Heart & Soul - - God's People

 

Psalm 7:9

Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 7451

Wickedness: badness, evilness, adversity

From the Hebrew word 'ra'' (pronounced rah).

REPENTANT PEOPLE

    In this part of David's prayer, he prays for the end of sin in his own heart and in others' hearts. He prays, "Let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end."       Here, too, the Christian desires the same thing: I turn my heart and my face to You, Lord. I turn my back on the unlawful things I have done and I commit to obeying Your Word and following Your ways. I repent of the wickedness of my heart and ask that You remain in me and clean Your tabernacle, that I might be made presentable to God. 

    "We pray that adversity towards God be overthrown and that our hearts be made clean and pure for His Name's sake. We determine in our hearts and our minds to be steadfast and sure, not moving from our foundation of faith in God through Christ."

ESTABLISHED PEOPLE

    David asks that God establish the just, that He build a firm immovable foundation in the believer. The deeper we dig into the Word of God, the longer and deeper our roots will be. As oaks of righteousness (Isaiah 61:3) we need to know this. We are the planted of The Lord. We plant (read and study our Bibles) ourselves in His Word and He plants (John 15:4, 5) His Word in us. 

    Being both planted in Him and built up in Him we are stronger than many of us realize. Just before The Lord ascended into heaven, He gave instructions  to His disciples (and to us):

Matthew 28:18-20

Mark 16:15-18

Luke 24:45-49

John 20:21-23

Acts 1:8

    Being planted in Christ through His death and His resurrection, we are now being built up in Him through the power of His Holy Spirit. As long as we trust God and obey His Word and live a holy life, we will see God and remain with HIm when we die. God is holy. His holiness demands a holy people, for sin cannot be present where God is. 

    1 Peter 2:9 tells us that as believers, as God's people, we are not like the people of the world, the people who still live in darkness. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. The chosen generation is the generation of they who seek Him (Psalm 24:1-6). 

    He has called us to be His royal priests. We are a holy nation. Though we are to pray for the leaders who rule over us in this world, that they may be saved and sanctified, our allegiance is to our God. His laws are higher than men's laws. When the law of the land is lawlessness, the law of God must still be obeyed. Know you that we are living under such laws even now? It's only going to get worse.

PECULIAR PEOPLE

    We are a peculiar people. Strange. Odd. Weird. To many people God's people are foolish. Why? We believe God. It is more than believing God's existence, it is believing God's Word is Real, Faithful, Truth. It is a knowing and an understanding. 

    But to the people who live outside of God's reality we are unusual. And so we should be. We should shine as lights in a dark world, shining with the light of God's love bursting through us. Radiance lights up our faces from the Joy that is within us: the love of God in Christ which we received when we believed. 

    For "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world that He might shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world that He might shame the strong." (1 Corinthians 1:27). To quite a few folks, God's plan of salvation is foolishness. Unable to recognize their own sin they refuse to believe that God's Son would die in such a shameful manner, if they even believe that God has a Son. 

POWERFUL PEOPLE

    We are fools for Christ, as Paul says to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 4:10). We choose to live in obedience to God's Word and God's commands. We choose to share Christ, the Light of God's Love, with everyone whom God places in our path. We choose to live a life that glorifies God. 

    And we are able to do these things because Christ is our foundation, the Chief Cornerstone upon Whom our lives are built. We are trees whose roots are planted near a living flowing water, and whose strength is in Him. We are the established of God. And we have overcome the wickedness of this world.

    Unless a person is a born again, Spirit-filled believer they will not be able to fully and faithfully serve God in the way in which He has ordained His people to serve Him. Every organization, whether small like a club or large like a nation, must have a set of rules by which to live in peace. So it is with God. He has set up the ways in which His people should walk, should live, should serve. 

    It takes an immense amount of power to live God's way. This power is only available from God and it is in the form of His Spirit living and moving through His people by faith. If you don't have His Holy Spirit, just ask God for it. He knows what we need and He's waiting for us to ask because He's not a pushy overbearing God who rams His way into people's hearts and lives. He's a patient (longsuffering) God who waits to hear from us. 

    Now is the time to talk with God. And remember, a conversation is a two way street, not a monologue. 

     

GOD'S PEOPLE 

Heart & Soul - - Faint Not, Fear Not

 

Jeremiah 51:46

Do not let your heart grow faint, and do not be afraid when the rumor is heard in the land; for a rumor will come one year—and then another the next year—of violence in the land and of ruler against ruler.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 7401

Faint: tender, weak of heart

From the Hebrew word 'rakak' (pronounced raw-kak').

In this verse, weak of heart is defined as 'timid, fearful'. It is an important enough warning to warrant a double encouragement from The Lord. First, we are not to let our hearts grow faint. Second, we are not to be afraid of rumors of violence in our land. 

UNFAINTING HEART

    How do we prevent our hearts from becoming timid? We encourage ourselves and each other in The Word of God. 

>Allow God and Christ to encourage us: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

>Delight ourselves in The Lord: Psalm 37:4

>Jude 1:20-21

>Encourage one another: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

>Comfort one another: 1 Thessalonians 4:18

>Exhort one another daily: Hebrews 3:13

>Gather together: Hebrews 10:25

>Edify one another: Romans 14:19

>Serve/be agreeable with our neighbor for their edification: Romans 15:2

UNFEARFUL HEART

    There are several verses in Scripture telling God's people to not be fearful, not be afraid; to fear not. From Genesis to Revelation we find much encouragement from The LORD.

> Genesis 15:1 "After these things the Word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." 

>Revelation 2:10 "Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you might be tested; and you shall have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give to you the crown of life."

    Even now, in these latter days, in these last hours, The Word of The Lord encourages His people. We do, indeed, have much violence spread across the globe. There are, as stated in Matthew 24:6 "wars and rumors of wars".  The earth itself is in upheaval "the earth groans" Romans 8:22. Yet, we are to gain strength in The Lord and not be afraid of all that is happening around us and to us. 

    For Christ has called us to suffer with Him that we might be found worthy of Him: Matthew 10:38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." That cross our Lord and Savior was nailed to was not comfortable, nor was it pretty. It was hard, heavy and painful to be on. Think you our crosses are any less? 

    The other thing about this cross we are to take up is that we don't get to choose our cross. Taking up our cross means we need to be prepared in all ways to follow Jesus Christ where He leads us. We need to be ready to suffer, ready to serve.

     Christ prepared Himself when He prayed with His Father. He spent many, many hours in prayer. His prayer times were a source of refreshing and a place of gaining strength from His Father. Our times of refreshing are also in prayer. Alone with God we acquire His peace, His strength, His wisdom. In Christ we have access to everything He is. 

    We must remember, take to heart, the encouragement of our God:

"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’" Isaiah 41:10.

WINDS OF WORSHIP 3

Heart & Soul - - Enjoined

 

Acts 4:32

The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2588, No. 5590

One Heart: the heart; mind, character, inner self, will, intention, center

From the Greek word 'kardia' (pronounced kar-dee'-ah): "the affective center of our being" and the capacity of moral preference. 

One Soul: the self;  the seat of affections and will, a person's distinct identity

From the Greek word 'psuché' (pronounced psoo-khay'): the life force as a result of God breathing His gift of life into us. 

    THE HEART is never referred to, in the Scriptures, as the actual physical heart but only as the spiritual character heart. Our inner thoughts, our intentions, whether good or bad, originate here. It is this heart which God looks on when He judges the heart. Our will, directed towards self or God, is this heart. 

    The strength of this heart is determined by the strength of the faith which resides in this spiritual heart. If there is no faith in God, there is no strength and the body in which the spiritual heart is located, surrenders to what the self wants. Instead of fearing The Lord God, it fears everything else around it.

    But if the self is surrendered to God, then the heart is, too. The fear of The Lord lives there and the heart derives its strength from faith in the Name of The Lord. 

    THE BELIEVERS who came together to wait for The Promise of the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit were afterwards joined in not only one purpose, but one heart and one soul. Yes, they shared what they had before The Promise came, but that was a sharing in and of themselves without the power of The Holy Spirit uniting them. 

    As a weaver brings many colored threads together on his or her loom, so, too is the church being fitly joined together in The Spirit by the breath of God and the hand of God. The Spirit reveals God's Will and Purpose to the believer who seeks to know such. He also unites in purpose the many believers scattered across this globe: be ready to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 

    In the early days of the church being formed, the young believers anticipated the return of their Savior to be soon and very soon. They sold their possessions and shared the increase among themselves. Because Jesus had said He was returning and to be ready for His return. 

    So we say, even now, "Jesus is returning to take His church away with Him. Get ready now or you'll be left behind. Hurry, hurry! Come to salvation by faith in the only Name under heaven by which mankind can be saved. Come to the cross and lay your burden of sins down to be washed away in the blood of God's Lamb. Come to the cross and be forgiven. Come, hurry. Jesus is returning soon. The time is very near. So near there is urgency in our pleas, our calls. Be a rejoicer in the Name of The Lord!." 

    THE CHURCH shines when she increases, her glory is measured by her quantity of believers, not their quality. Jews who believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, Messiah, to whom the gospel was first preached, and foreigners (Gentiles) to whom the gospel was sent that we also might be given the opportunity to believe make up the body of the church. 

    Who is the church? The repentant sinner. The ones who believe in the Name of the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, for the salvation of their souls. Who believe that Jesus died on the cross, taking the punishment for their sins. That His blood washes away all our filthiness and unrighteousness; that He covers us with Himself and becomes our righteousness. 

    The church consists of murderers, for Paul, after all, was murdering Christians before he became a believer. He thought he was doing God's work, but he was wrong. He had good intentions but his heart was not right with God. Prostitutes who become believers (Rahab) and turn their backs on their sin are the church. Thieves who believe on The Lord's Name for their salvation (the thief on the cross). 

    Liars, idolaters, backstabbers, thinkers of unclean thoughts, gossipers become the church when they repent of their wicked ways against God and turn to Him for their salvation. Regardless of nationalities or skin color, anyone who "names the Name of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:19) is the church. 

    THE SPIRIT moves on our hearts, gently working there to bring us to faith in Jesus Christ for our salvation. We declare that Christ is our personal Lord and Savior, making a personal commitment to follow Him wherever He leads us. The Spirit brings alike hearts together. We commit to remain faithful (faith-filled obedience) to God in His Word and His Spirit, endeavoring to reach and bring in as many people we can share this good news with. 

    "Each One Reach One." Even if only one person acknowledges Christ as a result of my sharing Jesus, my ministry does not end there. For that one person could reach two or one hundred or thousands. As long as I reach one. And my prayers water the seed of faith that is planted not only when I share, but when others share. 

    Revelation 22:17

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.

ENJOINED

    

Heart & Soul - - The Generous Heart

 

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each one should give what he has decided to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.

#Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 318

Compulsion: necessity

From the Greek word 'anagké (pronounced an-ang-kay') which translates "strong force needed to accomplish something typically brought on by great pain or distress". 

["In classical Greek many words take their stem from anank-. The verb anankazō denotes the outward influence or pressure exerted by someone upon another.]

    The generous heart cannot be sincerely generous unless The Lord Jesus Christ is there, filling our hearts with HImself, directing our steps on His path with His Holy Spirit. We ourselves must be filled before we can begin to fill the needs in other's hearts and lives.

    We must be cheerfully generous with our time given to The Lord, given to one another in His church and given to those we minister to in the good works of service to The Lord. If we feel like we are being forced to spend our time where we do not want to, yet we participate in the above activities, we are not giving cheerfully. In fact, we are not giving at all, for that heart isn't even filled with the Love of God through Christ.

    First we must make the decision to Love The Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls and with all our minds (Matthew 22:37). With everything that is within us (Psalm 103:1; Psalm 63:1). Secondly, we endeavor to be so filled with the Love of God in Christ Jesus that it spills, splashes and overflows onto and into the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ that they would be blessed. 

    Thirdly, we cheerfully give of our blessings to those who are downtrodden, overwhelmed, hopeless. We give of our blessings to the widow, the orphans, the foreigner in our gates (Deuteronomy 14:29; James 1:27).

    The generous heart explodes with Love. Just one drop of Love in our hearts is multiplied by God's hands until we feel like we're ready to bust wide open. Bits of Love fall on everyone we interact with and on they who are blessed by our prayers, when prayer is all we have to give.  

    

GENEROSITY TOWARDS THE LORD

    Wherever the Scripture reads "Bless The LORD", it is a cry from the heart to be grateful, thankful and worshipful towards The LORD our GOD. To give thanks with a grateful heart, with such joy that the words and the songs pour out of us whenever we open our mouths. 

    We have much to be thankful to God for. His plan of salvation was fulfilled in the sacrificial death of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. And we who believe BLESS GOD with all that is within us. We bless Him from our hearts and not just our lips. We bless Him with the works of our hands. We bless Him with the places we walk in. 

    We bless God when we bless each other out of the generosity of our hearts. Not because we have to but because we want to. No one forces me to pay my tithes: I tithe out of my income because I want to. No one forces me to support missionaries: I give offerings because I want to. I want to see my church and my pastor blessed. I want to see the Lord be a blessing in the countries in which our missionaries are stationed.   

GENEROSITY TOWARDS EACH OTHER IN CHRIST

   We give to each other deliberately, with purpose and good intent. We desire only the best for each other. In our desire to see our brothers and sisters in Christ grow in the Lord and come to maturity in Christ, we give of ourselves to their service. We are seeking to raise them up with words of mercy (remembering that we too were once young in the Word) with words of  understanding, with compassion, with our presence and silence in times of sorrow or distress. 

    We give to each other out of the overflow of our pantries, feeding the body as well as the soul. Unintentional hunger in the body tends to override the hearing of the Word. If we can help someone in need, then we help. If we can't, we pray that the Lord sends someone who can help. We all work together. It's called hospitality.

     Deuteronomy 23:20

You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess. 

      1 Peter 3:8

Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.

    3 John 1:5-6

Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you. 

They have testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

GENEROSITY TOWARDS THE POOR

    There will always be folks poorer than ourselves. Deuteronomy 15:11 "For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land."

    As Christ's followers, we extend God's love with lovingkindness and grace. Once I was poor and someone extended their generosity into my heart. And I saw Love in action. A Love that I wanted to know more about. Though occasionally I wandered down the wrong path looking for that Love, eventually, I was led to a church where I saw the Holy Spirit in action, actively being sought and found. And I wanted that, too. 

    But it started with recognizing I was just a poor wretch without Jesus Christ living in my heart and my life. So I share Him and His Love everywhere I go. I share Him through socks. I share Him through turkey. I share Him through cake. I share Him through sandwiches. I share Christ and the Love of God through my Bing searches (supports my fave mission). 

    I give of my prayers to the poor. I ask God to bless them, and many others, with clean water, good food, clothes to wear, shoes on their feet and shelter. I ask God to bless all who are imprisoned with strength and faith that does not waver. I ask God to bless the persecutors, the tormentors, the mockers and the slayers: to break their hearts for Him, to open their eyes to see, to turn to Him. I ask God to bind their wounds, heal their diseases and raise their dead for His glory and honor and the increase of His kingdom. 

    I ask God to strengthen His people where they stand: in prison and out of prison; to make strong those who are attacked and brought down by the haters of righteousness. To give them the Bibles they need in prison, in their homes. To empower them with His Holy Spirit. That the Spirit would be poured out upon all who seek Him and who desire to live righteous and holy lives. 

    I ask all these things in Jesus' name, according to His perfect Will and Purpose. I am a friend of God. And I want you to be God's friend, too.

    Psalm 41:1

Blessed is he who cares for the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble.

    Proverbs 22:9

A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

    John 12:8

"The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me."

WINDS OF WORSHIP ALBUM (what I listened to while I studied)

Heart & Soul - - Treasures In Heaven

 

Luke 12:34

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

#Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2344

Treasure: a store-house for precious things

From the Greek word 'thésauros' (pronounced thay-sow-ros') Literally, "a receptacle for valuables", including (treasured) thoughts stored up in the heart and mind.

NEW CONTAINERS

    When I rise to meet Him in glory, I will be given a new body and I need to live here not only in anticipation of that new body, but to live as if I am already clothed with it. 

    That new body has a new heart, therein is the unbreakable container in which I have stored my Treasures. It doesn't rust. Matthew 6:19-20. 

GRACE

    The Grace of God which saved this poor sinner is my primary Treasure. It is intertwined with my soul and will go with me when I trade this world for my eternal dwelling place. 

    Again, I remind you that after Jesus prayed for His disciples, He prayed for the people who would believe in Him without ever having seen Him. That's me. And if you believe, that's you. (John 17). 

    Having been redeemed, bought back from the bondages of sin and death, through the blood of the Lamb of God, I have laid this treasure of Grace up for myself, that when I am raised to new life in Christ, Grace adorns my soul like threads of love interwoven with threads of righteousness. 

    To apply the Word of God to oneself is to claim it as our own, as He has claimed us for His own. "For by Grace am I saved through faith, Nothing I have done could ever give me this Grace: it is the gift of God to me." paraphrased Ephesians 2:8-9.

GENEROUS SPIRIT TOWARDS GOD

    Luke 11:41 "But give as alms the things that are within you, and you will see that everything is clean for you." 

    What is within me? Everything that Jesus Christ is resides within the Christian who faithfully follows Him wherever He goes, He leads. The Lord is my wealth and I am compelled to share Him with everyone I meet. I can't help it: I just want to talk about all the good things that the Lord has done for me. We call this testifying. And what is my testimony? Christ in me is my greatest Treasure. 

    Paul had written to the church in Rome begging them on account of God's mercies, to "surrender their bodies living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is their reasonable service". This is written to the believer, as well. For we all members of one body, as he wrote to the church in Corinth. Regardless of the year or day in which a believer comes to salvation in Christ, we are all part of the body of Christ. As such, we should be fully committed and willingly giver ourselves to His service.

THE SERVANT'S HEART

    The servant's heart is a willing participant in the glories of Christ. We endeavor, we strive, we persevere; we move ahead, we go forward, we rise on eagle's wings to soar above our enemies. We endure hardships/afflictions, beatings, sufferings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights and hunger (2 Corinthians 6:5). 

    We are able to do so through His Grace (2 Corinthians 6:6, 7) and power. To the church in Philippi (and us) Paul writes this "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13). Because I am in Christ and Christ is in me, I, too, can do all things in His strength, for His Name is Strength: Exodus 15:2; Psalm 28:7; Psalm 118:14; Isaiah 12:2; Jeremiah 16:19; Habakkuk 3:19). 

    I am committed to His purpose. I am surrendered His Will. I am submitted to His Way. I let go of I and become we. 

YOU

    Proverbs 11:30

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

    1 Corinthians 9:19, 20

What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it. Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a servant to everyone, to win as many as possible.

    2 Corinthians 4:15

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may overflow in thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

    You who believe because I had a part in seeing you come to Christ are my crown of joy: 1 Thessalonians 2:19 "After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?"

TREASURES IN HEAVEN

    

Heart & Soul - - Germination

 

Colossians 3:1

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4891

Raised: to raise together 

From the Greek word 'sunegeiró' (pronounced soon-eg-i'-ro) meaning " I raise along with".

"To raise up together from moral death to a new and blessed life devoted to God."

RAISED WITH HIM

    We are risen from the dead with Christ when we believe in His Name for our salvation (Romans 10:13). For His very Name is Savior (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31). 

    Colossians 2:12 "And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead." Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

    ALIVE TO GOD THROUGH THE CROSS

    Romans 6:3-5    

(3) Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (4) We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.

    Galatians 5:24

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

    Galatians 6:14

But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 

    I am alive to God through the cross, through the crucifixion of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who died for me, to save me from the punishment of my sins. He died for you, too. And those who believe, who call on His Name to save them, have died with Him; for we are now in Him and He is in us, as He prayed in the garden in John 17:20-26. It's a lovely prayer. 

    If a person hasn't come to the cross to lay their burden of sins down there, then they need to do so soon, very soon. Christ is returning soon and very soon. It will be near impossible to come to Christ when God calls His church into His presence. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17). I'm so excited! Aren't you? 

    SEEK THE THINGS ABOVE

    What are the things above that we, as citizens (Philippians 3:20) of heaven, should be seeking? What are we looking for, searching out? Matthew 6:20-21 tells us "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupts, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

>ETERNAL LIFE is our greatest treasure. But to have it there we must first claim it here. For it is both our now reward for we live in Him now and our later treasure up there. We will get new bodies, changed bodies . As a seed that is planted in the ground does not remain a seed but changes and grows into whatever the seed was destined to become, we, too, will be changed. 

    The seed goes through a transformative process to become what will be seen. In science it is called germination. In Scripture it is called 'from glory to glory' (2 Corinthians 3:18). 

ROOTS AND SHOOTS

• The seed's first stage is getting water to begin the process. For the Christian that water is the Holy Spirit. Before anything else worthwhile can happen in a Christian's life, the Holy Spirit must be present in us. The seed first grows roots to reach into the ground and find water. The Christian's roots are in the Word of God, we dig deep into His Word to find our resources for growth. 
• The seed's second stage is oxygen. It needs to breathe. For the Christian that oxygen is the presence of God, for He gives us breath. 
• The seed's third stage is the right temperature in which to flourish. For the Christian the right temperature is persecution. For the church grew when the Word spread through the Christians who fled the cities where they were being hunted and killed for the Name of Jesus. Hard to believe that we require such uncivilities to grow in our faith, isn't it? But in the Christian life this requirement is akin to the dirt in which the seed has been buried. It must push through, up and out in order to reach the sun and become a seedling, a young plant. During this stage of development the seed, the Christian, breaks through the hard shell surrounding it; we tear down walls and the new life that is growing us shoots upward to break through the ground (the fears, doubts and ponderings) in which it is buried and become a sprout, a new life, which will grow and become stronger in the light of God's love and mercy. Grace Like Rain.
• The seed's fourth requirement is light: it requires sunshine and warmth. So, too, the Christian requires Sonlight. We strive, persevere, and push through the obstacles to reach the Christ in Whom our lives shine. 
• The seed's fifth and final stage is the transformation into what it was created to be. Its roots have driven deep into the ground, its shoots have made their final push through and up, its leaves are releasing oxygen and its purpose is made known when its fruit (plant type) is visible to everyone who sees it. So, too, is the Christian's life. They who see us know we are Christians even before we open our mouth to speak. For the glory of the Lord shines in our faces. 

    CHRIST AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD

How wonderful to be a seed in the garden of God, to be the planting of the Lord! Rise up, O Christian, and be who the Lord is calling you to be! See Him in all His glory, where He is seated at the right hand of His Father. Ask you how we know He is there? The Word states this is so. He has been seen there. 

    Acts 7:55-56

55) But he (Stephen) being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. (56) And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

    Mark 16:19

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

    Daniel 7:13

In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.

    Someday soon we, too, will see Christ at the right hand of God. For God's Word is True & Faithful. God never lies. God is Love, not chaos. All will see Him but not all will remain with Him. Only the ones who have believed on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation and turned their backs on the temptations of this world, choosing to live for Him. 

    Have you said, Yes, Lord, I am Yours? Have you surrendered your heart and your life to Him? Hurry, hurry; come to the altar and give God your heart, that He may plant Himself in your heart. changing you according to His will and purpose for  you. Like He did me. 

    Every day is a new challenge, a new opportunity to serve Him and be of use to Him in His kingdom. Every day is a day of growth, a day of spreading the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, in the hopes that the hearer would receive it into their own hearts. 

    We pray, Lord, be my Lord. I am a wretched sinner and I have transgressed against You. I have broken Your laws and I need Your Savior. I need Jesus Christ to wash my sins away in the blood He shed for me on the cross. I need His resurrection power to become the Christian You want me to be. I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. As I commit myself to You, Father, strengthen me in Your Word and  Your Love. Guide me, lead me, guard my tongue, that I may speak only the words You give me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may walk in this new life which You have given me. I praise You and thank You for saving me, filling me and leading me. In Jesus' Name, we pray, Amen. 

FEARLESS

    

Heart & Soul - - Anointed By God

 

1 John 2:20

But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 5545

Unction: anointing

From the Greek word 'chrisma' (pronounced khris'-mah) (from 5548 /xríō, "anoint with oil") . Referring to the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit, guiding the receptive believer into the fullness of God's preferred-will. [This anointing functions through faith (4102 /pístis), i.e. God inwardly persuading the believer of His preferences.]  

    The Holy Spirit is that unction, that unguent, poured out on the Christians. He is represented in Scripture as Wind (1 Chronicles 14:15; Acts 2:2), Breath of God (John 20:22), Dove (John 1:32), Rain (Hosea 6:3; James 5:7), Fire (Acts 2:3) and Oil (1 John 2:20).

    The Spirit is the Oil of Joy: exuberant joy, wild joy, delight (Hebrews 1:9). God anoints us (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) with His Holy Spirit to accomplish the work He has set forth for His people to do (Luke 4:18-21, referring to Christ's anointing) and Acts 2:8, power to witness). The Holy Spirit is only given to God's people, none other are qualified to receive Him. 

   Having been born anew, experienced a new birth through the power of God's Holy Spirit and through the water, we are privileged to live our lives through Him, in Him and with Him. To serve God is one of the greatest honors we will ever know. The first greatest honor He bestowed on us was the gift of salvation through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. We are covered with His righteousness by placing our faith in Him. 

    The Holy Spirit is not the anointer: He is the anointing, our anointing. We are anointed with the Oil of Healing (Matthew 11:5). We are anointed with the Oil of Power to Preach the Gospel  (Isaiah 61:1. We are anointed with the Spirit of Wisdom (). 

    This anointing is for us, our children and our grandchildren; it is also conditional (Isaiah 59:20-21; Isaiah 44:3). This anointing of the Holy Spirit is the baptism of the Spirit given by Christ to His disciples, His followers (John 1:33; Acts 2:1-4). 

    God anoints His servants with His precious Holy Spirit to work in power and complete the works in Him. What are these works which only the anointing empowers? 1 Corinthians 12 outlines the different diversities of gifts in the Spirit. Whatever we do in the Spirit is not done just for ourselves but for all of us ( 1 Corinthians 12:7). 

    We are the body of Christ and the body has different functions, but all work together for the good of the body. Whether we speak of our physical bodies or our spiritual body. For in the Spirit there is one body and that is the body of Christ. As He served and suffered for us during He ministry here, we, too, now serve and suffer as His body for the benefit of each of us. 

    When one part of the body ceases to function in the way in which it was created to function, other parts of the body must step up and fill the void, if possible. We lose a limb, that limb can be replaced to some degree. But if a major organ fails, then the whole body fails. This is true in the body of Christ, as well. 

    When our hearts are not working in the way in which they should be, then we need a new heart. And God provides one. He removes the heart of stone and replaces it with a fleshy heart, a heart that can be molded and written on (Ezekiel 11:19-20; Jeremiah 32:39; 2 Corinthians 3:3). And in this new heart, God, His Christ and His Holy Spirit take up residence (John 14:23). 

    But because our hearts are unclean, this new heart, this new birth, must wash away our uncleanness, our sins, our unrighteousness. Every little nook and cranny must be dusted, cleaned and repaired that there are no breaches where the enemy of our souls can enter in.  

    Lord, let this anointing be made full in me that I might finish my race, my course with grace and humility. Guide me through the obstacles in my path on this journey You have set me on. Be my Guide, my Light, my Oil as I walk Your Word out in my life. While I long to wear the crowns of victory You have set up for me, even more so, let me see Your smiling face when You call my name to the supper table. May I be Your good and faithful servant until then. Amen. 

COME HOLY SPIRIT

Heart & Soul - - Alive With Christ

 

Ephesians 2:4, 5

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4806

Alive: to make alive together with

From the Greek word 'suzóopoieó' (pronounced ood-zo-op-oy-eh'-o): I make alive together with; new moral life is referred to; reanimate conjointly with, quicken together with.

THE PENITENT'S CRY 

Psalm 51:1-2

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.  Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalm 32:5

Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

ALIVE IN CHRIST

Colossians 2:12-14

And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!

John 11:25

Jesus said unto her, "I am The Resurrection and The Life, he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."

FORGIVEN

    Our souls are eternal. When these bodies the Lord God has placed our souls in fail and die, the soul leaves for its destination. If the soul has believed that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, then that soul leaves for the eternal presence of God in heaven. If the soul who has chosen to not believe dies in its unbelieving state, then that soul leaves for the eternal damnation (eternal separation from God) in hell. 

     Nothing that we can do, in and of ourselves, can save us from the eternal punishment due us for the sins we have committed against God by disobeying and disbelieving His Holy Word. Having been born with a sinful nature, we are all unclean.

    Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." We need the righteousness of a Savior, of The Christ, to cover us.

    Isaiah 53:6

All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

    We need to seek out the Lord, repent of our unrighteous ways and be forgiven by a Merciful God.

    Isaiah 55:7

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. 

    Paul referred to himself as a wretch (Romans 7:24). David revealed himself to be a sinner (2 Samuel 12:13). How do we refer to ourselves when confessing to God that we are sinners? We must approach God with humble hearts, not proud or prideful (pride-filled) hearts. God hears the sinner's prayer when the sinner is truly repentant. 

    To be Alive in Christ is to be forgiven and live a forgiven lifestyle. Now that we have been washed in the blood of the God's Lamb, and the sins we repented of are washed away, we learn how to live holy and righteous lives: lives that don't include deliberately sinning. 

    We are not forgiven so we can keep on sinning. This is a false teaching. The born again believer chooses not to sin, knowing that sin is what kept us separated from God. Now that we have recognized God for Who He Is, and that His Word Is Faithful and True, we do not want to do the things we used to do before we became to Christ.

BLESSED

    1 John 3:9

Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

    To be Alive With Christ is to live in Christ as He lives in us. We are the born again: the poor in spirit, the meek, the ones who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted for His Name's sake, the reviled (Matthew 5:3-11). For as He was treated in this world, His people are also treated. 

SUFFERERS FOR CHRIST

    Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus told His disciples, "If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me."

    1 Peter 4:1

Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin.

    1 Peter 2:21-23

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth." When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. 

ALIVE WITH CHRIST

    Remember, this Christian life is not an easy life, but it is a worthwhile life. Our goal is to live with God forever. Salvation is the first step to getting there. This holiness lifestyle is all the other steps. For our journeys are of indefinite length, as our days are numbered by God (Psalm 39:4; 90:12). Whether we live a long life or a short life, it is not length of life that is rewarded: it is how we lived the life we were given.

    We did not get saved just so we could "live the good life" here and now. Salvation is a gift from God (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8). Sanctification is the work of The Holy Spirit .

    Now we are Alive With Christ. What a miracle that we have become part of the body of Christ. Look to the cross! See the body of Christ. It is not beautiful. If we are honest with ourselves, no one wants to look on Him, for He is hard to behold. Isaiah 53. 

    Romans 6:22  

Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. 

    Without the sin-bearing Savior on the cross, there could be no resurrection of the dead to a new life in Christ! Look, now, and see Him there: dying for you, for me. Once and for all Jesus took the sins of the whole world upon Himself. Hebrews 9:12 "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

    I am Alive in Christ, I am Alive with Christ. If it were not for my recognition of Christ Jesus as my Savior and the Lord of my life, I would not be alive at all, but I would be dead in my trespasses, in my sins. I have a Savior and His Name is Jesus Christ. Come near to the heart of God. Come, be alive with us. 

REPENTANT, FORGIVEN, CHANGED  

Dead Man (Carry Me) - Jars of Clay

Ocean Floor - Audio Adrenaline

God Be Merciful to Me - Jars of Clay

Lay It All Down - Will Reagan

Come As You Are - Crowder

I'm Not Alright - Sanctus Real

The Hard Way - DC Talk

Nothing But The Blood - Jars of Clay

Forgiven - Crowder 

Redeemed - Big Daddy Weave

Less Like Me - Zach Williams 

Walking Free - Micah Tyler

Simple - Various Artists

Simple Truth - Ryan Ellis

Heart & Soul - - Chosen In Love

 

Ephesians 1:4, 5

"For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4309

Predetermined: to predetermine, to foreordain

From the Greek word 'proorizó' (pronounced pro-or-id'-zo). To pre-determine limits (establish boundaries).

    This word 'predestine' sure gets a lot of bad press. Some people think it means God has chosen only so many people to be saved, when in fact God has chosen everyone to be saved. Sadly, not everyone will be, but that is their choice, not God's. It simply means that God has set up the means by which we become His children. And that means, that Way is His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. John 14:6 "Jesus answered, “I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

CHOSEN BY HIM

    Before the foundation of the world, the Word tells, we are chosen in Christ. Those who come to salvation through faith in the blood of Christ to wash away our sins are the saints, the born again, the prophets and anyone who believes God is Savior and the means of salvation. The Book of Hebrews outlines a few Old Testament people who had righteousness credited to their account because of their simple, faithful (faith-filled) lives. I call it The Hall of Faith.

    We are chosen in Him, in Jesus Christ. We are chosen by God to be His people simply because we believe Him, we trust Him. 

CHOSEN TO BE HOLY IN HIS PRESENCE

    We are chosen by the Holy God to be a holy people. We are chosen to be set apart from the rest of the world. We are chosen to be sacred, different. We now have a Christ-like nature because Christ lives in us, changing us, growing us into Himself.

CHOSEN TO BE BLAMELESS IN HIS PRESENCE

    We are chosen by God to be without blemish or spot. For sin cannot exist where God is, so God's people must be spiritually clean. A feat which can only be accomplished by God's transforming power through His Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit Who leads us to God. It is the Spirit Who reveals the Truth of God's Word to us. 

CHOSEN IN LOVE TO BE GOD'S CHILDREN

    The most beloved verses in the Bible tell us that God loves us so much He sent His Son to die for us and save us from eternal damnation and punishment for sin. 

    John 3:16-18

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

CHOOSING GOD

    Are you one of the 'whosoevers'? Have you believed in the Name of the Son of God for your salvation? I am a whosoever. And you can be a whosoever, too. God has chosen you in His love to be a member of His family. Listen to the stirrings of your heart. That's the Holy Spirit calling you to salvation. That's the voice of God calling you to come near and stay by Him. Today is your opportunity to choose God just like He chose you.

    God chose us in Love, we need to choose God in Love. God chose us in Christ; in Christ we need to come to God. God's Word is God's Way. In Christ we are made holy, we are made blameless, we are made perfect. Now is the time to answer the call of God on your life. Hear the Word of the Lord and be made complete in Him. 

    

TOUCH OF HEAVEN/ALABASTER

DO IT AGAIN