Wednesday, March 31, 2010

God Is Like Jesus

If you want to know what the unseen Almighty God is like --
look at Jesus Christ in the pages of the New Testament.

Everything Jesus said and everything Jesus did was the exact
will of God -- and perfectly revealed God to us.

JOHN 1:18 TEV
18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as
God and is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

COLOSSIANS 2:9 PHILLIPS
9 Yet it is in him that God gives a full and complete
expression of himself in bodily form.

Don't be satisfied listening to what someone else believes God
is like -- read the New Testament and see for yourself. Watch
Jesus of Nazareth in action and know that everything He did
perfectly pleased the Father God and perfectly revealed the
Father God.

JOHN 14:7-9,11 NKJ
7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also;
and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is
sufficient for us."
9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you
have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the
Father; so how can you say, `Show us the Father'?
11 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or
else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

JOHN 12:44-45 NKJ
44 . . .Jesus. . .said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in
Me but in Him who sent Me.
45 "And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

SAY THIS: Jesus fully and completely reveals God to me.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Jesus Revealed God To Us

2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 ICB
4 The devil who rules this world has blinded the minds of those
who do not believe. They cannot see the light of the Good News
-- the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is exactly like
God.

What is God like?

Before Jesus of Nazareth came on the scene, the human concept
of God was a bit fuzzy. (It still is for those who have not
understood this truth.)

But Jesus perfectly revealed to us what God is like. He was
(and is) Heaven's perfect representative.

COLOSSIANS 1:15 ICB
15 No one has seen God, but Jesus is exactly like him. Christ
ranks higher than all the things that have been made.

COLOSSIANS 1:15 WEYMOUTH
15 Christ is the visible representation of the invisible God,
the Firstborn and Lord of all creation.

HEBREWS 1:3 WEYMOUTH
3 He brightly reflects God's glory and is the exact
representation of His being, and upholds the universe by His
all-powerful word. After securing man's purification from sin
He took His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

The scriptures above should have made it clear that God is like
Jesus. Now let's look at a verse summarizing the life of Jesus
on earth.

ACTS 10:38 NKJ
38 "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and
with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were
oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Notice that Jesus went about DOING GOOD -- not doing bad. Not
hurting people, but helping people. That is what God is like.

SAY THIS: God is good and likes to help people.

Monday, March 29, 2010

You Are A Citizen of Heaven

PHILIPPIANS 3:20 NRSV
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that
we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have a new citizenship. Your
name is written in Heaven. Heaven is your homeland.

Because you are its citizen, Heaven is responsible for you. If
necessary, Heaven will send its soldiers (angels) to assist
you, and when necessary, to evacuate you.

Although we live on earth, we operate under the laws of our
homeland, Heaven, as well as the laws of earth.

As a citizen you have certain rights and obligations. To
understand them you need to read the Bible with the help of
illumination by the Holy Spirit. You need to ask the Lord to
teach you and give you understanding of these things.

COLOSSIANS 1:13 NRSV
13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred
us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,

As believers, we are no longer under the authority or control
of the devil. We have been transferred into a new kingdom.

One of our rights as citizens of Heaven is to resist the devil
and all his works. Anything that is of the devil, we do not
have to submit to.

SAY THIS: I am a citizen of Heaven. Jesus is my Lord and King!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

How God's Word Will Make You Free

John 8:31-32 NRSV
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you
continue in my word, you are truly my disciples;
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you
free."

Notice carefully what Jesus actually said. It is not those who
"start in the word" or "try the word for awhile" who will be
made free. You must continue in Jesus' message -- His Word. It
must be His accurate message -- not just someone's idea of it,
or tradition.

Some translations use the word "abide" instead of "continue."
Abide means to stay somewhere continually. Either way, the
meaning involves staying with it.

Note that Jesus said in verse 32, "and you will KNOW the truth
. . ." Just hearing the truth does not necessarily make you
free. You must KNOW that it is the truth. When you KNOW
something, you will act on it. If you are not acting on
something, you do not yet truly KNOW it. You act on what you
know.

Hearing the truth is not enough. Loving the truth is not
enough. Even speaking the truth is not enough. You must
continue until you know that you know that you know that you
know. Only then are you at the point where truth will make you
free. The reason is that only then will you be able to act with
faith and boldness on God's Word.

The devil is against you and is intent on keeping you in
bondage. Only when you KNOW where you stand will you act in
faith and overcome the strategies of the devil.

You may ask, "How can I KNOW the truth? I just have weak
faith."

Jesus gave the answer: continue in His Word. As you continue in
the Word of God you will become convinced -- you will know --
you will have faith. When you reach the point of knowing
something -- you will act on that knowledge. In this way the
truth will make you free.

This works in every area of life: your relationships, your
health, your finances -- everything. Continue in the Word of
God in any subject -- and you will eventually see the fruit of
freedom in that area of your life.

God gave you His Word for your benefit -- not for His benefit.
He already knows the truth, and always acts on it. You are the
one who needs help. Because God loves you, He gave you His
Word.

SAY THIS: I will continue in the message of Jesus Christ. As I
do I will know the truth. As I act on that truth it will make
me free.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

God's Word Will Make You Free

John 8:31-32 NRSV
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you
continue in my word, you are truly my disciples;
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you
free."

Many people think God's Word will put them into bondage. (I
used to think that.) Like most of the world's ideas, this is
opposite to the truth.

A major reason people go their own way instead of turning to
Jesus Christ is because they think following Him and His Word
will restrict them and keep them from enjoying life. What a
deception!

The only way to know true freedom in this life is found through
the Word of God: the Bible.

Also notice that the "truth" Jesus refers to is found in His
Word. Just knowing any "truth" does not guarantee freedom.

If you desire freedom, you now know the guaranteed formula to
achieve it. Will you follow the directions?

SAY THIS: I will continue in the message of Jesus Christ. As I
do I will know the truth. As I act on that truth it will make
me free.

Friday, March 26, 2010

How Much Does God Love You?

Only God can answer this question. Fortunately, we have a
book available where we can find out what God thinks: the
Bible.

(What a wonderful thought that is! We can read and know what
GOD thinks! Don't let yourself be robbed of this great
privilege by being too busy.)

PSALM 103:13 NIV
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has
compassion on those who fear him;

One way we can begin to get an inkling of God's love for us is
to know what it is like to have our own children. Psalm 103:13
tells us that the same deep feelings a parent has for their
child, are also present in God toward us. The word in this
verse means much more than "compassion." It is a very deep
feeling -- hard to express in words. This is what God feels for
you!

(You may wonder why. I may wonder why God would feel that way
about you or me. All I can say is: parents can be pretty silly
over their children! I have seen some I didn't think were too
special, but the parents sure thought they were special!)

Another way we can judge how much God loves us is by what He
was willing to go through to redeem us and have us in His
family. A lot!

We are familiar with John 3:16, but often being familiar with
something keeps us from grasping it as fully and clearly as we
should. Think about it: God so loved the dirty, rotten,
rebellious world of people -- even those who hated Him -- that
He decided to suffer the punishment that justice demanded so
they could go free.

God loves you -- no matter who you are -- no matter what you
have done. He loves you more than you can imagine or
understand.

God loves you more than He loves Himself. That is proven by the
fact that He put your interest and your feelings ahead of His
own, choosing to suffer so you could go free.

How can anyone not love and worship such a Being as our
wonderful God?

SAY THIS: God loves me. God loves me. God loves me.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

God Is Not Guilty

JOB 40:8 LB
8 Are you going to discredit my justice and condemn me so that
you can say you are right?

Many are quick to blame God for all the bad things in their
life and in the world. "After all, God is ultimately
responsible, isn't He?"

Is a parent responsible for the choices their grown children
make? Certainly, they had influence in raising their children.
But ultimately, each human makes their own choices and we are
each responsible for our own actions. We cannot blame our
parents -- our spouse -- or anyone else. If we choose to do
wrong, it is our choice.

People are guilty. The devil is guilty. Not God.

"But what about storms, earthquakes, and such?"

Jesus rebuked the storm in Luke 8:24. Are we to believe that
Jesus was rebuking something that God was responsible for?

Although it is not clear now to most people, one day it will be
clear to all: God is not guilty of anything. The devil and
people shoulder the blame for all the heartache, misery, and
pain on earth.

JEREMIAH 9:24 NIV
24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands
and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.

SAY THIS: I repent of ever blaming God for any wrongdoing. God
is not guilty.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Words Bring Success

JOSHUA 1:8 NKJ
8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but
you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to
do according to all that is written in it. For then you will
make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

God's Word never changes. What God promised would work for
Joshua will work for you, also. The problem with most of us is
that we are just too busy to put God's Word first like we
should. But we are not too busy to work trying to get ahead.
Explain that.

God never lies. Follow His instructions given above and you
WILL have prosperity and good success. Maybe not in 10 minutes.
Maybe not even for 10 years. But you will. God promises it.

Notice that Joshua 1:8 does not just say to think about God's
Word. No -- the Word must continually be in your mouth! Words!

1 PETER 3:10 NKJ
10 For "He who would love life and see good days, let him
refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile;

Speaking and thinking in line with God's Word will cause you to
prosper and succeed. If you would like to see good days, the
Bible admonishes you to watch your words!

Never confess defeat. Confessing Jesus as Lord of every
situation brings glory to God.

SAY THIS: I will keep God's Word in my thoughts and in my
mouth. Then I will have good success in life.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Difference Between Jesus and The Devil

John 10:10 NIV
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have
come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

There is a stark contrast between the Lord Jesus Christ and the
devil.

Jesus is for you. He loves you and desires the best for you. He
loves you even more than He loves Himself. He proved it by
dying in your place. His desire is for you to have life in its
fullness -- life as God planned it to be -- both now and for
all eternity.

The devil is the opposite of Jesus. The devil is against you
and is always trying to steal from you, kill you, and destroy
everything that is good. The devil is selfish and does not care
about you or anyone else but himself.

Can you trust the devil? Yes . . . to be the devil. You can
depend on him lying and trying to always deceive you. The
purpose of this deception is always to draw you away from God
and His Word because that is your only source of help and
deliverance from the devil's strategies -- which are stealing,
killing, and destroying.

Can you trust Jesus? The answer should be obvious. Anyone who
cares for you enough to die in your place, suffering for you,
so you won't have to suffer, is trustworthy. Jesus promised to
never forsake you. He will never quit loving you and trying to
help you.

The trouble is, too many people hinder Jesus from helping them.
They believe and follow what the devil says, and turn away from
Jesus and the Word of God.

You need to invite and welcome Jesus Christ into your life --
in every area. He wants to help you, but will not force His
help on you. If you don't -- the devil may get into those areas
of your life and wreak havoc.

SAY THIS: God is a good God and the devil is a bad devil.

Monday, March 22, 2010

You Are Righteous In Christ

ROMANS 5:1,9 YLT
1 Having been declared righteous, then, by faith, we have peace
toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
9 much more, then, having been declared righteous now in his
blood, we shall be saved through him from the wrath;

Not much preaching has been done telling believers they are
righteous. But the Bible clearly teaches it. It becomes even
clearer when you realize that often the same word that is
translated "righteous or made righteous" is instead translated
"just or justified."

(The Bible is full of rich truths, but they are not always on
the surface. It can take a little digging and study to realize
the riches available to you.)

"But I thought the Bible said there is no one righteous,"
someone may say.

Yes, it does say that in Romans 3:10, but it is quoting an Old
Testament passage to prove that both Jews and Gentiles were
guilty before God and needed salvation. It immediately goes on
to say in the next few verses (see below) that now we can be
righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.

ROMANS 3:21-22 NKJ
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is
revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God which is through faith in
Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there is no
difference;

ROMANS 3:24 YLT
24 being declared righteous freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

SAY THIS: Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, I am
righteous before God.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

The Gift of Righteousness

ROMANS 5:17 NIV
17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned
through that one man, how much more will those who receive
God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of
righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

The New Testament reveals the good news that God offers
righteousness as a free gift to everyone who receives the Lord
Jesus Christ.

Righteousness means right-wise-ness, or being right. So
righteousness is right standing, or good standing with God.

Righteousness is a GIFT from God -- not something you can earn
or achieve. God simply declares that you are innocent, as far
as He is concerned, because you believe in Jesus.

You are righteous if Jesus is your Lord. In fact, Jesus is your
righteousness. So, you are really as righteous as God is --
because He IS your righteousness. As a believer in Jesus, you
will never be more righteous -- no matter what you do.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:30 NIV
30 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.

SAY THIS: I receive the gift of right standing with God through
my Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You Father God for this wonderful
gift.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Words Will Judge You

MATTHEW 12:36-37 NKJ
36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak,
they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words
you will be condemned."

ROMANS 10:9-10 NKJ
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with
the mouth confession is made to salvation.

The reason we are taking time to look at the importance of
words is because most believers have neglected this area of
studying what the Bible teaches. So we need to spend extra time
on this subject.

Looking at Matthew 12:36-37 we see that according to Jesus our
words will play a big part in judging us. You may wonder why
that is the case, instead of just being judged by our actions.
Because words precede actions. What you say indicates what you
are thinking -- what is in your heart -- and all action is
dictated by what is inside us.

Also, notice in Romans 10:9 the important part given to
confessing the Lord Jesus in salvation. It is not enough to
just believe in our heart -- we must also confess with our
mouth that Jesus is Lord. (Confess means to speak in agreement
with. In this case we are agreeing with what God has said, that
Jesus is Lord.) This is the way faith works in every area. You
must combine believing in your heart and speaking with your
mouth.

This is not restricted to some future time of judgment. It is
working right now. Today "with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation (which means deliverance)." If you are in
bondage today, you can change it by the words you speak.

I did not say, "Just speak a word and you will be free." This
involves a change in what you believe in your heart. It
involves changing what is coming out of your mouth all day --
not just for a few minutes when you decide to "speak the Word."
But you have to start and now is the best time to get started.

SAY THIS: Lord, please help me to get started, and keep on,
speaking in agreement with Your Word.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Hold Fast Your Confession

HEBREWS 3:1; 4:14 NKJ
1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,
consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ
Jesus,
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our
confession.

HEBREWS 10:23 NKJ
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without
wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Your confession is what you say. You should persistently
continue speaking in faith, agreeing with what God has said,
regardless of circumstances. If it never seemed like it was not
working, there would be no need to hold fast, or hang on, to a
confession of faith.

Some people are surprised when they act on God's Word and it
does not immediately come to pass. But there is abundant
evidence in Scripture showing that is normal. God never
promised that everything would happen instantly. The time
period involved gives us opportunity to walk in faith and
please God.

Remember that authority is released through words. When we
speak in DIS-agreement with what God says, we are giving
authority in that area of our lives to our enemy. This is why
Scripture tells us to struggle (if necessary) to keep speaking
in agreement with God's Word.

Why does the Bible tell us to "hold fast" -- or you might say
"hang on tight" or "hang on for dear life." Obviously,
something or someone is trying hard to get us to turn loose.
Who or what do you think that is?

SAY THIS: With God's help, I will keep speaking in agreement
with the Word of God, no matter what the circumstances may say.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

What You Say Is What You Get

MARK 11:23 NKJ
23 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
`Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in
his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to
pass, he will have whatever he says.

Jesus said that you will have whatever you say -- dependent on
believing and not doubting. Think of that. What you say
determines what you get in life. It did for the children of
Israel. And the Bible says the things which happened to them
are lessons for us.

NUMBERS 14:28 NKJ
28 "Say to them, `As I live,' says the Lord, `just as you have
spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:

PROVERBS 6:2 NKJ
2 you are snared by the words of your own mouth; you are taken
by the words of your mouth.

Words can get you in trouble. And words can deliver you (see
Revelation 12:11 and Romans 10:10). Words control your destiny.

All of us face trouble in life and it can sometimes be tempting
to wonder why God does not help us sooner and in greater
measure. While there is much that we don't understand, we must,
on the basis of what Jesus said, realize we are responsible for
what happens because of the words we have spoken.

SAY THIS: Jesus said I will have whatever I say if I believe
it.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Life Can Be Tough

JOHN 16:33 ICB
33 "I told you these things so that you can have peace in me.
In this world you will have trouble. But be brave! I have
defeated the world!"

Jesus never promised us that everything would be perfect here
on earth. He recognized that we would encounter trouble. But
His instructions were to be of good cheer -- not to let it get
us down.

As we encounter difficulties in life, it will help us to
remember the big picture. First, God is our Father and has a
wonderful eternal plan for us. We are His children and He loves
us. Second, this time is but a training period for our future
life with God. We are supposed to be learning to trust God and
to obey Him.

So, every problem we ever face is an opportunity to walk in
faith and please God. Every problem is an opportunity to
overcome with God's help. How can we expect to receive the
blessings promised to the overcomer if we never have anything
to overcome?

What is the answer when we seem overwhelmed with trouble? Look
to Jesus. He has already won the victory. He has overcome and
defeated the world. In Him is victory.

You may ask how you can look to Jesus. It is mostly a matter of
focus -- what you choose to think on. What God says in His Word
will set you free and give you peace. What the circumstances
say is not the final word.

So, go to God's Word. Cling to the promises. Speak them. Sing
them. Shout them. Rejoice over them. And thank God for them.

Also, you need to develop a closer relationship with the Lord.
That is His desire and it should be yours. All relationships
are based on communication, so you must talk to the Lord to
deepen your relationship with Him. Develop the habit of talking
with Him about everything. You can speak freely to Him -- after
all He knows what you are thinking anyway.

SAY THIS: No matter what I face, the Lord is with me, and I can
overcome because Jesus already won the victory.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

They Laughed Jesus To Scorn

MATTHEW 9:24 KJV
24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but
sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

Do others think you are crazy for being a follower of Jesus? Do
they think you are too extreme for believing the Bible
literally? Well, don't feel lonely. Jesus faced the same type
of problems. As we see in Matthew 9:24, sometimes people
derided Jesus. They did not just laugh at Him -- they laughed
Him to scorn. They made a big deal out of it.

It is the same today. When we believe what Jesus said, there
may be times when others think we are crazy. They may laugh at
us. They may even mock us for believing God's Word. That is
nothing new. But why should you let it affect you?

Often we are too concerned about what other people think. After
all, they are not our Judge. Nor are they our Provider. But God
is, and we should care what He thinks. That was the stance that
Jesus took.

We must remember that we are not in a popularity contest. Yes,
to some people the message we have to share will be received
with gladness and thankfulness. I am sure the parents of the
girl Jesus raised from the dead -- after He was laughed to
scorn -- were glad. But to others we are often not understood.

That really is the root of the problem. People are in darkness.
They do not understand what is really happening. They don't
understand there is a spiritual side of life. They do not
understand that the words we speak are important and carry
authority. They do not understand that with faith in God,
nothing is impossible. And people generally mistrust what they
do not understand.

So we must walk in love and be patient with people, knowing
that they are in darkness -- but someday they will see the
light. If we continue to walk in the light ourselves, we can be
the means of God's light beginning to shine into their lives
and bring understanding.

SAY THIS: I choose to believe the Word of God regardless of
what other people think. I am a believer, not a doubter.

Monday, March 15, 2010

God Gives You Ability To Get Rich

DEUTERONOMY 8:18 ICB
8 But remember the Lord your God! It is he who gives you the
power to become rich. He keeps the agreement he promised to
your ancestors. So it is today.

I don't want to be critical, but so many preach, using this
verse, that God wants to prosper people for one sole purpose:
to give the money to God so He can afford to proclaim the
Gospel to all the world. But I just don't buy it.

I do believe God desires His people to be givers. And clearly
we should proclaim the Gospel to everyone. Being selfish is the
worst thing you can do. And usually the biggest enjoyment you
can get from something is to give it away to someone who is
thrilled with it.

But surely God is not waiting around till we get enough money
to finance Him. And surely God is not worse than normal earthly
parents. What earthly parent would give their children toys on
Christmas, then tell them the ONLY reason they were given those
gifts is so they could give them away to the neighbor kids?

I already said selfishness is wrong. If you are not a giver,
you are not in God's will. But God does not give you things
only for the purpose of giving them all to someone else.

Deuteronomy 8:18 is simple: it says God is the One making you
rich, and He is doing it because He said He would -- not
because we deserve it!

I especially like:

1 TIMOTHY 6:17 NKJ
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be
haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living
God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

God is not the kind of being who will make you just barely
scrape by -- He gives us RICHLY all things to ENJOY. God gives
to us because He enjoys it and because He keeps His word!

SAY THIS: I trust in the living God, Who gives me richly all
things to enjoy. He gives me the power to prosper because He
said He would.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

The Holy Spirit Is Your Helper 2

JOHN 15:26 NKJ
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from
the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
He will testify of Me.

Never forget that the Holy Spirit's desire and purpose is to
help you -- not to hinder you.

Also, remember that the Holy Spirit is a person, and should be
treated with the utmost respect.

Here are some ways the Holy Spirit desires to help you, and
will help you when you allow Him to.

Teaches Us All Things

JOHN 14:26 NKJ
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in My name, He will teach you all things . . . .

Tells Us Things To Come

JOHN 16:13 NKJ
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, . . . He
will tell you things to come.

Abides With Us

We are not facing life all alone -- as an orphan would. The
Holy Spirit is with us continually -- living with us. When we
need help He is never far away, but always right with us,
waiting for us to call on Him for His help.

Empowers Us To Be Witnesses

ACTS 1:8 NKJ
8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Brings Life And Healing To Us

ROMANS 8:11 NKJ
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead
dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also
give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells
in you.

Encourages Us

ROMANS 8:16 NKJ
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God,

2 CORINTHIANS 13:14 NKJ
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and
the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

SAY THIS: Thank You Holy Spirit that You are my Helper! Thank
You for helping me!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

The Holy Spirit Is Your Helper

JOHN 15:26 NKJ
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from
the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
He will testify of Me.

The Holy Spirit's desire and purpose is to help you -- not to
hinder you.

The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity of God. It
is difficult for humans to understand how there can be only one
God, as the Scriptures teach, yet He can reveal Himself as
three persons. So do not let it be an obstacle for you.

The Holy Spirit is a person, not just a force. He should be
treated with the utmost respect and shown the utmost gratitude.

Following are a few of the ways the Holy Spirit desires to help
you, and will help you if you allow Him to.

In Prayer

ROMANS 8:26 NKJ
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do
not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit
Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot
be uttered.

One weakness of humans, compared to God, is in our limited
knowledge. We do not even know what is happening on the other
side of a wall, let alone the other side of the country. We
also do not know what people are planning to do, but the Holy
Spirit knows everything. And He will help us to pray accurately
and effectively.

One way the Holy Spirit helps us in prayer is by giving us
utterance in a language for prayer which we have never learned.
Thus we can bypass our minds with their doubt and lack of
understanding of what is best, and pray according to the
perfect will of God.

Guides Us

The Holy Spirit will, if allowed, guide you in every area of
life; from the words you should speak, to the spouse you should
marry, to the investments you should make.

JOHN 16:13 NKJ
13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will
guide you . . . .

SAY THIS: Thank You Holy Spirit that You are my Helper!

Friday, March 12, 2010

God Is A Father

EPHESIANS 3:15 AMPLIFIED

15 For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named --
[that Father] from whom all fatherhood takes its title and
derives its name.

I have included these different translations, with the notes
from the margin, to show that the Bible says that all
fatherhood derives from God. In other words, God is the
original Father. Everything good that fathers are, was in God
first. All earthly fatherhood is but a replica of what was
first in God.

EPHESIANS 3:14-15 NIV
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives
its name.

NIV NOTE: Or whom all fatherhood

EPHESIANS 3:14-15 NRSV
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its
name.

NRSV Note: Gk fatherhood

One mission of Jesus on earth was to show us what God was like,
to reveal Him to us. Jesus introduced the concept of God as
Father. The Jews did not know God as Father because the Old
Testament does not teach it. No other religion had looked to
God as a Father. Instead God was generally thought of as a
judge at best, and often as a despicable character who could
only be trusted to let you down; someone who would play tricks
on you just for his amusement, and delight in disappointing
you.

Concepts of God haven't really changed much, have they!

But Jesus revealed to humanity that God was not like they
thought -- He was a good Father. Not someone who would do them
wrong, but someone who would take care of them with their best
interest always at heart. Someone who would love them more than
they loved themselves.

How do you think of God?

SAY THIS: God, I am glad to know You are a Father. Please help
me to always remember that.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

God Really Does Love You

1 JOHN 3:1 NIV
1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we
should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The
reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Yes, you have heard it before. No, you don't understand it yet.

Ephesians 3 mentions praying that believers would know the love
of Christ -- which is really beyond knowledge. In other words,
you need a divine revelation to understand God's love for you.

EPHESIANS 3:19 ICB
19 Christ's love is greater than any person can ever know. But
I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be
filled with the fullness of God.

Yes, you know that Jesus died for you, that God watches over
you, protects you and provides for you. But that does not
really give you insight into how God feels about you. He could
do all that just because He felt obligated to take care of you
because He created you.

No. That is not the whole story. God LOVES you.

"But why would God love me? I don't even love myself" you may
say. Well, pray for a divine revelation -- that is really the
only way to know.

However, for those of you who are parents, this may help give
you a little insight. Think about the love you have for your
children. Can you adequately communicate how you feel to them?
Well, our human love for our children is just a shadow of God's
love for you, as His child.

SAY THIS: Father God, please help me to understand how much you
love me.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

God Has Already Forgiven You

2 CORINTHIANS 5:19 AMPLIFIED
19 It was God (personally present) in Christ, reconciling and
restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and
holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them];
and committing to us the message of reconciliation -- of the
restoration to favor.

A popular idea is that God is really mad at people and can
hardly wait to punish them for their sins.

The truth is that God has already forgiven people. Now you must
accept His forgiveness to enjoy a restored relationship with
Him.

What a shame it is that people are estranged from God and go
without His help and blessing -- simply because they think God
is against them and would have nothing to do with them.

1 JOHN 2:12 NKJ
12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are
forgiven you for His name's sake.

No matter what you have done -- God has already forgiven you!
More than forgiven -- you are loved!

Forgiving you was God's idea -- you do not have to convince
Him. You must believe God forgave you and thank Him.

Jesus Christ already paid the price for all your sins -- and
God is no longer holding any sin against you! You have been
forgiven.

SAY THIS: Thank You Father God for forgiving me! Thank You Jesus!

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

God Loves You

ROMANS 8:39 NLT
39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below -- indeed,
nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from
the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You may find it difficult to believe -- but it's true -- God
loves you. His love for you is not based on your appearance or
your performance -- but on the fact that you are His creation
-- His child.

Just as a good parent loves their children, so God loves His
children -- and even more so. You will not be able to make God
stop loving you, no matter what you do or don't do. You can
displease Him, you can disappoint Him, you can anger Him -- but
you can't make Him stop loving you.

What are the practical consequences of God loving you? First,
it means you can trust Him. No one who truly loves you will
mistreat you. Second, it means God is doing all He can to help
you and bless you.

"Then why am I not more blessed, if God wants to bless me?"
Because you must cooperate with God to receive His blessing.
That is why we need continuing instruction from the Bible -- so
we can know how to receive all that God has for us.

The promise of Jesus is that if we continue in His Word it will
reveal the truth to us and make us free. That is the blessing
which God has provided for you through Christ because He loves
you: true freedom! Freedom from fear, freedom from confusion,
freedom from lack, freedom from sickness, freedom from strife,
freedom from sin.

SAY THIS: God loves me and desires the very best for me. That
is why He gave me His Word, so I could know the truth and be
free.

Monday, March 08, 2010

What Does God Want From Me?

HEBREWS 11:6 NKJ
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who
comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder
of those who diligently seek Him.

You may be working yourself to a frazzle trying to be perfect
so you can please God.

You may have tried so hard and become so frustrated that you
are about ready to give up. Well, maybe you should quit trying
to be perfect on your own -- because none of us will ever be
perfect through our own efforts, anyway.

God knows you are human. He does not expect perfection out of
you. If you were perfect you would not even need a Saviour.

God loves you and accepts you because He made you. And He is
able to make you into what He desires for you to be -- if you
will trust Him and allow Him to work in you.

God wants you to trust Him. He wants your love and respect. He
has certainly earned it and deserves it. Don't let the devil
keep you from giving to God what He really desires: your love
and faith.

What does God desire from you? Not perfect performance -- but
total trust. God wants you to believe that He is good -- a rewarder!

SAY THIS: I trust You Lord God. Thank You for loving me. I will
rest in your love, instead of worrying about my performance.
Work your will in me.

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Forgive!

MARK 11:25-26 NKJ
25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything
against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may
also forgive you your trespasses.
26 "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in
heaven forgive your trespasses."

You must forgive others. No matter what they have done. It is
the command of God. But it was given for our benefit.

To not forgive hurts you. Refusing to forgive is like
swallowing poison daily. It will destroy you.

Jesus said we should forgive when we stand praying. So we don't
have to wait until people apologize. Nor does forgiveness
require a long time.

Forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a decision to quit holding
something against someone. When we forgive people we must
release them and forget it.

You may think it is impossible to forgive someone who has
deeply wronged you. With God it is possible. He never asks us
to do something we cannot do.

LUKE 6:35-38 NKJ
35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for
nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will
be sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and
evil.
36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is
merciful.
37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and
you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed
down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your
bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be
measured back to you."

Whatever we measure out is what will be measured back to us. If
we want others -- including God -- to show mercy to us and
forgive us -- we must forgive and be merciful to others.

It is not enough to forgive only those people who have wronged
us a little. We must forgive everyone!

MATTHEW 18:21-22 NKJ
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times,
but up to seventy times seven.

Surely Jesus was not setting a maximum limit on the number of
times we should forgive. He gave an absurdly high number so we
would realize He meant for us to forgive without limit -- just
as He forgives us.

LUKE 23:33-34 NKJ
33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there
they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand
and the other on the left.
34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know
what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Jesus set a perfect example of forgiveness for us when He
forgave those who mocked Him and crucified Him. But this kind
of forgiveness is certainly beyond normal human ability or
experience. It takes the power of God to do it. When we are
born again we have access to that power through the love of God
inside us.

EPHESIANS 4:32 NKJ
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

We are commanded to forgive others in the same way God has
forgiven us! Having God's help is necessary to do that.

COLOSSIANS 3:13 NKJ
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if
anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave
you, so you also must do.

It is not optional. If we desire God's blessing and fellowship
-- we must forgive others as He forgave us.

SAY THIS: With God's help, I will forgive.

Saturday, March 06, 2010

Seed, Time and Harvest

GENESIS 8:22 NIV
22 "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold
and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

Planting seeds. Then harvesting the crop. As long as the earth
exists, this is the way things work on earth.

This is true in the spiritual realm as well as in the physical
realm. The Bible teaches that our words and our actions are the
seeds we plant, that produce a harvest in our life.

If we are merciful to others, we will be treated with mercy. If
we show love and respect, others will show love and respect to
us. If we speak words of faith and blessing, good things will
increase in our lives. But if we continually speak fear, doubt,
and trouble, life will not go well for us.

GALATIANS 6:7 NIV
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he
sows.

The world has a saying based on this principle, "what goes
around, comes around." We reap what we sow. Using modern terms,
we harvest what we plant. And the more we plant, the larger our
harvest will be, good or bad.

(Fortunately, because of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf,
we can receive forgiveness and cleansing from our sins and not
reap the harvest of death and failure we deserve.)

GALATIANS 3:13a NLT
13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the
law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the
curse for our wrongdoing.

1 JOHN 1:9 NKJ
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Too many people think God "moves in mysterious ways" and any
spiritual blessing we may receive is just like winning the
lottery -- entirely by chance. But the Bible teaches us that
the kingdom of God operates on the "seed principle."

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6 NIV
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap
generously.

So the wise course of action is to continually give out what
you would like to receive. If you desire respect, respect
others. Would you like people to give you things? Then
continually look for opportunities to give to others.

LUKE 6:38 NLT
38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in
full -- pressed down, shaken together to make room for more,
running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give
will determine the amount you get back. "

Seed, Time, and then Harvest is how God operates.

When Jesus wanted to explain to people how God operates in His
Kingdom (or rule), He told them it could be illustrated by
planting a seed, which will then grow, and produce a harvest.

MARK 4:30-32 NLT
30 Jesus said, "How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What
story should I use to illustrate it?
31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the
smallest of all seeds,
32 but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows
long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade."

When seed is planted, it grows up, and increases.

First you have the seed, which must be planted. Then the seed
grows. Growth takes time. This is why it can be helpful to
remember this principle as "seed, time, and then harvest."
Those are the three phases of receiving what God has provided
for you. Plant the seed. Be patient and keep believing while
the seed grows. Then you will reap a harvest of blessing.

Jesus said this is the way He could illustrate how the whole
kingdom (or rule of God) works.

SAY THIS: After I plant good seeds, I expect a good harvest.

Friday, March 05, 2010

Esteem Others Better

PHILIPPIANS 2:3 NKJ
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but
in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than
himself.

When you start thinking you are better than other people, you
are on dangerous ground. It leads to actions opposite to divine
love.

Be on guard! The Bible warns us, and we should take heed.

Of course it's not just what we think of others that's
important, but how we treat others. However, thoughts always
precede and determine actions. So, we must guard our thoughts.

PHILIPPIANS 2:3 NET
3 . . . treat one another as more important than yourself.

Yes, every one of us is better in some way(s) than some other
person or persons. But not one of us is superior in every way
to everyone else.

Of even more importance is that we should not value a human
being by their looks, abilities or accomplishments, but by
their value to God. God is the true judge of human worth and He
thinks that person you are tempted to look down upon is
valuable enough to die for.

When you judge someone as not valuable, or judge yourself as
more valuable than they are, you are setting yourself up as a
judge with higher authority than God.

JAMES 4:6 NLT
6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil
desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but
favors the humble."

God resists the proud!

Only a fool would want God to oppose them or resist them.
Therefore, only a fool, or an ignorant person, would want to be
proud -- which is thinking you are better than others.

1 PETER 5:5 NKJ
5 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."

What do you have that was not given to you? Did you create
yourself? So, what do you really have to boast about?

1 CORINTHIANS 4:7 NKJ
7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have
that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why
do you boast as if you had not received it?

Instead of being proud, be grateful for all God has blessed you
with. And realize God has blessed you so you can also be a
blessing to others -- for they are important to God, too.

1 PETER 2:17 NLT
17 Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and
sisters.

SAY THIS: I will not fall into the trap of thinking I am better
than others.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Glorify God In Death

ECCLESIASTES 3:1-2 KJV
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose
under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a
time to pluck up that which is planted;

Death is a part of life we cannot escape.

The Bible does not say a certain time has been determined for
you to die. It says it has been appointed for us to die once.
After death there will be judgment (not reincarnation.)

HEBREWS 9:27 KJV
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this
the judgment:

There is a time to die. When you have lived a full life, then
it is time to face death.

It is also a good time to die when you can glorify God by your
death. Too many people think life is to be grasped at any cost.
Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's, and we
should seek to glorify Him and please Him.

JOHN 21:19 KJV
19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify
God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

ROMANS 14:7-8 NLT
7 For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves.
8 If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to
honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the
Lord.

I am planning ahead to glorify God in my death. Some people are
only concerned with their comfort. But I desire to leave a good
testimony pointing to the reality of my faith in Jesus Christ.

When I have lived a full life and am satisfied I have finished
my course, my plan is to make sure all my affairs are in order,
then tell the Lord I am ready to come home. I don't plan to
stay around doing nothing but causing trouble for my relatives
just to be able to stay here on earth a few more days.

Too many so-called "believers" don't really seem to believe in
God and Heaven. They act like life on earth is all there is and
every effort and expense should be exerted to stay here every
second possible.

PHILIPPIANS 1:21,23 NLT
21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even
better.
23 I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with
Christ, which would be far better for me.

Should believers have to be dragged out of this life in a
drugged stupor kicking and screaming to stay here in this sin-
infested planet one more day, instead of joyfully giving up the
ghost and eagerly going to meet our wonderful Lord Jesus?

While none of us can claim to be experts on dying, Scripture
seems to indicate that an individual has a part to play --
either in hanging on for dear life, or in giving up the ghost
(spirit).

LUKE 23:46 KJV
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father,
into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he
gave up the ghost.

GENESIS 25:8 KJV
8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age,
an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

What kind of testimony will you leave behind? Will your friends
and relatives see your life and death, and be inspired to
follow you -- and the One you claim to be following, Jesus
Christ?

If you don't think it matters to God how you die, consider the
hall of fame of faith in Hebrews 11. Three of those mentioned
tell how they left this earth.

The world needs to see that faith in Jesus Christ gives us a
triumphant passage through death.

So, let us die in faith, just as we have lived in faith.

SAY THIS: When I am ready, I will die by faith and leave a good
testimony.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

We Know In Part

1 CORINTHIANS 13:9 NKJ
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

The apostle Paul, who was caught up into Heaven, given divine
revelation, and wrote down most of the New Testament, said he
only knew in part.

If he only knew in part -- how much more it must be true for
us.

One problem we have is too many people thinking they know more
than they really do. Just because you have read the Bible does
not make you a Bible expert. Just because you have a degree
from a Bible school does not mean you have all the answers.

Even if you know Hebrew and Greek, so you can read the Bible in
the original languages, it does not mean you understand the
Bible. It can help, but it does not guarantee understanding.
The apostle Paul certainly knew those languages, yet he only
knew in part.

Understanding the Bible does not come through study alone, but
also by divine illumination. Understanding comes from God.

We need to be smart enough to admit, along with the apostle
Paul, that we don't know it all.

It's not a sin to not know everything. We should not feel like
we must have an answer for every question.

God even said there are some things that are secret.

DEUTERONOMY 29:29 NKJ
29 "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those
things which are revealed belong to us and to our children
forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

God also indicates there are things in His Word we will only
see if we search diligently and work at it, like we were
digging for silver (Proverbs 2:1-7).

So, we all need to remain humble. Humility always accompanies
wisdom. There is much in the Bible that none of us yet knows
completely.

1 CORINTHIANS 13:12 NKJ
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.
Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am
known.

Only when we are face to face with God will we see the whole
picture. Until then we will only know in part. Certainly we can
learn more now, and we should. But we must always remember
that, in this life, none of us will ever know it all.

This is not written to make you doubt the Word of God, but
simply to remind you that we are ALL still learning. We don't
know everything. So we should never forget that our faith
should not rest in ourselves, but in the Living God and His
Word.

Jesus promised He would never leave us, so although we don't
know everything -- He does -- and we can trust Him to help us.
In that way we can overcome whatever we face and walk in
victory.

SAY THIS: I don't know everything yet.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

What Is Sin?

1 JOHN 3:4 KJV
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin
is the transgression of the law.

Sin is breaking the Law, missing the mark set by God.

The word "sin" is a translation of the Greek word "hamartia"
which means to miss the mark.

ROMANS 3:23 NLT
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious
standard.

Religious tradition labels many things as sin which the Bible
does not. People make up all kinds of rules based on what they
think is right. But God is the judge and only God can decree
what sin is.

MARK 7:9 KJV
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of
God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

God has not left us to wonder what sin is. The Bible reveals it
to us. We don't have to guess, or make it up as we go.

Just because you do something someone else thinks is wrong does
not mean it is a sin. So don't let people condemn you over
things the Bible does not clearly say are wrong. God is the
judge.

COLOSSIANS 2:8 NKJ
8 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.

Another error is to think being tempted is a sin. Temptation
itself is not sin. You cannot help being tempted. Even Jesus
was tempted -- but He never yielded.

HEBREWS 4:15 NKJ
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with
our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet
without sin.

A common mistake is believing that having bad thoughts is a
sin. It is not a sin to be tempted with bad thoughts. It only
becomes a sin when we embrace those thoughts as our own and
decide to act on them.

JAMES 1:15 NLT
15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is
allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

God is against sin because it is deadly. Sin brings forth
death, not life and blessing. God loves people, so He is
against everything that harms people.

All sin harms people. (Just because you don't see how a sin
would harm anyone, does not mean you know more than God.)

But no human can be right with God by never sinning. We have
all fallen short and need a Savior. It is only by God's grace
and His forgiveness that we can be right with God.

ROMANS 3:20 NLT
20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the
law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

We can be glad because Jesus came to save sinners, and He paid
the price for the forgiveness of all sins by shedding His
blood.

EPHESIANS 1:7 NKJ
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of His grace

SAY THIS: Only God has the authority to decide what sin is.

Monday, March 01, 2010

Are You A Pharisee?

MATTHEW 16:6,12 NKJ
6 Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven
of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."
12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of
the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and
Sadducees.

Why did Jesus warn His disciples to beware of the Pharisees?
What did they do wrong?

(An entire chapter of the Bible (Matthew 23) is Jesus' teaching
against the Pharisees.)

The Pharisees were conservative, faithful "church" members.
They accepted the Bible as the written Word of God. They paid
tithes. They believed in miracles (at least in days past). They
wouldn't dream of stealing, committing adultery, or such
things. You would like living next to a Pharisee as they were
model citizens.

But instead of having a living relationship with God, the
Pharisees took the Word of God and made just another dead
religion out of it.

The Pharisee way of thinking is: keep up appearances. "It
doesn't matter so much what you are on the inside, as long as
you keep the rules (at least publicly)."

Notice that Jesus likened their teaching to leaven, or yeast.
Why? Yeast spreads easily and rapidly. Humans are very
susceptible to approaching God in this manner, "Keep the rules.
Just do these 10 things and you are OK."

Different groups may have different rules, but we all
accumulate them. It may be how many times each week you must
attend church meetings, or what kind of clothes you must wear,
or how you must wear your hair. Or, it may be a list of things
you cannot do. But, as long as you meet these requirements, you
are in good standing with your group (or denomination).

But, good standing with God is based on only one thing
according to the New Testament: faith in what Jesus did for us.
That alone is what makes us right with God. Not our works, but
Jesus' work.

LUKE 12:1 NKJ
1 ... He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of
the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

The Pharisees were hypocrites. That is, they put on an act.
What they pretended to be in public was not really what they
were like in private. They claimed to be perfect in keeping
God's law, but as humans they were all sinners, just like the
rest of the people were. Yet, in public, they insisted that
others keep the Law perfectly, or be condemned.

They were quick to pass judgment on others, and slow to extend
mercy or help. The Pharisees had a legalistic view of God's
Word and did not realize that God was merciful and wanted to
help people.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:6 NKJ
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant,
not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but
the Spirit gives life.

Using God's Word to "kill" instead of using it to minister life
is wrong. God's Word is meant to help people and lift them up,
not place such hard demands on them that they cannot ever
measure up. When we load people down with heavy loads of rules
to keep in order to be right with God, we are ministers of
death.

MATTHEW 23:1-5 NLT
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 "The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the
official interpreters of the law of Moses.
3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow
their example. For they don't practice what they teach.
4 They crush people with impossible religious demands and never
lift a finger to ease the burden.
5 "Everything they do is for show. . . .

If your "Christianity" is nothing more than a list of "do's and
don't's" then you are missing real Christianity, which is a
living relationship with Jesus Christ.

SAY THIS: Jesus does not want me to act like a Pharisee.