Have you ever experienced what it's like to be broken hearted? Do you know the pain anguish inside? People usually experience a broken heart when they lose a loved one or when a relationship breaks down such as parents divorcing or a boyfriend and girlfriend break up. I would have to say one of the most trying experiences for myself was when my parents seperated. I was only 18 years old at the time. It came a complete shock and I never would have thought it would happen to my family. So many questions go through your mind but the one that stood out the most was "why?". Divorce is a terrible thing, it does more damage than good. God never intended for divorce, yet today we see more and more family falling victim to divorce. My heart goes out to people who have suffered from divorce, especially the innocent ones - the children. The children go through a lot when such a thing happens to their life. Your sense of security is taken away, its like as if someone has pulled the foundation from under your feet. Worse still their heart has now been torn in two, because they love both their mum and dad and are usually required to choose with whom they wish to live with. How can a child choose one over the other? They love both so much, its not fair for them to be put in such a position. Life is like this though, many storms come our during this journey called life and there are many things that we have no control over, this is just one of them.
How can one heal a broken heart? They say time heals all wounds. But what about the wounds that people can't see? We can't go to the doctors and say I have a broken heart, can you fix it! So who can we go to when we have a broken heart, is there anyone who cares? When my heart was broken, it made me question a lot of things about life and why i'm here. I always thought I was a good person and that I never did anything to deserve this, so why was I going through this?
At the time I started seeking answers, I remember being taught at school about evolution and how we as humans simply evolved from monkeys. When I thought about that I then questioned the meaning of life, because if we came from monkeys, then what's the point of life - it has no meaning - therefore why go on living if there is no hope for the future or afterlife?
Maybe you can relate to what I'm saying here, perhaps you are or have experienced the pain of a broken heart. Let me tell you something, there is still hope. Jesus Christ knows what its like to have a broken heart, He went through many trials and tribulations in His short life here on earth. Jesus knows what it's like to be mocked, spat upon, rejected, despised, hated, betrayed, beaten, spoken evil of and even forsaken. Jesus went through it all, He can relate to our pain as humans because He suffered as one. Only Jesus Christ can heal a broken heart, in fact the bible says that "God binds up the broken hearted" it also says that "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit" Psalms 34:18.
God will never turn away a broken heart, we can turn to Him for our healing for He alone can do what no man can. Are you heart broken? Cry out to Jesus Christ, for he cares for you and He will heal your broken heart if only you would ask Him.
As you humble yourself before God on your knees with your hands raised toward heaven and your head bowed, cry out to the Lord Jesus Christ. You only need to call on His name and ask him. Tell Him what you have been going through and how you can't do it with out Him. Give your life to Him and ask Him to be your Lord and Saviour, ask Him to forgive you of all your sins and to make you the person He wants you to be.
In Jesus Name
Amen.
RisenTruth Ministries
http://www.risentruth.org
Wednesday, 26 September 2007
Who do you love?
Who or what do you love most? It's an interesting question that needs to be asked even of ourselves. You see, who we love most determines who we are and what sort of person we become. If our number one love in life is a sport say football or soccer, then that tells me that are devoted to that and nothing will come in the way of our love for that. You can usually tell what sort of character a person is just by knowing who or what it is they love most. The bible says that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Therefore when all a person talks about is their love for football or soccer, that gives you an indication as to who it is they love most and who they are devoted to most.
Jesus himself said that a man cannot serve two masters for he will hold to the one and dispise the other. We cannot serve both God and money. For many in the world today the love of money has been the focus, we are bombarded with messages on tv such as "You need more money" and get rich quick schemes. The pursuit of money has caused much pain and suffering, just look at the damage gambling does to peoples lives.
The bibles says that the love of money is the root of all evil. We can see how true this is, people will do almost anything to get their hands on money. Money itself is not evil, but having a love for money is the root of all evil. Money is a valuable tool & resource and requires great respect. Money must be placed in the hands of a person with the wisdom to know its worth and how to invest it wisely.
In the book of Proverbs, King Solomon the wisest man to have ever lived requested the following from God, 'Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny thy and say who is the Lord, or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain". God has provided for all our needs, He will never let us down because He is faithful and He will provide. We only need to trust Him. It's funny how people are willing to gamble away their life savings on the roll of a dice in order to have more money, than to put their trust in the Lord who is the sustainer and provider of life.
Are you going through financial difficulties? Many of us are, in fact it would seem prices are going up around the world, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. No matter how bad things get, just remember that God is still in control and He knows your every need, He will never let you down, you can count on His unfailing love and faithfulness to do what is right. We can see the faithfulness of God, He brings the sun up every morning, not once has He decided not to do so, no matter how bad the world might be, God is still faithful to us.
There are many things in life that we as humans have no control over, problems are sure to come but we can rest assure knowing that the God of the universe is still in control. The bible says "He is the same yesterday, today and forever" Hebrews 13:8.
In light of what you have just read, I pose my question to you once again, "Who do you love?" There is only one person who must take first place in our hearts, The Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is worthy. You see in order to get our lives right with God and man, we must put God first in our lives, that means that no other person or thing can take His place.
I always say that our relationship with others is always dependant upon our relationship with God, if we can't have a right relationship with God, what makes us think we are going to be able to have a right relationship with other people. Only God can meet and satisfy all our needs.
Even in the Garden of Eden when God created Adam, the Lord said that it's not good for man to be alone. For this reason, God created the women Eve. This shows how God not only wants us to be in relationship with Him, but he has provided for our needs and shows that He is not selfish.
If you have forsaken your first love for God, heed to God's word to "return to your first love". Keep Him first place and when times of testing come, you can count on the Lord to see you through, He will never leave you when times get tough, He sticks closer to you than a brother.
God Bless,
RisenTruth Ministries
http://www.risentruth.org
Jesus himself said that a man cannot serve two masters for he will hold to the one and dispise the other. We cannot serve both God and money. For many in the world today the love of money has been the focus, we are bombarded with messages on tv such as "You need more money" and get rich quick schemes. The pursuit of money has caused much pain and suffering, just look at the damage gambling does to peoples lives.
The bibles says that the love of money is the root of all evil. We can see how true this is, people will do almost anything to get their hands on money. Money itself is not evil, but having a love for money is the root of all evil. Money is a valuable tool & resource and requires great respect. Money must be placed in the hands of a person with the wisdom to know its worth and how to invest it wisely.
In the book of Proverbs, King Solomon the wisest man to have ever lived requested the following from God, 'Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny thy and say who is the Lord, or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain". God has provided for all our needs, He will never let us down because He is faithful and He will provide. We only need to trust Him. It's funny how people are willing to gamble away their life savings on the roll of a dice in order to have more money, than to put their trust in the Lord who is the sustainer and provider of life.
Are you going through financial difficulties? Many of us are, in fact it would seem prices are going up around the world, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. No matter how bad things get, just remember that God is still in control and He knows your every need, He will never let you down, you can count on His unfailing love and faithfulness to do what is right. We can see the faithfulness of God, He brings the sun up every morning, not once has He decided not to do so, no matter how bad the world might be, God is still faithful to us.
There are many things in life that we as humans have no control over, problems are sure to come but we can rest assure knowing that the God of the universe is still in control. The bible says "He is the same yesterday, today and forever" Hebrews 13:8.
In light of what you have just read, I pose my question to you once again, "Who do you love?" There is only one person who must take first place in our hearts, The Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is worthy. You see in order to get our lives right with God and man, we must put God first in our lives, that means that no other person or thing can take His place.
I always say that our relationship with others is always dependant upon our relationship with God, if we can't have a right relationship with God, what makes us think we are going to be able to have a right relationship with other people. Only God can meet and satisfy all our needs.
Even in the Garden of Eden when God created Adam, the Lord said that it's not good for man to be alone. For this reason, God created the women Eve. This shows how God not only wants us to be in relationship with Him, but he has provided for our needs and shows that He is not selfish.
If you have forsaken your first love for God, heed to God's word to "return to your first love". Keep Him first place and when times of testing come, you can count on the Lord to see you through, He will never leave you when times get tough, He sticks closer to you than a brother.
God Bless,
RisenTruth Ministries
http://www.risentruth.org
Tuesday, 25 September 2007
What's the meaning of life?
This would have to be one the most asked questions ever! Many people all over the world from generation to generation have asked this question. Despite advances in science and technology, this question is still asked today. In order to find the answer to this question we need to go back to the manual of life - The word of God - The Holy Bible.
The bibles speaks of a man whose name was Solomon. Solomon was the King of Israel, God granted him wisdom like no one else, in fact Solomon wrote more than 3000 proverbs. Being such a wise man he to looked at life to see what it had to offer and to know what man can do under the sun in the short time he has. Solomon came to the conclusion that man's ultimate purpose in life was to "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12.
There are many things for us to keep us busy in life, in fact people today are finding it more difficult than ever to find time to do anything. We as human being have become so refined in our work that we constantly doing more and more in the day - especially in developed countries. When the computer came onto the scene in businesses they said it would help us get our work done faster, thus giving us more time to spend with our families.
It's true, the computer has certainly enabled us to do things more efficiently, but instead of having more free time, its actually given us more work to squeeze into each day! Undue stress has resulted due to the pressures put on people to meet deadlines. Families today are falling apart because parents don't have the time to look after their children and children are left to themselves.
Surely there must be more to life than this! Our lives are like a vapour that rises up and disappears, here today and gone tomorrow. When you think of the meaning of life, you think of purpose. Surely there is a purpose for life and we all must know what that purpose is so that we can fulfil our purpose in life. The bible tells us that the purpose of life is for us to have fellowship with God and man. This life will determine where we spend eternity, the few years that we live on Earth will impact where we spend eterntiy and there are only places that we can spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell.
The bible says that "wide and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many go down its path, but straight is the way and narrow is the path that leads to life and few find it." The pathway to Hell is broad but the pathway to Heaven is narrow, its narrow because there is only one way to Heaven and that's through Jesus Christ. Any other way will take you to Hell.
You might be wondering, why is the path to Heaven so narrow? This is because Jesus Christ was the only person who ever did and ever will be worthy of paying the price for the sins of the whole world. Just as through one man Adam - sin and death entered the world - therefore all have sinned and all die, so to through one man Jesus Christ - forgiveness of Sin and Eternal Life is given as a free gift.
Like any gift a person wants to give you, its up to the person recieving the gift to accept it. Jesus paid the price for your sins and mine, but in order to recieve His gift of eternal life, we need to recieve it personally by faith. So you have a choice, will you choose to recieve the gift of salvation and eternal life, or will you reject his offer? The choice is yours...
The bibles speaks of a man whose name was Solomon. Solomon was the King of Israel, God granted him wisdom like no one else, in fact Solomon wrote more than 3000 proverbs. Being such a wise man he to looked at life to see what it had to offer and to know what man can do under the sun in the short time he has. Solomon came to the conclusion that man's ultimate purpose in life was to "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12.
There are many things for us to keep us busy in life, in fact people today are finding it more difficult than ever to find time to do anything. We as human being have become so refined in our work that we constantly doing more and more in the day - especially in developed countries. When the computer came onto the scene in businesses they said it would help us get our work done faster, thus giving us more time to spend with our families.
It's true, the computer has certainly enabled us to do things more efficiently, but instead of having more free time, its actually given us more work to squeeze into each day! Undue stress has resulted due to the pressures put on people to meet deadlines. Families today are falling apart because parents don't have the time to look after their children and children are left to themselves.
Surely there must be more to life than this! Our lives are like a vapour that rises up and disappears, here today and gone tomorrow. When you think of the meaning of life, you think of purpose. Surely there is a purpose for life and we all must know what that purpose is so that we can fulfil our purpose in life. The bible tells us that the purpose of life is for us to have fellowship with God and man. This life will determine where we spend eternity, the few years that we live on Earth will impact where we spend eterntiy and there are only places that we can spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell.
The bible says that "wide and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many go down its path, but straight is the way and narrow is the path that leads to life and few find it." The pathway to Hell is broad but the pathway to Heaven is narrow, its narrow because there is only one way to Heaven and that's through Jesus Christ. Any other way will take you to Hell.
You might be wondering, why is the path to Heaven so narrow? This is because Jesus Christ was the only person who ever did and ever will be worthy of paying the price for the sins of the whole world. Just as through one man Adam - sin and death entered the world - therefore all have sinned and all die, so to through one man Jesus Christ - forgiveness of Sin and Eternal Life is given as a free gift.
Like any gift a person wants to give you, its up to the person recieving the gift to accept it. Jesus paid the price for your sins and mine, but in order to recieve His gift of eternal life, we need to recieve it personally by faith. So you have a choice, will you choose to recieve the gift of salvation and eternal life, or will you reject his offer? The choice is yours...
Why didn't anyone tell me sooner?
Ever since I became a Christian back in 1999, I have never looked back! It was and will always be the most important decision of my life - To surrender my life to Jesus Christ and make Him the Lord & Saviour of my Life. When I made that decision, there was no turning back, its been nearly 8 years since and there is one question that has been troubling me since - Why wasn't I told of this sooner?
In all my years at high school, surely there must have been Christians attending the classes I was, why didn't they share to me about Jesus? Were they undercover, scared to be humiliated or called names? Were they ashamed of their relationship with Jesus Christ and what He has done for them? Or is it that they didn't have the time to share to others about Jesus at school? Maybe they didn't think there was any point in trying to share to people because no one had time for God. Whatever the reason, there is no excuse for a Christian who knows Jesus Christ and what He has done for them to not then share that with others.
Its like someone who is sick with an incurable disease and one day, someone finds the cure for the disease and gives the cure to the person who then gets healed. But once the person with the disease is healed, instead of sharing the cure with other people who also need the cure, they decide to keep it for themselves, even though they are already cured! How selfish, and how upset would those people's families feel when they find out that there was a cure and you didn't share it with their loved ones while you had the chance?
I'm grateful that I have received the cure for my disease. Its a disease that affects all of us - Sin. Sin is a spiritual disease that everyone is born with, doesn't matter who you are, what your background is or where your from. It has been passed on from generation to generation since the beginning of creation with Adam & Eve.
The bible says that the wages or cost of Sin is Death, which explains why we all have to die. What is sin? Sin is basically separation from God, when we disobey God, we sin. The bible says that "all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God" Romans 3:23.
You might be saying that your a good person, you haven't murdered anyone! That may be true, but have you ever told a lie? or stolen something? have you looked at man or women with lust? The bible says that if we have broken just one of God's Commandments we have broken them all! The the consequences of breaking God's law is Death - which ultimately leads to Hell. Hell is a place of torment, a place of no rest, it has a lake of fire where there is no water to be found and the fire never goes out for all of eternity, that's along time and Eternity is a long time to be wrong.
Anyone who dies without Jesus Christ in their life will go Hell. The bible is very clear and direct about this, which is why I count this opportunity to share with you as an honour and privilege.
The good news or Gospel is this, that Jesus Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief! Jesus Christ was sent by The Father in Heaven to be born of the Virgin Mary, live and die on a Roman Cross in order to pay the price for the sins of the world - once for all! Not only did He pay that price on our behalf, but Jesus also rose from the dead on the 3rd day! Our faith in Jesus Christ is not in vain, we serve a living God, Jesus is alive today and He has done all He can in order for us to be saved. It's now up to us to believe on Him (Jesus Christ) for our salvation.
If you would like to be forgiven from your sins and receive Eternal Life, you need to admit that your a sinner, and repent (turn away from your sins) and ask Jesus Christ from your heart to wash you and cleanse you from all sin and unrighteousness from your life. Invite him into your heart to be your personal Lord and Saviour of your life.
You can say a prayer like this:
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I realize that I'm a sinner and repent of all my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my heart and receive you as my personal Lord and Saviour of my life. Wash me and cleanse me from all Sin and unrighteousness in my life. I commit my life to you, make me the person you want me to be.
In Jesus Name Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer and meant it sincerely from your heart, you are now part of the family of God. Get yourself a bible and start reading through the scriptures. The more you meditate on the Word of God, the more you will grow spiritually. As you spend time with God in prayer and studying His Word, He will teach you and guide you on the plan He has for your life. Find other Christians who also love and follow Jesus Christ and share your faith with others and testify to what God has done for you.
God Bless you,
RisenTruth Ministries
http://www.risentruth.org
In all my years at high school, surely there must have been Christians attending the classes I was, why didn't they share to me about Jesus? Were they undercover, scared to be humiliated or called names? Were they ashamed of their relationship with Jesus Christ and what He has done for them? Or is it that they didn't have the time to share to others about Jesus at school? Maybe they didn't think there was any point in trying to share to people because no one had time for God. Whatever the reason, there is no excuse for a Christian who knows Jesus Christ and what He has done for them to not then share that with others.
Its like someone who is sick with an incurable disease and one day, someone finds the cure for the disease and gives the cure to the person who then gets healed. But once the person with the disease is healed, instead of sharing the cure with other people who also need the cure, they decide to keep it for themselves, even though they are already cured! How selfish, and how upset would those people's families feel when they find out that there was a cure and you didn't share it with their loved ones while you had the chance?
I'm grateful that I have received the cure for my disease. Its a disease that affects all of us - Sin. Sin is a spiritual disease that everyone is born with, doesn't matter who you are, what your background is or where your from. It has been passed on from generation to generation since the beginning of creation with Adam & Eve.
The bible says that the wages or cost of Sin is Death, which explains why we all have to die. What is sin? Sin is basically separation from God, when we disobey God, we sin. The bible says that "all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God" Romans 3:23.
You might be saying that your a good person, you haven't murdered anyone! That may be true, but have you ever told a lie? or stolen something? have you looked at man or women with lust? The bible says that if we have broken just one of God's Commandments we have broken them all! The the consequences of breaking God's law is Death - which ultimately leads to Hell. Hell is a place of torment, a place of no rest, it has a lake of fire where there is no water to be found and the fire never goes out for all of eternity, that's along time and Eternity is a long time to be wrong.
Anyone who dies without Jesus Christ in their life will go Hell. The bible is very clear and direct about this, which is why I count this opportunity to share with you as an honour and privilege.
The good news or Gospel is this, that Jesus Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief! Jesus Christ was sent by The Father in Heaven to be born of the Virgin Mary, live and die on a Roman Cross in order to pay the price for the sins of the world - once for all! Not only did He pay that price on our behalf, but Jesus also rose from the dead on the 3rd day! Our faith in Jesus Christ is not in vain, we serve a living God, Jesus is alive today and He has done all He can in order for us to be saved. It's now up to us to believe on Him (Jesus Christ) for our salvation.
If you would like to be forgiven from your sins and receive Eternal Life, you need to admit that your a sinner, and repent (turn away from your sins) and ask Jesus Christ from your heart to wash you and cleanse you from all sin and unrighteousness from your life. Invite him into your heart to be your personal Lord and Saviour of your life.
You can say a prayer like this:
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I realize that I'm a sinner and repent of all my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my heart and receive you as my personal Lord and Saviour of my life. Wash me and cleanse me from all Sin and unrighteousness in my life. I commit my life to you, make me the person you want me to be.
In Jesus Name Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer and meant it sincerely from your heart, you are now part of the family of God. Get yourself a bible and start reading through the scriptures. The more you meditate on the Word of God, the more you will grow spiritually. As you spend time with God in prayer and studying His Word, He will teach you and guide you on the plan He has for your life. Find other Christians who also love and follow Jesus Christ and share your faith with others and testify to what God has done for you.
God Bless you,
RisenTruth Ministries
http://www.risentruth.org
Monday, 24 September 2007
Have you ever had a bad day?
Who hasn't had a bad day! No matter how much we try to make the day go well, some how or another trouble comes our way. I often make the statement, who doesn't have problems... everyone has problems, no one is without their own personal burdens to carry, some know how to deal with them then others.
The first step to dealing with problems that come our way is to acknowledge that there are many things in life that we have no control over. For example, we can't stop the sun from rising each morning, nor the moon from appearing at night. We can't stop time from ticking nor can we go back in time. In the same way, when problems or as I call them "The storms of life" come our way, we can be sure that no matter how much we try to avoid them, they are sure to strike.
So what do you do when the storm clouds come rolling in? What is your response? We really have a choice to make when faced with such trials. We can run and hide and pretend that the storm won't hit, or we acknowledge the storm and go through it. But how do we overcome such storms in our lives - is it possible to overcome? Yes!
Many people fall victim to the storms of life because they didn't anticipate the fact that the storms of life can strike at anytime. Death for example is one storm that will strike all of us, no one can escape it. No amount of money can buy your way our of death - sooner or later it will strike, this again is something we have no control over, however we can speed up that process when we misuse our lives by bad eating habits to taking drugs, alcohol etc. A question that should be asked at this time is this: Why do we have to die?
To answer this question we have to go back to the beginning of creation, when God created the Heavens and the Earth and everything therein, including humans. God created everything in this world for us to enjoy. When God created the first humans Adam and Eve, He placed them in the Garden of Eden, they were free to eat of all the trees in the Garden, accept from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God said that in the day that they eat of that tree they should surely die.
So God gave Adam and Eve a commandment which they needed to obey. God being a loving God, gave them a free will, they simply needed to trust in God that He knew what's best for them and obey his commandment. However like all of us today, curiosity often gets the better of us, and as such Adam and Eve both ate of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. As a result Sin and Death entered the world through Adam and Eve.
What is Sin? Sin is basically disobedience to God. As a result of Adam and Eve's Sin in the Garden of Eden, Sin and death has been passed on from generation to generation. So through one man Adam, Sin and Death entered the world and therefore all have sinned. Sin is a spiritual disease that separates us from God. The wages or price of Sin is Death. So basically from the time we are born we are destined to die.
You might be wondering, well i'm still a good person, why should I die, I haven't murdered anyone! In order to Judge people fairly, God has given us a law by which to live - The 10 Commandments. By having one law for all human beings, we will be held accountable to God who will be our ultimate Judge and we all will have to give an account for how we lived our lives. This makes sense to, because everyone has different beliefs, moral standards by which they live. What I would consider bad, some may consider ok. For this reason God has provided us with His perfect law. So what we need to do is compare our lives to His Law to see how we fair up. The bible makes it clear that if we break just one of God's Laws, we have broken them all, infact the Bible goes on to say "For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God" Romans 3:23.
Do you know the 10 Commandments?
Have you ever told a lie?
Have you ever stolen?
Have you bowed down to Graven Images?
Have you committed adultery?
Have you coveted something that doesn't belong to you?
These are just some of the common things people do in the world, if you have done any of these things, even once, you are a law breaker and the price for breaking this law is Death.
The bible also tells us that there is an afterlife and there are two places we can spend our time in Eternity, Heaven or Hell. All sinners will go to Hell for all of Eternity. All saints will go to Heaven. The bible tells us Hell is a place of torment, a place of no rest, a place where the fire doesn't go out, where no water can be found to drink. Heaven is a place of rest, a place of peace and joy, a place where there is no suffering or tears, a place like no other.
I'm sure no one would want to go to such a place as Hell. Often people make the comment that we are in Hell here on Earth, but to be honest, Hell is much worse! Really if people could catch a glimpse of what Hell is really like, they would take death and the afterlife much more seriously.
Its easy in this day and age to be distracted with needless things that take up so much of our time like movies, sports, riches and pleasures that this world has to offer only to neglect things that matter most like where we will spend eternity when we die. I'm sure if the dead could speak, they would surely warn us of such a place as Hell and do all that they can to stop people from going there. But reality is it is up to us to read God Word - The Bible to know more about the afterlife and what we must do in order to be saved from a lost eternity in Hell.
Having stated the facts, I have some good news to share with you! The good news is that the price for the sins of the world has been paid in full by Jesus Christ - The Son of God, The Saviour of all mankind. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life" John 3:16.
Jesus was sent by the Father from heaven to earth to die on the cross and shed His blood for our sins. Only Jesus could do this, once for all. Just as through one man, Adam Sin and Death entered the world, so to through one man Jesus Christ, forgiveness of Sin and Eternal Life can also be received. The bible says "But God demonstrates His love for us in this - While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8. Jesus paid the price for your sins and mine, He alone is worthy to pay such a price because He is the only person since the beginning of creation who was without Sin. So no amount of good works can save us, nor praying to any statue or sacrifice can save us from our Sins. Jesus Christ has paid the price for the sins of the world, once for all. All we need to do is receive His forgiveness by Faith:
1. Repent of all your sins,
2. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that He Rose from the dead on the 3rd day,
3. Recieve Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour of your life,
You can pray a simple prayer from your heart as follows:
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I realize that I'm a sinner and repent of all my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my heart and receive you as my personal Lord and Saviour of my life. Wash me and cleanse me from all Sin and unrighteousness in my life. I commit my life to you, make me the person you want me to be.
In Jesus Name Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer and meant it sincerely from your heart, you are now part of the family of God. Get yourself a bible and start reading through the scriptures. The more you meditate on the Word of God, the more you will grow spiritually. As you spend time with God in prayer and studying His Word, He will teach you and guide you on the plan He has for your life. Find other Christians who also love and follow Jesus Christ and share your faith with others and testify to what God has done for you.
God Bless you,
RisenTruth Ministries
http://www.risentruth.org
The first step to dealing with problems that come our way is to acknowledge that there are many things in life that we have no control over. For example, we can't stop the sun from rising each morning, nor the moon from appearing at night. We can't stop time from ticking nor can we go back in time. In the same way, when problems or as I call them "The storms of life" come our way, we can be sure that no matter how much we try to avoid them, they are sure to strike.
So what do you do when the storm clouds come rolling in? What is your response? We really have a choice to make when faced with such trials. We can run and hide and pretend that the storm won't hit, or we acknowledge the storm and go through it. But how do we overcome such storms in our lives - is it possible to overcome? Yes!
Many people fall victim to the storms of life because they didn't anticipate the fact that the storms of life can strike at anytime. Death for example is one storm that will strike all of us, no one can escape it. No amount of money can buy your way our of death - sooner or later it will strike, this again is something we have no control over, however we can speed up that process when we misuse our lives by bad eating habits to taking drugs, alcohol etc. A question that should be asked at this time is this: Why do we have to die?
To answer this question we have to go back to the beginning of creation, when God created the Heavens and the Earth and everything therein, including humans. God created everything in this world for us to enjoy. When God created the first humans Adam and Eve, He placed them in the Garden of Eden, they were free to eat of all the trees in the Garden, accept from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God said that in the day that they eat of that tree they should surely die.
So God gave Adam and Eve a commandment which they needed to obey. God being a loving God, gave them a free will, they simply needed to trust in God that He knew what's best for them and obey his commandment. However like all of us today, curiosity often gets the better of us, and as such Adam and Eve both ate of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. As a result Sin and Death entered the world through Adam and Eve.
What is Sin? Sin is basically disobedience to God. As a result of Adam and Eve's Sin in the Garden of Eden, Sin and death has been passed on from generation to generation. So through one man Adam, Sin and Death entered the world and therefore all have sinned. Sin is a spiritual disease that separates us from God. The wages or price of Sin is Death. So basically from the time we are born we are destined to die.
You might be wondering, well i'm still a good person, why should I die, I haven't murdered anyone! In order to Judge people fairly, God has given us a law by which to live - The 10 Commandments. By having one law for all human beings, we will be held accountable to God who will be our ultimate Judge and we all will have to give an account for how we lived our lives. This makes sense to, because everyone has different beliefs, moral standards by which they live. What I would consider bad, some may consider ok. For this reason God has provided us with His perfect law. So what we need to do is compare our lives to His Law to see how we fair up. The bible makes it clear that if we break just one of God's Laws, we have broken them all, infact the Bible goes on to say "For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God" Romans 3:23.
Do you know the 10 Commandments?
Have you ever told a lie?
Have you ever stolen?
Have you bowed down to Graven Images?
Have you committed adultery?
Have you coveted something that doesn't belong to you?
These are just some of the common things people do in the world, if you have done any of these things, even once, you are a law breaker and the price for breaking this law is Death.
The bible also tells us that there is an afterlife and there are two places we can spend our time in Eternity, Heaven or Hell. All sinners will go to Hell for all of Eternity. All saints will go to Heaven. The bible tells us Hell is a place of torment, a place of no rest, a place where the fire doesn't go out, where no water can be found to drink. Heaven is a place of rest, a place of peace and joy, a place where there is no suffering or tears, a place like no other.
I'm sure no one would want to go to such a place as Hell. Often people make the comment that we are in Hell here on Earth, but to be honest, Hell is much worse! Really if people could catch a glimpse of what Hell is really like, they would take death and the afterlife much more seriously.
Its easy in this day and age to be distracted with needless things that take up so much of our time like movies, sports, riches and pleasures that this world has to offer only to neglect things that matter most like where we will spend eternity when we die. I'm sure if the dead could speak, they would surely warn us of such a place as Hell and do all that they can to stop people from going there. But reality is it is up to us to read God Word - The Bible to know more about the afterlife and what we must do in order to be saved from a lost eternity in Hell.
Having stated the facts, I have some good news to share with you! The good news is that the price for the sins of the world has been paid in full by Jesus Christ - The Son of God, The Saviour of all mankind. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life" John 3:16.
Jesus was sent by the Father from heaven to earth to die on the cross and shed His blood for our sins. Only Jesus could do this, once for all. Just as through one man, Adam Sin and Death entered the world, so to through one man Jesus Christ, forgiveness of Sin and Eternal Life can also be received. The bible says "But God demonstrates His love for us in this - While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8. Jesus paid the price for your sins and mine, He alone is worthy to pay such a price because He is the only person since the beginning of creation who was without Sin. So no amount of good works can save us, nor praying to any statue or sacrifice can save us from our Sins. Jesus Christ has paid the price for the sins of the world, once for all. All we need to do is receive His forgiveness by Faith:
1. Repent of all your sins,
2. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that He Rose from the dead on the 3rd day,
3. Recieve Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour of your life,
You can pray a simple prayer from your heart as follows:
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I realize that I'm a sinner and repent of all my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my heart and receive you as my personal Lord and Saviour of my life. Wash me and cleanse me from all Sin and unrighteousness in my life. I commit my life to you, make me the person you want me to be.
In Jesus Name Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer and meant it sincerely from your heart, you are now part of the family of God. Get yourself a bible and start reading through the scriptures. The more you meditate on the Word of God, the more you will grow spiritually. As you spend time with God in prayer and studying His Word, He will teach you and guide you on the plan He has for your life. Find other Christians who also love and follow Jesus Christ and share your faith with others and testify to what God has done for you.
God Bless you,
RisenTruth Ministries
http://www.risentruth.org
What is Love?
What is Love? Is it just an emotional feeling? Can we know true love? There are numorous questions that come up when you think of love. We all want to be loved, we want people to care for us. Its something we all long for in life - To be loved. So where does one find love? Is it something we can buy from the shop? Is it something we can earn? Love is a gift from God, in fact the Bible says that “Love is of God.” (1 John 4:7)
So how can we know what true love is if we don’t know the Love of God? The whole world is looking for love in all the wrong places, they go to nightclubs, pubs, blind dates, etc. to find true love, yet in most cases they only end up breaking their hearts and are left feeling hurt and empty inside.
The love portrayed in movies and tv is all superficial. It’s not real love. Real love doesn’t come from the world it comes from God above. He is the source of Love and until we look to Him for the Love that He offers us, we will never know the Love of God. So let me share with you the Love of God.
Firstly, God’s love has no end, He loves us with an everlasting love. The bible says “For God so Loved the World, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)
Unlike the world, God not only tell us that He loves us, but has proved His Love for us by sending His one and only Son to die on the cross in order to pay the price for our sins that we might have eternal life.
How many people do you know that you would be willing to lay your life down for? It would have to be someone you love so much to even consider doing that. But would you be willing to lay down your life for your enemies? Not only die in their place, but to also forgive them - holding no grudges or anger? That’s crazy right?
Well for us as humans, that seems crazy, but that’s exactly what Jesus Christ did for us. “But God demonstrates his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8.
When the love of many grows cold
Jesus said in “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Matthew 24:12. From what Jesus is saying here, we see the reason why the love of many becoming less and less is because of SIN. The world we live in today has become more focused on self than ever and its getting worse! Its all about me… how selfish we have become! What happen to people helping people?
The trend today is to exploit people, see what we can get out of people for our selfish gain! This mentality is not only taking place in the world, but it can even be seen in the church! Christians are called to be “salt of the earth” and “light of the world”. But what happens when the salt has lost its taste? What is it good for? The church is suppose to make an impact on the world, instead the world is making an impact on the church! Today’s church leaders have allowed false doctrines and false teachings to enter… so much so that rather than hearing from the word of God, we are hearing messages likened to a “Self Help” Seminar!
There is a famine in the land, but its not a physical famine...its a spiritual famine. People today are more hungry for the word of God than ever, but the problem is that when you are hungry, you will eat almost anything to satisfy that hunger! So when false teachings and Doctrines enter the church through false prophets, false teachers, Christian Television, The Internet etc… the people take it in - and become deceived themselves! False doctrines and teachings is deadly and it spreads like wild fire. You might be asking...so what has this got to do with the love of many growing cold? Much! Gone are the days of preachers preaching on Love, Faith, Hope, SIN, HELL, Death etc… Where is the Christ centered messages? Instead we hear messages on how to get rich and you need more money - its become a Prosperity Gospel!
Many of the people teaching these things are living a very opulent lifestyle and in order to justify their lifestyle they need to speak on such things. Despite the Bible speaking against those that do… In fact the bible says that “Godliness with contentment is great gain” 1 Timothy 6:6 and goes further to say “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10.
Hear the conclusion of the matter:
The world is looking for love, and the Christians are the ones who know the Love of God. How will the world know the love of God if the Christians don’t show love to the world? Worse still, what happens when the Christians don’t even show love to fellow Christians? Knowing that Jesus prophesied when he said the love of many would grow cold in the last days, we as Christians and followers of Jesus Christ must show love - even to our enemies! It will only be possible to love our enemies when we return to our first love - Jesus Christ. For it was Jesus who first loved us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 God has also demonstrated His own love for us in that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8
Do you understand what God has done for us? He has paid the price for our sins… “For the wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 Amazing...name someone who would be willing to lay down their life for you...perhaps your parents or someone close to you like your husband or wife...but what about a stranger....or worse still your enemy?
Would you lay your life down for your enemies? No one would want to do that right? Well that’s exactly what Jesus has done for us...while were were yet sinners, Christ died for us!
That is the love of God...and there is no greater love than that! So what would your response be knowing that Jesus has paid the price for you sins? You would tell everyone you could, to let them know that your sins have been forgiven and you would share that same love to not only the people that love you, but also to your enemies! That’s the difference between a person who’s religious and a person who has been forgiven and knows the Love of Jesus Christ in their life!
In order to receive that same love and forgiveness that Jesus Christ paid for with His Life, you need to admit that your a sinner and have fallen short of the standard God requires. You need to ask Jesus to forgive you and repent from all your sins, which means to turn aways from sin and turn to Jesus Christ to forgive you and make you a new person from within.
Remember also that Jesus Died on the cross for the sins of the world, and also defeated Death and the Grave by Rising on the 3rd day...this means that Jesus Christ is alive today… He is alive - He has Risen from the Dead!
Ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart where you are right now, His ears are open to hear your prayer as you ask him to come into your heart to be The Lord and Saviour of your life.
If you have done this from a sincere heart before God, Praise God, your new life begins today. In order to grow in your new life with Jesus Christ, you need to get yourself a Bible, start reading daily the Word of God, the more you read and apply the Word of God in your life, the more you will grow spiritually. By reading the Word of God you can learn more about God, what he likes, what pleases Him, what he hates etc… You can spend time in prayer speaking to God as your Heavenly Father, He loves you and cares for you very much and He wants to hear from you everyday.
Find other Christians that you can fellowship with and share your faith together. Finally, share and testify to what God has done for you. Tell your family, friends, enemies, let people know of your commitment to follow the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord & Saviour.
I leave you with the words of Jesus. “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Finding Peace in the midst of a storm
Have you ever felt like the world around was falling apart and you didn’t know which way to turn or how to get through? Many of us have gone through various trials & tribulations, perhaps your going through them right now! The problem when faced with such trials is that its difficult to stay motivated and see it through to the end. Some people give up trying and end up becoming a victim of their circumstances.
One observation I have noticed is that during those times of desperation people in a last resort will cry to God. When we are at the end of the rope, where we have tried all we could to get through and still fallen short, then we cry to God. Why is that? Why do people wait till the end to seek God on the situation? Are we so proud? Do we think we can do it our way without God? Do we think we know better than God? Its rare to see a person who has everything going for them in life to give time for God. They are too busy or feel they don’t need God in their lives because they believe they have all they need. But when times get tough and you lose your Job, house, family etc...thats when they cry to God...only when they need him, how sad. Its like a friend who only sees you whenever they want something...but when you want to see them, they make excuses or don’t have the time.
As Christians, we mustn’t let anything come between us and our relationship with God. For our relationship with others, is always dependent upon our relationship with God. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, and its his peace that sees us through the storms of life. So the next time you feel like you have your life under control and are in need of nothing, remember your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for He alone you can Trust in Good times and bad.
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