Jesus Christ is the Ruler Over Our Lives

Satan will attempt to convince believers they are the opposite of this but he is a liar we need not listen to him. Christ lives in us He is the Ruler over our hearts.

Dawn Orner-Swails Behrens

We Obey God Now Under Grace Because He Has Changed Our Hearts

Joshua 1:8-9 "…8 This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Has God changed?

Malachi 3

"and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness."

Hebrews 13:8-9 ". 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them.…"

Those who teach that since we are under the blood of Christ after salvation it doesn't matter if we sin anymore are teaching a wicked doctrine.

Salvation in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit gives us the means by which we can live without sin and an advocate when we fall we are convicted and desire to restore our fellowship with Christ again.

The Holy Spirit will go silent when a believer falls into sin until we confess it to be cleansed of that sin. He will bring consequences that remind us how wicked sin is and that He must cleanse our hearts.

1 John 2:1 "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;"

1 John 1:9

"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

God will not leave us without consequences designed to return to obedience.

Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"

If someone is not chastised by the Father to grow in holiness they do not belong to Christ.

Deuteronomy 8:5

"So know in your heart that just as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you."

Psalm 94:12

"Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD, and teach from Your law,"

Revelation 3:19

"Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent."

Hebrews 12:8

"8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons."

Those who PRIDE themselves as living in sin without problems but consider themselves Christian do not understand it is proof they do not belong to Christ. Their religion is cultural and their god is themselves.

May many who have lived a cultural Christianity repent and trust in Christ to be changed by HIm, hating and rejecting sin while loving obedience to His principles.

Hallelujah!

It's Either a Drug or a Medicine Depending on how you Use It!

We have heard it said that the internet and Facebook are drugs that keep people hooked.

For the born-again believer who seeks Christ and fellowship with those who love Him, the internet is a medicine.

God said not to forsake the gathering of believers, for some of us this is the only connection we have with those who love Christ and look for His appearing.

2 Timothy 4:8 "in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."

We are living as in the days of Noah and Lot, they had no one in their communities that would be an encouragement to them or come alongside, all they had and everything they needed was in God.

We are back in times like this with the exception of the wonderful provision of the internet to connect with other believers all over the world whom we have never met but are just as connected to them as if they were in front of us.

For those who criticize believers for using Facebook and the internet for connection with other believers I want to remind them that Paul wrote letters to and about people he had never met, only those letters took months to reach the readers of those letters. Our letters to believers around the world take seconds to reach them.

I believe God provided this medium of the internet for these last days when the entire world can be reached for Christ in moments rather than months. I am convinced this is another indication that Christ is coming for His church very soon, everyone of us who love Him can speak about Him to others on the other side of the world from our homes, without wearisome and expensive traveling. And, even the elderly who are too frail to travel can sit in their homes and do the work of evangelism reaching thousands of people in seconds.

I call this a miracle of God for the times we live in right before He takes us home.

Competitiveness is a Form of Jealousy

Competitiveness is a form of jealousy. It promotes self-exaltation as well as lacking in of love for others.

When we love others we are not interested in being above them. Our interest is in encouraging our brothers and sister to walk humbly with Christ.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.

5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,

6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.:

James 3:16-17 "16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.…"

The only one we should compete with is ourselves to strive to become more holy through the help of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Whether we are above someone else or better than someone else is not in the mind of someone who loves genuinely.

Romans 2:8

"But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger."

James 3:14

"But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth."

Again:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.

5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,

6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.:"