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"Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep it to the end [steadfastly]. Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law; yes, I will observe it with my whole heart. Make me go in the path of Your commandments, for in them do I delight. Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to covetousness (robbery, sensuality, unworthy riches). Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity (idols and idolatry); and restore me to vigorous life and health in Your ways. Establish Your word and confirm Your promise to Your servant, which is for those who reverently fear and devotedly…  ( Click for more )

"The Past"... Two four-letter words that can exercise power over us like no other. One of the greatest single hindrance to happiness, joy, peace of mind, and contentment in our world today. Millions struggle with it in their life day and night. Some call it "baggage", carried around as part of the memory, and passing through the mind with regret and sorrow. At times it can be accompanied by depression that burdens and distorts even personality and sense of reality. The past was real then, when it was real, when it was experienced. But not now. Have you…  ( Click for more )

Love Is Not: Giving to the poor; serving in your church; paying your debts on time; making others happier; working hard, etc. And... "If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [a]as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can…  ( Click for more )

The story of Job and his friends shows the painful results of not trusting God, and jumping to personal conclusions that seem, at the time, to be very logical and accurate. God eventually reveals Himself to Job, and his friends,.and none of them seemed to comprehended the awesome wonder of God. They did seem to learn that when all is said and done, they had only one right and righteous option: trust Him! Job's steadfastness refutes Satan's claim against him, but Job, not knowing of God and Satans's conversation, presumes a motive for his suffering. Job presumed to be able to…  ( Click for more )

When we belong to Christ, we are promised protection - protection from events that could destroy us. God assigns an angel that is with us continually to protect and guard us from many different occurrences in our lives. These events run the spectrum of protection from accidents, the evil intents of other people, and protection from human mistakes that we all are subject to, and from Satan's traps and tricks. There are many scriptures in the Bible that refer to physical protection for God's children while in the flesh. David praises God for the amazimg protection and deliverance from…  ( Click for more )

Everyone would like to know their destiny.

For this reason, a Christian strives to do what is right in the sight of God. Although impossible to be right before God in the flesh, we are to acknowledge our unrighteousness before God in repentance, and then we are considered righteous in His sight. However, our confession and repentance does not set us right before Him. It is not our heartfelt sorrow and repentance before God that makes us right again. Our repentance is never perfect because we can never be perfect in ourselves - even after repentance. Our own imperfection prevents…  ( Click for more )

Do you feel that your life is becoming more and more hectic, uncertain, even threatening in some way? Could it be that God is attempting to get you attention? Many years ago a motion picture was produced with the title "Gentle Persuasion". As I recall, the basic theme illustrated the loving patience of someone with another who only needed love and gentle guidance. There is a fllipside story of a rancher who wanted to sell one of his horses that, for him, had out lived his usefulness. A potential buyer looked the horse over, and decided he would purchase the horse for…  ( Click for more )

For the last eight years "Christ In you..." has been the column title for articles appearing on the Live As If website. While reminiscing those years, I have felt that an explanation of those words, and what it means for Christ to be living in us, is needed. This is of the utmost importance, because if Jesus Christ is not living in us, we are not saved, and we have no hope of eternal life. Please bare with me for a few related scriptures: "May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted…  ( Click for more )

When we believe deeply that which has turned our lives in surrender to Jesus Christ, it is natural to desire to tell others what has happen to us. Some want to tell the whole world if possible what God has done for them by Jesus Christ.

The desire is commendable and not wrong. The desire is not wrong, but the same thing you have experienced may be or become dangerous knowledge for someone else. As in many endeavors, timing can be everything. Personal witnessing has been effective for some, but very ineffective for others. For those, the witness may be dangerous knowledge. Those…  ( Click for more )

In speaking of Joseph, Mary's betrothed husband, he is variously referred to as a "good man", a "righteous man" in the Greek text. The word can also man a "fair man", a "just man", etc. It is recorded in the account of Jesus's birth by the virgin Mary, that Joseph was this kind of man. (Matthew 1:18-19). Compared to Mary and others, he receives relatively little attention in the scripture record. But what is said by and also about Joseph could shame many "good" men since then. Many men in this world are what I call "good men",…  ( Click for more )

If you are not a Christian, perhaps you want to be but can't. You want to repent and believe, and live forever when your life is over, but...somehow you just can't force yourself to repent of you sins and believe the Gospel. I know a person who claims to want to believe the gospel desperately, but just can't believe. There are some in this world who have heard the Gospel ("good news - Grk.") about living forever after they die, but for some reason they say that they want to believe it, but they say also that they just can't believe. They struggle in mental agony, and are…  ( Click for more )

"For this is a rebellious people, faithless and lying sons, children who will not hear the law and instruction of the Lord; Who [virtually] say to the seers [by their conduct], See not! and to the prophets, Prophesy not to us what is right! Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceitful illusions. Get out of the true way, turn aside out of the path, cease holding up before us the Holy One of Israel. - Isaiah 30:9-11 (AMP) Smooth things were comfortable - in the days of Isaiah. And also, today. In our times, many attend churches in order to be comforted. We live in a harsh…  ( Click for more )

Your body are created by God. You were knit together in your mother's womb by an awsome God, who had a long range purpose for creating you. Your body was not given to you to keep you from something, or to hold you back from accomplishing God's purpose for your live, but move you forward toward the purpose for which you were created. We are His workmanship, and He knows your birth, your past, present, and - your future. If you belong to Him through Jesus Christ, your future is indescribably wonderful. But many, for the present time, are living a life in the body that is anything…  ( Click for more )

There is one thing that God cannot do - not now, not forever. It is impossible for Him. Since He is eternal past and future, and nothing can prevent His will, then it follows that there is nothing He cannot do. However, He is prevented from doing something that even He cannot change. He cannot do it because of His divine nature. His holiness makes it impossible to do. Can you imagine such a thing - something that the almighty God cannot do? Since God is God most Christians would believe that He can do anything since He is almighty, omnipotent, all-powerful, holy, and everywhere…  ( Click for more )

Why? To a large extent this is caused by so many conflicting messages, doctrines, beliefs, etc., and the example set by nominal Christians. Many set bad examples in claiming to be living a Christian life without evidence of bearing the fruit of it. Many non-Christians are simple weary of the maze while attempting to sort it all out. Often they see and hear only the tares. (They seem to make the most noise). In situations such as this, God the Father will cause those who are called to His Son to be drawn to Him, regardless of the confusion. God knows who are to be His, regardless…  ( Click for more )

Over the past year, there has been many calls and requests for the people of God to pray for peace - peace in the world, in the nation, for the deliverance of those suffering from poverty, famine, and especially those who are suffering terrible persecution. Hopefully, these prayers will continue. They must continue and be answered for there to be genuine hope for the nation and the world. There is reason to be hopeful. Hope is one of the gifts of grace given to Christians in every era. Hope is one of the gifts of grace given to the people of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13).…  ( Click for more )

We all know what light is - it is a brightness that eliminates darkness. If it were not for light the world, the universe would be such utter darkness it would be indescribable. Most of the world would rather be in the light rather than in the dark, no matter where they are. Light enables the function of almost all things. Including you and me. There is a light that illuminates even when it is present in the brightest of physical light. But the light of this world is darkness, and has always been until Jesus came and revealed the real light of truth. Jesus Himself is the light…  ( Click for more )

When you become a believer in Jesus Christ as your Savior, the guilt of your past sin that condemned you is blotted out by the shed blood of Christ. Now, the Holy Spirit begins to live in you, and begins a new creation - a new you! While you are in the flesh, the Holy Spirit begins to cleanse you of every sinful tendency by the shed blood of Jesus - sinful thoughts, sinful mind images, words and actions that are unholy. Wrong sights and images that your eyes have seen in the past, that are unholy and sinful are made to be as if they never were. Your guilt is now gone because…  ( Click for more )

Some time ago, this writer asked the question, "whatever happened to repentance?" Is it here yet? There are times in every Christian's life when a self-analysis of spiritual status is not only advisable, but very necessary. Since that time, there continues to be a strange silence and reluctance to talk - or even to use the word repentance. But we all must give top priority to self-analysis concerning our spiritual condition and status with Jesus Christ. We must realize that perhaps it is later than we think. It's time. It's time for individuals. It is…  ( Click for more )

As Christians, we have, in order to become Christians, been deeply convicted of our past sins. Also, as Christians, we need to be convicted of our forgiveness as well as our sins. Do you KNOW that you have been forgiven? Some of us have trouble accepting and believing that we have been forgiven. It may be due to the memories in our heart and mind of our sinful past that causes us have a very difficult time with their past that hinders our spiritual growth, peace of mind, and can even distort our view of life in general. Much of this problem involves forgiving the old self.…  ( Click for more )

Your Times Just before He ascends to heaven after His resurrection, Jesus has some final words to answer the question asked of Him concerning His return. What He said must have been more than a little discouraging, even shocking to His disciples. Jesus is asked when He would set up the Kingdom and restore Israel to its former prominence. They perhaps assumed that since He is about to ascend to the Father, He (Jesus) must be about to set up the Kingdom of God on earth: "So when they were assembled, they asked Him, Lord, is this the time when You will reestablish the kingdom…  ( Click for more )

"But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters..." - 2 Timothy 3:1-2 Many places where many earn their livelihood have become virtual battle zones. Perhaps you are in one. In our world, it is not necessarily experienced in hostile bodily contact (although it has happened), but mostly psychological.…  ( Click for more )

If you are a Christian, your life has been, predestined, ordered, directed, guided. You are cared for, guarded, and provided for. You have been begotten and will eventually be born His child and live eternally. There is one condition: all this is true, IF you "believe" in Jesus Christ, which means you believe that He lives, that He died for you personally, and you have now surrendered your life to Him: "For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to,…  ( Click for more )

God will not interfere in our decisions regarding our lives. Regardless of the wisdom or lack of it, the Lord will not subvert a man who is determined to live a certain way. "But though He causes grief, yet will He be moved to compassion according to the multitude of His loving-kindness and tender mercy. For He does not willingly and from His heart afflict or grieve the children of men. To trample and crush underfoot all the prisoners of the earth, To turn aside and deprive a man of his rights before the face of the Most High or a superior [acting as God’s representative],…  ( Click for more )