Abiding in Jesus Christ
  • Home
  • Testimonies
  • Words, encouragements and exhortations
  • Videos

Word, Encouragements and Exhortations


11/11/12

    The days are becoming darker, judgments are increasing. As a nation, many are choosing the world instead of the Lord. As Christians, we should never choose to wage a physical war against any person, or nation but we should be in spiritual warfare daily. It saddens me to see the state of the church and that many have fallen asleep perhaps to their own destruction. We need to wake up, get on our knees and seek the Lord with all our hearts while there is still a little time left. For those that have been heeding this warning I encourage you to seek the Lord to see how you can be a light and sound the alarm! Many of us have been lulled to sleep by the ease of life in the western world. Remember that through much tribulation shall we enter into the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). It is the fiery trial that tests us to see where we stand and for further refining (1 Peter 4:12). This isn't complicated, simple devotion to Jesus Christ is where it all begins.
    Many today are holding on to the world and trusting in everything else but Jesus! I myself have been guilty of this. What happens when our food supply runs out? What happens when you don't want to be a part of the world system but you or a loved one comes down with a serious illness? I'm sorry but herbal products and home remedies (colliodal silver, etc) won't cure everything! What happens when desperate people seeking food, clothing, shelter, come to your door and you have barely enough to survive? The answer to all these questions is Jesus Christ but unless you are walking with him and abiding in him you don't truly know him. You can't trust in something you don't know. Remember the words "depart from me I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23). Get to know him if you don't already while there is still a little time. If you do know him, get to know him better.
    We need to humble ourselves and never assume that we have "arrived". I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me (Philipians 4:13)! We are to fight the good fight of the faith and lay hold of life eternal. I pray for the Lord to bless you as you seek to know him and draw close to him. Please pray that for us as well and pray for revival in this nation for the judgements will only get worse! The Lord bless you!


8/18/12
  The events coming upon this world are a consequence of the sin that continues to be committed upon this earth. The love of many is growing cold. As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the authority to remit sins and come against the principalities and powers that war against us. The problem is that many believers are more concerned about what is going on around us instead of what is going on inside us.

Php 4:6  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

It is easy to fall into that trap and I have been guilty myself. We are still to be a light to those around us. Cast all of your cares upon the Lord and don't be moved by fear, anger, fear of man or man's opinions. Seek the Lord for a pure heart, a heart of love for Him and others. Examine yourselves and see if you are in the faith (2cor 13:5). You can live a life that seems pure and holy to yourself and to those around you yet in your heart there is no love, no compassion, for your brothers and sisters in the Lord, and no heart for the lost. If this is so, according to 1cor 13, we are nothing. Be encouraged, encourage yourself in the Lord that if you commit yourself completely to him he will abide faithful and get you through every trial, every temptation. We are entering a time of great testing, chastisement and purification! Don't lose faith but cry out to the Lord and seek his face, repent and believe His word and he will sustain us, deliver us and make us that light that we should be! May the Lord bless you!


3/12/12

    I wanted to share something that has been heavy on my heart lately and just to clarify beforehand this article is not written towards any specific group or person. If the Holy Spirit uses what I have written to convict or bless you then praise the Lord!

     I have been noticing that many people following the Lord seem to be hearing the same things in their spirit that I am. Many believers are being exhorted to draw closer to the Lord and develop that relationship with Him. They also seem to be hearing a lot regarding love and the true meaning of love. We know by what we see around us that we are in the last days. In the news there are constant reminders of murders, suicides, earthquakes, tornadoes, economic collapse, the list goes on and on. If the Lord gives a dream, vision or word of what is coming the Spirit can use this as a warning, encouragement, etc. The important thing is that we don't get led astray by letting the events of this world pull our attention off of the Lord. Often we can be drawn away in the subtlest of ways. Satan and his forces will often use subtlety to lead us off the path and not the obvious. That is why we are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). The bible even warns that the deception in these last days could even deceive the elect, if possible.

Mark 13:22  for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the elect.


    The Word of God states that we are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:6-7). It is easy to focus on what is coming and get away from being led by the Spirit and seeking the Lord with all our hearts!

Romans 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Romans 8:15  For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

   We can easy start to focus on what is happening now or what is coming and take our attention off of our relationship with the Lord now and our relationship with others.

Matthew 6:34  Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

    Jesus made it pretty clear with these words yet often we quickly forget them and get caught up in everything else but what is needful, to sit at the feet of Jesus. In the days ahead, it is His love that we will need. Love is much deeper than what the world says it is. 1 Corinthians 13 sums it up well. Only through death to self, giving up our lives in this world,  can we truly obtain spiritual life. We need to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and then all these things will be added unto us (Matthew 6:33). The times we live in can certainly motivate us to draw closer to the Lord but it shouldn't be that way. I have often had sorrow that it took the events of the past few years to wake me up. I thank the Lord for his great mercy and grace to overcome this world! Remember, the enemy will use emotions, feelings, thoughts, to get our eyes on the natural but we are not to be led by our senses but by the Word of God! I pray that we will all be washed daily with the Word and be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2)!  These things I have written are as much or more for me than anyone else, thank you Lord!

    Man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart (1Samuel 16:7). People may have all the outward signs of worship and love. They may sing praises to the Lord, speak in tongues, help one another, but it's what is in their heart that matters. I am learning this more and more each day. Lord please help me to love with all my heart and to be clean on the inside! Create in me a clean heart! For all those who read this and desire the same thing I agree with you, let it be done in Jesus name, amen!

_
1/2/2012

    When we love the Lord we are obedient to him because we love him not because we are trying to do things to pay back for past sins, etc. I know this is basic Christianity but it is easy to be subtly deceived in this area. The flesh wants to live by sight and doing something to get something is basic human nature.

Matthew 7:21  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Matthew 7:22  "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

Matthew 7:23  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

    Notice that these people were saying "did we not prophesy in your name, etc". It wasn't a humility but it was a "look what I've done for you". Sometimes when we are not giving up our lives in this world, we need to feel better about our living in the flesh by doing good things to make up for it! Also, some get so caught up in their accomplishments that they get deceived. Even though they think their giving the Lord credit, because they are deceived they are really exalting themselves.
     It's all about Jesus, we can do nothing apart from him except evil. If we look back at our successes or failures we are not looking forward and are not fit for the kingdom. It's good and right to give praise and credit to the Lord for what he is doing and has done but when you make your accomplishments a hammer to beat down others and elevate yourself beware because that is not love.


Luke 17:10  Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do.

Lord, please give us awesome testimonies to bring you glory but gives us grace to make it about you and not ourselves!


_1/2/2012

    What does it mean to walk in love? Does it mean that we don't stand for the truth because it might offend someone?  I am seeing more and more that love is much deeper than what man professes it to be. Yes, love is obedience, but love is also all the other things as defined in 1 Corinthians 13:

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

1 Corinthians 13:5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;

1 Corinthians 13:6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;

1 Corinthians 13:7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

If we are honest we can discern when ourselves or others are reacting in love or in the flesh.

    There comes a point when dealing with others where it is important to determine where they stand with us. Do we see them as an enemy or as a brother in Christ. If we have went through the steps of reconciliation and they make themselves our enemy by their actions are we still not to love them, pray for them and do good to them? (Luke 6:27, Matthew 5:44). If we just have differences then we need to have mercy and grace on one another and pray for each other until we come into a unity of faith and spirit.

Galatians 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Galatians 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

 Mercy does triumph over judgment.

James 2:13  For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

    God does not look on the outward appearance but on the heart. It's true that many do live after their lusts but some are genuinely seeking the truth and may make mistakes on the way. We are all growing into the image of Christ and need that humility as well as God's grace and mercy to continue down the path of coming into the likeness of Jesus Christ. We can discern when someone is operating in love and when they are in the flesh. Sometimes it is very subtle and other times it's obvious. When we discern this we are to pray for these people and pray for ourselves as well. I pray that we all get there quicky and are ready to help each other out along the way! Remember, you can stand for the truth and still be in love according to 1 Corinthians 13! As a matter of fact, unless we are in love we are nothing! Lord, please help us all!

_

12/25/2011

    Just like football players for preparation have two a day practices before the season starts and just like baseball has spring training so must a Christian go through trials on this earth to prepare us and mold us.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you:

When refining silver and gold, heat is applied to bring the impurities to the surface so they can be removed. There are temptations all around to try us and see where our hearts are and bring out the impurities in them. Do we seek after Jesus Christ or do we seek after the pleasures of this world? The bible says to choose this day whom you will serve. I pray that we all will seek after the Lord to love him and to love those around us because ultimately that is what will matter in the end. Jesus said in Matthew:

Matthew 7:21  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Matthew 7:22  "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

Matthew 7:23  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

The reason he said this? Because they did these things for religion or self and not out of love and a pure heart.

Psalms 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.

   I hope this encourages you to seek the Lord while he may be found! Remember, if we seek we shall find when we seek with all our hearts. We all have fallen short and have done some terrible things in our lives. Some of us have fallen short even as "Christians" for many years. What matters is to confess your sins, turn from them and give Jesus your whole life now. He will then forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1John1:9) ! This world is passing away, we are only here for a short time. We have all been deceived to think that this world is about doing our best, being successful and trying to be good. Follow Jesus, let him change you and you will see his goodness shine forth from you. Cast your life at the feet of Jesus and he will truly set you free. That is the true freedom from the Matrix. This is the gospel, this is the good news! Have a blessed day!

_12/3/2011

    If we desire to be believers and followers of Jesus Christ we must give up everything to the Lord. As I have been finding out more and more, just having that desire in us is not enough. Giving up everything includes giving up traditions of men, religion, lusts of the flesh, our own plans. We must put on the Lord Jesus Christ and set aside every weight and sin. Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ means seeking him continually, walking as he walked. Weights are things in our lives that might not be sin but they keep us from drawing closer to the Lord and hearing from him. We must seek and have a relationship with the Lord. It's a lifestyle not a hobby! We can't "earn" salvation but we can be obedient to the Lord and draw near to him.

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Seek Jesus with all your heart and you will find him that is a promise! The Lord bless you!!

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.