The Great Commission

"And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned." Mark 16:15-16 NLT

OMG! We exist because of Jesus. It's like 10 ka-zillion obvious reasons why The Lord Jesus Christ is our SAVIOR and ONLY salvation. When, I was weak in my faith, I would go into long debates trying to prove my faith. But, then, I realized that I couldn't argue with an idiot (Luke 9:5/Matthew 11:15.) My faith is not up for debate. But, I can't keep the "Good News" to myself anymore. God has been so good to me + crazy FAITHFUL! The Holy Spirit will give us the patience to spread the Good News to unbelievers in a gentle and loving way! ♥ Fight the flesh with the sword of God (Bible) and always be ready to share the Gospel of Grace with whomever will listen. There's absolutely NOTHING in this world worth perishing in Hell - where unbelievers are always & forever separated from God...
(Image Credit: @jesusistheway_7 Instagram)

"Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ." 1 Peter 3:15-16 NLT

3:15 Some Christians believe that faith is a personal matter that should be kept to oneself. It is true that we shouldn't be boisterous or obnoxious in sharing our faith, but we should always be ready to give an answer, gently and respectfully, when asked about our faith, our lifestyle, or our Christian perspective. Can other's see the hope in Christ? Are you prepared to tell them what Christ has done for your life? — Life Application Study Bible NLT

Rejecting the message of the Good News (Gospel)

"And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate."
Luke 9:5 NLT

Luke 9:5 Shaking the dust of certain towns from their feet had deep cultural implications. Pious Jews would do this after passing through Gentile cities to show their separation from Gentile practices. If the disciples were to shake the dust of a Jewish town from their feet, it would show their separation from Jews who rejected their Messiah. This action also would show that the disciples were not responsible for how the people responded to their message. Neither are we responsible if we have carefully and truthfully presented Christ but our message is rejected. Like the disciples, we must move on to others whom God desires to reach. — Life Application Study Bible NLT

(Image Credit: @jesusistheway_7 Instagram)

15Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

16“To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,

17‘We played wedding songs,

and you didn’t dance,

so we played funeral songs,

and you didn’t mourn.’

18For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 19The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.” Matthew 11:15-19

Matthew 11:16-19 Jesus condemned the attitude of his generation. No matter what he said or did, they took the opposite view. They were cynical and skeptical because he challenged their comfortable, secure, and self-centered lives. Too often war justify our inconsistencies because listening to God may require us to change the way we live.  — Life Application Study Bible NLT

The Good News (Gospel) Bible Verses

 (Image Credit: Life Application Study Bible NLT "Master Index" pg 2259)

SALVATION PRAYER

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness.

I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.

You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.

Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved.

Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself.

Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life. AMEN.

o as When you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you will receive the GIFT of the Holy Spirit [Holy Ghost], as it states in Acts 2:38:

Acts 2:38 – King James Version (KJV)

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

PLEASE NOTE: Confession of your sins is not something you do just the one time or periodically. Whenever you sin, you should immediately repent [ask forgiveness from the Lord] and turn away from your sin.

Then, as you grow in Christ [become spiritually mature], and your love for Him grows, you should be seeking Him through His Word [Holy Bible]. You will need to find a bible-based church and study God’s Word; and eventually become water-baptized. It is through water-baptism that you show your obedience to the Lord. Water baptism is a symbol of your salvation from the dead. You were dead but now you live, for the Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed you for a price! The price was His death on the cross!

http://salvationprayer.info/home/salvation/

Everyone will one day be baptized—either now by God's Holy Spirit or later by the fire of his judgment. Luke 3:16

Baptism is a sign of us being born-again. It isn't necessary but, rather a choice to symbolize our new birth. I'm reminded by Jesus on the cross with the two criminals (Matthew 27:35-44, Mark 15:25-32, John 19:18-27). One of them asked for salvation on the cross while he was dying. Obviously, he didn't have time to be baptized but, by faith he was saved!

Please, get to know Jesus! He is love and our ONLY SALVATION! He is coming soon! =)

✌♥

Jesus Teaches About Fruit In People's Lives

The Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. — Matthew 7:15-20 (NLT)

The Tree and Its Fruit

43 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. — Luke 6:43-45 (NLT)

"Jesus reminds us that our speech and actions reveal our true underlying beliefs, attitudes, and motivations. The good impressions we try to make cannot last if we are being deceptive. What is in your heart will come out in your speech and behavior."
— Life Application Study Bible NLT

Life isn't about me anymore. Rather, in my home, online or in public, I strive to always glorify God. I may be the only bible that someone reads. It doesn't matter what people think of me. But, it does matter if I'm practicing what I preach! Because ultimately I will be judged by God. I LOVE JESUS! & as long as I have breath in my body, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD! ♥ My spiritual life is developing because of my faith. I truly do live out what I post. Yes, in life, I fall short at times. However, I've been born-again. The difference now, is that I MUST REPENT! (confess the sin then, completely turn away from it.) Just because Jesus forgave us from our sins, doesn't mean that we must go on sinning (Romans 6). My ultimate goal in life now (divine purpose) is to follow Him and bring others to Him. My worship is for real. I'm not a hypocrite that posts godly things to seek attention. I post godly things because I have been RENEWED IN CHRIST JESUS and He is soooooo real. Despite, what the world says and all of the evil spirits that distract us, God is REAL. Jesus is coming back SOON! My posts may not reach many. But, if just one soul is saved through any of the positive + inspirational influences of my life, then, that's all that matters. =) 

See Post titled: "Fulfilling my Godly Purpose!"

(http://www.jenniferquetant.blogspot.com/2015/12/fulfilling-my-godly-purpose.html)

⁸ ‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
⁹ Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ 

— Matthew 15:8-9 (NLT)

"The prophet Isaiah also criticized hypocrites (Isaiah 29:13), and Jesus applied Isaiah's words to these religious leaders. The Pharisees knew a lot about God, but they didn't know God. When we claim to honor God while our heart is far from him, our worship means nothing. It is not enough to study about religion or even to study the Bible; it is not enough to act religious. Our actions and our attitudes must be sincere. If they are not, Isaiah's words also describe us." — Life Application Study Bible NLT

Bible verses about Hypocrisy:

Matthew 12:1-2, Mark 7:6-7, Matthew 21:19, Mark 11:13-26, Matthew 21:30, Mark 14:19, 

If Prayer Becomes A Habit, Success WILL Become A Lifestyle

"One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up." Luke 18:1

•18:1 To persist in prayer and not give up does not mean endless repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. Constant prayer means keeping our requests continually before God as we live for him day by day, believing he will answer. When we live by faith, we are not to give up. God may delay answering, but his delays always have good reasons. As we persist in prayer, we grow in character, faith, and hope. — Life Application Study Bible NLT

Theme: (Success)
[Explanation]: Although people work very hard for money and fame, God views success as having a good reputation, moral character, and the spiritual devotion to obey him.
[Importance]: A successful relationship with God counts for eternity. Everything else is perishable. All our resources, time, and talents come from God. We should strive to use them wisely.
—Book of Proverbs Opening Chart: Life Application Study Bible NLT

"And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for." 1 John 5:14-15

•5:14-15 The emphasis here is on God's will, not our will. When we communicate with God, we don't demand what we want; rather we discuss with him what he wants for us. If we align our prayers to his will, he will listen; and we can be certain that if he listens, he will give us a definite answer. Start praying with confidence! — Life Application Study Bible NLT

Living A Godly Life

"The Christian life is not a changed life but an exchanged life." — Andrew Wommack

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

5:21 When we trust in Christ, we make an exchange: He takes our sin and makes us right with God. Our sin was laid on Christ at his crucifixion. His righteousness is given to us at our conversion. This is what Christians mean by Christ's atonement for sin. In the world, bartering works only when two people exchange goods of relatively equal value. But God offers to trade his righteousness for our sin — something of immeasurable worth for something completely worthless. How grateful we should be for his kindness to us. — Life Application Study Bible NLT 

"He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God." Romans 4:25 NLT

4:25 When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, an exchange takes place. We give him our sins, and he forgives us and makes us right with God. There is nothing we can do to earn this. Only through Christ can we be made right in God's eyes. What an incredible bargain this is for us! But, sadly many still choose to pass up this gift to continue "enjoying" their sin. — Life Application Study Bible NLT 

"God made Christ to be sin, even though he was without sin, so that believers would “become the righteousness of God.” The meaning of God's righteousness is explained by verse 19, which refers to forgiveness of sins." — The Gospel Coalition 

Born again believers: Because Jesus is righteous, then, we are too! We are the righteousness of God in Christ. When God looks at us, He sees us through JESUS and His finished work on the cross! ❤️

Heart Check

4:23-27 Our heart—our feelings of love and desire—dictates to a great extent how we live because we always find time to do what we enjoy. Solomon tells us to guard our hearts above all else, making sure we concentrate on those desires that will keep us on the right path. Make sure your affections lead you in the right direction. Put boundaries on your desires: Don't go after everything you see. Look straight ahead, keep your eyes fixed on your goal, and don't get sidetracked on detours that lead to sin. — Life Application Study Bible NLT

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‪#‎heartcheck‬ 💗 Guarding our hearts is a constant thing! As born again believers in Jesus Christ, we can't look like the world. We can't love God and sin (can't tolerate it or support it because we will one day answer to God.) With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to discern good from evil. We can't do the things that we used to do before we were saved. Though we may fall into temptation & sin, we must repent. We have to be very careful of secular music, tv shows, movies, corrupt people, clubs, alcohol & drugs, false doctrines & whatever evil influence in the world because those things plant seeds in our hearts rather we know it or not.

🌱Rather, good or bad, seeds are constantly being planted into our hearts... & what's in our hearts WILL eventually come out in our lives. With God, we can get to the root and tear those bad seeds out. But, we must ALWAYS practice guarding our hearts so that we can prevent bad seeds from planting & producing bad fruits. (Jesus Teaches about Fruit in People's Lives: Luke 6:43-45/Matthew 7:15-20)

6:45 Jesus reminds us that our speech and actions reveal our true underlying beliefs, attitudes, and motivations. The good impressions we try to make cannot last if we are being deceptive. What is in your heart will come out in your speech and behavior. — Life Application Study Bible NLT

‪#‎heartcheck‬ �� What's in your heart will come out when you talk. People will tell if you're a true believer or not by your speech & actions. For example, "a drunk mind speaks a sober heart." The alcohol may have influenced the corrupt speech, but the thoughts originated from the heart.

�� "But the words you speak come from the heart — that's what defiles you." Matthew 15:18

15:16-20 We work hard to keep our outward appearance attractive, but what is deep down in our heart (where others can't see) is more important to God. What are you like inside? When people become Christians, God makes them different on the inside. He will continue the process of change inside them if only they ask.

 — Life Application Study Bible NLT 

Worry Ends When Faith In God Begins

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." 

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

FAITH CAN'T WORK IF IT'S MIXED WITH FEAR… FEAR IS A LIAR! FEAR IS UNREAL! "Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." 1 John 4:18 NLT

We can't believe God for something but, worry & doubt. Either we PRAY or we WORRY… both don't work at the same time. Fear is a liar & it's not even real... If we don't step out on Faith, we'll never experience the blessing behind what we're praying for. The Bible says, that we can have what we pray for if we believe by receiving it by Faith (Mark 11:24/Matthew 21:22). We can trust that what God says, is TRUTH! He is not a liar. Every Word of God is a promise! Fear, doubt and the devil are all liars. Fears, doubts & insecurities can hinder opportunities. The Holy Spirit works in us through our Faith. God still works, but He needs something to work with. Our responsibility is to trust Him wholeheartedly & not doubt! I'm a living witness. I've watched God work wonders in my life the moment I totally surrendered to Him. Praise Him!

Worries leave when we cast them all unto Jesus! "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7

"But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." James 1:6-8

Life Application Study Bible Notes for James 1:6-8

• We must believe not only in the existence of God but also in his loving care. This includes relying on God and expecting that he will hear and answer when we pray. We must put away our critical attitude when we come to him. God does not grant every thoughtless or selfish request. We must have confidence that God will align our desires with his purposes.
• A person with divided loyalty is not completely convinced that God's way is best. He treats God's Word like any human advice and retains the option to disobey. He vacillates between allegiance to subjective feelings, the world's ideas, and God's commands. If your faith is new, weak, or struggling, remember that you can trust God. Then be loyal to by committing yourself wholeheartedly to God.
• If you have ever seen the content rolling of huge waves at sea, you know how restless they are — subject to the forces of wind, gravity, and tide. Divided loyalty leaves a person as unsettled as the restless waves. If you want to stop being tossed about, rely on God to show you what is best for you. Ask him for wisdom, and trust that he will give it to you (James 1:5). Then your decisions will be sure and solid.

God's Peace surpasses all understanding! Wow... I'm so peaceful now that I have finally developed my faith to where I can totally trust God. I don't have to worry because I can cast all of my cares onto Him. No more running to God, all defeated... Jesus lives inside of me so how dare I approach God lacking confidence? I now Believe in what I pray for! ...God gave us authority to do the same things that His Son, Jesus did. No more wasting time praying for things that He has already supplied. I can now go to God in prayer with thanksgiving: seeking His face and not His hand. No worries! 

Jesus Teaches about Worry: Matthew 6:25-34

7 Reasons NOT to Worry

Matthew 6:25...The same God who created life in you can be trusted with the details of your life.

Matthew 6:26…Worrying about the future hampers your efforts for today.

Matthew 6:27…Worrying is more harmful than helpful.

Matthew 6:28-30…God does not ignore those who depend on Him.

Matthew 6:31,32…Worrying shows a lack of faith in and understanding of God.

Matthew 6:33…Worrying keeps us from real challenges God wants us to pursue.

Matthew 6:34…Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry.

Learning How to Pray Like Jesus

What is prayer?
Praying is when we have a conversation with God.

What are the benefits of prayer?
Praying is a privilege. We experience God's presence when we pray. Praying develops our faith and gives us "God-confidence."

How should we pray?
When we pray we should pray with boldness! Religion tells us that we can't go to God with boldness because we're only human and we're sinners and God can strike us down with a lightning bolt. But, religion is based on teachings on man. Religion is hate but, God is love. I choose to have a relationship with Jesus Christ rather, than be a religious person who works to try to gain righteousness. The Bible says, that Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God which means, that all who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is ALSO the righteousness of God! Which means, that we ought to be BOLD for God! We don't need to try and gain anything from God because He has given us everything through His Son Jesus. God sent His One and ONLY Son to die for our sins so that we can have eternal life. We can do ALL things through Jesus Christ! Jesus gave up His life for us… He has given us all we will EVER need! So when we pray, we must have confidence because we are the righteousness of God through Christ. The Father looks at Jesus instead of judging us. Jesus is worthy to be praised! We have The Holy Spirit dwelling within us, so we should know who we are in Christ and not look at the low down dirty sinner that we used to be. So when we pray with boldness we should pray with victory not with defeat: "God, I don't know what to do, I feel defeated, I'm all lost and confused, I can't take this anymore…" Praying in this matter, won't reach Heaven… those types of prayers won't even reach your ceiling…

Jesus defeated the enemy! Greater is He who is in you then, he that is in the world! You're a conqueror, victorious, righteous, perfect in God's eyes (because He sees Jesus not you), and saved! I recently received revelation on prayer by God and I'm now learning how to pray… FOR REAL! I discovered in His Word that the key to faith is to say what God said which in turned, did wonders for my prayer life!! If we confess what God says, then we should pray in the same way! Instead of going to God praying with emotion and not in spirit and truth (defeat) we simply should just say what His Word said…
For example: Instead of saying: "God heal me" say, I am HEALED because Jesus bled for me and was whipped 39x for my healing so by His Stripes, I AM HEALED! Instead of crying out to God saying: "I don't know what to do Lord" say, "I can do ALL things through Christ." Instead of saying, "God, I am in lack and I need your help" say, "God I trust that You will supply all of my needs according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus!" and the list goes on and on and on… ♥

Praying like this is getting me through all of my life tests and trials and I am seeing incredible change almost immediately! For so long, I believed that I couldn't go to God boldly in prayer. I thought "Who am I? I'm not worthy? This must be God's will for my life?" I found that thinking like this was not of God... It may have been taught in the world but it definitely wasn't in The Word! I am now learning how to pray according to His Word. When, I feel my emotions getting the best of me, I quickly cast those thoughts down and confess what The Word says about me not what my feelings say. But, the key to praying according to the Word is to READ THE WORD. So in order, to confess the things of God, we must know what His Word says, not what others say… So, read your bible and meditate on the sweet words of Jesus so that they can manifest in you! :)

**We must believe what we are praying for and not doubt. James 1:6-8 says, "… for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from The Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." Therefore, if we doubt, we aren't showing our complete faith in God --- we're actually showing God that we don't trust Him to follow through. Therefore, we need to pray asking in faith with no doubting, believing that we will receive & it will be given to us!

"God-confidence"
Praying develops our faith. When we seek the Lord, we humble ourselves and show how much we depend on Him to meet our needs. Praying shapes who I am. When I wake up in the morning and begin my day with "Thank You, Lord" I express my faith in Him. When I go into my secret place and pray aloud to Him, I feel as if I'm speaking to someone in front of me. I feel the presence of The Lord when I pray. I need Him everyday. I need to talk to God everyday. Without prayer, I feel disconnected from Him. Prayer instantly connects me to Him just as a phone call connect us to a friend. I develop "God-confidence" when I pray because praying to God feeds my faith and I feel bold and equipped to have a prosperous day.

***Say special prayers to God by simply thanking Him for all He has done. We have to learn to seek His face and not always His hand… Even if it's a simple "Thank You!" :)

***MOST IMPORTANTLY,  Pray In The Name of Jesus!!! (John 14:12-14) There is POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS!!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥

Bible Verses about Prayer
1 John 5:14-15 (Confidence and Compassion in Prayer)
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (When to pray? Always…)
Mark 11:24, Matthew 21:22 (The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree)
Matthew 6:6, Luke 6:12 (The Model Prayer, "Prayer Closets")
James 5:16, 1 John 1:9, Matthew 18:20 (Intercession)

1 Corinthians 14:2, 1 Corinthians 14:14, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-4, Jude 1:20. Romans 8:26, Ephesians 6:18, Acts 10:45-46 (Pray in Tongues because it's a Gift of The Holy Spirit)

*(Repentance) see post in the bottom column on my blog page!

Reading The Bible

• Why should I read the Bible? 2 Chronicles 17:7-9; 34:31; Psalm 119:9.

• Why should I trust the Bible? Psalm 33:4; Proverbs 16:22; 2 Peter 1:16-21.

• Why do you call the Bible God's Word? 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

• How is the Bible different from other religious literature? 2 Timothy 3:16.

I believe that every Christian should own a bible, read it and apply it. Christianity may be classified as a religion but, following after Jesus Christ is all about having a relationship with Him. God desires a relationship with us. John 17:3 says, "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." Having a relationship with God gives us peace which surpasses all understanding, joy, comfort, wisdom, intimacy and so much more!! Religion has corrupted the minds of believers as well as, unbelievers. Some people believe in Jesus and have accepted Him as their Lord and savior but, still they are confused and lack confidence in their faith walk. I was like this too. I went to church, became apart of the youth ministry, had hundreds of gospel songs on my iPod and I prayed here and there… But, still my heart was far from God. I didn't totally believe in what I was believing… if that makes any sense…

This is why we have to constantly renew our minds daily after being 'born-again.' Romans 12:2 says, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may be able to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." I had to come out of my comfort zone and clear my mind from all of the lies & deception that I heard growing up from others -- including those in church. If we let others tell the bible to us then, we'll probably believe it since we figure it's truth. If you don't know what's in the bible and you trust everyone to tell you what's in it- then, you will fall into deception. We have to know The Word so that we can test the spirits and know if God really said "that." If you don't know The Word then, you will forever be lost in life. I know that was a bold and radical statement but, it's the truth. If you aren't living for God then, you are already subjected to sin, satan and death. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior (born-again) then, of course you'll go to heaven because there is NO CONDEMNATION for those that are in Christ! However, while in this life, you'll struggle without knowing The Word of God. In His Word is WISDOM. When we seek His Word daily and more often,  we WILL get understanding. The bible may seem difficult to read or may even seem impossible to believe but that's only because you aren't being led by the spirit. The Bible says in James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." It is 100% possible  and a sure thing that you can learn to understand the scriptures. But, you'll never know until you pick it up and read it every single day! :) Reading the Bible everyday may even sound tedious and like a chore or something to dread… but, when you get to know your God, it'll become as natural as breathing and as intimate as having a relationship with your significant other.

Having a relationship with God or with anyone means that you know that person well. Knowing God includes more than church services, ministries and gospel music. Truly knowing God means to feel close to Him… so close that you're able to hear His Voice and KNOW that the Holy Spirit is speaking to you. The bible says in John 10:27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." If you feel distant from God and like you can't hear or recognize His voice, it may because you haven't spent time with Him reading and applying His Word. I want to encourage you to read your Bible! I recently got into the NKJV because I find it most precise and not lacking any detail from translation errors. But, if you don't have a NKJV OR KJV bible, then, it's ok to read whatever version just as long as it's the actual bible dedicated to our God. The bible says that the Holy Spirit is our "helper" and the spirit will always lead you in the right direction and let you know if what you are reading is correct or not. Get an actual bible though, the app will do, though, it's nothing like diving into the bible where there is no distractions. Grab your high liters, pens, and journal and go into your secret place where you can devote "Quiet Time" with The Lord. This has helped me tremendously and this along with prayer is what feeds our spirit so that we can have intimacy with Jesus. I once believed that reading the bible in chronological order (Genesis through Revelation) was the best thing to do because it'll fit like a timeline I thought. However, the bible isn't written in any specific order. If I were to give advice to someone starting their bible journey, I would suggest that they ought to start with the New Testament so that they can know the True Gospel message of Jesus-Christ which is about His Grace. But, it doesn't matter where you start or end, just as long as you read the Bible each day, mediate on it, and apply it so that your faith will become developed to spiritual maturity. 

Most importantly! The whole point of reading the Bible is not only so that we can get to know God but,  to get to know ourselves: "who we are in Christ!" When, we are born-again, the Holy Spirit (Jesus) immediately finds it's home in our bodies (hence, our bodies are our temples.) That means that we are all that the bible says who we are! The bible is the Word of God that became flesh - Jesus. So that means that our spirits are perfect just like Jesus! We are righteous, just like Jesus! We are victorious, prosperous, blameless, and powerful just like Jesus! Believe these words because they are exactly what the bible says! The church may ignorantly condemn you, but God said in His Word that "there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" Romans 8:1. When God made man, he made us in His own image and he gave us dominion over all the earth. Sin entered the world and man gave authority over to the devil. God sent Jesus to die for our sins - redelegate authority back to men - so that we can be reconciled back to Him and have eternal life. 

Jesus is so amazing, so perfect, so pure, so incredible, so loving, and so VERY faithful! Every work that Jesus did to prove His faith (casting out demons, healing the sick, raising the dead, speaking life) - we can do too! It is in Jesus and IN you and I. These gifts are not just spiritual gifts that worked 'back in the day' but they work TODAY as well! Everything that He is - we are too. But, if you are being carnal (thinking in the flesh) and not walking in the spirit (by faith) then, you'll never know your true identity in Christ. To know who you are, you first have to know who Jesus Christ is. To know God, is to know His Word. When you know the Bible, it becomes a part of you and you live by it! No more carnal minded thinking, feeling lost and distant from God. When we apply the Word, supernatural things happen! ...things that God promised in His Word. After all, every Word of God is His promise! Psalm 89:34 says, "My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips." Every word of God is a promise! He is not a God that lies because it's not in His nature. God is not like man. God's nature is LOVE! We can trust every word of God. With words, God created everything into existence. If He would take any one of His words back then, all of creation will be extinct. That's why words are powerful. We speak things into existence rather good or bad. Af for me, I choose to speak life: every word of God found in His Word: The Holy Bible.

*Make prayer a lifestyle because the words we speak to God WILL change things! (Also, speak in tongues) But, the key to faith is to believe every word of God. To believe His Word, you have to spend time in your bible getting to know it. Spend time with our Lord and Savior, because He yearns for you to get to know Him! Jesus loves you and wants you to know Him, so you can stop running around lost and confused and rest in Him. ♥ 

Bible Reading Tips!

Set aside a time to read each day

Pray before and after reading

Use a journal to write notes

Read a simple version: NiRV, NLT

The Holy Spirit will guide you! John 14:26, John 14:15-30, Acts 2

& most of all APPLY GOD'S WORD to your life!

Brotherly Love

Lately, as I've been spending time reading the bible, I've been coming across several verses pertaining to "Brotherly Love." No matter what I chose to read, or tried to avoid, verses speaking of loving one another kept popping up! The two verses that stood out the most to me were:

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another" - 1 John 4:11

& The Imperative of Love 1 John 3:10-15 "10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."

I never really understood God's purpose for us to love everyone. When God says, everyone, He meant EVERYONE - including the wicked people in the world (but, not satan of course.) Because, I am a believer of Christ, I abide in His Word and I love everyone. But, it wasn't until recently that I gained an understanding of what I was believing. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" Luke 23:34. OMG! my compassion on others instantly grew! No matter how evil some people can be, they are just being deceived greatly by the devil. Not even the devil worshippers know exactly what satan's evil plans are. Jesus came into this world and died for ALL! As Christians, we need to stop judging sinners, because we once were sinners too. Not one person is worthy enough of entering the kingdom of Heaven. But, thanks be to God, that He judges His Son Jesus and not us. Through Jesus Christ alone we can be renewed in Him and have salvation. God's commandments summed up into one are "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" - Galatians 5:14.  Instead of wishing bad on our enemies, we ought to love them. Recently, God told me to pray over those who persecute me instead of dwelling on the bad things about them. Now a load has been lifted from my shoulders; I can now be at peace about them, still find a way to love them and not give the devil any authority that he can use against me. The devil can certainly use strife against us because it gives him power over us. We need to cast down everything that doesn't line up with the Word of God and make it obey (2 Corinthians 1:3-6) and think on things that are pure (Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:2). Stop giving the devil authority to have you disobeying God's commandment to LOVE!

After all, we aren't fighting against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places as written in Ephesians 6:12. satan uses people just as Jesus rebuked Peter, He was speaking to satan and not Peter because Peter was influenced by satan when he said what he said in Mark 8 and Matthew 16. When people become evil they are simply under the influence of the enemy. We are to love them so that they can see Jesus through us. We're in a spiritual war! And once you realize that, you'll learn to love people like Jesus commanded us to. It's not about us but about God. He loves us all and doesn't want to see any of us influenced by the enemy to not have a relationship with The Lord.

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, no willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

God doesn't want ANY SOUL to perish which includes the evil people of this world. He wants all to repent (turn completely away from our sins) so that we can be reconciled to Him. Just as we were once lost, and living sinful lives, there are still millions of people who are lost. When we only ove Christians, what good does that do? Jesus came to seek the lost sheep (Matthew 18:11, Luke 19:10.) Instead of condemning we need to bring others to Christ. We can't let our pride and selfishness get in the way of anyone's salvation. Our enemies may persecute us but are our problems bigger than the salvation of our brothers? No matter what someone may have done to us, we have to forgive because God forgave us! All sin is equal right…? So how can our sins be any less than the sins of another? Jesus died for ALL of our sins! All of our filthy sins deserve for us ALL to be in Hell. But, thanks be to Jesus that He died for ours sins. "For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" John 3:16-17. 

Though, God hates our filthy sins, He loves each and every one of us! Because we're of God and are born again through His Son, we MUST love one another too! Forgive those who do wrong to you because Jesus does the same. We can't love Jesus and hate our brother. We have to love each other and show them Jesus!

Through, this recent revelation that God has given me, He kept me in the Book of 1 John which I highly recommend that you study. God bless you! I love you! And Jesus loves you! ♥

More bible verses about loving our enemies: http://www.openbible.info/topics/loving_your_enemy