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

Many of us know those types of precious people who seem to thrive on making sure the details are right. They keep us careful, insure our safety, and strengthen our plans, and yet that same strength can lead to anxiety, troubling our souls and dominating our lives. Our verse today warns us about this facet.

Our Lord gently admonished in Luke 10:41: "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things." Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazurus were longtime associates of the Lord Jesus. He had spent many hours in their home and had come to love them as close friends. No doubt Martha had often "given thought" to Christ's visits and had been "in turmoil" over the details many times. But our gracious Lord saw the circumstances controlling Martha, and He softly insisted that she not lose the thing of greatest value by sacrificing the permanent on the altar of the immediate.

And that is the admonition in our text. Nothing should absorb us so much that we attempt to solve things on our own before submiting our requests to our Lord. Jesus made it prettly clear: "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on"

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." (3 John 4).

As  for me as a Christian parent, there is no greater joy than to know that my 5 children walk in the path of righteousness . Whether your a pastor, teacher, or pray warrior knows exactly how John felt. There is no greater joy to such mature believers than to know that their children--whether physical or spiritual children--are sound and growing in Christian faith and practice, understanding, and believing God's truth, obeying His truth, living the truth, walking in the truth. But there is great sadness when such a one begins to "turn away their ears from the truth"

Dear, Father grant us parents, teachers, Shepard, the words to speak into the lives of those we come into contact with, whether it be one of our children or the neighbor, or classmate, or a co-worker. That our joy would be multiplied in you for seeing one more soul come to the truth and accept you as their Lord and savior. Father uses these hands to do your labors, use these lips to bring truth into darkness and truth of your words are brighter than the sun. Grant us the legs to run the race and never quit or grow weary. May our raising and going down draw all men unto you that they might know the truth and be saved also.

When my son Yordon learned to swim, I was so excited, I begin to cry, with each accomplishment my children have made I find myself crying, tear of joy. God also as a Father knows the joy of seeing one of his children turn to him and accept the truth, that he is God and only through Jesus Christ are we saved.

And what is the truth? John's very first mention of truth was in relation to Jesus Christ, whose glory he had beheld in His incarnation as "full of grace and truth."
In fact, Christ Himself claimed, "I am the truth."  Then He also said, "Thy word is truth" . And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. To walk in the truth, bringing joy to the Father, is to believe on Christ, and then to trust and obey His word .

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10)

The law of God, centered in the Ten Commandments, is holy, and just, and good and expresses perfectly the will of God for holy living.

The problem is that no man can possibly do them all. A man may keep most of the commandments most of the time, but he will inevitably fail in some of them some of the time. Since the law is a divine unit, breaking any commandment--as our text reminds us--breaks the whole law, bringing the guilty one under God's curse of death. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law. "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in the presence of the Lord.  Simply because all men, having sinned against God, and therefore lost and in urgent need of salvation. This is where God's wonderful grace comes in. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. He kept the law for us, and bore its curse for us: Thus we are saved through Christ Jesus, if we believe in and confess our sins to him and admit that we are in need of him as our savior for we sinners and can not save ourselves. He is just and quick to forgive us and accept us into the family and make us righteous by his blood not by our deeds.

"If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister." (Colossians 1:23)

Many times Christians piously say, "Why get worked up over creation, why don't you just preach the gospel?" But such a question reveals a faulty knowledge of what "the gospel" consists of, for, as has been noted many times on these pages, the gospel consists not only of the redemptive work of Christ, but His entire person and work as well. The message of the "everlasting gospel" is to "worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.". Elsewhere, the gospel includes His coming Kingdom. From creation to redemption to ultimate restoration, all is "good news," all the work and person of Christ.  Only as we recognize and believe the teachings of His Word on the entire "good news," from creation to consummation, can we hope to victoriously "continue in the faith grounded and settled

"And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." (Job 42:10)

 God Himself allowed Job to fall into such captivity, for He told Satan: "Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.". All the sufferings which Job endured were inflicted by his captor, who hoped thereby to get him to renounce the Lord. Similarly, Peter was briefly bound in Satanic captivity. "Simon, Simon," said Jesus, "behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.".

Such bondage, however, is temporary. Job was delivered "when he prayed for his friends" and Peter when he was "converted" and went forth to "strengthen his brethren" as Christ had told him . In both cases, they continued strong in faith during their captivity, and deliverance came when they turned their concerns to others.

More serious is the case of those who are in bondage because of sin. Nevertheless, Christ died to set them free, "that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Christ died to set the captives free, but they must first be told and then gently led to freedom by those who care for their souls. "The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

"We look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (Philippians 3:20-21)

Two vivid contrasts are highlighted in this text: We now have a vile body that will be changed into a glorious body. Our Lord Jesus will fashion us after the pattern of His own body.

There is ample evidence, both in Scripture and in our own experience, that our present physical bodies are "vile." The English word seems more intense than the Greek, which simply means "lowly" or "humble." Christ humbled himself when he took on our flesh . The Virgin Mary saw herself in a "low estate" as she compared herself to the wonder of what was happening to her.

But one glorious day, the Lord Jesus will change our sinful bodies into that which is reflective of His own body. "Beloved, now are we the sons and daughters of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when Jesus shall appear in the clouds , we shall be like him and be with him; I personally can not wait for that hour to shade this sinful body to have instead a glorious body of Christ.

"For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written. That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." (Romans 3:3-4)

Many Christians are so intimidated by the arrogant unbelief of the supposed intellectuals of the world that they either reject or compromise or ignore the difficult teachings of Scripture. This is a grievous mistake, for all of God's "sayings" are "justified" and He will surely "overcome" all those who presume to "judge" Him and His Word.

The only reason to believe in evolution, for example, is the fact that most such intellectuals believe it. There is no real evidence, either in the Bible or in science, for evolution or any other form of unbelief, yet many professed believers in Christ seem to have "loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (John 12:43). Therefore they assume that God does not really mean what He says in His Word, thereby making faith in His Word "without effect."

God's truth is not determined, however, by taking a vote, or by the opinions of skeptics, or by metaphysical speculation. It is determined by God Himself, and none other, "for the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. His word is true and we must never doubt that, he does tell us to taste his word and see how sweet it is, in my despair, I cried out to the Lord and He heard me and did deliver me. Funny how my Father has never failed me but daily I have failed him and yet he still loves me, and desires to sit and reason with me, a sinner like me a Master Chief of sinners. Knowing this gives me great comfort, that my God loves me and desires to make me more like Jesus and less like me.

"Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him." (Numbers 15:31)

Under the Mosaic law, there was ample provision for forgiveness of sins committed unintentionally. "If any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, and it shall be forgiven him."
In this Christian dispensation, many would say that this harshness of God's law has been replaced by His love. There is abundant pardon for all, since Jesus died for all our sins. Now, all we need is to confess our sins, and He will forgive us, but, "if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God?.

Even assuming this warning applies specifically only to those who have wilfully renounced faith in Christ, the question still remains whether one with true saving faith will wilfully sin against the known will of God, as revealed in His Word. "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." Brothers and sisters let us be mindful of our Father's will and be in line with at all times, let us daily come to our Father and seek what his perfect will is for us and our family. That we might be glory to the Father and bring honor to Him who has redeemed us through the blood of the lamb.  For we can not say we love the Lord our God and not keep his commandments for if we do, our words are lies and the truth can not be found in us.  Let not our lips be filled with anything that is not of God. Oh heavenly Father, seal my lips if my words are not in line with your perfect will, cause my hands and feet not bring forth labor if it does bring honor and glory to your name.  For Father I'm bought with price that I can never repay the blood of the Lamb of God, so let my life speak of him, let my words and my deeds come before your throne as a sweet aroma.  Oh father search me and if sin be found in me remove that which does not glorify you.

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

God’s great love for us was not a sentimental, feel-good "love," as the term is used today, but was sacrificial on our behalf. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Soon after Christ rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples, who were "glad, when they saw the Lord." But doubting Thomas was not present, and demanded to see proof before he believed. Several days later Jesus reappeared, and desired to remove all stumbling blocks to faith. "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God."  Our Redeemer deserves all praise from redeemed sinners: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

Isaiah's great prophecy of Christ's first advent identified "his name as Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

 The peace He brings is personal, as we see in our text: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." But it is also effective in society at large, a fact borne out in verse 5 of "Crown Him with Many Crowns."

Crown Him the Lord of peace, Whose peace a scepter sways
From pole to pole, that wars may cease, And all be prayer and praise!
His reign shall know no end, And round His pierced feet
Fair flowers of Paradise extend Their fragrance ever sweet.

"Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." The King of this kingdom is none other than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As the angel announced the birth of Christ, he prophesied: "And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."  And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?" (Jeremiah 12:1)

One of the perennial theological problems is the apparent prosperity of the ungodly along with the suffering of the righteous. Why would God seem to endorse such a system?

It has been this way for ages. Some 2,000 or more years before Christ, Job asked essentially the same question as did the prophet Jeremiah in our text above. "Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? They seem to spend their days in wealth, and  say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Likewise the psalmist Asaph complained,  he tells the reader that he was envious when he first saw the prosperity of the wicked, but the good news we know how the it ends for those that choose to love darkness verse loving God. what does it profit a man to gain the world and loose his soul? I would rather crawl into heaven having lost a leg than to walk into hell having both of my legs. Oh men of God let us love righteousness more  than the things of this world, for silver and gold can be stolen away or rust away, if thrown into the fire they shall melt, but that which is of God shall stand the test of time and can not be destroyed. Let us put our faith and place value in the word of God. Not in the things of man.

The real solution to this paradox is not in this present world, but in the world to come, where hell awaits the ungodly, and heaven awaits those whom seek after  God  and  those who have been  redeemed through faith in Christ. The fact that a man may prosper materially is not necessarily a measure of God’s approval. The previous economic boom in this country made many men very wealthy, and most of them seem either indifferent or hostile to God, but their wealth is very ephemeral. As David said in another psalm, "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not

"And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him." (Exodus 34:29).

Moses had been alone with God forty days and forty nights, simply communing with God and receiving the tables with the Ten Commandments. When he finally descended, the glory of God so radiated from him that the people could not bear to look at his face, and he had to wear a veil even to speak to them.

The council of Jewish leaders had a similar experience as they interrogated Stephen concerning his Christian testimony: "And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.."  None of us today ever seem to exhibit such glowing faces, nor is anyone likely to mistake us for an angel. But perhaps this is because we have not spent the time in His presence that Moses did; nor preached the Word in the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit as Stephen did. Nevertheless, we should have a different countenance than before we met the Lord. Men should be able to say of us as it was said of Peter and John: "They marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."

In fact, God even promises that this will be so to the extent that we spend time in His Word, which itself is alive with the light of His glory.

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him."

"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints," (Ephesians 1:17-18)

The "spirit of wisdom" is applied to a wide variety of circumstances. It certainly includes leadership.

But wisdom is also identified with the ability to make beautiful clothing  and to engineer and invent complex equipment. Daniel was said to have "an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts." We are even promised that our "adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist."

A "spirit of revelation" is also made available to us. This revelation (literally, "to take off the cover") is not new doctrine or truth. Revelation is implemented by the Holy Spirit, having the source of His revelatory work from Jesus Christ on behalf of Christ.

The Greek language of the phrase "the eyes of |our| understanding being enlightened", could be translated "the vision of your deep thought will be made to shine," or paraphrased in a more colloquial expression, "the light comes on!"

"Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him" (Psalm 68:4).

The name JAH, by which this verse exhorts us to praise the Lord, is a contracted form of Jehovah, or Yahweh, which is the commonly used name of the self-existing, self-revealing God, usually shown as LORD in English. When combined with the Hebrew verb for "praise" (hallal), it becomes "Hallelujah," meaning "Praise ye the LORD!"

It is no coincidence that this word, "Hallelujah," occurs exactly 22 times in the book of Psalms, also known as the book of the Praises of Israel, for there are exactly 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet, the language which God used to reveal His eternal word  to man. This serves to remind us that the very purpose of human languages is to praise the Lord who created us and has died to redeem us.

The first occurrence in the psalms of "Hallelujah" is translated as "Praise ye the LORD" and occurs right at the very end of the great psalm extolling God’s creation, the Flood, and providential care of the post-Flood world

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." (Ephesians 3:20)

The Bible portrays God as omnipotent--all-powerful, able even to create all things from nothing . The individual is portrayed as totally insufficient to do anything but fail. Yet the Bible also teaches that great things will be done in, and through, and to us. How? It is only through God's power and wisdom that anything of substance will be accomplished. He alone is able. Consider the following sampling of tasks He is able to perform for us.

God is able to do the work of salvation in a believer's heart. "Wherefore God is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them". We can entrust that salvation for eternity "unto him that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy".

In this life we will have physical needs, and included in a passage on the obligation we have to give so that others' needs will be met is Paul's claim that "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"

"He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. . . . and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." (John 13:4-5)

The Greek word usually translated humility occurs seven times in the New Testament, implying self-abasement and suggesting a meekness of spirit. In Greek literature, it was used to describe a slave's demeaning of himself before his master--an outward prostration, not an inward character trait.

The idea that a master would set aside his status and voluntarily become a slave was probably incomprehensible to the world of Jesus' day. Yet we are enjoined to "let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross". He defined humility by His actions, as in our text, and now we are to voluntarily take up His attitude and "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith |we| are called, With all lowliness |humility| and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace".

Christian humility surpasses all other virtues. Expressing itself as more than acting in a humble fashion, it consists of an inward habit of self-abasement, showing consideration to all others.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3)

The touching stanzas of the old hymn "Jesus, Lover of My Soul" reveal Charles Wesley's response of love to Christ's gracious love. Verse three seems to reflect the walk of a believer who desires a full and fruitful oneness with Christ.


Thou, O Christ, art all I want; more than all in thee I find; Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, Heal the sick, and lead the blind Just and holy is Thy name; I am all unrighteousness, False and full of sin I am; Thou art full of truth and grace.

Paul's prayer  was "that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God"
In the case of our savior Jesus Christ lovingly came to "heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. He didn't just do this for those who followed Him, but for those who needed it, whether or not they responded in love, and indeed before long, those whom He had befriended turned on Him and demanded He die a sinner's execution. Even though  our savior had the power to avoid Calvary,  but His love was so great that He willingly accepted a sacrificial death for our sins, He died for those that hated him and for the sins of us who were once his enemies. Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)

In this verse and the verses to follow, we find Christ using a marvelous teaching technique. Several times He makes a general, generic statement, but quickly advances from the general and impersonal to the particular and personal.

Note that at the first, Christ tells of an abstract gift to Him from the Father of an entire group, ("all") of which should come to Him for salvation. This is in itself a wonderful truth, for Christ highly values this gift from His Father, we are that gift that He was willing to die for that gift and He has promised that He love for us is so great that He will be with us always. What blessing that Jesus considers us the treasure because the Father gave us to Jesus and that which Jesus has been given he keeps.  So once we are in the hand of Christ nothing can separate us from him and no one can take us from HIM>

 Christ switches in mid-sentence from general to specific: "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out," a concrete statement of the effect of this work on an individual. We are part of a group, without doubt, but also each one of us individually is His precious child.

"And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power" (Luke 4:32).

God’s words, whether spoken by Jesus or written in Scripture, are indeed full of power, and it is noteworthy how many and varied are the physical analogies used to characterize and emphasize its power. God’s Word is also called a sharp sword wielded by the Holy Spirit. As part of the Christian’s spiritual armor, we are exhorted to take "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God".
 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  But no earthly form of power can compare to the power in the words of the One who is Himself the living Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is actually "upholding all things by the word of his power"
The Father's word is given to us to grant us power and hope and direction to get through this life. (BIBLE Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth).  IF there is a question the word of God has an answer but often times we do not like the answers that the word of God provides us.

"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour." (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Incense in Scripture has a variety of rich and meaningful usages, particularly as related to the blood sacrifice. "And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: .  And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee" (Exodus 30:1, 6). Without this incense, it was impossible to meet with God in this prescribed way. It was to be offered both morning and evening. Great care was to be taken in its preparation , and it was not to be used for any other purpose.

In the New Testament we find a totally different application of this principle. As in our text, we see that Jesus Christ Himself has become an offering and a "sweet-smelling savour" to God. His freely offering Himself is an example to us to live a life of sacrifice and love.

While He was the final sacrifice, we are to "present |our| bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is |our| reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). This may even take the form of material "things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God" (Philippians 4:18).

In the mind of God, our life of sacrifice is a sweet-smelling savor. "Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish"

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." (Ephesians 5:8)

There are a number of beautiful metaphors used in the Bible describing those who have become true "children of God" (1 John 3:10) by the new birth. As children tend to take on the characteristics of their parents as they grow, so God's spiritual children should be growing in the grace of God and the knowledge of God (2 Peter 3:18).

Similarly, Christians are called "children of light, and the children of the day" (1 Thessalonians 5:5). Therefore, as in our text, we should "walk as children of God, for he is our Father and we must live and act like the children of the king"

The Lord Jesus spoke of us as "children of the kingdom" in Matthew 13:38. We should, therefore, live and speak as those born into the kingdom of God, and as faithful subjects of the King of kings.

 "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son (Revelation 21:7).

You face problems. Sometimes you struggle and wonder why God doesn't "just do something."
God is giving you an opportunity to impress Him!  God is your audience  rooting for you. He is thrilled when
you overcome. Just like an earthly parent is thrilled when their child excels.
God still LOVES you even if you fail. You just miss the opportunity to thrill Him by not overcoming. (But what could be a more worthy goal than to thrill God?) "OK, I would like to impress God. How do I 'overcome'?"   For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith.  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:4-5)?
Overcoming is clearly something achieved by believing -- not by other means.

Further light on this comes in Revelation 12:11.

Denominationalism mocks Christ' prayer for unity. In the shadow of the cross, Christ poured out his heart in prayer to the Father. Observe one particular for which Jesus fervently prayed: "Neither pray I for these alone , but for them also which shall believe on me through their word: That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John. 17: 20, 21). The reality of multiplied thousands of different churches and theologies make a mockery of Jesus' prayer for the oneness of his followers (see addendum).

What does the word of God say about denominations?   Christ said that many would fail to keep the Word of God  simply because they loved the traditions of man more than the true word of God. (religion)

We now call it religion. 

The traditions of men that will not earn right standing before the lord  only faith, love and a true relationship with God, not  the religions of men.

Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, Buddhists, Faith Prosperity and many Christian Religions and People are caught up in denominations!!!! God has been removed from the equation, some say the greatest trick that Lucifer ever pulled was the day he convinced man he did not exist, I say it was the day he invented denominations and told man it was good and man drank from that polluted cup of blasphemy.

There is only way and it is not Mary or the Pope or Allah or Muhammad or Joseph Smith or Michael the  Archangel, or Gautama Buddha nor You or I.   Denominations have become many people new god, Christ told the religious nut jobs of his time, that they knew the way in but did not go and hindered others from going in also.

Now, please do not conclude that I'm  against fellowship for  iron sharpens iron, my concern is that the theories of men are taking the place of the Word of God. No where in the word of God at least not to my knowledge did he advocate us creating different denominations.

Dear God let us see what  we have been to blind to see, that it  is only  one way to heaven and that way is through you, not a denomination, but the living breathing God.

Denominationalism is the division of one religion into many separate groups, sects, schools of thought or denominations.Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing   a group of people though they share a common bond but are separate by ideologies. The Day that men like Constantine took the word of God and decided to change it for their purpose is when a great divide begain.
This may sound shocking to many but the concept of denominationalism which is many different denominations, teaching many different doctrines is not taught or sanctioned in the New Testament. Christ promised and did build "one body" or one church (Matt. 16: 18), (Eph. 1: 22, 23),  (Eph. 4: 4). The concept of many different denominations was absent in the First Century. Paul, therefore, taught "every where in every church" (I Cor. 4: 17). Denominationalism is division personified. The closest that we can come to denominationalism in the New Testament is the divided state of the church at Corinth. Paul did not praise this fragmented condition, but rather he condemned it. Observe Paul's inspired teaching:  "¹I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. ¹My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you ." (1Corinthians 1:10-11)

 But He answered and said, "It is written, `Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4).

When Jesus faced the devil's temptations as recorded in Matthew chapter four, His first response was to quote Deuteronomy 8:3.

God wants you to learn the same lesson that Jesus knew: Nothing is more important than God's Word. Without the Word, your life will be less than God intends. The Word of God is vital!

 "And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
 "So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:2-3).

This lesson was what God intended for Israel to learn in the wilderness, but sadly, most of them missed it.

When Joshua was taking command of the Israelites after Moses' death, God wanted to make sure Joshua understood the lesson. So, He gave him directions for success — which are: speak God's Word, think God's Word, and do God's Word. Those instructions have never changed. They are as valid for you today as they
were for Joshua.   "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

                                                      What is love

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)





LOVE is a happy thing.

It makes us laugh,
It makes us sing,
It makes us sad,
It makes us cry,
It makes us seek the reason why,
It makes us take,
It makes us give,
but above all else, it makes us live! ~ Jayne Fisher



The American Heritage Dictionary defines love as "an intense affection for another person based on familial or personal ties". Often this "intense affection" stems from a sexual attraction for that other person. We love other people, or we say we love other people, when we are attracted to them and when they make us feel good. Notice that a key phrase in the dictionary definition of love is the phrase "based on". This phrase implies that we love conditionally; in other words, we love someone because they fulfill a condition that we require before we can love them. How many times have you heard or said, "I love you because you are cute;" or "I love you because you take good care of me;" or "I love you because you are fun to be with"?

Our love is not only conditional, it is also mercurial. We love based on feelings and emotions that can change from one moment to the next. The divorce rate is extremely high in today's society because husbands and wives supposedly stop loving one another-or they "fall out of love". They may go through a rough patch in their marriage, and they no longer "feel" love for their spouse, so they call it quits. Evidently, their marriage vow of "till death do us part" means they can part at the death of their love for their spouse rather than at their physical death.

Can anyone really comprehend "unconditional" love? It seems the love that parents have for their children is as close to unconditional love as we can get without the help of God's love in our lives. We continue to love our children through good times and bad, and we don't stop loving them if they don't meet the expectations we may have for them. We make a choice to love our children even when we consider them unlovable; our love doesn't stop when we don't "feel" love for them. This is similar to God's love for us, but as we shall see, God's love transcends the human definition of love to a point that is hard for us to comprehend.

The Bible tells us that "God is Love" (1 John 4:8). But how can we even begin to understand that truth? There are many passages in the Bible that give us God's definition of love
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  (John 3:16)  God defines love is in the act of giving. in John 3:16 we see that God gave his only begotten son, for a sinner like me. That which was lost was now found. He showed us love while we were still his enemy. (Romans 5:8)


In this verse and in John 3:16, we find no conditions placed on God's love for us. God doesn't say, "as soon as you clean up your act, I'll love you Willis; " nor does He say Willis, "I'll sacrifice my Son if you promise to love Me  right now Willis."  We find just the opposite. God wants us to know that His love is unconditional, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us while we were still unlovable sinners. We didn't have to get clean, and we didn't have to make any promises to God before we could experience His love. His love for us has always existed, and because of that, He did all the giving and sacrificing long before we were even aware that we needed His love.


God is Love, and His love is very different from human love. God's love is unconditional, and it's not based on feelings or emotions


But wait, I hear men and women saying I don't feel like I'm in love with my spouse anymore, so is God tell me that love is not an feeling or an emotion?  Is he tell us that love is the ability to give of yourself and not expect or demand anything in return?  Wait a minute now we all know that  if I want my wife to love me, she must  first  feel it right?
Wait so God actually expect us to love each other unconditionally?  So what if my spouse does not tell me anymore that she loves me?  What if I commit adultery, surely God can expect my wife to still love me? What about all those people in my past that hurt me, surely God can not expect me to love them, I've been hurt how can I love them with this pain in my heart and in my mind???  Because he loves after all we have done to him and continually doing to him.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he loves  you.

"Maybe you not sure about God's love for you, or it is really your not sure about your love for God?"

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.  by: St. Augustine

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 this question. Is probably the most important question that you or I could ever ponder.

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????

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:(Ephesians 1:4).


In the grand purpose of our "selection" into God's family, two key words are used:

"Holy" Greek hagios stresses dedication. A holy man or woman is distinctively God's, set apart for God's use, separated from the secular, and consecrated to God's service. All who are "chosen" are chosen to be holy.

"Without blame" refers to our reputations. This character will only be fully realized in heaven, but there is a present responsibility to "present your bodies a living sacrifice. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."  The character of holiness will become the cause of a lifestyle of blamelessness. We are to be the "sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."  We have all heard that we are to be in the world but not of the world, yet to many times do we find our brothers and sisters laughing to jokes, watching the television shows that the world watches. example there is a new television show belittling Christian women called GCB (Good Christian B*tches), we are told that as children of God we are different and we must take a stand that lets the world know that we are truly the children of God. Let us mother's and father's be aware of what we are feeding our minds and what our children are watching and listening to. Be careful little eyes of what you see and what you hear, who other than you parents can be watchful for them. Let our light shine in the work place, and in our neighborhood.