The Will of GOD!

 We often wonder, what is the Will of GOD for my life.  And here is the answer.  

We are told by Paul in Thessalonians, to rejoice always.

This is not always easy, particularly when life happens and we are facing uncertainty or unhappiness.  But we are told that this is what we need to do.  Rejoice always.  Not sometimes, always!

We are to pray without ceasing.  Also not always easy.  But with practice and coming to know and understand the character of our FATHER in Heaven, eventually this will be the case.  We can talk to GOD anywhere, anytime and about anything.  And we should. 

Then lastly we are to give thanks in all circumstances.  Also not easy.  But if we understood the plan GOD has for our lives, perhaps  we would give thanks in all circumstances.

We are not privy to the plans GOD has for our lives but we are told to give thanks in all circumstances.  Not just the good easy ones, but the bitter, difficult ones as well.

That is the will of our FATHER for our lives.  Simple and all it requires is obedience. 

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I rejoice in YOUR grace and I thank YOU for enormous mercy.  FATHER thank YOU for all that I am and all that YOU have given me.  I thank YOU for the circumstance that I find myself in today for I know that this YOUR will for my life.  FATHER teach me to pray in every circumstance and to pray without ceasing.  I humbly pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay obediently GOD blessed today!

Serve the LORD!

 Once we are accepted as children of GOD, we need to know that we serve GOD first.  In so doing, the things of this world start to grow strangely dim. 

In doing the work of GOD, we find our true happiness.  Serving the LORD is a delight.  Doing HIS will gives us peace and the LORD will reward us.  

It is important that we do not show our works to the world.  But that we work in accordance with the will of our FATHER.  

Our life should not be about what we do on earth, but what we store up for ourselves in Heaven.  And if we seek our rewards on earth, we will not have stored up any rewards in Heaven.

Today, seek the will of GOD for your life.  Ask GOD what HE wants for your life through prayer and through the reading of HIS word.  Pray about what it is that GOD wants for your life.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, show me YOUR will for my life.  I humbly pray this in the Holy name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay obediently GOD blessed today!

Why Baptism?

Why do Christians get baptized?  What is baptism?

Baptism (full emersion in water) represents the death of Jesus, the burial of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus.

When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, a voice came from Heaven saying:

"This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased". Why was GOD well pleased with Jesus?  The answer is simple.  Jesus was obedient to the will of GOD in everything He did on earth while in human form.

Jesus knew no sin.  He was never tempted.  He never succumbed to His own will, but always said "Not my will, but THY will".  

And that is why as Christians, once we accept Jesus as our Lord and our Saviour, we repent of our sins.  And that means that we die to ourselves, we are to be buried to our sin and we are resurrected as a "new creation".  

This means that we have died to self and our longings and desires for the evil and sinful things of this world.  We are now resurrected and should do a one hundred and eighty degree turn on our sin.  Repentance looks like something and our new character should and must be visible.

Our new selves must be filled with the desire to be more and more like Jesus each and every day.

So why be baptized?  We do this in obedience to the Will of GOD that we become a new creation. In the image of Jesus Christ, clothed with His righteousness - co-heirs with Jesus!

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU for YOUR grace and favour.  I pray FATHER that day by day you fill me with YOUR Holy Spirit and show me YOUR will for my life and make me more and more like Jesus.  I humbly pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay obediently GOD blessed today!

GOD is gracious!

 We serve a truly amazing GOD.  GOD is good.  GOD is gracious.  GOD is merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Today, let us pause and consider our blessings.  Let us ask ourselves if we truly know the magnitude and wonder of the CREATOR of our lives, our world and our universe?  Can we understand a GOD who can stretch the universe out and call things into being and blow life into a pile of dust?

Can we create anything like a planet or a moon or a star?  Can we create animals?  The answer is no.  We can copy small things and we can do small things.  But we are so small and insignificant in comparison to our CREATOR.  And yet, GOD gives us the right to call ourselves co heirs with HIS Son Jesus Christ.

That right is given when we accept the grace of GOD.  When we accept Jesus and when we come to complete repentance for our sins.

Today, acknowledge the enormity of the gift we have been freely given when Jesus paid so great a price that we might have this gift.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, when I consider all the works of the THY HANDS, I am over awed and I thank YOU.  I thank YOU and I thank YOU.  FATHER, today I thank YOU for all that YOU have given me in Jesus Christ.  I pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly GOD blessed today!

Repentance leads to life!

 Peter was shown by GOD that he could enter into the gentile homes and minister to them to bring them the gospel.  Peter was shown that he could eat anything with the gentiles as it is not what goes into our mouths that makes us unclean, but rather what comes out of our mouths.

This is true also of repentance.  Whomsoever accepts the grace of GOD and believes in Jesus as Lord and Redeemer of our souls, whoever repents of their sins when they accept Jesus will be saved and have life eternal in Heaven.

This is the good news!  This is the gospel.  This is the way to Heaven.  This is way to an eternity with GOD and Jesus.

Repentance does not mean that just ask GOD to forgive our sins and carry on sinning.  Repentance means changing our minds and sinning no more.  It does not imply that we will not sin again.  But what it does imply is that we do not consciously go about our old ways.  

We may still sin in error, but we should feel convicted to immediately repent and turn from our sins and ask GOD to forgive us.  True repentance means we undertake not to commit the same old sins time and time again. 

Today accept Jesus as Saviour.  Believe in Him.  Repent and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU that YOU have sent YOUR Son Jesus Christ to be my Lord and my Saviour.  FATHER forgive my sins as I forgive those who sin against me.  FATHER fill me with YOUR Holy Spirit and convict me of my sins.  I pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay truly GOD blessed today!

Death as a Christian!

 Saul of Tarsus was present at the stoning of Stephen.  And Stephen, in his final moments, asked the LORD GOD to free those stoning him from sin.

And then Stephen fell asleep - died.

GOD gives us strength when we need it the most, if we believe in HIM.  That is the truth of this verse.  Stephen did not cry out for mercy.  Rather, he asked GOD to forgive those who were sinning against him.

That is a clear message for us.  Forgiveness.  And faith.  We cannot repent and ask GOD to forgive us if we hold others to their sins against us.  Our faith in GOD must compel us to forgive others as we are forgiven.

Today, if you have not forgiven something done to you by someone else, forgive them.  Then ask GOD to forgive you as you forgive those who have sinned against you.

Death then becomes something we do not have to fear.  If we are forgiven and we have forgiven, and we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, death is the doorway to our eternity in Heaven.  Stephen knew this.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, today I forgive all those who have sinned against me.  Forgive me FATHER as I forgive those who sin against me.  I pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay forgivingly GOD blessed today!