#Is Psalm 23 about Jesus?

[jesuslivesinyou]

కీర్తనలు 23: గొర్రెల కాపరి యొక్క మార్గదర్శక హస్తం

23 కీర్తనల గురి౦చి ఆలోచి౦చడ౦, పర్వత ప్రస౦గాన్ని విమర్శనాత్మక౦గా సమీక్షి౦చడానికి ప్రయత్ని౦చడ౦ లాంటిదే! చాలా మంది రచయితలు ఈ అందమైన రచన గురించి విస్తృతంగా రాశారు, నిస్సారంగా అనిపించకుండా జాగ్రత్త అవసరం. కోట్లాదిమందికి, దావీదు యొక్క ఈ కీర్తనలు ముత్యముగా ఉ౦టుంది.

కీర్తన 23 గురి౦చిన ఆశ్చర్యకరమైన విషయమేమిట౦టే, అందులో కేవలం ఆరు వచనాలు మాత్రమే ఉన్నాయి. అయినా, ఆ ఆరు చిన్న వచనాలు ప్రభావం ప్రపంచవ్యాప్తంగా కనిపించింది. 23వ కీర్తన అనేక శతాబ్దాలుగా అలసిపోయిన ఆత్మలకు విశ్రాంతినిచ్చి౦ది, మానవుని రచనలేవీ సరిపోలలేవనే ఆశా సందేశాన్ని అది అ౦ది౦చి౦ది.

యేసుక్రీస్తు మంచి కాపరి అని పిలువబడ్డాడు. ఆయన తన అనేక ఉపమానాల్లో తన పోలికను ఉపయోగించాడు. యోహాను 10:11 లో యేసు ఇలా అన్నాడు, "నేను మంచి కాపరిని. మంచి గొర్రెల కాపరి గొర్రెల కోసం ప్రాణత్యాగం చేస్తాడు." యేసు యోహాను 10:14 లో కూడా చెప్పాడు, "నేను మంచి గొర్రెల కాపరిని; నా గొర్రెలు నాకు తెలుసు, నా గొర్రెలకి నేను తెలుసు." క్రైస్తవులకు యేసుక్రీస్తు మంచి కాపరి. ఆయనతో కలిసిన వారు ఆయనకు తెలుసు, ఎందుకంటే ఒక సంబంధం ఉంది. ఆ బంధం ప్రేమ మీద ఆధారపడి ఉంటుంది. దేవుని ప్రేమ ప్రజలందరికీ రక్షణ మార్గాన్ని తెరిచింది.

కీర్తన 23 యేసుక్రీస్తును ఇలా సూచిస్తుంది మంచి గొర్రెల కాపరి, ఆయన తన శిష్యుల కోస౦ చేసే పనిని కూడా అది వర్ణిస్తు౦ది. గొర్రెల కాపరి తన మందను సంరక్షిస్తాడు మరియు పెంచుతాడు. విశ్వాసము, పశ్చాత్తాపము, ఒప్పుకోలు, బాప్తిస్మము ద్వారా యేసుక్రీస్తుతో కలిసిన వారికి అదే జరుగుతుంది. అందులో ప్రధానమైనది ప్రేమ. పాత నిబంధన లేఖనాల్లో విధేయత, తీర్పుకు ప్రాధాన్యమిచ్చారు. క్రొత్త నిబంధన లేఖనాల్లో విధేయత మరియు తీర్పు సూత్రాలు కూడా ఉన్నాయి; కానీ వాటితో యేసుక్రీస్తు ద్వారా దేవుని గొప్ప ప్రేమ, క్రీస్తులో ఉన్నవారు ఆస్వాదించగల ఆశీర్వాదాలు జతచేయబడతాయి.

క్రైస్తవులు క్రీస్తులోని పరలోక ప్రదేశాలలో ప్రతి ఆధ్యాత్మిక ఆశీర్వాదాన్ని పొందుతారని పౌలు వ్రాశాడు. క్రీస్తు యేసుకు వెలుపల ఉన్నవారు పోయారు. గొర్రెల కాపరి, రక్షణ లేని గొర్రెను మించిన నిస్సహాయత మరొకటి లేదు. కోల్పోయిన గొర్రెలు తోడేళ్ళు మరియు ఇతర జంతువులకు సులభమైన వేట. వారు సులభంగా చిక్కుకుంటారు మరియు వారు తమను తాము చూసుకోలేరు. గొర్రెల కాపరి లేని గొర్రెలు నశిస్తాయి, యేసు క్రీస్తు లేని ప్రజలు కూడా నశిస్తారు.

కానీ క్రీస్తులో ఉన్నవారికి మంచి కాపరి ఉన్నాడు. ఆయన వల్ల విశ్రాంతి, పోషణ, మార్గదర్శకత్వం లభిస్తాయన్న వాగ్దానం ఉంది. ఒక క్రైస్తవుడు జీవిత ప్రమాదాలను ఎదుర్కొన్నప్పుడు, అతడు లేదా ఆమె ఇలా అనగలరు, "నేను ఏ అపాయమునకు భయపడను, ఎందుకంటే మీరు నాతో ఉన్నారు; నీ దుడ్డుకర్రయు, నీ దండమును నన్ను ఆదరించును."

4వ వచనములో, "మరణపు నీడ లోయ" నేరుగా భౌతిక మరణ సమయాన్ని సూచించదు. 4వ వచనము నేటి జీవితంపై మరింత ప్రత్యక్ష ప్రభావాన్ని చూపుతుంది. "మరణపు నీడ లోయ", లేదా "చీకటి లోయ" అనేది ఈ జీవితపు అనుభవాలు తీవ్రమైన దుఃఖం, బాధ మరియు బాధకు దారితీసే సమయం. ఆత్మ వేదన భారంలో గుండె పగిలిపోయేలా చేస్తుంది.

చిత్రాలు చాలా స్పష్టంగా ఉన్నాయి! ఒక వ్యక్తి చీకటి మరియు ప్రమాదకరమైన ప్రదేశానికి దారితీసే మార్గంలో నడుస్తున్నాడు. చీకట్లో శత్రువు సమీపించడాన్ని చూడలేం. నీడలో, తదుపరి మలుపు చుట్టూ ఒక దాడి సిద్ధంగా ఉందో లేదో మీకు తెలియదు. ఒంటరిగా ఉన్న వ్యక్తికి ఎంత భయానక ప్రదేశం? కానీ క్రీస్తులో, ఒక వ్యక్తి ఒంటరిగా లేడు! అడుగడుగునా దేవుని బిడ్డ చెడు నుండి రక్షింపబడతాడు. సమస్యలు వచ్చినప్పుడు, పరిష్కారం లేనప్పుడు, నిరాశ అంచున వణుకుతున్నప్పుడు ఈ మాటలు గుర్తుంచుకోవాలి! మేము ఎప్పుడూ ఒంటరిగా లేము! ప్రభువును నమ్మండి!

ప్రేరేపిత దేవుని వాక్య౦ ఎల్లప్పుడూ జీవిత౦లో పరీక్షలు జరుగుతాయనే సత్యాన్ని చెబుతో౦ది. కానీ 5వ వచన౦ దేవుడు తన ప్రజలను - తన పిల్లలను జాగ్రత్తగా చూసుకుంటాడని మళ్ళీ నొక్కి చెబుతో౦ది. "నా శత్రువుల యెదుట నీవు నాకు భోజనము సిద్ధపరచుదువు. నూనెతో నా తల అంటియున్నావు. నా గిన్నె నిండి పొర్లుచున్నది."

పిల్లలు తమ శారీరక అవసరాలను తీర్చడానికి వారి తల్లిదండ్రుల వైపు చూస్తారు. ప్రేమగల తల్లిద౦డ్రులు తమ పిల్లలకు ఆశ్రయ౦, ఆహార౦, భద్రతను ఇవ్వడానికి ప్రయత్నిస్తారు. అదే విధ౦గా, దేవుడు తన పిల్లలను పోషించడానికి ప్రయత్ని౦చడమే కాదు, నెరవేరుస్తాడు. కొన్నిసార్లు భౌతిక౦గా, కానీ ఎల్లప్పుడూ ఆధ్యాత్మిక౦గా యెహోవా మనకు ఓదార్పును, పోషణను, శత్రువుల ను౦డి రక్షణను ఇస్తాడు.

చివరి వచనము ఈ కీర్తన దానిని వెల్లడిస్తుంది కిరీటం ధరించిన ఆభరణo: "నిశ్చయంగా మంచితనం మరియు కరుణ నా జీవిత కాలమంతా నన్ను అనుసరిస్తాయి మరియు నేను ఎల్లప్పుడూ ప్రభువు మందిరములో నివసిస్తాను." ఈ శక్తివంతమైన ప్రకటన ఈ రెండింటినీ ప్రతిబింబిస్తుంది. ప్రస్తుత సహాయం మరియు and శాశ్వతత్వం కోసం ఆశ—మన లోతైన అవసరాలను తీర్చే లోతైన కలయిక. దేవుని వర్ణనాతీతమైన వరానికి కృతజ్ఞతలు – మన ప్రభువైన యేసుక్రీస్తు!

[walkswithmyfather]

Philippians 3:8-11 (FBV). [8] “Truly, I count everything as loss in exchange for the incredible benefit I've gained through knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I've thrown away all these things for him, and consider them trash, so that I might gain Christ. [9] I want to be found in him, not being right because of what I've done, or what the law requires, but made right through confidence in Christ, set right by God through trusting in him. [10] I want to really know him, and the power of his resurrection—to take part in his suffering and become like him in his death, [11] so that somehow I might be part of the resurrection from the dead!”

“Handling Difficult Circumstances” By In Touch Ministries:“Focus on Jesus instead of your difficulties—He will provide deliverance, comfort, and peace.”

“The apostle Paul understood how to handle tough situations. Even while he was in prison, he kept his eyes on Christ. Therefore, despite being in chains, he was able to celebrate the Lord’s work in his life. In fact, the epistle he wrote from jail to the Philippians was filled with rejoicing and praise (Philippians 1:18; Philippians 2:18; Philippians 3:1).

Focusing on Christ is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the circumstance at hand, searching for solutions or stewing over the pain and difficulty. As a result, troubles can look scary and overwhelming.

However, fear and defeat can’t live long in a heart that trusts the Lord. That’s not to say you’ll forget what you’re going through, but you can choose to dwell on God’s provision and care instead. He is our Deliverer (2 Corinthians 1:10), Healer (Jeremiah 17:14), and Guide (Psalm 23:3). The believer who lays claim to divine promises discovers that God pushes back negative emotions and replaces them with hope, confidence, and contentment. This doesn’t mean you’ll be happy about a difficult situation, but you can be satisfied that God is in control and working things for your good.

Focus on Christ instead of your circumstances—God will give comfort and bring you through the trial. Then you’ll be ready to answer Paul’s call to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).

[Photo thanks to Christopher Sardegna at Unsplash.]

[10yrsyart]

i decided to try something a little different. i often have these discussions in my head as i’m studying the Bible, but Apologetics can be heavy in text and hard to understand. so i thought.. well, i’m an artist. maybe i can make this more palatable. (the place they are at is my mindscape for prayer)

there are tons of places to go from here, and maybe i will in the future. but as someone who is coming out of a foundation of anxiety, this particular message is important to me. there is no condemnation for those that trust in the Lord and His work. He is capable of helping us and carrying us to the finish line 💙

transcript: 

10: Y'know Lord, a lot of people read Matthew 7:21-23 and get scared. “Not everyone who calls out to Me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Jesus: “On judgment day many will say to M, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in Your name and performed miracles in Your name!' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God's laws.' “ Let's think about this. What are the “works” of God?

10: Uhm.. oh! John 6:29, “Jesus told them, 'This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the One He has sent.' “ So then, they didn't really believe in You? You said You don't know them.

Jesus: Now read Matthew 12:50.

10: “Anyone who does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother!”

Jesus: My family are those who have been adopted through the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:15-16 says, “You received God's Spirit when He adopted you as His children (…) For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.” These are the ones that I “know.” As for My Father's will-

10: Oh, I know this one. John 6:40, “For it is My Father's will that all who see His Son and believe in Him shall have eternal life.” So essentially, the people saying “Lord, Lord” weren't believers because they trusted in their works to save them, instead of Your work on the cross. And You said You don't know them to prove they don't have the Holy Spirit.

Jesus: They are similar to the crowd I speak to in Revelation 3:15-21.

10: Ah, the dreaded Lukewarmers. “You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing.' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” Yikes.

Jesus: And what do I tell them to buy from Me in verse 18?

10: White garments, among other things..

Jesus: Psalm 51:7 says, “Purify me from my sins and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” And 1 John 1:7 says, “The blood of Jesus, (God's) Son, cleanses us from all sin.” You, for example, are already in possession of white garments. My blood through My sacrifice cleansed them when you believed.

10: So the Lukewarmers don't believe in You either, because they trust in their wealth and possessions instead of You. But they say they're Christians just because they do to Church, or because their families are Christian.

Jesus: Born Again believers with the Holy Spirit never have to fear rejection from Me or My Father. “And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of those He has given Me, but that I should raise them up on the last day.” (John 6:3) As John 14:23 states, We will never take the Holy Spirit away once He's been given.

10: Once “Born Again”, no “unborning again” happening later, ey?

Jesus: Hahah! “No, I will not abandon you as orphans- I will come to you.” (John 14:18)

Jesus: “When everything is ready, I will come and get you so that you will always be with Me where I am.” (John 14:3)

[church-history]

Geological and Historical Evidence for Jesus’ Crucifixion Account

At Jesus’ crucifixion, Matthew (27:45-54) reported “From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (cf., Psalm 22)…And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the son of God!’”

Matthew’s passage includes two events that can be historically and geologically confirmed: (1) Darkness covered the land for three hours (c.f., Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44-45) and (2) An earthquake occurred.

“At that same moment about noontide, the day was withdrawn; and they, who knew not that this was foretold concerning Christ, thought it was an eclipse. But this you have in your archives; you can read it there. Yet nailed upon the cross, Christ exhibited many notable signs, by which his death was distinguished from all others. At his own free-will, he with a word dismissed from him his spirit, anticipating the executioners’ work. In the same hour, too, the light of day was withdrawn, when the sun at the very time was in his meridian blaze. Those who were not aware that this had been predicted about Christ, no doubt thought it was an eclipse.” 

-  Tertullian (197 AD), Jewish Consul

“In the 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad, there was a great eclipse of the sun, greater than had ever been known before, for at the 6th hour the day was changed into night and the stars were seen in the heavens. An earthquake occurred in Bythinia and overthrew a great part of the city of Nicaea.”

- Phlegon (2nd century AD) Greek historian, “Olympiads”

“With regard to the eclipse in the time of Tiberius Caesar, in whose reign Jesus appears to have been crucified, and the great earthquakes which then took place, Phlegon too I think has written in the 13th or 14th book of his Chronicles…Celsus imagines also that both the earthquake and darkness were an invention, but regarding these, we have in the preceding pages made our defense, according to our ability, adducing the testimony of Phlegon, who relates that these events took place at the time when our Savior suffered.” 

- Origen (184 – 253 AD), Greek scholar and early Christian father who confirmed Phlegon’s writings

“Jesus Christ underwent his passion in the 18th year of Tiberius [33 AD]. Also at that time in another Greek compendium we find an event recorded in these words: ‘the sun was eclipsed, Bithynia was struck by an earthquake, and in the city of Nicaea many buildings fell.”

- Eusebius (315 AD), Historian of the Emperor Constantine.

What Caused the Three-hour Period of Darkness?

Before determining that the three-hour period of darkness is due to supernatural causes, we must rule out the natural possibilities. We have experienced natural events that have caused darkness during the daylight hours. These include when volcanoes erupt and emit dark clouds and when storms occur and cover the sky with clouds. Yet no Biblical or secular sources indicate any support for a volcanic explosion or storms, so we can rule out those two natural events.

What about an eclipse? The positioning of the sun and moon is required to answer this question. We have much support for the dating of Jesus’ crucifixion on Friday the 14th of Nissan in the year 33 (April 3, 33). This date was further predicted in the book of Daniel (9). Passovers only occurred during a full moon, so an eclipse would not have been possible due to the moon’s location on the far side of the earth away from the sun. Even if the positioning were conducive to an eclipse, eclipses only darken the earth for short moments, not for three hours, so we have another reason to rule out that natural option.

Is the Best Explanation to Explain this Event a Supernatural Explanation?

I will let readers answer that question for themselves.

Geological Support for the Earthquake                                     

Scholars have reported that devastating earthquakes occurred in Jerusalem during Christ’s death (Mallet, 1853; Rigg, 1941). This occurred in a region that includes the Dead Sea fault, which is a plate boundary that separates the Arabian plate and the Sinai sub-plate (Garfunkel, 1981). This fault has been active since the Miocene (Kagan, Stein, Agnon, & Neuman, 2011) and the fault is still active today (De Liso & Fidani, 2014). The fault extends from the Red Sea in the south to the Taurus Mountains in the north.

Kagan and colleagues (2011) analyzed seismites in the Holocene Dead Sea basin by constructing two age-depth chronological models based on atmospheric radiocarbon ages of short-lived organic debris with a Bayesian model. Seismites are sedimentary beds and structures, which are deformed by seismic shaking. The scholars analyzed seismites in different areas of the basin, finding that several synchronous seismites appeared in all sections during particular years, including 33 AD (+/- 2 sigma; 95% confidence interval). Other years in which earthquakes occurred as evidenced by seismites are (AD unless otherwise noted): 1927, 1293, 1202/1212, 749, 551, 419, 33, 31 BC, and mid-century B.C.

After analyzing laminated sedimentary cores recovered at the shores of the Dead Sea, Migowski, Agnon, Bookman, Negendank, and Stein (2004) also confirmed an earthquake in 33 AD with a magnitude of 5.5. They documented earthquakes around 33 AD in 31 BC and 76 AD. The scholars analyzed seismites using radiocarbon dating.

Ben-Menahem (2014) conducted a literature review of empirical studies over 4,000 years of seismicity along the Dead Sea Rift. The scholar referenced the aforementioned studies along with one by Enzel, Kadan, and Eyal (2000) before concluding that earthquakes occurred in Masada in 31 BC, Jerusalem in 33 AD, and near Nablus in 64 AD.

In summary, the literature on seismicity along the Dead Sea basin supports the assertion that an earthquake occurred either in or very close to the year 33 AD.

We can pinpoint the date even closer – to April 3, 33. A United States government federal agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has documented the major earthquakes throughout history. According to their website (NOAA.gov), in 33 AD, an earthquake occurred at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in Bithynia and Palestine and Palestine, Jerusalem.

Conclusion

In summary, we have extensive extra-biblical support for the accounts of darkness and the earthquake during Jesus’ crucifixion. Taken together, these events support the historicity of the account of Jesus’ crucifixion.

source: abbreviated from  https://christian-apologist.com/2019/01/05/geological-and-historical-evidence-for-jesus-crucifixion-account/

[wolfythewitch]

okay so uh, seeing you are semi interested in the Bible and you can totally ignore this and im guessing you're readding the kjv (King James Version) so I like to sprinkle some Bible facts that I can re-trace in my mind from my time currently being in a christian school

Most of the books in the Bible are either written by the main person involved in the story or a by-stander. For Job, it isn't written by himself and nobody is sure who wrote it and some traditional Jewish views think it was Moses. But hell it can be anybody maybe Jonathan even

Some of the Books in the Bible are use for story plot or for singing, poems or praising. Psalm is a very popular one for some its chapters like Psalm 23. Also sometimes Psalm is called Song of Songs.

And I also think you might like Ruth and Esther. Since you don't need to read like so many damn books just to understand the references the other books make. And whenever they make a reference of a place and you try to figure out of the landscape looks like. You could google (e.g. 'Israel map in Bible).

Okay, but like one more thing. Bunch of people think most, well Jesus is white specifically European-White. But sadly, due to the time, the painter(s) who were in charge of painting Jesus never probably seen someone from the Middle East and either painted themselves as Jesus or as an European-White.

Thank you for my long ted talk -🦈 Anon

Oh haha I've read the Bible a bunch because of church, though recently I've been going through it with a less religious lense. About Jesus, I have drawn him a bunch of times! You can probably find it on my blog with the Jesus Christ tag :D

But yeah that's really interesting!! I'm also looking into a lot of apocrypha haha. I Do like Ruth and Esther. I also really like whatever Saul's going on. My main interest is in the gospels though, those are always fun

[artsymumof5]

A LETTER FROM YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER! The following words come from the heart of God. After all God loves you, and He is the Father you have been looking for all your life. This is His Love Letter to you! My Dear Child, You may not know me, but I know everything about you. (Ps 139:1) I know when you sit down and when you rise up. (Psalm 139:2) I am familiar with all your ways. (Psalm 139:3) Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. (Matthew 10:29-30) For you were made in my image. (Genesis 1:27) In me, you live and move and have your being. For you are my offspring. (Acts 17:28) I knew you even before you were conceived. (Jeremiah 1:4-5) I chose you when I planned the creation. (Ephesians 1:11-12) You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. (Psalm 139:15-16) I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. (Acts 17:26) You are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) I knit you together in your mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13) And brought you forth on the day you were born. (Psalm 71:6) I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me. (John 8:41-44) I am not distant and angry but am the complete expression of love. (I John 4:16) And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. (I John 3:1) Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. (I John 3:7) I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. (Matthew 7:11) For I am the perfect Father. (Matthew 5:48) Every good gift you receive comes from my hand. (James 1:17) For I am your provider and I meet your needs. (Matthew 6:31-33) My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) Because I love you with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3) My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. (Psalm 139:17-18) And I rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17) I will never stop doing good to you. (Jeremiah 32:40) For you are my treasured possession. (Exodus 19:5) I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. (Jeremiah 32:41) And I want to show you great and marvelous things. (Jeremiah 33:3) For if you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. (Deuteronomy 4:29) So, Delight in me, and I will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4) For it is I who gave you those desires. (Philippians 2:13) I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) For I am your greatest encourager. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17) I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. (Psalm 34:18) As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. (Isaiah 40:11) One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. And I will take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. Revelation 21:3-4) I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. (John 17:23) For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. (John 17:26) And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. (2 Corinthians 5;18-19) His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. (I John 4:10) I gave up everything I loved so that I might gain your love. (Romans 8:31-32) If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. (I John 2:23) And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. (Romans 8:38-29) When it’s time for you to Come home I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. (Luke 15:7) I have always been your Father, and will always be your Father. (Ephesians 3:14-15) My question is….Will you be my child? (John 1:12-13) I am waiting for you. (Luke 15:11-32) With Love, Your Father, Almighty God

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Living His Word

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. — Psalm 139:23-24

Psalm 139 begins with a declaration that God had examined David in every respect: "O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away" (Psalm 139:1-2). In our verses for today at the end of the Psalm, David asks God to do the same thing. Although God had already searched him, so great was his desire to avoid sin and self-deception that he asks God to search and examine him again.

The request implores God to search David's heart and then his thought life. First, by asking God to search his heart, David was asking Him to search into the very core of his inner being. Proverbs tells us that the heart "determines the course of your life" (Proverbs 4:23). It is where the motives of a person reside. Second, by asking God to test him and know his anxious thoughts, David was asking God to use whatever means necessary to reveal the kind of thoughts that issue forth from the motives of his heart when he is under duress.

The testing will point out to David anything within him that offends God. Just as silver refined in a furnace yields up any dross left within it, so the testing of David will yield up any sinful thoughts born of sinful motives left within him. God uses the trials, troubles, and tribulations of life to reveal the true motives and thoughts of a person so they can be dealt with. The arrest of Jesus, for example, was a test for Peter that pointed out to him the fear and cowardice left within him. Peter had deceived himself into thinking he had the courage necessary to stand with Jesus (Matthew 26:35), but the test revealed something different.

If he is tested and refined again, then David will be in a better position to follow the lead of the Lord along the path of everlasting life. Untested and unrefined people tend to deviate from the true path.

It takes courage to pray a prayer like David's prayer, but it is necessary if we want to be everything God wants us to be.

© 2016 by Bible League International

[orthodoxadventure]

Do you ever fear gods not real? Its my biggest fear in life. Do you have any prayers for a deeper faith?

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” - Mark 9:23-24

Doubt does not in itself signify lack of faith. It may mean the opposite – that our faith is alive and growing. For faith implies not complacency but taking risks, not shutting ourselves off from the unknown but advancing boldly to meet it. -- Kallistos Ware, The Orthodox Way

Because faith is not logical certainty but a personal relationship, and because this personal relationship is as yet very incomplete in each of us and needs continually to develop further, it is by no means impossible for faith to coexist with doubt. The two are not mutually exclusive. Perhaps there are some who by God’s grace retain throughout their life the faith of a little child, enabling them to accept without question all that they have been taught. For most of those living in the West today, however, such an attitude is simply not possible. We have to make our own the cry, ‘Lord, I believe: help my unbelief’ (Mark 9:24). For very many of us this will remain our constant prayer right up to the very gates of death. – Kallistos Ware, The Orthodox Way

Certainly, I have (and do) struggle with the faith. But we must understand faith is not just a state of being, but an action. When we have struggles with our faith, there can be a tendency to let our faith life falter: perhaps we stop attending Church, perhaps we begin neglecting our prayers or our reading of Scripture. When really, what we need to be doing during those periods, is revitalising those aspects and clinging onto them. And in the act of doing so, we can find ourselves also uniting our state of being with faith.

The very act of asking for prayers to strengthen or deepen your faith, is an act of faith itself. Although it might not feel like that. The act of wanting to believe in God, is very much an act of believing in God. I would very much recommend speaking to your Priest, and speaking about some of your struggles with the faith. Perhaps its dryness in prayer, perhaps its not feeling the benefit of attending Church. Often, our doubt comes from particular aspects of the faith that we aren't feeling a positive outcome from. When our prayer life feels very dry (for example), and though we are just repeating or saying words to no benefit, then we can attribute this to the distancing of God or that God perhaps isn't real. But in reality, we just aren't seeing the visible fruits of prayer in a way that we would like. Your perseverance with prayer, is in a lot of ways, of great benefit to you. I know you asked for prayers, but I would also recommend the book 'Beginning to Pray' by Anthony Bloom. It often talks about feeling distant from God and so on, and perhaps it can be of some benefit to you. Speak also, of your struggles with believing in God to God. Talk to Him. You don't need to hide anything from Him. It's perfectly okay to admit you are struggling to Him.

As for prayers, I would recommend the 'Lord I believe, help my unbelief'. Pray it often, especially at the start of any spiritual task like other prayers, attending Church, or reading Scripture. The Creed also would be a good prayer to incorporate into your daily prayer life if it's not a part of it already.

Something I would also recommend is the praying of the Psalms. Both because the Psalms are of immense strength and comfort to us, but it will also tie in with the encouragement and perseverance of reading Scripture.

If you don't have a prayer rule already, then I would recommend adopting the prayer rule of Saint Seraphim of Sarov:

“Let any Christian, upon arising from sleep stand before the holy icons, and read the Lord’s Prayer “Our Father” thrice, in honor of the Most-holy Trinity, then the hymn to the Theotokos “O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice…” three times as well, and finally, the Symbol of Our Faith once. Having completed this rule, let each one attend to the tasks to which he was appointed or to which he is called.

“Going to bed, let any Christian again read the above-mentioned morning rule. Thereafter, let him go to sleep, having protected himself with the sign of the Cross.” Fr. Seraphim said “Keeping this rule, it is possible, to reach Christian perfection, for the three prayers indicated are the foundation of Christianity. The first, as the payer given [to us] by Christ Himself, is the model for all prayers. The second was brought from Heaven by the Archangel to greet the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Our Lord. The Symbol [of our faith] contains in brief all of the salvific dogmas of the Christian Faith.” [source, along with each of the prayers]

Hopefully some of this will be of some benefit to you. May God bless, strength, and comfort you!

[mental-health-and-jesus]

Hey friend, I came across your page. I am so glad I did. You are right. You are not by yourself when it comes to mental health and Jesus. I to struggle daily and I find myself getting depressed over and over again. I feel like I'm not good enough for Jesus 😔. I'm up and down with my walk Jesus. Now I'm just down!! Everyday I wake up I feel so hurt that the Lord Blessed me with another day of Grace and I can't even pick up my Bible to read what he says about me and how much he loves me. I struggle a lot with ready Gods word. I'm soo tired of struggling. Please pray for me that my walk with Jesus becomes stronger, bolder and consistent; I will pray more and praise God; I can get the courage to pick up my Bible and read it, case out fear, be consistent. I really need God to seriously walk with me. I'm willing to walk in my purpose I can't do that if I stay in this state. I need God and prayer. Thanks you friend in advance.

I’m in the same boat right now and You being open is really helping Me ☺️

I will Pray 🙏 for Us & here are some Chapters of the Bible I reread all the time

❤️ Psalm 91: ❤️ Psalm 25: ❤️ Ephesians 2: ❤️ Isaiah 41: ❤️ Philemon 1: ❤️ Psalm 102: ❤️ Ecclesiastes 7: ❤️ Matthew 5: ❤️ Psalm 23: ❤️

#Bible - Verse of the Day

Proverbs 29:25 and 30:5 & Ecclesiastes 4:9 and 7:20

[chipinsolace]

VERSES OF THE DAY, ANALYSIS, AND PRAYER!

“Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.”

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Analysis:

Prayer is one of the most important and fundamental parts of our journey, our walk with Jesus Christ. It’s how we talk to Him, it’s how we communicate with Hi just as we would with any other relationship, and because prayer is such a sacred tool, we have to look to the Bible for examples on how it’s done. The Bible gives us many strong examples on this, but my personal favorite and the one that really inspired me was 1 Kings 3:11-13.

In this text, The LORD appears to King Solomon in a dream, and he tells him to ask for whatever he wants. Solomon, knowing he’s about to take on the big role of a king, decides to ask for something much more important than earthly desires; he asks for wisdom and discernment.

God is pleased by this, and tells him that because he’s so selfless, and devoted his asking for a way to benefit others and not himself, not only did God give him that discernment, but He also gives him riches and wealth.

Why does this matter? Throughout the Bible, we see a common theme of how important it is to prioritize God, in Matthew 6:3, Jesus says “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” It’s our fallen human nature to want to put ourselves beyond all things, but we simply can’t! Think about times in the past when you were going through situations and decided to take on everything yourself. Didn’t it turn out horribly? I’m sure you can recall that you were left burnt out, stressed, and confused. We can’t do it all on ourselves, and God asks us very kindly to rely on Him. (Psalms 118:8) He says also that when we ask, we shall receive. (Matthew 7:7-11) And what a joy that’s been to me! God has helped me from my smallest issues like little cuts on my body when I didn’t have a bandaid, to fighting mental illness and abuse. When we pray through all our issues, let’s humble ourselves before Him and acknowledge the truth; We can’t do this on our own. Just like Solomon, if we humble ourselves in front of God, we will be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)

Prayer:

Heavenly Father God, thank you for inclining your ear into my prayer today, thank you for putting me on this Earth to enjoy your creation and your marvelous self. I praise you for the ways you’ve helped me before, corrected me through things, and brought me out of spiritual winters.

Today I pray to ask you to give me a wise heart, a heart that seeks and prioritizes your kingdom first. Lord, I acknowledge that I cannot face my trials alone, that I cannot put my trust in myself. You are my helper through it all, and I ask that you keep helping me.

Do not let me fall astray into the ways of the world, but let me seek your calling for me, and let me have discernment to know what is good and what is not.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

[saras-devotionals]

Quiet Time 9/17

What am I feeling today?

Worried. I have an exam tomorrow that I have not studied for yet. I keep putting it off and I know I struggle a lot with the material and I’m just anxious about the whole thing. I was also feeling rather jealous last night, no particular reason. I just started thinking of a lot of what ifs and it was bothering me that I wasn’t making peace with it. I want to be solely content with Christ and not rely on my joy to come from anyone/anywhere else.

Bible Plan: Prayers for Contentment

Contentment is a concept that can be difficult to practice in our fast-paced, consumer-driven society, but it's an important virtue to cultivate for a truly fulfilling life. As we go through this plan, I encourage you to spend time meditating on these scriptures and let them sink deep into your heart.

Then each day we have a prayer starter laid out for you. Of course, feel free to modify as needed to fit your situation and communication style with God.

Here is today’s prayer starter:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being my shepherd and guiding me through life. I know that I can trust in you to provide for all my needs. As Psalm 23:1 says, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."

I confess that I have often worried about school and been discontent with the status of my relationships. I have sought after money, good grades, and men thinking that it would bring me happiness and contentment. But as Ecclesiastes 5:10 reminds me, "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless."

Instead, I want to seek your kingdom and righteousness, as Matthew 6:31-33 instructs. "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Lord, help me to trust in you and find contentment in you, rather than in material possessions, wealth, or anything else. Help me to remember that true peace and fulfillment only come from you and will never come from the things of this world.

Thank you for your goodness and provision in my life. I pray that you would continue to guide me and lead me in your ways.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Psalm 23:1 NIV

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”

There may be a lot of things in this world that I don’t have but that is not the goal of my life. The goal is to be a disciple and make other disciples! God has given me all the tools for that, He provides for all my physical and spiritual needs so truly I lack nothing. What matters is to change my perspective in seeing that I already have everything!

Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV

“Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.”

In the world we live in, we need money in order to live our lives. It is not a bad thing to want to be financially stable. The issues lies when you make getting money your priority. You will never have what you deem as enough and to continue putting your full effort into something that is fleeting instead of something that’s eternal is foolish and meaningless. Yes money is important but not as important as God and His kingdom!

Matthew 6:31-33 NIV

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

First we need to acknowledge that these are Jesus’ words. He is the one who reassures is that God knows what we need and if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness then all these things will be given to us as well!

[irrealisms]

i was born for this || a web weave about belonging to God

wikipedia // psalm 63:1 // wikipedia // matthew 25:23 // clerical collars: symbolism and meaning // isaiah 44:5 // the line i called the horizon by consumptive_sphinx // 1 corinthians 6:19-20 // les misérables // romans 14:7-8 // clear night by charles wright // psalm 119:20 // batter my heart, three person'd God by john donne // isaiah 43:1

[IDs under cut]

Image 1: Serviam is Latin for "I will serve."

Image 2: 1 You, God, are my God,     earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you,     my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land     where there is no water.

Image 3: "Servant of God" is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint. Wikipedia

Image 4: 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!

Image 5: The collar remains a distinctive sign of the priest’s availability and the permanent nature of Holy Orders. The priest “is not his own” and is a visible sign of Jesus Christ,

Image 6: Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’;     others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’     and will take the name Israel.

Image 7: "I am for God, you know I am for God,"

Image 8: You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price.

Image 9: My soul belongs to God, I know I made that bargain long ago

Image 10: 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Image 11: I want to be bruised by God. I want to be strung up in a strong light and singled out. I want to be stretched, like music wrung from a dropped seed.    I want to be entered and picked clean.

Image 12: 20 My soul is consumed with longing     for your laws at all times.

Image 13: Take me to you, imprison me, for I, Except you enthrall me, never shall be free, Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

Image 14: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;     I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

[thewordfortheday]

You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

The best thing about our Shepherd is that He does not abandon us in our darkest hour, our lowest low, or in the scariest moment of our life. Instead He, “is with us , close beside us.” He does not leave us even for a moment.

So wherever you are today, however deep or dark or scary it is, you don’t have to be afraid. The Saviour will come. Isaiah 40:11 says: “He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart.” 

Jesus, our Good Shepherd is with you in  the valley. You may have entered the valley broken and scarred, but you will leave it nestled in His embrace and come out unscathed.

[scribeforchrist-blog]

Shadows Without Hope 

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK

=========================

+ 1 Corinthians 2:5 So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

=========================

VERSE OF THE DAY 

========================

+    2 Chronicles 29:15 We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow without hope.

=========================

SUBJECT: Shadows Without Hope 

=========================

** SAY THIS BEFORE YOU READ; HERE’S SOME CHRISTIAN TRUTHS **

I AM FOCUSING ON GOD 

I AM A STRANGERS 

I AM LOVING 

I AM HOPEFUL

========================

READ TIME: 7 Minutes & 18 Seconds

========================

THOUGHTS:

=======================

    We often hear that we must be careful when handling things because we never know when our last day will be. We never know when we will see someone again. Sometimes, we take stuff like this for granted when we argue about things with family, especially since we never know when we will see them again, so we must be careful with what we do and speak. 

     I can say that sometimes looking over certain things is hard, and I immediately go to God and say, God, I can't get past this. Show me how to deal with this , and he would, and he’ll guide me through. The verse tells us we are strangers, foreigners, here, no matter how many ways we say it or see it, we got a home and a car and this and that, but if something happens today, we will be gone. The word says we are like a shadow, a vape, a mist; having any of theses things matters the disagreements we have all of is meaningless.

 

•James 4:14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

 

•Psalm 39:5 You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly, each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah

•Psalm 144:4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.

 

 Since we don’t know what day what hour Jesus will return and we don’t know what our last day is here, even in our verses today, it tells us we are like a breath, and because we aren’t sure we must live a life of holiness yesterday, we talked about holiness and being a special instrument of God. Still, if we are going to continue to live any way when we die, we will go to hell.

   Many people don’t want to hear this apart; they want it sugar-coated, and they want this part made up, or they can’t dare hear any of it, and they want to believe  everyone goes to heaven, but friends,  I won't lie to you if you're not living a life of holiness if I am not living a life of holiness we aren’t going to make it to heaven, but it's up us, and a lot of people say well it’s no way God is sending me to hell for this, or it's no way he is sending me to hell for that, in our word it tells us who will make it and who won't, and he’s not sending us we are sending our selves. 

      •Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

     •Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

    •1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

     This devotional is packed with scriptures because I want everyone to see this and know this is coming straight from the word of God. A lot of people say they don’t read the bible because they don’t want the bible to show them why or what they are doing wrong; we can go to any preacher to fill our itchy ears, but getting someone to tel us something we want to hear versus what we need to hear won’t help us in the long run.

  If you or I don’t live a life of righteousness   neither one of us will make it to heaven; we have to start getting it right and ask God to give us strength to let go over our fleshly ways and not hold on to every slight bit of bitterness, the word says to flee from it, and I know that some of us have had a lot we have went through. Still, we also must know that holding on to bitterness doesn't help us grow; it stagnates our growth in God. 

    ***Today, we learned that having all the things in the world cant keep us from hell; everything we do that’s not right in God's sight, we need to fix it, and to do this, we go to him; a lot of people don’t like devotionals like this because it’s stating we have a problem and a lot of people think how they are is just fine in the eyes of God but if you haven’t asked him to clean you with hyssop , do so by saying this “ Father if it’s anything in me that you don’t like please show me it can be selfishness, bitterness, lustful ways whatever it is I want to be pure for you, cleanse me like hyssop father.

  We never know when our time will be, so when we have arguments with anyone, we need to go to them and fix it; we always want to be ready and prepared, but this isn’t saying. We did nothing wrong, but we must go to them and say I am sorry if I offended you, and it’s up to them to accept. However, in everything we do, we must do it in love. God wants us to understand that certain things won’t be accepted in heaven: sexually immoral, thieves, greedy, idolaters, murderers, the faithless, etc. We must strive for perfection and holiness, and to do this, we must do it in his strength, not in ours; everything is impossible for us but not God; that’s why we do this in his strength. ©Seer~ Prophetess Lee

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PRAYER

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Heavenly Father, we thank you for everything; we ask you today to be with us and show us the way.  Father, we are struggling right now, and we ask you to give us the strength to walk on the narrow road. Father, every day, we try, and it’s tough. We ask you to help us not to fall, but if we stumble, please help us to keep holding on to you, in Jesus' Name, Amen 

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REFERENCES 

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+ Jeremiah 31:3 I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

 

+ Exodus 34:6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

 

+ Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing.”

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FURTHER READINGS 

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Proverb 20

Leviticus 20

Jeremiah 26

Ephesians 3 

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[awideplace]

The Gospel

What It Means to Be a Christian

Being a Christian is more than identifying yourself with a particular religion or affirming a certain value system. Being a Christian means you have embraced what the Bible says about God, mankind, and salvation. Consider the following truths found in the Bible.

God Is Sovereign Creator Contemporary thinking says man is the product of evolution. But the Bible says we were created by a personal God to love, serve, and enjoy endless fellowship with Him. The New Testament reveals it was Jesus Himself who created everything (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). Therefore, He also owns and rules everything (Psalm 103:19). That means He has authority over our lives and we owe Him absolute allegiance, obedience, and worship.

God Is Holy God is absolutely and perfectly holy (Isaiah 6:3); therefore He cannot commit or approve of evil (James 1:13). God requires holiness of us as well. First Peter 1:16 says, You shall be holy, for I am holy.

Mankind Is Sinful According to Scripture, everyone is guilty of sin: There is no man who does not sin (1 Kings 8:46). That doesn't mean we're incapable of performing acts of human kindness. But we're utterly incapable of understanding, loving, or pleasing God on our own (Romans 3:10-12).

Sin Demands a Penalty God's holiness and justice demand that all sin be punished by eternal death (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). That's why simply changing our patterns of behavior can't solve our sin problem or eliminate its consequences.

Jesus Is Lord and Savior Romans 10:9 says, If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Even though God's justice demands death for sin, His love has provided a Savior who paid the penalty and died for sinners (1 Peter 3:18). Christ's death satisfied the demands of God's justice, and Christ's perfect life satisfied the demands of God's holiness (2 Corinthians 5:21), thereby enabling Him to forgive and save those who place their faith in Him (Romans 3:26).

The Character of Saving Faith True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin (Luke 13:3, 5; 1 Thessalonians 1:9), pursue Christ (Matthew 11: 28-30; John 17:3), and obey Him (1 John 2:3). It isn't enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (James 2:19), but they don't love and obey Him. True saving faith always responds in obedience (Ephesians 2:10).

Source: https://www.gracechurch.org/about/gospel

[maddieblossomsbg]

𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐬 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐫

You ever hear the phrase, "Jesus is knocking" or "Jesus is calling"? Well, you may be asking, "how do I answer?" During a recent church service, there was a point during worship where I heard the voice of God saying to me, you are about to unlock the door. He has given me the key to unlock it - the key is surrendering. But why does it seem so hard? We want what we want when we want it. That's the thing - we shall not want.

"The Lord is my shepard; I shall not want"

- Psalm 23:1

We are called to be a living sacrifice. We are called to throw out our ideas of how we want to live and choose His plans for us instead. But why is it so hard? The flesh! The flesh and our sin nature makes it hard. I can attest to this myself! For instance, some music I know i shouldn't listen to, yet i choose to anyways because it 'sounds good and makes me feel good'. That's the thing with sin, it sounds and feels good, but it leaves you empty in the end. I tried to fill that void with things that went against God; it never worked. Coming out of complacency and lukewarmness, the only way to fill that void is to fill it with the Holy Spirit. Read scripture, attend church, and surround yourself with like-minded and Spirit Filled individuals. Trust me, the friends you have matter; we are influenced by the company we keep. I could go into that all day, but i will get back to my point. Surrendering to God means dying to self. I want my words to go with how i live my life. Truth of the matter is - i struggle. I dont read my word as much as i should. I don't attend church consistently. I have recently started to come out of it. I hope somehow, somewhere this helps someone going through this like me. I have a hunger for the Lord! As i started to surrender, I noticed a huge weight come off me. Will the earthly struggle go away? No, not yet. Not until we become one in Christ. The battle still goes on. How we choose to fight it matters. Lets choose God! I'm ready to surrender. I hope you are too. Also, another thing I noticed; when you turn to God the former things you liked become rather.. dull. Almost making you sick to look back on! At least for me that's how it is haha. Alright, i will end this here.

Jesus loves you, choose Him.