Bible Prophecy and Inspiration

When we accept Christ, what is supposed to change?

We are!

The Lord accepts us just as we are, but that’s not where we’re supposed to stay.  In fact it’s almost impossible to do.  You’re going to start moving.  So where are you going to start moving to?

Most of us when we accept the Lord have that high, because we have discovered the Love of Jesus.  To accept the Lord, for at least a time we say, “I’m a sinner and I need you to save me.”  

It’s a form of submitting.  What we don’t realize is submitting is how we need to continue in our walk and relationship with Him.

So we get saved and then it’s back to ME again.  Boy, am I glad I’m saved, well it’s time to go out and do the same things I’ve always done.  It’s time to go blend back in with the crowd.  What’s changed?

Should there be a change?

2 Corinthians 5:17 – ¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  KJV

Old things are passed away.  That’s a change.  Why do we need to change?

Psalms 94:11 – ¹¹The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.  KJV

Fallen man thinks about himself instead of the things of God.

So we need to die to that sinful part of ourselves.

Romans 6:1-7 – ¹ What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ² By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

 ⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— ⁷ because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Romans 6:11 – ¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

We need to die to our selfish wants, selfish desires, self, self, self, self. 

The new creature is to be Christ with skin on.  When we die to ourselves, He can come in and work through us.  If that’s not happening then we need to study the New Testament and adhered to what it says.  We are crucified with Christ.  We need to become a new creation.  Pray for the want to and the strength to do so.

John 14:23-24 – ²³Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. ²⁴He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

These two verses have many great things in them.  Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit in this portion of the chapter.  I want to concentrate on His words.

It basically says if we love Him, since we all qualify as anyone, we will obey His teaching.  What does the opposite of that mean? 

Does it mean….if we don’t obey Him…do we love Him?

I worry (and I don’t know this for a fact) that many people are in love with the idea of avoiding hell and inhabiting heaven.  Do they love the Real Living Jesus, because Jesus isn’t a personage or God that is whoever you want to make Him out to be?  He has standards.  They are the same as God the Father’s standards, since they are one.

John 10:30 – ³⁰I and the Father are one.”

So what are these standards?  Where are these teachings we need to obey if we really love Him?

They’re in God’s Word which is the Bible.

So if we don’t know the Bible or read the Bible, how can we obey Jesus?  If we don’t obey Jesus do we love Him?

Matthew 21:28-32 – ²⁸“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’  ²⁹” ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

 ³⁰“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

 ³¹“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
      “The first,” they answered.

   Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. ³²For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Once again many scriptures have multiple messages of gold in them.  That’s how God’s Word works and it’s one of the many things that makes it so incredible.  I want to concentrate on the obedience in the scripture, because had the elders and chief priests really have known and obeyed God’s Word, Jesus wouldn’t be telling them that the prostitutes and tax collectors were entering ahead of them.

Think about it.  Our savior is telling the holy men of that day that the prostitutes and tax collectors that repent and accept Him are entering before they were.  That was a serious blow to their egos.

How’s man today on obeying God’s teaching?  How’s the church doing regarding God’s teaching?

How are we doing in regards to Loving Jesus?  Is there anything more important?

Today is a new day to deny yourself and obey God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  It’s one sure fire way that we can show Jesus we love Him.  He’s says so Himself in His teaching.  Read it.

Sometimes I sit back and ask the Lord to give me a scripture to write about.  Wow it is amazing which one He speaks into my head and when I get there I am awed.

Philippians 3:8 –  ⁸What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

It is amazing at how much of the New Testament is to live for Christ first.  Yet we manage to try and get around that because it requires neglect of our own selfish wants.

Paul understood that everything else is rubbish because it all passes away.  Only that of Christ and God does not pass away.  Our number one goal in life should be what?

First to make sure we don’t spend eternity without our Loving Creator and God.  So we need to accept His Son’s sacrifice on the cross.

Is that it?  When I look at the church today (not all), that seems to be where it ends and then it’s all about me.

What can God do for me?  Where’s the closest prosperity teaching church in the area, because I don’t have small needs.  My God wants me to have it all.  What Bible are they reading?

The one I read says beware!  You can’t serve two masters!   Store up for yourselves treasure in Heaven where moth and rust don’t destroy and where thieves won’t break in to steal!   The idea of tearing down and building bigger barns is frowned upon in Luke 12.  It’s named the Parable of the Rich Fool.

The Bible indicates, first ask the Lord for forgiveness and accept the sacrifice of Jesus.  Second die to yourself and live for Him.  Live for your new Lord, Savior, and King.  And what?  You will have done what his Word has asked and indicated.  You will rule and reign with Christ and be rewarded.  That’s the Bible I read and it’s full of those words.

Here’s the good part.  The more you seek Jesus, the more find.  The more you find, the more love and understanding that comes in.  That’s the Light.  It changes your wants from me to He, a little more each day.  Oh were still fallen creatures with lots of issues, but we have a better understanding of why we are that way.  Also, we tap into His power so we can have more victory in Him.

Today is a new day to live for Christ first.  The past is the past.  How we finish the race is what we control from here.

When you want to get to know that loved one in your life, what do you do?

You hang around them.  You start to learn their likes, dislikes, and who they are. 

This is how we build a relationship.  If you have no time for your spouse or children, is that relationship strong?  If you are constantly ignoring them when they need you, or want to be with you, is that relationship strong?  If you took no time to know them at all, is there really even a relationship there?

Guess what?  Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit know everything about you. 

Oh that doesn’t bore them.  They love you and have more time for you than you will be able to ask for.  So in a relationship when two individuals are supposed to work on getting to know each other, who does that leave left between you and the Lord? 

Yep!  How much do we know the Lord?  How much time do we spend trying to get to know the Lord?  How much time to we give to the Lord regarding anything?

That’s how strong your relationship is with the Lord.

Here’s the good part.  The more you earnestly seek Him, the more you find Him.

Matthew 7:7-8 – ⁷“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

If you’re doing it with a pure heart and really want to know your Lord, You’ll continue to find Him and know Him better. 

You know why?  Because He wants you to.  This starts out as a pretty one-sided deal.  He loves you from the very beginning and knows everything about you.  For you it requires E-F-F-O-R-T.  Do you think God cares about what effort you’re putting into your relationship with Him?  Yes He cares that much.

So while we’re doing things that won’t make any difference tomorrow, remember what we could be doing.  When we’re busy doing things that are contrary to what the Word of God says, get to know Him well enough that it bothers you that He don’t like that.

Relationship!  The Lord wants a Relationship with you!  Satan doesn’t want you to have a relationship with Him.  Want to be rebellious to Satan, improve your relationship with the Lord.

When this war is over, you don’t want to be on the wrong side.  Eternity is forever.