Closing the Gap to God

Mark 12.34 observes, realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, You are not far fromimage the Kingdom of God.

Knowing and doing are not the same. We inherently know this in our dealings with people, especially family. We know our spouse loves us but sometimes their actions are hurtful. We know our children know what they are to do but they often fail to do what they have been made responsible to do.

On and on it goes in our experience of the gap between knowing and doing, both in our own lives as well as the lives of others. (more…)

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Holiness Defines Sexual Morality

1 Thessalonians 4.3 describes God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.image

An obvious difference between Christians and non Christians is or should be, behavior. This is so because our predisposition and the natural behavior of the non Christian, is to do whatever we want to do.

If we claim to be followers of God, servants of God, children of God then we will begin to conform our behavior to the will of God. The will of God is a reflection of the character of God. (more…)

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Are Love and Tolerance the Same?

John 13.34 records God saying, I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you shouldimage love each other.

The current definition of love is to tolerate any belief or behavior by another individual even if that belief or behavior is offensive to the first person. The person engaged in the offensive behavior is not considered unloving when they continue in their behavior that is offensive to the first party.

Love seems to mean toleration today but only for those engaged in non-traditional behaviors. Those holding traditional values are not to be loved by those not holding such values as demonstrated by curbing their behavior when with the ‘traditionalists.’ It is the traditionalists who need to change their thinking if they are to be loving. (more…)

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The Key Work for Beating Temptation

Luke 22.46 challenges, get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. image

God takes sin seriously. Sin is everything we do that defies the will of God.

This defiance is measured by God by our words, attitudes and actions toward Him and others. God has demonstrated His commitment to punish sin since humanity began their rebellion against God. (more…)

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Holiness is God’s Will for His People

Luke 11.2 records, Jesus said, this is how you should pray: Father, may Your Name be kept holy.image

The human manifestation of God asks us to pray that the Name of the Spirit of God be kept holy. This was not a request from concern that God would possibly lose His holiness. This was a concern that those who claim to know God would not fail to represent God in harmony with the character and nature of God.

What is holiness? (more…)

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What God Requires From Us

Luke 9.60 comments, let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach aboutimage the Kingdom of God.

God requires only a few things from us but He appears fairly adamant about those few things.

First is to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. While we look to make the adherence to this command a feeling within ourselves God measures it by His second command which is to love our neighbor as ourselves. (more…)

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God’s Workers or God Robbers?

Mark 11.17 describes, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations . But you have turned it imageinto a den of robbers!

What is the purpose of Church?

If the Church is the world wide ‘body’ of Christ, the faithful followers of Jesus, then it’s mission is the Great Commission. If the Church is the local building where the followers of Jesus gather then…..it gets a bit more nebulous, at least to the followers. (more…)

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Faith is Working With God through Difficult Circumstances

Esther 4.16 comments, If I must die, I must die.image

One of the heroes of the Bible is the young woman Esther. An oft quoted statement from the book in her memory is ‘perhaps you were made queen for such a time as this.’

The story of Esther is one of tragedy and triumph, of faith and courage, of God’s faithful work behind the scenes when people risk all for His purposes. (more…)

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What is the Purpose of God’s Commands

2 Chronicles 17.4 tells us he sought the God of his father and followed His commands rather than the imagepractices of Israel.

What do you do when the previous administration created chaos, hard times and a smaller economy? The opposite of that administration!

Jehoshaphat watched his father’s kingdom crumble after he turned his back on God. Jehoshaphat resolved to seek God and do what He commands turning his back on the gods and ways of his wicked father. The result was a resounding success personally and for his kingdom. (more…)

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