Recalling God's promise

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you, Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."

Isaiah 41:10-13

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Copying the ways of this world

'Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.'

LOOK at what will happen when you do this
'you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.'

Romans 12:2

The cost of following Jesus Christ

He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
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But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:59-62

Obeying God, disobeying the world

'My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God's sight. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.'

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'For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.'

James 1:19-27

God is not joking, He is perfectly serious. We only have a limited amount of time left!

"Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:

“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief. “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine. 'Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.'

LOOK at what the Lord Almighty says

"“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

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'For the Lord is righteous, and He loves justice. Those who do what is right will see His face'

Revelation 3:1-15

Psalm 11:7

Who can define Love like God defines it

'Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.'

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Now, let us read this definition of love AGAIN very carefully. This time when you read each word, think of your life as a whole and use it to check if you are following the divine definition. Please endeavour to do this here or in your bible regularly because as children of God we must act this out every blessed day.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Underestimating The Lord Almighty, Alpha and Omega

'The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship.  Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known.They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. The sun rises at one end of the heaven and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair.'

LOOK at the sky. Pure evidence of God's presence and invisible qualities. God is everywhere -Omnipresent. All knowing -Omniscient. He knows when you stand up and sit down. He is watching us constantly, never taking His eyes off us.

Just imagine if we knew our mothers or our fathers knew everything we were doing and every thought that went though our minds. Some of us won't be doing the things we think we can get away with THINK OF IT YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE.

God is real, heaven and hell is so real let us not take this for granted.

Psalm 19:1-9
Psalm 139:2

persistent prayer shows faith

'One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.' “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.  A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’” Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

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If we have been praying for something even 10 years ago and you have not yet seen the results. Keep praying. This is a form of Faith. When you stop praying about something it shows that you've given up and don't think it's possible for God to answer that prayer. God loves when His children pray persistently no matter what.

Remember
Abraham was 100 years old when he had a son from Sarah.

Luke 18:1-8

Faith stands the test of time bringing joy and results

'When God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations, Abraham believed Him. God had also said. "Your descendants will be as numerous as the stars," even though such a promise seemed utterly impossible! And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though he knew he was too old to be a father at the age of one hundred and that Sarah, his wife, had never been able to have children.'...'Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, His faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.

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'We can rejoice when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us -they help us to learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.'

God didn't give Abraham a child until he was 100 and God called him at 75. Just imagine 35 years without offspring from his wife Sarah. Let us have faith in all things we do. Our work, prayers, everything. Abraham's faith. 'Brought glory to God'

Romans 4:18-20
Romans 5:3-5

How does God want us to give in everyday life and in church?

Every day life
'Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later. Divide your gifts among many, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. When the clouds are heavy, the rains come down, When a tree falls, whether south or north there it lies. If you wait for perfect conditions you will never get anything done. God's ways are as hard to discern as the pathways of the wind, and as mysterious as a tiny baby being formed in a mother's womb. Be sure to stay busy and plant a variety of crops, for you never know which will grow -perhaps all will.'

Let use start to give to God by giving to others even if we don't have as much as we want. Time, money, advice, a shoulder to lean on, forgiveness, gifts, a smile, you name it. God delights in this! This is how He wants His children to be!

The Church
LOOK at the Lord Almighty says!
"Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! "But you ask, 'What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?' "You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me...Bring all the tithes and offerings into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do." says the Lord Almighty, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great that you will not have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them off from insects and disease."

LOOK at what the Lord Almighty says again
psalm 50:12 "...for all the world is mine and everything in it."

God owns everything including you're time, money, possessions, everything. If this is true then it is disobedient not to give to the Lord. Let us start to give our tithes and offerings to God for the honour of His name and for Him to prove himself to us. He says "Try it! Let me prove it to you!"

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6
Malachi 3:8-11

God knows what you are going through just remember

'There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to rebuild.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak up.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.'

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We need to remember to thank God for everything in good times and in bad times. Remember its the bad times that really test our faith in God. It refines our faith and relationship with God just like how gold is refined in fire.

'God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.'

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Romans:8:28

Godly vs ungodly

'Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers. But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants; day and night they think about His law. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail. Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper. But this is not true of the wicked. They are like worthless chaff scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the the time of judgement. Sinners will have no place among the godly.'
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'For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.'

Psalm 1

The ultimate sacrifice for mankind

'But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.'

Jesus Christ paid our sin debt in full by shedding His blood on the cross of Calvary. We are to repent from our sins and fully trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for He care for us.
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He made us. Why shouldn't our Heavenly father care for us.

If you have never heard about Jesus Christ and you want to know more about Him. Start like this; in your heart say now 'Lord Jesus forgive me for all my sins (and you can name them) come into my life, help me to trust you and come and live and dwell within me forever In Jesus Name Amen.' Just that little statement with an open heart will seal you eternally forever.
Next step. Get a Bible and start to read. You should probably start from the New Testament or Psalms or Proverbs from the Old Testament.

Isaiah 53:5

Let us trust in these statements of faith

'Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see...Everything has been created through Him and for Him. He existed before everything began, and He holds all creation together. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of His blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were His enemies separated, from Him by your evil thoughts and actions, now He has brought you back as His friends...Through His death on the cross in His own human body. As a result He has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it.'
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'For this is the secret: Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in His glory.'

Colossians 1:15-27

Living the New Life in Christ

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'If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.'

Let us all start to analyse how we are living

Colossians 3:1-11

Do you want to know a bit about the kind of people that are fit for the kingdom of God?

 'Who may worship at your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to slander others or harm their neigbours or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise persistent sinners, and honour the faithful followers of the Lord and keep their promises even when it hurts.Those who do not charge interest on the money they lend, and who refuse to accept bribes to testify against the innocent.'
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'Such people will stand firm forever.'

Psalm 15:1-5

How God intends for us to live before His return

LOOK AT WHAT JESUS SAYS!
"When the Son of Man returns, the world will be like the people were in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came to destroy them all."

 "And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business -until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destryed them all. Yes it will be business as usual right up to the hour when the Son of Man returns"

"Whoever clings to this life will lose it, whoever loses this life will save it"

God wants us to fully seek the Kingdom of God and surrender the empty cares of this world to the Lord Jesus Christ. In Matthew 6:33 Jesus Christ tells us that "he will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern."

Luke 18:26-33

Let us turn wholeheartedly to the true Saviour of the world

'All who make idols will be humilliated and disgraced...For the Lord is God and He created the heavens and the earth and put everythig in place. He made the world to be lived in and not a place of empty chaos.'
LOOK AT WHAT THE LORD SAYS!
"I am the Lord and there is no other. I publicly proclaim bold promises...Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God and there is no other...I have sworn by my own name, and I will never go back on my word. Every knee will bow to me, and every tounge will confess alligiance to my name."

let us all look to to the Lord Jesus Christ for Salvation. Only Jesus Christ can give true eternal life. Worshiping false idols may be a costly threat on the great day when the Lord Jesus Christ returns. It may be your profession, famous people or even carved statues. Bare in mind that whatever you are worshiping like for instance a stone or metal carving. God created that raw material. So wouldn't it be wise to worship the creator of that raw material?

Isaiah 45: 16-23

Taking Christ's return for granted

'But you must not forget dear friends, that a day is like a 1000 years to the Lord and a 1000 years is like a day'<---- if this is so it means that the Lord Jesus Christ was gone TWO DAYS ago. 'The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return...He is being patient...He does not want anyone to perish, He is giving more time for everyone to repent.'

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 'But the Day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief.'

2 Peter 3:8-10