Person Of Faith

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Saturday, November 14, 2015
Chapters: Acts 13-15
Message Title: Person Of Faith

Hello My Friend,

“Person of faith”, that is the polite way the media introduces a man or woman of God who has been caught doing something questionable. Now, not every religion that claims God and Jesus is true, but they still represent God to the world, and what the world is trying to do is prove that those who serve and worship God are hypocrites. It's funny how people in the world can do some pretty sick and immoral things yet no one condemns them, but when a “person of faith” is caught doing something silly they are exposed and convicted to the fullest extent of the law. The truth is, we are all sinners, every single one of us, we all have something that we struggle with, and since we belong to God we can expect judgment or persecution for things we haven't done. We must remember that God has our back, we are not to fear anything man can do t us, but what God can do. “Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:” - 1 Peter 3:16-18.

“that he might bring us to God” Jesus did not die just for Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, or Atheists, I mention all these groups because Jesus is not a religion, He is a person, and He died for all, regardless of whether or not we believe in Him. There are literally hundreds of religious groups, but there there is only one Jesus. We who are saved, born again Christians are stuck in the midst of all these religion groups for one purpose and one purpose only, to bring others to God. We will not bring all of them, but through our suffering we will bring some. Now, as Peter and John preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, and they began believing in and accepting Christ the news of it did not go so well with the other apostles, and they confronted Peter about it.

“And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” - Acts 11:1-4,16-18.

“what was I, that I could withstand God?” We are not to question God's reasons for who He chooses to know the Gospel and those who get saved, we are not to question any of God's reasons because they all have a purpose. We are to accept that He knows what He is doing and obey what He tells us to do, regardless of what others think. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” - James 5:19,20.

“he which converteth the sinner” We, who are saved, born again Christians who walk with Jesus begin to act like Jesus, this is the most important thing we can do to reach the lost. Our testimonies of what Christ has done in our lives is often what brings others to Him. However, doing the will of God and preaching the Gospel of Jesus often comes with persecution, it's not something that God wants us to deal with, but it happens because the world despises Jesus, and since we are representing Him they are going to try to stop us. When Jesus was here in the flesh, He warned the disciples that they would face persecution, some may be put in prison, and may even die for their faith, and now we learn of the first apostle to be killed for preaching Jesus and the horrible acts that king Herod tried to commit to increase his fame.

“Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.” - Acts 12:1-7.

“And because he saw it pleased the Jews,” The world cares less about Christians, what they care about is fame and glory. Look at all the other religions out there, do you see them being persecuted and told to stop preaching about their god? No, they are protected and encouraged. Do you see a man who claims to be a woman being persecuted for publicly going against God as his Creator. No, he gets glorified and honored. Do you see a Christian who has every right to reject an offer to make a wedding cake for a gay couple because it goes against her faith being persecuted? Yes, and they get ridiculed for it. Again, we represent the true God, we are going to get persecuted, but He has our back. By the way, the Easter mentioned here is a pagan holiday, where they do some disgusting and immoral things, which is why those who know the truth about Easter call the day the celebration of when Christ arose from the dead Resurrection Day. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.” - Romans 12:19,20.

“Vengeance is mine;” God always gets vengeance on His people, Herod would eventually get killed for what he had done. While we may face public persecution from the world, those in the world face public persecution from God. They will either receive Him or reject Him, but no one escapes knowing the one and only true God and Christ. Now Saul who became Paul, had his share of problems, in fact, he faced more persecution than any of the apostles, but he never stopped preaching Jesus. When a sorcerer who was also a false prophet named Barjesus (Elymas) sought them to know more from the Word of God in order to capture them, God used it to His advantage.

“But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.” - Acts 13:8-12.

“when he saw what was done, believed,” It often takes another persons afflictions and pain for one to see the truth about Jesus and believe in Him. That's why it's important for us to remain faithful to God, we not only are able to confront those who persecute us, we can be witnesses to many others. We are the example, and yes, the world hates our example because we follow Christ, but we must keep living by faith and not become stagnant or afraid to express our faith. Yes, there are times when we have to remain silent, but the Holy Spirit tells us when it's time to speak up, as we listen to Him, we will not fear what man can do to us, and we will boldly proclaim that Jesus is ours. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” - Hebrews 13:5-8.

Today's Prayer: God, We don't have to go far to see that there is a war against Christians, especially by those who even call themselves Christians. You warned us that since we are not of the world we are going to face persecution, but You also gave us a promise that You will never leave nor forsake us. Lord, as we draw closer to Your return, lead us and guide us, protect us from the enemy, and give us the strength and courage we need to boldly proclaim our faith in You. Let us not be afraid and never stop being the example You need us to be to win a lost soul. Keep us in Your mercy and grace, and give us Your power to get through this life as we await the day we get to be with You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Why Am I Going Through This?

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Friday, November 13, 2015
Chapters: Acts 9-10
Message Title: Why Am I Going Through This?

Hello My Friend,

Did you ever notice that sometimes when you are in the will of God nothing seems to go right? No matter what you do you can't move forward, and that vision you had seems to be diminishing? You get to the point that you wonder if you are really in the will of God or doing something horribly wrong. You know, God knows that once we chose Christ there were going to be some challenges, not only do we have the devil and other people to deal with, we have our own flesh to deal with. So, why are we going through these things and how do we get out of them? Keep looking to Jesus and obeying His Word. “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” - Proverbs 29:18.

“but he that keepeth the law,” We all have laws to obey, there are laws of God and laws of man. When the laws of man get in the way of the laws of God it causes a great problem for the Christian. While we are to respect the laws of man, we must never compromise the laws of God. Saul, being taught under the laws of Pharisees was on a mission, he was going to capture every person who professes and preaches Christ and bring them back to Jerusalem to face judgment. On his way to Damascus something strange happened, someone began speaking.

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.” - Acts 9:3-8.

“it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” Prick, to pierce with a sharp pointed instrument or substance. Saul was doing what he thought was the right thing to do under the laws of God, but he was actually resisting His laws by convicting His people. You see, Saul believed in God and followed the laws of Moses, but didn't believe that Jesus was the Son of God. You can't believe in God and not Jesus, doing so always pricks or convicts us until we realize the truth. We may be going through something because we have been resisting God's law, the only way we can overcome it is by praying, listening to the Holy Spirit, and reading His Word, as we do these things, He will direct us to the truth. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” - Romans 8:26,27.

While hidden sin may cause challenges, most of the time, if you are walking with Christ daily, it's not that, in fact, it may be that God wants us to do something that seems kind of strange and not in His will. Jesus also spoke to a man named Ananias, he was a Christian and disciple of Christ, Jesus gave him the task of helping Saul, who everyone knew persecuted Christians. “And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.” - Acts 9:10-16.

“for he is a chosen vessel unto me,” While we think that some people are beyond salvation, we never know who God can prick the heart of to be saved, and used for serving Him. It often takes those faithful to Christ to reach those who are either lost or backslidden, and while it may seem strange to us, it's not strange to God. I for one much rather be a chosen vessel of honor for Jesus rather than one of dishonor. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.” - 2 Timothy 2:19-21.

Now, Peter being brought up in the Jewish culture himself still followed some of their customs, such as not eating animals that were considered unclean under the law. In an odd circumstance, God used a saved Roman soldier, named Cornelius to show him that the Gospel of Christ eliminated the need for Jewish customs held under the Law, and that salvation was for not only the Jews.
“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” - Acts 10:1-5,24-28.

“I should not call any man common or unclean.” Not one person born is better than another, we are all sinners, we all have needs, emotions, and react differently to certain situations. Sometimes we face challenges because we are hindering God from working in us by making our own laws. Jesus did not die on the cross for one group of people, He died for all, whether we choose to believe that or not is our own choice. We will suffer if we deny anyone the opportunity to know Christ when the Holy Spirit lays it upon our heart to witness to them. As Christians our first and far most task is to preach the Gospel of Christ to anyone God lays upon our heart. “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;” - Romans 2:9-12.

Today's Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for willingly giving Yourself as payment for the debt I owe for my sins, for seeing something in me that You chose me to be a vessel for You. Lord, I do not know why You have chosen me, but I do know that You will be with me, guiding me along the way as You direct my path. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me Your power, strength, and wisdom to discern false doctrine, let me know how to explain the truth to others, and give me compassion on the lost and the boldness to preach Your Gospel to all You lay upon my heart. Keep me looking to You when I am tired and weary, and help me get up when I feel like giving up the fight. In Your name, Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Living With Christ Through Trials

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Thursday, November 12, 2015
Chapters: Acts 7-8 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-316.html
Message Title: Living With Christ Through Trials

Hello My Friend,

With all the trials and tribulations that come from being a Christian, there truly is no other life to live. Let me tell you, when we belong to Christ we are not a friend of the world, and the world will call us out in a second. The more we live with Christ the more we will be persecuted by the world, but remember this, you shine, you are the light that gives hope to others as Christ shines through you. It's all about following the will of God and believing in His promises, after all, we have nothing to be worried about, if our flesh goes to sleep we will wake up with Jesus. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:13,14.

“concerning them which are asleep,” A saved soul dwells in the body of the person that it is living in, but when that body dies or in our case goes to sleep our soul is taken up to heaven with Jesus. A soul that does not know Jesus is cast into hell to await a more excruciating eternal death when Jesus returns to judge everyone. The Holy Spirit does some amazing things in us when we allow Him to work in us, but we also face some trials when we do. Stephen a true, born again Holy Spirit filled man of God, chosen along with six other men to head up the first Christian church in Antioch, was great at preaching the Gospel. He lead so many to the Lord, but this did not go well with the religious leaders because the people were turning away from them. Now he stands before the council to plead his case and interestingly, instead of defending himself he gave them a history lesson about Israel, including delivering Jesus to the Gentiles upon His death.

“Then said the high priest, Are these things so? And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things? Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.” - Acts 7:1-3,45-51,54.

“they were cut to the heart,” These men were literally biting him and beating on him, it was the only way they could stop him. They killed Stephen that day, and did it out of pure hatred of their own convictions. Conviction cuts straight to the heart, and sadly we are the targets because we are right there at the time. I remember the first time I went soul winning, the very first door I was yelled at. The man was not mad at me, he was bitter and angry over his life or past and I happened to be the one he went off on. It's personal to us, it's personal to God, it's Him that they are mad at. Jesus said, if they welcome us great, if not, move on and go to the next door, it's not us they have to face, but Jesus. “And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.” - Luke 9:4,5.

Many times people believe a false religion because it's all they know, I grew up Catholic, and still today I catch myself following those traditions I was taught. Saul, was a Pharisee and did what he was taught, including persecuting Christians, he followed orders because he thought it was the right thing to do. Meanwhile, Philip, wondering if they would come after him too went into Samaria and continued preaching the Gospel there, introducing Christ to the Gentiles and leading many to the Lord, including a sorcerer named Simon.

“And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.” - Acts 8:1-6,13.

“he continued with Philip,” I mention Simon because we must realize that not everyone or religion that claims to know Christ is true. Simon was the first heretic in the Christian Church, the first to claim his fellowship with Christ, but was never actually saved. He followed Philip with the intent to figure out all the miracles being made and was found out when Peter and John showed up.

“Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” - Acts 8:14-22.

“for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.” We may appear to know Christ, but God knows the heart of each and every person that truly accepts and believes in His Son. These people were not filled with the Holy Spirit by any special power that the Apostles had, it was their faith that filled them with Him. Salvation cannot be bought, it cannot be sold, and that is because it was already bought and paid for by Jesus, who died in our place for our sins. You can ask Jesus to save you and be baptized many times, but it doesn't work that way, you must believe in what Jesus is saving you from, and it only takes one time to ask Him. I am proof that, I asked Jesus to come into my heart many times, I was even baptized as a baby, but none of that saved me. It was only when I was presented with the Gospel and understood what Jesus did for me that I truly repented and received Him as my Saviour. “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” - Romans 3:22-24.

Today's Prayer: God, I cannot ever forget the love and mercy that You showed me when You brought me up out of the pit I was in and gave me a new beginning. No suffering can compare to what I would receive had I not put my faith and trust in Your Son to save me. It is only by Your power that I am what I am today and even though I am going through some struggles I know You are with me, and You will see me through them as I stand by my faith in You. I love You, Lord and pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Called To Be A Soldier

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Chapters: Acts 4-6
Message Title: Called To Be A Soldier

Hello My Friend,

Anyone that has served Christ knows that sooner or later we all face the opposition. Of all the religions out there none face more opposition than one that follows the true Christ. It's not the rules or values they oppose because quite frankly, many religions teach to do good, it's the man they oppose. Why? Christ is the only living God, He not only came here in the flesh and gave His life for all mankind, He arose and is alive and well and sitting at the right hand of God still today. As Christians, we in a spiritual war that will not end until Christ returns, and have been drafted into the army of Christ to be soldiers. We are going to face opposition, and by the grace of God we will win. “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” - 2 Timothy 2:1-4.

“that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” While thousands of people get saved, Jesus only calls willing souls to be His soldiers. If you think that you are exempt and disqualified to be His in His army, think again, He knows who to call. Is it going to be easy? Just like any war, we are going to win some and lose some, but we just have to keep on doing what He called us to do. After the lame man got saved and began walking he ran into the temple praising God, it didn't take long for the skeptics to find fault in not only the man, but who he was believing in. The instant they found out that Peter and John were preaching the Gospel of Christ, they wanted them stopped, but the Holy Spirit directed Peter on what to say to them.

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” - Acts 4:8-13.

“perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men,” The world, especially those who refuse to admit they do nothing wrong, has a hard time comprehending that a man would die for all the people of the world and give ever lasting life to those who believe in Him, to them we who do believe are unlearned, and ignorant. All I have to say is at least I don't believe that I came from a monkey. The truth is, it's much easier to believe that man evolved into a being through trial and error of the environment rather than admit the things they are doing are immoral and just plain wrong. They are the ones who are ignorant to the truth, and there is no convincing them otherwise. “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” - Romans 1:22-25.

Soldiers literally become living sacrifices to protect and serve their country, they are often treated with disrespect and pushed to the side by the very people they protect, yet they do it willingly and without complaint. When Christ gave His life on the cross, He didn't just do it for a certain group of people, He did if for all mankind, even if they reject Him, He did it willingly and without complaint. When Christ calls us to be soldiers we are those living sacrifices that are to protect and serve our Saviour, meaning keep living by faith, protecting the precious Gospel and do it willingly without complaint. As we know, being a soldier for Christ comes with some dangers, but He is watching over us and protecting us. He knows exactly to tell us when and when not to speak concerning the Gospel. Peter and John were arrested for preaching Jesus, but they were miraculously released and told to go back into the temple and preach.

“Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” - Acts 5:17-21,27-29.

“and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” These people weren't worried about them preaching Jesus, but that the people would catch on that He is true and they were liars. I have never seen so many incidences in American over the courts getting involved in Christians businesses, and forcing them to go against what they morally know is wrong. And it's not only in American, all over the world Christians are being forced to follow the unjustly rules of the courts rather than obey God. Once again, as soldiers, we are going to face some opposition for our faith, but it is God that we have to face for any wrong decision we make that goes against His Word. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” - Matthew 12:36,37.

Part of being a soldier for Christ is taking care of the people in the church, some are called to be preachers, teachers, and ministers (workers), while others are just called to be there when the doors are open. God gave the church so that likeminded individuals have a place to worship Him, understand His Word, and grow as a Christian, and while money is not the object, it is what keeps the bills paid and doors open, which is why giving tithes has always been encouraged. There was some discord in the first church for Christ because people were not getting taken care of, Peter gathered seven Holy Spirit filled men to run the church, the most prosperous was Stephen, and the unbelieving Jews did not like it very much.

“And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:” - Acts 6:7-13.

“Then they suborned men,” Because they could not find fault with Stephen, they found wicked false witnesses to accuse him of blaspheming God. The biggest battle as a soldier for Christ is false religion, there thousands of churches, some that claim to know Jesus, but He is not evident. When a church preaches about how much Jesus loves them, but never preaches the Gospel and remission of sins, something is wrong, and when you speak the truth they will put you out in a second. As soldiers, we must tell the truth, especially when God lays it upon our hearts to do so, and never fall for the lies of false witnesses, be the one who calls them out when they try to speak their lies. “Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” - 2 Timothy 2:14-16.

Today's Prayer: Jesus, You have called us to be soldiers, You didn't pick us because we had special skills or great strength, You picked us because we were willing to be a living sacrifice, to follow by Your example and be the true witness that the world needs. Like every soldier, serving You comes with some dangers, but You are right there with us and will protect us, even if you call us home. Lord, help me to be a good soldier, lead me and guide me, help me to grow each day with You, trusting in Your Word, Your mercy, grace, forgiveness, patience, and love, and give me the strength and boldness You need to stand by the truth and not be afraid to speak it when You tell us to. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Being A Witness For Christ

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Chapters: Acts 1-3
Message Title: Being A Witness For Christ

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Acts is the fifth book of the New Testament, forty-fourth book of the Bible, and contains twenty-eight chapters. The author of the book is Luke and it was written to all believers, addressed specifically to Theophilus, which means, lover of God. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 34AD and 65AD. The purpose of the book was to explain what Jesus continued to do after His ascension into heaven in the form of the Holy Spirit. What we are to learn from the book is that true evidence of the Holy Spirit is directed by the power of God, in all believers, it is He who gives them the power to become witnesses for Christ. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” - Acts 1:8.

The Book of Acts is basically summed up in one subject, soul winning or preaching the Gospel of Christ to the lost. When Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep, He instructed him to teach the Gospel to others so generation after generation can continue the work. As Jesus speaks with His disciples one last time before ascending up to heaven, He reminds them He will always be with them through the Holy Spirit, and that they are to be witnesses to the lost until He returns. They asked Him when He will return and restore Israel and He gave this response.

“And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” - Acts 1:7-11.

“why stand ye gazing up into heaven?” Many of us wait for the day Jesus returns, and there are so many signs of His soon return, but we can't just stand there waiting, we have work to do. There is a saying, “Live as though today will be your last day, but always plan for tomorrow.” We who are saved and living our lives with the power of the Holy Spirit in us are witnesses of the amazing life that only Jesus can give, and believe it or not, we have the power to save a soul. No, we cannot literally touch and save someone, only Jesus saves, but the way we live with Christ in us can lead some lost people to Him. “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” - James 5:19,20.

Jews from all over the world and every language gathered to hear Peter and the other Apostles preach during the day of Pentecost, it was amazing, just as Jesus promised they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Their first miracle was speaking in tongues, now, this was not some mumbo jumbo that you hear people saying that claim they speak in tongues, they were speaking the Gospel in their own native language, but the people heard every work in their own.

“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” - Acts 2:37-41,46,47.

“Repent, and be baptized every one of you” Many people take this verse out of context, they are led to believe that in order to be saved they need to receive Christ and be baptized. He wasn't referring to water baptism here, but being baptized with the Holy Spirit. Remember, John baptized with water, Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit. To repent means to turn away from thinking that our own works can save us, and turn to Christ. Water baptism is a public profession that we have repented and are only trusting in Christ. And while baptism has nothing to do with our salvation, to fully understand the power of the Holy Spirit in us it is important that we also get baptized with water. Water baptism illustrates what Jesus did when He got baptized, He certainly didn't need remission for His sins we He got baptized, but when He came up out of the water He received the fullness of the Holy Spirit in Him (remember the Spirit came upon Him like a dove coming from heaven).

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” - Romans 6:3-5.

Three thousand people were saved and got baptized that day, the Apostles continued preaching the Gospel to everyone and everywhere they met. As Peter and John were going into the temple, they were led by the Holy Spirit to speak to a blind beggar sitting at the gate. “And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God:” - Acts 3:4-9.

“Silver and gold have I none” So many people think they are doing homeless beggars a favor when they give them money, while we are certainly not to ignore the poor, what they really need is Jesus. Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit, He will enable all who allow Him to work in their lives the power to do anything, even come out of poverty. While the Holy Spirit does give us the power to do and get through anything, He will only do it if it will glorify God. We are not miracle workers, but we can be the miracle someone needs. God does give us the power to heal people in many ways through His power, but only He can save a life that truly wants to be saved. “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” - Colossians 3:4,15,24.

Today's Prayer: God, No other power in the world can compare to Your Power, only You can give me the power to overcome my afflictions, trials, and difficulties and in the midst of them, be a testimony to others. I try and try to handle things on my own, but it never works, You are my hope, my peace, my comfort, and my sanity. Lord, I need Your power, give me Your power and work in me so much that others see You through me and receive You too. Thank You for loving me and not giving up on me and for always being there when I need You, even when I try to do things on my own. I love You, Lord and pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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The Power Of God

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Monday, November 09, 2015
Chapters: John 19-21 http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-313.html
Message Title: The Power Of God

Hello My Friend,

Power, the strength of doing or performing any thing. The exertion of power proceeds from the will of the mind, and no mind destitute of will can exert power. Power in man is active or speculative. Active power is that which moves the body; speculative power is that by which we see, judge, remember, or in general, by which we think. Everyone has some kind of power, we all love to make things happen, to be in control of something, and it is our will that drives that power. As with all things, power can be abused, and some people will resort to wicked and evil things to get or be in control. Can I tell you that no matter what we are going through we have the power to overcome it. How? Christ. He is the drive behind our power, if we get with Him, no one can mess with us, and if they do they answer to Him. Never underestimate the power of God, He is truly our strength to endure all things. “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” - Hebrews 10:30,31,36.

The devil tried his best to put a stop to the one man who had the power to cast him into hell, Jesus Christ. He tempted and tried Him many times, but this time he was going to try to alter the prophecies concerning His death, burial, and resurrection. Pontius Pilate wanted nothing to do with sentencing Jesus to death, he tried to get the people to pardon Him, but the more he tried the more ruthless they got. “When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.” - John 19:6-11.

“except it were given thee from above” Pilate might have had power on men, but he had no power on God. When God says He will do something no one can stop Him, and no one can alter His plans unless He says so. Jesus knew that Pilate did not want to deliver Him into their hands, He assures him that they are the ones who would suffer the most. While God hates all sin and no matter what we do it all carries one final punishment if we do not accept Christ, some things are just abominable to Him, and will be the death of those who do them. “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” - 1 John 5:16,20.

For three days the devil was in his glory, for thee days he thought he defeated God, for three days he laughed and rejoiced over seeing Jesus dead and buried in a tomb, but through all his gloating he failed to realize that not even death can stop the power of God. Just as it was foretold on the third day Jesus arose, He began walking through town showing Himself to those who sought His body. As you can imagine the disciples were still trying to figure out everything after all Jesus never mentioned that He would come back to life, and for the first time in over three years they were without their Master. Jesus showed up in a room where some of the disciples were hiding from the Jews because they feared for their own lives, they rejoiced and told others, but Thomas would not believe unless he saw Jesus.

“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” - John 20:24-29.

“and be not faithless, but believing.” Do you know how many people see something right before their eyes and still do not believe in the power of God? Jesus wanted Thomas to understand that seeing Him was not accepting Him, but He must have faith to believe. We can see some amazing things with our eyes, imagine what we can really see by opening them to Jesus. Blessed are those who have faith and believe without seeing, for they will truly see the power of God working in their lives. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” - 1 John 5:13-15.

Even though we believe and have known and seen the power of God on our lives, sometimes we lose sight of that when things are going right. Peter, still feeling guilty and ashamed for denying Jesus went back to fishing, he was out on the lake and it was not going well. Jesus, standing on the shore, and after telling them where to cast their nets (they only cast one and got so many fish that it took several men to bring it into the ship) calls them to shore to eat. Jesus had a job for Peter, and He repeated it three times.

“He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” - John 21:17-22.

“If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” First of all, when Jesus has a job for us, He is going to keep asking us if we love Him so we don't forget ourselves. Second, since He is not here, He calls on us to tell the world about Him. Third, every one of us has our own path in which God gives us, while some of us are allowed to do certain things, others are not. I believe God does this because He knows how much each one of us can handle. Forth, don't worry about what others are doing, follow Jesus, and worry about what He wants you to do. We are to please God, no one else, and we are not to judge anyone for the things that God allows of others that we would not approve of.

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” - Romans 14:17-22.

Today's Prayer: God, There is nothing more powerful that Your Word, no matter how many people try to alter it or alter our perception of it it always remains as it is written. It is comforting to know that when You have a plan You stop at nothing for it to come to pass, including Your plan for me. Thank You for loving me and not giving up on me, for waiting patiently for me to learn the truth about Your Son, and how important it is to have Him in my life. Thank You Jesus, for dying for me, for redeeming me, and for making me one of Your very own. I love You Lord, and pray in your name, Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Their Foolish Heart

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Sunday, November 08, 2015
Chapters: John 16-18
Message Title: Their Foolish Heart

Hello My Friend,

Approximately forty-five years, eight months, and two weeks ago, God created me, He had a plan for me from conception, it was predestined that I would come to know His Son, but the rest was up to me. God's gift of free will gave me the choice on whether or not I would do what I was predestined to do, and praise God by His mercy and grace He found me, He gave me a tender heart to come to know Christ and not only be His creation, but His child. The world can't see how precious life is, they will destroy it in an instant to satisfy their own lusts, but to God, every life is precious, that is why we are all predestined to know Christ from conception. Sadly, few will find Him. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” - Romans 1:20,21.

God loves us so much that He willingly forsook all His power as the Almighty God and came down to earth in the flesh as the Son of God. Jesus, willingly went to God, the Father, not as the Son of God, but as a man, becoming a servant to all, whether they believed in Him or not. Why did God lower Himself to become a man? He became the only sinless sacrifice that would save mankind. As Jesus explains to the disciples the events that were about to take place they were getting sad and fearful, but Jesus tells them that it must come to pass.

“But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:6-13,33.

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” There are so many things that God wants to say to us, but we couldn't bare them right now. God knows what we need to know and the time in which to know and handle it. God gives us information in stages, in the beginning we are babes, we are fed milk, but as we grow He reveals more to us so we don't get overwhelmed and bolt. Sometimes in order to see Jesus, we must let Him go to the cross. To fully understand what He did for us we need to see Him dying for us on the cross, and not only that, but that He was in the tomb, and arose three days later too. The foolish heart does not see the Bible for truth, only a myth. The Holy Spirit is our guide to the things of God, without Him we never understand God. “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” - 1 Peter 2:1-3.

Before a person even asks Jesus to save them, amazingly, He has already seen their hearts open to Him, and He prays for them, literally pleading that they would receive Him. Even more amazing is that the second a person says, “I believe Jesus died to save me from my sins.” they are saved before they even say Amen, and He is with them forever. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can separate us from Jesus, even though we can't escape trials and tribulations, He is right there with us, not only to help us, but praying for us as well. Just before Jesus would be captured and crucified He says a prayer to the Father for His people.

“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” - John 17:1-3,6,6,15-17.

“that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” The second we ask Jesus to come into our heart and save us we become His property, we belong to Him and He belongs to us. Jesus still prays for all of His believers, while He wants everyone to be saved, He is more concerned about those who do believe in Him than those who do not. The foolish heart can't see the need for Jesus, in fact, they are offended that He would be their property. Jesus knows that they will face some persecution by the foolish and wants to assure us that He is ours and nothing can separate us. We are not of this world, we are of God's world. Praise God!

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:35-39.

Jesus knew the time had come, it was time to finish the mission that God sent Him to earth for, to give eternal life to all who believe in Him. After Jesus prayed He came down from the mountain and was captured, submitting Himself solely to the will of God. When asked by Pilate what He had done, Jesus told them plainly why He had been captured. “Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.” - John 18:35-38.

“Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” The foolish heart only sees Jesus as a man, a Jewish man who preached about God. Those who believe in Him, hear Him, His voice screams at them, especially when He has been trying to get our attention and we have been struggling with something on our own. I know this to be true as it took me until I got to the point of almost dying that I heard Him screaming at me to get up because He did not bring me here to leave this way. Jesus speaks to His people all the time, and He never tires of it, in fact, He knows on the doors of many hearts, we just need to answer. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” - Revelation 3:20,21.

Today's Prayer: God, I want to thank You for sending Your Son to save me, I am trusting fully in Him for eternal life with You. While I humble myself to You, help me to submit solely to You, with all the joy, peace, and comfort that only comes from Christ who is mine. Lord, just as You are the example that I need to follow let me be the example for someone else to follow in hopes that they too can find peace in the Savior. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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