Weakness of the Flesh

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It is so easy to just taste something we know is bad for us.

It is so easy to turn an excuse into a reason. - " Bob asked me out, I know he is not a Christian, but I can witness to him, and he is sooo cute."

With reasoning like that we open ourselves to trouble.

"Some of the guys like to go out drinking after work, they said they would avoid the stripper bar if I went with them. It is just a social thing, and I may get a chance to share with them"

Tell me when I stop preachin' and get to meddlin'. That is about the time I stop talking about another's temptation and get to your favorite temptation.

Think of the joy and authority you experience in a prayer meeting, - are you going to approach that in a bar?

What is more likely; the guys get you drunk and change bars, - or in a bar you convince them it is more fun to pray? How do you say no next week, or will you?

Bob may not only be sooo cute, he may be a really nice guy. What happens if he refuses your God, but you fall in love with him? Do you think life with an unbeliever will be easy and/or rewarding? - How about asking God to send in workers to lead him to Jesus, - first.

You not only can err by marriage to the wrong person, you can marry the right person at the wrong time.

Now think of that temptation that is right in front of you right now.


Pray.


Focus on your first love, - Jesus.

Why trade the growing joy of your life in Christ for a few tempting pieces of diminishing short term pleasure.

Yes, Jesus will take you back, but you may wander so far you may forget the joy you now have, or give up on reclaiming that joy.

Our life in Jesus Christ is not a position we have attained, it is a direction we are traveling. Stick to the narrow path less traveled by.


Jesus is Lord.

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I'm Not Smart Enough

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Someday we will know as we are known.

For now too many things, too many wonderful things, are a mystery.

The Trinity is one of those mysteries.

One God, three persons; and our relationship to him.

Christ on the cross, and what his shed blood did for us.

The Holy Spirit that convicts the unsaved of sin, aids the saved, and fills to overflowing those that seek the fullness of God in their lives.

We have trouble understanding our relationships with other humans, how are we to understand our relationship with God?

It is a relationship based on trust and love. God has paid a price to have that relationship because we are important to him; he is not willing that any should perish.

I know God, I know God's love, what I don't know is how to explain the joy of that relationship to you. I also lack the simple words that will convey to you the road to trusting him.

One man plants, another waters, God brings in the harvest.

I have written pieces, here and here, about developing a relationship with God.

I just don't know how to convince you to take that second step. Jesus already took the first step toward you. Step out and meet him, a simple and sincere word of prayer is all the introduction you will need.

God will take it from there.

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There is One Church

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Christ is not divided.

The Church is not a building or a small group of local believers. The Church is the (singular) body of Christ.

There are Christians in many local churches (small c); but going to church does not make you a Christian. There are without a doubt many local churches without any Christians in them.

Christ said "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. " - Matthew 18: 19, 20

Wherever you go in the world; if there are two of you in Christ Jesus you are in Church. Join us, together we are in Church.

We will be as surprised in heaven by who is not there, as by who is there.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

How, you ask, do I work it out?

Repent your sins, come to Jesus and be saved; - enter into the Joy of the Lord. The hardest part is accepting Christ has already done everything required for you to be saved, you just need to accept him.

That is just the start.

There is a wonderful relationship waiting for you with the creator of the universe.

Christ did not come to bring condemnation, but that through him you might be saved.

You were already condemned. Jesus Christ offers you the way out. Get out of the frustrations of the world and:


Enter in.


Taste of the Lord and see that he is good.


Jesus is Lord!

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Homosexual marriage

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Not a big deal.

Let it happen.

It would be a problem if it were a homosexual Christian marriage; just like it would be a problem if it were a gossiper's Christian marriage or a talking trash about your brothers Christian marriage. A Christian Marriage does not co-exist with sin by design.


If someone is not in Christ everything they do is sin, not just one thing. All they have is whatever makes them temporarily happy, let them have it. Don't join them, there is no reason for you to trade the growing joys of a relationship with Jesus Christ for the diminishing pleasures of entrapment to sin.

In the church we are not to continue in sin, we are to try and escape it. - Pray.

In the world they have a choice, accept Jesus Christ, or live their life of quiet desperation.

If you do not know Jesus as your savior and lord, you are missing the great joy of this life. Yes, there will still be difficulties, but you will have someone to share the load. Traveling with the companionship and support of God can make your entire life journey a wonderful adventure.

Whatever those outside of Christianity do is their own business, not ours. Only if they intrude in our lives should we speak out.

If you spend much of your time condemning others, look to see if you are really in Christ Jesus.

Those outside the Church should not be more free than everyone else, but they should be just as free as any of us. Take control of the sin you know you have in your own life before you condemn others. You have no right to try to control those outside the church, none.

Unless of course they interfere with other's freedoms.

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God Loves Us

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The reason for the virtual church is to encourage those that do not have a regular place of worship.

Check in if you are traveling or are posted to an area where a solid Bible believing church is not available.

If you don't know Jesus; hit that Accept Jesus Now button at the top of the page, there will be some information on why you might want to change the course of your life. You probably already know why and just didn't know how.

If you do know Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior, drop on in a couple of times a week.

You can also visit our regular site if you want to know more about God, yourself, or us.

If you just want a bit of challenge or controversy, visit the opinions page.

When you pray, please lift a prayer for us also. Now is a good time to pray.

Jesus loves you.

Jesus is Lord!

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The Righteousness Of God

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I don't feel very righteous this morning. In fact I feel down right down this morning; and now my spell checker is tossing out extra letters and removing text.

Happily feelings don't matter.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. I Corintians 9:24

I'll post this and check the spell checker latter, If you spot more errors than usual, I will probably come back and fix them. In fact I may throw out the whole post and write another. Again.

Eventually the feelings will line up with God's word, and there is a lot of word in the Bible about how through Christ we have the fruit of righteousness in us.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ —to the glory and praise of God. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - Philippians 1:9-11

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." - Isaiah 29: 14

or in I Corinthians 1: 18-31 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things —and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God —that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written:

"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

<sup>In Christ Jesus is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. That is cool.

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. - Romans 3: 21-24

I feel better already.

I believe in Jesus and have the righteousness from God.

No watter what was dragging me down, I know I am justified by grace.

I have the righteousness of God, for I am in Christ Jesus.

Now that is a good substitute for what I was.

And the reality of it will last forever.

Jesus is Lord!

Allan

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Aspirin Therapy

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The tests indicate a single aspirin a day may help some people avoid heart attacks or a stroke.

Many times a simple and easy action may help you, with almost no risk.

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Psalm 34:8

What is your relationship to Jesus?

Are you not sure he is real?

There is a simple test.

Taste of the lord and see that he is good.

A simple and easy action that may help you, with almost no risk.

If you are not afraid to take a small step toward him; - he just might make a huge difference in your life.

He is standing there with his arms outstretched to you.

Go to him now.

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Is America Christian?

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The short answer is: - no.

A somewhat longer answer that is somewhat correct: - America is a post-Christian nation.

The best answer is that no nation can be Christian. Christianity is about an individuals decision to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Nations can not make that decision.

Every person gets to choose, for themselves, if they will follow Christ.

There can be a national decision to follow Christian principles, but the application of those principles will always be flawed. The Bible is God's love letter to his people, those that do not know his love will misinterpret his words.

Most in America believe they are Christian because of something they do or have done. They were born in a Christian family, they go to a church, they were baptized, or maybe their father was a preacher. Many feel that believing there is a superior being is all that is necessary to be Christian.

The Bible says Satan believes in God, and trembles. Belief in God is not enough. You need a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. That relationship is based on what God has done.

Check out this page to find the basics of Christianity.


Corrie Ten Boom said it well, "Just because you were born in a garage it does not make you a car."

Just 'cause you go to church or live in America it does not make you a Christian.


So how can America be a post-Christian nation?

There have been revivals in the past where huge numbers of Americans found a personal relationship with Jesus. Bars closed not due to pickets or laws, but resulted from folks finding it was more fun and fulfilling to attend prayer meetings then get drunk.

In those periods Americans as individuals, or areas of America, made the commitment to follow God. For now, those time are history.

For now we are left with this:

• Have you made your choice to follow Jesus?
• If you have accepted Christ as your savior, are you praying for revival?
• Are you following your loving God's guidance?
  

Jesus loves you more than you love yourself. God is smarter and wiser than you are. If you want the best for yourself and everyone else, follow where the Holy Spirit leads.

The only person you can be sure is a Christian is yourself. Commit to Jesus, - he has made the commitment to you.

America is not Christian, - but you can be.

Jesus is Lord

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A Time For Prayer

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I wrote a bit about prayer not long ago.


It is time for me to pray, for you.


That is a start.


Take a minute or two right now to pray for me.


It is so easy when we hear of a problem to say "I'll pray about it."


And then forget.


And then feel guilty the next time we see that person because we suddenly realize we forgot.


There is a cure for this promise, - forget, - guilt cycle.


Instead of saying "I'll pray for you," say "Let's pray now."


And do it.


Nothing to forget, its done.


If the Holy Spirit reminds you to pray again latter you can.


But you have already brought the matter up to God, all that remains is to continue the conversation with him.


Jesus is Lord!


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The Greatest is Love

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I Corinthians 13: 13 And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Take a look at your Christian walk and your Christian talk.

Do you live a life of love?

When you talk to and about Christians, is your speech graced with love.

When you talk to and about unbelievers, is your love, and God's love, apparent?

God so loved the world that he gave his son.

There are many things important to your Christian walk.

The most important is love.


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