The book is still coming along with the help of a coaching club I have joined. Had lots of deadlines this month. I am working on getting my blog accredited by National Writers for Children Center.
THat will take some time.
Keep following our blog and leave comments for us.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Plan of Salvation referred to in other posts
Welcome to the most important blog on this blogspot.
In some of the blogs I have posted, you were asked the following questions:
Do you know what is meant by a Christ-follower?
Then you were asked to view the bog called "Plan of Salvation" in order to answer that question.
This is the blog you're looking for.
a Christ-follower is (in your own words).
____________________________________________________________________________
You can answer this question after you read this blog.
If you know your Bible, then you have probably read some thing about God and Who He is. God is holy. (Leviticus 11:44) He is the Creator of all of us and all the animals and trees and every living thing. He made the world and all that is in it. (See Genesis chapter 1 in the Bible.) Also, God loves you. (Jeremiah 31:3, John 3:16)
He also made an awesome place called Heaven where He wants you to be with Him forever. You can read about Heaven in Revelation 21, the last book in the Bible.
Revelation 21:23 "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb [that's Jesus] is its lamp.
Revelation 21:27 "Nothing impure will ever enter it..."
BUT
There's a problem. If you read all about Heaven you will see that there is no sin there. All the wickedness and bad things we see on the news will not be happening in Heaven because there is no sin allowed.
Well, what is sin? Sin is anything we think, say or do that is against God's Word. There are rules in the Bible, God's Word. Since God created us and every living thing, then He gets to make the rules. The best known rules in the Bible are the Ten Commandments. You can find them in Exodus chapter 20, starting with verse 3. The Bible also says that every single one of us has broken God's rules at one time or another.
You may think: "But I have never killed anyone or stolen anything." However, we were all born with a desire (a want-to) to break God's rules. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned ans fall short of the glory of God." So, if we all have sin in us and there can be no sin in heaven, does that man that none of us can go to heaven?
NO
God made a way. He sent His Son the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth as a baby to take our sins away. Jesus came just to do the Father, God's, will. He lived on earth and when He was thirty-three years old, He was hung on a cross. You've heard the Easter story about Jesus coming out of the grave. He died and God put all of our sins on His dear Son. Yes, Jesus died so that you and I could have our sins forgiven by God the Father. You see, God said that the payment for sin is death, the kind of death that is being separated from God forever. So instead of us being separated from God forever, God made an escape for us. He sent His Son to die in our place. He took the punishment for our sins that we've already done and those we will do.
Does that mean that everyone gets to go to heaven when they leave this earth?
Sorry, it does not mean everyone automatically goes to heaven.
When Jesus was nailed to that cross so long ago, His blood spilled out and that blood is the payment. Hebrews 9:22 says that God made another rule. "...the law requires (insists) that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding (or spilling) of blood there is no forgiveness."
So God allowed His Holy son who had never sinned to be the One who could wash our sins away and pay for our sins. (Romans 6:23 The wages (or payment) for sin is death) Because He had never sinned, He was the only one who could be our substitute.
However, we must tell God that we want Christ's blood to count for our sins. NOt everyone will automatically go to heaven. We must admit (agree with God) that we have sinned and that we know Jesus is the payment and really is God's Son.
Here's why you should tell God that and ask Him to forgive your sins and become a Christ-follower:
I John 5:11-13 "...this is the testimony: God has given us eternal lif, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who dos not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these thing toyou who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
You can talk ot God just as you would talk to ay person. He always keeps His promises and He promises that anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God may have eternal life.
He also promises also that He will never leave you nor forsake you in Hebrews 13:5b. Do you think God would ever break a promise? He is holy. He never did or does anything wrong. He will not lie. He will not break a promise. He will never leave you. If you want God to forgive your isns and make you His child, just tell Him right now. You can say it like this:
"God, I admit that I have sinned (thought, said and done things against your rules). Please forgive my sins and make Jesus' blood count to wash my sins away so that I can live for you and spend forever with you. Thank you."
If you did that and meant it, does that make you a Christ-follower?
YES
Write a comment below and let me know that you are now a child of God. Write yourself a note with today's date on it and you can remember when you became a child of God. YOu can celebrate your "second birth" day.
In some of the blogs I have posted, you were asked the following questions:
Do you know what is meant by a Christ-follower?
Then you were asked to view the bog called "Plan of Salvation" in order to answer that question.
This is the blog you're looking for.
a Christ-follower is (in your own words).
____________________________________________________________________________
You can answer this question after you read this blog.
If you know your Bible, then you have probably read some thing about God and Who He is. God is holy. (Leviticus 11:44) He is the Creator of all of us and all the animals and trees and every living thing. He made the world and all that is in it. (See Genesis chapter 1 in the Bible.) Also, God loves you. (Jeremiah 31:3, John 3:16)
He also made an awesome place called Heaven where He wants you to be with Him forever. You can read about Heaven in Revelation 21, the last book in the Bible.
Revelation 21:23 "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb [that's Jesus] is its lamp.
Revelation 21:27 "Nothing impure will ever enter it..."
BUT
There's a problem. If you read all about Heaven you will see that there is no sin there. All the wickedness and bad things we see on the news will not be happening in Heaven because there is no sin allowed.
Well, what is sin? Sin is anything we think, say or do that is against God's Word. There are rules in the Bible, God's Word. Since God created us and every living thing, then He gets to make the rules. The best known rules in the Bible are the Ten Commandments. You can find them in Exodus chapter 20, starting with verse 3. The Bible also says that every single one of us has broken God's rules at one time or another.
You may think: "But I have never killed anyone or stolen anything." However, we were all born with a desire (a want-to) to break God's rules. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned ans fall short of the glory of God." So, if we all have sin in us and there can be no sin in heaven, does that man that none of us can go to heaven?
NO
God made a way. He sent His Son the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth as a baby to take our sins away. Jesus came just to do the Father, God's, will. He lived on earth and when He was thirty-three years old, He was hung on a cross. You've heard the Easter story about Jesus coming out of the grave. He died and God put all of our sins on His dear Son. Yes, Jesus died so that you and I could have our sins forgiven by God the Father. You see, God said that the payment for sin is death, the kind of death that is being separated from God forever. So instead of us being separated from God forever, God made an escape for us. He sent His Son to die in our place. He took the punishment for our sins that we've already done and those we will do.
Does that mean that everyone gets to go to heaven when they leave this earth?
Sorry, it does not mean everyone automatically goes to heaven.
When Jesus was nailed to that cross so long ago, His blood spilled out and that blood is the payment. Hebrews 9:22 says that God made another rule. "...the law requires (insists) that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding (or spilling) of blood there is no forgiveness."
So God allowed His Holy son who had never sinned to be the One who could wash our sins away and pay for our sins. (Romans 6:23 The wages (or payment) for sin is death) Because He had never sinned, He was the only one who could be our substitute.
However, we must tell God that we want Christ's blood to count for our sins. NOt everyone will automatically go to heaven. We must admit (agree with God) that we have sinned and that we know Jesus is the payment and really is God's Son.
Here's why you should tell God that and ask Him to forgive your sins and become a Christ-follower:
I John 5:11-13 "...this is the testimony: God has given us eternal lif, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who dos not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these thing toyou who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
You can talk ot God just as you would talk to ay person. He always keeps His promises and He promises that anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God may have eternal life.
He also promises also that He will never leave you nor forsake you in Hebrews 13:5b. Do you think God would ever break a promise? He is holy. He never did or does anything wrong. He will not lie. He will not break a promise. He will never leave you. If you want God to forgive your isns and make you His child, just tell Him right now. You can say it like this:
"God, I admit that I have sinned (thought, said and done things against your rules). Please forgive my sins and make Jesus' blood count to wash my sins away so that I can live for you and spend forever with you. Thank you."
If you did that and meant it, does that make you a Christ-follower?
YES
Write a comment below and let me know that you are now a child of God. Write yourself a note with today's date on it and you can remember when you became a child of God. YOu can celebrate your "second birth" day.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Finally "Who Is This God We Pray to?"
Wow! Who Is This God We Pray to? That is such a loaded question. I could tell you things about who God is for at least ten blogs. But I'll save the names of God, which tell us much about Him for next time.
Today, I will start with some things that are related to our prayers to Him.
The God we pray to is:
A Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6b (the "b" means the second part of the verse) in the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible says:
"...He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
Revelation 2:17 also says that those who overcome will be rewarded with hidden manna and a white stone with a new name.
In Matthew 5:12 Jesus tells those who are persecuted because of righteousness that they will be given great rewards in heaven.
Of course, the reason He rewards us is because He loves us. There are so many verses on God's love I could not begin to list them all in this blog.
Here are just a couple.
A GOD OF LOVE
Jeremiah 31:3 NIV "The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."
Psalms 63:3 NIV "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."
and of course, the most popular one:
John 3:16 NIV "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
(see also Ephesians 2:4 and the entire book of I John especially chapter 3)
He is a STRONG TOWER AND PROTECTOR.
Proverbs 18:10 NIV "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."
Psalm 62:11 NIV "One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong."
Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in time of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOD WHO WE CAN TRUST DOESN'T IT!
He is the Creator of all things as we mentioned in a former blog. See Genesis 1:1
He is God of the impossible. Luke 18:22 NIV "Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
OH, there is so much we can see about God in the Bible. You can see that He tells us all about Who He is in His message to us in the Bible. He wants us to know Him and that way we can trust Him more as we see all these interesting things about Him. We can look at the answered prayers of people in the Bible also. One very interesting Bible lesson where God showed the prophets of a false God who He really is, calls Him "The God who brings down fire." So that tells us He is a powerful God. (see I Kings chapter 18, you'll love this passage...it's very interesting.)
Write down some of the things you learn about God after you read it
Or how about reading about David and Goliath, the eight foot giant, who David killed with a little sling. He trusted God and believed that God would be the one who would direct the rock at just the right place to kill the enemy of God's people who was threatening the Israelite soldiers every day. That is a God who is worthy of our trust.
We must believe God is able or we are calling Him a liar. We will talk more about this in a coming blog called "Prerequisites to Prayer".
Here are just a few more things about Who God is:
He is a God who CARES. Psalm 34:18NIV "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
He is a MERCIFUL God. Ephesians 4:2 NIV "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy made us alive in Christ, even when we were dead in transgressions."
He is our refuge and fortress, a HIDING PLACE from storms. Psalm 62:2 and 8
He is a PRAYER ANSWERING GOD. You simply must read your Bible every day and see all the answers to prayer that God has given to those who pray to Him believing. As you pray and see His answers in your life, I am asking you to leave comments on this blog and tell me how God answers your prayers. Did He say "yes" or did He say wait? He knows what is best for us so sometimes He asks us to wait. Then as we wait, we learn more about Him. It can bring us closer to God as we pray and wait.
Today, I will start with some things that are related to our prayers to Him.
The God we pray to is:
A Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6b (the "b" means the second part of the verse) in the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible says:
"...He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
Revelation 2:17 also says that those who overcome will be rewarded with hidden manna and a white stone with a new name.
In Matthew 5:12 Jesus tells those who are persecuted because of righteousness that they will be given great rewards in heaven.
Of course, the reason He rewards us is because He loves us. There are so many verses on God's love I could not begin to list them all in this blog.
Here are just a couple.
A GOD OF LOVE
Jeremiah 31:3 NIV "The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."
Psalms 63:3 NIV "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."
and of course, the most popular one:
John 3:16 NIV "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
(see also Ephesians 2:4 and the entire book of I John especially chapter 3)
He is a STRONG TOWER AND PROTECTOR.
Proverbs 18:10 NIV "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."
Psalm 62:11 NIV "One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong."
Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in time of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOD WHO WE CAN TRUST DOESN'T IT!
He is the Creator of all things as we mentioned in a former blog. See Genesis 1:1
He is God of the impossible. Luke 18:22 NIV "Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
OH, there is so much we can see about God in the Bible. You can see that He tells us all about Who He is in His message to us in the Bible. He wants us to know Him and that way we can trust Him more as we see all these interesting things about Him. We can look at the answered prayers of people in the Bible also. One very interesting Bible lesson where God showed the prophets of a false God who He really is, calls Him "The God who brings down fire." So that tells us He is a powerful God. (see I Kings chapter 18, you'll love this passage...it's very interesting.)
Write down some of the things you learn about God after you read it
Or how about reading about David and Goliath, the eight foot giant, who David killed with a little sling. He trusted God and believed that God would be the one who would direct the rock at just the right place to kill the enemy of God's people who was threatening the Israelite soldiers every day. That is a God who is worthy of our trust.
We must believe God is able or we are calling Him a liar. We will talk more about this in a coming blog called "Prerequisites to Prayer".
Here are just a few more things about Who God is:
He is a God who CARES. Psalm 34:18NIV "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
He is a MERCIFUL God. Ephesians 4:2 NIV "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy made us alive in Christ, even when we were dead in transgressions."
He is our refuge and fortress, a HIDING PLACE from storms. Psalm 62:2 and 8
He is a PRAYER ANSWERING GOD. You simply must read your Bible every day and see all the answers to prayer that God has given to those who pray to Him believing. As you pray and see His answers in your life, I am asking you to leave comments on this blog and tell me how God answers your prayers. Did He say "yes" or did He say wait? He knows what is best for us so sometimes He asks us to wait. Then as we wait, we learn more about Him. It can bring us closer to God as we pray and wait.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Susanah Wesley's definition of sin
Well, I didn't get to the post on "WHO IS THIS GOD WE PRAY TO?" but I do want to share a little something about Susanah Wesley.
John Wesley wrote to his mom while he was in college and asked, "What is sin?"
What is sin?
Instead of giving him a list of do's and don't's she made this wise statement:
'Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things. whatever increases the strength and authority of body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself."
John Wesley wrote to his mom while he was in college and asked, "What is sin?"
What is sin?
Instead of giving him a list of do's and don't's she made this wise statement:
'Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things. whatever increases the strength and authority of body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself."
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Who Can Pray?
Who Can Pray?
Richard Stout in the Child Evangelism Publication "Praying God's Way" tells about two boys sitting on a porch in the sweltering summer sun. Both guys get quiet and perk up their ears. Yes, it's the sound of the ice cream truck! They stare into one another's eyes as their brains scheme for a "get-some-money-quick" plan. Since they are filling the empty space of Thomas' porch, the quickest, logical plan is to ask Thomas' dad. He's just inside the house.
Thomas nearly shouts his plan as he knows the truck will soon be passing their intersection and won't wait forever. "Quick, Ryan, run in and tell my dad we need some money for ice cream?"
"What? Are you kiddin'? Why would I ever be the one to ask YOUR father for ice cream money? He's YOUR father. You ask him." His voice was as loud or louder than his friend's.
What would you do in Ryan's situation? And what does this story have to do with "Who Can Pray?"
Well, who is illegible to ask God to answer their prayers? Shouldn't it be only HIS children. Is God the Father of all? Many people believe that since God created mankind (that means men and women) that we are all God's children. Well, let's check this out in the Bible. Turn to John chapter 8.
Jesus is talking to some people and trying over and over to explain to them that He is from God and here they are trying to kill Him. They say:
We are of our father, Abraham. But Jesus argues, "If you were of
Abraham, you would have been doing the things Abraham did.
But here you are trying to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth
He got straight from God. Abraham never did that sort of thing.
You persist in repeating the works of your father."
They said, "We're not [without a legitimate father.] We have a legitimate father: the one and only God."
"If God [were] your Father," said Jesus, "you would love me for I came from God
and arrived here...He sent me. Why can't you understand that? Here's why.
You can't handle it. You are of your father, the devil and all you want to
do is please him."
WOW! Jesus told those people that they were not God's children. God was not their Father. They were of their father, the devil. You see, John 8 proves that not everyone is a child of God. You must ask Jesus Christ to wash away your sins. His blood that He shed on the cross was spilled out for our sins. God said in Romans 3:23 that every one of us is a sinner. That means we have thought, said or done things against God's Word. You know the Christmas Story...don't you? How Jesus came to earth as a little baby and many years later (33) died on the cross, then was buried and rose again. (That's why we celebrate Good Friday and Easter). When He willingly gave His life and His blood, it was so that we could have our sins washed away. You see, God made a rule. He said in Hebrews 9:22 that without the shedding of blood, there would be no forgiveness of sin. However, not just anyone could die for us. It had to be a perfect, pure, holy, spotless one. God's Son, Jesus Christ, is the only One who could die for us because He is the only one Who has never sinned.
Does that mean that everyone can now be automatically forgiven and go to heaven when they leave this earth. (That's the gift a child of God receives. He/she gets to spend forever in heaven with God) It's not automatic. God says, in I John 5: 11-15* that it's those who receive and believe on His Son Jesus and what He did on the cross who will have everlasting life. You can also find that truth in John 1:12
"Yet, to all who recieved Him, to those who believed on His name, He gave the right to become children of God." This chapter is talking about Jesus. So there are two verbs in this verse. Can you find them?
Where are the action words? What are the two things you must do to become a child of God?
Read it again. "to all who __________ and to those who ___________ on His name"
You can tell God right now (if you never have before) that you want the blood of Jesus to count for you. If you want to become a child of God, you can talk to God just like you would to any person. Tell Him that you want to become His child and follow Him. He promises in
I John 5:12 "He who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. "
Do you believe God? He says that all have sinned (Roman 3:23) and that the payment for sin is death, Romans 6:23. Do you think you have ever done anything against the Word of God? If you don't know for sure, start reading the ten commandments in Exodus chapter 20. Have you always loved the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind? If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior from sin, then there is only one prayer that God will answer for you. It is called the sinner's prayer. It should sound something like this:
God, please forgive me, I have sinned.
The psalmist said in Psalm 66:18 "If I had kept sin in my heart, the Lord would not have heard my prayer."
God can clean your heart. Just as it says in Hebrews 9:22 "...almost everything is cleansed [cleaned] by the blood and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness."
So now we know that
1. not everyone is a child of God
2. one must believe
a. that they have sinned
b. that Jesus is the perfect Son of the holy, true God of the Bible
c. that God has the power to forgive your sins
d. that God keeps His promises and will forgive if one will ask God to make Jesus' blood
count to wash their sins away
3. one must turn away from his/her sin and follow Jesus' ways
4. the only prayer that God will pay attention to before we ask Christ to forgive us is the sinner's
prayer.
5. God's children can pray to Him and expect answers.
That's a lot to learn in one blog, but there is so much more for us to learn. God has given us His Word so that we can know Him and copy off of Him.
Who can pray? That's the answer to this blog's question. If you are a child of God, you can pray and expect answers from God. Learn more about prayer by reading the Bible and keep following this blog.
Next blog we'll talk about who God is. Why should we believe in the God of the Bible? Is He really the Father of Jesus?
*I John 5:11, 12 and 13 NIV (New International Version)
"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
Wow! Think of it. You can KNOW that you have eternal life. Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think of all this.
Richard Stout in the Child Evangelism Publication "Praying God's Way" tells about two boys sitting on a porch in the sweltering summer sun. Both guys get quiet and perk up their ears. Yes, it's the sound of the ice cream truck! They stare into one another's eyes as their brains scheme for a "get-some-money-quick" plan. Since they are filling the empty space of Thomas' porch, the quickest, logical plan is to ask Thomas' dad. He's just inside the house.
Thomas nearly shouts his plan as he knows the truck will soon be passing their intersection and won't wait forever. "Quick, Ryan, run in and tell my dad we need some money for ice cream?"
"What? Are you kiddin'? Why would I ever be the one to ask YOUR father for ice cream money? He's YOUR father. You ask him." His voice was as loud or louder than his friend's.
What would you do in Ryan's situation? And what does this story have to do with "Who Can Pray?"
Well, who is illegible to ask God to answer their prayers? Shouldn't it be only HIS children. Is God the Father of all? Many people believe that since God created mankind (that means men and women) that we are all God's children. Well, let's check this out in the Bible. Turn to John chapter 8.
Jesus is talking to some people and trying over and over to explain to them that He is from God and here they are trying to kill Him. They say:
We are of our father, Abraham. But Jesus argues, "If you were of
Abraham, you would have been doing the things Abraham did.
But here you are trying to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth
He got straight from God. Abraham never did that sort of thing.
You persist in repeating the works of your father."
They said, "We're not [without a legitimate father.] We have a legitimate father: the one and only God."
"If God [were] your Father," said Jesus, "you would love me for I came from God
and arrived here...He sent me. Why can't you understand that? Here's why.
You can't handle it. You are of your father, the devil and all you want to
do is please him."
WOW! Jesus told those people that they were not God's children. God was not their Father. They were of their father, the devil. You see, John 8 proves that not everyone is a child of God. You must ask Jesus Christ to wash away your sins. His blood that He shed on the cross was spilled out for our sins. God said in Romans 3:23 that every one of us is a sinner. That means we have thought, said or done things against God's Word. You know the Christmas Story...don't you? How Jesus came to earth as a little baby and many years later (33) died on the cross, then was buried and rose again. (That's why we celebrate Good Friday and Easter). When He willingly gave His life and His blood, it was so that we could have our sins washed away. You see, God made a rule. He said in Hebrews 9:22 that without the shedding of blood, there would be no forgiveness of sin. However, not just anyone could die for us. It had to be a perfect, pure, holy, spotless one. God's Son, Jesus Christ, is the only One who could die for us because He is the only one Who has never sinned.
Does that mean that everyone can now be automatically forgiven and go to heaven when they leave this earth. (That's the gift a child of God receives. He/she gets to spend forever in heaven with God) It's not automatic. God says, in I John 5: 11-15* that it's those who receive and believe on His Son Jesus and what He did on the cross who will have everlasting life. You can also find that truth in John 1:12
"Yet, to all who recieved Him, to those who believed on His name, He gave the right to become children of God." This chapter is talking about Jesus. So there are two verbs in this verse. Can you find them?
Where are the action words? What are the two things you must do to become a child of God?
Read it again. "to all who __________ and to those who ___________ on His name"
You can tell God right now (if you never have before) that you want the blood of Jesus to count for you. If you want to become a child of God, you can talk to God just like you would to any person. Tell Him that you want to become His child and follow Him. He promises in
I John 5:12 "He who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. "
Do you believe God? He says that all have sinned (Roman 3:23) and that the payment for sin is death, Romans 6:23. Do you think you have ever done anything against the Word of God? If you don't know for sure, start reading the ten commandments in Exodus chapter 20. Have you always loved the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind? If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior from sin, then there is only one prayer that God will answer for you. It is called the sinner's prayer. It should sound something like this:
God, please forgive me, I have sinned.
The psalmist said in Psalm 66:18 "If I had kept sin in my heart, the Lord would not have heard my prayer."
God can clean your heart. Just as it says in Hebrews 9:22 "...almost everything is cleansed [cleaned] by the blood and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness."
So now we know that
1. not everyone is a child of God
2. one must believe
a. that they have sinned
b. that Jesus is the perfect Son of the holy, true God of the Bible
c. that God has the power to forgive your sins
d. that God keeps His promises and will forgive if one will ask God to make Jesus' blood
count to wash their sins away
3. one must turn away from his/her sin and follow Jesus' ways
4. the only prayer that God will pay attention to before we ask Christ to forgive us is the sinner's
prayer.
5. God's children can pray to Him and expect answers.
That's a lot to learn in one blog, but there is so much more for us to learn. God has given us His Word so that we can know Him and copy off of Him.
Who can pray? That's the answer to this blog's question. If you are a child of God, you can pray and expect answers from God. Learn more about prayer by reading the Bible and keep following this blog.
Next blog we'll talk about who God is. Why should we believe in the God of the Bible? Is He really the Father of Jesus?
*I John 5:11, 12 and 13 NIV (New International Version)
"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
Wow! Think of it. You can KNOW that you have eternal life. Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think of all this.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
continued from "Who's In Your Car?"
Here's a quote from Andy Stanley's book mentioned in the last post, "The Best Question Ever".
"[Paul] begins the second half of the book [Ephesians] with a plea:
'I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you
have been called.' (Eph. 4:1 ESV) IN other words, live your life in a
way that reflects the changes God has made in you. Or as a friend of
mine is fond of saying, 'Dont live the way you used to live. After all,
you are not the person you used to be.'
From there, Paul launches into one of the most practical sections in the
Bible. He talks about everything from sex, to marriage to alcohol to...you
name it. He gives instructions on what is permissible to talk about, think
about and even laugh about. The entire discussion is intense and thorough
and frankly, somewhat overwhelming. "
You may be wondering why I felt this was a "must" to post ...what was the urgency?
Four family members have just recently realized that their dear Christian friends who attend
their same church, do not have at all the same convictions as they do. Some are outright sinful
behaviors that cannot be denied as sinful. Since I learned this directly after our pastor's messages on "Who's In Your Car?" I felt God put it in my heart to share his thoughts and my own. Maybe someone who is reading this has discovered the same situation. Perhaps you are frustrated that your church friends seem to have deviated from the Word of God and even have allowed their children (friends with your children) to view ungodly things or even worse, as my one relative discovered her friend did not see the evils of viewing porn. IMPOSSIBLE? IN THE CHURCH?
Could a faithful Bible study attender say:
"What we do with our own personal time is our own business. Regardless of how ungodly my choices may seem to you, it's up to me whether I participate in such activity or not."?
Is this not what we read in Judges. Will every man do what is right in his own eyes. Will their sin effect those around them.
Does this grieve the heart of God?
Send your answers and I will continue the next time I can get on here. go to northridge.ch and search for "Who's In Your Car?"
"[Paul] begins the second half of the book [Ephesians] with a plea:
'I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you
have been called.' (Eph. 4:1 ESV) IN other words, live your life in a
way that reflects the changes God has made in you. Or as a friend of
mine is fond of saying, 'Dont live the way you used to live. After all,
you are not the person you used to be.'
From there, Paul launches into one of the most practical sections in the
Bible. He talks about everything from sex, to marriage to alcohol to...you
name it. He gives instructions on what is permissible to talk about, think
about and even laugh about. The entire discussion is intense and thorough
and frankly, somewhat overwhelming. "
You may be wondering why I felt this was a "must" to post ...what was the urgency?
Four family members have just recently realized that their dear Christian friends who attend
their same church, do not have at all the same convictions as they do. Some are outright sinful
behaviors that cannot be denied as sinful. Since I learned this directly after our pastor's messages on "Who's In Your Car?" I felt God put it in my heart to share his thoughts and my own. Maybe someone who is reading this has discovered the same situation. Perhaps you are frustrated that your church friends seem to have deviated from the Word of God and even have allowed their children (friends with your children) to view ungodly things or even worse, as my one relative discovered her friend did not see the evils of viewing porn. IMPOSSIBLE? IN THE CHURCH?
Could a faithful Bible study attender say:
"What we do with our own personal time is our own business. Regardless of how ungodly my choices may seem to you, it's up to me whether I participate in such activity or not."?
Is this not what we read in Judges. Will every man do what is right in his own eyes. Will their sin effect those around them.
Does this grieve the heart of God?
Send your answers and I will continue the next time I can get on here. go to northridge.ch and search for "Who's In Your Car?"
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Who's in Your Car?
In the book of Judges in the Bible we learn "in those days Israel had no king and every man did what was right in his own eyes."
I am degressing from my children's blog today because of an urgent need in our country which must be addressed.
Is the above passage describing what you are seeing in your church or fellowship today? Pray to God (the God who cares and answers prayer as the Psalmist calls Him, Psalm 65:1-5) and ask Him to link you up with a group of purified and sanctified believers whose goal is "a long obedience in the same direction. (There is a book with a similar title by Peterson ) Listen to our pastor's sermon on our churches' website entitled "Who's in Your Car?" http://www.northridge.ch/
Look for the archives of sermons and find "Who's In Your Car?"
The people we hang with is a matter of great importance to God. If the church you are attending is not helping you to link up with people who are doing what's right and making wise decisions, you are on a slippery slope, as Andy Stanley puts it in"The Best Question Ever" in chapter 3.
Sorry, I'll have to finish this blog later but do go to http://www.northridge.ch/ right now and take the time to hear that message instead of reading this blog.
I am degressing from my children's blog today because of an urgent need in our country which must be addressed.
Is the above passage describing what you are seeing in your church or fellowship today? Pray to God (the God who cares and answers prayer as the Psalmist calls Him, Psalm 65:1-5) and ask Him to link you up with a group of purified and sanctified believers whose goal is "a long obedience in the same direction. (There is a book with a similar title by Peterson ) Listen to our pastor's sermon on our churches' website entitled "Who's in Your Car?" http://www.northridge.ch/
Look for the archives of sermons and find "Who's In Your Car?"
The people we hang with is a matter of great importance to God. If the church you are attending is not helping you to link up with people who are doing what's right and making wise decisions, you are on a slippery slope, as Andy Stanley puts it in"The Best Question Ever" in chapter 3.
Sorry, I'll have to finish this blog later but do go to http://www.northridge.ch/ right now and take the time to hear that message instead of reading this blog.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Does Prayer Make a Difference?
Have you ever asked yourself these questions?
What is prayer? When should we pray? Where should we pray? Where did the people of Bible times pray? How do we pray? Why should we pray? Does prayer make a difference.?
This book will help you to find these answers. It may also inspire you to learn more about prayer on your own. Perhaps then you will want to pray more. There is a very good chance that you will become closer to God if you follow what you learn in this book. You may find this to be very exciting to see how God answers prayer. Maybe you have already known the thrill of answered prayer. Take it from one who is still learning. IT IS EXCITING!
Each day you can read another portion of a book the author of this blog is writing.
We'll start with the last question above. DOES PRAYER MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
While reading a book by Donal S. Whitney, this blogger read the following about the difference prayer made in his life. The book was "SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE".
He explains that his wife works at a job where she only has assignments occasionally. Since she hadn't been getting too many assignments, they started praying that God would increase her assignments.
Here's what happened after they started praying. One morning she called her husband, Donald S. Whitney, from her office and said,
" 'Please stop praying that the Lord will provide art work for me! I've had so many callers commissioning work this morning that it's going to take months to get it all done!'
She never had so much work come her way so quickly. There were any number of things I had been praying for (regarding not just myself, but my church and others) that the Lord could have chosen to answer. I don't know why it pleased Him to choose that particular request. Were these multiple opportunities really answers to prayer or just coincidences? God knows for sure. But I agree with the man who said, 'If it is coincidence, I sure have a lot more coincidences when I pray than when I don't.' "
Readers, if you decide to read this blog, you are making a decision to learn more about prayer. Here's the second quote from Mr. Whitney's book.
"Unless I'm badly mistaken, one of the main reasons so many of God's children don't have a significant prayer life is not so much that we don't want to, but that we don't plan to."
But that's not true of you if you decide to follow this blog almost every day. You are about to learn the answer to the question which is the title for tomorrow's blog.
Does prayer make a difference?
What is prayer? When should we pray? Where should we pray? Where did the people of Bible times pray? How do we pray? Why should we pray? Does prayer make a difference.?
This book will help you to find these answers. It may also inspire you to learn more about prayer on your own. Perhaps then you will want to pray more. There is a very good chance that you will become closer to God if you follow what you learn in this book. You may find this to be very exciting to see how God answers prayer. Maybe you have already known the thrill of answered prayer. Take it from one who is still learning. IT IS EXCITING!
Each day you can read another portion of a book the author of this blog is writing.
We'll start with the last question above. DOES PRAYER MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
While reading a book by Donal S. Whitney, this blogger read the following about the difference prayer made in his life. The book was "SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE".
He explains that his wife works at a job where she only has assignments occasionally. Since she hadn't been getting too many assignments, they started praying that God would increase her assignments.
Here's what happened after they started praying. One morning she called her husband, Donald S. Whitney, from her office and said,
" 'Please stop praying that the Lord will provide art work for me! I've had so many callers commissioning work this morning that it's going to take months to get it all done!'
She never had so much work come her way so quickly. There were any number of things I had been praying for (regarding not just myself, but my church and others) that the Lord could have chosen to answer. I don't know why it pleased Him to choose that particular request. Were these multiple opportunities really answers to prayer or just coincidences? God knows for sure. But I agree with the man who said, 'If it is coincidence, I sure have a lot more coincidences when I pray than when I don't.' "
Readers, if you decide to read this blog, you are making a decision to learn more about prayer. Here's the second quote from Mr. Whitney's book.
"Unless I'm badly mistaken, one of the main reasons so many of God's children don't have a significant prayer life is not so much that we don't want to, but that we don't plan to."
But that's not true of you if you decide to follow this blog almost every day. You are about to learn the answer to the question which is the title for tomorrow's blog.
Does prayer make a difference?
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Summer Of Prayer 2010
Welcome!!
We are so thankful that you have chosen to be a part of The Summer Of Prayer 2010 Project.
What a blessing to see you visiting this blog!!!!!
Sara, the cheerleader puppet is excited too. She loves to cheer so she will be cheering you on.
She'll have some words of praise for you whenever you accomplish a new step.
You are beginning a journey to a closer walk with God by taking part in this study.
So let's begin!!
God gave us a pattern for prayer in the Bible. He taught the disciples how to pray and that's recorded in Luke 11:1-4 in your Bible. The disciples asks Jesus to teach them to pray and His pattern began with praise.
Listen to it or read it from your Bible
Our Father, Who art in heaven, holy is your name.
Now there is a praise!! You name is holy, God. We recognize that you are holy. Did you know that's why we bow our heads when we pray. By bowing our heads we are saying, "God, I know that you are holy and I am not." The book of Romans chapter 3 and verse 23, says that all have sinned. That includes you and me and every person on earth. Of course, Jesus is pure and holy and never sinned and He did walk this earth. But anyone else who has ever walked this earth is a sinner. Sin is anything we think, say or do that is against God's Word.
Sin is also the next subject in this example or pattern for prayer that Jesus gave to the disciples.
After mentioning that God's Kingdom and God's will are supreme (the highest) the disciples were taught to acknowledge or admit that they are not holy..
"Forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
What do you think this means? _______________________________________
We are so thankful that you have chosen to be a part of The Summer Of Prayer 2010 Project.
What a blessing to see you visiting this blog!!!!!
Sara, the cheerleader puppet is excited too. She loves to cheer so she will be cheering you on.
She'll have some words of praise for you whenever you accomplish a new step.
You are beginning a journey to a closer walk with God by taking part in this study.
So let's begin!!
God gave us a pattern for prayer in the Bible. He taught the disciples how to pray and that's recorded in Luke 11:1-4 in your Bible. The disciples asks Jesus to teach them to pray and His pattern began with praise.
Listen to it or read it from your Bible
Our Father, Who art in heaven, holy is your name.
Now there is a praise!! You name is holy, God. We recognize that you are holy. Did you know that's why we bow our heads when we pray. By bowing our heads we are saying, "God, I know that you are holy and I am not." The book of Romans chapter 3 and verse 23, says that all have sinned. That includes you and me and every person on earth. Of course, Jesus is pure and holy and never sinned and He did walk this earth. But anyone else who has ever walked this earth is a sinner. Sin is anything we think, say or do that is against God's Word.
Sin is also the next subject in this example or pattern for prayer that Jesus gave to the disciples.
After mentioning that God's Kingdom and God's will are supreme (the highest) the disciples were taught to acknowledge or admit that they are not holy..
"Forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
What do you think this means? _______________________________________
Trespass means to go against the rules. If you go against the rules God has included in
the Bible, then you have trespassed or sinned. And what did we say sin is. Anything we ____.
say or ____ that is against God's Word. (That's where we find the rules; in God's book, God's Word the Bible.
This stuff is way too easy for you guys. You already knew all that, didn't you?
OK so the first two parts in the pattern for prayer are :
1. _____________________
2._____________________
Now part three is saying "thanks" to God. WOW! There are so many verses that tell us to be thankful. No wonder our country has devoted a day for "Thanksgiving". Colossians 4:2
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." That sounds like a command doesn't it?
So if we don't do that, we are breaking the rules of God's Word, aren't we. Ephesians 5:20
"Be thankful in everything..."
Ya mean, even if I got the bike from a garage sale and my brother and sister got theirs from the store. Even if mine has no paint on it.
Yes, be thankful. Psalm 100:4 says to be thankful and full of praise when entering into prayer.
Di
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