Real Christian discussion

Hello, everyone! Happy November! :)

Below is the devotional schedule I have right now... it may change when/if I hear from more people.

If anyone else is interested in sharing devotionals this month, or if you have any questions about this thread, send me a message and let me know! :)

Sunday: ____
Monday: Rita Faye
Tuesday: Marie
Wednesday: Dane
Thursday: Arnie
Friday: C. Read
Saturday: ____

TRUE or FALSE Christ?

Devotional for Friday
(Posted Sunday, 5 November 2017/ 17 Cheshvan 5778)

I would like to present a fundamental question that I hope you will seriously consider: Do you believe that Jesus Christ, the true Jesus Christ, actually lives inside of those who are "born again" of God, and that He will "guide you into all truth" by the "Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him."? I do! The following verses from God's word will validate my views.

1 John 2:18 "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time."

1 John 2:22 "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son."

1 John 4:3 "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

2 John 1:7 "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

Acts 5:32 "And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him."

1 Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

1 Thessalonians 4:8 "He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us His Holy Spirit."

We are living in a time that God's people MUST be very watchful and guard against deception, because there are MANY deceivers in this world, and it is rampant in and out of the Churches...And if you don't think you can be misled into believing something that is not true, you really need to ask God to show you the truth! I was once deceived in a major way, and I AM a "Real Christian," but the sin of pride and self-righteousness blinded my eyes to the "deceivers" that were sent by Satan to try and trip me up (who by the way, claimed to be “Christians.”)

I just know that 1 Corinthians 13, really helps to put things into perspective.

1 Corinthians 13:1 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

1 Corinthians 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

1 Corinthians 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

1 Corinthians 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

1 Corinthians 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

1 Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

1 Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."

And Ephesians 6:10-18 makes those of us who love the LORD Jesus realize that it is ONLY through God that we can even stand.

Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Ephesians 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

I am very concerned about those who don’t value God's word as they should. So many professing Christians don’t even take the time to read and study it. But how a person approaches the Word of God says a lot about their faith in God, and His dear son the LORD Jesus Christ, who is the “living word.”

When I first came to the LORD, thirty eighty years ago, I certainly wasn't miraculously "holy," perfect, or sinless, but my whole attitude about God and His Holy word was completely different. I wanted to be holy. I wanted to be obedient. I wanted to please God. And it has been a life-long adventurous journey of getting to know my dear Father and His beloved Son all these years since I first committed my heart and life to Him, in November 1979, in the deserts of Yuma, Arizona. There is so much more to know and understand about God, and I am continually learning about Him through His Word, and by His Spirit. My greatest desire is to be pleasing to Him, but regretfully, I am not always. And when I am not, it really bothers me inside until I do something about it.

Because of this "flesh nature" we inherited from Adam, I “miss the mark” at times, but I am striving to obey God. I just thank God that He is so kind, loving, and forgiving; and He is willing to overlook my sin and error if I acknowledge my mistakes and turn from my sin. Just by what God has put in my heart, I have full confidence that my name IS in the Book of Life! Is yours?

Only what God thinks is all that matters, and how you respond to Him and His Word will determine whether you will have a place in Heaven one great and glorious day. It is my sincere prayer that I can maybe persuade others who do not know God to go "the way of the cross," and receive Jesus Christ--the true Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior, and be "born again." And the only way that can happen is just as Jesus said to Nicodemus.

John 3:5 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

There are so many things that we cannot understand about God and His Kingdom, but one thing is for sure, it is only by the grace of God that we can be saved by faith in the LORD Jesus Christ--the One whom God hath sent into this world to save our souls, for those who will believe Him.

John 1:9 "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.

John 1:11 He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:

John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

Our destiny is totally in the hands of God. And the question posed by a moderator at another blog that I visit here at GoodReads is absolutely vital to consider: "Is your Jesus the TRUE or FALSE Christ?" Think about it!

I hope I haven't lost anyone due to my lengthy posts. "The Days are Evil," and we are living in some very difficult and trying times! I pray God will be with you and your loved ones, and especially the people of Texas right now!

You all are in my prayers to the LORD!

With the love of Christ,
C. Read

Monday, November 6

Take a look at yourself this week. What do you cherish? Who do you love? What do you seek? What do you spend most of your time doing?

There is a challenge on facebook that says each day take a black and white picture of your life. This challenge isn't something I would do and post, mainly because I'm not on facebook but I enjoy photography so I decided to take some black and white photos. Everything looks so different when you remove color and just have different shades of gray. This week take black and white photos of what is most important in your life. Take one picture of family or use a picture you already have. Take pictures of things that represent the things that make up your week. If you are unable to take pictures then take a mental picture and write a couple of sentences about each thing that occupies your day and tell why it is important to you. The last day of the week review the photos and take a moment to think about the things and people that are important to you. Where is your heart? What is your mind focused on? What do you spend the most time on and why? Is most of your time spent in the same place your heart wants to be? Does what occupies you most honor God? Are you doing God's work when doing the thing that occupies most of your time? Are you using the things that keep you busy as excuses for not spending more time honoring God?

Luke 14
16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant[c] to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

This is not something you have to share. It is an honest look at your life and what is important in it. Use what you discover to draw closer to God and your family.

God Bless You All

Devotional Message : Two Pillars of Christianity

This is the first of my devotional messages within this group and I felt led to speak about two major pillars of Christianity, i.e. Love and Faith! For the main text I would be using the passage of the Centurion officer.

Matthew 8:5-10 (NIV-WS) 5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” 7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” 8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.

LOVE

All of the Bible can be summed up in one word and that word is LOVE ( Galatians 5:14). Not only this, but we are required to do everything in love (1 Corinthians 16:14). All of our walking, talking and interactions with our Friends, Family and Foes must commence in love and at every level be executed in the same manner. This is one of the reasons I admire this centurion officer as aforementioned so much.

A centurion was a Roman officer who was in charge of 100 men. Under the centurion was 10 more senior officers called contubernia who supervised 10 lower ranking officers. So in essence, the centurion had multiple choices of senior personnel who he could have used to send to Jesus. Nevertheless, this man of authority took it upon himself to leave his 100 soldiers and find Jesus. I want to underscore that this was not him doing it for the plight of not another fellow Comrade in arms (Soldier) but a SERVANT. It reminds me when Jesus said that he will leave the 99 and go after the 1 sheep which was lost ( Luke 15:4 ). In my eyes the centurion did more than leave the 99 and go after the 1 of value. He left the 100 and went to seek the interest of a servant, whom most at the time would have considered insignificant, easily replaceable and possessing little value. Oh what leadership, Oh what Love! This clearly highlights Godly principles and the way we should showcase heavenly values in us.

If I was a soldier under this centurion’s leadership I would have felt so cherished and cared for. I would have thought, “if my leader left all of us and went to the aid of a servant how much more will he do for me, being a fellow soldier like himself”.

FAITH

Not only did the Centurion have abundant love but his faith was so great that Jesus marveled at it. So much so that He made the bold statement that, “He had not seen so great faith in all Israel”. Jesus was constantly teaching in the temple and in the company of spiritual leaders and ‘faithful’ followers. He even heaped accolades on John the Baptiste regarding his greatness. Now the faith in ALL these people and ALL Israel was shown up by this Gentile who was alien to the Kingdom of God due to his none Jew status.

The conversation went even further (Mathew 8:11-13) when Jesus spoke about who will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus was reminding us to be careful with our Christian walk. We think we have it all together and possess the necessary faith and other Christian attributes when in fact we have no spiritual depth and we run the risk of missing out on Heaven.

At this moment, I want to encourage you to have faith in God. If you are trusting him, then Trust Him and take Him at his word. This Centurion did and he was rewarded because of it!

CONCLUSION

This Centurion possessed all the qualities to please God (Hebrews 11:16) i.e. by actions of Faith and Love. It is a great example to remind us how we should daily serve our Heavenly Father. So today let’s examine ourselves and see if we are in the faith. Let’s examine ourselves and see if we are stretching out our hands to love others. For in doing so the world will know that we are truly children of God ( John 13:35).

Your Brother and Servant
Dane A. Miller

Dane, thank you for this devotion. This may be your first devotion but it is a great one. I have read about the centurion and heard preachers talk about him many times but have never considered how lowly was the servant. Nor did I consider that Jesus found him more faithful than John the Baptist. You have given me much to think about. I look forward to reading your future devotions. Rita

Hi Rita!

I am glad that you found some new insight by the devotion our Father allowed me to pen. My desire in all things is to serve and bless others so I am glad it spoke to you!

Yes, this Centurion was more Faith-FULL than even John the Baptist. It just shows that sometimes persons outside the church have more faith than us who are inside. All they are waiting on is someone like you or me to come along (similar to Jesus in this case) for them to channel that faith towards the TRUE and Living God!

Stay blessed my friend.
Dane A. Miller

Amen!

Amen! Dane! It is a great blessing to hear from you! Thank you so much for provoking us into Love and Faith! So very beautiful thought on the love and faith of the Centurion!
Thank you so much and more blessings from Above!
arnie

Devotional for Thursday

The BIBLE

2 Timothy 3: 16-17
"All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
John 20: 30-31
"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book:
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name."

The Bible is enough, in fact, it is even more than enough to teach us how to live here on earth, and how to prepare to live in heaven!
But most people today as we see rather spend time on other things than the Bible!
There are also religious groups who say that the Bible is not enough, so they go to their leaders or other means to seek guidance and direction!
How I wish they have eyes to see and ears to hear what God is telling us through the Scripture!
Because if you learn from the Scripture, the Lord can lead you to the right words to write and say; like for example, the devotional of Brother Dane about the Centurion, and the reminders from my Friend C about the True and False Christ just a while ago!
All these come from their digging deeper knowledge of Scripture, that can be turned into an eternal blessing if we just take heed...

I have read a simple "How To Get Most of the Bible" from a small book written 40 years ago:
1. Come to the WORD expectantly.
2. Come surrendering to the truths here revealed.
3. Come expecting to use the truths here revealed.
4. Come unhurriedly.
5. Come with a proper emphasis.
6. Come to it even if nothing apparently comes from your coming.

I believe that anyone who comes to the WORD with a pure and sincere heart will never ever be disappointed!

May the Lord continue to bless us and strengthen us in the power of His might!
Thank you for reading.
Blessings!

Hi Arnie. I have the same view on a lot of the pointers you mentioned. I also believe that studying God’s word is the most important thing a Christian can do. Actually I was thinking that my devotional for next week should be on studying God’s word. Now that you started with this topic it has confirmed it in my heart. So next week I will write along the same lines.

Your Brother and Servant in the Lord
Dane

Your Redemption Draweth Nigh

Friday Devotional (Posted 11/13/17 at 12:30 AM)

Thank you Dane for your message. Also Pastor Arnie, and Rita—you have been so faithful!

1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." We surely need God’s love inside of us to endure this life!

Please prayerfully consider the following passage in light of the events taking place in our day.

Luke 21:25 “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Luke 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Luke 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Luke 21:29 And He spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

Luke 21:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

Luke 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

Luke 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away.

Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

Luke 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

We are living in the final days, before the return of the LORD, and it is “such a time as this” that we need to be prepared to stand before God. May we be ready for that day!

With the love of Christ,
C. Read

Monday, November 13

Here in the Appalachian Mountains the biggest wild cat we officially have is the bobcat but for years people have claimed to see mountain lions and black panthers. Anyone hearing these stories automatically says "Show me proof and I will believe you."
In the Bible Thomas does much the same thing when told of Jesus' return.

John 20
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.”

Thomas is called "doubting Thomas" because of this statement but Jesus Himself told them not to be lead astray by someone claiming that He had returned.

Luke 21:8 And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them.

As C said we need to be prepared for the return of the Lord but remember we need to be like Thomas when we hear rumors of His return. Many people are misrepresenting themselves and misinterpreting the Bible (as C knows from experience) some from not knowing Scripture well and some in order to lead us astray. Now is the time to make knowing Scripture a priority in your life. Don't let the day slip away without taking time to visit with Jesus through the Bible and prayer.
I pray that we all are prepared for the return of Jesus Christ!
Amen

DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE: The Importance of God's Word

I really love the age we live in! An age where technology has us acquiring information at the click of a mouse button or should I say now, the swipe of the finger. Long gone are the days when we have to visit the temple and have a Levite Priest recite and illuminate our eyes to the meaning of scripture. Anyone and everyone can easily obtain a copy of God's Holy Word. Yes, we have great access to the pure and unadulterated word of God, but yet still there is a problem. Many Christians say they believe but still don't spend quality time reading the book of belief (Holy Bible).

I put forward to you today, that the most important thing a Christian can do is to bury themselves in the word of God!

HOW GOD SEES HIS WORD

One of the first things a Christian should do upon gaining access to the kingdom of God is to understand the importance that God the Father places on His word.
After Jesus's death God said that he has given him a name which is high above every other name. Jesus's name is high but it still cannot be higher than God the Father's. So, without a doubt God's name is the highest name there is. Not only this but God places importance on names. So much so he renamed Saul to Paul, Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel, etc. Without a doubt God places emphasis on names.

Therefore, a question can be asked, what is higher than God's name? Well the answer can be found in his Word!

Psalms 138:2 (KJV) "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name".

Yes my friends, God has not just placed his word above His name but MAGNIFIED it above ALL his names. Now just pause for a minute and just let that soak in.

Not only this but He also stated: Jeremiah 1:12 (NIV) "The Lord said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled." This also illustrates that God's word is established on the earth and He sits high and gazes upon it to execute. This is why Joshua could have boldly stated in Joshua 21:45 (NIV) "Not one of all the Lord's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled".

I am getting so excited because it gets better! Here this, John 1:1 (NIV) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This beginning is not the beginning as we know it as outlined in Genesis. For the scriptures said, "the word was God" and we know that God existed long before the advent of earthly time.

So how does God see his word? He sees it as the starting of things (from the beginning), He sees it as Himself, He sees it above Him, He sees it below Him. This clearly shows that God has positioned His word around every part of his very existence. Therefore, if God has placed all this emphasis on His word shouldn't we also?

THE WORD GUIDES OUR LIFE

I made a bold statement in the opening paragraph when I said, "the most important thing a Christian can do is to bury themselves in the word of God!". Reason being, the word of God guides (Psalms 119:105 (NIV) "Your word is a lamp for my feet, an a light on my path") every aspect of our life and ensures that we don't just do things but that we do them according to Godly Standards.

Some might question and say why not prayer, or fasting or praise/worship as the number one thing. Well, all these things are extremely important! But their quality and effectiveness are directly dependent on executing them according to Godly Standards i.e. how God wants us to do it. Case in point:

1. Prayer: Without the word we wouldn't know that we must pray fervently (James 5:16), or we can pray and be amiss (James 4:2-3) or it is not about repetition or numerous words (Matthew 6:7-8) as some do when speaking to God.

2. Fasting: If we don't learn how to fast correctly we can do it like hypocrites (Mathew 6:16) or not understand the correct way to do it at all (Isaiah 58:1-12, Etc.)

3. Praise/Worship: Not knowing God's standards we might be tempted to sing praises to him quietly because that looks righteous and full of piety. Not realizing that God loves vociferous praise and worship with lifted hands and dancing. (Psalms 47:1, Psalms 98:4, Psalms 63:4, Psalms 149:3)

Without proper knowledge of God's word, we run the risk of misunderstanding who He is and what we are called to do as His chosen children. This God child relationship or any relationship cannot thrive without a clear understanding of roles, responsibilities and an understanding of the individuals involved (likes, dislikes, etc.). This is why our God clearly told us:

Hosea 4:6 (NIV) 6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

I don't want my God to destroy me because of lack of knowledge nor do I want to destroy myself due to lack of knowledge. I am sure I can say the same for you…. Right?

CONCLUSION

Fellow believers of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that more of us (myself included) begin to place greater importance on the word of God. Let's not allow God's word to fall by the wayside or on deaf ears. But let's do like Ezra when he took the following approach:

Ezra 7:10 (NIV) "For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel". For in doing this we will not only save our souls (Psalms 119:11) but the souls of others around us and please God in the process!

God bless you and do have a wonderful week.

Your Brother and Servant in the Lord
Dane A. Miller

Mr. Dane, I absolutely agree that God's Word should be paramount in our lives, and we should "place greater importance on the word of God."

And Rita Faye, I love your statement, "Now is the time to make knowing Scripture a priority in your life. Don't let the day slip away without taking time to visit with Jesus through the Bible and prayer."

We live such busy lives, and time can get a way from us, but if we purpose to spend time with the LORD in His Word and by prayer, we can do it! And we will greatly benefit from our time spent with God in so many wonderful ways.

As "Real Christians," the more we read and study God's Word, the more we know Him, and the more we know Him, the more we love Him! And the more we love Him, the more we want to please Him! And He is so deserving of our love, adoration, and worship!

Mr. Dane, I am sure it was an oversight, but Jacob was given the name of Israel, not Joseph. :)

Genesis 32:24 "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

Genesis 32:25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

Genesis 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

Genesis 32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

Genesis 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Genesis 32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

Genesis 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."

Actually, I appreciate the opportunity to look up that passage. I believe that when we have truly met the LORD, and have a genuine relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ, we come away as a changed individual, and have a totally different perspective on life, and especially our eternal life!

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

And I absolutely agree with my dear friend, Pastor Arnie, when he said: "I believe that anyone who comes to the WORD with a pure and sincere heart will never ever be disappointed!" I know that I have never been disappointed with God in all of my years of knowing Him. Yes, I have been disappointed with myself and others, but never with God. He is a very great, mighty, loving, forgiving, and wonderful God, for those who truly know Him! In fact there are not enough names to describe how awesome He is!

I hope you all have a wonderful week too! God bless and keep you and your loved ones--always!

With the love of Christ,
C. Read

Oh no, how could I have made that mistake regarding the name Change. Thanks for pointing it out C. I will change it in a bit.

At least that shows somebody read the post, wink wink.

Cheers.
Dane

Dane wrote: "Oh no, how could I have made that mistake regarding the name Change. Thanks for pointing it out C. I will change it in a bit.

At least that shows somebody read the post, wink wink.

Cheers.
Dane"
A Big Amen! About the importance of Scriptures Dane!!!

I also read about the "name changing" part and waited until this time to point it out, but my dear Friend C got ahead of me... a big smile on that, because I also know that it is just a little excited unintentional overlook, and I am glad you quickly corrected it right away :), and yes! we are reading... and meditating upon it, and appreciate it so much! Thank you!
To God be the glory!

C. wrote: "Mr. Dane, I absolutely agree that God's Word should be paramount in our lives, and we should "place greater importance on the word of God."

And Rita Faye, I love your statement, "Now is the time t..."

I am so happy to hear from you my Dear friend C! I am always blessed by your writings and comments. The Lord gives you the right words to write. Praise the Lord for His amazing grace and unfailing love for you and for us His children!
To God be the glory!

So Happy everyone is posting again. My days are much brighter when someone posts a devotion. Rita

Devotional for Thursday

The BIBLE (still)

John 5:39
"Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

Most people is prepared do everything to earn for a living, especially those who are struggling for and in life! As well, those who can afford, study so hard so that they can have better jobs and ensure a better future... for what?!? They wanted to have "life"! But real life can only be found in the Scriptures! Because the Scriptures will lead any one to the Truth, the Way, and the Life - Jesus Christ!
There are also those who search the Scriptures, but still do not have life... because they search for wrong reasons, and with simply just selfish motives. That's why they left the Scriptures disappointed and sometimes have more miserable life than before.
But if anyone comes to the Scriptures with an honest and obedient desire to find "life", he will find out that he is in the right direction, and the Bible can be of atmost benefit for him.

Phillips Brooks beautifully wrote about the Bible:
"The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks THROUGH his telescope, then he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks AT his telescope, then he does not see anything but that. The Bible is a thing to be looked through, to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it; and so they see only dead letter."

Let us search the Scriptures, for in them indeed we will have life - in Jesus, and we will have it more abundantly! John 10:10

Thank you for reading.
Blessings!
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!

Arniegamilong wrote: "Devotional for Thursday

The BIBLE (still)

John 5:39
"Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

Amen! Pastor Arnie! Thank you for this message. It reminds me of the fact that so many people have HEARD about Jesus, but how many truly KNOW Him? God can use anyone, or anything, to accomplish His purposes, but only those who allow Him to work THROUGH them, will be truly blessed by His wonderful Holy Spirit! And for that to happen, we must be "born again!" Amen!

Take care!
C.

GOD’S HOLY WORD
Devotional for Friday ~ 17 November 2017 / 28 Cheshvan 5778

I have posted this message before, but it goes well with our topic of the importance of God’s Holy Word! This wonderful testimonial is normally placed at the beginning of most Gideon Bibles, and I loved it so much that I made a bookmark out of it years ago.

May God bless and keep you all! And may you and your families, and loved ones have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

With the love of Christ,
C. Read

“THE BIBLE contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers.

Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.

It contains Light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter.

Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.

Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life, will be opened at the Judgment, and be remembered forever.

It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.”

—Author Unknown

Thanks C, I Like it!

Monday, November 20

Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His Name!

Psalm 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast Love endures forever!

Ephesians 5:17-20 Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

This Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The day has traditionally been celebrated to thank God for a bountiful harvest and the blessings He has given us. The past couple of decades the day has become more about watching football and the beginning of Christmas shopping season with big sales starting in stores than thanking God for His blessings. The last couple of years, a few people started trying to take back Thanksgiving Day as a time to spend with family. Although we have taken steps in the right direction, we still have a long way to go to remembering what the day is about--being Thankful to God.

This week take time to reflect on the past year and the blessings you have received. Thank God for the big stuff in your life but remember to also thank Him for the small things too. I know that many of you have had a tough year and may find it hard to find the blessings. Remember that you lived through yesterday and that today is a new beginning, a new start, another chance, and thank God for that. Each day, even the worst ones, have something to be thankful for, sometimes we just need to look a little harder to find it.
Think about it, what are you thankful for that you usually don't thank God for?

I thank God for the written language and for the people that taught me how to read and write. I have learned much and spent many a day enjoying the many books I have read. I also thank Him for inspiring Scriptures and for the people that spent years writing, gathering, organizing and transcribing them into the Bible and for the people that continue to translate Scriptures today.

Have a Blessed and Thankful week

Wednesday Devotional: Get in the Word and Get the Word in You!

This week I would like to build upon last week's devotional and continue speaking about the importance of studying God's word. Mainly outlining some of the reasons to study God's word.
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The Greek word for disciple is mathētēs (μαθητής) and it means “student,” “pupil,” “apprentice,” or “adherent,”. In the ancient world, it is most often associated with people who were devoted followers of a great religious leader or teacher of philosophy. So, while the modern-day Christian ascribes the word to be a follower of Jesus, in New Testament times the root of the word was ascribed to mean learner. Therefore, we as disciples of Jesus are not only called to be followers of God but at its core also learners. This is why God’s word instructs us to renew our minds (Romans 12:2) . A mind can only be renewed when we put away worldly thinking and learn the new ways of the Heavenly Kingdom. This does not come from casual reading but by a systematic and dedicated approach to studying God’s word.

God explicitly states we must “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” - 2 Timothy 2:15. So by studying we classify/show ourselves as godly workmen, approved and pleasing to God and able to divide God’s true words from lies. The Berean Jews in Acts 17:11 held fast to the concept of 2 Timothy 2:15 regarding studying the scriptures and they examined it with great eagerness. Even when a master teach like the Apostle Paul was instructing them they could have validated what he was saying because of their Godly knowledge. In essence, they were fully equipped to rightly divide the word of truth.

Studying God’s word also made the Berean Jews stand out in other aspects. They were of more noble character than other Jews and this nobility came about because they eagerly examined the scriptures daily. Therefore, educating oneself with God’s word brings a level of spiritual nobility in His eyes.

Deeply studying God’s word also qualifies us to be teachers and to effectively share with others to the saving of unbeliever’s souls and the strengthening of the body of Christ. This is supported by scripture when 2 Timothy 2:2 states, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others”.

The bible declares that in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God (John 1:1) . If the word was God then each time we study God’s word we are literally taking piece of God and storing it within us. With God’s word (God Himself) inside of us it makes it easier to fight temptation because the Holy Spirit will bring His words back to memory (John 14:26) and help us not to sin (Psalms 119:11) . Case in point, when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness he fought and replied with the word by stating, “It is written”. Without God’s words inside of Jesus he wouldn’t have been able to counteract the enemy’s distortion. The same tactic applies to us, the word helps us fight Satan.

Studying God’s word not only helps us fight Satan on the outside but also aids us individually by giving us rest for our souls inwardly. There is a calmness which comes from knowing and trusting God’s word. Jesus tells us in Mathew 11:29 that we must, “Take His yoke upon us, and LEARN of Him; for He is meek and lowly in heart: and we shall find rest unto our souls”. Learning of the Lord through the pages of the bible and applying His words gives our soul a quietness/rest on earth and a heavenly rest when we are called home to glory. What better reason to studying God’s words than securing our salvation. I regard it as a vehicle which can help give us passage to heaven.

Not only passage to heaven, but it can assist us in navigating life while we are here on earth. The bible declares that “His word is a light unto our feet and a lamp unto our path” – Psalms 119:105. As such, not having or removing God’s words from our life makes us operate in darkness and conjures feelings of being lost, lacking direction, and fright. God’s word stabilizes us and provides a clear path and a better understanding of the direction we must head.

In conclusion, studying God’s word is one of the most important things that a believer can do. It is important to God because he placed his word and magnifies it above His Holy name (Psalms 138:2) . If God placed his word above his great name, this clearly speaks to the importance He places on His word and we as Christians should do the same. Studying God’s word helps us in times of temptation and sin, brings direction and clarity, allows us to minister to lost souls and teach and strengthen the body of Christ, become noble in the sight of God, and by doing this we become approved by God and truly become his disciples (Learners).

Your Brother and Servant in the Lord
Dane A. Miller

C. wrote: "GOD’S HOLY WORD
Devotional for Friday ~ 17 November 2017 / 28 Cheshvan 5778

I have posted this message before, but it goes well with our topic of the importance of God’s Holy Word! This wonderful ..."

Thank you my Dear Friend C! This bookmark is in most of the books I read, especially my Bible... To God be the glory!

Dane wrote: "Wednesday Devotional: Get in the Word and Get the Word in You!

This week I would like to build upon last week's devotional and continue speaking about the importance of studying God's word. Mainly..."

Amen Brother Dane! No other book is more important than the WORD of GOD!
Blessings!

Devotional for Thursday

THANKSGIVING

Psalm 103:1-5
1.Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2.Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
3.Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4.Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5.Who satisfieth they mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

"Praise God from Whom all blessings flow" so goes the opening phrase of our Doxology. Need I say more?
The Lord is worthy to be praised, glorified,worshiped,loved... He blessed us with benefits; forgiveness; healing; redemption;
lovingkindness; tender mercies; satisfaction (provision); strength!
What else do we need?!?
To God be the glory!
I read the First National Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1777. How beautiful an expression of national gratefulness to the faithfulness and kindness of our God! Every American should read it as often as he can so that he will always be reminded of where he came from and why he is so blessed these days. To God be the glory both now and forever!
I can say thankful people are the happiest on earth.
Happy Thanksgiving Day to all!

Thank you for reading.
Blessings!
Always be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!

Be Ye Thankful

Friday Devotional ~ 24 November 2017 / 6 Kislev 5778
(Posted Sunday 26 November 2017 / 9 Kislev 5778)

With the disappointments, difficulties, and trials of this life, it can be hard to have the proper attitude, but it is so important to keep our eyes on the LORD and His word, especially when we think about what Christ has done for us. Please consider this wonderful passage that puts things in perspective.

Colossians 3:1 “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.

Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Colossians 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

Colossians 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Colossians 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Colossians 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Colossians 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

It is my sincere desire to keep my focus on the LORD Jesus Christ, and do what He requires of me. There is much to distract us in this world, but Jesus is our life, and without Him, we are nothing! May God be with you and your loved ones. And may all of us seek to have a grateful heart before God.

With the love of Christ,
C. Read

Monday, November 27

Jesus came to earth as a helpless baby, grew up in poverty, suffered and died on the cross for us. He is the Son of God. He had no obligation or duty to lower Himself to our level, to suffer all that pain and agony for us. Yet, He did!
Can you image what it was like for Him. He is the Son of God but He was treated as a nobody growing up. During His Ministry, He was ridiculed, spit on and ran out of town. Then He was taken into custody, beaten, whipped, mocked and nailed to the cross. How horrible for anyone suffering through it. Jesus is the Son of God, He could have said the word at any time and He would have been back in Heaven safe from all He went through. He loves us, sinners all, so much that He didn't give in to temptation at the height of His suffering and say "Enough". He didn't get angry at the crowd yelling insults and throwing rocks. He loved us at our worst.
You may say "I wasn't there, I wouldn't have done that". Unfortunately, most of us would have been part of the crowd wanting Him dead. No matter how much we want to, we can't look on history through the lens of what we know today. We must take a honest look at history using only the information available at the time. Most of us would not have been interested in what Jesus had to say or would have thought that He was a "blasphemer". Either way, we would have been happy to see Him gone. That knowledge is very hard to swallow but if I am very honest with myself I know that unless I personally experienced healing from Jesus that I would have thought He was spreading lies.
We were not present, but each and every sin that we commit was included in the lashings, beatings and ridicule that Jesus received on the way to the cross.
Each and every splinter of wood on the cross represents a sin that I, alone, committed. My sins alone are enough to build the cross Jesus was nailed to. I am not a bad person and I have always tried to be good, but the best of us would have built the cross, alone, from the splinters of our sins.
This time of year is one of celebration because we are rejoicing in the birth of our King! Say "Merry Christmas" with love and joy. Don't be intimidated by "politically correct" mantra. Jesus is our strength and salvation and we need to stand united and proclaim Him everyday but most especially during this season that celebrates His Birth! Please, each and every day through Christmas proclaim Jesus and say "Merry Christmas" to everyone you meet.
May the coming month be filled with Joy as you all celebrate the Birth of our King. Merry Christmas, Rita

WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL : Becoming effective in Prayer

Hello fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. Firstly, sorry for posting this a day late I got caught up with some stuff.

Main Passage of Scripture:
"John 15:4-8 (NIV) Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."


Prayer is one of the key weapons used by a Christian to execute God's will on the earth. God advises us to "Pray without ceasing" in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV). Not only this but His temple/sanctuary is setup to be a House of Prayer (Isaiah 56:7, Matthew 21:13). Therefore, we as believers must be praying continually without ceasing whether we are simply walking on the streets, or even working at our workplaces. Then when we come together in God's House (House of Prayer), prayer flows naturally and easily from our spirit to the throne room of our Father. This is the standard as outlined by God's word regarding how a believer must approach prayer. We are even warned to not faint or become tired of this duty: Luke 18:1 (KJV) 1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

One of the reasons men are fainting these days is because their prayers are seeming to go unanswered. We are praying, but God are you really listening? Nothing can drain hope like "unanswered prayer". But let God's word be true and every man a liar! (Romans 3:4)

Jesus told us that: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" - John 15:7-8 (NIV)

I always like self-examination because it is a great way to grow. My dad always use to say, "if a man cannot examine his yesterday he will always be a failure today". So, every time I feel my prayers are not bringing forth fruit I return to John 15:7-8 with a reflective eye and ask myself some hard questions:

1. Am I really remaining in Christ? Or is it I am close to God one day and far from him the next. Enoch walked with God (Genesis 5:24), oh what relationship. In the original language a better translation for this is, Enoch kept the distance between God and himself at the absolute minimum. Again, I say, oh what relationship!

2. Am I in God's Word? Do I eat 3 square meals a day to nourish my body but still didn't read God's word to nourish my soul? Am I spiritually starving myself daily? How much am I being a hearer and doer of God's word?

The key to having effective prayer is reflecting on the above and making sure we do it to the fullest. When we do this God will honour his word in our lives. Meaning we can ask what we want, and it WILL be granted unto us. God wants us to become effective in our prayer, but the ball is in our court!

Your Brother and Servant in the Lord.
Dane A. Miller

Hey, everyone! :)
I'm going to try to get a group message sent out soon, but I wanted to see what y'all thought about whether or not we should have a schedule for devotions in December. I know it's a crazy busy time for some & I'm perfectly fine with not having a schedule, but it's whatever y'all would prefer.
Suggestions welcome!

Devotion for Thursday

FAITH

Hebrews 11:32...38-40
"And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson,and of Jephthae, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And these all having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."

November 30 is an official holiday for us, because it is the birthday of one of our national heroes. He was one of those brave Filipinos who fought for our freedom against those who wanted to take over our country! Today, we celebrate their birthdays.
As I think of him, I come to think about the Heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. They have done and gave so much for their faith, that the author thought (of whom the world is not worthy)!

Then I come to think about my faith...do I have some? ( even just like a mustard seed)? What have I done to show my faith? What did I gave?
Oh that the Lord be glorified in everything I do, because I do it by faith!
We do not need to be heroes...but definitely we need to have faith...
Because... without faith... it is IMPOSSIBLE to please HIM!

"Lord, please be gracious to us, and increase our faith so that we can live a worthy life for your glory and honor. In Jesus Mighty name, Amen"

Blessings to every Real Christian!
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!
Thank you

Aerykah wrote: "Hey, everyone! :)
I'm going to try to get a group message sent out soon, but I wanted to see what y'all thought about whether or not we should have a schedule for devotions in December. I know it's..."

Thank you Aerykah, our active acting head moderator :).
I appreciate your asking about our thoughts about a schedule for December (busiest month of the year?), but I think it is still good to have a sked... at least we know who or what to expect that "day". :)
Just a thought. Thanks thanks again.
Blessings

Dane wrote: "
WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL
: Becoming effective in Prayer

Hello fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. Firstly, sorry for posting this a day late I got caught up with some stuff.

Main Passage of ..."

Thank you so much Brother Dane for this very important reflections!
To God be the glory!
May He will keep you blessed and strong in Him and in the power of His might!
Thank you,thank you.

Rita Faye wrote: "Monday, November 27

Jesus came to earth as a helpless baby, grew up in poverty, suffered and died on the cross for us. He is the Son of God. He had no obligation or duty to lower Himself to our le..."

Thank you Rita Faye! " Merry Christmas" may mean differently for others, but praise the Lord for Real Christians like you who see not the date but the fact that Jesus was born,suffered and died, and rose again the third day for our sins! not just on Decembers but throughout the year!
Blessings!

C. wrote: "Be Ye Thankful

Friday Devotional ~ 24 November 2017 / 6 Kislev 5778
(Posted Sunday 26 November 2017 / 9 Kislev 5778)

With the disappointments, difficulties, and trials of this life, it can be har..."

I am sooooo happy to hear from you my Dear Friend C!
Yes indeed! What our Dear Lord Jesus Christ has done for us should lead us to have holy lives and thankful hearts!
Thank you thank you my Dear Friend.
Praying for you and all yours always!
The Lord bless you everyday.
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Aerykah wrote: "Hey, everyone! :)
I'm going to try to get a group message sent out soon, but I wanted to see what y'all thought about whether or not we should have a schedule for devotions in December. I know it's..."

I like the schedule but maybe the people that can't do the schedule can be taken off of it and just post on open days when they can. If someone has already posted on that day then the next person would have to wait for next open day. Just a thought.

Hey there! Just wanted to let y'all know that the December thread is up--> https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I enjoy reading all of the thoughts posted here... As far as the schedule, I am thankful that others are wanting to share their devotions!

God bless and keep you all!