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aspiritual Bible Study: Giving Tithe - Subscribe
Giving Tithe 09.30.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we will study the book of Malachi, please read Chapters 1-4 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste this link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi%201-4&version=9

The book of Malachi is the 39th and final book of the Old Testament and contains 4 chapters. The author of the book is Malachi and it was written to the nation of Israel. The purpose of the book was to call the nation to repentance and return to righteousness. What we are to learn from the book is that repentance of sins plus returning to God equals restortion. Both are necessary in order to be forgiven and restoring a right relationship with God.

The first generations that returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel to rebuild the Temple were no longer alive and the generations that followed had once again lost sight of God and their purpose for Him. The people were confused and did not understand God's plan, but Malachi declared God may not always be fully understood, but He is only questioned by those who reject or neglet His Word. "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart." (Malachi 2:1-2).

God pronounced His judgement upon them."And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (3:5). Anyone who believes that they can gain guidance or information about the future through sorcery, which includes communication with the dead, fortune tellers, and astrologers is being misled. This is evil and deceiving.

Malachi then declared that the Israelites were thieves who rob God, "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation." (3:8-9). The people were cursed with a curse because the tithes belonged to God for the spiritual needs of the people and the support of the priesthood, they had ignored the command to honor the LORD.

Giving one tenth of our income to God expresses our faith in Him and shows God that we acknowledge Him as the source. Tithing expresses our love and graditude toward Him and shows God that we are thankful for the financial blessings that we received. "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." (II Corinthians 9:6-7).

In today's reading Jesus Christ is revealed through the Messenger of the Covenant, (Malachi 3:1). Jesus in the new Covenant, "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:26-2cool.gif.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
We will never fully comprehend the depth of Your sacrificial death where we see man at his worst and God at His best. In my place You took my guilt and shame as You became the guilt offering pouring out Your life unto death and taking on my iniquity. You gave all so that I could be forgiven. Though my sins were as scarlet they were washed white as snow, cleansed by the saving blood of the sinless Lamb. You turned my hopeless condition into a life full of hope for this life and glorious anticipation for eternal life beyond the grave. Nothing in all of history will ever compare to the Divine Exchange where my sins were exchanged for Your pardon. I walk in newness of life and in the power of the resurrected Savior. Praise Your name, Lord Jesus! In Jesus' name.....Amen.

Have a great and mighty day!
God Bless,
Christina

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aspiritual Bible Study: The Wrong Friends Oct 3rd, 2008 7:54:54 pm - Subscribe
The Wrong Friends 10.01.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are beginning our studies on the book of Matthew, please read Chapters 1-3 in your Bible or you cna Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste the link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%201-3&version=9\

The first four books in the New Testament are the Gospels. These books record the birth, life, ministry, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The approach of each book differs stressing His role in different ways.

The book of Matthew is the 1st book of the New Testament and contains 28 chapters. The author of the book was Matthew and it was written to all believers, although the first intended audience was the Jews to whom he presented Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of David. The purpose of the book is to present the ministry of Jesus, stressing His role as King of the Jews. What we are to learn from the book is that the final command of Jesus before He decended up to heaven to His followers was to go to all nations with the Gospel, that includes us.

The birth of Jesus had taken place and wise men were led by a star to see Him, but when they arrived in Jerusalem He was not there. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." (Matthew 2:1-2).

When King Herod heard the men say, "King of the Jews" he was displeased and plotted to kill Jesus. Herod then sent the wise men to Bethlehem to find the baby, "And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." (2:8-10).

It took the wise men about two years to reach Jesus as we read, "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh." (2:11). The gifts presented to Him had a special meaning, the gold symbolized Him as the King of Kings since gold was the most fitting gift for a king. The frankincense, a sweet perfume used on the Altar of Incense in the Temple, symbolized prayer ascending to God. And myrrh symbolized His death, myrrh was often used as a spice for burial.

In the providence of God, their gifts also provided adequate resources for Joseph and Mary's journey and stay in Egypt, where they remained until the death of Herod. "And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene." (2:23).

Herod is typical of those of the world who use Christian's as a means to get what they want, they befriend you just enough for their needs to be met only to run or even cause harm when they get it. We can not waste our time and energy trying to please the world, in the end all we get is grief. We must stay focused on God, put our trust in Him, and let Him guide us, if not, we could end up leaving this earth way before our time and never get what was intended for us.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
We place our complete trust in You, for You are a faithful, trustworthy, and loving God. As we feed on Your faithfulness and live by Your righteousness revealed to us through the Scriptures we find ourselves delighting in Your presence. We also delight in You when we sing praises, when we give ourselves in service to others, and most especially when we commune with You in prayer. May the desires of our heart bring delight to Yours as we conform ourselves to Your will and rid ourselves of that which lures us from the safe pasture You have abundantly supplied for those who believe. In Jesus' name.....Amen

Have a great and wonderful day!
God Bless,
Christina

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aspiritual Bible Study: Avoiding Satan's Control Oct 4th, 2008 10:41:11 am - Subscribe
Avoid Satan's Control 10.02.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are continuing our studies on the book of Matthew, please read Chapters 4-6 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste the link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204-6&version=9

Today we will read and learn about Jesus being tempted by satan; the sermon and the Mount; believers equated with salt and light; and Jesus teaching on the Law. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that temptation is all around us, we must subject to God's Will and not that of our flesh. Putting God first allows many blessings in our lives and keeps satan from taking control.

After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, He was tempted three times. "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred."(Matthew 4:1-2).

First, the devil trempted His hunger, "And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." (4:3). Since Jesus was also a man made of the same flesh as the rest of us, He was capable of falling into sin. Satan suggested an easy, self serving way to get Him to satisfy His flesh, but Jesus knew that submitting to the Will of God needed to come first. "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (4:4). God must be the basis for all decisions that we make. He knows our needs and will never tempt us beyond what we are capable of handling. Such testing is a necessary part of our lives, for it reveals our true character.

Secondly, the devil tempted His emotions, "Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." (4:5-6). Satan even quoted Scriputre to try and get Jesus to present Himself in front of the people as the Messiah, trying to appeal to the pride of the flesh. "Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." (4:7). Satan will quote Scripture just enough to get us to think that he appears religious in order to fall for his shcemes. It is of utter most importance that we learn the entire Bible, including the Old Testament so that we too can resist his temptations.

Finally, the devil attempted to seduce Jesus, "Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." (4:8-9). Satan suggested an easy way for Jesus to avoid all the pain and suffering that He was about to endure on the cross and still be able to rule the kingdoms. Jesus knew that yeilding to the devil even once would have made Him a sinner voiding Him from doing what He was brought here to do. "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." (4:10-11). We can never yield to temptation even once, this only leads to more temptation and sin beyond our control.

The world often suggests that in order to be successful in life that we need to take care of me, myself, and I. They are lead to belive that physcial satisfaction, personal recognition, and personal achievement are the only way to be happy and content.

There are many books that tell us how to gain material success, but few tell of the success that can be attained by putting God and others before ourselves. Jesus reveals how false and deceptive this way of thinking is and leads us to recognize that we are in fact nothing if we try to do everything ourselves without God. No material thing can replace the love and blessings awaiting us not only in heaven, but here on earth by putting God first, others second, and ourselves last.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
We are confronted with deception on many fronts every day, so much so, that we can be deceived without even realizing it. Would You help us to watch out and be on our guard so that we are not deceived by man's words, no matter how convincing they are, how charming their personality, or how cunning their craft. Help us not to fall for Satan's deceptive tactics that have brought down believers throughout the church age. We seek You for strength and discipline. We search the Scriptures for discernment and the true revelation of who Jesus is; the Son of God. In Jesus' name.....Amen.

Have a wonderful day!
God bless you,
Christina

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aspiritual Bible Study: False Prophets Oct 5th, 2008 8:40:52 pm - Subscribe
False Prophets 10.03.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are continuing our studies on the book of Matthew, please read Chapters 7-9 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste the link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207-9&version=9

Today we will read and learn about Jesus's warning about false prophets; His preaching and miracles; and the call of Matthew. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that modern day culture pressures us to believe that every religion will get you to heaven, but we can not be decieved. There is only one way to heaven and that is through the Lord, Jesus Christ, therefore it is of uttermost imporatace that we read God's Word to learn the truth.

It is greatly assumed by people in the world today that heaven can be obtained however they choose to believe. Jesus warned His disciples of the false prophets that expose these lies, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." (Matthew 7:15-19). What this means is that people will come to you as if they know the truth, they even quote true Scripture from the Bible. They appear to be a disciple of Jesus yet beyond their appearance is evil.

Without a doubt, eternal life is a free gift from God, "(God) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:" (II Timothy 1:9-10). Teaching is false when it offers eternal life without a changed life.

So how do we know if someone is a true Christan or just a Christian on the surface? Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23). Once again, we can not obtain heaven by our works. No matter what you do, if you have not accepted Jesus into your life you do not get to heaven.

There is an easy access to the gate of heaven and that is Jesus Christ, but many will not get through because they insist or are being told that as long as they are good and sincere they will get to heaven. The truth is that we are all sinners, no one is exempt from that except Jesus and if we want to get to heaven we must admit that and accept that Jesus died for us to take all our sin away. He is the only mediator to God and men. "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (I Timothy 2:3-6).

If you want to learn more on this subject please visit my website, Click Here, it includes Scripture showing how you can know that you are going to heaven.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Without the shed blood of Your Son, Jesus, we are weighed down by the shackles of sin. It spreads as a disease from our hearts to our minds separating us from our Creator and making us a bond slave to Satan. Thank You for sending Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, who by His intense love and sacrificial death, freed us from the sin that ensnared us. He turned our mourning into dancing as He lifted our condemnation and replaced it with eternal hope. In Jesus' name.....Amen.

Have a wonderful and blessed day!
God Bless You,
Christina

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aspiritual Bible Study: Facing Persecution Oct 7th, 2008 4:52:27 am - Subscribe
Facing Persecution 10.04.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are continuing our studies on the book of Matthew, please read Chapters 10-11 in your Bible or you can Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste the link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2010-11&version=9

Today we will read and learn about Jesus sending the twelve apostles on a mission; John the Baptist's questions; the judgement placed upon the unrepentant cities and the great invitation. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that Christian's will face much persecution by following Jesus, but we can not let them scare us, we must hold on to our faith.

When Jesus saw the multitudes of people He was moved with compassion and prayed for laborers to help. In answer to this need, Jesus chose just 12 ordinary men, "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him." (Matthew 10:1-4).

He commanded them to reach the lost in Isreal, "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." (7:7-14). We too are commanded to reach the lost and many will not accept us, but just as the apostles were told to shake it off, we too are to shake it off. We have to realize that it is not personal, they could be having a bad day or have been convicted by something that they are dealing with personally. We must move on and keep going.

He also warned them, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles." (7:16-1cool.gif. We who are Jesus' sheep face the same wolves who are constantly against us. Christian's will continue to be persecuted until the end of the earth, often pressured to compromise with the teachings of the world. It is during this persecution that we discover that we must depend on the Good Shepherd to lead us to safety. If we follow our Shepherd, we will have sheep-like qualities capable of being innocent and dependent on the Lord Jesus. Just as sheep wander off and fall easily into the hands of prey, we too fall. That is why we need our Shepherd to keep us from going astray.

Only with Jesus are we able to stand boldly in the face of our fiercest enemy and live. "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." (10:28-32). Jesus

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
How special it is to know that we will not appear as a stranger before You in heaven, but You will call us by name for You are thoroughly acquainted with us. As a loving father cares for his child so You care for us, your children. You place us in the palm of Your hand and no enemy can snatch us from Your protective and loving care. What a tremendous and calm feeling this brings to our hearts. In Jesus' name......Amen.

Have a wonderful and blessed day!
God bless you,
Christina

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aspiritual Bible Study: The Sabbath Oct 7th, 2008 10:38:51 am - Subscribe
The Sabbath 10.05.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are continuing our studies on the book of Matthew please read Chapter 12 in your Bible or Click Here to read it online. You can also cut & paste the link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2012&version=9

Today we will read and learn about Jesus concerning the Sabbath; the controversy with the Parisees; the unpardonable sin; Jesus' death and resurrection foretold; and His earthly family. Today's message focuses on the New Covenants that replaced some of the Old Testament Covenants.

Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees who criticized His disciples for picking corn in the field to eat on the Sabbath, "At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple." (Matthew 12:1-6).

In the Old Testament God's people had been commanded to keep the last day of the week (Saturday), the Sabbath, as a day of rest to commemorate God's completing all things in six days and resting on the seventh, (See Exodus 20:9-11). This meant that a person could not even pick up a stick off the ground. However, all that changed when Jesus said, "For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day..........What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." (Matthew 12:8,11-12).

Because Jesus rose from the grave on the first day of the week, most Christians worship Him on that day, this way we honor Him first as the Lord of our lives. The Sabbath day of rest has its counterpart in the New Covenant, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (Colossisans 2:16-17). Incidently, the Passover was replaced with a New Covenant at Jesus' final Passover when He instituted the Lord's Supper, "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:26-2cool.gif.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Our hearts rejoice with resounding thanksgiving, as we consider that You chose us before the world was made so that we could be Your holy people; people without blame before You. Because of Your love, You chose to make us Your own children through Your Son, Jesus Christ. We are set free by the blood of His death as You forgive us of our sins. Your awesome power is seen not only in the vast universe but in the hearts of men and women, boys and girls whose lives are submitted to Your divine authority. What a magnificent God we serve! In Jesus' name......Amen.

Have a wonderful and blessed week.
God Bless,
Christina

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aspiritual Bible Study: Salvation Oct 8th, 2008 8:40:02 pm - Subscribe
Salvation 10.06.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are continuing our studies on the book of Matthew, please read Chapters 13-14 in your Bible or you can Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste this link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013%20-%2014&version=9

Today, we will read and learn about some parables by Jesus; the execution of John the Baptist; feeding 5000 people; and Jesus walking on water. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that no matter how one appears to be on the surface, Jesus knows our hearts and unless we personally accept Him nothing we do will be acknowledged.

In the first parable, (a parabale is a short, simple story that is to the point) Jesus describes four different kind of responses to hearing His Word. "And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Matthew 13:3-9). The true disciple of Christ is represented by the good ground that received the seed, which in turn is fruitful.

The second parable was of tares (weeds) that grew within the same field of wheat, yet produced no fruit. "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." (13:24-30).

The tares look identical to the wheat in their early stages, but as they grow they become more defined. They represent the world of so called Christian's who appear to be converts, but have never truly accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;" (13:3cool.gif. They think that by joining a church, talking about Jesus, and giving tithe makes them a Christian, but they are being decieved. The only way to be converted is by personally repenting of our sins and asking Jesus to come into our lives.

Jesus also foretold of the end of the world, "The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. " (13:39-43). It is startling to think that many lives will be lost simply because they failed to acknowledge the Lord, Jesus Christ. That is why we must do everything we can to lead them to Christ, if they refuse then at least we did all we could to show them what they will be facing.

Today, if you have never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins nor accepted Him personally you can do it right here.

Just repeat this prayer:
Dear Jesus,
I confess that I am a sinner. I believe that You came to this earth and died on the cross as a substitute for me and my sin. I place my faith in You and what You have done for me. I receive You into my life and choose this day to follow and serve You. In Jesus' name......Amen.

Now, if you read this prayer and it came from your heart than you are now written in the book of life and saved from the furnace of fire. Congratulations, and may God bless you in a mighty way.

Have a great and wonderful day!
God bless,
Christina

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aspiritual Bible Study: Body of Christ Oct 10th, 2008 5:27:48 am - Subscribe
Body of Christ 10.07.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are continuing our studies on the book of Matthew, please read Chapters 15-17 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste the link to your broswer: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2015-17&version=9

Today we will read about the rebuke of the Scribes and Pharisees; Jesus feeding 4000; Peter trying to rebuke Jesus; the transfiguration of Jesus; and the disciples disbelief. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that We are the Body of Christ.

Caesarea Philippi was the location of the famous worship center of the Greek god Pan, which paid tribute to all the gods in paganism, including the Canaanite's Baal, whom they considered to be a lord of heaven and earth. In the midst of the large number of idol worshipers, Jesus asked His disciples who the people think He might be. "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. " (Matthew 16:13-19).

For the first time, Jesus introduces the word, Church, a church is a community where Jesus is the Head of a group of caring brothers and sisters who fellowship with one another. These are people who have accepted Jesus with all their hearts and have been redeemed by His blood, they are commited to Jesus as their Savior and Lord under the discipline of the Word of God. They also recognize their responsibility to help one another in living their covenant relationship with Christ since the Church is the Body of Christ. The apostle Paul said, "through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." (Romans 12:3-5).

Caesarea Philippi was located about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee, it was situated at the foot of the southern slope of Mount Hermon, with it's snowcapped peak 9000 feet aboove sea level. This was the highest mountain in the promised land, which many believe to be where Jesus transfigured (changed His appearance). He brought Peter, James, and John along with Him to witness the amazing transfiguration, "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. " (Matthew 17:1-7).

We do not need to be afraid of the Power of God upon our lives, we may face difficulties, the loss of loved ones, and even tragedy, but always know that Jesus is with us and indwells in each and every one of us. He takes tragedy and turns it into triumph.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Help me not waste my time and energy on futile or wishful thinking, instead fix my thoughts upon You, Jesus. Anchor my soul in Your Word and when I am faced with difficulties give me the peace I need to endure them gracefully. Remind me that I serve an extraordianry God who is with me always and that You will never leave me. In Jesus' name.....Amen.

Have a wonderful and blessed day!
God bless you,
Christina

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aspiritual Bible Study: Forgiving Others Oct 10th, 2008 5:51:30 am - Subscribe
Forgiving Others 10.08.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are continuing our studies on the book of Matthew, please read Chapters 18-20 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste the link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2018-20&version=9

Today we will read about being humble; the lost sheep; forgiveness; marriage and divorce; the young rich ruler; the workers in the vineyard; and the two blinded men that were healed. Today's message focuses on the importance of being forgiving to others.

The traditional scribes taught that one should forgive his neighbor who had offended him three times, with this in mind Peter asked, "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22). Jesus' reply exposed Peter's attitude that he felt he was more superior if his forgiveness exended to seven days. This attitude was far from sufficent compared to the mercy of God and His willingness to forgive us without limitation. Jesus demonstrated that there was no forgiveness from God unless one's own spirit is equally forgiving. If we are unwilling to forgive those who have sinned against us, how are we to be forgiven by God of our own?

To demonstrate, Jesus gave a parable about a king and two of his servants, "Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt." (18:23-30).

The servant who owed ten thousand talents owed an amount that would be impossible to repay even in a lifetime, but when he fell before the king the king had compassion on him and forgave him, releasing him from his debt. When that same servant found out that one of his fellowservants owed a debt to him (which was not merely as much as what he himself owed) he had him thrown into prison. However, when the king heard what he had done he became angry and had him sent to prison. "Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him." (18:32-34).

This demonstration is an example for all of us to follow, we can not expect to be forgiven of our debts if we are not forgiving to those who owe us. No one is perfect except Jesus and if someone was generous enough to forgive us for something that we have done to them shouldn't we be generous to someone who wronged us. Forgiveness is based upon God's redeeming love, it is fully and freely granted by His mercy and grace. In fact, Jesus, who suffered the most by dying for each and everyone of them allowed us all to be free from it's bondage. True repentance toward God is associated with our attitude toward our fellowmen and cannot exist apart from our forgiving spirit.

I understand that it can be pretty hard to forgive someone who has hurt you or a loved one, but by not forgiving them you are creating a pattern of destruction for you and your family. Hurt, leads to anger, which leads to vengance and personal vengance is not the answer, God will handle it. "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. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:19-20)

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
In our attempt to avenge those who have hurt us, we learn that we not only harm them, we have hurt ourselves. Instead of having the spirit of forgiveness we have a bitter, vengeful heart. Lord, heal our broken hearts and help us to forgive them so that we are not bound with the chains that keep us from living the lives that You intended for us to live. In Jesus' name......Amen.

Enjoy you day and be blessed.
God Bless You,
Christina

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aspiritual Bible Study: Eternal Seperation Oct 11th, 2008 4:24:56 pm - Subscribe
Eternal Seperation 10.09.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are continuing our studies on the book of Matthew, please read Chapters 21-22 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online.
If the link does not work you can cut & paste this link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2021%20-%2022&version=9

Today we will read about Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem; Jesus cleansing the Temple; the fig tree; and parables about taxes, the greatest commandment, and eternal darkness.

On the first day of the week, preceeding Jesus' crucifixion he has a triumphal entry into Jerusalem, "And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee." (Matthew 21:8-11).

He walked into the Temple and got rid of all the people buying and selling things there, "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." (21:12-13).

The high priests were outraged at His actions and sent out a mission to interrupt Him as He was teaching. "And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things." (21:24-27).

They were referring to Jesus accepting all the praise that the people had given Him as the Messiah and also questioning His authority to dismiss the money changers in the Temple. It was for these reasons that they conspired to have Him killed. The Temple belonged to God, who was in the midst of it as Jesus was cleansing it. This illustrates that Christ alone brings cleansing into our lives through His blood that was shed to atone for our sins.

Jesus spoke many parables, one of which He explained the eternal seperation from God, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come........So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen." (22:2-3,10-14). This parable exposes those who assume that because they do good things they are good enough to get to heaven without Jesus, many are called to accept Him, but few will. The Apostle Paul said, "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:16)

Eternal seperation from God is final and very terrifying, that is why Jesus says more about the horrifying torments of hell as a lake of fire than all the writers in the New Testament combined. There is one and only one way to avoid eternal seperation and that is by accepting the Lord, Jesus Christ as Savior.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
We don’t always know where our present steps will take us on life’s journey, but we do know they lead us to heaven as we walk with You. Our steps here may lead to cold, dark mountains or deep valleys, but ultimately we will rest where the steps of Jesus end at heaven’s throne. We will no longer have questions about our future, for we know that we will spend eternity forever worshiping You as we give You glory, honor, praise, and thanksgiving. Give us peace and joy for our journey here below and heavenward anticipation for our future inheritance. In Jesus' name......Amen.

Have a wonderful day and weekend.
God Bless,
Christina

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P.S. I apologize for not getting this out yesterday, my servers were working properly.

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