The truth is that God has given us His word, and if we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He has also given us His Holy Spirit (to live in side of us).

The Word of God, coupled with the Holy Spirit brings much assurance to our hearts and lives, knowing that when Jesus returns or when our life ends here on earth, we will be with Jesus for eternity.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.” Romans 8:1

When we’ve committed our lives to Christ, and His Spirit lives within us, a new life begins.

“If anyone be in Christ He is a new creation, the old has gone, and the new has come.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

We now live a life by the faith of the Son of God.

Therefore, as we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, we know that all things will be added unto us.

Therefore, when we get in a bind, we know that God will make a way.

I’ve found that when we confess the truths God has laid out for us in His word, those truths come to pass in our lives.

A very menial example happened just this last Saturday:

My wife and I stopped at a store to pick something up.  When we returned to our car, we found it wouldn’t start.  We asked the people getting in the car next to us to do us a favor and give us a “jump”.  They were very nice to give it a shot; however, they had a Toyota Prius (hybrid) which didn’t appear to have a standard car battery.  Disappointed that they couldn’t give us a hand, the gentleman said “I don’t know what you’re going to do.”
I said, “I’m sure God will send someone.”

He replied, “Yeah, but look at this rain coming down, someone up there is sending something besides help to you.”

I didn’t waver, because even if He didn’t agree, I knew my God would fight for me.  (Exodus 14:14)

I kindly said “thanks again,” and the gentlemen in the Prius left.  I’m so grateful he would even take the time to “try” to help us.  Praise God!

Right after that, the thought came to mind that it’s tax season, my Dad is a CPA, and even though it’s 2:30 in the afternoon (Saturday), he’s most likely in his office, which “happened” to be two blocks away.  I called him up and within 5 minutes he was present to get us on our way.

Yes, a very menial example; however, even in the small things, we need a people in this generation to stand up, by the Spirit of God, and testify of God’s goodness – even BEFORE it happens.

“God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17b

If we stand on His promises, and KNOW that His Holy Spirit resides in us,

“Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Romans 8:9b

we can confidently declare His truths to a wicked and perverse generation.

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32

Note about Matthew 10:32:  When, Jesus says shall confess “me”, I believe it also includes confessing His word.  After all, the word became flesh and dwelt among us.  Jesus is the word.  Right?

Thanks for reading and be encouraged in the Lord!

The Apostle Paul said,

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

I often hear followers of Christ say “I just don’t get it!  Jesus said He came to give us life to the full (John 10:10), but I’m not experiencing that one bit!”  Unfortunately, this may be because it isn’t being pointed out in the pulpit that in order to find your life, you have to lose it:

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”  Matthew 16:25

The Apostle Paul says:

“…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.”  Romans 12:2

If we were to conform to this world in our thinking, we would conclude that “life to the full” is having the perfect job, perfect family, a comfortable home, lots of money, etc.  None of these things are wrong in and of themselves, but what is wrong is that we’re not asking “what is the will of God?”

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”  1 John 2:15-17

Oftentimes, suffering for the cause of Christ is in the will of God:

“Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”  1 Peter 4:19

Believe it or not, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that will bring you more joy and fulfillment than doing the will of God.

As an example, God directed an American named Dana Ver Burg to move to Port-au-Prince, Haiti in August 2009, just a few months before their big earthquake.  Prior to this, Ver Burg was in a comfortable job at a major corporation, living in beautiful San Diego.  Take a look at her blog, “Dana In Haiti”, and see for yourself that she has a joy that far surpasses the fulfillment that could be gained from the things (money, title, comforts) of this world.  It’s because she’s presented her body as a living sacrifice unto God:

“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.” Romans 12:1

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23

The thief (the devil) has been masquerading long enough, convincing followers of Jesus that they will find true joy and true peace by following after the same comforts and securities that the world seeks after.  It’s a complete lie (John 8:44). Let’s no longer be conformed to the world, but follow Jesus’ ways of giving up all the rights to our own life, ambitions and future, and instead be obedient to do His will, whatever it might be (1 John 2:17).  In this is life to the full!

“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.” John 10:10

Is losing your life for the sake of Jesus something that you’re unwilling to do?  In all humility, I suggest that you might not be an actual believer of Jesus – at least a believer in all that He stood for.  Jesus said:

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26-27

If you’ve been loving and holding on to your own life, instead of giving it up entirely to Jesus – even unto the point of death (Revelation 12:11) if necessary – you may be missing out on the abundant life that God has to offer all those who will call upon His name (2 Peter 3:9, Romans 10:9-10)…  Fortunately, this can change – instantly!

If you’re willing to admit that God’s ways are far above your ways (Isaiah 55:9), and are willing to forsake your own life in order to allow Jesus Christ to live His life through you (Galatians 2:20, Galatians 4:19), you’re going to be blessed with incredible peace, joy and love (Romans 14:17) – like you’ve never known before!  God is so good!  He’s worth forsaking all for.

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”  Mark 8:35

Here are a few ways to get your hands on Foxe’s Book of Martyrs:

- Free Online Version

- Your Local Library

- ChristianBook.com

- Family Christian Book Stores

- Audio CD (Amazon.com)

- eBay.com (a great option, because maybe you can acquire an old-school, unrevised edition)

- MP3 (Audio CD)

- KINDLE (Amazon)

A great place to purchase Bibles for a very reasonable cost is at the following website:

Bearing Precious Seed

Apparently, the Bibles from this organization are hand-sewn right here in the United States and are bound in genuine Morrocan leather (which is one of the best leathers for quality and longevity)!  Plus, their wide margin Bible (pictured) is only $43 USD plus shipping!  Quite a bargain considering that Bibles of comparable quality would easily top 100 big ones at Amazon.com (another place worth looking).

I just ordered one of these Bearing Precious Seed wide-margin Bibles, so I’ll be sure to update this post once I receive it if there’s anything else worth mentioning.

If you’re not sure which Bible translation to choose, here’s an article that might help:  Choosing the Right Bible Translation

By the way, if you happen to be poor and downtrodden, and are interested in a Bible but can’t afford one, it would be great to connect you with someone who could “sponsor” you by purchasing a Bible for you.  Please contact Jesus Frees You with your information.  On the flipside, if you’re interested in buying Bibles for people in need, please let us know.

“The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever” (1 Peter 1:24-25).

Everything in this world leaves us wanting more, except Jesus.  Solomon, known throughout history as the “wisest man ever,” said that even “when goods increase, they are increased that eat them…”  In other words, if you have an appetite for more “stuff” (material things), as you obtain more “stuff”, your appetite will grow that much bigger.  It is like an oasis in the desert:  As you draw nearer to what appears to be satisfying water, it disappears.  Long-term satisfaction eludes you and you are always left in bitter disappointment.

Is there anything in this life that completely satisfies?  Yes, in Matthew 5:6, Jesus says “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied.”  If you hunger and thirst after righteousness, you will be satisfied.  As we’d touched on in the opening paragraph, if you hunger and thirst after anything else, you will not be satisfied.

In God’s word, it is revealed that “righteousness” is Jesus Himself:

“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

So we could translate the above verse by saying that “if we hunger and thirst after Jesus, we will be satisfied.”  100% satisfaction can be obtained in Jesus.  “Blessed” is the best way to describe the person who hungers and thirsts after Jesus, because they are satisfied.  And isn’t that what the whole world wants, to be satisfied?

*** photo by flickr user Micky ***

www.JesusIsWorthIt.com

Jesus says in John 8:44 of the Bible that:

“There is no truth in [Satan].  When [Satan] speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Jesus also says:

“The thief (Satan) 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.” (John 10:10)

Satan is working overtime to steal, kill and destroy.  This is a concept that we have to come to terms with, if we are ever going to experience the freedom that comes from knowing God, the creator of the universe.  Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as the savior and Lord of our life, we have the resources of God at our fingertips.  According to Romans 14:17, you will experience:

Righteousness – being completely guilt free, knowing that you are in right relationship with God and He is smiling down on you from heaven.
Peace – knowing that “aaaall isss goooood”.  God’s got your back, and you no longer have any worries in the world.
Joy – God is so good (Psalm 34:8) that you literally will have so much joy that you won’t be able to contain yourself as you meditate on His word (the Bible) and God’s continued faithfulness.
Trust me, I am not embellishing the above attributes you will experience if you will believe with all your heart in Jesus.  In fact, I encourage you to look in the Bible at the countless testimonies of God’s wonderful goodness to people who have gone before us, and just know that everything in the Bible is still offered to everyone who will take on Jesus Christ as:

Saviour – from sin, the devil, worries, cares, sicknesses, financial distress, etc.
and

Lord – we are called to no make Him “Lord” by no longer living for ourselves, but for Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:15)
Trust me, GOD IS FAITHFUL!

Now, I’d like to get back to what I initially started talking about at the beginning of this article:

God versus Satan

Satan is at work, trying to deceive people into thinking that they’re being loving by accepting all of the various, opposing beliefs about who God is.  If it is true that Jesus Christ died so that people could experience a relationship with God and abundance of life, do you think that Satan, God’s archenemy, might be doing everything he can to keep people from believing in this truth?  A very fitting verse to explain this is found in 2 Corinthians:

“In whom the god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”  2 Corinthians 4:4

It is true, Satan has blinded the minds of them that believe not so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should not shine unto them.  If Satan has blinded my mind or yours, what is the remedy?  It says he’s blinded the minds of them that believe not.  So we just need to believe.  If you make a commitment to believe in Jesus Christ, as I mentioned earlier, you will be set free!

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:32

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”  John 8:36

New International Version (NIV):

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,”

compare with

King James Version (KJV)

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Leaving off the final part of the verse, as the NIV version does, makes the statement incomplete and seems to contradict the Bible. There is still condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, maybe not “eternal” condemnation, but there is condemnation. An example of a “temporal” condemnation is that which Annanias and Saphira suffered the consequences of in Acts 5:1-10:

1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

2And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

5And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

6And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

9Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

10Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

Annanias and Saphira, who were “in Christ Jesus,” walked by the flesh when they knew better (“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17), and God struck them down dead.

Do you agree that leaving out “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” can be a disservice to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? After all, it is the truth that sets us free (John 8:32). If they’re not hearing ALL of the truth, they are not being set free. What do you think?

For further reading, I recommend the following link: http://av1611.com/kjbp/faq/holland_ro8_1.html

I don’t know much about the above Website or what they stand for, but I like their explanation of Romans 8:1 and personally agree that some more recent Bible versions seem to be unscriptural in certain areas.

PLEASE NOTE: There are other translations of the Bible, besides King James Version, that also include the “walk not after the flesh” phrase in Romans 8:1. Following is a great link that allows you to compare translations:

http://bible.cc/romans/8-1.htm

“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

When we have a confrontation with the King, we are literally undone.  There are things we recognize about the life we and our fellow Americans lead that we realize are not honoring to God.  Even a heart of unbelief is a sin (Heb 3:12).

As we see in the book of Daniel, it is healthy to confess our own sins along with those of our nation:

“And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God..” (Daniel 9:20)

The need is urgent.  As a nation we are far from the throne of God, and need to cast out our idols and begin fasting and praying, pleading with the Lord Jesus to withhold judgment and grant mercy.

Please tell everyone you know.