Uncategorized – Instructions To A Young Life

A Life that Responds

The Lord has called the single men to be the initiators in relationships with single women. Women are called to be responders. If she is interested in the young man and he is suitable for her then she learns to respond to him. The young lady is not the initiator. For this way of life to be for a young lady she must put her trust in the Lord. If she will learn to live in His presence and put her trust in Him then she will thrive in life. If she trusts in herself then she will be constantly frustrated and defeated.

Psalm 52:8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.

The Lord is the One who directs the hearts of all men.

Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.

If she does not trust the Lord then she will be tempted to initiate or manipulate concerning young men. Either of these options are not God’s way. If she initiates or manipulates and she gets what she wants then she will never know if it is what the Lord wanted for her. When the trials come in the relationship then she will be tempted to doubt and in her time of need she will not have the assurance that the Lord brought about the relationship.

Proverbs 7:7-15 And I saw among the naive,
And discerned among the youths
A young man lacking sense,
Passing through the street near her corner;
And he takes the way to her house,
In the twilight, in the evening,
In the middle of the night and in the darkness.
And behold, a woman comes to meet him,
Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart.
She is boisterous and rebellious,
Her feet do not remain at home;
She is now in the streets, now in the squares,
And lurks by every corner.
So she seizes him and kisses him
And with a brazen face she says to him:
“I was due to offer peace offerings;
Today I have paid my vows.
“Therefore I have come out to meet you,
To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you.

The immoral woman is an initiator and manipulator. Often she also will have a pretense of religion, of being a good girl. However, the Bible says that her way is death.

Proverbs 2:16-19 To deliver you from the strange woman,
From the adulteress who flatters with her words;
That leaves the companion of her youth
And forgets the covenant of her God;
For her house sinks down to death
And her tracks lead to the dead;
None who go to her return again,
Nor do they reach the paths of life.

It is when we are struggling and doubting that we are tempted to take things into our hands and “make it happen”. The attitude that nobody else is looking after you so you need to look after yourself is against God’s ways. Abraham’s wife, Sarah, in the Old Testament came up with an idea to get a baby, rather than wait upon the Lord. It brought her much grief.

Genesis 16:3,4 After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife. He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.

In the same way, you will bring yourself grief also, if you take matters into your own hands. You may get what you “want” but will not want it in the end nor will it bring you any joy.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

When a young lady responds to a young man then it makes him feel like a king. If you make a man feel like a king then he will want you to be his queen. It is well worth it to wait for God’s man and for God’s timing. If a man sees a young lady as a queen he will treat her as such.

Psalm 52:9 I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it,
And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.

In the end, if a young lady will trust in the Lord then she will give thanks to Him because she will know that He is the One who did it.

James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

A Life with Great Comfort

We all need comfort. Without comfort we wither on the inside and dry up. It is what nurtures and restores our souls. Comfort is like the spring rains that come and bring refreshment to the earth. Comfort brings healing to our hurts.

Ask rain from the Lord at the time of the spring rain— The Lord who makes the storm clouds; And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man. Zechariah 10:1

It is the Lord that gives comfort. He will come to us like the spring rain when we seek Him, that is, when we press on to know Him.

“So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.” Hosea 6:3

When we press on to know the Lord then not only do we receive comfort for our soul but He also restores us. The Lord gave us His Holy Spirit so that we would know His great comfort and be restored.

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; John 14:16

A characteristic of the Helper, who is the Holy Spirit, is that He brings comfort to those who belong to Jesus Christ.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:26

It is the Holy Spirit who brings comfort. He is given to all who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The Lord cleanses our conscience and heart when we receive Him. When our conscience has been cleansed then we can hear the voice of the Lord. He is our Good Shepherd and we are His sheep.

I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. John 10:11

His sheep hear His voice.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; John 10:27

God is a God of comfort. He is the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our afflictions and troubles. His comfort is abundant in Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. II Corinthians 1:3-5

Are you struggling? Let the Lord comfort you through His Holy Spirit. Let the Holy Spirit bring to your remembrance the comforting Words of Christ. The Lord did not give the Holy Spirit to convict Christians but to comfort them. (The Holy Spirit does not convict Christians but the Holy Spirit convicts non Christians. It is the conscience of the Christian that reveals to him his wrong and he grieves or quenches the Holy Spirit. For this reason it is crucial that a Christian keep a clear conscience.) Conviction involves judgment and judgment involves punishment and condemnation. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Jesus Christ took the judgment for our sins on the cross. He took our punishment and our condemnation. He never sinned and never did any wrong. All of us have sinned.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. II Corinthians 5:21

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; I Peter 3:18

It is Jesus Christ who died for the sins of the world and was raised again. It is Jesus Christ who brings us to God. It is Jesus Christ who gives us His righteousness. It is in Jesus Christ that we have great comfort.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Are you struggling? Do you feel as though there is no one to comfort you? Do you feel as though there is no hope? Does your soul need to be restored? Come to Him. He is the only One who knows you perfectly and understands your hurts and needs. He will come to all who call on Him.

“For these things I weep; My eyes run down with water; Because far from me is a comforter, One who restores my soul. Lamentations 1:16a

The Lord is the Good Shepherd if you are His child. He will bring you comfort and restore your soul if you come to Him. That is who He is.

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake. Psalm 23:1-3

A Life Understanding Life

The Bible says that the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. We all long for understanding. Have you ever said to yourself, “I don’t understand” or “I wish I understood”?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

When we don’t know what to do we lack understanding.

For they are a nation lacking in counsel, And there is no understanding in them. Deuteronomy 32:28

Understanding is a very interesting characteristic. It can be gained and it can be lost.

He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good. Proverbs 19:8

Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the understanding. Hosea 4:11

Understanding has many benefits and without it much grief is experienced. It gives life and can bring about death.

Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, Proverbs 16:22

But fools die for lack of understanding. Proverbs 10:21b

To the Lord belongs understanding.

With Him are wisdom and might; To Him belong counsel and understanding. Job 12:13

Understanding produces favor for the one who has it. Without it life is hard.

Good understanding produces favor, But the way of the treacherous is hard. Proverbs 13:15

Understanding makes knowledge easy. A scoffer is one who turns their back on God and does not seek Him, therefore he lacks in understanding.

A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding. Proverbs 14:6

Understanding is more valuable than silver.

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. Proverbs 16:16

Whether building a house, a life, a career, a marriage, a business or any other endeavor it is only by understanding that it will be established.

By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; Proverbs 24:3

A lack of understanding brings about ruin.

So the people without understanding are ruined. Hosea 4:14b

If we want understanding then we must depart from evil. Another word for departing from evil is repentance, which means turning from doing what is wrong and turning to the Lord. We can’t have both good and bad. We can’t continue doing what we know is wrong and experience good through having understanding.

And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding. Job 28:28

The Lord does not despise any but wants to give to all understanding, if they will only come to Him then He will give understanding.

Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any; He is mighty in strength of understanding. Job 36:5

God’s Word gives understanding.

The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130

God’s understanding is infinite.

Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite. Psalm 147:5

There is nothing beyond His understanding. Do you want to understand yourself or your spouse or life or death? Do you long for resolution in certain areas that you don’t understand? Are you weary of trying to figure things out on your own? Come to Jesus. He is calling you.

A Life that Has a Refuge

A refuge is a safe place. We all need a refuge. The Lord has a refuge for the Christian lady where she will always be safe. It is very important for a young lady to understand this truth. The Bible says that the Lord keeps us and the devil can not touch us.

I John 5:18 He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

If a young Christian lady is any danger it is very important that she runs to the Lord. She must speak the name of Jesus Christ in her situation. People have to block out God in order to do evil.

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.

Pour out your heart to the Lord. He will come to you. Seek refuge in Him.

Psalm 62:8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

He will be a shield to all who take refuge in Him. Don’t go where you should not go but if you find yourself being attacked in your thought life or by the accusations of others then go to the Lord and call on His name. He will help you and be a shield for you to extinguish the fiery darts of the evil one. If you are in physical danger He will be a shield for you. Nothing can touch you unless it first comes through Him.

Psalm 37:40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.

He is a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

There are many verses in the Bible about the Lord being a refuge for the Christian. However, unless we believe them they do not help us.

Hebrews 4:2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

If we take His Word and believe what He says then we will possess His promises. They will become ours and we will have faith, hope and courage.

Hebrews 6:18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

The book of Hebrews was written to the Christians whose homes had been taken from them and they had to flee Rome during the times of the early church. They were able to persevere under very trying circumstances only because they put their hope in Him.

James 1:12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

We are not to shrink back in the day of trial but we are to take refuge in Him and persevere so that we shall not be ashamed. It is the little trials that prepare us for the bigger trials. The Lord is a present help in time of trouble but you must call on Him.

Hebrews 10:37-39 For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
But My righteous one shall live by faith;
And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

Faith is taking refuge in Him and believing what He says is true. When our faith is strong then our courage is strong and we are able to persevere. Discouragement means that we have lost our courage. The Lord says to be strong and courageous. He is coming again and His reward is with Him and for all who were faithful.

A Life that is Changed

As all of us grow older we understand the truth that our outer person is decaying. We may think that we can prolong it but our bodies will one day wear out. However, if our inner person has life, though we may die on the outside, the inside of us will be renewed and become stronger and be refreshed for it will never decay.

II Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

If we follow the instructions the Lord has given to us then we will soar like an eagle on the inside and we will gain new strength. We will run and not get tired and we will walk and not become weary.

Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

Our youth will be renewed like the eagle. A Christian is the only one whose youth is renewed though he grows older. It is our endless dissatisfaction in life and seeking after things that will never satisfy that saps us of our strength and makes us feel old before our time. Let the Lord satisfy your years with good things and let Him fulfill you.

Psalm 103:5 Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

As our inner person is being renewed it is also being transformed, or at least, it should be in the process of being changed. If you are a Christian then His blueprint for you is that you will become conformed to the image of Christ. He made us in His image and that is His design for each of us.

I John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

He conforms us into the image of Christ by transforming us through His Word. His blood washes our conscience clean and then He renews our mind so that we will act in accordance to His will.

Hebrews 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The Lord wants to transform you through His Word.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

However, if you neglect getting in His Word then He will often bring people alongside you who will share His Word with you. This is the Lord trying to speak to you. They are not as gentle as His Spirit but none the less, they are His instruments for your good.

I Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

If, however, you still resist His Spirit then He will discipline you if you are His child. Now, the Lord says that discipline can be painful but it is for your good. It is because you were not obedient earlier to what He had shown you. The purpose of discipline is to bring you back to Him and get you back on track so that you can become like Him and experience His plan for your life.

Hebrews 12:11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

The Lord has a plan for your life but to fully experience that plan you must stay in His will and continually be transformed into the image of Christ. He speaks to us in three different ways. First of all, He wants to speak to you through His Spirit and His Word. If you do not listen then often He will speak to you through people. If you still do not listen then He will speak to you through circumstances. If you hate unnecessary pain then stay in His Word and when He speaks to you listen. This is one of the reasons why Jesus Christ kept saying when He was on earth, “He who has ears to hear, let Him hear”.

Acts 28:27 For the heart of this people has become dull,
And with their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes;
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.”’

Do you need healing? Do you have areas that need changing? Let Him heal you so that you might be whole again. Let Him change you. His changes are lasting and they are not “turning over a new leaf” by trying harder. He makes you like Christ. Beloved, one day you will be like Him. Do not lose heart.

A Life of Great Peace and Great Reward

This is an incredible life and you will be living life to the fullest when you have great peace. The Lord offers us not only peace but great peace. A person who has great peace will not stumble when things go sour.

Psalm 119:65 Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.

God’s Word is His law and the Lord says those who will love His Word will have great peace.

Psalm 19:7-11 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.

Not only will someone who loves His Word have great peace but the Lord says that there is a great reward in keeping them. These are amazing promises that He offers. Just as in life if something is very important then there is a great reward for it. Even so, the Lord offers a great reward for something that He puts a great value on and that is being in His Word, loving His Word and keeping His Word.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Do you have dreams and desires in your heart that you may have or may not have told anyone. The Lord knows your heart’s desires better than you know them. Often He puts desires in our hearts so that He can fulfill them. However, with His promises there are conditions and the condition here is that you must delight yourself in Him. Delighting in His Word is one way in which you can delight in Him.

Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

Have you been called by His name? Another way of saying that is, “are you a Christian?” If so, then He wants you to find a Bible and devour His Word or read it much and meditate on it. You will find that if you do this then His words will become a joy and the delight of your heart. Don’t wait for the desire to get into His Word or the feeling of wanting to do it. Just do it and then you will find that it will be a joy to you.

A Life with Security

We all long for security. It is a basic human need. However, no other human can offer it and no government or human institution can offer security. Security has to come from something that will never change and something that is much bigger than ourselves. Something that only does good towards us and something that we can trust completely. Something that knows our needs and has the power and knowledge to meet those needs. That “something” is a loving God. There is only one God and He is able. He loves us perfectly and He has the power and knowledge to meet our needs. He never changes. We can trust Him completely.

“Remember this, and be assured;
Recall it to mind, you transgressors.
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; Isaiah 46:8-10

There is none like Him. There is no other God and there is no one else who knows the end from the beginning. Whatever He desires He does and His purposes will be established. He will accomplish all His good pleasure.

The things that you carry are burdensome,
A load for the weary.
They stooped over, they have bowed down together;
They could not rescue the burden,
But have themselves gone into captivity. Isaiah 48:1b,2

The things that you put your security in will become a burden. They will make you weary trying to carry them. They will bring you down into a mental slavery as you seek to make them your security. They will ultimately fail you, whether it is money, insurance, stocks, people, government or any other thing. You will end up being disappointed for they can not deliver you from your insecurity.

“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
And all the remnant of the house of Israel,
You who have been borne by Me from birth
And have been carried from the womb;
Even to your old age I will be the same,
And even to your graying years I will bear you!
I have done it, and I will carry you;
And I will bear you and I will deliver you. Isaiah 46:3,4

Only God can provide security. He will carry you and He will bear you and He will deliver you from the moment you put your faith in Him to the end of your life. The remnant of Israel are those who through faith have received the righteousness of God. They are the true Israel who have been borne by Him, that is, born again by Him.

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; Romans 9:27

Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11

It is those who have been born again into the family of God who are the true Israel. Those who through faith have received Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah. It is through faith in Jesus Christ that we enter into His kingdom.

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:5-7

Those who trust in anything other than Jesus Christ can have no true security either in this world or the eternal world. They will have insecurity in this life and an eternal world of torment in the life to come. Those who have made the Lord their trust will have security in this life and in the next life. They will also have comfort and He will carry them even in their old age. He never changes and His love for those who trust Him never changes.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, I John 4:18a

for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. I John 3:20b

If you are weary from carrying your burdens or from seeking your own security then come to Him. He loves you. He invites all to come to Him because Jesus Christ died for all. He will give you the rest and security that you long for in this life and in the next life.

A Life with Security

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; Romans 9:27

Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, I John 4:18a

for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. I John 3:20b

A Life that Experiences Life

The Bible says that knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. The only way that we will understand life and everything about life is if we know the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. Jesus Christ is life Himself. When we have Jesus Christ then we have life because He is life.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; John 14:6a

When we were created by God, as He creates every human being in their mother’s womb, we were made in His image.

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Psalm 139:13,14a

When we are born then He breathes in us the breath of life. We are made up of spirit, soul and body. The spirit gives life to the soul and the body.

Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

It is with the spirit that man communes with God. God is spirit and made man to have a relationship with Him and to fellowship with Him.

The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the innermost parts of his being. Proverbs 20:27

However, due to sin, man’s relationship with God is broken and he no longer is in communication with God. Man’s conscience is guilty and is no longer clear. His conscience must be cleansed to come into a relationship with God. Man’s conscience is cleansed and cleared through receiving God’s Spirit. Man receives His Spirit through being born again spiritually. When man receives the Spirit of God then he receives the life of God and begins a relationship with God, the Father, through Jesus Christ, by becoming His child.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:6,7

Only God can remove the guilt within a man and cleanse his conscience through His Spirit. The Lord does this through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. When Jesus Christ died on the cross He took the sin of the world by being the Lamb of God. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world, one time for all people, in order that He might bring us to God thereby restoring us to a right relationship with God.

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God I Peter 3:18a

When Jesus Christ was raised from the dead then He received the authority over life and death and He gives life to all who believe in Him. For this reason, Christianity is different from all other religions of the world. All other religions worship and honor a dead leader and are a way of seeking to attain life but can not give life. Jesus Christ is the only One who gives life.

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. John 5:21

Not only does Jesus Christ give life to us in this life but He gives life for all eternity to those who believe in Him. However, not only does Jesus give life to our spirit but He gives life to our soul. Our soul also died when we sinned and it is through our soul that we experience life. The soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions.

The soul who sins will die. Ezekiel 18:4b

The Lord gives us life and He cleanses our conscience when we believe His Word and receive His Spirit. Just as we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior so we experience the life He came to give us by learning to walk in Him.

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, Colossians 2:6

When we keep His commandments and do what He says in His Word then we live the abundant life that He gives to us when we receive Him. When we become a Christian we turn our back on our sin and turn ourselves to the Lord. We must continue to do this so that our souls will experience the gift of the life in Christ. We must learn to live according to His Word and we do this through the power of His Spirit. It is not enough just to hear His Word but we must do it.

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. James 1:21-25

The Lord came to set us free from sin, from guilt, from defeat and all the other negative things that come through sin. He came to give us life. A true Christian will want to follow the Lord and do what He says in His Word. A true Christian will no longer enjoy sin. When a Christian sins, he does not lose his salvation, but he will no longer experience the joy of His salvation until he confesses his sin to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord is faithful and will cleanse him from all of his sin.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:10,12

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9

If you have never received God’s Spirit and been born again then come to Jesus Christ or if you have gotten off of the path of life then come back to Jesus Christ. He will forgive you and He will restore you to Himself.

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. Psalm 86:5

A Life that Knows the Lord

Often people will ask, “How does someone know that they know the Lord?” You can tell if someone knows the Lord by their view of God.

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. Psalm 86:5

The Lord is good and He is ready to forgive and to show His great lovingkindness towards ALL who call upon Him. This is who the Lord is. If a person thinks that the Lord is anything other than this then that person does not know the Lord. It is crucial that we have the right view of God because if we do not then we will not want to come to Him and call upon Him. The enemy, the devil, tries to distort the correct view of who God is. He will put doubts and fears in your thinking or he will put a false assurance or no fear in your mind. The enemy will seek to swing the pendulum either way just as he did with Eve in the garden.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! Genesis 3:1-4

First he tried doubts, “Indeed has God said…” and then he tried false assurance, “You surely will not die!”. In all these generations since, the enemy has not changed his schemes because he knows they work. If he can get someone to respond to his doubtful ideas and lies then that person will sin.

so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. II Corinthians 2:11

The Lord is who He is regardless of what anyone thinks of Him. He is good and no evil dwells with Him. The meaning of evil is to cause grief. We bring grief on ourselves when we respond to the enemy. There is only one response to the doubts and lies of the evil one, who wants to continually cause us grief. We must know the truth. The truth is in Jesus Christ and in His Word. He is the truth and His Word is the truth.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6

Your word is truth. John 17:17b

If we know the Lord then we will want to come to Him. The word “good” means the highest form of love and that is the kind of love that the Lord has for you. The Lord loves you with a perfect love and a perfect love casts out all fear.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. I John 4:18

This is the kind of love that sent Jesus Christ to the cross. A love that we cannot understand but a love that God offers to us if we will call upon Him. He is ready to forgive. He has proven His love by sending Jesus Christ to take the punishment for our sins. His love is perfect.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

God stretched out His arms on the cross for you and for me. He loves the world and whoever believes in Him shall not perish in hell forever, but will live forever in heaven. God’s love is that simple. An offer for love, life, peace, security and unfathomable riches in Christ.

this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, Ephesians 3:8b

We receive Jesus Christ by faith and He comes and lives within our hearts through His Holy Spirit.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

This is my prayer for whoever reads this post, that if they have never come to know the Lord in a personal way, that they will come into that relationship with Him through Jesus Christ and become a child of God.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. I John 3:1a

If you have never prayed to Jesus Christ then here is a simple prayer that can help you as you begin a journey of knowing the Lord and His great love for you.

Dear Lord Jesus, You said that whoever will call upon You to be their Lord and Savior then You will save them. I am tired of trying to run my own life. I have sinned against God and others. Please forgive me of all of my sins and come into my life and make me the person You designed me to be. I surrender my life to You and want to trust you completely. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen