I Corinthians 15:43-44

"It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." (1 Corinthians 15:43-44)

In this portion of this great chapter on the resurrection--first that of Christ, then the future resurrection of the redeemed--death and resurrection are compared to seed-sowing and harvest. When a seed is planted in the ground, it is as though it had died and is buried. For a long time after its "death," the seed cannot be seen, but finally it rises again as a beautiful flowering plant, or sheaf of grain, or even a lovely tree.

Jesus made this same analogy. "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit". Our human bodies, because of sin and the curse, eventually die and are buried; but one day (like the planted seed) they will appear again, but now immortal and glorified, far greater than they were before--that is, of course, if their real inhabitants (their eternal created spirits) have been born again through faith in their already-resurrected Savior.

Our new spiritual bodies rising from the grave will be real physical bodies (like that of Jesus after He was raised), but will no longer be under bondage to gravitational and electromagnetic forces as at present, but only to spiritual forces of which we have as yet very little knowledge.

Romans 7:22

"For I delight in the law of God after the inward man." (Romans 7:22)

To many people, the law of God is harsh and cruel, consisting of an unreasonable list of "thou shalt nots. . . ." But Scripture teaches that "the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good" . The "old man" --that is, the natural man, "is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts."

No natural man could ever truthfully say, "I delight in the law of God," and in our modern world, it is even probable that most people have broken at least most of God's Ten Commandments, and often delight in doing so. But the "old man" becomes a "new man" when he accepts Christ as his Savior, for "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made |the| curse for us" . Thus the "inward man" can thenceforth "delight in the law of God," as our text says. Not to earn salvation (which we could never do), but because we love to live for Him who died for us.

Job 28:24-25

"For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure." (Job 28:24-25)
 
It was only discovered by scientists in modern times that the air actually has weight. This passage in Job, however, written thirty-five or more centuries ago, indicated that the two great terrestrial fluids of air and water forming earth's atmosphere and hydrosphere are both "weighed" by God's careful "measure" to provide the right worldwide balance of forces for life on earth.
 
Another remarkable "weighing" act of God is noted in Job 37:16. "Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?" Clouds are composed of liquid drops of water, not water vapor, and water is heavier than air, so how are they "balanced" in the sky? "For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: Which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantly

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Sometimes it seems like there's no hope and no help. Like you have no more strength or ability to go on. You're at the end of yourself and just can't do any more. Don't worry. Just hang on to your faith in God.
God is faithful. He will not forsake you. He has not forgotten you. It just seems that way when you face a trial of faith but it's a lie.  It may seem dark and hopeless, but God is holding on to you. God is working behind the scenes. Things will work out. When you don't know what to do, just continue to trust in God,
and know that He is helping you. Persevere even when you feel like you can't. Just don't give up. rials are no fun. But we should not be surprised when we find our faith being tested. The devil is doing his best to steal your faith in God, but his best is not good enough. God is greater than the devil. Hang on to your faith!
Remember that God is for you. God is on your side. God will help you and see you through. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Keep praising and thanking God -- especially when you don't feel like it.
Don't give up instead I want you to stand still and wait upon the Father for He has not forsaken you nor left you!

Roman 8:29

 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

God has already made the decision. You WILL be like Jesus! It may take awhile -- but God has plenty of time.  Surely this doesn't mean an identical physical appearance, but perfection. Perfection morally, spiritually  and yes, even physically and mentally. So don't be discouraged with where you are now. God is still at
work and He is no quitter. Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; How is God doing this? Primarily through His Word. So, stay in
the Word. The more you expose yourself to the accurate Word of God, the more you will be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:1-2

"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

As the King's soldiers, we have God-given abilities and possessions, most notably the indwelling God's Spirit and empowering gifts. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his". "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit".  We should "fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul" and focus on Him, "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts" (even goods and kindred if need be. "We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ"

Ephesians 3:6

"That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel." (Ephesians 3:6)
There are many Christians who regard themselves as almost exclusively New Testament believers, arguing that the Old Testament was for the Jews under the dispensation of law and thus not applicable to Christians today. Nothing could be further from the truth. While the old animal sacrifices, temple rituals, and Levitical priesthoods have indeed been superseded by Christ's "one sacrifice for sins for ever", there are many "exceeding great and precious promises"  of the Old Testament that can be properly and joyfully appropriated by Christians. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable," wrote Paul, speaking particularly of the Old Testament Scriptures.

John 8:44

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44)

The third verse of "A Might Fortress Is Our God" focuses on Satan's end. God has willed triumph through His truth.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear; for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim--We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

When Satan was cast from heaven, fully a third of the angels fell with him (Revelation 12:4), such that a "legion" of them could inhabit one individual (Mark 5:9). But God has other plans for His children. He desires "to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18). He desires us to "resist the devil" (James 4:7), and not "give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:27).

He also has plans for Satan, including "everlasting chains under darkness" (Jude 6), and "everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). Just one word and Satan will be "cast into the lake of fire and . . . tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10). Jesus, anticipating His execution, spoke of it triumphantly. This had been His Father's will all along. "Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me

Luke 22:31-32

 

"Behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." (Luke 22:31-32)

 

Satan wanted Peter to fall, and fall he would, but Christ had prayed for him that victory would come. The second verse of "A Might Fortress Is Our God" reflects our vulnerability on our own and our invincibility on His side.

 

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right man on our side,
The man of God's own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus it is He,
Lord Sabaoth, His name, From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

 

After revealing many thrilling blessings, Paul asks: "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  Furthermore, neither "principalities, nor powers" nor any thing else in all creation is "able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord". With Him, Satan cannot win the battle for our minds or destinies. But on our own, we cannot win.

 

The term Sabaoth is the Hebrew word for "hosts," in particular the "host of heaven." The term Yahweh Sabaoth or "Lord Sabaoth" occurs some 300 times in the Old Testament and constitutes a most majestic name for God. "For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called"

Ephesians 4:27

 and do not give the devil a foothold.(Ephesians 4:27)

Would the Father instruct us to not let the devil have victory in our lives. If the devil does have a place in our affairs, it's because we allow it. The devil will take over if we let him. Christ won the victory. It legally belongs to us. But the devil is a criminal, who doesn't obey the law unless forced to. We must enforce Christ victory and Lordship in the situations of life, or the devil will take control by default. No human being, in themselves, is any match for the devil. So
we can't resist him in our own ability or name. We are not more powerful than the devil, but we do have more authority as followers of Christ. Just as a policeman in uniform has the backing of the entire government and all its forces as long as he himself obeys the laws, so believers have the backing of the Heavenly Father and all His forces, when we stand against the devil in the name of Christ our Lord and Savior we have authority in that name. Praying to God to stop the devil's operations is no different than my son asking me to take out the trash, after I told him to do it. So stop looking for your Heavenly Father to for you what he has given each of us the authority to do for ourselves in the name of Jesus.

Psalm 46:1-2

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear." (Psalm 46:1-2)


" A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing;Our helper He, amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing:For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe;His craft and power are great,And, armed with cruel hate,On earth is not his equal. The battle to be fought is "not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." God is our fortress he offers in Psalms to sit at his right hand side while He makes our enemies our foot stool, In Matthew Christ tells us to come to him, those that burden and he will give us rest. Which means He want to be our refuge.

Luke 8:11

"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.(Luke 8:11)

Most people expect God's Word to work like a stick of dynamite but Christ told us God's Word is like a seed. The Holy Spirit, through Peter, also said God's Word is a seed. Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

God's Word is alive. Just like a seed the Bible is full of unseen life. Christ said His words are alive. They contain life, so they give life. The words in your Bible may look lifeless and powerless. Seeds do, also. But they are not without life or power.

In Mark 4:30-31, Christ explained that the kingdom of God works like a seed. So, if we are to understand God's kingdom and how He operates, we need to understand seeds.

Pleading the Blood

the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.(REVELATION 12:10-11)

The devil is our accuser. The only successful plea is the Blood of Christ. Pleading our ignorance, our innocence, or our merits will fail. Only relying on the Blood of our substitute sacrifice, the Lamb of God, will win our case before God the Judge. When we pray, we should base our prayer on the Blood of Christ the price paid for our needs to be met -- instead of on our need or our worthiness. When we resist the devil, we cannot resist him based on who we are or what we have done, but only on the price paid for our complete redemption the precious Blood of Christ. Faith in Christ' Blood, released in testimony against the devil, will always cause him to flee. We must resist him, steadfast in faith, for as long as it takes. Our enemy can always be overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and
the word of our testimony. We have victory over every evil because of Christ' shed Blood.

Ephesians 4:14

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (Ephesians 4:14)

There are many winds of doctrine blowing in the religious atmosphere today, and most of these are ill winds, indeed. The number of strange philosophies and occult movements seems almost endless, not only in this country but perhaps even more in others. Sad to say, new Christians seem particularly vulnerable: These involve more than just differences of interpretation as between Baptists and Methodists, or even as between Catholics and Protestants.

The word "sleight" is from the Greek kubeia, from which we derive the English word "cube," and actually refers to cubical dice or other devices for gambling. It is used only once in the New Testament, warning against taking spiritual chances on novel philosophies and practices. These originate with men who are deceivers, having been deceived themselves by Satan or his demonic agents.

Numbers 11:11

"And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp." (Numbers 11:1)

 

The Lord is not pleased when we complain about our circumstances, no matter how grievous they may seem to us. Our example is Christ, always. "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." The children of Israel complained once too much. Forgetting all of God's blessings in miraculously freeing them from slavery and providing all their needs, they repeatedly complained about their lot, one thing after another. "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. . . . Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer"

Come out of your sin closet oh Men of God!!!!! (Part 3)

What is done in darkness is always brought to the light. 


You do not  have to believe me, look at 2nd Samuel Chapter 11& 12.  Our Heavenly Father called David a man after His own heart and yet David once tried to keep a sin hidden. In the days when a king was to lead his army into battle, David decided to stay home. As he was resting on the balcony of his palace, he noticed a woman bathing. Instead of looking away, he let his eyes rest on her and he became enticed by her beauty. He decided he must have her. After inquiring about her he found out that she was Bathsheba the wife of Uriah one of his commanders who was away at war. Even so he sent for her and she soon became pregnant by him. David hoped to hide his sin bringing back Uriah from the war and telling him to go and stay with his wife. Uriah refused and said that as long as there was a war he would not sleep in his home. David then decided that the only other way was to cover up was to let Uriah die in battle. So he commanded that he be put on the front lines. When the news came that he had been killed David took Bathsheba in to his house as his wife. David thought it was over and that his sin would never be found out. One day the prophet Nathan came to David and to him the story of a poor man who owned a lamb. That little lamb meant everything to that man. It was like a member of his family. But there was a rich man who owned many sheep. The rich man one day entertained a traveler and instead of serving him one of his own sheep, he slaughtered the poor mans lamb. David was angry at this tale and wanted to punish the rich man for what he had done. At this, Nathan told David that David was the guilty one and what he thought he had hidden God saw. David repented but his child that was born by Bathsheba died as a consequence of his sin.  Do you have a sin which you keep secret?  Yes I know many of you might think wow Dr. H, what a silly question to ask, but sometimes it us who is silly to think that we can hide anything from our Heavenly Father our sins. We hope no one will ever find out about? In America one of the big problems is hidden sexual sin. Adultery, pre-marital sex, incest, pornography. All of these are rampant. Perhaps you have problems with alcohol, drugs or gambling? Maybe even what you don’t think is such a big sin as lying or theft? The only one who knows is you and your Heavenly Father. And it is because the Father knows that unless you do something to deal with that sin, He will be forced to deal with it in His way. The way He will deal with it is never pleasant. He usually exposes it to our embarrassment. A few well known tela- evangelists (Bishop Long, Swaggart etc..)  have had their sins exposed to the entire world. 


"For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light."  (Luke 8:17)


Why would the Lord expose our sin? Because He loves us. Sin brings death and enslavement. When someone is suffering from cancer a surgeon must cut it out before it spreads. Surgery is never pleasant. But is necessary in order to save a life. So yes having our sin exposed hurts, but having it exposed and revealed can save our lives.  It's time we come to that place of repentance, for tomorrow is promise to no man. Our Heavenly Father is faithful and He will forgive us. We have pastors and elders and brothers and sisters in Christ  who are willing to help us get through it.  But key is to be able to come  to the Father and confess our sins for He is faithful and quick to forgive us.  So what are we waiting for?  I have reiterated to my children many times that if they have made a mistake or have an issue to come to me and let us together reason through it. I have learned the technic from my Heavenly Father who also invites each of us to come to him in the same manner. He stand there with His arms stretched out waiting.

Come out of your sin closet of Men oh God!!!!! (Part 2)

Sin committed in privacy, really do you actually think that our Heavenly Father does not see all that you do?  David said if I made my bed in hell also would you be, there is no where we can go or do that our Father is not able to see us. The only person you deceive is yourself when you think that your hidden in your sin closet.  Your wife may not know about you surfing those porn sites, the deacons might know about it, but the Father does, it is not His will that you or I should crawl around in the mud and filth of the pig pen.  Stand up on man of God, stand up!  You might have actually drunken the Kool Aide the enemy is tell you to drink, but remember this that If Christ can call the dead out of the grave. He is also  to set  men free of sexual sin, or anger, pride or even jealousy. For the Lord God sets free is free at last and is for eternity.

 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.  (Luke 8:17)

For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.  (Luke 12:2:3)

 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:9-11)

Come out of your sin closet oh Men of God!!!!!

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly," (Matthew 6:6).
 I have sinned as great a sin as has any person that has lived. I understand the mind of a loss man. I know the anguish of coming face to face with my own sinful nature. It is a difficult, humbling thing to do. The hurt that accompanies the acknowledgement of personal weaknesses can be overwhelming. Many times it seems easier to just live with it. But that only hides the pain for a little while. Rather than showing you how to take your sin into the open, true love cares enough to point the way into the closet of prayer. Oh men of God its time we destroy that closet of sin and build up a prayer closet. Not a closet of shame, but the closet where there is rest, peace and mercy for all that will enter into it.  There was a time when I too created my own laws, a time when I ignored the authority of both man and God. In the course of the passing, right became wrong and wrong became right such that I stepped beyond even my wildest imaginations of where I might go if left to my own devices. Sin, in all of its ugly false promises, nearly destroyed my home, my family, and my life. But then Jesus came into my heart, and that which Satan sought to devour has been returned in a multiple beyond my understanding. The sin that once owned me without my knowledge is now an open enemy to be battle with all my might through a power that exceeds my personal weaknesses. It is God who now indwells this earthly vessel, and is His strength that overcomes my shames, my failures, and my pride at victories.

Even as a Christian there are times when the man in me would cast away scriptures that do not fit my fleshly desires. It is a day-by-day battle, this mortifying of the flesh. Sometimes I desire to lay down the oars that perhaps the war would end. Jesus said that the laborer should come to him, that the burdened should also come. End your self efforts is His meaning. Lay down your shame is His gift.

We are soldiers in  God's army, which though the battle is already won. There is a peace in the mist of the war that no Christian can explain to the lost. It is a peace that can never be gained through "Hiding out in your sin closet" while retaining the sin. It is a peace that surpasses all that this world can ever offer such that when full of all earthly needs I have within me the presences of Christ, and when lacking of all but the essentials of earthly survival I still have within me the presences of Christ.

Who is a true brother or sister in Christ???

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.  (Galatians 6:2)
 Tell me what hour is to late?  which day is a bad day for you? I ask this question because a brother shared with me today that he had received a call from a brother from his church but felt he wanted to watch TV and rest since he had a long day at work and his wife was complaining about something.  The next day he checked the message and brother had asked for him to please call him back that he really need to talk to someone.  Sadly my brother did not know that this brother suffered from major depression. Do you see where this about to go? The brother took his life because depression is a dark place the enemy wants to put people and make them feel like life is not worthy living. Sadly that brother bought the lie and is no more.


I'm far from a saint but I tell my brothers to call me day or night if they need me, but sadly I would not call those same brothers if I were hurting simply because I feel they have enough to deal with.  Or maybe its late or night. Or maybe it would upset their wives.  If you were on Facebook  and you saw I was hurting would you call me?  If I didn't come to church on Sunday would come check on me?  If you saw me walking the street late at night would you stop?  If you saw me coming out of a bar late at night drunk would  inquire about why I was there?


Now when Job’s three friends heard of all the evil which had come upon him, they came, each from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuite and Sophar the Naamathite. They agreed to come together, visit him and console him. When they saw him from afar, they did not recognize him and raising their voices; they wept and they rent their robes and sprinkled dust upon their heads heavenward.  And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him for they saw that his suffering was very great. (Job 2: 11-13)

 


Lord God help me to love on my brothers, help me to stand with my brothers through their storms, and most of grant me the strength to hold my brother up when he is not able to stand on his own.  Lord grant each of us as men the wisdom to ask for help, grant us the ear to hear those men that have been crying out in silence.  Let treat our brothers as we would treat Christ.

I beseech you

"I beseech you therefore . . . by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)
For those who would know God's will for their lives, these verses provide the definitive answer. The key is sacrifice, not conformity. It is paradoxical, but wonderfully true, that real living is dying--dying to the world and living unto Christ! This great theme is emphasized repeatedly throughout the New Testament

"And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:20)

 

A favorite old song of many senior citizens (of this writer, at least) is the sentimental "I'll be loving you--always" ballad written long ago by Irving Berlin. The sincerity of some who sing it may be questioned, but the many "always" promises of the Bible really mean it. Consider a few of these precious promises, for example.

 

The apostle Paul urges believers to be "always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord"). And to the same Corinthian church he later wrote: "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ".

 

Then there is that other tremendous promise in the same epistle: "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work".

 

The greatest such promise is that in our text, when the Lord Jesus Christ Himself promised that "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." To me that is words of encouragement, to know that no matter what I might face in this life time, my Savior is right there with me. Like the David the Psalmist said whether I make my bed in hell or in heaven also shall my Father be, bottom line nothing can separate us from the Love of the Father,  Thank you so much, for loving us even when we were yet your enemies, thank you so much for doing for us that which we could not do ourselves.

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5)

 Christ, referring to the promise of Psalm 37:11: "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The word of God tells us in Zephaniah  to Seek ye the LORD all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.   Meekness is not weakness is made clear from the first use of the word in the Bible. "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth"  Moses was strong and courageous, but also deeply humble and self-sacrificing; a man of prayer and trust in the Word of God, willing to defend it at all costs. The Lord  defined meekness in terms of His own human character: "Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart" A meek spirit enables a Christian to maintain composure in the face of opposition, to accept adversity without complaint; promotion without arrogance; demotion without resentment. It produces a peace which no trouble can disturb and which no prosperity can puff up.

Which Jesus do you serve

Yes your right this one is a repeat and it I will continue to repeat this till i know that each of us has answered that question.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

 The call to imitate God is a call to separate ourselves from the world though we may be in but not of it  (Ephesians 4:17-19) and how we have been made new (Ephesians 4:20-24) and then gave us specific ways to do that (Ephesians4:25-32).

Our call is to live with the same love that Christ has demonstrated.  Jesus laying down his life for us, was first of all an expression of his love for his Father. Jesus did it, not only because of his love for us, but because first of all he loved the Father and this was  the Father’s will. This ‘life of love’ is not to be something we do to make ourselves feel good or appear good, it is to come out of and be an expression of our love for God Himself.  When John says, “We love because he first loved us,” (1 John 4:19). The first thing we need to do in the Christian life is become utterly convinced of God’s love.

On Sunday they raise their hands to heaven and declare that it is Jesus that they serve.

Then why do we look so much like the world?

Did you know that the wheat and the tare, the world can't tell which is which and quite frankly neither can I. So I pose the question again, which Jesus do you serve?

My Savior bleed and suffered and died and rose again for a sinner like me. My Savior, was a friend to friendless, He remembers the forgotten ones among us, Which Jesus do you follow?

 Which Jesus do you serve?

Is it this picture of the American dream that you chase after? Is the prince of this world who you serve or did you miss that part when you decided you want fortune and power?

If Jesus was here would you walk right by him or cross over to the other side of the street? 

Would you even recognize him or have time to speak to him?

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a white complexion Michael Angelo version of Jesus ,is that the Jesus you serve? My Savior was battered and bruised for my sins, did you miss that part? Sometimes I ponder do we really understand what the price he paid for us?

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they understand and they know My Savior. So which Jesus do we serve. is it the one whom we pray to bless us with great wealth? Or the Jesus who said

blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness?

 So who do you serve? The one whose promises are like shifting sand?

Marine says it God , then country and the marine Corp, what comes first for you?

My Jesus would he be accepted in your churches today? All bloody and bruised with no shoes on his feet, would we want him sitting next to us?  He was not rich he didn't have a pillow to lay his head upon. Today my Jesus would look like a homeless man or perhaps we would see him as mentally insane.

He spent His time with criminals and those that are considered the least among us. Did you know he had a heart for the poor, so which place would  He come to eat Sabbath meal at your house or among those that were forgotten by society?

Its time we decide which Jesus do we serve but I'm not sure we understand what that means to be like Christ,

Jesus said to live like HIM, love like HIM but then does that mean we must be willing to die for HIM as he died for you and I???

Can we be Imitators of Christ? Can we live like our Savior?  Which one do you want to be ? I turned on the TV set today and heard a man preaching Jesus wants to make you rich and that he never intended for us to be poor.  Is that the Jesus your seeking??? Heard a pastor say that his Jesus says that we should never be sad. Yet my Jesus wept when heard his good friend was dead. So which Jesus do you serve?  I know that I want to be more like my Savior and less like me.  I want to be an imitator of my Savior what about you????