A GIFT FROM GOD!

EPHESIANS 2: 8

"God saved you by His Grace when you believed.  You can not take credit for this;  It is A GIFT FROM GOD.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things you have done, so no one can boast about it."

No one is good, no not one.  The first step to God's saving grace is to know that you are not good enough to take any credit for your salvation.  We have all sinned and come short of the Glory of God.  We would all perish if not for a Saviour.  You can not save yourself and in fact there is no other place you can go to achieve salvation but to God and His Grace.  That is why you can never take credit for what God has given you freely, because you believed in Him.  Even though you now have eternal life you can not boast because you did not earn it.  You have received a gift from God that was freely given to all His children.  

If anyone tells you that you have to do something or perform some act to be saved they are not telling you the truth.  Beware of those who place conditions on God to give you the gift of life.  Other than believing in God and His Salvation there is nothing you could do to obtain eternal life and salvation.  In short, all that is required of us is to believe in our hearts the Word of God and in the only name under heaven or earth that can save us and give us eternal life.  Jesus Christ is the Lord God and only He can save you by His Grace.  

If you have never accepted the Word of God or believed in Jesus Christ the Lord, then you have never received His free gift of eternal life.  Today is the day of Salvation and if you accept His Word and ask Him into  your heart to dwell with you then you can be Saved by His Grace.  Open the door to your heart today and believe in God.  Your life will change and you will become a new person with a new heart and the gift of eternal life in perfection.  That is the good news that has been told to every person.  Have you heard and believed?  Salvation is not a reward for doing anything good or righteous, it is A GIFT FROM GOD!

THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING!

ISAIAH 42: 5

"The Lord God, created the heavens and stretched them out.  The Lord created the earth and everything in it."

Once you recognize this as the One Truth Today, you will have achieved wisdom and eternal life. Who do believe created the heavens and the earth?  Was it a man or collection of men?  Perhaps you believe some liberal atheistic professors at the university could do it.  Perhaps Buddha or Mohamed  or Confucius created the universe, Maybe Not!  In the collected writings of man has anyone else ever professed to be the creator of the universe?  Only God and His Word have the answer to the question, where did everything come from.  The Lord God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it!

Why is it acceptable to believe the "big bang theory" of creation but deny the Word of God?  How many other scientific theories and explanations have fallen into disrepute?  The Word of God has not and will not change!  The explanation for mans desire to reject God's Word is quite simple.  If we believe that God created the universe and everything in it, then we have to acknowledge His existence.  If the Lord Jesus Christ exists, then we have to believe His Word!  If God has given breath and life to even us, then we had better worship Him.  We are obliged to obey His Word and His commandments and Laws.  We are not god, Jesus Christ is God!

When we come to know the truth and believe the Lord, He takes us by the hand and guards and protects us and gives us eternal life.  What a contrast to non believer's who will never have a satisfactory explanation of how we got here and what our purpose is.  That is why non believer's have that empty feeling in their lives that can never be filled or satisfied.  You will never have peace until you know the truth that God created you and everything on earth.  You have a choice to accept or reject God and His truth.  Your consequence will be having obtained eternal life or eternal damnation and death.  There is no other reasonable or logical explanation of how the earth and universe came into being.  God is THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING!

SEEK WISDOM!

PROVERBS 1: 24

"I, wisdom, called you so often, but you would not come.  I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.  You ignored my advice and rejected my corrections."

When  you look back at the decisions that you have made, have they been wise?  Did your immediate satisfaction overrule long term decisions that would have been wiser?  Is your motto, what about me, what about my needs?  Have you discovered that this attitude leads to the worst possible decisions for your life?  Those who do not put the Lord first in everything are the last to hear and understand the One Truth Today.  Wisdom, from the Lord calls us so often and yet so many will not come.  The Lord reaches out to us with His Word and yet so many pay no attention.  The advice of the Lord is true and faithful and yet so many reject and ignore His corrections!

The beginning of wisdom is the Fear of God.  To know, love and fear God is the prerequisite to all wisdom.  The Lord and His Word tell us to get many counselors before we make any big decision for our life.  It is prudent to not only seek the Lord's Word and teachings, but it is also a good idea to get the advice of Godly people.  Choose those who have shown in the past that they are correct and being led by God.  If you receive bad advice that has proven wrong in the past there would be no reason to seek that advice again, so avoid those who have misled you in the past.  In fact the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over, expecting a different result.  The Lord Jesus Christ and His Word never give bad advice and are always the truth.  If you are looking for wisdom in your life, seek God.

There is no source better than the Word of God.  We must make it a habit to always go to the Lord first in everything we do.  God fearing people have discernment and can also give wise counsel.  Wisdom calls out to us, are you listening and did you come?  When wisdom reached out to you did you pay attention?  When you had events that showed rejection and correction of you decisions in the past did you just ignore them?  Start by getting the first thing, first.  Make God the center of your life and learn to fear, know and love Him.  SEEK WISDOM, and she will be found!

YOU CAN NOT MOCK GOD!

GALATIANS 6: 7

"Do not be misled, YOU CAN NOT MOCK GOD or His justice.   You will harvest what you plant."

The Word tells us that "you will reap what you sew".  This is the same as telling us that we will harvest what we plant.  This is a law of God that is not ambiguous and should be easily understood by everyone.  Picture yourself as a farmer.  The words that you spit out of your mouth are really seeds that fall on the earth and then grow.  They will be your harvest.  In essence we will harvest in our lives the seeds that we plant in our words and thoughts.  Now think of the words of your life.  Are you planting weeds and tares or are you planting good food to sustain your life?  Remember and do not be misled, YOU CAN NOT MOCK GOD, and you will harvest what you plant!

Do you see the perfect justice in our One Truth Today?  Earlier in verse 5 we see that we are each responsible for our actions, thoughts, conduct and words.  We are each our own farmer and the question is will we harvest a good crop or merely weeds.  Remember you will live in the future on the crop you plant today and throughout your whole life.  Too many people spit out bad seeds on a continual basis and expect a good crop to grow for the harvest.  They are puzzled by the many weeds and terrible crops in their life.  How can you expect anything different from the justice of God?  You are responsible for you words and thoughts and you will harvest what you plant.  Be careful what you say and think and above all remember that you will determine what you live on.  YOU CAN NOT MOCK GOD! 

THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME!

ISAIAH 29: 13

"These people say they are mine, they honor me with their lips, but THERE HEART IS FAR FROM ME."

Many people claim to be Christians.  The percentage that is given in the United States is some where around 70%.  Imagine if seven out of ten people in this country could be counted as true believer's and followers of Jesus Christ.  If that were the case and they knew God's Word and not only became hearers of the Word but doers of the Word, this country would be quite a different place.  So where is the discrepancy between what people say with their lips and what they believe in their hearts.  Do you believe based on our present society that it is any different today, then in the time of Isaiah?  Do you think that even the majority of people in this country honor God?

How about you, do you call yourself a Christian and profess to honor Jesus Christ with your lips?  Better yet, do you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is the Lord God of your life? When your family and friends and those that know you best think of you would they conclude that you are a Christian?  Do your actions and life style prove that you know, fear and love God!  Do you love  your neighbors?  Do you know the Word of God and His promises?  Are you a doer of the Word and not just a hearer?  In a court of law would others attest to the fact that you are a Christian?

Each day of our lives we are to become more Christ like.  Do you think of the Lord first and put Him first in everything you do?  It is not enough to say you love and believe in Jesus Christ.  Your heart must pour out the blessings and love of the Lord.  Out of the abundance of your heart your mouth must speak what you truly believe.  What do  your words reflect?  Are you true and faithful to the Lord every day?  Your words and more importantly your actions will show everyone where you are!  Do not let God say about you, THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME! 

A THORN IN MY FLESH!

2 CORINTHIANS 12: 7

"So  to keep me from being proud, I was given A THORN IN MY FLESH."

What does it mean to be given a thorn in the flesh?  Are you sight or hearing impaired?  Do you have a disability of some kind?  Are you less than perfect in the flesh?  Listen to the One Truth Today, for what the world perceives as weakness may be something to keep you from being too proud.  What you or others consider a curse,  may be a blessing from the Lord.  In the same scripture we see that a plea to the Lord was given three times.  Each time the Lord said, "my grace is sufficient unto you".  The Lord said, "my power works in weakness".  So what man may perceive as a weakness or a thorn in the flesh may instead by the Lord's way of keeping us humble and meant to keep us from being proud!

Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.  Always does not mean some times or when you find it convenient.  Even when you have a thorn in the flesh you are admonished to rejoice. Boast about your weakness so that the power of Christ can work through you.  When you are seen as weak, even then you are strong because of the power of the Lord.  When others see you or hear you life story, they will be moved by the Power of God in  your life and how you are looking forward to perfection in Him.  You will be a powerful example to others about God. 

Being given a thorn in your flesh and then overcoming it by the Word and Power of God is a message for all people and at all times.  It helps to explain that although the world sees bad things happening to good people, God's grace is all anyone needs to achieve eternal life and perfection in Heaven.  All obstacles and thorns of this lifetime can and will be overcome by the power of God.  Even though we may have to accept imperfections here, during our pilgrimage, a perfect and eternal life awaits us by the Grace of God.  We must always focus on the eternal perspective and avoid living for the moment.  This is an imperfect life on earth and there are thorns.  If you have received some, thank the Lord for keeping you humble and not proud! 

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!

GALATIANS 5: 22

"The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control."

What a lovely picture of the Christian life.  Does this describe your life?  Would your family and close friends use these words in describing you and you interactions with them?  The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our hearts and lives.  The sinful nature of man produces the opposite kind of fruit.  These two forces are continually fighting for control of our lives and minds.  So if you want to know where you stand with the Holy Spirit, examine the fruit of your life.  Is your life one of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control?

Those who truly belong to Jesus Christ and live by His Spirit control their passions and desires and their sinful nature.  Spirit filled people avoid sexual immorality, lustful pleasures, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, anger, self ambition, dissension, divisions and drunken wild parties that lead to their destruction.  It is not difficult to conclude what kind of a person you are.  Are you living in sin or do you let the Holy Spirit control your life?  Just as you can tell a tree by its fruit, you can tell a person by their fruit.  What kind of fruit will we see in  your life?

If you have the fruit of the Spirit you will be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient and kind.  You will be gentle and faithful and full of self control.  If this does not describe you, then you need to stop and take a good look at your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  You can not fool others, you can not fool God and you should not fool yourself.  Anyone living in sin will not inherit the kingdom of God, as we find in verse 21 of this chapter.  The Good News is that the Lord is faithful to forgive us if we repent of our sins and invite the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts and quide our lives.  Ask Jesus Christ to forgive you and give you THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT right now!