No More I

By Duane Huffstutler

No More I

Romans 7:14-21 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate that I do. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more that I do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (more…)

Being a dwelling place for God

By beatrice ofwona

In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His spirit. Ephesians 2:21-22

God consistently wants us to lead a holy life so that He can boast about us to the devil. The book of Ephesians is primarily about the kind of people God wants us to be so that He can make a dwelling in us. It was appropriately written for people who were originally dead to matters concerning Christianity. The book of Romans 6 tells us how a mind that is controlled by carnality is a dead one. It is one that refuses to submit to God and can neither corporate nor work with Him. (more…)

What is God’s Purpose for Sex?

By Angie Lewis

God created us with the desire for sex, and we ought to understand his design that was meant for us in our relationships with others about sex. Christians absolutely need to seek God’s purpose in this area of their lives. God created us male and female and because of that we will be attracted to one another, but we must learn to control our desires because having sex, and even the desire for sex with someone outside of marriage is not God’s plan. (more…)

Isaiah 59:15-21

By Fergus Davar

Hello folks, today too I came across some interesting scripture. Let’s check it out.

Isaiah 59:15-21

The Lord has seen this, and he is displeased that there is no justice. 16 He is astonished to see that there is no one to help the oppressed. So he will use his own power to rescue them and to win the victory. 17 He will wear justice like a coat of armour and saving power like a helmet. He will clothe himself with the strong desire to set things right and to punish and avenge the wrongs that people suffer. 18 He will punish his enemies according to what they have done, even those who live in distant lands. 19 From east to west everyone will fear him and his great power. He will come like a rushing river, like a strong wind.
(more…)

Hungering for God

By beatrice ofwona

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you O God. Psalms 42:1

In the bible are certain people like David and Job with whom God was greatly pleased; these are people who challenge our Christianity. What for instance does He say when He looks at us from heaven? David was not perfect, he struggled with leadership and as a family man had a philandering issue with Bathsheba as well as the orchestrating for her husband’s murder. However in Acts 13:22, God looked down at him and said of him “a man after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to do”. (more…)

Almost There…

By Fredrick Nicholson

So you chose to give up something for the Lenten season. For most, it was some food you really enjoy, like confectionary items (I don’t want to get you off track by naming them cheesecake,donuts, pie–oops!) At times, especially early on, you felt like caving in. But you stuck to it, because you had already put your mind to it. No one pressured you to fast for 40 days, nor did you feel obligated to abstain from your favorite delicacy. There’s something inside drawing you closer to Him. (more…)

A Purpose For You

By Fredrick Nicholson

“Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1: 4-5 (NKJV)

(more…)

The Blessings of the Christian Now!

By Kamalesh Samuel

As every Scripture is God-breathed given to us by His Inspiration, let us receive and rejoice in the blessings of the Christian ‘Now’ – that is interpreted as ‘at the present time’, ‘at this moment’, ‘instantly’ in the continuous present tense – not in the past minute or in the next – but every minute of the NOW that we meditate on the written and the spoken word of God! ….What a blessing in realizing His Word offers all these blessings continuously in the NOW of time! Will you receive them NOW?

(more…)

Who will continue John’s work?

By The harvest is rich, the labourers few

Who was the humblest man who said “He must increase, I must decrease?”

It was John the Baptist!

Who was the one who called out “Repent! The Kingdom of God is at hand?” (more…)

Bringing in the Sheaves – Joy in the Work of the Lord

By Jerry Ousley

We’ve got a neighbor who should have been a professional gardener. Every year since Deb and I have lived where we do he has put out one of the cleanest and healthiest gardens I have ever seen. Of course it takes a lot of work. I’ve seen the man out in the hot sun, hoeing, pulling weeds, and hilling up his plants while we were in our lawn chairs visiting with friends and sipping on ice tea and lemonade. But I want to tell you that we never refused his offer to share in the fruit of his work. His tomatoes were large, juicy and mmm . . . so good!

We don’t really have to be a gardener to harvest and share the fruit of our work. Many have skills in writing, painting, drawing or maybe even fixing cars. These are tasks some of us are good at and we can share the fruit of our labor with others. Just this past summer in the city of Louisville, KY they were having a festival of some sort and local artists donated their time to do chalk drawings on the concrete floor of the pavilion where the festival was being held. They were exquisite artists and I would have had a hard time walking on their work. They shared it with the community. (more…)

Personal Happiness and the Bible

By Robin Calamaio

Before I became a Christian, my refuge was song writing. As my personal circumstances became more intense, my “Songs Notebook” still had lyrics and ideas, but it became more like … a diary. It was active into my early Christian months. Years later, leafing through it, I found references to a feeling that plagued me as I awoke to my pre-Christian day. It was a feeling of dread – a deep dread. It was a mixture of frustration, purposelessness, fear and hopelessness. It was sickening. I called it, “that rock gut feeling.”

Recently, a reader asked me to consider writing an article, “Personal Happiness and the Bible.” That caused great pause and reflection. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines happiness as: “1. favored by circumstances: lucky: fortunate 2. having, showing or causing a feeling of pleasure, joy, etc.” While such definitions may capture the meaning of happiness, the elements giving rise to such a state are what really matter – and the point of the forthcoming material. Some of the perspective I will bring may sound a bit cliche, but some of my supportive thoughts may surprise you. So, here goes. (more…)

Christians: His chosen people

By Fergus Davar

Hi people, I am back but this time I will be talking about something that may not go down very well. So keep a glass of water by your side.. lol. Well today to I will be talking about what was preached to me by another pastor. The stuff makes sense and is what the real world is about.

Let’s dwell on John 3:16.

16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.

Now it is said that God loves the whole world & the rest means what it says but does this mean that the whole world is saved, that is the whole world goes to heaven. Well my first answer was that anyone from anywhere in the world, who puts their trust in Christ are those who are saved but I was off the mark. The verse says that God loved the world and so the question is, will the whole world be saved? There were some who brought in the notion of free will, that is if WE CHOOSE to accept Christ then we are saved. Man .were they of the mark!!! If a person has the ability to choose Christ and be saved, then read Rev 7:10, it shows that Salvation comes from God and not from man’s ability to choose. (more…)

LIKE WINE LEFT ON ITS DREGS

By Gary Bixler

“Moab has been at rest from her youth, like wine left on its dregs, not poured from one jar to another, she has not gone into exile. So she tastes as she did, and her aroma is unchanged.”

–Jeremiah 48:11

There is no way to change into the image of God in Christ without a complete disruption of our restful, static lives.

Would we become a sweet aroma to God’s sense of smell? (more…)

Bringing In the Sheaves – The Work of the Lord

By Jerry Ousley

No one really likes work. That’s because real work is something we have to do when we’d rather be doing something else. Some people work very hard physically while others are privileged to work with their minds. Still, when it comes right down to it, most of us would rather be spending that work time doing what brings us pleasure. For instance, there are a lot of ministers, doctors, and other professional people, who do most of their work with their minds and skills. What they would rather be doing is spending more time out on the golf course, chasing a little white ball around and getting exercise by walking, or working out in a gym. Then you have the people who work in a foundry, factory or perhaps in some sort of construction, physically stretching their muscles until they can’t be stretched any more. These folks would much rather be curled up in a good recliner watching a football game or a good movie. The point is that most of us would rather be doing the opposite of what we are required to do. (more…)

Deuteronomy 8:18

By Don Costello

Deuteronomy 8:18

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

a. [NIV] But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. (more…)