I must tell you this

There is no one able to make it to heaven by self effort.  The laws of God show us how we are unable to be perfect. One sin will keep us from being with God.  Throughout the Bible sin is the problem and it leads to death. Animals were offered to cover sins, but the sins were not forgiven.  God having pity on man and desiring to have fellowship with him, by his mercy and grace sent his son in a human who had no sin.  To understand Jesus, you will see him as a perfect man doing things as a man to be our example.  He also showed us the nature of God, his love, truth, grace and creative power. Jesus went to the cross as a man without sin, being a perfect sacrifice for our sins. The sacrifice that met the justice of God. His eternal presence with God as the son of God was the power to rise from the grave on the third day. He proved that in the perfect man is the eternal God who healed, gave life, and did all the miracles.

Our part in all this is to believe that Jesus died for the payment of our sins and He is the Lord God. The I AM. This is the plan from the beginning of time. Peter gave witness to this.

Act 2:22  “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 

Act 2:23  this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 

Act 2:24  God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 

Act 2:25  For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 

Act 2:26  therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 

Act 2:27  For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 

Act 2:37  Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 

Act 2:38  And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Act 2:39  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 

Act 2:40  And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 

Act 2:41  So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 

It is by faith in Jesus that we are saved from eternal darkness.  First, is to realize that we need to be forgiven, Then we believe that Jesus paid the price. Baptism is an act of obedience. We repent, by following Jesus and desiring to be with God forever. His Holy Spirit comes along side  and gives us the power to overcome in this life. Lord Jesus, I believe that you died for me. I am sorry for my sins and ask you to forgive me. You have overcome death; you live and by faith I will live with you for eternity. Thank you Jesus.

Give Thanks

The Greatest

1Co 13:13  So these three things continue: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love. 

Mat 23:11  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 

I have been blessed in so many ways.   Let us do good deeds, making a difference. Let your light shine and do it in love.

Don't follow me, follow Jesus.

Footsteps of Jesus

The Will of God

Mark 8:31  And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 

Mar 8:32  And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 

Mar 8:33  But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” 

1Jn 2:15  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 

1Jn 2:17  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 

The will of God is that we believe in his son, Jesus. 

He came as a man to give his life for our sins and be risen on the third day.. Jesus is God in the likeness of a human. Believing in him we are forgiven of sins and pass from death to eternal life.

1Jn 1:1  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 

1Jn 1:2  the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 

1Jn 1:3  that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Wonderful Words of Life

Save the Children

In the time of Joseph, Pharaoh invited the Hebrew families to live in Egypt because of the famine and Josephs leadership as commander in Egypt.  Many years passed and Israel became a great people and  the Egyptians feared them because of their numbers. A new Pharaoh was hardened against Israel and by the devils plan ordered all the male babies of the Hebrews to be killed, but the Midwives feared God more than man.

Exo 1:16  “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 

Exo 1:17  But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 

Exo 1:18  So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 

Exo 1:19  The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 

Exo 1:20  So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 

Exo 1:21  And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 

Exo 1:22  Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”

Because the midwives feared God, He gave them families. The greatness of a nation relies upon a solid family structure.  My understanding is that those who demand abortion rights, do not fear God. Pro choice means giving them the right to kill their baby. Pro life is to love the baby and to give it a good family upbringing. The values of a nation rely on a solid family structure. Do what is right and God will bless you. The mother of baby Moses when she put him in a sealed basket in the Nile did so trusting in the LORD. God used that baby to deliver his people out of Egypt. Just as at the time of Jesus, the devil tried to kill the children and their deliverer, but faithful parents who loved God were given protection for their baby. Jesus is our deliverer from sin and death, you must only believe and receive this free gift to be given eternal life. Choose life and not death and hell.

Go Down Moses-Louis Armstrong

The Great Commision

Jesus had risen from the dead on the third day, as he said he would. The eleven waited for him on the mountain. Judas was no longer with them, he had hanged himself after realizing what he had done. Some doubted like Thomas, who after seeing his wounds called him "My Lord and my God".  

John 20:28  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 

John 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

Mat 28:16  The eleven followers went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus told them to go. 

Mat 28:17  On the mountain the followers saw Jesus. They worshiped him. But some of the followers did not believe that it was really Jesus. 

Mat 28:18  So he came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. 

Mat 28:19  So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

Mat 28:20  Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time." (ERV Bible)

The disciples worshiped him. They did not worship men or angels, only God is to be worshiped.  Jesus is God, the Son. Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the one God. God is Spirit. All authority was given to Jesus by the Father.  They were told to go and make followers all over the world. The Messiah was first sent to Israel, they mostly rejected him, so they were sent to all people. They were to be baptized in the name of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Jesus being eternal promised them eternal life and that he would be with them forever. I like that.

He Lives

Phylacteries and Fringes

People who do not attend a church often say, there are hypocrites  there. It could be true because religion has true spirit filled believers and some who are phony people, as in the days of Jesus. The supposed leaders of truth and righteousness sought to kill Jesus in their hearts. Are we for him or against him?

Mat 23:1  Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 

Mat 23:2  “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 

Mat 23:3  so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 

Mat 23:4  They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 

Mat 23:5  They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 

Mat 23:6  and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 

Mat 23:7  and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. (ESV Bible)

So what are these phylacteries? The devout people would fasten Bible verses of the law by leather straps over the heart and the forehead. The Pharisees enlarged these straps to appear more holy before the people. The ends of their robes had long fringes or tassels, for looks. The prophet Malachi spoke of the wings of a garment, the border that had healing power.

Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 

Mal 4:3  And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts. 

There is the account of a woman being healed by the touching  of Jesus' garment.

Mark 5:25  And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 

Mar 5:26  And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 

Mar 5:27  When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 

Mar 5:28  For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 

Mar 5:29  And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 

Mar 5:30  And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 

Mar 5:31  And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 

Mar 5:32  And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 

Mar 5:33  But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 

Mar 5:34  And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. 

We are to know the word of God and to live the word. We are not to be pretenders but by the presence of God we can do things beyond our natural self.  Let the power of God be in you and in  the church.

He Touched Me