THE REAL KING!

Matthew 1:18-25King James Version (KJV) 

 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

Our Lord Will Deliver Us From Evil (BLM)

Psalm 140[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers;
    protect me from the violent,
2 who devise evil plans in their hearts
    and stir up war every day.
3 They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s;
    the poison of vipers is on their lips.[b]
4 Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet.
5 The arrogant have hidden a snare for me;
    they have spread out the cords of their net
    and have set traps for me along my path.
6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
    Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.
7 Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer,
    you shield my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant the wicked their desires, Lord;
    do not let their plans succeed.
9 Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
    may the mischief of their lips engulf them.
10 May burning coals fall on them;
    may they be thrown into the fire,
    into miry pits, never to rise.
11 May slanderers not be established in the land;
    may disaster hunt down the violent.
12 I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor
    and upholds the cause of the needy.
13 Surely the righteous will praise your name,
    and the upright will live in your presence.

For The Love Of Jesus

Picture in your mind a tall ladder leaning against a wall.   Now think about your life as a process of climbing that ladder.  Wouldn't it be a tragedy to get to the top of the ladder and find you placed it against the wrong wall?  One life to live and you missed it!  If you knew that all you had was a relationship with Him, would you be totally and completely satisfied?  Many people would say, "Well, I would like to have that relationship, but I sure would like to do something" or "I sure would like for Him to give me a ministry or give me something to do."  The Scripture leads us to understand that Jesus is saying.  "I want you to love me above everything else.  When you are in a relationship of love with Me, you have everything there is."  To be loved by Jesus is the highest relationship, the highest achievement, and the highest position in life.  That does not mean you will never do anything as an expression of your love for Him.  Jesus will call you to obey Him and do whatever He asks of you.  However, you do not need to be doing something to feel fulfilled. You are fulfilled completely in a relationship with Jesus.  When you are filled with Him, what else do you need?

Read the following hymn by Rhea F. Miller look at the BOLD words that may compete with JESUS.

I'd rather have Jesus that silver and gold

I'd rather be His than have riches untold

I'd rather have Jesus than houses and land

I'd rather by led by His nail-pierced hand

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause

I'd rather be faithful to His dear-cause

I'd rather have Jesus than world-wide fame

I'd rather be true to His Holy Name

He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom

He's sweeter than honey from out the comb

He's all that my hungering spirit needs

I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

REFRAIN

Than to be the king of a vast domain

Or be held in sin's dread sway

I'd rather have Jesus than anything

This world affords today.

LOOK WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO FOR THE LOVE MONEY...

HOW FAR WILL YOU GO FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS?

Dear Lord And Savior Jesus Christ...

Dear Lord:

I want to thank you for what you have already done.  I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards, I am thanking you right now.  I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better.  I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me, I am thanking you right now.  I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears.  I am thanking you right now.  I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet.  I am going to thank you right now.  I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job.  I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief.  I am going to thank you right now.  I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed.  I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive.  I am thanking you because I made it through the day’s difficulties.  I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.  I am thanking you because I have the ability and opportunity to do more and do better.  I am thanking you because you have not given up on me.

Thank you, Lord

Courage To Face Abuse

Psalm 34:4-18New International Version (NIV)

 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. 6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. 14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Abuse Victim
You are not alone; many others have gone through abuse similar to what you have experienced.  You may be find it hard to express your feelings about your situation--This is quite common.  But it is important for you to get past this.  You need to learn to express yourself in a healthy way and realize your God-given value as a person.  We encourage you to find a pastor or Christian counselor (or perhaps a mature Christian friend of the same sex) whom you feel you can trust and begin to talk what you are going through.  You do not "deserve" the treatment you have experienced; God does not want you to be a victim.  He wants to give you courage to deal rightly with your situation.  Though your abuser may blame you and justify his or her actions against your, the abuse is not your fault, and it must stop.  Pray for the courage to be decisive and firm.  the actions your abuser is taking against you are illegal and could even lead to imprisonment.

Homosexuality Is An Abomination America...

America is one of the biggest contributors of approving in homosexuality. If you are listening to politicians who say they support homosexuality or looking at the television where it promotes perversion and homosexuality all day and night. We constantly hear that homosexuality and perversion is okay but IT'S NOT OKAY. Here is what the BIBLE say about these things...

 Genesis 1:27New King James Version (NKJV)
 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 

Genesis 19:1-7New International Version (NIV)
  Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed 19 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2 “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” 3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house.He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” 6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him 7 and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. 

Romans 1:18-32New International Version (NIV)
  God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. 

 Deuteronomy 22:5New International Version (NIV) 
 5 A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this. To sum it all up this is what America approves as okay, Christians stand up for the Lord and say that is not okay!

NOT YET...

Sometimes I ask the question, “My Lord is this your will?” It’s then I hear you answer me, “My Precious Child… be still.” Sometimes I feel frustrated, cause I think I know what’s best. It’s then I hear you say to me, “My Busy Child… just rest” Sometimes I feel so lonely and I think I’d like a mate. Your still small voice gets oh so clear and says, “My Child…please wait” “I know the plans I have for you, the wondrous things you’ll see; If you can just be patient, Child, and put your trust in me. I’ve plans to draw you closer. I’ve plans to help you grow. There’s much I do you cannot see and much you do not know. But know this, Child… I LOVE YOU, You are Precious unto Me. Before I formed you in the womb, I planned your destiny. I’ve something very special I hope for you to learn. The gifts I wish to give to you are gifts you cannot earn. They come without a price tag, but not without a cost; at Calvary, I gave My Son, so You would not be lost. Rest child, and do not grow weary of doing what is good I promise I’ll come back for you just like I said I would. Your name is written on my palm, I never could forget; Therefore, do not be discouraged when my answer is ….”Not Yet”

I Am A C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N

According to the Bible a true Christian is:

Ø  a follower or a disciple of Jesus Christ

Ø  a person who has repented

Ø  a person who has been converted

Ø  a person who is saved

Ø  a person who is born again

Ø  a person who has faith in Christ

Ø   a person who is “in Christ”

Ø  a saint, beloved one, or a child of God

There are many other words that could be added to the list.  Christians may talk about “Believers,” “Knowing Christ,” “accepting Christ as your personal savior,” “coming to Christ,” “receiving Christ,” or “taking Christ into your heart.”

Why are there so many different words to describe the Christian experience?  Being a Christian-being born of God through His Son Jesus-is a wonderful spiritual experience.  No words can fully describe it, so the Bible uses many words to help us understand what being a Christian means. 

A Beginning For Converts

Like any birth, becoming a Christian is only the beginning.  A baby may be born healthy, yet never grow up.  Christ wants his followers to keep growing and learning of Him.  Repentance, conversion, salvation, new birth, knowing Christ, faith in Christ, whatever names you use-all these things are just beginnings, too.  They do not happen all at once.  Being a Christian is not simply having a ticket to heaven.  It is the trip there, too.  Growing Christians keep finding new things about themselves, others and God from the Bible.  They find new sins of which to repent or new areas of their lives to commit to God.  Christians are always being saved or healed as Christ mends their lives. Faith in Christ grows stronger in a growing Christian.  Finding Christ is not the end of your search.  It is only the beginning!

1 Corinthians 2:9 reads…

 ⁹ However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen, 
what no ear has heard, 
and what no human mind has conceived” ^[a]—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—

What a great benefit!

Jesus Is Not A Mortal So He Has No Race

John 1:14New International Version (NIV)

14 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. (This is not Jesus in His Glory just a veil to dwell amongs the people)

John 1:18New International Version (NIV)

18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Philippians 2:6-7New International Version (NIV)

6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.

Don't argue with those who say that Jesus is a certain color because the Word says He is Spirit.  If Jesus was a certain color and only came for those who are a certain color it would go against everything Jesus stands for.

Matthew 5:43-48New International Version (NIV)

Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

If Jesus is just for a certain race then why would He say love your enemies.

(DEMONS ARE DEFEATED)

1 JOHN 3:1-9

1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,[a]we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
4Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
7Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. 9No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

COMMENTARY

THE CHILDREN OF GOD (DEMONS ARE DEFEATED)

Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead defeated Satan and his demonic forces. The Holy spirit lives inside of us when we belong to God. In Him we also have the power to defeat any influences of demons in our lives. God has provided us with resources that we can use daily to fight against spiritual enemies. Those include: · The name of Jesus (Luke 10:17) 17The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." · Watchfulness (1Peter 5:8) 8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. · Prayer (John 15:7) 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. · The whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
If you are concerned about demonic activity, pray for wisdom and discernment and seek the counsel of a pastor or other mature Christians. Christians do not need to fear Satan or his demons: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Our Lord” (Romans 8: 37-39).

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Are You Addicted Sexually Part 2

From: Book Every Man's Battle

Fred's (Co-Author) Testimony: A Thunderbolt

Having "athlete's foot of the mind" was how I felt.  I vividly remember my internal struggles between the consequences of the my sin and the pleasure of my sin.  I remember when those consequences finally got to the point where they weren't worth the pleasure of the sin.  But did I qualify as an "addict"?  When I read one author's description of a four-step addiction cycle-preoccupation, ritualization, compulsive sexual behavior, then despair I knew I'd lived that pattern.  I was certain that what I'd experienced, and what these other men had experienced, was addiction.  But a thunderbolt hit me when the author outlined the three levels of addiction (keep in mind this wasn't a Christian book):
Level 1: Contains behavior that are regarded as normal, acceptable, or tolerable.  Examples include masturbation, homosexuality, and prostitution.
Level 2: Behaviors that are clearly victimizing and for which legal sanctions are enforced.  These are generally seen as nuisance offenses, such as exhibititionism or voyeurism.
Level 3: Behaviors that have grave consequences for the victims and legal consequences for the addicts, such as incest, child molestation or rape
Did you read that list closely?  Did you notice that the examples of Level 1 include not just masturbation, which most men practice at times but also homosexuality and prostitution? By definition above, maybe we aren't addicts after all.  But if we aren't addicts, what are we?

From Steve (Co-Author) Fractional Addiction
Before we answer that question, let's think again about those "three levels of addiction" as described above.  From our Christian perspective, let's insert another level at the bottom of the addiction scale.  If we categorized being totally pure and holy as the zero level, all Christian men we know would fall somewhere between Level 0 and Level 1.  If your're one of the many men in this area, it probably isn't at all helpful to label you as an "addict" or to imply that victory will take years of therapy.  Instead, victory can be measured in weeks, as we'll describe later. (Please get the book if you want to read more) Your "addictive" behaviors are not rooted in some deep, dark, shadowy mental maze as they are in Levels 1, 2, and 3.  Rather, they're based on pleasure highs.  Men receive a chemical high from sexually charged images a hormone called epinephrine is secreted into the bloodstream, which locks into the memory whatever stimulus is present at the time of the emotional excitement.  I've counseled men who became emotionally and sexually stimulated just from entertaining thoughts of sexual activity.  A guy dead set on purchasing Hustler at his local 7-Eleven is sexually stimulated long before he even steps into convenience store.  His stimulation began in his thought process, which triggered his nervous system, which secreted epinephrine into the bloodstream.  From my counseling experience, I believe it's often true that those men living at Level 1 or worse have deep psychological problems that will take years to work through.  But relatively few men live there.  Our contention is a vast majority of men stuck in sexual sin are living between Level 0 and Level 1.  We can call this a "fractional addiction" since it represents living at a level that's a fraction between zero and one.

2 Corinthians 12:21
21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.
Ephesians 5:1-5

 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Are You Addicted Sexually? Part 1

Take This Test

Here's a little test you can take.  You don't need a pencil: you just need to be honest with yourself.  Answer yes or no to the following questions.

1. Do you lock on when an attractive woman comes near your?
2. Do you masturbate to images of other women?
3. Have you found your wife to be less sexually satisfying?
4. Are you holding a grudge against your wife--a grudge that gives you a sense of entitlement?
5. Do you seek out sexually arousing articles or photo spreads in newspapers or magazines?
6. Do you have a private place or secret compartment that you keep hidden from your wife?
7. Do you look forward to going away on a business trip?
8. Do you have behaviors that you can't share with your wife?
9. Do you frequent porn-related sites on the Internet?
10. Do you watch R-rated movies, sexy videos, or steamy VH1 channel for gratification
11. Do you video tape you and your wife having sex then later go and watch to masturbate?

If you've answered yes to any of these questions, your're sexually addicted this what the Bible say's about this type of behavior.

Matthew 5:28New International Version (NIV)

28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Mark 7:21-23New International Version (NIV)

21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Acts 15:29New International Version (NIV)

29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.

Farewell.

Romans 13:12-13New International Version (NIV)

12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.