“That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” (Philemon 1:6 KJV)

Powerful resources

Have you given much thought about the many good things from Christ Jesus which are in you according to the Bible? Well, you have an amazing amount of powerful resources at your disposal. If you don’t know what they are and if you aren’t using them, you are really missing out!

The knowledge of what you have in Jesus is powerful 

“Acknowledging every good thing which is in you in Jesus” is a very powerful exercise to do, and it has the power to make “the communication of your faith effectual!” Just think about what you have as a Christian! If you have received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, your list will begin with Jesus, Himself, (Christ in you – Col. 1:27). Then, you have the Holy Spirit – (Spirit-filled – John 14:16). And then there is the Spiritual fruit which He produces in your life (the fruit of the Spirit – Gal. 5:22-23). And, of course, there are His many gifts that He gives to believers – (Spiritual gifts – Rom. 12 & 1 Cor. 12). And, don’t forget the Word of God itself, that you have hidden in your heart – (Psalm 119:11).

The devil is a liar so don’t listen to him!

The devil deceives God’s people by telling them they are helpless and powerless! Nothing could be further from the truth! “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to His own glory and excellence.” (2 Peter 1:3 ESV). Do a personal survey to discover who you are in Jesus and what you have according to what He says you have! That knowledge is empowering!

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“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32 NIV)

What’s real and what’s fake?

Over the last few months the main stream media has been filled with much discussion and opinion on the topic of so called, “fake news.” And, every side of every issue is accusing the other side of being guilty of it. And, quite frankly, it's hard to tell the difference between what is real news and what is “fake news” because each side spins the “facts” to support their own opinions.

How can they do this with actual “facts” you may ask?

Wall Street Journal columnist, James Taranto, opined on Twitter: “Fact checking” is opinion journalism pretending to be some sort of heightened objectivity.” Simply put, “fact checkers” cherry-pick the statements to “fact-check” and then decide which data to back it up with. In short, statistics can be manipulated to come up with any conclusion wanted to promote.

This is nothing new

the enemies of Jesus took statements He had said and twisted them to use against Him. “Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” (Mark 24:57-58)

What is truth?

According to the dictionary, truth is the quality or state of being true; truthfulness, honesty, accuracy, correctness, validity, factuality, and authenticity. The exact opposite of truth (antonyms) is falsehood, dishonesty, fiction, and lies.

Truth comes from God

• Jesus is the truth – “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6 NIV)

• Jesus’s Word is truth - “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17 NIV)

• Jesus is full of grace and truth - “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NIV)

Therefore…

 “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.”  (1 John 1:6 NIV)

 “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.” (James 1:18 NIV)

 “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:5 NIV)

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 1:4 NIV)

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“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (2 Chron. 16:9 NKJV)

Have you ever watched little children at play in a public playground? The children will often look up to make sure their parents are looking at them. Every now and then, a child will say, “Look, Mommy! Look, Daddy!” And, of course, the parents are looking, because they love and care about them.

It's wonderful to know that God loves us (John 3:16), and constantly keeps His eyes on us, too!

He sees the sparrow and he sees you!

One of my all-time favorite gospel songs is, His eye is on the sparrow, written in 1905, by Civilla Martinand and Charles Gabriel. The lyrics were inspired from a story in Matthew 10:29, which tells how God knows when a small sparrow falls to the ground, and yet, we are more valuable to Him than they.

The chorus is very joyful and I often have it running through my head

I sing because I’m happy.

I sing because I’m free.

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

“But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.” (Psalm 33:18 NIV)

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“Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ A staff,’ he replied.” (Ex. 4:2 NIV)

It is easy to get discouraged when things look bad  

Perhaps your supplies are low and the need is very big, even looks impossible. But, be encouraged, when you follow God’s instructions, and you do what He says to do, He can cause what you already have in your hands to produce miraculous results. The Bible is filled with many examples of this.

A boy’s lunch feeds thousands

Jesus prayed over a small amount of loaves and fishes, then placed them into the hands of His disciples, and the miracle continued as the loaves and fishes kept dividing in their own hands as they fed thousands!  “Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.” (Matt. 14:19b NIV)

A desperate mother’s last meal doesn't run out

A mother was down to her last and all seemed hopeless for her and her son! She told the prophet Elijah that she planned to eat her last meal then die!

But, Elijah told her to take her last flour and oil and prepare him a meal, (what a step of faith!) and then, he promised her that her food would not run out! She followed his instructions and was blessed for doing so. The food she already had in her hands did not run out! (1 Kings 17:10-15)

Moses had a staff in his hand 

Moses had been a Hebrew baby rescued from the Nile river by a Pharaoh’s daughter (Ex. 2:5). He was raised and educated to be a leader there in Egypt. But things took a nasty turn when he stood up for a fellow Hebrew who was being beaten by an Egyptian. He killed him and tried to cover up the crime (Ex. 2:12), but was found out, and then fled to live the next 40 years in the backside of the desert. Then, one day, God spoke to him out of a flaming bush (Ex. 3) and told him that he was to do what seemed impossible – to deliver the Hebrew children from pharaoh’s evil control. Moses was filled with fear, objected, and gave God excuses for why he couldn't do, what God had said. Then God asked him a question, “Then, the Lord said to him, 'What is that in your hand?' 'A staff,' he replied." (Ex. 4:2 NIV)

Moses had a staff in his hand! It was a walking stick! A piece of wood! But, it’s what God worked His power through to enable Moses to do miraculous things like parting the Red Sea (Ex. 24:21).

So, what has God placed in your hand?

It doesn't really matter what it is, big or small, God can use it, if you have the faith to allow Him to! (Heb. 4:2)

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“Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,” (Titus 2:12 ESV)

Comparing worldliness with godliness

Worldly people:

• Worldly people are devoid of the Spirit

“It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.” (Jude 1:19 ESV) 

• Worldly people love the things in the world rather than doing God’s will

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17 ESV) 

• Worldly people who wish to be friends of the world makes themselves to be enemies of God

“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4 ESV)

• Worldly people are loved by the world and godly people are hated by them

“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19 ESV)

• Worldly people may appear Godly but they deny its power

“Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Tim. 3:5 ESV)

“For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:4 ESV) 

Godly people:

• Godly people are not conformed to the world but are transformed by the renewal of their mind

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV)

• Godly people have their minds set on things above

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col. 3:2 ESV) 

• Godly people aren’t conformed to passions of their former ignorance 

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,” (1 Peter 1:14 ESV) 

• Godly people are effective and fruitful

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 5:1-8 ESV)

• Godly people will be persecuted

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” (2 Tim. 3:12 ESV)

• Godly people have great gain in godliness with contentment 

“Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.” (1 Tim. 6:6 ESV) 

Therefore…

“No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” (2 Tim. 2:4 ESV)

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 15:15-16 ESV)

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27 ESV)

Quotes:

“We must meet the uncertainties of this world with the certainty of the world to come.” - A. W. Tozer

“May the things of this world so lose their power over us that we do not in the slightest wish to be "worldly"; nay, we even delight in not remaining "in the world.” - Watchman Nee

“The best means of resisting the devil is, to destroy whatever of the world remains in us, in order to raise for God, upon its ruins, a building all of love. Then shall we begin, in this fleeting life, to love God as we shall love him in eternity. - John Wesley

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“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Heb. 7:25 NIV)

Completely saved!

That means totally, entirely, wholly, thoroughly, fully, utterly, absolutely, perfectly, unconditionally, quite, altogether, downright, in every way, in every respect, one hundred percent, every inch!

How is this possible to be saved completely? Two reasons are given in the verse above.

First reason: You are saved through Jesus. The verse says, “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him…” You are saved completely because It's done through Jesus.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6 NIV)

And because your salvation is through Him, you can have complete confidence that He will keep it completely safe!

“For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2 Tim. 1:12 KJV)

Second reason: Jesus lives to intercede for you! The verse says, “because he always lives to intercede for them.” To intercede means to mediate, intermediate, arbitrate, conciliate, negotiate, moderate, intervene, interpose, step in, act, plead, petition, and advocate. This is what Jesus does for you!

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Tim. 2:5-6 ESV)

We can have confidence in Jesus!

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6 NIV)

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"But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:14 NIV)

Jesus talks to a woman at a well

The longest one-on-one conversation with Jesus, recorded in John 4:4-26, is with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. On a hot day, when Jesus was tired and thirsty from a long journey, He stopped at the well to rest and to get a drink of water. A Samaritan woman was there, drawing water from the well, and He spoke with her. The conversation was unusual, because Jesus didn't follow the well-established religious rules of the day.

First, he was traveling through Samaria rather than walking around it as most Jews did to avoid Samaritans. Second, Jews weren't supposed to speak with Samaritans. Third, men weren't permitted to speak with women without their husband present. Fourth, rabbis had no business speaking to shady ladies such as this one.

The woman focused on the law; Jesus focused on grace

"You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman," she reminded him. "How can you ask me for a drink?" (John 4:9 NIV)

Jesus kept the conversation focused

“Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.'" (John 4:10 NIV).  After more questions from her, “Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” (John 4:13-14 NIV).

The woman misunderstood Him

She thought Jesus was talking about the regular kind of water and therefore, meant that she wouldn't have to get water from the well any more as she usually does, so she asked Him for some. “The woman said to him, 'Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.'" (John 4:15 NIV)

Living water is a different kind of water!

Like many people today, the woman at the well misunderstood what Jesus meant when He said, "the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (John 4:14 NIV). He was actually talking about the Holy Spirit. This is made clear In the seventh chapter of the gospel of John, when Jesus identifies the "streams of living water" that flow from within those who believe in him as the Holy Spirit. “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’” (John 7:37-38 NIV)

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“You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” (Ne. 9:6 NIV)

God can handle anything!

In a recent posting, I spoke about the complexity of the incredibly small atom, and how God Himself, is the force that holds neutrons and protons together, (Col. 1:17). But, not only is He able to handle the smallest things, He can also handle the largest things!

Just consider the distant stars!

“Is not God in the height of heaven? Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!” (Job 22:12 KJV)

“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.” (Psalm 33:6 ESV)

“For You are the LORD Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.” (Psalm 97:9 NIV)

“This is what the LORD says: 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.'” (Isa. 66:1 NIV)

Nothing, in fact, including any problem you may face, is too big or too small for our God to handle!

“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jer. 32:27 NIV)

 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)

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“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”  (Ez. 36:26 NIV)

Delineation between good and evil

When I think of what it means to be hard-hearted and evil, I think of some of the characters I saw as a child in old Disney films, such as the jealous evil queen in Snow White and the wicked Cruella Deville, in 101 Dalmatians. These early Disney films had a very clear delineation between good and evil and left no doubt as to who was good or who was evil.

Not so much today!

The lines have become blurred. One example is the recent Disney movie, Maleficent, which is a sympathetic version of the evil villain of Sleeping Beauty. Instead of being pure evil in this film, she is depicted as being simply misunderstood. I imagine this fuzziness about good and evil is confusing to today's children.

The Bible clearly defines evil

“He went on: ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.’” (Mark 7:20-23 NIV)

We must hate and reject evil

“Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 97:10 NIV)

Reject every kind of evil

“Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.” (Isa. 1:16 NIV)

“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14 NIV)

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” (James 1:21 NIV)

“But test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” (1 Thess. 5:21 NIV)

The Lord will rescue you from every evil attack

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (2 Tim. 4:18 NIV)

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