May you see past that the anger you receive and see it as it really is.... It is difficult. It even more difficult when you feel the emotions of resentment from a brother or sister in Christ. The vibrations shake our emotions and cause us to want to accept ideas and thoughts that we shouldn't. These vibrations shake our emotions because of the strong sinews we are all tied to when we belong to each other and Christ.
"But they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For we are joined together in his body by strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God." Colossians 2:19
It is true, when one of us is hurting or not understanding we who surround this person tend to feel their negative vibes. We are no different then when a drop of moisture hits a puddle of water making a ripple but the difference is where we place our feet when the drop of moisture strikes the surface of that puddle.
If it is in the seas of Adam (our flesh) we will feel the effects of the ripple but there is a way not to feel the effects of someones negativity. In this pool of water a rock is always constant no matter if we choose to believe or not to believe. Standing on the rock, when the ripple comes - our ways of handling the situation will be entirely different. The rock of Christ is always present and He allows us to see the vibration around us for what it is- without causing us to react in the ways of the flesh. The ways of the flesh are to get into a defensive mode. Some people lash back out, some get depressed or some just retreat emotionally all together.
"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
The negative vibrations may come circle the rock of Christ but the rock doesn't move and either do we if we are standing on Him. Then we are able to act according to the Spirit and express the love of Christ in all His fullness without worry, fear, depression, sadness, judgement, hate anxiety and anger.
Yes there are some people who are able to disconnect themselves from someone else's negativity but it isn't always constant and it has nothing to do with standing on the rock of Christ. It has everything to do with selfishness. They may not care when it comes to someone they dislike but when it comes to someone they love or admire -watch out. They can be quickly turned.
When you see the ripple of anger, resentment or negativity coming towards you, take a moment and step on the rock of Christ. Don't depend on your own fleshly understandings and fall into those knee jerk reactions but seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit which God gave you when you accepted Christ into your life.
"Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony." Colossians 3:14
In Christ, the world will see the light.
May you find and walk in all His ways,
Jeff
Monday, March 26, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Nothing Can Separate Us From Him
Running in the dark or enlightened by transparency.
Nothing can separate us from Him
All things lead to Him. It’s like a circle with no course.
You can be up high or at your lowest low.
Nothing can separate us from Him.
Condemned by certain emotions or inflicted by other’s rhythms.
Humble and lamented…
Nothing can separate us from Him.
In a crowded room or stranded alone…
Judged or favored it really doesn’t matter… what is human opinion?
Nothing can separate us from Him.
Accused, slandered, stabbed and spit on…
Rest, peace, and at ease in heaven’s best…
Nothing can separate us from Him.
A good laugh or a salty tear
Hard boiled or a deep breath…
A tall glass of water or scorching flames…
On a roller coaster or mistaken as a punching bag
Nothing can separate us from Him
A record player or a song maker
Nothing can separate us from Him.
Ignorant or filled
Nothing can separate us from Him.
Jeff Johnson
Nothing can separate us from Him
All things lead to Him. It’s like a circle with no course.
You can be up high or at your lowest low.
Nothing can separate us from Him.
Condemned by certain emotions or inflicted by other’s rhythms.
Humble and lamented…
Nothing can separate us from Him.
In a crowded room or stranded alone…
Judged or favored it really doesn’t matter… what is human opinion?
Nothing can separate us from Him.
Accused, slandered, stabbed and spit on…
Rest, peace, and at ease in heaven’s best…
Nothing can separate us from Him.
A good laugh or a salty tear
Hard boiled or a deep breath…
A tall glass of water or scorching flames…
On a roller coaster or mistaken as a punching bag
Nothing can separate us from Him
A record player or a song maker
Nothing can separate us from Him.
Ignorant or filled
Nothing can separate us from Him.
Jeff Johnson
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Cheating and Adultery Are NOT Okay
Yesterday I was tempted to write a fiery commentary about an article I tripped over on MSN entitled, "How European Men Don’t Get Caught in Adultery." I started to read the article trying to understanding why someone might want to read such an article.
I don’t know how far I read but the more that I read the angrier I got in disbelief. Thinking back on it sounded like something right out of Satan’s twisted handbook…. It is all right to have adulterous relationships if it doesn’t make you feel guilty the next day and you tell the woman you are having this adulterous fling with that you are married first.
I think most Christians would see that the article sat heavily on the "I" or "Me" concept. Those who don’t know the "I" or "Me" concept, it’s all about satisfying one’s own flesh not about doing what is right in God’s sight.
Another concept was, adulterous relationships are everyday things and very uncomplicated in Europe. The other woman or women are told that this is just a sexual fling nothing more. The other woman agrees and they happily carry on like nothing has ever happens afterward.
The last one I read had to do with. "It is all right to lie and cheat if the one I am lying and cheating on doesn’t find out." - It won't hurt anyone unless they find out.
I don’t know if they had this one (because I didn’t read the entire article) but I am hearing about this one too lately. "It is all right to have sex with someone else if my spouse is having sex with someone else too and we both know each others additional sex partner(s)."
I know these ideas have been around A VERY LONG TIME but they have only been around A VERY LONG TIME because they seem to work when it comes to snaring us and persuading us into sinful acts.
God says, "Do not commit Adultery" (Exodus 20:14)
God says, "Do not testify falsely against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16)
God says, "Do not covet your neighbor’s wife." (Exodus 20:17)
In the Old Testament people were stoned to death if caught in adultery. "If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife, both the man and the woman must be put to death" (Leviticus 20:10)
Some would say that these laws were only for the Jews but in the New Testament Jesus, who is the Savior and the Son of God for all people (Jews and non- Jews) says:
"You have heard that the law of Moses says, "Do not commit adultery." But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if it is your eye- even if it is your good eye- causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body then for your whole body to be thrown into hell." (Matthew 5:27)
I will not judge a person who commits adultery for we have all been sinful but I will share this event that is told to us in John 8
"Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
"Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?"
They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!"
Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.
Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, "Where are you accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?"
"No, Lord," she said.
And Jesus said, "Neither do I, Go and sin no more."
Why does God want us to be faithful to our spouse? He knows what damage it does to the family and you. He knows trust is not easily repaired or fixed. He knows such acts cause the spread of sexual transmitted diseases such as HIV, AIDS, Herpes and cervical cancers. When you do such acts, it shows we only have the values of the world and are no different then the rest of the world when we do such acts. And if we can’t be faithful to our wife, how can be faithful to God? God is only looking what we are looking for.
Would you want a spouse who cheats on you? How can God’s love and the expression of that love be shown if we are no different then the rest of the world.
I couldn’t stay married to someone who was unfaithful.
When we do the twisted dark things the world tries to say is okay we are not acting as children of God but children of the dark prince of this world. The dark prince of this world doesn’t care for his children. When these people who have denied Christ, by their actions go before God, the devil who cheered them on will then turn on them and accuse them of al their sins. Satan will probably laugh at all those who have the nerve to try to accuse him for all their shame and evil. If he says anything at all to them he will probably say something like; "You are sending yourself to hell." It will come very apparent that they didn’t have to do the dark and lustful things that were conveniently suggested.
I will say this again for your benefit and for your benefit ALONE.
"I used to think the Satan/ the Devil was fiction but then I asked God if the devil was real and one night in my sleep the spiritual vial was opened for me to see the Satan- the dark prince of this world. He is not the beautiful angel he once was. The portrayal of him being red is not that far off. His being looks as if it has been scorched to redness. I remember his eyes were very perching and menacing and I would be lying to say he wasn’t frightening. He has a very strong presence. Darkness and flames seemed to reflect on his being. I tried to look away from him as much as I could like Frodo trying to look away from the great evil eye of Sauron in the Lord of the Rings movies. Then heard a blood-curdling scream. It was like it was right next to my bed and I immediately woke up. I think I sat straight up in bed. I listened. My wife was still sleeping soundly beside me. It was obvious it wasn’t the children. Trembling, I prayed for God to watch over my house and eventually I fell back to sleep.
Don’t be fooled! There are many things we can not see. The Lord God is the only way. There you find and draw your strength from Him.
If you are being adulterous, Jesus would say to you, "Go and sin no more."
Oh… and there is a reason why God says don’t concern yourself with things of this world. You get less uptight that way.
I don’t know how far I read but the more that I read the angrier I got in disbelief. Thinking back on it sounded like something right out of Satan’s twisted handbook…. It is all right to have adulterous relationships if it doesn’t make you feel guilty the next day and you tell the woman you are having this adulterous fling with that you are married first.
I think most Christians would see that the article sat heavily on the "I" or "Me" concept. Those who don’t know the "I" or "Me" concept, it’s all about satisfying one’s own flesh not about doing what is right in God’s sight.
Another concept was, adulterous relationships are everyday things and very uncomplicated in Europe. The other woman or women are told that this is just a sexual fling nothing more. The other woman agrees and they happily carry on like nothing has ever happens afterward.
The last one I read had to do with. "It is all right to lie and cheat if the one I am lying and cheating on doesn’t find out." - It won't hurt anyone unless they find out.
I don’t know if they had this one (because I didn’t read the entire article) but I am hearing about this one too lately. "It is all right to have sex with someone else if my spouse is having sex with someone else too and we both know each others additional sex partner(s)."
I know these ideas have been around A VERY LONG TIME but they have only been around A VERY LONG TIME because they seem to work when it comes to snaring us and persuading us into sinful acts.
God says, "Do not commit Adultery" (Exodus 20:14)
God says, "Do not testify falsely against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16)
God says, "Do not covet your neighbor’s wife." (Exodus 20:17)
In the Old Testament people were stoned to death if caught in adultery. "If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife, both the man and the woman must be put to death" (Leviticus 20:10)
Some would say that these laws were only for the Jews but in the New Testament Jesus, who is the Savior and the Son of God for all people (Jews and non- Jews) says:
"You have heard that the law of Moses says, "Do not commit adultery." But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if it is your eye- even if it is your good eye- causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body then for your whole body to be thrown into hell." (Matthew 5:27)
I will not judge a person who commits adultery for we have all been sinful but I will share this event that is told to us in John 8
"Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
"Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?"
They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!"
Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.
Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, "Where are you accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?"
"No, Lord," she said.
And Jesus said, "Neither do I, Go and sin no more."
Why does God want us to be faithful to our spouse? He knows what damage it does to the family and you. He knows trust is not easily repaired or fixed. He knows such acts cause the spread of sexual transmitted diseases such as HIV, AIDS, Herpes and cervical cancers. When you do such acts, it shows we only have the values of the world and are no different then the rest of the world when we do such acts. And if we can’t be faithful to our wife, how can be faithful to God? God is only looking what we are looking for.
Would you want a spouse who cheats on you? How can God’s love and the expression of that love be shown if we are no different then the rest of the world.
I couldn’t stay married to someone who was unfaithful.
When we do the twisted dark things the world tries to say is okay we are not acting as children of God but children of the dark prince of this world. The dark prince of this world doesn’t care for his children. When these people who have denied Christ, by their actions go before God, the devil who cheered them on will then turn on them and accuse them of al their sins. Satan will probably laugh at all those who have the nerve to try to accuse him for all their shame and evil. If he says anything at all to them he will probably say something like; "You are sending yourself to hell." It will come very apparent that they didn’t have to do the dark and lustful things that were conveniently suggested.
I will say this again for your benefit and for your benefit ALONE.
"I used to think the Satan/ the Devil was fiction but then I asked God if the devil was real and one night in my sleep the spiritual vial was opened for me to see the Satan- the dark prince of this world. He is not the beautiful angel he once was. The portrayal of him being red is not that far off. His being looks as if it has been scorched to redness. I remember his eyes were very perching and menacing and I would be lying to say he wasn’t frightening. He has a very strong presence. Darkness and flames seemed to reflect on his being. I tried to look away from him as much as I could like Frodo trying to look away from the great evil eye of Sauron in the Lord of the Rings movies. Then heard a blood-curdling scream. It was like it was right next to my bed and I immediately woke up. I think I sat straight up in bed. I listened. My wife was still sleeping soundly beside me. It was obvious it wasn’t the children. Trembling, I prayed for God to watch over my house and eventually I fell back to sleep.
Don’t be fooled! There are many things we can not see. The Lord God is the only way. There you find and draw your strength from Him.
If you are being adulterous, Jesus would say to you, "Go and sin no more."
Oh… and there is a reason why God says don’t concern yourself with things of this world. You get less uptight that way.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
That is SOME BREAD!
One of my favorite things to eat is bread, with butter. I have noticed however that bread is only good if you have something to drink with it. Bread tends to be like a dry donut that makes you instantly thirsty after a couple of pieces.
There are all kinds of breads. Grain breads, Garlic, Sourdough breads, wheat, ryes, poppy seed, French, Artisan, etc, etc…. There are also the breads the world eats and tries to convince us to eat.
Those who have eaten those types of breads know they don’t satisfy but leave an individual looking for something more.
It reminds me of one of the quotes in one the Lord of the Rings movie when one of the orcs says, "All we have eaten is this stink'n maggoty bread!"
The sad fact is some continue to eat the breads of the world that disguise themselves as something new, something sweet and fulfilling but really all they get in the end is a dry mouth stuffed with stale moldy bread that will slowly poison, burden and leave them blind. Sounds harsh but what do you expect from the world that only wants to feed the flesh and not the soul?
John 6:35 Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst."
Now that is some bread I love to savor. It is fulfilling and doesn’t leave me thirsty.
John 6:63 Jesus said,
"It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you don’t believe me"
The bread that man makes doesn’t satisfy and is useless but the bread God makes is fulfilling and everlasting. We choose what to feed on. God doesn't feed us with he knows is unhealthy and leaves us unsatisfied. It is us who makes that choice.
Proverbs 16:26 says,
"It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on."
Christians, who have a genuine zest to delight themselves in God, are driven not by the things of this world but their relationship with God and by the ways God reveals and shows himself.
I am constantly amazed how God reveals himself to me.
Take this last Sunday, I came up to the front for prayer for a relative. The man visiting the church, I prayed with was a total stranger and as he prayed with me he said, "I was just told just that your name is Jeff. Is your name Jeff?" I said, "Yes". The Holy Spirit had told him my name. I think he was more amazed then I was but I was delighted to be reminded that God is present and not in some far distance place when we come before him with our prayer requests. I am still smiling at the thought of the moment and find it very encouraging. Thank You Father God.
Luke 12:21 Jesus says,
"Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."
I will never get enough of Father God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. He is endless.
Religion is probably one of the worst breads you can eat of this world. When I say religion I am not talking about Faith in Christ. I ate from religion for a short while. It made me very thirsty and hungry and blind. I fought and walked myself right into a dark closet and became very lost in my own foolish thoughts and ideas but thanks to God’s mercy and compassion, Jesus came and got me. God help me to never go back to those chains again.
I now try to focus on God and not myself and what I see going on around me. I try to stay humble. I try to remember things are not always what they seem or appear to be. People have bad days. We get sick. Forgetting your wallet and having to go home and get it may have just saved your life from that terrible car wreck on the way to work. I try to depend on His Holy Spirit to move and motivate my life. I speak with God and try to be thankful for all the things He has done and I think I have gained a deeper appreciation and desire for Him in our growing relationship.
He’s definitely the bread I can’t go without in life. I hope it is the same way with you!
There are all kinds of breads. Grain breads, Garlic, Sourdough breads, wheat, ryes, poppy seed, French, Artisan, etc, etc…. There are also the breads the world eats and tries to convince us to eat.
Those who have eaten those types of breads know they don’t satisfy but leave an individual looking for something more.
It reminds me of one of the quotes in one the Lord of the Rings movie when one of the orcs says, "All we have eaten is this stink'n maggoty bread!"
The sad fact is some continue to eat the breads of the world that disguise themselves as something new, something sweet and fulfilling but really all they get in the end is a dry mouth stuffed with stale moldy bread that will slowly poison, burden and leave them blind. Sounds harsh but what do you expect from the world that only wants to feed the flesh and not the soul?
John 6:35 Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst."
Now that is some bread I love to savor. It is fulfilling and doesn’t leave me thirsty.
John 6:63 Jesus said,
"It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you don’t believe me"
The bread that man makes doesn’t satisfy and is useless but the bread God makes is fulfilling and everlasting. We choose what to feed on. God doesn't feed us with he knows is unhealthy and leaves us unsatisfied. It is us who makes that choice.
Proverbs 16:26 says,
"It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on."
Christians, who have a genuine zest to delight themselves in God, are driven not by the things of this world but their relationship with God and by the ways God reveals and shows himself.
I am constantly amazed how God reveals himself to me.
Take this last Sunday, I came up to the front for prayer for a relative. The man visiting the church, I prayed with was a total stranger and as he prayed with me he said, "I was just told just that your name is Jeff. Is your name Jeff?" I said, "Yes". The Holy Spirit had told him my name. I think he was more amazed then I was but I was delighted to be reminded that God is present and not in some far distance place when we come before him with our prayer requests. I am still smiling at the thought of the moment and find it very encouraging. Thank You Father God.
Luke 12:21 Jesus says,
"Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."
I will never get enough of Father God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. He is endless.
Religion is probably one of the worst breads you can eat of this world. When I say religion I am not talking about Faith in Christ. I ate from religion for a short while. It made me very thirsty and hungry and blind. I fought and walked myself right into a dark closet and became very lost in my own foolish thoughts and ideas but thanks to God’s mercy and compassion, Jesus came and got me. God help me to never go back to those chains again.
I now try to focus on God and not myself and what I see going on around me. I try to stay humble. I try to remember things are not always what they seem or appear to be. People have bad days. We get sick. Forgetting your wallet and having to go home and get it may have just saved your life from that terrible car wreck on the way to work. I try to depend on His Holy Spirit to move and motivate my life. I speak with God and try to be thankful for all the things He has done and I think I have gained a deeper appreciation and desire for Him in our growing relationship.
He’s definitely the bread I can’t go without in life. I hope it is the same way with you!
Monday, March 19, 2007
God's Desire for You.
The Trophy’s of Grace came and visited our church this last Sunday from Teen Challenge. One of the favorite scriptures of the men was "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37)
We must have a desire for God and through this desire grows a Godly love for others.
I asked God this question recently, "How can people desire you if they have really no idea or concept of who you are?"
And this is the illustration that came to mind. The love a husband gives to his wife shows how much he desires her and from that desire comes understanding to the wife that her husband REALLY loves her. That understanding gives their relationship strength and if her heart truly understands the love her husband has for her she will be holding her husband’s hand through richer or poorer and sickness and health. There will be a strong trust there.
God’s desire is the same way. God wants us to know how much He desires us so we can understand how much He truly loves us no matter what life brings because He is holding our hand as we go through it.
We submit to God just as a wife submits to her husband. I think the word "submit" has been twisted over the years. But submit means that we give ourselves and it is only when we give our lives to God (no matter in bad or good times) that we can truly see God’s love act in our behalf in our lives.
God’s desire is for us to know Him but we can only get to know Him if we submit our lives to Him.
Philippians 4:11
Paul, who submitted his life our Lord Jesus Christ, writes, "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need."
It is for richer or poorer isn’t it? But notice how Paul writes the word "happily".
He was happy no matter if he was rich or poor. He was happy if he had no food in stomach or plenty of food in his stomach.
Paul knew none of the things of this world would satisfy him but his relationship with God would. He also knew "things" don’t just fade or lose importance in time but tend to become a burden. He also probably knew that things could also take the place of God in a person’s life.
Take the rich man who wanted follow Christ. Christ told him to sell everything he had but he couldn’t do it? Why? What was more important to the man? Christ wanted to show the man that his things were more important then God? God’s desire to have a relationship with Paul was the only "thing" that gave him peace and assurance for his everyday life.
Do you have that kind of peace and assurance? God wants to give it to you! He desires a relationship with you!
You say, "I can’t! You have done some things that God wouldn’t approve of?" Well so has the rest of the human race? You say "I got to get myself right with God first?" Well get yourself right with God by asking God forgiveness of your sins and asking God’s son, Jesus Christ into your life for he is the only one who can make that change within you. Jesus became a sacrifice for our sins. He, as Lord and Savior, sits at God’s right hand interceding for us everyday. He lives to give us an ever changing life and eternal life. Jesus Christ is our Priestly Lord and King. Ask him for the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon you and may God bless you in the full knowledge and love of God. In Jesus name Amen!
We must have a desire for God and through this desire grows a Godly love for others.
I asked God this question recently, "How can people desire you if they have really no idea or concept of who you are?"
And this is the illustration that came to mind. The love a husband gives to his wife shows how much he desires her and from that desire comes understanding to the wife that her husband REALLY loves her. That understanding gives their relationship strength and if her heart truly understands the love her husband has for her she will be holding her husband’s hand through richer or poorer and sickness and health. There will be a strong trust there.
God’s desire is the same way. God wants us to know how much He desires us so we can understand how much He truly loves us no matter what life brings because He is holding our hand as we go through it.
We submit to God just as a wife submits to her husband. I think the word "submit" has been twisted over the years. But submit means that we give ourselves and it is only when we give our lives to God (no matter in bad or good times) that we can truly see God’s love act in our behalf in our lives.
God’s desire is for us to know Him but we can only get to know Him if we submit our lives to Him.
Philippians 4:11
Paul, who submitted his life our Lord Jesus Christ, writes, "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need."
It is for richer or poorer isn’t it? But notice how Paul writes the word "happily".
He was happy no matter if he was rich or poor. He was happy if he had no food in stomach or plenty of food in his stomach.
Paul knew none of the things of this world would satisfy him but his relationship with God would. He also knew "things" don’t just fade or lose importance in time but tend to become a burden. He also probably knew that things could also take the place of God in a person’s life.
Take the rich man who wanted follow Christ. Christ told him to sell everything he had but he couldn’t do it? Why? What was more important to the man? Christ wanted to show the man that his things were more important then God? God’s desire to have a relationship with Paul was the only "thing" that gave him peace and assurance for his everyday life.
Do you have that kind of peace and assurance? God wants to give it to you! He desires a relationship with you!
You say, "I can’t! You have done some things that God wouldn’t approve of?" Well so has the rest of the human race? You say "I got to get myself right with God first?" Well get yourself right with God by asking God forgiveness of your sins and asking God’s son, Jesus Christ into your life for he is the only one who can make that change within you. Jesus became a sacrifice for our sins. He, as Lord and Savior, sits at God’s right hand interceding for us everyday. He lives to give us an ever changing life and eternal life. Jesus Christ is our Priestly Lord and King. Ask him for the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon you and may God bless you in the full knowledge and love of God. In Jesus name Amen!
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