And we are His branches.
But the health of us as His branches, depends on "our choices to be in vital connection to Him" as our Source.
​

As Christians, most of us attend churches, Bible studies and/or other types of Christian organizations. But what goes on for us spiritually outside of that? We ourselves should have church daily with just us and God, by having fellowship with Him through Bible study, prayer and worship. This is something not taught in many Christian circles.
 
One may think that “I grew up in church and believe that I already know the Bible.” Or maybe “if I go to church or other Christian activities at least once or twice a week, isn’t that enough?” The truth is that it is not enough. Having personal time with the Lord is a matter of spiritual life and death. Becoming a Christian is not like becoming a citizen of a country and now it is a done deal. Not at all. Everyone that becomes a Christian, enters in as a baby. Everyone. Even if one is a preacher’s kid. We all start out as a baby and grow in Christ. And even when a person has stayed faithful and grown in the Lord for even forty years, they still must keep growing. We can grow forward with the life of the Holy Spirit living in us, like the way a grapevine branches out from the main trunk, and as long as it stays connected, it lives and grows. But if the life-flow stops it can get diseased or dry out and die off. The same is true for us, without the real life-flow issuing to us from God, we begin to wither and die. Some have been dead for years and have no idea they are even dead. They have become a religious shell. Having the appearance of a believer, but there is no real life still flowing inside of them or from them. And for anyone that thinks they “have arrived” and know it all about the Bible or anything else, it is important to realize, that a true wise person realizes that the more they know, the more they don’t know. A wise person hungers and thirsts to learn and keep learning, and continues to stay up to date on any subject.
 
The modern church in many parts of the world, has left “growing in Christ” to “visiting a church on Sunday.” Read that sentence again! The devil would like us to be a “milk-toast church” with people who never develop in Christ, and end up in the pits of hell. The Holy Spirit and God’s Word should be our personal standard of measurement. When in church or listening to anything, anytime or anywhere, everything should be filtered through “the Bible in us” and with the Holy Spirit there to help us discern things. But how can we do it, if we do not have the Word of God personally living and growing inside of us, or know how to recognize the unctions and voice of the Holy Spirit? The only way to recognize what is counterfeit, is to personally know the truth. And not the truth because “a pastor says so” or “because we think so,” but the eternal truth because “the Bible says so.”
 
Personal study, personal prayer and personal worship are three of the most vital and important elements to being a Christian and staying alive in Christ, especially in an oftentimes godless and dark world. Outside influences can be good or bad, but the influence that comes from a direct relationship with God’s Word, the Bible, helps us filter all other influences. We must learn and actively apply it to all facets of our lives.  And the relationship that comes from prayer and listening for the unction and voice of the Lord is vital to walking the true walk of a believer.  As for worship, we should realize at all times the value of a mighty God who loves us, who gave His all for us and continues to help and build us up every day, to the point that we cannot help but love, adore and worship Him.
 
Corporate study, prayer and worship are great, but without the personal growth and strength that comes from personal study, prayer and worship, a Christian will not fully develop or live the Christian life to its full potential. Such a person is in danger of poor growth, failing under the pressures of life and spiritual attack and leading to possible failure with eternal death. So let us pursue our life in Christ with all our being through personal study, prayer and worship; and when we finish the race, not only will we make it to heaven but we will have done our very best and been a blessing to the heart and Name of the Lord and have been His faithful ambassador to others!

• John 15:1-8 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in Me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in Me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.”

Eli Cockrell

When Jesus came and laid down His life for us, everything changed spiritually. The following is a short list of some of what happened, but there is no doubt that there is much more than what is recorded here.

Jesus Christ made it possible for us to have true reconciliation with God and to be able to have a right relationship with Him.

• 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

 

• 2 Corinthians 6:18 "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty."

 
The Lord made it possible for us to be born-again.

• Titus 3:5 He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

 

• 1 Peter 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

 
Jesus made eternal life and heaven possible for us.

• John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

 

• 1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

 
He made it possible for us to become the temples of the Holy Spirit which had been impossible for all who lived before Jesus came and sacrificed Himself for us.

• 1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

 

• Luke 23:44-45 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

 
God made us heirs through Christ Jesus.

• Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

 

• Galatians 4:6-7 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

 
Christ paid the debt for our sins that we could never pay.

• Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

• Romans 3:23-26 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

 

• Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

 

• Hebrews 10:19-20 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

 
Jesus set us free from the condemnation of our sins.

• Romans 8:1-2 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. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

 
God loved us even when we were far from lovable, even grossly unlovable.

• Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

 

• Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

 
The Lord set us free from a sinful nature.

• Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

 

• Romans 6:22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

 

• 2 Peter 1:4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

 
Jesus Christ overcame the devil, so we can be free too.

• Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

 

• Ephesians 6:11-12 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle 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.

 
Jesus died for our griefs, sorrows, transgressions iniquities and made peace possible and our healing.

• Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

 

• 1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.

 
God made the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit possible for us.

• Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

 

• 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

 
The Lord made adoption possible for us, grafting us into the olive tree, making the Old Testament promises available for us.

• Romans 11:17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,

 
Through Christ, we were brought out of darkness into His marvelous light.

• John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

  

• 2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 
Jesus made it possible to be delivered from fear.

• 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

 
Jesus Christ brought us real life!

• John 10:10b “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

One of a Christian’s goals is to have a heart that is sensitive to God's voice, His desires, His requirements, to what He teaches and His directions, and especially to His plans for each of us. Unfortunately, we are not always sensitive, and it is possible that in certain areas of our lives, we may become insensitive or even hardened.
 
We can be zealous for the Lord and yet be amazed when God does something for us that we never thought He would do. You may have thought that only a person who lives in sin, who has nothing to do with God, and does not love Jesus, could have a hardened heart. And indeed, we have the example of Pharaoh of Egypt while keeping the people of Israel in slavery. Most of us know about the ten plagues that were struck on the Egyptians, because Pharaoh would not let the people go. The plagues that God sent upon the Egyptians, were the result of Pharaoh’s hardened heart, and God used the situation to show His power and be recognized by the Egyptians and set His people free from Egyptian bondage to be able to leave and worship their God.
 
We often fail to understand that a hardened heart is the result of profoundly not knowing the truth of God's Word. The heart loses its sensitivity when we do not understand how wonderful God is, how deeply He works in our lives, and how great and unlimited His power is to help, transform, grow, and strengthen us.
 
On the other hand, the sensitive heart rejoices in the presence of the Lord, hears clearly and quickly what the Lord has to say, and is ready to respond obediently to whatever God asks of it.
 
In chapter 6 of the Gospel of Mark, we read about the miracle of the multiplication of the five loaves and two fish that fed five thousand men, plus women and children. The Lord Jesus looked up to heaven, prayed, blessed, and broke the loaves and fish, put it all in baskets for the disciples to distribute to the hungry multitude. And not only was there enough for each person, but they were all satisfied “and they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish” (Mark 6:43). It was an extraordinary miracle, and God does not waste anything. The Lord wanted these crumbs to be gathered precisely to demonstrate His power and show how great this miracle was. The miracle of multiplication took place before the eyes of the disciples, because from those baskets each disciple had to feed hundreds of people (each one had to feed at least 500, if there were only a thousand women and children in addition to the men), and each disciple had only one basket that he carried in his arms. There must have been a great multiplication that took place after Jesus divided the 5 loaves and 2 fish into the first baskets and filled them, and it had to be that the Lord continued to multiply the food as the disciples kept distributing it to the people, because there was food enough for everyone to eat and be full. Afterward, as the Lord had them pick up the leftovers, the original baskets were still full!
 
Later when the apostle Mark relates the miracle of Jesus walking on the sea, the Holy Spirit led him to write that the disciples did not understand the miracle of the loaves, because their hearts were hardened.

• Mark 6:51-52 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

 
The disciples did not understand the miracle of Jesus and even Peter walking on the sea (Matthew 14:29). They struggled for hours with the strong wind that was against them and the waves that filled their boat with water, and when Jesus came to them walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and were afraid. Peter had the courage to get out of the boat and walk with Jesus on the water, but it was enough for him to realize what he was doing to start sinking. However, because he reacted correctly and cried out to Jesus, the Lord saved him immediately! And from the apostle John's account we learn something extraordinary:

• John 6:20-21 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

 
It was enough for Jesus to get into the boat for the disciples' torment to end. Through their effort in fighting the wind and waves they covered only half the distance in many hours, but when Jesus joined them, they immediately arrived at their destination! This is a wonderful lesson for all of us!
 
However, even after the second multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord told the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, the disciples did not understand the spiritual meaning of the warning and thought that it referred to the fact that they had forgotten to buy bread. Jesus was actually showing them that their hearts were hardened:

• Matthew 16:9-10 “Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?”

 
It took several warnings from the Lord for the disciples to understand the meaning of the Lord's words. When they reviewed the miracles of the multiplication of the loaves in their minds, their hearts began to be more sensitive to understanding the Lord's messages and the miracles He could perform.
 
To become sensitive to the works of the Holy Spirit, we need to meditate on the miracles performed by the Lord and ask Him to reveal His power to us. By doing so, the Word we read becomes our personal truth, alive and working in us, which helps us become more and more like our Lord. To benefit from all the blessings that the heavenly Father has prepared for us, we must be one with Him, seek Him with all our hearts and desire to know Him more. How could we have fellowship with someone we do not know? Fellowship is bilateral, we give and receive, and have something in common. According to “Strong’s Lexicon,” the original Greek word frequently translated “fellowship” is “koinonia” which “refers to the deep, intimate fellowship and communal participation among believers, as well as their shared relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It encompasses the idea of sharing in spiritual blessings, mutual support, and active partnership in the faith.” 
 
This connection, communion, and fellowship in which we praise the Lord, seek to know Him more intimately, and share with Him our most intimate feelings, desires, anxieties, burdens, traumas, disappointments, frustrations, offenses, resentments, and all that concern us, transforms our hearts. Whether we have this fellowship through the study of Scripture, through praise and worship, or through prayer and conversation, the result will be a sensitive, malleable heart that the Lord can mold to be pleasing to Him and for our greatest good.
 
Carmen Pușcaș

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. - Psalms 18:2

There is a song that says, “on Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” And surely it is the truth. No matter where one lives, the political seas are in turmoil. And life is fleeting. One minute your life is just beginning, and before you know it, you are much closer to the finish line than where you started. It seems to happen so fast.
 
The most important choice any of us can make in life is choosing to follow Jesus. And continue faithfully until our life is done. In so doing, not only will we live a blessed life, even during times of stormy seas, but it will be a witness to those around us, pointing those who will see to Christ, and for those heaven-bound, they will be encouraged and strengthened. It is not that we as believers live perfect lives, it is that believers do their best to please and honor the Lord and when we fail, we repent and get back up. This is the testimony of God living in us and us in Him.
 
To be moral is a nice lesson most people learn in life or even in church. But Jesus changes us from the inside out. We do not want to sin from our innermost beings. If there is only mental morality, then the heart has not been born-again, which is 100% necessary to make it to heaven and also needed to start the true relationship with the Lord.

• John 3:5-6 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

 
We must choose Jesus and accept His pardon for our sins. There is no other way. And then we must continue our lives with Him as our Lord. We must grow in His Word, in faith, in our prayer life, in keeping a heart of intimate gratitude and worship. To live the true Christian life means to be anchored in the Lord. Jesus taught with a parable about a wise man and a foolish one, the foolish one built his house on the sand and the wise one built on the rock. And Jesus said that when the rain, floods and wind came, the wise one’s house built on the rock stood and the foolish one’s fell greatly.

• Matthew 7:24-27 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

 
If the world would have its way, we would have no time for the Lord. We must make the time and keep our thoughts and actions centered on Him daily, filtering all the challenges through His Word as we have learned it and with prayer. When times are great and fun, as well as when times are pressured and difficult, we must stay centered on the Lord. I cannot do it for you, and you cannot do it for your loved one. Each of us must do it ourselves. By being anchored in the Lord, we can face the stormy seas and when the ones in the other boats are watching, they will see us not being blown around recklessly and see the hand of the Lord in our lives. It is critical for the young ones around us to see this, so that when it happens for them, they will know how to be victorious too.
 
There are so many bad examples in this world. Educational systems that lead children away from the Lord, teaching them to doubt the Bible, creation, and any truth that God has ordained. Leaders that commit crimes and get away with it. Social media with all kinds of input, gaming and wasting life away, and all manners of addictions. But! If they see Christians living good lives and repenting when we err, receiving God’s grace and sharing it with others and holding fast to our faith, it will make a difference. Some will get it and some won’t because of the conditions of their hearts, but we must live in a manner where Christ and His principles are seen.
 
Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit. He is the voice of the Lord inside of us and the provider of the power we need to live the Christian life. Without Him we can do nothing. The fleshly nature is inherently evil and the only good it brings is by force and with selfish motives. But thanks to being able to be born-again by repenting of our sins, and receiving the pardon Jesus paid for with His blood and then giving our life to the Lord, we can have the lordship of the evil, stony heart removed and Jesus can reign on the throne of our new hearts. This is life and life more abundantly and the place for the wise person to anchor. Thank You Jesus.

​E. Cockrell

• Colossians 1:9b … do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 
  

 
The prayer of the apostle Paul for the “the saints and faithful brethren in Christ” who were in the city of Colosse is perfect for all of us who love God. Christians who are filled with the knowledge of God’s will no longer have room in their hearts and minds for their own will or the will of someone else. They no longer seek to do what the desires of the flesh dictate, what those around them demand of them, or what the devil likes. It is not just about fully knowing God’s will as an abstract notion, but “in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” When we know what God wants in everything we think, in every reasoning or decision we make, we can live without regret, remorse, guilt, or condemnation. This is the recipe for victory over temptations and everything that can harm us, as well as for the happiness that comes from living an abundant life. And the next verse shows where this filling with the knowledge of the will of the heavenly Father leads to.

• Colossians 1:10-12 That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;  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.

 
Only when the way we think is centered on the will of God, is our behavior worthy of the name of children of God and can we be pleasing to the Lord in everything we think, feel, say and do. Such behavior produces the most wonderful fruits, which are all good and help us to know the Lord of our lives more intimately.
 
Getting closer to God transforms us into becoming more like the One we follow. The strength that comes from knowing our Creator and spending time in His presence equips us with patience and in time, even with long-suffering. Our transformation can be so radical that we may even rejoice while waiting for the fulfillment of our requests, because we know the One we trust in and we believe that He will do everything we have asked according to His will. Because we know our heavenly Father, we truly know that He loves us unconditionally, and we are grateful that He has given us the same inheritance that He has given to all His children, as we are sanctified through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, the Light of the world.

• Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

 
Let us not forget that through Jesus Christ we have been freed from the power of sin, because He died for the sins of all mankind once for all, and when we received the new birth, through faith in Jesus we also died to sin that we might live for righteousness (Romans 6:5-10,18). We no longer belong to the kingdom of darkness, sin no longer reigns over us, therefore we can choose not to sin. God has brought us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. This perfect love that the Lord has for us is not based on our performances but on the eternal truth that God is love. Precisely because He has such a great love for people, Jesus paid the price for our sins. He redeemed us, so that we can be the children of God and sin no longer be a wall of separation between us and Him. The blood shed by Jesus on the cross forgave our sins and reconciled us with God, because He was the perfect sacrificial lamb for all the sins of mankind.
 
Let us never forget how great God’s love is and how much sin cost Him. The Lord has prepared everything we need so that we can overcome the evil of this world and rejoice that we are His. It is up to us to know and believe what belongs to us through Jesus so that we can benefit from the blessings of the Lord’s promises. Let us focus our attention on the truth of Scripture, on what pleases the heavenly Father, and as we know the truth, we become truly free. Christians who are free from the fears, condemnations, and lies that come from the evil one are strong in faith and the more they do the will of the heavenly Father, the happier they are.
 
The most common causes of sadness and anger are caused by what we think, feel, or say contrary to Biblical truth, by the lack of confidence that God loves us no matter what we go through, and by false feelings of guilt. Sometimes we suffer because of the decisions, words, or actions of those around us, and since we cannot change these situations, we must learn to change the way we relate to them. If we learn to take every thought a slave into obedience to Christ, we can more easily overcome the consequences of the wrong actions of others. When we think only about the negative aspects of the situation we are going through and especially how we think it affects our loved ones, we cannot have the firm faith that the Lord is working for us and will use all things together for our good. No matter what we are going through, in the Word of God we find the perfect guidance to know how to react to overcome evil with good, to find peace and balance in faith in our Lord and not give in to the pressures of the evil one. The Word of God has the power to calm our minds, take away our pain, and restore our peace. When we come before the Lord in prayer and honestly acknowledge before Him how we feel, what we struggle with and need, the Holy Spirit enlightens us and reminds us of the verses that give us the solution or puts in our mind what we have to do. By knowing the Word of God, which shows us what His will is, we can live to please our heavenly Father, doing deeds that make us worthy of the name of children of God. And this is the path to victory and true happiness!

• Romans 6:4-7,18 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. […] And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 

Carmen Pușcaș

Without Jesus, there would be no Christmas. Jesus Christ is God’s gift to mankind. Many today have no idea what Christmas is really about and of those who know, some do not even care. The truth is that Jesus is the reason for the season: literally. It is more than social events, lights, parties, trees and ornaments, time off, food and gifts. One can have that anytime if wanted. Or take a winter holiday. But Christmas is about Jesus Christ. We celebrate our Savior, who was born humbly as one of us, who never sinned and gave His life so that we can live. He sacrificed Himself so that we could be born-again and be free from the dominion of the carnal nature, so that we can have true communion with Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
 
Jesus left the splendor of heaven and brought the light to us. Let’s take a moment to appreciate how valuable and important light is.
 
Light draws us. There are certain things in life that just draw us. A sweet baby cooing, beautiful water like a stream, lake or ocean and light, as in a fire. How many people can just sit and watch a fire burn? If you are in the dark, and you even see a shimmer of light, you will head for the light. Light compels us to it. We did not choose the Lord, He chose us and drew us to Him.

• John 12:32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."

 
Light brings warmth. There is nothing like warmth when you need it. It is currently winter, and I put a heat lamp in our well-house to protect it from freezing temperatures. How wonderful is a sunny day with warm sunshine in the middle of winter? Or the warmth of the sunshine bringing the water temperature up so we can swim in a pool or at the beach?

• 2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 
Light dispels darkness. It is a fact. Depending on the strength of the light, darkness has to flee from it. Much of what is evil in the world, waits until the sun goes down to come out. Things really do creep in the night. But God. When His light enters a situation, no darkness can prevail against it.

• Matthew 4:16 “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned."

 
Light illuminates. Who wants to stumble in the dark? Hallelujah for the illumination that light brings, whether it is physical light, mental light or spiritual light, light illuminates. Thank You Lord for Your light that shines in the darkness and keeps us safe. And how Your light, teaches us how to walk on the right path and shows us what agape love is and how to receive it and pass it on.

• John 12:35b “Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.”

 
Without light, there is no life. This world could not go one second without light. The light of the sun is responsible for more than I could write in a book, how much more than I could put here. Everything on earth needs light to exist and live. Without the Lord, people just exist. But with the Lord, light and life come and the glory of the Lord comes upon us as His children.

• Job 33:28 “He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, and his life shall see the light.”

 
Light is life. Darkness cannot produce life, and true life is only found in the light. Jesus is the light, and He is life. He came to deliver us from all darkness and bring us into His marvelous light. Truly.

• John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

 
The Light of the world is a person. And His Name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, Son of man, Emmanuel, Jehovah, Yahweh, Adonais, Lord God, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, El Shaddai, Jehovah Jirah, Creator and Keeper of all life and without Him there is no life.

• John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

 
From the Garden of Eden until today, for all of us, God has provided. We were bound in sin, lost and in dire need of a Savior. And Father God saw our need and made the way by sending His own Son, to become the Lamb that was able to take away the sins of the world. There was no other way, for none of us could ever be totally righteous on our own. We all fall short of the holiness required of the Lord and deserve the consequences of sin. But Jesus came as Redeemer and brought His glorious light into a dark world.
 
Jesus, we celebrate Your birth and delivering us from darkness. You are the Light of Life and Light of the World. Outside of You, there is no light or life. Thank You for being our Light and our life. Lord Jesus, we adore You.
 

​No matter what we are going through or how long we have been struggling with serious problems, the truth of the Bible never changes, and God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His goodness does not vary depending on our circumstances. God showed us His perfect love on the cross when He gave His Son to die for us, so that we could be His. For all of us who love Jesus and are “called according to His purpose,” He causes everything that happens to us, good or bad, to work together for our good (Romans 8:28). In the Bible we find countless evidence of the goodness, faithfulness, mercy, and compassion of our heavenly Father for all of us.
 

• Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

 
The psalmist David wrote that the Lord’s goodness and mercy are always available to us, because “all the days of our life” means that every day is included. The goodness that God has for us represents everything that God wants us to experience. And mercy is, “kindness, compassion, piety.” But do we manage to enjoy what the Lord has for us every day? These terms have been so distorted by the world we live in that we have come to believe that they can rarely be part of our lives. But if we believe that the truth of God’s Word is absolute, this verse says that our heavenly Father has done everything in His power for us to enjoy His goodness and mercy. This means it is up to us to make the right choices and benefit from all that the Lord has for us. God has made His blessings available to us, and when we take possession of them by faith, we dwell in the presence of the Lord forever.
 
Much of the time we are sad and unhappy because we worry about something that may never happen, or we feel offended by things that have no real importance. The more often we choose to feed ourselves with verses that speak of God's goodness and faithfulness, the sooner we may give Him our worries, problems and pains, and choose to be fully satisfied because the goodness, mercy and patience of our heavenly Father accompany us every step of the way. If we know the truth, we will no longer believe the lies of the enemy that he tries to slip into our minds through thoughts that seem to be ours. The Lord wants us to focus our attention on Him and on everything He tells us in His Word, while the devil wants us to look at everything that happens to us in this world and fear everything that is bad.
 

• Psalms 5:12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.

 
God made His Son, “who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (1 Corinthians 5:21). We are the righteous ones who by coming to the Lord have received the righteousness of Jesus. God's favor for us surrounds us like a shield, but the Lord does not force us to receive His protection. If we believe the lies of the enemy or continue to think according to the thought patterns of the evil one, because we have not renewed our minds through the Word of God, we give him power to harm us and thus we leave our Father God’s ​protection. The apostle James wrote very clearly that God cannot do anything evil, nor can he be tempted to do evil.
 

• James 1:13,17 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. […] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

 
God is good. He is also love, and every good and perfect thing we receive comes from Him. And if verse 13 didn't convince us of what our heavenly Father does for us, verse 17 tells us that the Lord does not change over time. He is the same at every moment in time, just as Jesus is.
 

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

 
We can be sure that God does what He promises, He never changes, and He loves us unconditionally, no matter our performances.
 

• Psalms 112:1-9 Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. A good man deals graciously and lends; he will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established; he will not be afraid, until he sees his desire upon his enemies. He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be exalted with honor.

 
Let us meditate on what the Bible says about us, so that we may understand how great God's goodness is and be sure that He wants the best for us. It is important that we visualize the Lord’s promises fulfilled in our lives. Let us see ourselves joyful, healthy, and fulfilled, so that we truly know and trust how good our Lord is so that we “may reign in life through the One and Only, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17b).
 
Carmen Pușcaș

• “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” – Luke 6:45
  

Our spoken words show what is in our hearts. When we use beautiful words that build and encourage, from pure and grateful hearts, we bless others and glorify God. On the other hand, dirty words, curses, insults and criticisms certainly do not come from the Lord and are evidence of unclean hearts. God is not the source of evil. We must fight to keep our clean hearts clean and ask the Holy Spirit to help us.
 
Everything we think, say or do has eternal implications. This statement may seem exaggerated, but if we think about it for a moment, we will realize how true it is. Our words and reactions to everything that surrounds us are based upon what we think. If we allow the thoughts from the enemy to develop in our minds and produce negative feelings in our hearts, then when we are taken by surprise, or caught off-guard, we will find ourselves saying things that we should not say, because “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” By stopping all negative thoughts such as criticism, judgment, or condemnation we can avoid many problems and hurts.
 
If we want to think and speak in a manner that pleases the Lord, we must change our worldly way of thinking with the biblical one and get used to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5b) and to declare its opposite, according to the Bible.
 
The words we speak have the power to create good or evil, life or death, as the next verse shows.

• “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” – Proverbs 18:21

 
This is a most valuable truth pertaining to speech that we find in the book of Proverbs. People who love their tongue, talk a lot, and their words may produce life or death for themselves, as well as for those who hear them. The more we talk, the more we reveal what is really in our hearts to those who hear us. Quiet people are the most mysterious and difficult to classify. Those who speak a lot may cause themselves many problems. Even if they unintentionally say bad things, or what they say is good, it may still seem offensive to the person who hears them, because of their own problems or thoughts.
 
Have you noticed that when we have pleasant conversations on biblical subjects, with other Christians full of the Holy Spirit, who love the Lord, we feel much better not only emotionally but also physically? This is because godly talk produces life.
 
On the other hand, any conversation with critical, unhappy or evil people who have nothing good to say, leave us with a bitter taste and many other unpleasant effects that produce death instead of life.
 
If we ask the Lord to help us be careful about what we say, we can control our speech. Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can speak wisely so that those around us may be encouraged and learn something good from us. The more time we spend studying and meditating on God's Word, the more biblically correct our speech will be. In conclusion, we can be happier if we say what is right to edify and uplift those who listen to us, because we please God and avoid many problems and frustrations.


Carmen Pușcaș

For any true believer, the fact that light and darkness do not mix could hardly be more evident than today. Every day as believers, we are forced to deal with an influx of evil around us in our lives. What does the Bible have to say about it and how do we deal with it in personal situations on a daily basis?

• 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 

 
The Bible may be over 2000 years old, but it is still totally relevant today. Dealing with the push of evil is not a new thing. Noah had to deal with it over 4000 years ago. And not only did Noah have to deal with it before the Flood, but he was alive when his descendants had the rebellion at the Tower of Babel. We learn from that era, that man, after the fall in the Garden, became inherently evil.

• Genesis 8:21 And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.

 
Noah was mocked but he held on to his faith. Thankfully, he was spared of God’s wrath, even if those around him thought he was crazy. Over and over throughout history, God’s people have had to deal with times where evil was in power or the righteous outnumbered. That is why we need to understand what the root of evil is and how to overcome the situations when people hurt us directly, or indirectly by their decisions.
 
Knowingly or unknowingly, evil people are directed by the father of lies, the deceiver, who motivates and manipulates unbelievers into doing his will.

• Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle 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.

 
The kingdom of darkness has a hierarchy, and they use the people who do not have Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We were all born as sinners and only by the new birth through Jesus Christ can we be reconciled with God. Every human being has to deal with the lies and deception of the enemy but for unbelievers without godly discernment, they usually do not even realize where those thoughts and impulses come from. And even when they do, they may fight against it for a while, but eventually they give in, because they do not have the authority that comes from the lordship of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit within them, to overcome sin. It takes the transformation of the inner-man to become a good, loving person. There are unbelievers that seem to be moral and nice people, but only they know how many things they keep secret, because they could not overcome and fell into sin. True victory comes only from the Lord living in us and ruling our lives. This is why unbelievers’ decisions, words and actions can be so evil and hurt us so deeply. But when we realize that the devil and his demonic forces are behind people, it is easier to forgive them and pray for their salvation.
 
Realizing that we have an unseen enemy and how he works, can help us deal with others daily, by seeing the bigger picture. There is no real communion with light and darkness. We interact with each other because of work, school, family and many reasons, but who we serve truly determines how we handle life’s issues. When possible, Christians should choose other believers to marry, do business or work with, etc. because sooner or later, conflict will arise and there will be no real unity. Sadly, many churches do not bring this subject up, but it is of the most utter importance.

• 2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

 
 
Scripture for consideration regarding this subject.
 
Acts 26:18 ‘to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
 
1 John 1:5-7 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
 
For more in-depth study, see the message:
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GODLY AND UNGODLY INTERACTION 
(Understanding the dynamics of the interaction between believers and unbelievers)