God’s Love Energizes Believing

Something got me going on this topic again. I don’t know what it is, but I feel that this is perhaps the most important topic a Christian can study. If a Christian learns to walk in God’s love, his life is changed. God’s love gives wings to life. His love sets a man free.

Recently I saw a verse in Galatians that got me thinking.

Galatians 5: ⁶For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

The word faith here comes from the Greek word pistis- which means believing in this context.

The word worketh is the Greek word  energeō  which means- to put forth power, be at work, to be operative. Our English word energize or energized comes from this word energeō.  ENERGIZED I like this word.

Love is the Greek word agapē- which is God’s Love.

Let’s put this in simple terms, believing is energized by God’s Love. If our believing is energized by God’s love, then isn’t this the most important topic a Christian could focus on? All of life is based on believing. We are either believing positively or negatively in our daily life. When you walk in God’s love your believing is energized and brings about positive result.

1 Corinthians13: ¹Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. ²And 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. ³And 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.  ⁴Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  ⁵Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; ⁶Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; ⁷Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. ⁸Charity 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. ⁹For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. ¹¹When 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. ¹²For 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. ¹³And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

The word charity in this chapter is the word agapē.

Agapē-

can only be manifested by a person who has received the gift of holy spirit from God. This chapter deals with works that born again believers can do.  With out God’s love all those works are nothing. Spending time in God’s Word and learning HOW to walk in His love is the most important thing a person can do in life.  

Recently I read something that peaked my interest in learning more about this topic. The writer mentioned that an atheist could partake in the divine love. In truth an atheist can receive the divine love via God’s Word, but an atheist could never manifest God’s love. An atheist does not have the spirit God gives to the person who believes Romans 10:9&10. An atheist is strictly a body, soul person who cannot know God. Though God’s divine love is available to the atheist via His Word a true atheist rejects what God says in his Word. Therefore an atheist could never manifest God’s love. Only a Christian believer can manifest God’s love.

Ephesians3: ¹⁶That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
¹⁷That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
 ¹⁸May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
 ¹⁹And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
 ²⁰Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
 ²¹Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

 In God’s love (agapē

) you can comprehend the breadth, length, depth and height and be filled with all the Fulness of God. It’s in walking in love that the greatness of God’s Word will truly come to light for you. That love passes knowledge. Remember, knowledge puffeth up. Without the love that God makes available that  person is a sounding  brass or a tinkling cymbal.

Look at how much God loved us. He allowed his only begotten son to be put to death so that we could be saved. Could you give up your son or daughter so that the world could be saved?  God is the biggest giver I know. He is the largest supplier of love in the world.

John 3: ¹⁶ 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.

So we know how much God loved us. We can see by the Word what Love is not, and we can see by the Word what it is, and what it does it does for us.

Here is a list of the things that the love of God is not.
1.   A sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal
2.   Nothing
3.   It envieth not
4.   Vaunteth not itself
5.   Is not puffed up
6.   Does not behave itself unseemly
7.   Is not easily provoked
8.   Thinketh no evil
9.   Rejoiceth not in iniquity.

God’s Love:
1.   Suffereth Long
2.   Is Kind
3.   Rejoiceth in truth.
4.   Beareth all things
5.   Believeth all things
6.   Hopeth all things
7.   Endureth all things
8.   Never Fails

Since this post could exceed over 10,000 words or more with the depth of this topic. I’m going to write in sections. This article is designed to get you thinking about God’s love and working God’s Word and researching  it yourself.  In my next article I’ll be writing about how to walk in God’s Love.

The Truth about God, and the Chris Henry Tragedy

It always hurts my heart when a person dies, whether it is prematurely or at an advanced age. Death is no friend. When the wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, Chris Henry was the victim of a tragic accident this week I was naturally shocked to hear of his death at such a young age.  I was even more hurt to hear the one true God get blamed for the killing. It seems to happen quite regularly. A person dies and a person of prominence declares that God was involved. This time Chad Ochocinco made the comment, here’s what he said.

“Chris was a very good, very good friend of mine. We were extremely close. It’s sad to see that it’s come to this point.He was doing everything right. He’s been doing everything right. My grandma always says you never really question the man upstairs on decisions he makes because he never makes mistakes, but … (holding back tears) I don’t see how Chris was supposed to go already. Especially when you’re on the right path.”

Now I don’t fault Chad Ochocinco for making this statement. He is really saddened at the loss of his friend. A person can only speak from his own understanding, and he can only speak from what he has been taught. The man upstairs thankfully is not the one to blame for the loss of his friend. So let’s see if we can straighten this out and determine where the blame really lies.

God in his Word has some great verses that will help to clarify where the fault truly lies.

^{Hebrews 2:14}Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;  ¹⁵And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Here we have a verse that makes it quite clear who  had the power of death. (The reason why it says had is because death is defeated in Jesus Christ. This does not mean that people are going to stop dying. It means that those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and believe in their heart that God has raised him from the dead will be saved (have eternal life). Until the return of Christ,  the gathering together, the resurrection of the dead, and the judgements, the devil is still killing people.

^{John 10:10}The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

It says the thief (which is to say the devil) comes to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus Christ came that we might have life more abundantly. These two verses that I have shared totally contradict the thought process that God kills or takes people for his purposes.

1 John: ¹That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; ²(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) ³That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our f ellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. ⁵This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

God’s desire is to have fellowship with man. He wants man’s joy to be full. If there is no darkness in God at all, then I don’t think that he is taking people who are on the right path.

Over the next number of weeks let’s all pray for Chris Henry’s fiance, family and friends.

 Finally God’s desire is that ones joy is full. It seems to me that a God who wants your joy to be full would be falling far short of that mark by killing. In truth isn’t God all Love.

1 John 1: ⁷Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. ⁸He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. ⁹In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  ¹⁰Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

God clearly love us and wants us to love Him and one another. Let’s never forget how much God really love us. He is always there to care for our every need.

Let Go, 2012 Is not the End

The world is getting all hyped up on the prophecy that the end of the world is coming in 2012. I’ve been asked by several people if I think that this will happen. The only way I can think of to answer, is to go to the Word of God and let it speak.

In the book of Acts before Jesus Christ ascended the disciples were pressing him to know when the kingdom would be returned to Israel. He made an interesting statement.  Here’s what he said:

 Acts 1:⁶When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?  ⁷And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

 Jesus Christ told his disciples that it is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Lord has in his power. Note it says that the times and the seasons are in God’s power. This of course is not talking of the end of the world as we know it. However Jesus Christ told his faithful follower that it is not for them to know the times or the seasons which the Lord has in his power.

There is even more information in 1 Thessalonians 5 ¹But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  ²For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. ³For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  ⁴But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. ⁶Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.  ⁷For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.  ⁸But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. ⁹For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

See if the day of the Lord is going to come as a thief in the night then the unbelievers of the world are not going to know about it before hand. Here’s my take on the end of the world predictions. If someone tells you that the end is going to come on a certain date in a certain year at a certain time, you are guaranteed that it will not happen then. No one knows the day time or hour that the Lord has put in His power.

The key is to get born again of the spirit of  God (Romans 10:9-10) and put on believing and love. We are not to be asleep spiritually but sober and vigilant in seeking God.  Those who are living God’s Word will be ready when the day of the Lord comes. Folks we are not appointed to wrath, but to salvation by one Jesus Christ. So live love and enjoy doing it. God’s abundant blessing are coming your way as you believe His Word.

We don’t live in fear of the future but we look forward to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now that’s a great way to live and think.

Let Go, God’s Healing Wholeness

My heart’s desire is to see each and every  person healed, healthy and whole. Life is not always fair and every one at one time or another is going to go through health challenges. It’s easy for the healthy to encourage those who are sick. After all the healthy are not feeling the pain. For those who are sick the challenge can seem to be insurmountable. They are the ones that have the hurt. They feel the pain and at times they may question, am I going to recover from this illness? Those that are not feeling well need our love and support. They need Christian believers to encourage them with the Word of God. The Christians that get  healed in life are the ones who can push their minds to believe God for the healing that they desire. That’s a simple statement that can be a challenge to do when you are in severe pain. So lets get started digging the Word to see what we believers can do to get healed.

I recently read on a blog the chronicles of a person with a life threatening illness. Seeing this blog post caused me to remember the importance of God’s Healing Wholeness. The knowledge of God’s healing is invaluable to those who care to know.

I’ve written a couple of posts about believing and healing but none to the extent that will be shared on this post. As a starting point lets go to:
 

Psalm 107:25  He sent his Word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

The children of Israel listened to the Word of God via Moses and God protected and healed them. Even as Egypt went through the plagues Israel was protected by God. When God’s people left Egypt there was not one sick person among the 600000 men, which does not include the women and children who  also left with the men. (Exodus 12:37).  Wow do you believe that? That’s Amazing!

Psalm 105:  ³⁷He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

There was not one feeble person among this humongous group of people. The people believed God, and the Word that Moses shared with them.  They left Egypt totally healthy. The Word is for your healing. For those of you who are sick, why don’t you get the Bible on CD and listen to it over and over again. Spend time reading it every day. Find verses that apply to your situation and confess them over and over again until you believe that what you are saying will come to pass. There are a number of verses on believing and healing here are some of those promises you can claim.

Mark 11:23-24 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.  ²⁴Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them

1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

3 John 2  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Psalm 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

Philippians 4:6-7  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

1 John 5: 14-15  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Finding a promise you can claim is so vital to claiming the healing each one of us deserves. There are over 900 promises in God’s Word, the question is how many do you know.  If you know one verse that applies to your  healing need, and you believe it then God can heal you.

Here’s an example of my family believing God  to get healing and claiming  God’s promises. When my son was around five years old he was diagnosed with severe allergies and asthma. To hear him cough was perhaps the worst thing I ever had to listen to. The cough was very deep and hurt him tremendously. He was on a nebulizer every night before bed, and usually hacked and coughed through the night. As parents our hearts hurt to see our own flesh and blood having such a tough time just living day to day. We determined in our minds that we were going to win in this situation and see our son’s deliverance from this horrible situation. So we came up with a plan to see his healing come to pass.  We picked out verses that we claimed.  The first verse we claimed was Matthew 18:19. We needed to be like minded.

Tasting Victory the Logo

Christianity is about tasting Victory. It’s winning and breaking the tape as you cross the finish line with your hands raised in victory. God gave us the victory in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. There are so many verses we can claim to achieve victory. I had a logo designed with a winner raising hands in victory because we can be victorious in any situation. I love this logo  it is exactly what I was looking for when I came up with the idea for this website. If you have the need for a logo or a website design check out Lake Affect Web Design . The owner Marlene Ferguson specializes in Web Design for Christian Ministries and Small business at a reasonable price. I’m more than satisfied with the work Marlene did on my Website.

Let Go, for Mental Peace

Letting go in the mental category! Now that’s not quite as simple as the physical category! It’s really easy to retain the negative in life. Let’s face it the whole world lives in the negative. Television is basically negative look at most shows. There’s plenty of murder, sarcastic humor, and sadness. Commercials basically try to motivate the buyer by fear. You need to get the flu shot now or you may die or  get sick with out it. Fear runs rampant in  our society. The news is basically depressing and sad; there is very little good news to be found on the major networks, in the newspapers and on the radio.

Recently my daughter has gotten into a fear of everything. She doesn’t want to be in any part of the house if there is not someone there with her. At bed time the hall light has to be on. The night light in her room has to be lit and her childrens bible stories have to be playing. I believe that these fears  came about from watching television. If she learns about a tornado on the weather channel, or a hurricane she is immediately concerned about it hitting in our location. It’s a project for my wife and me to help her over come these fears.

So how can you and I and my daughter get to the place that we can live above the fears and negatives of the world? What can you and I do to eliminate fear in life and stress in life? Fear is one of the biggest enemies that you and I face. Fear has caused many men to cower. It’s stopped men who could be great from winning when the pressure was on. Fear has caused many their health, wealth and freedom. It’s broken up friendships, marriages, and relationships. So let’s systematically break this down and see how we can eliminate it in our lives.

A child’s fears are often unfounded and not realistic. For instance when I was a child the great fear for me was the boogie man or monsters under the bed. A jacket hanging up on a door could look like a person in the dark. My daughter has to have a night light on at night. What a night light does is to keep away the shadow and objects at night that could look like a monster to an eight year old. Does my daughter have a reason to fear? NO she learned to fear! It’s something that most children go through, perhaps from watching scary shows on TV or having an older sibling who helps to cause them to fear.

So let’s get started and see what we can do to eliminate fear. 

Proverbs has a verse that gives us  a good starting point on this topic. Fear brings a snare. A snare is a trap that is used to catch an animal by stealth. The animal does not realize it is  going to get trapped until it is to late.

 Proverbs 29:25The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Look, who ever puts his trust in God is safe from the trap. So how do we trust God?  Do we just pray and hope that God will be there?  No in truth a trust in God involves more that just hope. It involves a believing of what his Word says. It involves prayer with believing and an expectation that God who is in you to will and to do of his good pleasure will give you the desires of your heart.

Here’s an example: Years ago when I first got involved in the Word of God. I had met this very nice beautiful girl at our fellowship. This is before I got married of course.  I really developed a crush on this girl so much so that all I could think about was her. It was driving me crazy. I had to figure out a way to eliminate this constant thought of her. Did she like me? Did I say something wrong to her? What is she thinking? So I decided I needed to go to the Word and find a promise I could claim. Then I prayed with believing and got out my bible and read psalms for about an hour straight out loud. I believe God worked in my heart to do this because when I was done I no longer had the crazy thoughts and fears about this girl. In fact I was so solid in my thought processes that as time went by I realized that this girl wasn’t for me after all. She lacked a  commitment to the one true God that I decided I needed in a woman.

I like to claim Mark 11: 23-24 many times when I’believe for something.

²³For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.  ²⁴Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Winning in life and eliminating fear involves claiming promises in Gods Word. Once a person is born again they can still live in fear if they want. God never over rides free will, however if they go to God’s Word and renew their mind to it. They will be successful and overcome in their life.

Romans 12: 1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  ²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

See God does not want us conformed to this world of doubt, worry, and fear. He wants us to prove the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Positive believing is acceptable to God. It will be acceptable to you also as you claim the promise. The word transformed here is the greek word  Metamorphoo. It’s like the caterpillar going in to the  chrysalis, it changes and comes out a butterfly it has wings and the freedom to fly. Going into the chrysalis the caterpillar is limited in what it can do. There is greater freedom and mobility when it comes out. Renewing your mind will change your life, it will give you the peace that passes understanding and bring you freedom from fear in your thought processes.

You ask but Rick how do I renew my mind? What do I need to do in order to get my mind renewed?

It’s really quite simple. Let’s say that you have something you are believing for in your life. It may be spiritual, or it may be in the physical category, or it may be in the mental category, which we have been focusing on.

My wife is originally from the big city, New York. She had no driving experience in her twenties. She lived in a city where they have a subway, a great bus system, and plenty of taxis’. Driving was not something she knew how to do. It was foreign to her and something that was a real challenge in her mind. The mental anguish and fear that it brings could easily have overwhelmed her. The renewed mind is what got her through. Here’s what she did! She had a fear of being in an accident. It’s one thing to ride as a passenger in a car.  It’s another thing to actually drive one. Look at it this way, when your driving you have multiple tasks you are performing. You need to steer, pay attention to mirrors, keep track of the cars around you, utilize your turn signals, at times turn on the heater or AC, adjust the radio, pay attention to traffic lights, pedestrians and animals. For a new person that can be overwhelming.  My wife picked out the following verses.

Psalm 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

In order to overcome she had to see her self driving the car. She studied the words shield and buckler from God’s Word. God is a shield. Her mind set was of God as a shield around the car. She trusted that he would protect her, as I taught her how to drive. Any time she started to doubt or worry about driving she would  go in her mind to trusting that God is her shield and buckler, and that he would always be there with her. She would literally claim the promise of God and see herself driving the car successfully. Gradually as she continued to learn and improve in her skills her confidence grew. Today she is a great driver. She let go of her fear by claiming the promise of God, and seeing herself  doing the task of driving.

Besides the renewed mind another major key to letting go is the art of communication. Not talking has been the downfall of many a relationship, friendship, and marriage. Lets face it the Word of God says:

Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

When people do not resolve issues and points of contention in their relationships they end up carrying around thoughts that cause anxiety and fear. Just like my being so caught up in thinking about that girl. If I had communicated with her I could have resolved the issue sooner. When my wife and I don’t resolve things and go to bed upset at each other our sleep is usually a poor night of sleep. The anxiety of the night is not worth allowing ourselves the lousy night of sleep. So we stay up and talk until the issue is resolved.

A simple solution to worrying about what someone else is thinking is to ask them. When we talk to each other it is easier to bring peace to our minds, because whatever issues we have before the conversation can be brought out into the open and the ended. Men are not usually as good as women at communicating, but sharing your heart with another is easily learned.

So we’ve seen that letting go in the mental category involves renewing the mind to God’s word and claiming the promises he has in his Word. Success is guaranteed if God’s people will do this. We’ve also seen that communication is so vital in helping to let go of the stress and anxiety that the lack of communication can bring.  We don’t let the sun go down our wrath. Let go and let God deliver you from your fears.

Six Reasons Why Reincarnation Does not Exist!

 I keep seeing these things written by people telling of the cosmos and living previous lives. I too at one time believed that reincarnation was possible. I tried meditating and astral projection and thought it would be cool to communicate with the other side. I read books on the subject of reincarnation and thoroughly enjoyed the concept of moving on to something else after dying.  So, you ask what changed your mind? How did you go from believing in this philosophy to having a totally different outlook? After all, on the senses level it would appear that this phenomenon is true. There are shows on TV that basically promote  this thing called ghosts and reincarnation. I can sum up in two words what changed my mind. Those two words are The Bible.  So here are my six reasons why reincarnation does not exist.

1) Reincarnation was the lie that the adversary tried to sell to Eve in Genesis.

In the following verse  we see what God told Adam and Eve in Genesis.

Genesis 2:16-17 
 ¹⁶And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: ¹⁷But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genisis 3:1-5  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Somebody is lying here and I don’t think it is God. Notice that God said that the day that you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt surely die. The day that Adam and Eve ate of the tree they died spiritually. Physically they did not die that day, they lived over eight hundred years before dying. Once they lost the spirit that God gave to them, Adam and Eve became ashamed of the fact that they were naked and covered themselves. They had lost the spirit God had given to them sealing their immediate spiritual death that day, and ensuring their physical death in the future.

Notice that the devil tried to sell her on “your eyes will be opened, and you shall be as Gods knowing good and evil”. Isn’t part of the premise of reincarnation  that you continue to grow and mature in each life. You learn more and more on your quest to be like a god. The devil, as is his nature, out and out contradicts the one true God. God says thou shat surely die, and the devil says you will be as gods knowing good and evil. Somebody has to be a liar and it is not God.

2) There is no knowledge in the grave when one dies.

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6,10
⁵For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.  ⁶Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

 ¹⁰Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

^{Psalm 146:4}  His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

If the dead person’s thoughts perish and they know not anything then how in the world can there be reincarnation? If the premise of reincarnation is that you continue to learn and grow with each life, but the Bible says the dead know not anything then how can there be a growing and learning in each life? It seems to me that you’d be starting over from the beginning in each life, but if you don’t have any more a portion in anything that is done under the sun then how can you reincarnate? If there is no work nor device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave how could you learn and apply in the next life what you learned in this life?  The truth is reincarnation does not exist.

3) It is familiar spirits that help to promote the false reincarnation cause.

You’re watching a show on  psychic phenomenon and see the psychic  tell a person all about something they did that in their life that only they know  about. So how does a psychic know something about you that no one else knows? That’s an interesting question that deserves an interesting answer. Familiar spirits. A familiar spirit is an evil spirit that comes to the psychic and provides them information about you, or it gives  information about someone who has died. Satan can provide information to a psychic that is known in the five senses. Ever seen these shows where every day people talk of dishes moving around in their house when no one is near them, and then they see a spiritual image of what is supposed to be someone. So they bring in the house haunting experts who do some research on the history of the house, and discover that a man was murdered in the house or died there years ago. They then promote that the spirit of this man is trapped in the house and he is haunting the house. What we are actually dealing with here is a devil spirit that is familiar with the dead person’s life and therefore takes on the image and likeness of that dead individual. The dead person is DEAD.  These familiar spirits can also come to a person and give them knowledge of something that happened to someone who has previously died. This knowledge can make the person receiving the information feel as though they lived a previous life as that individual who is dead. Did they live a previous life?  NO! The information is provided by a familiar spirit which is a counterfeit.

4) The return of Jesus Christ is an absolute!

If reincarnation existed, there would be no reason for God to send His Son back to earth to gather together the believers! Why would God bother to have a return if when a person dies they go into their next life and continue to grow, or they go and hang out with God in heaven?

1 Thessalonians    4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 Now wait a minute if the dead in Christ are going to rise but they are  already reincarnated and living in another place where they are continuing to grow in knowledge, what is the point of a resurrection if your already growing and improving. What about a Christian who has died and is with God, what is the point of resurrecting the dead to bring them to God if they are already there? If you said there isn’t any point in that, you are correct . The dead are dead folks. There is no consciousness in the grave. All people who have died in Christ are awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. Those who died without believing God and his son Jesus Christ are awaiting their resurrection and judgement.

The return of Jesus Christ is absolutely going to happen.  You ask what’s your proof? Remember I shared that Adam and Eve died spiritually when they ate of the tree. What Adam and Eve gave up in Genesis (spirit), Jesus Christ reestablished with man by his death and resurrection. When a man confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and believes in his heart that God has raised him from the dead, God creates in that individual the gift of holy spirit. That person goes from being a body soul person to being a body soul and spirit person. With holy spirit the person has access to the one true God by way of the nine manifestations of holy spirit which come with the gift that God gives. God is Spirit and His communication to a person is via the spirit that he gives to you.

1 Corinthians 12 7-13 ⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. ⁸For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; ⁹To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;¹⁰To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: ¹¹But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. ¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Any person who has received the gift of holy spirit has the absolute proof that Jesus Christ is resurrected every time he operates the gift of holy spirit, by way of the nine manifestations of holy spirit. It is indisputable and undeniable,  Jesus Christ is coming back as King of Kings and Lord of lords.

5.  Death is an Enemy not a Welcome Reincarnation Friend

 1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

If reincarnation truly existed then death would not be called an enemy. Why would death be called an enemy when you get to go from one life to another, and grow in your life long quest to be god like. It seems to me that if you go from one life to another and you grow in the process then death should be considered a good thing.

If death is an enemy then there is nothing good about it. Death is sad, it’s a disaster, it is bad. There is no eternal life in death. Eternal life comes by way of accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and believing God raised him from the dead. Eternal life comes by God creating in the believer the gift of holy spirit which is now that individuals direct connection to the Holy Spirit God.

1 Corinthians 15: ⁵⁵O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Death is a sting it’s an enemy, there is no victory in the grave. The victory comes by way of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Well look who the author of death is. That’s right, the author of death is the devil. Could death be good? In a word NO!  The devil is the great deceiver, he is evil and he is a counterfeit.

6. Death is Like Sleep

God refers to death as sleep in Thessalonians. When you go to bed your next waking moment is the next day. What’s cool about this is there is no consciousness in the grave for the believer who sleeps in Jesus. His next waking moment is the return of Christ. Therefore when a person dies, for him it is the return of Christ, because there is no memory or consciousness in the grave. I know many Christians believe that when you die you go straight to heaven to be with God. Truth is what God had written concerning death in Ecclesiastes is not changeable until Christ comes back.

In conclusion, the Bible holds true. Those people that have eternal life are the ones who have confessed- Romans 10:9-10  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Although the concept and thought of living life after life, and growing in your overall knowledge and wisdom in each new life, sounds wonderful it is quite simply a lie. A false doctrine promoted by the author of death (the devil) whose main goal is to steal, kill and destroy.

So don’t get fooled by all the hype and lies promoted by the adversary. Reincarnation does not exist! Eternal life is available to those who want to believe the Word of God. It’s that simple.  If you confessed and believed Romans 10:9-10 while  reading this article you have eternal life, and God created in you the gift of holy spirit which is your direct connection with the father.

There is much more to learn on this topic of the gift of holy spirit and it’s operation.  God wants you to know the truth He has set forth in his Word. The meek and hungry hearts will get their answers.

Our Lives Make a Difference Teaching

Our Lives Make a Difference 

 Stop and think right now what believer has made the greatest impression on your life? 

Who do you most want to be like?

Perhaps it’s their care and concern for you, maybe it’s the Word that they know and live. 

Why don’t you take a minute right now and write down who that person is. Put down what you like about them? What makes them an example to you? Is it their willingness to serve or their love of the Word? 

 1 Thessalonians 1:2-9 ²We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; ³Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;  ⁴Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. ⁵For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.  ⁶And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.  ⁷So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.  ⁸For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.  ⁹For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

Look at what Paul says to and about the Thessalonians. I listed eight items below that he mentions!

1. Work of believing
2. Labour of love.
3. Patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ
4. Gospel came not in Word only but also in power and the holy spirit.
5. Became Followers of us and of the Lord.
6. For from you sounded out the Word of the Lord.
7. Faith to God-ward is spread abroad.
8. Turned from Idols to serve the living God

What a Difference these Thessalonians must have made on the lives of others!!  Look at the list of incredible things the Apostle Paul says about them.

What about you?

You also make a difference in the live of others!

Look at the Work of Believing

As you believe and grow in Christ it’s important to recognize how important you are to God. Your work of believing will be recognized by those who care to see. 

 Before I go any further let me share with you the great believing my wife has to be healed. “In the winter this year she came to me with a sore throat and asked me to pray for her. With believing I ministered to her and she got instantly healed. About three days later she came to me and said that she did something to her foot and asked me to pray for her. Again I prayed for her with the same results she got healed. About a week later she came to me with a sore throat and requested that I pray for her. So I ministered healing to her again and she got healed again. The woman has great believing, and love which energizes that believing.”

My believing and her work of believing together are an incredible combination. It makes a difference. 

 Labour of Love

As a parent I can fully relate to this labour of love. There are some things I’ve done for my children that I certainly would not have done if I didn’t love them.  

We believed God, and nurtured our son back to health when the doctor said he had asthma and allergies forever. At a very young age my son was on a nebulizer. Today he is healed and healthy.   For a parent nothing hurts more than to see your child with major health problems.  When your child gets sick in the middle of the night and the parent has to clean it up that’s a labour of love.

As a fellowship coordinator for many years I recognize the labour of love and care and concern, a fellowship coordinator has for each believer in the fellowship. Overseeing individual lives is a work of love.

Patience of Hope

Romans 8:24-25

 ²⁴For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ²⁵But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

 The Thessalonians had the hope of Jesus Christ’s return always in the forefront of their thinking.

Do You?

Every time a believer speaks in tongues it is absolute proof that Jesus Christ is coming back. So walk by the spirit on a daily basis and speak the Word with boldness. Look forward to that blessed hope with great anticipation and believing.

 Gospel came not in Word only but also in power and the holy spirit.

Wow and double Wow. A believer walking the Word and operating the gift of holy spirit walks in POWER.

A very dear friend of mine was at a backyard picnic when a child broke her leg. It was so bad you could see the bone sticking out the skin. My friend prayed for the child. As she prayed the leg snapped back together and the child was healed instantly and went off and continued playing.

Tell people of your victories, how God has blessed you. Walk on the Word and in the power of the holy spirit God gave you. It will leave a lasting impression

The importance of your life can never be underestimated. Each one of you is so vital to God.

Our Faith to God-ward is Spread Abroad.

Years ago I was involved in the out reach of the greatness of God’s Word with three wonderful friends.

When a man came up to us and adamantly disagreed with us, and the Word we were sharing. He was so forceful and upsetting that we had to dismiss ourselves because there was no meekness in his heart. As we walked home and talked the Word and what happened amongst ourselves. This elderly woman who we did not know came walking over to us and said, “I think what you boys are doing is wonderful.” We thanked her, she walked away and we never saw her again.   God sent this woman to minister to us. It made me realize that our believing faith was being spread abroad and this woman recognized that what we were doing was important and she let us know. We made an impression on her.

Which brings me to this record in 1 Corinthians!

1 Corinthians 12

 ¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴For the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  ¹⁸But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. ¹⁹And if they were all one member, where were the body?  ²⁰But now are they many members, yet but one body. ²¹And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. ²²Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:  ²³And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. ²⁴For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.  ²⁵That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. ²⁶And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. ²⁷Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Don’t ever discount yourself or your importance to God. It’s so vital to realize that each believer in the body of Christ is the apple of God’s eye. No one person is more important to God than any other. You are the center of His attention, and where you are placed in the body pleases God. No other person has your exact qualities, skills and abilities to minister. What you say to another may be just what they need to hear to get healing or eliminate some fear that they have. Remember the person that ministered healing to Saul (Paul) was a regular disciple just like you and me.

 So do not compare yourself with others in the body. Recognize who you are in Christ and walk out on believing, and Love, and God will be with you every step of the Way. He loves you more than you will ever know.

I know that I did not hit all of the eight items. I left some for you to work and enjoy. There is much more that I could write,  but if I added the detail I could add, this twenty minute teaching could turn into hours.

I sure love you!
Bless Rick

Our Lives Make a Difference

It’s been a little while since I posted any thing here. I’m teaching a fellowship in a few days on the topic of our Lives Make a Difference. I plan on posting the teaching before I teach it so you’ll get to see it before I actually teach it.  I also have an article coming out soon on my Six Reasons Why Reincarntion does not Exist. I’ve spent numerous hours working on this particular post. It may prove controversial but for those who love God it may truly increase  your understanding of a unique subject. Honestly God does not want us ignorant, He wants us to know the score. Thanks for being patient with me.

Aloha
Rick

My Confession is all Wrong

I played golf yesterday with a friend and realized my confession is all wrong. My friend did not make a single negative confession about his game and he played a good game of golf. I kept making negative confessions and then had to keep correcting myself. When I got to certain holes that have given me fits before I would confess that I always have trouble with this hole. Well what you confess and believe for you will receive, and I did. Every time I confessed that I don’t play a hole very well that is exactly what happen.

Now mind you I’ve been playing golf for around forty years. What you confess and believe for you will receive. So throughout the round of golf I kept having to change my confession. However changing your confession without changing what you really believe in you heart will do you no good. I kept hitting balls in the woods and in the water through out the round. When I finally got to the point that my confession matched my believing  I started to play golf better. On the eighteenth hole I made a negative confession but then immediately changed it and believed what I was saying. This hole is extremely tough!! Your drive needs to be precise, if the ball goes to the left it’s in the water if it goes right it can also go in the water and you have a long shot to the green. Hitting it straight will put you in a good position but you have to go over a good sized body of water to get to the green. So I hit this long straight drive, fired a four iron over the water just short of the green. Pitched up on the green about twelve feet past the cup and then sank that put for my par, which was my third par in a row. I usually get 7′s and 8′s on the eighteenth.  When I quit confessing the negative and started believing in the ability that God has blessed me with I started playing much better.

I also remembered something else during this round that helped me. Be willing to seek help from others if things are not going right. At one point during the round I started to slice the ball way off line. I kept saying something is wrong with my swing and asked my playing partner if he could see if I was doing anything wrong. His correction was tremendous he told me I was not making a full turn of my hips. When I initiated the correction of this problem and started making the full turn I started hitting beautiful shots. The whole point of this is keep your confession and believing positive. If you need wise counsel with anything don’t be afraid to ask for it.

The person who can recognize when their confession is wrong and push themselves to change what they are believing will be successful. Sometimes it takes someone recognizing the error and pointing it out. The meek and coach-able will attain their goals by applying  what they have learned to attain their objective.

Believing is a law. What you are confessing in your heart with believing absolutely will come to pass. So push yourself to confess the positive even if it does not seem like it is possible for what you desire to come to pass. When you believe in the depths of your heart for something, it has to come to pass. Believing is a law that is universal and worldwide. Some people refer to it as the law of attraction. The law of attraction happens to be the modern term for the law of believing which was established by the one true God.

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