SEE THE SUN!

From the 12th storey of the hotel that my husband and I were occupying for two weeks, I was fascinated with the view below. What came to mind was that each and every leaf of the trees was desperate to have a full view of the sun! They literally turned their faces towards the sun!

We know that plants are dependant on sunlight. They cannot survive long without 'Seeing' the sun. I hear that even indoor plants need sunlight frequently.

As human beings, we need sunlight too! Those of us, who are not exposed enouh to sunlight, swallow vitamin D in capsule form!

Just as the body needs the light from the sun, our soul and spirit need the Son of GOD. The Almighty GOD sent His only Son JESUS into the world to give salvation to mankind.

As someone said, "When the sun rises, we see not only the sun, but everthing esle in the light of the sun!" Similarly, when we receive the Son of GOD into our lives, we receive spiritual life and spiritual vision!

We have no spiritual life without the Son of GOD.

May you call on the name of JESUS, the Son of GOD, and find eternal life!

 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: 

"Father, the hour has come. 

Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 

as You have given Him authority over all flesh, 

that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, 

and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
John 17:1-3

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 

"I am the light of the world. 

He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, 

but have the light of life."
John 8:12

 "The Lord bless you and keep you; 

The Lord make His face shine upon you, 

And be gracious to you; 

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, 

And give you peace." '
Numbers 6:24-26

 The CROSS

The cross of CHRIST leaves me with nothing to boast  - 

Circumcision, good works, preaching the Gospel with words of wisdom, keeping the law etc..

What is your reaction to the message of the cross?

Does it cause you shame?

Is it making you stumble?

Does it sound foolish?

Are you offended and angry?

It would be wise to check your own heart and change your attitude.

It is the only way to your salvation.

O LORD, open my eyes to see the unimaginable magnificence of the old rugged, ugly, cruel cross of my Savior.

When my mind begins to comprehend the glory of the cross of CHRIST,  I will be able to embrace the message of the cross. Then He will enable me to take up my cross to follow in His footsteps.

Then the making of the glorious crown of life for my head will also begin!

 Set your mind on things above, 

not on things on the earth. 

For you died, 

and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

When Christ who is our life appears, 

then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Colossians 3:2-4

NO CROSS

NO CROWN

No Death, No Resurrection!

What did the LORD JESUS do on the cross for me?

The punishment of GOD that I had to bear for my sin, He took upon Himself.

• The crown of thorns for my sinful thoughts.

• The nails on the hands for my sinful works and for the omission of good works

• The nails on the feet for the wrong path I walk and the right path I refuse to walk.

• The humiliation for my  pride.

• Died to give me eternal life through the sacrificial shedding of His blood.

• The vertical beam reminds me that He bridged the gap between me and GOD.

• The horizontal beam reminds me that the walls of separation have broken, connecting me with all of mankind in love.

• He set the example for me to follow - To live selflessly in Him for others.

• The inscription on that cross tells me that the Man called JESUS of Nazareth is the eternal KING of kings and LORD of lords!

• If I serve Him, I will reign with Him eternally!

How do I take up MY CROSS?

There is overcoming power in the CROSS

 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Matthew 5:38-39

We should not resist people, not even the evil ones.

We must resist the devil, whose spirit and attitude manifests through people who are his agents.

We must resist responding and behaving with a similar attitude which will make us also the devil's agents! We must carry the attitude of the Spirit of GOD, allowing Him to work through us. This will manifest in humility, love, grace, wisdom, patience and selflessness.

The snare of the devil is to cause us to act and react not with faith, but with fear.

Another very catchy attitude of the devil is pride of which we need to beware!

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9

 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
1 Peter 5:5

In following the way of the cross, we must guard our heart. To keep the attitude of the heart right, we must have a renewed mindset. The mindset is the stronghold. I have control of only my mindset, not that of others.

 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
2 Corinthians 10:3-4

When I crucify the fallen nature of my self, I am following the LORD in the way of the cross.

Then my attitudes, actions and reactions will honor and glorify the LORD and will be towards the wellbeing of others.

This is the power of the cross. This is the example our LORD and Savior has set for us to follow.

 The victorious Christian Life

The relationship between God and man has been broken because man has turned away from God in disobedience. Yet God, in His great love, took the first step to reconcile us to Himself and has done everything on His part to enable us to live a victorious life in Him. Now it is upto each one of us to follow His instructions and be overcomers throughout our life on earth.

Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden of Eden, all of us are born with a nature that is sinful and rebellious against God. We may be nice people and we may be doing good and helping others, but we cannot by ourselves attain God's standard of holiness. When we stand before God’s judgment throne at our death, all of us will be found deserving of eternal damnation in hell. The only way of escape is the Lord Jesus Who is the Savior of the world.

 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23

 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

The first step towards this victory is to be born again by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, repenting of our sins, receiving forgiveness granted to us through the blood He shed, receiving Him into our hearts and surrendering our life completely to Him. This we do by faith because spiritual things are not seen by the physical eye.

 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17

God’s amazing love that drew this plan of salvation to justify unworthy sinners, is called grace. Grace is extended to undeserving mankind through God’s Son, Jesus.

 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

When we are born again, we become a child of the Most High God and enter the Kingdom of God. We become a part of the worldwide family of born again believers!

You may call yourself a Christian because your parents are Christians or because you go to Church or because you hang around with Christians. You need to believe in the Lord Jesus and be born again spiritually to be a true Christian.

 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 2:1-3

Just as a newborn baby has to feed and grow and develop, we must study and obey the word of God that is the Bible. Our spiritual breath is the Holy Spirit in us. We must learn to listen to His voice and obey His promptings. Every day we should set aside time to spend in the presence of God alone, quietly, to study the Bible, praise God, worship Him and pray to Him.

 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Psalm 100:4

 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 14:13

Jesus is the only door and the only way through Which we may come to Father God.

 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 14:6

The Christian life is a constant decision to deny the rule of our sinful nature so that the Lord Jesus may rule in our lives. We must bring our soul and body under the control of the Holy Spirit.

 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:1-2

As we grow spiritually, the characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit become evident in our lives.

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

The Lord Jesus said that we cannot bear fruit unless we abide in the vine. He is the plant and we are the branches that bear the fruit. The changes in attitude and behaviour are the signs of a true Christian who is growing spiritually.

 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

John 15:1-5

The Christian life is a life of love.

 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

1 John 4:7-8

All of God’s commandments are summarised into two main commandments.

 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Matthew 22:37-40

 We love Him because He first loved us.

1 John 4:19

Having received God’s love in our hearts, we let that pure love flow to others. This is how we progress in our Christian walk. So it is necessary to be a part of a Church assembly and be blessed and learn from the leaders and also be a blessing.

 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

John 13:35

As followers of the Lord, we will be witnesses in the world through our love. We are commissioned to make known the good news of the Gospel so that people will know the love of God and be saved.

 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20

JESUS

JESUS

JESUS -

He is the demarcation,

the dividing line,

the absolute truth
that makes a distinction between truth and falsehood.

His birth divided the two eras - BD and AC

Your birth in Him brings you into a new era of GOD’S grace.

His birth in you releases you into the doors of heaven.

If you are in CHRIST you are under GOD’S grace.

If you are not in CHRIST you are under GOD’S wrath.

If you have JESUS you are a part of the body of CHRIST.

If you don’t have JESUS
you are not a part of the body of CHRIST.

Therefore there is no division in CHRIST.

The question is whether one is in CHRIST or not

because He is the dividing line and the demarcation.

He is the One Who separates me
from everyone and everything and makes me Holy.

He is my next of kin (like my skin),

my first contact with everyone and everything in the world.

All my relationships are in and through Him.

He reveals to me the good and the bad

and teaches me about truth and falsehood.

He is my everything. Without Him I am nothing.

I am alive in Him. Without Him, I have no life.

I can do all things through Him.

I can do nothing without Him.

Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way,

When His wrath is kindled but a little.

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

 Psalms 2:12

"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life;

and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life,

but the wrath of God abides on him."

John 3:36

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:3

"I am the vine, you [are] the branches.

He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;

for without Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

"I have been crucified with Christ;

it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;

and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:6-10

JESUS:

He is the 'Connector' of man with GOD.
He is the Son of GOD Who became Son of Man.

He continues to be the Intercessor for man

in the Presence of the Father.

He revealed to man the image of the invisible GOD.

He was there from the beginning. He will be there forever. All things were made through Him

and for Him. He is the Savior of the world. He is the Judge of all mankind.

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,

has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things,

through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory
and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Hebrews 1:1-3
Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.

But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

Hebrews 7:23-24
Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know

that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world." John 4:42
For the Father judges no one,
but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son
just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

John 5:22-23
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 17:3

Money Matters

Money Matters

For thus says the LORD: "You have sold yourselves for nothing, And you shall be redeemed without money." - Isaiah 52:3 

knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. - 1 Peter 1:18-19 

I was bought / redeemed with the precious Blood of the LORD JESUS, not with money.
"Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? "Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." - Matthew 22:17-21 

"Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you." - Matthew 17:27 

I should not sell myself again for money but give myself to God as His temple.

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.' " Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. - Matthew 21:12-14 

I enjoy the Wine of Blessing when I seek the face and the favour of GOD.

My thirst is quenched as I drink of the Holy Spirit.

"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. - Isaiah 55:1 

"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." - John 6:27

I am fed by the Bread of Life by abiding in CHRIST.

And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst..." - John 6:35

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? for we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. - 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

I am nourished by the Milk of GOD’S word.

..as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby,.. - 1 Peter 2:2

The best things in life are not bought with money but by giving of my time and worldly pleasures.

Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." - Luke 12:13-15 

I need to make a decision before long whether to serve God or to serve money, because the end is near!

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. - Revelation 13:11-18 

Look To JESUS

Look To JESUS

"who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; - Deuteronomy 8:15 
There are demonic forces of darkness in this world like the fiery serpents in the wilderness.

And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread." So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. - Numbers 21:5-9 
All of mankind have been bitten by satanic powers and are suffering from the sickness of sin. The only hope for mankind is JESUS Who came in the flesh, without sin, Who has overcome Satan.

"Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. - Isaiah 45:22 
Every tribe, tongue, colour and creed has the hope of salvation by looking to GOD spiritually.

"No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. - John 3:13-16 
The LORD JESUS CHRIST was falsely condemned to die as a criminal. 
He was nailed to the cross and was lifted up hanging on the cross between heaven and earth. 
Thus He has made a way for man to be reconciled to the Holy Almighty GOD.

"Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." This He said, signifying by what death He would die. - John 12:31-33 

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. - Revelation 12:10-11 
Satan, the author of evil, lies and deception was crushed under the cross of CHRIST.

Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. - Romans 8:33-34 
Now the LORD JESUS is making intercession to GOD in heaven on behalf of those who come to Him in faith.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2 
When we repent of our sin and turn to the LORD JESUS, we begin our journey of faith. 
As we continue to look to Him, He leads us on and keeps us by His grace until we finish our course on earth. 
At the end of our life He will receive us to glory!
What a great victory He has gained for us!
What great glory awaits us!!

Look to JESUS and be saved today.