Jesus says about His sheep:
John 10:28-30 “28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.” We love finding comfort in the above verses, but what did He say in the preceding verse? ”My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”(John 10:27) The original term for “hear” is “akouó” (“ἀκούω” in the Greek alphabet), which according to “Thayer's Greek Lexicon, STRONGS NT” 191, means: to yield obedience to the voice: (οἱἀκούσαντες namely, τῆς φωνῆς); and is used like that in John 5:25, John 10:16, 27, John 18:37, Revelation 3:20. The verse is translated in other versions as: “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” (NIV and NLT) It is not enough to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and He sacrificed Himself, for us to become “sheep of the Lord." After we receive the seed of God's Word in our hearts, our spirits become born again. We have to have such a real relationship with Jesus, that we hear and recognize His voice... and not just hear, but obey. Only after we quit making decisions lead by our flesh and soul (mind, will and emotions) and we start seeking the Lord for counsel and applying His wisdom and guidance then we live more obedient lives and become more Christ like. God knows everything about us, but He never forces us to share it all with Him. It is up to us to do it so that we can have a deeper and better relationship with Him. John 6: 37-40 ”All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jesus is actually saying that no one, not even the enemy, can steal us out of His or Father's God hand; but He doesn't say anything about "our will" here. In other words, as long as we want to stay close to God, no one and nothing can convince Him to give up on us. What a marvelous truth! Jesus also says that God's will for us is to be His for eternity! God created man for this purpose. Our time on earth, prepares us for eternal life. Our whole existence is a series of tests and trials, so we prove our love and faithfulness for God. We grow as we pass the tests by trusting God and obeying His will. I have heard some say they don't care for Heaven, that it is a boring place and not for them. God would not force anyone to do something against their will. Why would He force someone who doesn't love Him or care to be around Him, to spend eternity in Heaven, in His presence? So what am I saying here? We can't be sure if we are saved? Oh yes, we are saved, as long as we love God and live in obedience to Him. Sincerity, obedience, genuine love, fear of the almighty God, passion for the word, prayer and worship are all essential keys in keeping our salvation to the end. The point is, that if when we die, we are not standing right with God, it doesn't matter if we served Him most of our life. It is not how we start that counts but it is how we finish that matters. Our Lord God is certainly worthy of our love, dedication, adoration and obedience! He loves us so much that "He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) Thank You Lord God! Carmen Pușcaș
0 Comments
Colossians 1:9b
"...ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" Our behavior reflects how much we know God. It takes Holy Spirit revelation to understand and get the deeper meaning that God has for us in the Word. Without the Holy Spirit, no one, can get what God really wants us to find in the Bible. To be filled with the knowledge of God's will and of the spiritual understanding is huge! How can we please God if we have no idea what He likes or dislikes? What is right or wrong to Him? What brings joy or pain to His heart? We learn God's will and more about who He really is, by studying His Word and spending time with Him. The more we know Him, the more we become like Him and the happier we get! We have the tendency to become like those who we spend time with. 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”' The opposite is also true. The more we spend time with our Lord (praying, worshiping, studying the Bible, soaking in His presence), the more we become like Him! While in God's presence, we can't sin, on the contrary, makes us want to repent of every sin we ever committed. Repentance is the key to receiving Jesus' righteousness. How can we be pure without sin, unless we repent first? Repenting means to sincerely and deeply regret the sin, to ask God to forgive us and to help us stay away from it in the future. When we truly repent, we no longer want to do the very thing we repented of. We have to love God more than sin, to please Him. We are tested all the time and we have to make right decisions, in the course of a day, everyday. The more we know God's will and what pleases Him, the better decisions we will make! In so doing we find the abundant life that Jesus came to bring us. Colossians 1:10 ”that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" The true purpose of the Christian life is to live to please God. Why? It's simple. Pleasing God means living right which brings all God's promises into fruition for us. This means living full, blessed, satisfied and protected lives. God's hedge of protection surrounds those who love and obey Him. God's commands are for the benefit of those who keep them; we do ourselves a favor and stay out of trouble. Deuteronomy 7:10 "Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.” Colossians 1:11-12 “strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” By reading our Bible more and growing in our relationship with the Holy Spirit, we will have more access to God's power, we'll become more patient, we'll be more fruitful in good works, happier and more thankful for everything. What an awesome reward we have in Jesus, because of His sacrifice for us, to be heirs, considered holy in Christ's light! The more we realize these truths, the more we become aware of the fact that there is no good reason to remain sad, depressed, fearful or unsatisfied! Praise God! Carmen Pușcaș |
BLOG BY DATE
REJOICING IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES 01/05/21 COME UNTO ME 12/8/2020 THANKFULNESS 11/22/2020 WHAT IS LIFE? 10/30/2020 DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU 9/18/2020 WE FIND "THE REST" WE NEED IN THE LORD! 8/13/2020 WITH GOD, WE CAN FILTER WHAT WE RECEIVE? 7/24/2020 THE ANCHOR HOLDS 7/9/2020 TODAY "I CHOOSE" JOY 6/23/2020 OUR EMOTIONS IN TROUBLED TIMES 5/26/2020 BIRTH PAINS OF A ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT 5/12/2020 TEST ALL THINGS 4/22/2020 PERFECT PEACE 3/31/2020 IS THE COVID-19 VIRUS A SIGN OF THE END TIMES 3/22/2020 KEEPING OUR PEACE AND JOY 3/15/2020 GOD SENDS HIS ANGELS TO HELP US! 2/28/2020 GOD KNOWS! 1/14/2020 WHEN JESUS CAME! 12/23/2019 CHAINS OF SMOKE 11/11/19 FALL IS IN THE AIR 9/29/19 WHY IS IT SO CHALLENGING TO REMAIN CONSTANTLY VICTORIOUS IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK? 7/18/2019 LITTLE THINGS 7/1/2019 IT MIGHT BE THE RIGHT TIME FOR SOMETHING TO CHANGE 5/16/2019 FULLNESS OF JOY 3/6/2019 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN UNEQUALLY YOKED? 2/1/2019 LIFE AND LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY 1/14/2018 FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT 12/4/2018 THE PRODIGAL SON 10/11/2018 WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE 9/19/2018 JESUS DID NOT FALL INTO TEMPTATION 7/16/2018 GOD'S LOVE IS IMMEASURABLE! 6/6/2018 THE DEVIL HAS NO POWER OVER CHRISTIANS 5/18/2018 THEN THEIR EYES WERE OPENED 3/26/2018 ENDURANCE! 02/15/18 HEALING IS GOD'S WILL 1/27/2018 THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 12/19/2017 OUR REJOICING IN THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH 12/6/2017 THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 9/18/2017 IS BAPTISM BY WATER A COMMAND OR NOT? 8/26/2017 HEALTHY FEAR - UNHEALTHY FEAR 6/25/2017 WHAT DO WE TRUST IN? 6/13/2017 BE WATCHFUL, AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN 4/19/2017 GOD IS ON OUR SIDE! 4/11/2017 AWESOME GRACE 2/26/2017 WHO PAID MORE? 2/6/2017 "IT IS HARD FOR YOU TO KICK AGAINST THE GOADS" 1/29/2017 JESUS SET ME FREE... AGAIN! 1/10/2017 NO ONE IS ABLE STEAL US FROM GOD'S HAND 12/15/2016 LIVING TO PLEASE GOD! 12/7/2016 WHY DO WE HIDE GOD'S WORD IN OUR HEARTS? 11/9/2016 TRULY BELIEVING - ELIMINATING DOUBT 10/14/2016 HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT PROMISES ARE VALID FOR THE GENTILES TOO? 10/14/2016 CHOOSING FAITH INSTEAD OF DOUBT 10/12/2016 THE WAR BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN WITH MAN IN THE MIDDLE 10/7/2016 LORD GOD IS MY REFUGE! 10/6/2016 GOD'S PROVISION FOR THE AGED 9/17/2016 DOES IT MATTER HOW WE LIVE? 9/7/2016 THE THORN IN PAUL'S SIDE 8/26/2016 WALKING ON THE WATER 8/25/2016 WHATEVER IS TRUE... 8/6/2016 LIFE WITH JESUS IS WONDERFUL! 7/29/2016 WHY PRAY? 7/14/2016 PRAYER IS COMMUNICATION WITH GOD 7/13/2016 FLESH OR SPIRIT? 6/7/2016 THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD 5/23/2016 GOD'S WILL FOR MANKIND 3/30/2016 THE TRUE MEANING OF FOLLOWING CHRIST 2/13/2016 WE NEED THE PRESENCE OF GOD 1/29/2016 THE PRICE OF SEPARATING FROM GOD 1/21/2016 THE IMPORTANCE OF TRULY "KNOWING" GOD 12/5/2015 HAPPY OR SAD 11/23/2015 JESUS IS THE TRUTH 9/3/2015 FREE IN JESUS 8/22/2015 GROWING IN THE LORD 8/11/2015 ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN TO YOU 8/11/2015 CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY 8/7/2015 BLOG BY TOPIC
BIBLE - THE WORD OF GOD ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN TO YOU 8/11/2015 GOD'S PROVISION FOR THE AGED 9/17/2016 HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT PROMISES ARE VALID FOR THE GENTILES TOO? 10/14/2016 THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD 5/23/2016 THEN THEIR EYES WERE OPENED 3/26/2018 WHY DO WE HIDE GOD'S WORD IN OUR HEARTS? 11/9/2016 CHRISTIAN LIVING BE WATCHFUL, AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN 4/19/2017 DOES IT MATTER HOW WE LIVE? 9/7/2016 DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU 9/18/2020 ENDURANCE! 2/15/2018 FLESH OR SPIRIT? 6/7/2016 FULLNESS OF JOY 3/6/2019 FREE IN JESUS 8/22/2015 GOD'S WILL FOR MANKIND 3/30/2016 GROWING IN THE LORD 8/11/2015 HAPPY OR SAD 11/23/2015 HEALING IS GOD'S WILL 1/27/2018 HEALTHY FEAR - UNHEALTHY FEAR 6/25/2017 IS BAPTISM BY WATER A COMMAND OR NOT? 26/82017 "IT IS HARD FOR YOU TO KICK AGAINST THE GOADS" 1/29/2017 IT MIGHT BE THE RIGHT TIME FOR SOMETHING TO CHANGE 5/16/2019 LIFE WITH JESUS IS WONDERFUL! 7/29/2016 LIVING TO PLEASE GOD! 12/7/2016 LITTLE THINGS 7/1/2019 LORD GOD IS MY REFUGE! 10/6/2016 NO ONE IS ABLE STEAL US FROM GOD'S HAND 12/15/2016 OUR EMOTIONS IN TROUBLED TIMES 5/26/2020 REJOICING IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES 01/05/21 THANKFULNESS 11/22/2020 THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 12/19/2017 THE DEVIL HAS NO POWER OVER CHRISTIANS 5/18/2018 THE PRICE OF SEPARATING FROM GOD 1/21/2016 THE PRODIGAL SON 10/11/2018 THE THORN IN PAUL'S SIDE 8/26/2016 THE TRUE MEANING OF FOLLOWING CHRIST 2/13/2016 THE WAR BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN WITH MAN IN THE MIDDLE 10/7/2016 THEN THEIR EYES WERE OPENED 3/26/2018 WHATEVER IS TRUE... 8/6/2016 FAITH & TRUST KEEPING OUR PEACE AND JOY 3/15/2020 CHOOSING FAITH INSTEAD OF DOUBT 10/12/2016 THE DEVIL HAS NO POWER OVER CHRISTIANS 5/18/2018 TRULY BELIEVING - ELIMINATING DOUBT 10/14/2016 WALKING ON THE WATER 8/25/2016 WHAT DO WE TRUST IN? 6/13/2017 GOD: THE FATHER, SON & HOLY SPIRIT CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY 8/7/2015 COME UNTO ME 12/8/2020 GOD IS ON OUR SIDE! 4/11/2017 GOD'S LOVE IS IMMEASURABLE! 6/6/2018 GOD'S WILL FOR MANKIND 3/30/2016 HEALING IS GOD'S WILL 1/27/2018 JESUS DID NOT FALL INTO TEMPTATION 7/16/2018 JESUS IS THE TRUTH 9/3/2015 THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 12/19/2017 THE IMPORTANCE OF TRULY "KNOWING" GOD 12/5/2015 THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 9/18/2017 WE NEED THE PRESENCE OF GOD 1/29/2016 GRACE AWESOME GRACE 2/26/2017 JESUS SET ME FREE... AGAIN! 1/10/2017 WHO PAID MORE? 2/6/2017 WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE 9/19/2018 HEALING HEALING IS GOD'S WILL! 01/27/2018 LOVE OF GOD FULLNESS OF JOY 3/6/2019 GOD'S LOVE IS IMMEASURABLE! 6/6/2018 MISCELLANEOUS FALL IS IN THE AIR 9/29/19 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN UNEQUALLY YOKED? 2/1/2019 IS COVID-19 A SIGN OF THE END TIMES 3/22/2020 THE ANCHOR HOLDS 7/9/2020 WHAT IS LIFE? 10/30/2020 WHEN JESUS CAME! 12/23/2019 PRAYER PRAYER IS COMMUNICATION WITH GOD 7/13/2016 WHY PRAY? 7/14/2016 STRENGTH AND PERSEVERANCE BE WATCHFUL AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN 04/19/2017 CHAINS OF SMOKE 11/11/19 ENDURANCE! 02/15/2018 JESUS DID NOT FALL INTO TEMPTATION 7/16/2018 PERFECT PEACE 3/31/2020 THE DEVIL HAS NO POWER OVER CHRISTIANS 5/18/2018 TODAY "I CHOOSE" JOY 6/23/2020 WE FIND "THE REST" WE NEED IN THE LORD! 8/13/2020 TESTIMONY, DREAMS, ETC. JESUS SET ME FREE... AGAIN! 1/10/2017 Archives
January 2021
Categories |