What's It All About?
Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author
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I believe as you all do in our Lord Jesus, that He died for me and was raised from the dead and now sits on high. But as equally important is His love for us. Over the past centuries the love of God for His children has been lost and in its place has been His wrath, fire and brimstone type of sermons. Yes, that will come but only unto those who are lost and after the tribulation starts. We are here first and foremost for a relationship with God; Jesus died so we could have that relationship. In Genesis 5 we see what I am talking about. 24. And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. So many have got caught up into what we can and should do as works, we are told faith without works is dead. And it is, but it is not our physical works, but our faith working that keeps it alive. I live by faith so my faith is constantly working and in so is alive and well. Some think if they are baptized in water they are saved, while others think if they do good works they are saved. Nothing saves us except what Jesus did for us, we can not save ourselves, and if we could then Jesus would have died in vain. We are to start developing the relationship with God starting the day we are saved. But since most do not teach how to do this, most never do, and a lot get caught up in the law of the word and miss the Spirit of the word. The entire reason there are so many different beliefs in Christianity is because so many interpreted the word instead of understanding it. This happens when man/women read the word of themselves and not via the Spirit of God. Let me show you an example: Two people read the same book and get two totally different outcomes, but when they approach the person who wrote the book they find they both had some right and some wrong in their conclusions of what the book was about. And that is what happens when we do not ask God to help us understand His word. We are told to do this in John 14:26 and I John 2:27 and that is why today more and more are agreeing with each other. Because more and more are reading the word of God with the Spirit giving understanding as they do so. Let me share one misunderstanding, in Job for a long time I have heard people say because of the story of Job we also will be put to the test as Job was by God. So when I found the verse they were using for the bases of this and found they read it wrong it changed for all I have shared it with in their entire outlook about God testing us. Here is the verse as it appears in the King James: Job 1 8. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Now here it is as it appears in the literal Bible: 8. |0559| And said |3068| Yahweh |0000| to |7854| Satan, |7760| Have you set |3824| your heart |5650| on My servant |0347| Job? |3588| For |0369| not is {any} |0000| like him |0776| in the earth, |0376| a man |8535| perfect |3477| and upright, |3373| revering |0430| God |5186| and turning away |7451| from evil. It is a question; God was asking Satan what he was doing with Job verses pointing Job out to Satan. Now with this in mind understand our whole purpose here is to listen, follow and be obedient to God. We need man/woman to help us learn how to get to this point. And then afterwards we need to grow in God and in doing so we need to be vigilant on a daily basis with this relationship. We need to attend church for 3 reasons: 1 To be build up, some call it charging the bMattery. 2 To be edified, to know we know what we know based on what others share as well with us. 3. To help the church grow, to share our blessings with others. Overall we should tithe and give to our church we attend so they (Pastors, staff, etc) can do the work when we are not there. To go forward and help others to get to this point. I am one who fought God about being a pastor. I wanted to just be a teacher, but that was not what He wanted. Some of you may feel you are called, well we all are, some are to pastor, be evangelist, missionaries, etc. But we need people to be in the work place as well. Why would anyone be called to work in the world verses serving in a ministry? It is like the old saying, "You are preaching to the choir/" We need more people in the work place living a life unto God for others to see, and so those who are lost and will not come to church have a source right in their work area to help them learn why they need and want to be of God. It does not matter if you are a pastor, or a thrash man, both are needed. And who can bring in more people to the kingdom? Sometimes it might be the pastor, but over all it is the person who believes and lives a life unto God in the work force that brings the most to the kingdom. With that said that is not your calling or mine. Our calling is to have a relationship with God, one on one. We are to listen to Him, and if we do not hear Him, we listen until we do, then we follow Him and are obedient to what He says. Don't you know He knows best who needs what? I have seen some so on fire just saved running out to tell the world, then they water where someone else has already watered, and miss one who never has been watered. The point is if we at first are obedient enough to listen, and do so until we hear His voice then we can do the most good. Because He then will guide us to who He needs us to water and to avoid those who already are being watered. Now as a Christian you have power through prayer, each of us should pray daily for ourselves, family, friends, neighbors and those He puts in our life's. But also to listen and to hear and be obedient. If you will listen, He will wake you up sometimes in the middle of the night to pray for some one around the world or even next door. Someone who needs prayer so He can help them. But He can only help if we will pray. His authority is limited to what we allow Him to have. As is Satan's power limited to that which we give him. Both work through man/woman, because God gave us the world, that is why Jesus had to come in the flesh, because sin was comitted by one in the flesh and only by one it the flesh can it be controlled or removed. Since God is a gentleman and will not force Himself on you, you have to listen a little harder, because Satan is not a gentleman and he does force himself on you. So why am I writing all of this to you? SO in the year to come we can do even more than the last, by being prepared and ready for all that comes our way. And the best way to be ready and prepared is with knowledge: Hosea 4 6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. We are His people, and we are priests and kings Revelation 1 6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. So to be a true child of God we need to grow. And to grow we need to look at our selves in the mirror and make sure what looks back is ready to remove all that is not of God and only allow that which is of God on a daily bases. As Paul said it cast down all vain imaginations, or to take hold of every thought we have, anilize it and if it is not of God cast it down, and if it is of God to take it and claim it as ours. If we do this we will not be caught judging anyone other than ourselves, and we will be filled with His love, forgiving to the point we forget as well as forgive all transgressions. I hope this helps you in the next year. Other studies that will help you grow and learn more as well as they were a huge help with this study. Christ Church Life Starts Here God's Plan Hearing from God My prayer for you is: 3 John 1 2.
Remember to show faith when you pray, then praise and give thanks.
God Bless You as you hear His words and follow His leading.
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