On Sunday, September 4, 2016 at 10:46:37 AM UTC-4, Rick C. Hodgin wrote:
> Go to church today. Learn who it is the Christians are talking
> about when they talk about God, and what He has done, and has planned
> up ahead for each of us:
>
>
http://biblehub.com/kjv/psalms/33.htm
>
> 6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens
> made; and all the host of them by the breath
> of his mouth.
>
> 7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together
> as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.
>
> 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the
> inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
>
> 9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded,
> and it stood fast.
>
> He has glorious plans for your life, and for all of mankind. He extends
> the invitation to all. Be one who receives. Live on.
There is an active enemy at work in this world. He is invisible, but the
effects of his operations can be clearly seen. Just as we cannot see love,
but when we see the behavior of those in love we know it is love, so it is
with the actions of the enemy when we see hate and war and fighting and
strife.
-----
Here is a sermon which teaches you about that invisible war, how it is
recorded in scripture, which can then help you recognize the battles
taking place around you in your life, and why many of them are there
(hint: not every bit of strife you encounter happens just on its own):
http://www.libsf.org/video/steve_lawson__the_invisible_war.mp4
-----
This is one which explains the extent to which Jesus calls His followers
to follow Him, and one of the more difficult passages for people, where
Jesus say in order to follow Him you must hate your own mother and father,
even your own life ... what did He mean?
http://www.libsf.org/audio/steve_lawson__it_will_cost_you_everything.mp3
-----
And here is a series showing the power of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead, what it means for mankind, and for each of us
individually. Without the resurrection, Christianity has nothing to
offer beyond other religions. But because Jesus Christ died, and was
raised from death, all who put their faith in Him will never die, for
He is life and the wellspring of it:
Part 1:
http://www.libsf.org/audio/steve_lawson__the_miracle_of_resurrection_part_1.mp3
Part 2:
http://www.libsf.org/audio/steve_lawson__the_miracle_of_resurrection_part_2.mp3
Part 3:
http://www.libsf.org/audio/steve_lawson__the_miracle_of_resurrection_part_3.mp3
Part 4:
http://www.libsf.org/audio/steve_lawson__the_miracle_of_resurrection_part_4.mp3
-----
If you have questions about Jesus Christ, ask God to help you understand.
Seek out the most devout Christian family member, friend, or neighbor you
know and begin a dialogue with your questions. But beware of hypocrite
Christians. They are out there, and some are more difficult to spot than
others. But, you will know them when you find them. And when you do,
remember that the hypocrite is not Jesus Christ, but the fallen-in-sin
man or woman, and that you are in pursuit of Jesus Christ, not them.
Press in to learn about Jesus Christ and He will reveal to you as much as
you are able to receive. He'll meet you where you are in your life and
bring you forward from there. For all Christians are walk is the same,
in that it begins exactly where we are, and always extends straight ahead
to His Kingdom. We all begin at different places, but all of our walks
are straight unto Him.
I pray you will open your heart, mind, and spirit to receive the truth,
to receive Jesus Christ, and the knowledge of Him. He has grace to offer
you for your transgressions (your sin), and He has peace to bring unto
your heart, and He has joy to fill you with so that you are that best
person you can be. He makes it possible because of who He is, and what
He can do for you. He's not like the gods of other religions, but rather
He is God Almighty. When He saves a person, they are truly saved, and
there is a change which comes because of it. The born again (spirit)
nature augments our former reality so that we are no longer as we were
before, but are new creations in Christ. The old has passed, the new is
put on, and the new changes everything about your life.
What does Jesus Christ bring? Love, joy, peace, hope, and rest for your
soul. You will go to sleep each night knowing whose you are, where you
are going, and what are your goals here upon this Earth. You will have
joy welling up inside you, and coming out of the sides of your eyes. It
will be the happiest you've ever been ... but the enemy also will step up
his game and attack you where you're weakest. But even through the
attacks, yet will you have peace in your soul, and joy unspeakable. And
even though you might think you should be upset at what's going on around
you, His presence in your life will give you the calmest, coolest, most
amazing peace you've ever had. The Bible actually refers to it as "the
peace that surpasses all understanding." And I testify that it is real.
How do you learn about God? You seek Him. You ask Him to help you. You
begin as a child, believing from within, and trusting implicitly. The
enemy will try to throw up roadblocks, try to bring up your own reason
and intellect against you, prior teachings, things you've held on to before,
but God is greater than all of his lies, and you need only say within your
inner most core: "NO! I will not listen to lies. If God is real, I want
to know the truth!" The Bible records that when you seek after God, and
you submit yourself to Him, the devil will flee from you.
The devil has no power. His power base is through our acquiescing to his
temptations. But that's all he can do: tempt. He cannot force you to do
anything. He is not stronger than God. He is a defeated foe, completely
without power or authority. But we give him power and authority when we
acquiesce to his temptations through sin.
But when we seek after Jesus Christ, and pursue holiness, and say no to
sin, the devil is revealed for that which he is: impotent, powerless, and
the fully defeated weak foe that Jesus defeated at the cross. But for
those who will not believe, who are still slaves to sin, that enemy rises
up within them, within their sin, and is able to lash out and do harm.
But even the harm being done has no eternal consequences, but only is able
to do harm here on this Earth. And for all who are secure in Jesus Christ,
yet are they able to see the future in eternity, counting their lives here
as a witness for Christ, such that even if we die, yet will we live on,
and knowing all the while that it is far far better to be there in Heaven
with God, than to be here upon this Earth where the enemy comes and attacks
at every point.
-----
Jesus Christ is assurance. Hope. Salvation. Life. And truth. He is
everything you've ever been looking for, even if you didn't know it until
now. He is not the false and weak Jesus of the world, tainted by sin and
shamed by heinous acts done under the guise of "Christianity." He is The
Almighty God, Holy and true and righteous and powerful, and He will meet
every one who comes to Him as a Lamb. But He will meet everyone who
refuses Him as a Lion, because of this: Because of who He is (hope,
salvation, life, truth), all who reject Him reject those things, which is
to say they are embracing sin, embracing falseness. It is why all who do
are going to be put away into Hell forever. We are eternal beings, and
God has eternal plans for each of us. But for those who would be an
ongoing cancer to His perfect creation, they will be locked away so they
can do no harm, so they will not be an influence.
It is His greatest gift to us: free will (volition) to choose for ourselves.
Choose wisely. Choose truth. Choose love. Choose hope. Choose salvation.
Choose Jesus Christ.