surely?

Betray: (verb) To be disloyal.

During the last supper, the Lord's supper, Jesus confronted Judas.  Jesus stated that he would be betrayed by one of his disciples.  Judas immediately denied it would be him, but Jesus firmly stated that in fact Judas would be the one.

in scripture we learn that Judas betrayed Christ for a mere thirty silver coins.  A price equal to purchase a slave.  Now I have researched the value in today's terms.  The consensus ranges from a few hundred dollars to a couple thousand dollars.  

I have to ask, for how much less do we betray (become disloyal) to Christ today?  What little things in life keep us from serving, praising, and gathering together in worship?  The little things that we find more value in than our commitment to Jesus.  Sleeping in, going to the deer woods, fishing, camping, hiking, tv, hanging out with friends, just simply don't feel like it....

Matthew 26:25 then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "yes, it is you."

Have you ever used the "surely" excuse for not being faithful?  Surely God will forgive me, surely I'm not as bad as others, surely God doesn't care if I miss, surely God won't hold it against me, surely God wants me to enjoy life more, surely this and that, surely blah blah blah.  

If you are a surely kind of Christian, then you are surely betraying, being disloyal to your Lord and Savior. 

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel #risensavior #maui #sunset

Heaven is for real, the bible describes it

I have to admit it is pretty exciting to see godly movies being produced and coming out in mainstream theaters.  Christians are excited about it, and even non Christians are finding an affinity for these movies.  However, I want to step out and share some thoughts that may not be popular.  

I want to start with this question; "Would satan himself disguise his deceptions in the form of godly appearing movies?"  I believe absolutely, what better way to deceive the heart and mind of man than to water down the truth of Gods word, or twist it in in such a way it is not even remotely biblical but appears so. 

I am here to tell you the devil himself doesn't care if we are corrupt, hooked on drugs, abusing other people, swallowed up in drunkenness, going from one marital affair to another, lying, cheating, stealing, killing or forming our own mafia.  The only thing that matters to satan is that we never connect to Jesus Christ in a real meaningful relationship accepting Him as Lord an savior of your life.  The would much rather you be satisfied by feeling good than questioning your own salvation.

I would bet the devil himself is teaching Sunday school classes and preaching from the pulpit all over this world.  Why wouldn't he?  

Here is my point friends, there are a lot of supposed christian themed movies being produced and that is exciting.  However many do not conform the the holy bible, Gods inspired word.  Heed caution and ask yourself before you get sucked in; "is this movie in line with what the bible teaches?"  I have recently read several articles and even watched and interview last night with the father and son that wrote the book "Heaven is for Real."  I have to question the authenticity, as it doesn't line up with the word of God.  Noah the movie, I learned was produced by an atheist.  

May I encourage you to recognize deception and false teachings are for  real.  I also want to encourage you to always validate what you have seen, heard and read with the Holy word of God.

Matthew chapter 24 warns us of false teachings and prophets during the end times.

Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel #risensavior

Unashamed

It's funny how people are so comfortable with trying to convince others to listen to certain music, try different foods, watch a particular movie.  Just listen you will hear it everywhere, Walmart, restaurants, work, parking lots, sporting events... "You have got to listen" "you have to try this""you really need to go see this movie" "you will love this or that."  Never hesitation in convincing others to try and like the the things we like.  Things that really don't matter. 

When someone is deathly I'll, we even share our advice in what doctor  to go see, which hospital is best, and even the medicines we know will help. 

Sadly when it comes to the one thing that matters above anything else in this life we remain silent.  Nothing in this world will matter when you take your last breath.  No medicine, no doctor, no cure, no food, no music, no movie, no nothing in this world will matter when you last breath is taken except one thing.  The only thing that matters is the truth of God.  

When we promote, encourage and even attempt to convince others to try the things we like yet chose silence when it comes to Christ, we chose to be ashamed of the gospel of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  In doing so we place Christ beneath everything else in this world.  

I am unashamed and I will proclaim the one and only thing that matters in this life, forgiveness and salvation only comes through Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel #risensavior

God is not dead or defeated

We are living in a day where Christians are feeling defeated and discouraged because they believe God has been kicked out of public schools, denied religious freedoms, silencing of speech, and even evicted from the White House.  Wake up Christians and get over your woes, God is not dead and He can never be defeated.  

The defeat we think we see is nothing more than the weakness of our own faith.  Christians have been silenced because of the threats from the liberal left demanding our silence and the passing of discriminating laws and censoring our freedoms.  

Peter and John faced the same persecution that we face this very day.  The religious leaders of their day demanded their silence.  Here is Peter and John's response; "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we can not help speaking about what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:19).  

After being flogged and imprisoned for speaking truth, they were freed by the Holy Spirit and immediately went back to proclaiming Jesus name and His resurrection.  Again they were confronted by the leaders to shut their mouths.  Here is their reply; "we must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29)

Now I am by no means suggesting Christians break laws to evangelize in Jesus name.  Laws do not mean you must silence your entire life.  There is always a right place and time for speaking truth, and more importantly there is never a wrong place to live out your faith.  

One of the religious leaders by the name of Gamaliel had a tad bit more wisdom that the rest.  I love what he shared with the other religious leaders of his time.  "For if their activity is of human origin, it will fail.  But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." (Acts 5:38-39)

Wake up Christians and wake up liberal left!  GOD IS NOT DEAD!  and HE CAN NOT BE DEFEATED!  The battle was already won on mount Calvary by means of an ugly bloody cross and an empty grave abandoned by the risen savior and Jesus Christ is His name.  

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel #risensavior 

How many members does your church have

What if your church gains a higher population, but saves not one soul?  It would have been better to reach one lost soul than entertain an entire population just to say we have grown.  Frequently I am asked "How many kids do you have in youth?"  Why do people measure ministry success with numbers in attendance?  Numbers mean nothing if the church is not reaching lost souls and brining them to salvation in Jesus Christ alone.  

During my quiet time today I was reading the book of acts.  In the book of Acts we find the birth of the church.  The birth of the church only occurred after the Holy Spirit baptized Christ's disciples giving them power to preach and proclaim the word.  It was not through ingenuity and creative ministry and entertainment that the church was born.  It was through the power of word alone spoken by the disciples empowered by the Holy Spirit that the church was born.  People were wow'd, perplexed, and amazed not because they were entertained, but awe struck by the power of God's word.  Some rejected the word and proclaimed the disciples were drunk, yet others, 3,000 in fact accepted the truth and were added to those being saved.

It's one thing to lead someone to Christ for salvation, but it's another thing for them to be added to the growth of the church.  The key to the spiritual growth of the church is fellowship centered around ministry, worship and discipleship.  The early believers were faithful to fellowship daily by coming together and breaking bread, they ate together.  They also ministered to one another by sacrificing what they had in order to meet each other's needs.  During their time of fellowship, hanging out together, they were taught the word of God through discipleship and they worshiped together by praising God.  Through it all the church continued to grow daily those who were being saved.  

How many people attend your church?  How many of those fellowship daily like the church when it was first born?  How many are being added because they are being saved?  

Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

The picture is from a revival service in Nicaragua during a mission trip I was apart of.  Numbers of those being saved were definitely added that day

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel #believe

Do you believe?

Time and time again, I have seen people experience God in mountain top ways only to quickly fall back down into the valleys of doubt and despair.  I have witnessed people go to revival services, mission trips, church camps and all kinds of events or circumstances where God was manifested so tangibly He could not be denied.  That spiritual mountain top experience was undeniable.  Shortly after, the fall prevailed.

I have I ask why?  Could it be that doubt trumped belief?  It is a fact that Jesus Christ's manifests himself in ways that we can tangibly experience Him.  Ways this world cannot explain.  God allows this not to create doubt, but belief.  I often wonder, do people doubt their belief?  Do they begin to doubt that mountain top experience?  Did they ever really believe?  Did they really believe it was God or or was it merely just and emotional high?  

Emotional experiences fade and grow faint over time.  Emotional experiences do not necessarily prompt a genuine belief in the cause of Christ.  Emotions can produce nothing more than a thrill, a temporary excitement producing nothing more than a great memory.

Belief is the gateway to life, a life eternal only found in Jesus Christ.  Belief lasts forever not producing a mere "once upon a time" mountain top experience.  Do you believe?

John 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.   

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel #believe

You can be a part of answered prayers

Have you ever stopped to realize that you have the opportunity to be a part of God's answer to prayer and even miracles? By surrendering my life to be the hands and feet of Jesus, I have had the amazing opportunity of being a part of God's answer to countless prayers.  

In this picture, God chose me! to be a part of this mothers answer to prayer for her dying baby in the jungles of Nicaragua.  

John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel #prayer #miracle 

Jesus wants more than my feet

Jesus wants all of me not just part of me.  He doesn't want to just polish up certain parts of my life He wants to polish all of my life.  My Lord and Savior loves me so much that He cares about every aspect of my being.  He cares about my speech, my thoughts, my emotions, my attitude, my hurts, my weaknesses, my strengths.  Christ is genuinely concerned about the things I do, the places I go, who I help, who I care for, what I do with my time, do I take care of myself, do I care about others, picking me up when I fall, my sickness, am I in fellowship with other believers.  It matters to Him if I am modest, am I pure, am I faithful, am I growing,  He really does care about everything.

As I was reading the story of when Jesus washed His disciples feet his conversation with Peter spoke to me.  Peter didn't want Jesus to wash his feet.  I don't know if it was pride or humility that made Peter feel that way.  Could it have been pride because he didn't want to be embarrassed?  Was it humility because Peter knew Christ was greater than himself and he didn't deserve to have Jesus wash his feet.  I honestly do not know the answer.   Either way it really doesn't matter because Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet.

When it comes to my relationship with Christ it doesn't matter if pride or humility gets in the way.  Either way I still hinder the fullness of what Christ wants to do in me and for me.  

Jesus responded to Peter by saying this; "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."  Wow!  Just simply a humbling wow.  My reasons don't matter, whatever they are if they hinder what Christ desires for my life there is a part of me that will have nothing to do with the one who died for me.

I am pretty sure Peter was wow'd as well.  Immediately Peter wanted Jesus to wash all of him, no bars hold and no excuses.  I want to be like Peter, I want Jesus to wash all of me.

John 13:8-9  "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."9 "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

What are you wearing?

Have you ever heard the saying "it is written all over your face", or "you wear your emotions on your shoulders"? These sayings relate to how people appear because of what they are feeling or experiencing. More often than not people wear their emotions and feelings for others to see.

If you think about it, there is a great deal of truth behind these sayings.  Just watch people and you will see for yourself.  When something bad is going on you can see it.  Body language and affect appear distraught, depressed, or even hopeless.  When something exciting is happening, you can't help but notice.  Big smiles, joyful affects, and attitudes that are contagious.  Parents can relate best to what I am saying.  When your kids have done wrong, you can see it by how they appear and behave.  When your kids have done well, you can see it before they ever speak a word.

In the book of John we can read about Lazarus.  Lazarus was stinky dead laying in a tomb for four days.  Spiritually we are dead in sin and life stinks because of it.  Jesus did not see Lazarus for what he already was, he saw Lazarus for what he should be.  Because of that Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb of death and raised him back to life.  But check out what the last thing Jesus said concerning Lazarus.  "...Take off the grave clothes and let him go." (John 11:44). I love it, Lazarus was no longer dead and therefore his appearance would no longer portray death as well. 

When I came I Christ and accepted him as my LORD and savior, Jesus said to me "take off your grave clothes, you are no longer dead to sin."  Right after that he said; "clothe yourself in me, for now you live and for now on you will look like it."  My affect, my attitude, and my life are no longer clothed to appear dead, but very much alive.

Can I encourage you to change your spiritual clothes?

Galatians 3:27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel