of my sins…  I believe that Jesus was buried, and rose again in 3 days…  I repent and turn from my sins with godly sorrow and a repentant heart…seeking Jesus Christ to come into my heart to direct my life…  Father, hear my plea to receive Your grace…  Grant me eternal life with You…  Fill me with the Holy Spirit…and I thank You and praise You in Jesus’ most precious name…Amen”

 

I can only tell you from my own personal experience…that I made this prayer seeking salvation several times, before God graced me with salvation.  It’s not the prayer that saves us; it is a changed heart that is regenerated by God Himself…  God knows our heart, and He will only grant saving grace to those who seek Jesus with ALL of their heart, mind soul, and strength…

God finally graced me with salvation when I prayed with true godly sorrow and a repentant heart…and I absolutely knew beyond any doubt, that I was just then a redeemed child of God…(Romans 8-16) It is   God’s decision, and God’s perfect timing, to grace someone with eternal life with Him in heaven.

Failure to obey the Gospel of Christ before you die will result in eternal separation from God, and you will forever forfeit your place in heaven…

 

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9…  in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,  (NKJV)

All Christians who are Walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), should absolutely, positively know for sure, that they are indeed a redeemed child of God.  The Apostle Paul tells us this, in…

 

Romans 8:15-16…  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”  16 The Spirit Himself  bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (NKJV)

There should be no doubts for the Spirit filled Christian about where they will be headed upon their death.  No wondering if they are good enough to get into heaven.  Because none of us are good enough…

Romans 3:23…  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (NKJV)    

The power of the Holy Spirit can and will conquer sin, by those who without question, have placed their lives in the hands of the Lord.  The Apostle James says this best, when he penned this, in…

James 4:7-8… Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (NKJV)

 

My friends, these blessings of spiritual fruit are totally indescribable, and have to be experienced to be believed !!

For those who have been graced with salvation…we must do our best to remain walking in the Spirit…  We see this penned by the Apostle Paul, in…

Galatians 5:16…   I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  (NKJV)

We as Christians can only remain filled with the Holy Spirit (as the Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:18-20), if we live in obedience to God’s will and God’s ways…  Any unconfessed sin will leave us in a state of broken (or at least hindered) fellowship with God…

 

To become righteous again in God’s eyes (from a practical standpoint, because we are always positionally righteous before God), we must confess our sins before the Lord…repent of them…and turn from them… We see this very clearly, as penned by the Apostle John, in…

1 John1:9… If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NKJV)

Living for the Lord, with the Holy Spirit in total charge of your life, is a blessing that I pray everyone will come to experience…

Heavenly Father, Your Word is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…Hebrews 4:12-13… I pray Lord, that You would draw to Yourself those that don’t yet know You as their personal Lord and Savior…John 6:44…  And that the truth from Your Word through obedience to the Gospel of Your Son Jesus Christ, would set them free from Satan’s chains of bondage to sin and shame…John 8:32…  I pray for this fullness of Christ in all of our lives, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

 

Blessings in Christ, bruce r. mills

 

(Message me here, or send me an e-mail @ brucermillslast@comcast.net with any questions)

P.S.  For those who still believe they can earn their own way into heaven, listen to John Piper’s audio on… “Can My Good Works Outweigh My Bad?

https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/can-my-good-works-outweigh-my-bad

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“Why?” 2/20/2020 Written by Beth Andrews for “Deeper Roots”

Posted on February 20, 2020 by

“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

                            Image result for image why God allows suffering ?

Written by Beth Andrews for “Deeper Roots”  @  https://dbethandrews.wordpress.com

Original post @  https://dbethandrews.wordpress.com/2020/02/17/why/

 

Why?

POSTED ON  BY 

Reading in Acts 16 this morning where Paul and Silas are in prison for preaching the Gospel. There are a lot of why’s in this story. At the beginning of Acts 16, Paul wants to go to Asia, but God wouldn’t let them. Why? They were stripped, beaten, severely flogged, thrown in prison, and fastened in the stocks (vv. 22-24). Why? Despite it all, in the middle of the night, our boys “were praying and singing hymns to God. Why? But wait, it gets better. A violent earthquake shook the prison and “all the prison doors flew open and everyone’s chain came loose. But they all stayed. Everyone. Why?

Why did all this happen? So the jailer would see and believe in the power of God and so that he and his family would hear the gospel and be saved. I suspect a few prisoners also believed that night.

I take tremendous hope in this story because it tells me if God would go to such lengths to bring the man and his family to salvation, He will move mountains to save my loved one too. I have no doubt that when these new believers came up out of the baptismal waters, Paul and Silas realized all their suffering was worth it. God had directed every single thing to save this family.

Beloved, I know that you are suffering. I know that you are asking “Why?” I know it’s hard and painful. Believe me, I know, because I am there too. But I’m going to pray and praise God in the suffering because I believe He will use it to show His power. And He will break the chains that bind my loved one and throw open the prison door and set them free. It’s going to be worth it all one day. Suffering in God’s hands always – always – brings Joy. Just ask Paul and Silas. And Jesus.

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

Picture credit: https://www.google.com/search?q=image+why+God+allows+suffering+%3F&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwir9vn07djnAhWRNd8KHbI2DF0Q2-cCegQIABAA&oq=image+why+God+allows+sufferingb+%3F&gs_l=img.12…0.0..4767…0.0..0.0.0…….0……gws-wiz-img.q6Sm2EtLDBY&ei=c6tKXuvwC5Hr_Aay7bDoBQ&bih=826&biw=1074&rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS832US832#imgrc=it_XmLqffkqYkM

 

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“God’s righteousness looks like Jesus” 2/19/2020 Written by Mel Wild for “In My Father’s House”

Posted on February 19, 2020 by

“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

Image result for image 2 corinthians 5:21

Written by Mel Wild for “In My Father’s House” @ https://melwild.wordpress.com

Original post @  https://melwild.wordpress.com/2020/02/09/gods-righteousness-looks-like-jesus/

 

God’s righteousness looks like Jesus

Posted on February 9, 2020by 

We don’t have to speculate about the nature of God’s righteousness any more, for it was made tangible in Jesus Christ. This is how we define righteousness; it looks like Jesus’ life and teachings. What this also means is, whatever looks like Jesus defines God’s righteousness, whatever doesn’t look like Jesus does not define God’s righteousness.

Here’s what Paul told the Romans about God’s righteousness (and how we obtain this righteousness):

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile (Rom.3:21-22 NIV*)

I think The Passion Translation (TPT) says it more clearly:

21–22 But now, independently of the law, the righteousness of God is tangible and brought to light through Jesus, the Anointed One. This is the righteousness that the Scriptures prophesied would come. It is God’s righteousness made visible through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And now all who believe in him receive that gift. For there is really no difference between us (Rom.3:21-22 TPT*)

But if God’s righteousness was revealed through Jesus Christ, then we may need to consider (or reconsider) what we think that means. Does it simply mean obeying God’s laws perfectly like Jesus did? Is that how Jesus displayed God’s righteousness? And, so now, since Jesus got an “A” on the test, we can get an “A” by faith in His name?

The original Greek word for righteousness is δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē). It means “fair and equitable dealing, justice, godliness, piety.” (Mounce)

“Fair and equitable dealing” is the most useful term here, but it’s also important to understand the difference between being equitable and being strictly just. As Aristotle said a little over 2,300 years ago, “Equity is just, but not what is legally just. It is a rectification of legal justice. ” 

For example, if you were stopped for speeding because you were trying to get your pregnant wife who just went into labor to the hospital in time, a strictly just officer would write you out a speeding ticket—100% of the time. After all, you broke the law. On the other hand, if this officer were equitable, he or she would escort you safely to the hospital, even deliver the baby for you if need be. (For a biblical review of God’s type of justice, go to my post: “Is God strictly just or is He equitable?“)

My point is this: God’s righteousness, like His justice, is equitable.

We can prove this definition by simply looking at Jesus Christ. What we see in Jesus’ life and ministry is a continual demonstration of God’s other-centered, self-giving love in human form. We see Jesus defending the defenseless, affirming the marginalized, healing the sick, standing with the accused, raising grieving mother’s children back to life, restoring the lepers and despised back into society. We see Jesus getting angry at injustice, especially when it was done in the name of God.

Jesus showed us that God’s righteousness looks like loving your enemies, not seeking revenge, not hating, not showing partiality, not manipulating, not coveting, not lusting but loving, not condemning or putting yourself above others but treating everyone exactly as you would want to be treated. It looks like giving generously and doing more than you’re asked, letting your yes be yes, forgiving, and showing grace and mercy to those who don’t deserve it.

God’s righteousness looks like the fruit born from Jesus abiding in His Father’s love and doing what He sees His Father do. Jesus showed us that God’s righteousness is not that of a legalistic lawyer but of a loving Father, as we see in the story of the Prodigal Son.

We see what God’s righteousness looks like on the cross. Jesus, although falsely accused, abandoned and misunderstood by everyone He loved, yet still hanging there…for us.

We see Jesus offering forgiveness before we even realized what we had done to Him. We see Him bringing us to Himself while we were still alienated from Him in our orphan-hearted blindness and confusion.

What this means to me is that I must re-calibrate my idea of God’s righteousness, for if I equate His righteousness with stainless steel legalism, or anything un-Christlike, vindictive or petty or ungracious, I’m projecting an image of a false god.

One more thing here. Paul also tells us that we receive God’s righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ. It’s not our righteousness, but His. So, if we’re being legalistic, vindictive, ungracious, or not looking like Jesus in any way, then we have not received His righteousness, we’re still walking in our own. And ours is nothing more than filthy rags.

* All emphasis added.

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com/

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

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“Moving from Continuous Complacency to Disruptive Innovation” 2/18/2020

Posted on February 18, 2020 by

“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

Image result for image lukewarm Christian

Written by  Keith Haney for “THE LIGHT BREAKS THROUGH” @ https://alightbreaksthrough.org

Original post @  https://alightbreaksthrough.org/moving-from-continuous-complacency-to-disruptive-innovation/

 

Moving from Continuous Complacency to Disruptive Innovation

11 Feb 2020  Keith Haney

lightstock_357534_medium_byrene_haney
Sometimes in my life when I look back at my time in the parish I feel for my congregation members. My parents raised me with the idea that “good enough” was not acceptable.

The definition of complacency, “as soon as you are comfortable with where you are, you are heading in the wrong direction.”

Boy, do I relate to this quote, “Complacency is a blight that saps energy, dulls attitudes, and causes a drain on the brain. The first symptom is satisfaction with things as they are. The second is a rejection of things as they might be. “Good enough” becomes today’s watchword and tomorrow’s standard. Complacency makes people fear the unknown, mistrust the untried, and abhor the new. Like water, complacent people follow the easiest course — downhill. They draw false strength from looking back.” -Bits & Pieces, May 28, 1992, p. 15.

The Signs of Complacency.

1) Satisfaction with things as they are.

 

15I know your works. You are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I’m about to spit you out of my mouth.Revelations 3:15-16

 

Complacency is a spiritual condition. John describes it in Revelation with the Laodiceans. This church was in a spiritually lukewarm state. Their situation was not as cold as in those in the world who have no relationship with the Savior, Jesus Christ. Neither were they hot fervently living out their calling as the people of God. No, the Laodiceans were in this comfortable middle, a state of Lukewarmness, they were complacent. One commentator describes it this way. “The lukewarm state, if it be the transitional stage to a warmer, is a desirable state (for a little religion, if real, is better than none); but most fatal when, as here, an abiding condition, for it is mistaken for a safe state[1]” He describes along with John the danger of settling for “good enough.”

2) The rejection of things as they might be.

How does the Church and Christian get here? There are many factors. It is a rejection of growth, personal, spiritual, and organizational. It is a rejection of an innovation. We will define this term later so hang in. The enemies of change are lack of vision, embracing the status quo, and too many rules and regulations.

Disruptive Innovation 

quote-chalk-think-wordsPhoto by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

When many church people hear business terms, they recoil immediately and reject them without ever taking the time to consider it. Let me start this section with a definition of what innovation is: “Innovation can be defined as the process of implementing new ideas to create value for an organization. This may mean creating a new service, system, or process, or enhancing existing ones. Innovation can also take the form of discontinuing an inefficient or out-of-date service, system, or process.[2]”

What the church needs to hear from this is simple. I am not asking nor promoting we throw out our faith, our doctrine, our beliefs, but I am asking you to throw out the programs, the ministries, the practices that are not working, have not worked since 1954 and try to update your way of doing ministry.

The world around you is changing; it is adopting, it is ignoring the church. The world sees the church as out of touch. I am sharing this because we have a message the world desperately needs to hear. I sort of feel like Jeremiah. Keeping the word of God to myself would be easy. Just preach to whatever people show up, but it is too critical to keep it contained in my building, in the ears of my tribe alone. There is an intense fire trapped in my heart burning in my bones demanding the word of God be shared. We have the message right, now let’s get the methods of delivery right. You can’t base new ideas on old paradigms.

9I thought, I’ll forget him;
I’ll no longer speak in his name.
But there’s an intense fire in my heart,
trapped in my bones.
I’m drained trying to contain it;
I’m unable to do it.  Jeremiah 20:9

[1]Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible(Vol. 2, p. 562). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[2]https://its.yale.edu/about/innovation-its/what-innovation

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

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“Church Direction: Will of Man or Will of God?” 2/17/2020 Written by Pastor Matthew Winters for “Wounded Yet Healed”

Posted on February 17, 2020 by

“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

Written by Pastor Matthew Winters for  Wounded Yet Healed  @  https://woundedyethealed.wordpress.com/

Original post @  https://woundedyethealed.wordpress.com/2020/02/15/church-direction-will-of-man-or-will-of-god/

 

 

Church Direction: Will of Man or Will of God?

Posted byMatthew Winters

The direction of the church is a sensitive topic. If 100 people attend, you have at least 100 different opinions about how the church should function. Should it have pews or chairs? Stained glass? Contemporary, traditional, or blended music? Sunday School or small groups? Then comes the bigger schism – should the direction be set by committees, the congregation at large, or the pastor? I can already sense the steam rising with some of you who are reading this. While God should be setting the direction for His people to follow, this is not always the case.

This post is sparked by a church that recently exercised its will over God’s. The church has a history of heartless tradition funded by old money. After years of a pastor who pacified the people, it voted to be ushered into a new era. With lip service, they vocalized their desire for change. When change arrived, it was resisted to the point it decided to vote out one of its staff members.

This story is all too common. The worship of Christ is tossed aside over a preference to go through the motions that have been done for years. The commission of Christ is ignored for the “let’s-hire-somebody-to-do-what-we-are-commanded-to-do-then-complain-about-it-and-exercise-our-lame-committee-authority-to-go-back-to-business-as-usual” mentality. Too often (considering once is too often), I see this over and over again. I gets the calls and the messages for prayer from the ones who gave their lives to answer the call of God, only to be slapped in the face by those who profess to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This must end!

The will of man is ruining a lot of churches. It is being exercised by pastors and church members alike. It is so much easier to exercise than taking the biblical method of seeking the Scriptures and praying for the Holy Spirit to reveal the specific plan of God for HIS church.

To those who have been wounded by the will of man, I weep with you. I have been one of the wounded because senior leadership wanted “better” or “the powers that be” couldn’t stand that Jesus was going to call the shots and they did not like the fact that I was going to execute God’s will.

To those who love the power, please repent! Christ didn’t die so you could vote down progress in your church. The will of man has deterred many souls from being saved. I would hate to think my disobedience kept someone from walking in God’s will.

By nature, we are selfish people. Choosing our will is easy. Discerning and implementing God’s will is tough. The bottom line is we will have to answer to God for our choices. Let’s be guilty of striving to do God’s will no matter the resistance.

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com/2016/12/19/the-gospel-of-our-lord-jesus-christ-12182016-written-by-bruce-r-mills/

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

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“Running from God” 2/16/2020 Written by Pastor Charlie Miller

Posted on February 16, 2020 by

“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

Image result for image Psalm 51

Written by Charlie Miller, Pastor @Trinity Reformed Church of Osterburg, Pa.

“Running from God”

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation.” Psalm 51:10-12

The most miserable man on Earth is not an unsaved man but a saved man out of fellowship with God. That is absolutely true. If a person is truly a child of God and is out of fellowship with Him, I can tell you he’s carrying a big burden. Now, if he’s not saved, he’s not carrying any burden at all. But if he is truly saved and out of fellowship with God, that’s a different story completely.

When David got out of fellowship with God, he said to the Lord, “Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation.” He didn’t say, “Lord, restore unto me Thy salvation,” but “restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation.” He was miserable running from God.

Are you running from God? Or perhaps you know someone who is. Pray that they will be restored. Today’s passage is a good one to pray for them, inserting their name into the verse, asking God to restore and renew.

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

Picture credit: https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS832US832&sxsrf=ACYBGNRLFiUY6q6BZph3UU_tsYVRzYTDHQ:1581775250479&q=image+Psalm+51&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjugq3_29PnAhWxkHIEHYNnDfEQsAR6BAgKEAE&biw=1074&bih=777#imgrc=v5uWUYMColQJnM

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“Danger In Good Times” 2/15/2020 Written by Dr. Lawson Murry for “SEIZE The DAY”

Posted on February 15, 2020 by

Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

Image result for image ecc 12:13

Written by Dr. Lawson Murry for “SEIZE The DAY”  @  https://seizetheday-blog.com

Original post @  https://seizetheday-blog.com/2020/02/13/danger-in-good-times/

Danger In Good Times

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:  Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. Ecclesiastes 12:13

It seems that many of our problems have come about as a result of progress. As we’ve tried to build a better world we’ve ended up with all sorts of added burdens. Despite the advantages of dishwashers, antibiotics and pest-resistant crops we also have ozone depletion, nuclear weapons, shrinking natural habitats and carcinogens without number.

The late Bruno Bettelheim remarks: “Never before have so many had it so good; no longer do we tremble in fear of sickness or hunger, of hidden evils in the dark, of the spell of witches. The burden of killing toil has been lifted from us, and machines, not the labour of our hands, will soon provide us with nearly all we need. We have inherited freedoms man has striven after for centuries. Because of all this and much more we should be living in a dawn of great promise. But now that we are freer to enjoy life, we are deeply frustrated in our disappointment that the freedom and comfort, sought with such deep desire, do not give meaning and purpose to our lives.”

Very true. We live in an era of unprecedented prosperity and social progress. Yet the most technologically advanced countries are also the ones most plagued by drug addiction, divorce, suicide, alcoholism, abortion, and increasing crime.

But I’m not surprised. Beyond short term pleasures and shallow thrills, this world has nothing to give. Materialism is a dead end and hedonism is no different. Beneath the surface you discover that no matter what life offers, there’s a certain discontentment, just because it’s ours for the taking.

What can be done? How can we deal with discontentment?

We must acknowledge our limits and subject ourselves to God’s rule. For the meaning of life isn’t in life, it’s outside of it – it’s in the worship of God.

There you have it. The stark solution to disillusionment and discontentment is when we put God first, when we worship the Creator instead of our creation, and when we make the invisible kingdom more important than the visible kingdom. This is the only thing that’s ultimately worthwhile. God must be number One. “The chief end of man is to glorify God.” Which means the facts and fabric of this world cannot be the end of the matter. We must “fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil”  Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

Picture credit:  https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS832US832&sxsrf=ACYBGNRyTEUjV1Dy_pefjeuN_cJ1J7FmHw:1581614211002&q=image+ecc+12:13&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjwpt-JhM_nAhUP11kKHUGfCjIQsAR6BAgKEAE&biw=1074&bih=869#imgrc=3N6hMOHab-_y2M

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“Victory Over Sin” 2/14/2020 Posted by Don Merritt for “The Life Project”

Posted on February 14, 2020 by

“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

Image result for Image grace gives victory over sin

Posted by Don Merritt  for “The Life Project” @  https://lifereference.wordpress.com

Original post @  https://lifereference.wordpress.com/2020/02/13/section-recap-2

“Victory Over Sin”

Section Recap

Posted on February 13, 2020by 

 

With the previous post, we have completed the third main section of Romans comprised of Romans 6-8. The proposition that Paul set about to prove is: Grace gives us total victory over sin. As we saw in our tour of this section Paul once again sought to prove his proposition with three arguments:

  1. Grace does not make sin irrelevant (6:1-7:13)

  2. Grace gives us total victory over sin (7:14-8:13)

  3. The victory of grace over sin is assured (8:14-39)

As I did with the last section, I thought I would recap his arguments so that you can review his reasoning and see his logic…

Proposition: Grace gives us total victory over sin

  1. Grace does not make sin irrelevant (6:1-7:13)

  2. Sin still matters (6:1-14)

  3. Freedom from the Law is not freedom to sin (6:15-7:6)

1) We are slaves to God (6:15-23)

2) We obey God from our hearts (7:1-6)

Paul’s two supporting points here are interesting, both were set up with questions that one might be prompted to ask and followed with emphatic negative responses. Sin still matters and we must not mistake our freedom as license to go crazy, for this is not only displeasing to God, but it denies us the total victory that grace can provide. It is far too easy for a person to stop looking at behavior once they see their slate is wiped clean legally, but God wants an intimate relationship with His people, and that cannot happen when we are chasing every fancy around with our backs turned to Him. The second supporting point takes this underlying thinking to the next level:

Proposition: Grace gives us total victory over sin

  1. Grace gives us total victory over sin (7:14-8:13)

  2. We continue to struggle against sin (7:14-25)

1) The nature of the struggle lies within our humanity (7:14-20)

2) Our struggle is more than transactional (7:21-25)

  1. Victory over sin is provided by the Holy Spirit (8:1-13)

1) God has saved us from the penalty of sin (8:1-4)

2) Sin and death are defeated within us by the power of the Holy Spirit (8:5-13)

Freedom from sin is not freedom to sin; this is at the core of Paul’s reasoning in this section. We are not perfect, and contrary to the notions of some, humanity never was perfection, for we have within us free will as a gift from God. Yes we struggle, yes we will fall short sometimes, but the penalty for our sins has been taken away by the blood of Christ; so great was God’s love for us. Even better, God did not take away our sins and then leave us all alone, for He has also given us the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us. This guidance is not simply a matter of helping to keep the rules handy, for the Holy Spirit also gives us the strength to grow beyond our impulses so that over the course of time and growing maturity, sin become less and less appealing, and as a result, grace not only gives us victory over sin’s consequences, but victory over sin’s appeal, which is a great transformation indeed. With this fresh in mind, Paul moved to his final supporting point:

Proposition: Grace gives us total victory over sin

  1. The victory of grace over sin is assured (8:14-8:39)

  2. The Holy Spirit within us makes us God’s sons and heirs (8:14-17)

  3. The entire creation is our inheritance (8:18-25)

  4. God has promised to bring his family through earthly trials (8:26-30)

  5. God’s gracious love gives us clear assurance of our victory over sin (8:31-39)

In this wonderful section, Paul paints us a picture of God’s commitment to our success, which is proven so clearly by the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. When we allow the Holy Spirit to be the center of our lives, when we stop trying to be in charge of everything, when we surrender to His love and guidance, His victory over sin in us begins to emerge no matter our circumstances. This is a life-long process, a work in progress and it requires great faith, but victory is assured. All that is left for us to do is to make a commitment to let Him lead the way.

Well, what do think? Did Paul prove his case; does God’s grace give us victory over sin in all of its forms? I think he did a great job… but that’s just me.

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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

Image credit:  https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS832US832&sxsrf=ACYBGNS-1Se52cHAxtx9YXOHVKYiNYSxvQ:1581606249355&q=Image+grace+gives+victory+over+sin&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi7-aq15s7nAhWyrFkKHc6lAyoQsAR6BAgIEAE&biw=981&bih=799#imgrc=tYvCkoptfYiB_M

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