Category: Abide in Him

Patience


This word is something many of us could use more of but right now we had better be thankful that God has an immense amount of it. Why? Because of all the fighting and fussing over the “right” to kill babies that He has sent to us as blessings! I know, some people look at children, babies in particular, as an inconvenience but God has His reasons for sending that soul to you to be in your care. He doesn’t have to ask if it’s okay with you. If you are putting yourself in the position to have a child then God will oblige by sending you one. Whether you are ready for it or not!

Many new parents find that the job of being a parent is overwhelming at times and just plain exhausting during the first few months but most of us can get through it. Sometimes it takes a lot of prayer and “on-the-job” training but for those of us who truly want to be parents, it is worth it. Speaking of being worthy, none of us has the market on being worthy to be parents. Life happens and sometimes it is messy but with help from God and a little time, you can learn to be a good parent depending on your living arrangements.

Why am I focusing on this issue? Because that is one of the “big” stories on the news today. There are many other newsworthy things happening in the world but it seems that having the “right” to kill your child in the womb is more important right now. I worked as an EMT for a number of years and I carried a few expectant mothers to the hospital to have their babies. I never heard even one say that they didn’t want this child regardless of their age. As I said earlier, God sends these souls to Earth to fulfill some need or a specific calling that He has in mind for this child.

God knows what He is doing, whether we agree with His idea or not, is not supposed to be part of the equation. A child is supposed to be celebrated for their potential…their future. He or she is not supposed to be judged as useful or a nuisance. If your life doesn’t have room for a child, then give them a chance at life with someone who can’t have a child. Seek a way to give life a chance because this child may be the doctor that finds the cure for cancer one day.

Walk with Him daily


Faith comes by hearing…


Believe…


How can I come to Jesus?


How can I come to Jesus? I am a sinner and have been doing these things for most of my life. Why would God want me?

Because God knows who you are and he has known you since before you were born. He created you, placed all of your talents and abilities in your DNA, and brought you to the place where you are for a reason. Because there is someone possibly in your family or someone you work for or with that is also unique to God and you are the only person who could bring Jesus to them. They will likely listen to you more than they would their parents or other friends. 

God can take your faith, even if you think it is weak, and use it to touch someone with the love of Jesus. You may not have to speak to them at all. They may see you saying the blessing over your meal at a restaurant and realize that you have something that they need. Not money or possessions but a friend in Jesus Christ and they want that. God has used people to be prophets and priests who were unacceptable in society but He used their willing hearts to touch kings and kingdoms.

When you read the Bible from cover to cover, you find that the genealogy of Jesus had people in it that were outside the family of Abraham. Rahab was a harlot in Jericho but she is part of the genealogy of Jesus and there are many in His family line who murdered people and many other types of sinful things. But God still placed them in Jesus’ lineage because He can use anyone’s ability and talent to bring His purposes to fruition.

John 3:16,17 is a very powerful verse: 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

If you will believe in Jesus, like the thief on the cross did, and repent (move away from) your old sinful habits so you can walk with Him for the rest of your life then you will be saved. It’s so simple yet some people think that they have been too bad. Nobody has ever been turned away from salvation because of what they did if they were willing to leave it behind and follow Jesus’ teaching from that point on. Your heart will be changed and you will be completely new in Christ. Everything that you do is ordained by God and nothing has ever caught Him by surprise.

What are you doing for Him?


What are you doing for Him? Have you ever wondered about your life as a Christian? We usually ask God for our provisions, our needs, and our problems. Do you see the pattern here? We are called by God, prompted by His Holy Spirit to give our hearts and our lives to Him as our sacrifice to Him because of His grace toward us through Jesus’ sacrifice. We are supposed to give because He gave His only Son’s life for you and me. 

Yet we have the audacity to claim Jesus as our Savior and then pray for our selfish desires and our problems without a thought for His requirement of us being His servants and His disciples. And we expect Him to answer our prayers right now! Not next week! How arrogant we are. Can you see what I’m trying to illustrate here?

Your life, as a Christian, should be centered on doing the work that we have been called to do by Jesus. What is that exactly? First and foremost it is being a witness to those around you at home or at work or even in public. Remember, Jesus told His disciples to go and tell others about Him and what HE did for them. That same command is extended to each of us today because people need to know about their Savior. If you and I don’t tell them, how will they know? 

When I was lost, the only reason I went to church was that I had no choice. My mom went to church on Sunday and I had to go with her. I had been in church for as long as I can remember but when I became a teenager is when I began to rebel against my “expectations”. I’m not going into all of the details of my early life but I was a part of a “broken home” as they called them in the 70s. It isn’t uncommon today but back then it was. I didn’t get into drugs much but alcohol and a little “weed” were my friends or so I thought.

When you accept Jesus as your Savior, you are supposed to move away from your old self and follow Him into your new life. I thought I did this for a long time but I kept drinking and smoking for a long time. I was doing things that a born-again person isn’t supposed to do. It wasn’t until I became a father twenty-two years ago that I really began to reach out and seek God for my salvation. I had been baptized a couple of times but all that did was get me wet but I was still lost.

It has taken twenty years of study and seeking God to bring me to a point where I feel comfortable telling others about my Savior. I even served as a “lay-preacher” for almost ten years and there was a lot of growing in Christ that happened during that time as well. What is my point? It is this: If you truly belong to Him, you should be telling others about Him. 

Don’t back up or think they will be offended. Some of them may be but they still need to hear it because you might be the only person who will tell them. God can use your talent to touch those around you and sometimes you are the only person that can get His message to at least one person in particular. It may be someone in your family or someone you work with but they may not listen to anyone else but you and your story. Plant the seed of your story in Christ so that they may decide to turn to Him as well. You may never know if they gave their heart to Jesus until you see them in Heaven but you may be surprised by how many you did influence that you never even spoke to.

Christ lives in your heart


If you are saved by His grace and you truly and completely believe this then He does live in your heart. Believe this and don’t listen to those who say that Christianity is foolish. It is foolish to those who don’t want to believe, but God loves them anyway.

How we should live out our salvation


He will take care of you


Do you know Jesus?


Many people know about Jesus. They’ve heard about Him on TV and they’ve heard about Him in sermons and other venues. The question is “do you KNOW Him and does He know you?” There are many people in the church and outside of any church that has heard of Him and knows the story of His birth and there are many who attend churches thinking that they are saved because of their knowledge of Him.

Satan knows Jesus and he knows Who Jesus is but he won’t serve Him. All of the demons and powers that serve Satan know Who Jesus is but they look at Him as the enemy. If you were to ask people on the street about Jesus, you would get lots of answers or possibly no answer at all. The world around us is very much against the knowledge of Jesus. They don’t mind talking about God but don’t bring up His Son or even claim that He has a Son.

Jesus is THE Son of God and whether you believe it or believe in Him or not that does not change. Seek Him for your salvation and your eternal destination depends on your decision. Choose this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Joshua said this just before he died in the Promised land and he was telling the Israelites to do the same. But, if you read the book of Joshua, the Israelites only served God as long as the generation that came through the wilderness was alive. Then they began to follow the religions of those who lived around them. A choice is a choice whether you make it or not. Make sure of yours before your time is up.