When we read the Epistle of James, chapter 2, we find out, that the attention of heaven, is towards the materially poor people, who are rich in faith.
We could fall in the trap sometimes, of thinking, that if we are not rich materially, then we are not considered successful. But, that is not according to the standards of heaven. Those standards, are the standards of the world. It makes me wonder, why did not God chose one materially rich person, to be one of his Apostles? I mean think about it. Jesus chose his Apostles, but not one of them was considered rich, in the eyes of the world, that is having a lot of money. And another thing that makes me wonder, is why did God not prepare a rich, nice and beautiful place, for his Son Jesus, to be born into, but Jesus had to be born in a building, where they keep animals, a place which is not the most appropriate for anyone to be born. Well, it does not mean that God wants us Christians poor financially or materially, that is for sure, but he considers one to be a successful person, who has faith in him, and serves him according to the Word of God. I mean think about it. John the Baptist was considered the be the greatest person ever lived, on the earth, not including Jesus, who was fist of all and the greatest, but John the Baptist according to Jesus, was greater than Moses, greater than king David, greater than Solomon, and greater than anybody else in this world, who ever existed. In fact, according to Jesus, John the Baptist was greater than king Solomon. Now king Solomon, was the reach-est man in the world, materially, but John the Baptist was greater than Solomon in the eyes of God. Why? Because when Jesus said in the Gospels, that John the Baptist was the greatest person among those born among women, he was considering, that on a spiritual level, not material, because John the Baptist did not have even financial revenue to buy himself, proper food, but was eating locust and wild honey. So there is a difference of how we or this world defines success, and how God defines success.
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Yes, no one of us, has it all together. We all have to face various types of challenges, from time to time. But you see, God allows 'mountains' to come in our life, so that we can climb them. God does not want us to face a 'mountain' of problems in our life, without climbing on the top of that mountain, with his help and direction. The Bible says that God will not allow temptation to come into our life, which we can not bear, but will give us a way out of that temptation.
There are many things in life, like people, illness, financial struggles, unemployment and other things, which will tend to bring us down, and make us feel miserable and disappointed in life, but God has promised, that he will always be there, with us, and he has promised to lift us up, when we fall down and wallow in all sorts of challenges, problems, and difficulties - Psalm 147. Jesus did not promise us, that we will not have problems in our lives. Just the opposite, he promised us, that we will have problems in this life, in John 16:33, but he also said, that he has overcome the world. What does that mean? Well, it means that if he overcame, all those challenges, and suffering, which he had to endure, while on earth, for our sins, then he can help us to overcome our own challenges and suffering, because the Bible says that Jesus can help, those who are tempted - Hebrews 2:18. When we look in the Old Testament and the New Testament, we can see many examples of people of God, who have suffered, and had all sorts of problems and challenges, and yet, God rescued them, or delivered them, from their troubles, just as he has said in his Word, that he will. In Psalm 34 it says, that the righteous man has many troubles, but the Lord delivers him, out of them all. But it says it clearly in that Psalm, that the righteous man will have troubles, and even it says that the righteous man may have many troubles. Well, that is one of the promises for us, like it or not. But how can God deliver us from all our troubles, and how can he get the glory for doing that, if we as righteous people, do not have any problems or challenges to be delivered from? Jesus said, that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word, that proceeds from the mouth of God, in Matthew 4:4.
If we as Christians, do not feed our soul and our born again spirit, with the Word of God, we will eventually, fall into a spiritual starvation and famine. It is similar to us, not feeding regularly, our bodies, with food. Eventually we will lose strength, we will become weak, and we will lose weight. We will not be able to manage with anything in our live, which requires energy and strength. So, it is similar, with our soul and spirit. If we do not feed our soul and spirit, with the Word of God, to have a spiritual breakfast, lunch and dinner, eventually our soul and spirit, will become 'lean', weak and losing strength. We will not be able to resists and manage, with the challenges in our life, because we have stopped using the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Jesus said that people fall into an error, because they do not know the Scriptures, that is, the Word of God. The Bible commands us, to transform our mind, so that we will know the perfect, and pleasant will of God. But how are we going to transform our mind, which is a part of our soul, if we do not feed our mind regularly, with the Word of God? We need to transform our mind, on a regular basis, by feeding on the Word of God, so that we become more like God, and are shaped to be more like Jesus, only then we can live like Jesus, when he was on earth, and only then we can have victory over the darkness, and the challenges of life. Feeding our soul and spirit, with the Word of God, will help us build a 'house' on a strong foundation, which is the Word of God, which is living and active, so that when the storms of life, come, we will have an anchor, a strong foundation under our spiritual feet, to be able to stand, and not fall to the ground in peaces. There are always two primarily things, we can do for our relationship with God. The first thing is to spend time with God, praying, worshiping and thanking him, and listening to what he wants to tell us. The second thing is, doing things for God.
Spending time with God, talking to him, and he talking to us, is called a relationship, and in any relationship, there is a conversation. Doing things for God, is doing things for him. There is no a conversation, and there is no listening and speaking, to one another. That is not a relationship, because there is no conversation. A relationship without a conversation, is dead, and is no relationship at all. If two people do not talk with each other, and do not spend time together, there is no relationship. Spending time together with another person, and talking to, and listening to one another, is what defines, and develops a relationship. On the other hand, doing things for God, although important and necessary, is lacking the relationship and conversation part of it, which makes a relationship, to exist and be a relationship. Of course, doing things for God, is still because of our love for God and still expresses our love for God, but is not a relationship in the full sense of it. Even Jesus said that Mary has chosen the better part, in comparison to her sister Martha, because Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus, looking into his eyes, and listening to what Jesus had to say. Luke 10:38-41 On the other hand, Martha was busy in the kitchen, doing things for God, but not spending time with him. Surely Martha was doing things in the kitchen out of her love for Jesus, to prepare a meal for him and his disciples, but there was no a conversation, and there was no talking to, and listening to each other. So there was not really a relationship. Relationship is only when two people spend time with each other, talking and listening to each other, even if they do not do anything for each other, just spending time together, and listening and talking. Just sharing with each other. Just loving each other. Love is about relationship, relating to each other, and relationships is about a conversation, first of all. Perhaps you sometime think, that for whatever reason, possibly because you made some mistake, God is angry with you. There are some Christians who think that because God is angry with them, for various things they have done in their life, therefore, he does not answer their prayers, and in fact, some Christians are running away from God, because they have sinned somehow, and feel guilty. They think, that God is angry with them, for their sin.. The fact is, that God is not angry with them at all! That is the truth, coming from his Word. Just look at Romans 5:8-10. Can you see that? Even while we were still sinners, before accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord, God loved us, and gave his Son Jesus to die for us. That is how big his grace for us is. Now look at verse 9. Can you see that the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for our sins, is enough to make God not angry with us? God is not angry with you, but delights in you, because you are a part of his family, you are a child of God. Even when God has to discipline us, if we do something wrong, because of our weaknesses, and because of the sinful nature in us, even then, God will discipline us, and we would not like his discipline, but he will not be angry with us. Never think again, that God does not give you blessings, or does not answer your prayer, because he is angry with you! Never! That is what the enemy of our souls, the devil wants us to think. He just disrupts the correct view of our heavenly Father we have, and tries to twist the truth of God's Word, and present God to people, by his lies, in a way, which is not true about God. God loves you so dearly, and the requirements of the Law are fully satisfied by what Jesus did for us, so there is no reason, for God to be angry with us, because we have been reconciled forever with him, by his Son Jesus, and by what Jesus did on the cross for us. You know, it is not enough for us Christians, to just want a healing or anything else from God. God wants to see, that we demonstrate our faith somehow. One thing is to believe, but entirely other thing is to act on your faith.
When we read Matthew 8:6,7, we can see, that there is a questions, which Jesus asked the centurion. Now, did not Jesus know, that all that the centurion wanted, is for Jesus to heal his servant. Of course, he knew, because the centurion has already told him so. But despite the fact, that Jesus knew what is the problem with the servant of the centurion, and what that centurion wanted Jesus to do for him, he still asked the centurion that question 'Shall I come and heal him'? Was that question necessary? Well according to the centurion, probably not, but according to God, yes. You see, God wants us to not only believe his Word and his promises, but to also act on our faith. God wants us to confess our faith in him and his Word, just like the centurion did, by saying to Jesus, to just say the Word, and his servant would be healed, in verses 8, and 9. If Jesus did not ask the centurion that question, if he should go to the place of the centurion, and heal his servant, perhaps the centurion would not make those great statements of faith, before Jesus, which he made in verses 8, and 9. What the centurion said in the verses 8 and 9, was pure faith in what Jesus can do for him, pure faith and a confession of faith in the miraculous from God. That is why Jesus was amazed at his faith, and commented that the faith of the centurion is a great faith. God could ask us a question, to test our faith, before he gives us a miracle, in order to see our response, if it will be a response of a great faith, which will glorify God, and will bring the miraculous, or it would be a lack of faith, which will be like a handbrake for the miracle from heaven. And all that is left, is up to us, how we want to respond to the promises of God. We as Christians, know what we are commanded by Jesus himself in John 13:34, that we should love one another, and the world will know, that are his disciples. And it is easy to understand, because God is Love. But loving others is a command, and it is not about what or how we feel about others.
You see, the Agape love of God, is more to do with us doing something to others or for others, rather than feeling loving them, or feeling love for them. I do not think Jesus commanded us to feel love for others but gave us a command to love others. And a command, is something we obey and do, rather than a feeling. And anyway, we can not force ourselves to feel love for other people anyway. But the command from God to love one another, is tightly related to what we are also commanded by Jesus to do to others, just as we would like them to do to us. Do you see that, Jesus told us to DO to others as we would like them to do to us. So, it is all about doing something to others, and not just a feeling or love. Sometimes, we actually, do not feel very loving to particular people, and we know, that we do not feel love in our hearts about them. Well, what does that mean? Does it mean, that we should not do anything good or positive to them, just because we do not feel love in our heart for them? I do not think so. No matter what we feel about others, we are commanded to do to them, just as we would like them to do to us. Yes, of course, it does not always mean, that others will do to us, just as we want them to do for us, but that is the goal, that is the command from heaven, on which we base what we will decide to do to others. Notice, I said decide, not feel, because that is what the command to love others is about. Because we want to obey God, that is why we decide to do them good, even if we do not feel like doing it. What about our enemies, people who do not like us, and are willing to do anything to hurt us, even without a cause? Naturally, we do not feel very loving towards our enemies, do we. Often, if we are honest, we can actually feel angry towards them, for treating us unfairly, hurting us without a cause. But, we are commanded by Jesus to love them. So, on one side of the coin, we can feel angry about our enemies, but on the other side of the coin, we can decide to say or do something good for them, because we are commanded so by God. It is not so easy sometimes to do that, but the Holy Spirit, by his love which is in our hearts, will help us to do so, in order for us to do, what we are commanded by God. The Bible says that we must admonish each other, and that we must teach each other, and if someone has a revelation, or a psalm, all things must be done in order for us to grow in our spiritual walk with God.
And of course, we are not only to teach each other the truths of the Word of God, but we are also to correct one another in love, when we need to be corrected, or when we need to correct somebody else. But that must be done in love, because if we do not have love, we are nothing, as the Bible says. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds us up. When we read Galatians 2:11-14, that Apostle Paul rebuked Apostle Peter, for acting in hypocrisy, when Peter was eating with the Gentiles, at one time, but when other Jews came, he did not eat with Gentiles anymore. So in that case, Paul was rebuking Peter for his mistake. In other words, iron sharpens iron. It is good for us to be 'sharpened' by one another, otherwise, we could become too 'dull' spiritually. But it is important to do that in love. It is easier for us to accept any correction, when we see the love for us, from the person correcting us. That is how love builds us up. It makes us more willing to accept any correction from other believers, even if we do not agree with them. At the end of the day, who does not want to be loved? Although the correction may be very difficult pill to swallow, the fact that it comes to us on the wings of love, makes it easier for us to accept it. I wonder how Peter felt about the rebuke from Apostle Paul? We do not know, because we do not know how Paul said it to Peter. We know that it is important not only what we say, but how we say it too. Sometimes, we can say the truth to someone, but not in a very nice way. Or vice versa. We can still say the truth, but in a nicer, and more acceptable way. So, although we read that Paul rebuked Peter, we do not actually know how Paul said it to Peter. Love makes a hard truth, easier to accept. And we can 'kill' a person with a joke. Although it is a joke, if we do not say it in a nice way, it can actually hurt a person, instead of making them laugh. So we have to be careful, how we 'sharpen' one another, just as a iron sharpens iron. Fasting is humility, doing what God desires instead of what you desire. That is denying yourself daily, and carrying your cross daily. Fasting is obeying God, just to do what he has commanded instead of doing what you want to do. Fasting is saying 'No' to flesh and learning to deny the flesh. Do not forget that the sinful nature lives in the body. Fasting is leaving what you want, eating, in order to do what God wants, praying.
I believe that God is more interested, why do we fast, than how long we fast. You see, we can fast for 40 days, without eating anything, but what God is looking for, is why are we actually doing it. Sometimes, we can be tempted to think, that if we fast enough, we can 'twist the arm' of God, and make him to do, what we have asked of him in prayer, or to give us something, when we pray. But that is the totally wrong approach to fasting altogether. Why? Because the primary purpose of fasting, is for us, to align ourselves with God, and not to cause God to do something for us. You see, fasting is for him, not for us. Fasting is a type of humility, and humility simply means, doing what God has commanded us. To be humble, does not mean to have a pity party and say 'Poor me', but it means obeying the Word of God. That is humility. Some Christians think, that when they fast, that will cause God to answer their prayers. Look, God does not answer our prayers, because we do not eat for some time, while we are fasting. No. God answers our prayers because we believe his Word, and because he cares for us. That is why he answers our prayers, and not because we decided to fast, for one or more days. Fasting simply shows God, that we are willing for a certain period of time, to deny the desire of our flesh to eat, and instead spend that time in prayer. God is always pleased when we say not to the flesh and yes to his Holy Spirit. We should not forget, that according to Apostle Paul, the sinful nature lives in our bodies, and not in our minds or spirits. That is what is written in Romans 7:23 Amplified Bible. So fasting is a way for us to carry our cross, and to train ourselves to deny our body, or flesh, and its desire to eat, in order to spend time feeding our spirit and soul, on the Word of God, and spending time with God. It is easy if we do not love our neighbour, to start looking at their faults. The Bible says that love covers a multitude of sins. We should not be like the Pharisees, who did not emphasise love for their enemies, but were just looking to find out, what Jesus was not doing right, trying to find fault with him, although, it was never possible and never could be, to find fault, with the Son of God, who is perfect and Almighty God, who does not make a mistake.
May God help us not to be like the Pharisees who broke all records of fault finding, and be like Jesus, who loved, despite of the sinful state of human beings, by being a friend of sinners. You see, God does not like, some of the things we do, which are not appropriate according to his standards, but he still loves us, and has forgiven us in Jesus. Love is fault blind, meaning it goes over the shortcomings and mistakes of people. That is why Jesus said that he is interested in mercy for people, and not sacrifice. There was an occasion, when some of the disciples of Jesus, wanted to call fire to fall from heaven, and to burn some people, who were around them. But Jesus did not approve that. All that those disciples could see at that time, was the mistakes of those people, and they could not see further than that, but Jesus did see further, and wanted mercy for those people, and not to make them like a burning sacrifice or kill them. He came to give people life, and was the friend of sinners. When we concentrate on the shortcomings and sins of people around us, we become blind to the good in them, and we become love blind, instead of being fault blind. God wants us to be more fault blind and not love blind, because he is Love, and because that is why he sent his Son Jesus, to die for sinners, and call them to salvation, and not to kill them. God always desires mercy before looking for punishing someone for their sins. He is looking for repentance from people, and not to kill them, and forget about them. He wants to take repentant and forgiven sinners to heaven. We are always fault blind, or love blind, one or the other, but we can not be both, at the same time. The devil is called the accuser. He is the one accusing people for their sins before God, just as he did with Job. He is the master fault finder. God on the other hand, is always merciful and gracious, wanting to forgive people their sins, and to overlook their mistakes or sins, because of what Jesus did for humanity. There are Christians, all over the world, but each one of them, is on a different spiritual level, than the other Christians. We are not all on the same level. Each of us, who has been born again from the Holy Spirit, is on a different spiritual level of growth, than the others. It is like students at school. Some are at the Primary School, but others are at the University. And their knowledge compared to one another is not the same.
Each sermon a preacher prepares, should ideally address all levels of growth, in the Church congregation. Why? Because, one Christian believes that he can eat vegetables but not meat, and another Christian believes that he can eat meat and vegetables, and that would not be a problem for him - Roman 14:1-5. Now, let us look at Hebrews 5:13, 14. In these verses, we can see, that it is possible for a Christian, to be a Christian for many years, yet to be on the infant spiritual level. You see, God can not give us the solid spiritual food, the 'meat', if we are on the baby spiritual level. Why not? Because if he did, we can not digest it. We literally can not digest it into our spirit, and apply it in our life, because that solid spiritual food, is only for the mature Christians, who have developed their spiritual 'digestive system', being sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and being renewed with the Word of God to a such degree, that it can 'digest' the solid spiritual food, without a problem. And not only digest it, but apply it in their lives. We can not give a stake or fried chicken legs to a baby, because the baby does not even has the teeth to chew and digest that type of food. So it is similar to us, if we are still baby type of Christians, and we receive a 'solid spiritual food' from heaven. We will not be able to 'digest' it, and therefore, that food can not change us or make us to grow in the things of God. Another thing to consider, is that wanting to have more revelations from God, does not 'click' well, with a Christian, who is on the baby level of spiritual matters, because, even if God gave that Christian some more revelations, if that Christians is not mature enough, he could possibly not understand what those revelations mean, or if he did, he could misuse those revelations, because of immaturity in Christ. We have to be on a more mature level in the things of God, in order for us, to grasp, and deal properly with the things God gives us in the spiritual realm. God knows on what level of maturity in his things we are, and although we may want him to give us more things of his Kingdom, he would probably often not, because of our 'infant' way of thinking about the things of God. God will give us revelation from heaven, according to our level of growth in him. OK, now you are in a dangerous and challenging situation, and you wonder, if there is any help for you from heaven. You are not sure if God cares for the small details in your life, and you question yourself in your thinking, if God really does care, about what you are going through. Or perhaps you think, that God is only concerned about the big or 'important' things in your life, and only for the spiritual matters, but not for any material matters in your life.
Now, that is how many Christians our there think, when they are in the tight place. But where does that kind of thinking come from, and is it at all, based on the Bible? The reality is, that no, it is not based on the Bible, but is based most likely on some human presumptions, and some faulty thinking, which is not really a proper thinking, but is a kind of 'stinky thinking', a thinking, which has more to do with the way this world thinks, than is to do with what the Word of God says about us, and our situation. You say 'But I am at the end of my rope'. Well, you may be at the end of your rope, but according to God and his Word, is not the ending of you, if you believe and trust, that he will take you out or take you through, in your challenging and difficult situation. Know this, that no matter how short or long your rope is, once you find yourself, at the end of the rope, that is not the end, of a hope for you from God, never was, and never will! Why? Because he is there at the end of the rope, waiting for you, to give you a new rope, full with hope and blessing. Do not believe that? Let us look at Psalm 71. In Psalm 71:5, 6, 14, we can see, that King David, had learned to make God, his hope, a refuge and a fortress. What does that mean? Well, it means that when his enemies came and surrounded him, and in occasions wanting to kill David, he even then had hope in God, and run to God for help. Just read the whole psalm 71, and you will see, why King David was so powerful, in his life, even though he had to pass sometimes, through many trials and tribulations. The key was, he had a trust in God, and he had his hope and help in God, no matter what, he was facing. That could be the key for our hope in difficult situations too, when we pass through the fire. God can help us even when we do not have the hope and trust that he will do, but I am sure, it gives him joy, to find us trusting and hoping in him, for every situation we find ourselves in. There are sometimes, moments in your life, when you wonder, why if you do some things, which you know are right, and especially right in the eyes of God, because you have his Word, to make you think so, there are some people, or even Christians, who will say, all sorts of not so good things, about what you are doing, or about yourself. And of course, at the same time, there will be some other people, and even Christians, who will say various or many positive things, about what you are doing, or about yourself. And you find yourself, wondering, why there are those two types of reports, from people about you, positive and negative, about the one and the same thing you are doing.
But I would suggest, that you are not alone in that, and that there are many other Christians, who are undergoing the same treatment, just like yourself, about the good and right things, they are doing, by being criticised by one group of people, and being praised by another. And now, what is more important for you to realise, is that when Jesus was on earth, there were also two types of people, the ones who were saying some positive things about him, and some others, who were saying some negative things about him, and what he was doing or teaching. Look at Matthew 11:18, 19, and see, how people had a negative opinion, about John the Baptist, and about Jesus. And those verses, show some contrast between John the Baptist, and Jesus, in the sense, that John the Baptist, was not indulging in eating food, and Jesus, was sitting and having meals with sinners. The people criticised John the Baptist, even if he was not eating too much, and was not doing anything, which is not very commendable, and they did the same for Jesus. So, whatever John the Baptist and Jesus did, there were people around them, who would not like or approve, what they were doing. So why are you surprised, if sometimes, you find people saying things about you do, which are not very nice, although you know, that those things you do, are good, and is nothing negative about them? Do not be, that is, how it is. You will always have that type of comments from people, whatever you do. Jesus was perfect, never sinned, and there were people, who said all sorts of horrible things about him. You and me, can not escape, that type of treatment either, because the student is never above his teacher. Yes, the door may be small, and the path narrow for those who follow Christ, but it is worthwhile.
Of course, the door is opened for those who knock on it, as promised in the Bible, but the fact, that the door is small, and the path narrow, should not discourage you and me, to try to enter through it. The reason the door is small, is not in order to make it difficult for any Christian to pass through it, but because many people in this world, have chosen to go, through the wide big gate of life, and the motorway of life, which leads to destruction. But only a few are those, who have chosen to follow Christ, and therefore, the door does not need to be big, and the road leading to heaven, does not need to be wide. You see, there is more soil on this earth, than gold and silver. There is more soil on this earth, than there are diamonds. There are golden vessels and silver vessels, and there are vessels made just from clay. The golden and the silver vessels are much more valuable to their owner, than the vessels made from clay. We as Christians, are those vessels, made from gold and silver, useful for the Master, our Lord Jesus Christ. And the vessels made from clay, are always more than the vessels made from silver and gold. And the vessels made from silver and gold, are much more expensive to buy, than the vessels of clay. The golden and silver vessels, are much more appreciated by their owners, than the vessels of clay, because they have more value. So it is with us as Christians. We are God's own possession, precious in his own eyes, bought for his purpose, sanctified by his Holy Spirit, bringing glory to him. The fact that the road is narrow, and the door small, that leads to heaven, should not discourage us, and make us think, that we are not so important in this world, in the eyes of the world. People of this world, who do not know God, walk on the motorway of life, and pass through big gates in their life, and they look at us Christians, walking on a small, narrow ways of life, and entering through small, 'insignificant' in their eyes doors, and perhaps mocking us for that, but they do not realise, that the motorway they walk on, and the big gates they pass through, are leading them straightway to hell and destruction. We may struggle sometimes, walking on a narrow small road, and trying to squeeze ourselves, through the narrow door or life, but at least, we get to heaven. Are you discouraged, by some events in your life? If you are, you are not alone.
There are many Christians around the world, who have felt discouraged in their life, in one way or another, by what has happened in their life, or by what is happening now. Perhaps you are one of them. You see, we all pass through discouraging and difficult situations in our life, from time to time, not because God wants us to suffer, but because of many factors in this world, and our life. There always are people or circumstances and various things, which can cause our hearts to be sad, and painful. We leave in a world, which is full with people, who do not know God, and do not like to know him, and because of that, all they have, is the sinful nature in their bodies, which is often dictating what they do or say. And we have natural disasters and pandemics, which add to our suffering. Another one, who has come to steal, kill and destroy, is the enemy of our souls, who is having only one purpose, to destroy as many people as he can, so that people can not go to heaven, but join him in hell, because he hates people going to heaven, the place where he was kicked out by God. We wonder sometimes, if God is good, why does he allow so many people to suffer, and Christians to suffer too. But we should not forget, that Jesus gave us a clear promise, in the Gospels, that in this world, we would have trouble. But he did not say just that. He also said that he has overcome the world. And he said, that we should not allow our hearts to be troubled. Why did he say that? Because he has overcome the world, and if he did, so can we, because he lives in us. Jesus did not promise us a problem free life. No. He promised to be with us, in the midst of our problems, and not just be with us, but to help us and comfort us, by either delivering us from our troubles, or by giving us grace, to endure and go through them. If we read 2 Thessalonians 2:17, that God will encourage our hearts, and strengthen us in every good word and deed. But notice that it first says that God will encourage our hearts. How can do and encourage other people, if we are discouraged? Before we do the good work of encouraging somebody, we need to be comforted and encouraged by God ourselves first. Then when we have the encouragement and the comfort from God, we can encourage other people, and they can see it easily, if we are discouraged or encouraged and comforted by God ourselves. They can notice if we are full with comfort and encouragement from heaven, or full with discouragement and sadness. Some more literal translations of the Bible, like the New American Standard and the King James version, use the word 'comfort', instead of 'encourage', for the 2 Thessalonians 2:17. No matter how many discouraging and depressing news you watch on the TV everyday, God has promised to encourage and comfort your heart, so that you can cut like knife through butter, through all those depressing TV news, and though any challenges you face, in your daily life. If you are a born again Christian, then heaven has a good plan for your future. The Bible says in Proverbs 10:28, that if you are a righteous person, then you have hope, and the end of your hope is joy.
Now, perhaps you are looking at your situation and circumstances, and perhaps you are going through some very difficult situation in your life, or perhaps of the Covid 19 pandemic, life has become worse for your personally, in many aspects. Yes, those are all facts, and you can not deny them, neither should you. But despite of all that you are passing through, and despite the challenging and difficult situation you find yourself into, because of circumstances in your life, know this, that God has joy planned for your future. If you are a righteous person, and if you are Christian, you can not escape from the pan and purpose of God for you, and your life, because you have the righteousness of God, as a gift from God to you, because of what Jesus Christ has done for you, by his death on the cross, for your and my sins. Because of that, you are a righteous person, in the eyes of God, and therefore, Proverbs 10:28, completely applies to you! That is one of the promises of God for you! Take hold of it, confess it daily, keep it in your mind, write it on your phone, meditate on it, and thank God for it. If God has said it, that belongs to you, as a Christian. You see the promises of God, are the most powerful thing we have in this world, but unless we take hold of them, and use them, and apply them in our life, for our own situation, they are fruitless for our life. If you do not use and apply the promises of God on a regular basis, daily in your life and situation, they remain inactive, and they can not produce a miracle. Yes, the Bible says that the Word of God is living and active, but it can not be active in your life, if you do not use it and apply it not just once, but on a regular basis. It is like a medicine, which you need to take every day, for a period of time, to see the result of healing, if you have been sick. God wants us to use and apply his promises in his Word, in the situations in our life, and sometimes daily, on a regular basis. Knowing all the promises of God, is not enough. Applying and putting in action those promises of God, is what makes the difference. Holding a medicine in your hand does not help and can not heal. Applying that medicine will heal you! So, Proverbs 10:28 can promise you that your hope for the future, and your future prospect is joy, if you are a righteous person, but unless you believe it, and apply with faith that promise of God in the challenging and difficult situation in your life, I doubt, if there would be any positive result. The doers of the Word of God are blessed, not just the knowing of the Word of God. Remember, the enemy also knows the Word of God, but he does not obey it, but only twists it for his own purpose, just as he did, when he quoted Psalm 91, to tempt Jesus in the wilderness. Today, because of the situation in the world, with the Covid 19 pandemic, and other troubles in this world, many people are not content, with their lives, with their jobs, with their amount of money, with their friendships, and with other things in general. There are many Christians, who for one reason or another, can not feel content, whatever the circumstances in their live. I have myself, felt the same way of not being content, with many different circumstances, in my life.
But if we look at Apostle Paul, especially what he says in Philippians 4:11-13, we can see, that Paul has learned something, about the circumstances in his life. Now, we remember what type of life, Apostle Paul had, after he became a Christians. That man, in comparison with many of us Christians, has been through all sorts of troubles, and lack in his life, with some beatings, lack of sleep and food, not having enough clothes, persecuted many times, nearly killed a few times, and yet, when we read what he says in Philippians 4:11-13, we see that despite of all that, he has learned a lesson. And that lesson, is absolutely and completely according to the will of God, for Apostle Paul, and for us Christians, because, obviously, he wrote about that, in the Epistle to the Philippians. The lesson Apostle Paul had learned, was that he knew how to be content, in whatever the circumstances. Paul did not grumble, about his life, or about his lack of food and clothing, or about the lack of other things he needed. Instead, he had learned to be content, despite the circumstances. Now, that is living by faith, and not by sight. If Apostle Paul was living by circumstances in his life, no way he was going to be content, as he said, that he was. No way! With all those horrible things happening in his life as a Christians, he would have a mental breakdown, and physical burnout. But no, he has learned to be content. If Paul was content not matter what happened in his life, that alone would save him, from all sorts of worries and anxiety, about lack of food, clothes and other things. He would be going to bed peacefully, and waking up peacefully, with not worries where or how he could get, food, clothes or other things he needed. Paul said that he can do all things, by him who was giving him strength. In other worlds, the reason why Paul was content always, is because he trusted that in any situation, in any needs he had, God will take care of him, and provide him not only the strength he needed, but everything else. God was providing Paul strength, in order to enable him, to pass through the lack of food, lack of clothes, lack of sleep, by the grace of God, so that he could by God's grace and strength, endure all that lack of things, and hardships, until God provided for him, all that he needed in his life. If we trust and believe God just as Apostle Paul did, God will provide us also, with the strength we need, to go through the lack of money, jobs, food, clothes, and other things, so that we can learn to be content, in whatever circumstances we finds ourselves in, until we receive the full provision from God, for all those things we need. Matthew 7:7, 8
You know, we are told by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to knock on the door, so that it can be opened to us. Some Christians, will not even knock on the door, so, how is that door, going to be opened to them? Knocking on the door, is our part, and is the first part we need to do, in order for God, to open the door, after we have knocked on it, and that is God's part. Although God can open any door to us, he will not open a door in our life, unless we knock on it. God wants to make us participants in opening of a door in our life, together with him, and he does not want us, to just stay there, and watch until he opens the door for us, so we just enter through it. There are three types of actions, any Christian can take, in regard to doors being opened or shut in their lives. The first type are the Christians, who for one reason or another, do not knock on the door which God puts sometimes, in front of them. They just do not. Maybe perhaps because they think that the door is not supposed to be in their life, at that particular time, but they forget, that God's timing for things in our life, is often quite different, than our timing. Or perhaps there are other reasons. But the fact is, they are reluctant to knock, on that door. The second type of Christians, are those, who knock a couple of times on that door, but give up soon, and because the door remains shut, they give up altogether, and do not continue to knock on that door. They forget, that the very purpose God places doors in our lives, is in order for them to be opened. But nevertheless, they give up after a couple of knocks, and go away from that door. The problem with the first and the second types of Christians, who never see the door opened, is that they could miss all the treasures God has prepared for them, on the other side of the door. But the third type of Christians, in regard to the doors placed in our lives, are those, who not matter how big the door seems to be, or how many times they have to knock on it, do not just go away, after a couple of knocks. They are the types who will actually sometimes brake the door and get through it, just to fulfil the purpose of the door, and that is, to be opened. And they are the ones who get all the treasures prepared by God for them, and placed, behind that door. In the Greek original language, of the New Testament, the word is 'keep knocking', which denotes a continual action, and not just one time action. So, let us break some of the doors, which God has placed in our lives, so that we do not miss, all those treasures, placed by God, behind that door for us. God does not mind us braking some of the doors in our lives, because the only reason he placed them in our lives, is that we can go through them, and get what he has left for us, behind them. When we look at James 5:16, we see that we are commanded by God, to confess our sins, to one another.
Now, there are some Christians, who claim, that it means we should confess any of our sins, to other Christians. But does it mean, we must confess every sin we have committed, to other Christians? What I believe that it means, is that we must confess our sins to one another, when we sin, against each other, and that is confined, only about us sinning or doing something wrong, to another Christian, or another Christian, doing something wrong, against us. That is what it means. Why? Because, fist of all, we are accountable for all our sins, to God alone, not to other Christians. God is our Judge, and God is the one who will forgive all our sins, if we repent. We do not nee, and are not commanded or called in the Bible, to confess all our sins to another Christian. Why should we? At the end of the day, many or our sins are nothing to do with them, but are to do with other people or things in our life, for which they do not have any idea at all, most of the time anyway. Why should we confess all or any of our sins to another Christian? We are not accountable to them for our sins, fist of all, but to God. Jesus said in the Gospels, that if our brother sins against us, then we can go and show him his fault, and if he repents, we must forgive him. Do you see that? Jesus was talking about another Christian sinning against us, doing something wrong to us. That is the type of sins we are supposed to confess to one another, and not all and every sin! All other sins, which we have done, and which have nothing to do with the brother who has sinned against us, are to be confessed to God, in order of us, to receive forgiveness. So, we do not need to confess all our sins, to another person, but only if we have done something wrong to that person, that is the sin we need to confess, and ask them for their forgiveness. In this world, the so called successful people, are the ones, who have got high education, or a lot of money. According to the world system, if you can not make a lot of money, or can not be highly educated, you are a failure, and have not succeeded. You could be also considered not very bright or intelligent either. In the way this world thinks, you have to work a lot, and to earn or deserve all your riches, if you become a rich person, a millionaire or billionaire.
But for us Christians it is a different story. God has a different way to describe as successful, all his children. According to God, in the Kingdom of God, the successful people, are not necessarily the rich ones, or the highly educated ones. John the Baptist, is called the greatest by Jesus, among those born by women. Yet John the Baptist, was not highly educated or rich. If you are a born again Christian, you may be thinking that for you to have an abundance in your life, all you have to do, is to work hard, and in that way make your riches. It is true, that the Bible says that the diligent people, who work hard, will find wealth, but the Bible also reveals to us, something else about us Christians, the children of God, having an abundance of material blessings in our life. When we read Proverbs 10:22, we can clearly see, that the blessing of the Lord, brings wealth, even if the people have not worked for it. Do you see that? That is the grace of God, working in your life displayed. If you are not working for your money, how can God give you money? Did not God say, that we should work, as written in his Word? Of course he said it! But God wants us to know, that us working for our money and needs, is not everything there is. Yes God has commanded us to work, and earn our living, but he can also give money or riches, to anyone he wishes, at any time, just as he gave riches to king Solomon, without Solomon working for all that gold and silver, which was given him from God, after he had the dream. Or consider the case when Jesus told Peter and the other disciples, after his resurrection, to into the sea again, and catch fish, after the disciples were trying to catch fish the whole night, and did not catch anything. After they did what Jesus told them to do, they have an abundance of fish. Now, was that abundance of fish, caught by the disciples, the result of their work, or was it, because of the grace of God, the fact that Jesus miraculously provided all that fish in abundance for them? Of course, that was the grace of God manifested, right in front of their eyes, just as it says in Proverbs 10:22, that the blessing of the Lord, gives wealth. When God decides to bless someone, and give them wealth and riches, not man can stop it, and that will be entirely based on the grace of God for that person, and nothing to do, with what they have worked for, what education they have, or what business or profession they have. All that is to do with the grace of God in their lives. Did you know, that you can be around Jesus and still miss the blessing? God has many blessings for us, but he never forces any of his blessing on us, and we can completely miss them, if we are full with doubt and unbelief.
In the Gospel of Mark 6:56, It says that many people were around Jesus and that some people, were touching his clothes. But you have to notice that, although many people were around Jesus, only those who came to him and touched his clothes, were healed. Why? Because they had the touch of faith. All the other people, who were around Jesus, but did not touch his clothes, were just spectators, who completely missed it. There were many people around Jesus, everyday, while he was on earth. Some believed the miracles he did, but others when they saw the miracles, tried to kill him. So, being around Jesus is not enough. You have to do something, some type of action, in order to manifest your faith in him. Touching his clothes with faith, will give you the miracles. They would not touch his clothes, if they did not believe, that he would heal them. The only reason they came to him and touched his clothes, was that they believed, they will be healed, like many other people they have seen before, coming to Jesus, touching his clothes and get healed. Did not Jesus want to heal all the people around him? Yes he does. But he also wants to see faith. That is why in Mark 6:5, 6 it says that Jesus was in one place, where he did not do many miracles, apart from healing a few people, because of their lack of faith. And he marvelled at their unbelief. Knowing about Jesus is not enough to produce a miracle in your life. You have to demonstrate your faith in him and his Word, by some action, by something you do. Your actions manifest and display an unbelief or faith, and so do your words. Jesus is more that happy to see those actions of faith. The power of God was there all the time in Jesus, to heal everyone, but those only standing around him, just like spectators, did not receive it. Only the ones who did something practically, like touching the robe of Jesus because of their faith in him, received his power, and were healed. The Bible says, that we have the gift of righteousness, given to us by God, because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. It is called the gift of righteousness, and not the wage of righteousness.
Let me ask you a question. In your life, how many times, you have paid for the gifts your friends, family or other people have given you? Non! Well, the gifts they gave you, were given to you, not because you worked for them, or did something to deserve those gifts, but because those people, appreciated you and your friendship or relationship with them, and they valued you as a person. They gave you those gifts, because they cared for you. In contrast, the wages you have received from the places you have worked before in your life, were given to you, by the aide of your boss or supervisor, and were given to you, not because your boss liked you very much, but because you worked for him. You did something to earn and deserve those wages. The gifts we receive from friends, are given because of their care, love and appreciation of us, as friends and as a person. They were not given to you, because you earned or deserved those gifts. Your boss on the other hand, gave you your wages, because you deserved them, and you earned them, and it is not because your boss appreciated your personality or your friendship. The Bible says in Romans 5:17, that we have got the gift of righteousness from God. That is a gift of righteousness, and not a wage of righteousness. Do you see that? God gave us the free gift or righteousness, because of his care, and relationship to us, as a heavenly Father, because of his grace, and because he wants to takes to be with him, for eternity. And he did it, because of what Jesus has done for us, by his death and resurrection. God did not give us a wage of righteousness. He did not give us his righteousness, because of what we have done, or because of how holy life we live before him, or because of the good works we have done. No. The gift of righteousness from God for us, is nothing to do with us, and everything to do with God, and his grace, care and mercy for us. That is it. That is why why it is called a gift, and not a wage. Are you wondering if God will protect you from evil? Are you in a situation where you are not sure, if you will be protected by God, although you believe that he will? You are not alone! We all struggle sometimes, to completely trust God, not only for protection, but for many other things like healing, meeting of needs, etc...
In Proverbs 1:33, it says that whoever listens to God, will live in safety, and be at ease, without fear of harm. Hmm, even if we are harmed, even then God can make us live at ease, and free from fear, because Psalm 34 says that God is the one, who delivers us of all our fears. But Proverbs 1:33 says, that we will be at ease, and be safe. That means, that God will make you to relax, and live your life, not by worry and anxiety of what may happen to you, but will give rest for your soul, just as he has promised in his Word. The thing is, what is important is that, we allow our senses and the outside circumstances, to dictate what happens in our life, rather than our faith and trust in God, to dictate what happens in our life. I personally believe, that God wants us to trust him, not just for protection from evil, but for anything else he has promised us, in his Word. Why did God promise us things in his Word? Just for us to memorise and know them? No! The main reason God gave us his wonderful promises in his Word, is so that we can believe and apply them in our life, and not only know and memorise them. That is because the Word of God says that what matters before God, are those who do practice his Word. Sometimes, circumstances in our life, create fear in us, and our faith in God, and his Word for protection of our lives, vanishes. That is why the Word of God commands us to meditate on it, day and night, and to keep the Word of God, in front of our eyes, and not to forget it. The more we look to circumstances in our live, the more fear we get, and the less faith we have. The more we keep the Word of God in our hearts, instead of dwelling on thoughts from our circumstances, the more faith we will have, and the more we can conquer our circumstances. We either become victims of our circumstances, or victors over them, and all that depends, on how much we believe what God has said, in his Word. The relationship of a wife and husband in this world, is more based on how they feel for one another, if they feel romantic, if they feel in love or not. Once the feelings of love become less, and there is no anymore a feeling of love, they say to their spouse, "I do not love you anymore."
But for us Christians, that is a different story. You see, God has commanded us to love each other. That in itself indicates, that no matter how we feel about somebody, we must love them. Now, there are different types of love, and in the Greek New Testament, there are different original Greek words used, to describe. For example, there is the 'phileo' love and the 'agape' love, but they are different. One is more to do with feelings, and the other is more to do with action. In Titus 2:4, it says that older women, should train the younger women, to love their husbands. But what if the young woman says, that she does not feel love anymore, for her husband. Well, it does not matter, because if she and her husbands are Christians, then they are commanded by God, to love each other. Although the word 'agape' is not used in the original Greek text for Titus 2:4, the principle of the older women training the young women to love their husbands, still remains, regardless of how those young women, feel about their husbands. It is like the command from Jesus, for us Christians, to love each other. I am sure that God did not mean that we should feel love for each other, because our feelings of love, are not the basis of our faith, but the Word of God is. We are commanded to love each other as Christians, and God does not care how we feel about each other. God did not say that we should love one another, if we feel so, but if we do not feel love for one another, then can not be loving towards each other. No, God commanded us to love each other. In the same way, God has commanded that husbands love their wives. That is a command, and it does not matter, if the husband feels loving toward his wife. He is still commanded to love his wife by God, and that command is much to do with what the husband does, than to do with how the husband feels. When we read 1 John 2:15-17, we are commanded by God, not to love the world. Now, what does that mean, and how can we not love the world, in which we are created to live in?
When God commands us not to love the world, he does not mean not loving the nature, the animals, or other things, which are the creation of God. Just the opposite. God wants us to enjoy the nature, and being with animals, because he put the animals and nature, to be with the first man Adam, from the very beginning. When God commands us not to love the world, he means all those sinful things happening in the world, through people who do not know Christ, and who rebel against God, and what he has commanded. In 1 John 2:16, the Bible mentions three things, and those three things, are the ones, which God has commanded us, not to love. What are they? The are the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (NIV). The lust of the eyes could be the fact, that our eyes, never have enough to look at. We want always to look for more, to see more. Now, there are good things in this world, which our eyes long to look at, but there are also bad things in this world, which are in conflict with heaven, and please only hell. Those are the things God does not want us to look at. Why, because our eyes are the windows of our soul, and what we see, enters our soul, and becomes part of our memory and mind. Jesus said that when our eyes are healthy, our whole body is full with light - Luke 11:34. God wants us to look more, at the things that will build us up in his ways, and one of the way those things get into us, is trough our eyes. May the Holy Spirit help us to look at the right things daily, because if he does not help us, we will definitely look sometimes, at the wrong things, and possibly even fall into the temptation of doing the wrong things. The lust of the flesh, are the many things, our flesh desires, and the many things, our sinful nature in us desires to accomplish too. Even as Christians, we struggle everyday, against the our flesh, and the sinful nature in it. Apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 7, that nothing good lives in our bodies and that he sees another law, the work of the sinful nature in his body, which makes him to do the things, he does not want to do, that is sin. We are between the desires of the Holy Spirit who lives in us as Christians, and the sinful nature living in our bodies, and we desire to do what the Holy Spirit wants, but the lust of the flesh, that is the lust of our sinful nature in our bodies, wants us to sin, and do the wrong things, so we are in a battle very day, with the option to chose what the Holy Spirit in us wants, or what the sinful nature in us wants. The choice is ours. And the pride of life. What is that? Well, that is being proud, with the status we have achieved in life. For example, if I have made millions of dollars, through my business, most people out there in the world, would consider me successful, influential and intelligent. And if I am a beggar on the street, most people in the world, would consider me a failure. Now read James chapter 2, and see what God says about that. God has a different way of looking at our success, which is 100% different, from what most people out in the world, consider to be a success. God looks at success, with its eternal values, but men of this wold, look at success, only with its earthly values. What people in this world, consider a success, is a failure in the eyes of God, and what God considers as success in the life of man, is failure in the eyes of the world. |
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