God Time

God never stops working, so why should we? God time is not a parsed out piece of our life; as a believer it is our life. We may work and do family things in the world, but wherever we are we need to praise Him and look to the Holy Spirit to guide us and teach us and use us. We must never, never stop doing what He has called us to do. ~ DickEvans.org

His Words

The words of Christ live in our hearts making us wise. And those words came from our digesting His Word and from the Holy Spirit through our relationship with Him. When He places someone in our path, He expects us to see them saved, healed, and discipled. He expects us to open our mouth and let His words speak to others to teach and to counsel them. ~ DickEvans.org

Shout It

The Good News is not something to be whispered in closed rooms or only at church on Sunday. The Good News is for us to shout out just like we shout out our excitement about that last ballgame or movie we watched. We are to tell our story; the story of what a relationship with Jesus has done in our lives. We are to tell the story of Jesus; His birth, death and resurrection. ~ DickEvans.org

One Gospel

There is but one Gospel and we are not to add to it or take from it. It is not a smorgasbord where we pick and choose a few pieces and add to it some dessert from this book and that television series. It is easy to be fooled by those that twist the message a little here and a little there. We need to stick to His Word and listen to His voice letting Holy Spirit teach us and guide is in all that we do. ~ DickEvans.org

The Good News

Galatians 4:4-5 NLT
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.

Father God sent His son to earth to be one of us. Jesus did not come as the Jews thought. He came as human. As an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes that Christmas morning.

He was born as a slave to the law just like all the other Jews. He grew up as any other Jewish boy learning a trade and studying Gods word as was written in that time. Like any other boy in his town, he memorized the words of the prophets.

When it was his time, he was baptized by John the Baptist and all who were present saw Holy Spirit come down and heard Father God speak this words tell Jesus He was well pleased with him.

He was the same as all the other boys and yet as a man of thirty he had never broken even one of God's laws. Not one. He had never sinned. He was sent to purchase freedom for the Jews and for all of mankind.

He spent three years in the age of the law discipling many followers as they heard his teaching and saw the miracles he performed. His close circle of twelve received most of his attention, but others learned as they listened as well.

He laid the groundwork for all believers to come. For all who would be called Christian.

When he was finished with his mission on earth he was hung on a cross, crucified for all to see. This was when freedom was given for all. Freedom from death. Freedom from the penalty of sin. Forgiven forevermore. Freedom from the curse of the law. Freedom from all sickness and disease.

This became the end of the age of law and moved mankind into the age of grace. Jesus paid our debt in full.

The Father, because of what Jesus did for us at the cross. Never sees our sin and has forgiven and forgotten all our past sin. They are as far from Him as the west is from the east. He only see us through his son, Jesus.

All it takes for anyone on earth, no matter what they used to believe, or who they used to follow, is to believe in Jesus and what He has done for us. Believe and receive His salvation and grace forever. Believe and you are born again with a promise of eternity with God.

These are the Father's gift to all who believe. And He never takes back a gift. There is nothing we have to do. No work required. Just believe in He who the Father sent. Believe in Jesus.

This is the good news. God sent his son to purchase freedom for all mankind. This is the gospel of grace. That is the gospel of Jesus.

Feels Good

It is not about what feels good to us. No, the enemy makes many earthly ideas seem wonderful to us for he is an expert in the art of deception. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to lead us and not our own thoughts. We must follow His plan and not ours. ~ DickEvans.org

The Fruit

The fruit of our salvation is not the tribulations we go through. That trouble is the serendipity of living this life in the world, a world that is controlled by the prince of this world. The fruit of our salvation is expressed in how we react to what the world system throws up in our face. ~ DickEvans.org

Spread His Love

Being in a group of unbelievers is not the same as partnering with them; partnering with their beliefs and causes. We are to be a light in dark places, but we are not be overcome by that darkness. We must be careful each day. We must charge our batteries fully and walk forth ready to spread His love wherever He sends us. ~ DickEvans.org

Tell Someone

People become believers of Christ because we tell others about our experiences. We tell others about what our relationship with the Lord has done in our lives. They know it not only because they hear about it; they know it because they can see the difference in us. They hear the Good News and it spreads rapidly. Isn't today a good day to tell someone? DickEvans.org

Example

Do as I say not as I do is something you have probably heard before. You may even have said it yourself. Knowing the right thing and doing the right thing should go hand in hand, but because of our old nature we are in conflict. Others hear what we say and compare it to how we act. They take that one step further and compare our actions to their perception of how a believer should act. As God's children we are not to look to others as example of what to do. We are to look to Him. He sets the example. ~ DickEvans.org

The Catch

The gospel is simple, you say. God is good and He loves me. He wants the best for me. He even sent Jesus down to earth to live as a man to show us His love. He loves us so that He allowed His son to die a horrible death nailed to a tree to take away forever all the sins of everyone on earth. But what's the catch?

In my logical mind there must be a catch. How can it be so simple? God loves me with no condition? It is hard for me to believe when I think of all the not so good, alright even bad, things I have done in my short life.

The world has conditions for everything. We have to take a test to move on to the next level in school. To drive a car. To get a job. There is always an if. If you do this then you can get that. No if with God. He loves us no matter what.

And that is the good news. That is the simple gospel message. There is no catch. Jesus loves you.

Our Walk

As we begin to walk with Jesus we change. It is a different walk; a walk that is no longer of the world. What was pleasing to us then is not even desired now. We change in more ways than we even realize. We are changed from the inside out. We take on more and more of His nature as we let Him in more and more. Our desires change from pleasing us to pleasing Him. ~ DickEvans.org

Sharing

We can get frustrated when sharing the Good News with others. They just don't get it. What God did in our lives is a nice story for them and nothing more. They have been blinded by the god of this world and don't see. They just don't understand the message. But, we mustn't give up. Those that He has called will hear and we do not know who they are. God will touch their hearts so that when they hear our words, they will believe. Never stop telling the story. ~ DickEvans.org

Excellence

By God’s grace we are where we are. And by His grace we can walk that life of moral excellence. We can step forth each day in faith knowing that it is His nature that works in us. As we do that we grow in our faith and in our knowledge of Him. ~ DickEvans.org

Self-control

Where is our focus? If it were truly on God then we would be praying without ceasing and getting to know Him more each day. As that relationship grows, so does our self-control. What happens is our focus on self is moved to a focus on Him. Then self-control is not an issue. The goal is to not only know His nature but to have His nature in us. Having His nature makes us holy and godly. ~ DickEvans.org

Our List

As believers filled with the Holy Spirit, we have a desire within us to obey His voice. But we must be available to hear Him. We must not force that desire to the bottom of our things to do list each day. No, He should always be on top and never checked off. ~ DickEvans.org

Obedience

Living in obedience to God is not about our living up to all the law found in the Old Testament of the Bible. It is good to do that as much as we are able, but even Paul told us he was not able to do so. But as God leads us, as the Holy Spirit gives us direction, we are to listen and obey. That is true obedience. If we don't, how can we truly say that He is our Lord? ~ DickEvans.org

Control

1 Corinthians 7:8-9 NKJV
But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

In this culture we live in today the norm is to have sex for fun even to live together without the bonds of marriage. Sex has become a sport and is used to sell things, to lure people into places and things. A term used in marketing is that "sex sells".

The word speaks of having sex outside of marriage and it says if you can't control yourself with your woman you need to get married. But the key is exercising self-control and God's not gonna do that for us. These human bodies desire things because that's how we are made.

It's up to us to control what we should and should not do. God's not going to stop us. We have to use self-control. When Jesus died on the cross he gave us the gift of grace. The father no longest sees our sin. But that is not a license to do it.

He wrote his laws on our heart (Hebrews 10:16 NKJV) so we would know know right from wrong. It's not about what the culture says is right or wrong. It's about what's on our heart; what we know to be His desires for us.

Father, help me to be the person You may be to be; the person with Holy Spirit living in me. Help me to use self-control whenever I am tempted to veer off of the line that separates my walking in the spirit and my walking in the flash. It is in Jesus name I pray, amen.

Plans

Each day we must awake anxiously awaiting His direction for the day. Our things to do list is a good starting point. We need to be ready to take action based on what we already know. That is a good thing. The key is being ready to change the plan based on what the Holy Spirit tells us as the day progresses. We must be willing to listen and obey. We must point our compass in the direction He leads us. ~ DickEvans.org

Purpose

As believers, our purpose is far more than we can imagine based on our worldly standards. He will accomplish more than we would ever dare to ask or hope through us, if we just walk forth in faith and let Him. ~ DickEvans.org

Choice

By choice we must turn from the world’s evil ways and let God transform us into His image. We must choose to want the mind of Christ. We must let Him change the way we think. As we do we truly can be a new person in the world and no longer the old person that was of the world. ~ DickEvans.org

Future

We already know the end result. We are believers and therefore our salvation is secure. What lies ahead is a deeper relationship with God. That is what we have to look forward to. It is in that deeper relationship that our future lies. As Paul said, just forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead. ~ DickEvans.org

Baggage

At the Cross, Jesus took all our baggage and dumped it. He took all our sins and all our stuff on Him. He turned us from filthy rags to pure priests. Now that we have become brothers and sisters of Christ, it is up to us to not make a practice of sinning. It is up to us to choose His way and not the evil way. We must listen to Holy Spirit as He guides us knowing that Christ holds us securely so satan can have no hold on us. ~ DickEvans.org

We Choose

Daily we have to choose what we allow in and what we keep out. We choose how we react to others. We know how we should be; regardless of how we feel in this human shell we are in. We have to choose to care about others whether or not we feel any affection towards them or not. When we reach out in Love; God will be right there to help us express His Love. ~ DickEvans.org

What is Permitted

I understand I am under God's grace, but what am I permitted to do? Everything is permitted, but not everything is profitable. I am reminded of the scripture that tells the Gentiles what they should stay away from. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8)

The Father no longer sees our sin. That is true. But that does not give us a license to sin. When we sin it affects others in their walk with Christ. They see us do something that is wrong and they feel it must be OK, if we're doing it. This is why our walk is so important; that it stay on the straight line.

We may veer off the path and do something tempted by our own past memories. His grace covers us, but there are consequences to all our actions. As mentioned above, sometimes those consequences are the effect those actions have on others. Other times there are consequences in this culture that we live in; some things are not permitted. But the biggest consequence is that as we sin we not only realize that we've done so, but by doing so we've walked away from God and opened up a door for satan.

Wonder why you seem to be under a lot of attacks from the enemy? Perhaps it's that you are walking with God some of the time. And other times you're doing those things that you know you shouldn't do leaving little holes for the enemy to gain access.

We can command things out in the name of Jesus. But if we leave the door open, even just a little, they or others can get back in. So it's time to start thinking about what we're doing. Where are we going wrong and leaving doors open for the enemy to play with our lives?

As we turn back towards God and walk in the truth all these burdens, sicknesses, and disease fall away because Jesus took them all at the cross. As we faithfully walk in the spirit and stop remembering all those good times we had doing things we know we shouldn't do, our lives are less and less burdened.

I'm not saying it's easy as each of us has to deal with this on a daily basis. But the more we walk in the Spirit the more our mind is being renewed to be the mind of Jesus. We have Holy Spirit living in us. All the authority and power, all the thinking, all the wisdom, all of Jesus is in us. And yet we rely on our old memories as we try and fix things with our own understanding.

Called

God called us all, good and bad. He looked past the imperfections that were so obvious to others. He knew us beyond them. He saw the potential in us and considered us trustworthy. He appointed each of us to serve Him. ~ DickEvans.org

Tempted

The fact is we live in this world and we are tempted daily to be of this world. We need Holy Spirit’s guidance in each and every step we take. We must make right choices all day every day. Our relationship with Him must be 24/7 and not just 2 hours or less on Sunday. ~ DickEvans.org

Puzzle Piece

Have you ever put together a puzzle? Each piece is unique. Each has a place to fit. We are like that puzzle and there is one piece left to fit in. And no matter how hard we try to push and squeeze, there is only one piece that fits. That void can only be filled with God's Love. Once you have it, the emptiness goes. With Him you will never be empty again. ~ DickEvans.org

His Promises

God never turns off His phone or lets the answering machine take the call. No, He says what He means and means what He says. His promises are yes, and Amen. ~ DickEvans.org

Let Him Speak

We need to watch our mouths. We need to be quiet so we can get what God has for us to get. We need to let Him speak. After all, He is the source of all knowledge. Communications is two way and through it relationship can occur. Let's make our time with Him two way so we too can develop a strong relationship with Him. ~ DickEvans.org

Relationships

Relationships

By Dick Evans, 11-29-2016

Over the past couple of weeks I have posted a number of brief writings on relationships. This is the expanded and complete writing all at once...

Ephesians 5:25-27 NKJV

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

We are the sons and daughters of God. We are His church, the bride of Christ. And He is grooming us to be a pure bride without spot of blemish for our wedding day with Him.  

Speaking of weddings and therefore marriage. It is wonderful to live in America where husbands and wives live under Biblical principles.

A marriage succeeds when these principles are followed, even when the participants are not Christians. When they treat each other with love and respect. When each realize that their happiness together is not 50-50. That each is 100% responsible for the outcome.

I can't imagine living in another area of the world where wives are treated like servants created to serve their masters...their husbands.

Genesis 2:22-24 NIV

Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

I hear some men quoting from Genesis to point out that woman was made of man and therefore man is superior. They miss verse 24 that tells us a man and a woman join in marriage and become one flesh. Together we are one. And yet we treat each other as though we were treating our self. Sure, there may be tasks in this earthly life that are more suited to one than the other because of experience or God given talents.

I used to counsel couples and thought the man should always be in charge of the finances. I had roles in my head based on how I grew up and nothing else. I found out that it is more important to discover the talents each have and encourage them to use them in building their life together. Often the wife is better at managing the finances. In some relationships the man is better at keeping an organized home. There is no list of what duties a wife must do and a man must do. It is a 100%-100% relationship. Find out what works and work it.

Television has been a poor example for us over the years. Back in the last century many shows depicted the woman as taking on all the inside work at home and slaving over the husband. He would come home from a day at work and fall into the sofa with a drink in his hand expecting to be waited on. And today's shows have the man at home raising the kids while the wife earns a living. The way I see it, neither are good examples of successful marriages.

Ephesians 5:22-33

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Another scripture where men only read the first line or two. Wife submit to your husband... But what does submit mean? I believe it means to listen to, to have open communications with. It does not mean as a slave does to a master. So submit to Christ, but not as a slave, but as His bond servant because together we are one with Him.

Then, if the man should read it, Paul goes on to explain that men are to love their wives as Christ loves us, the church. To love their wives as their own bodies. And that he who loves his wife loves himself. And the wife must respect her husband. Marriage is about the two becoming one and this does not just happen. It takes love, yes, but also communications and a love of Christ as the center of it all.

Let us remember that in Christ we are all equal. Male and female. In heaven as well. Made to worship the Father in all we do.

So men, remember the words of Christ in Matthew 7:12: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Treat your woman as you would like her to treat you or expect her to treat you like you do her. Treat her with the love of Christ in word and in action.

Colossians 3:18-19 NIV

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

How often is a man harsh with a woman or a woman harsh with her man? In many relationships this is a daily occurrence. Words once spoken cannot be taken back and hurt for a long time. Often these harsh words cut deeply into a relationship and it takes a long time for trust to return. Without trust there is a big hole in any relationship even to the extent that the relationship can no longer continue.

How often to we seek God’s face, but because of things we have been told in the past through wrong teaching, we wonder if we can trust even Him? Yet God is trustworthy. He never lies and will never cause anything to harm us. He loves us unconditionally no matter what we do. And isn’t this how our marriages should be? We pledge to love and honor each other until death do us part. Is it time to live up to that pledge in your relationship?

1 Corinthians 7:3-5 NIV

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Sex is a topic of everyday life in our crazy current culture. Advertising campaign are designed with the fact that “sex sells” and our television shows and movies are filled with innuendoes and even explicit scenes.

God gave us our bodies and it is alright to do what you want with them, you say. This a truth mixed with a lie from satan. Men and woman were made for each other and to take pleasure in each other physically and spiritually. We are committed to each other in a bond blessed by God, in marriage, and we are to yield to each other as the two become one flesh. It is not about the man or the woman but of the one they have become.

If each partner is focused on pleasing the other, the union is complete. If one withholds from the other it gives a door for satan to come and destroy what God has blessed. This often leads to adultery or worse. Satan can make the worst sound like the best. He is a liar and a destroyer of lives and marriage. So beware of his temptation. Love your partner in all ways.

Hebrews 13:4 NIV

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

We live in a culture, in a world, where everyone seems to listen to WIFM or the “what’s in it for me” station. They do many things for their own pleasure. They are often self centered and self righteous.

If in our marriages we only looked to please our spouse there would be less issues, especially in the marriage bed. But too many are only interested in being pleased by the other. And when that happens one person comes away unfulfilled.

And when one is unfulfilled there is a big door for satan to step through and suggest some of these websites promoting adultery. They are geared to attracting men or women whose “needs” are not being met in their marriage. Often singles are drawn in as well because they can be “fulfilled” without being concerned about a long term relationship. And everyone is doing it, you think, so why would it be wrong?

This becomes the beginning of the end of a marriage. It becomes the beginning of the end of an entire society. Sexual immorality is not of God just because it feels good. As a born again Christian you know better then to fall into that trap of satan. We may be able to excuse away that feeling we have, but in our heart we know better.

But what about grace? How does grace come into play when we knowingly sin?

Our sin is forgiven forever. Grace covers us when we sin. And yet our lives are to be holy as He is holy. How can that be if we continue to sin?

As we walk with Christ we build our relationship with Him. There is no sin in Him and when we continue to walk in sin we do not get as close as we could to Him.

Jesus is looking for a pure clean bride. As we sin we remain dirty. He still loves us. He still covers us with His blood. He still protects us. We still walk in His grace. Yet we know we want to be closer to Him. To do that we cannot continue to walk in known sin.

And sexual sin is the worst. What we look at on our computers may be hidden from the world but He knows. It is sin.

What we do behind closed doors may not be visible to others. But He knows because He is in us. He forgives our sin and yet He knows our sin.

We are already forgiven but confession of our sins is simply agreeing with God that we need to let go of the sin we are dealing with. We need to recognize the change we need to make

Lord help me to be a pure bride. Help me to not remain in the sinful positions I have allowed in my life. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Humility

God wants us to eliminate all false superiority between us. Bank president and rubbish collector and school teacher and file clerk and single mother and Pastor and maintenance man; we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all equal. Our status in society has nothing to do with our relationship with Jesus. We all have an equal opportunity to have the same relationship with Him. He awaits it expectantly. It is up to us to initiate and pursue it and even that takes humility on our part. ~ DickEvans.org

Blessings of God

2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

God's blessings are all around us. His promises throughout the Bible are ours because of what Jesus did on the cross. They are yes and amen.

But why do you ask do bad things happen to me. And to others. It is not that his blessings are not there for us to grab hold of. No it is because of our sin as we walk this earthly walk.

Yes the Father does not see our sin. Satan does. And this opens up doors for him to send his demons in to disrupt our lives causing chaos and sickness.

Too often as Christians we get caught up thinking about his mercy and his grace. Yes his grace is upon us. Our sins are forgiven and remembered no more. We live under grace. His mercies are new every morning. He loves us unconditionally.

This does not give us a license to sin even though God does not see us doing so. Satan does. So the straighter walk we walk the more sinless walk we walk the closer we walk with him.

What is sin? It is anything that takes our focus away from God in our walk with Jesus. Anything that is not filled with his love as we interact with others is sin.

Although we are not bound to them for our salvation or to live under God's grace the 10 Commandments and the Old Covenant laws are good guides for living our lives free from sin.

As the apostle Paul said about living under grace we do what we know we should not even though we know what we should. And we know what we should not because we know god's word and what is right and what is wrong.

Lord help me to stop doing what I want because it feels good, because it satisfies my flesh. Help me to walk the walk you have for me, the walk Holy Spirit attempts to guide me into each day. Shield my thoughts so I can only feel what you feel and see what you see and want what you want. In Jesus name, I pray.

What's In It For Me

We live in a culture, in a world, where everyone seems to listen to WIFM or the “what’s in it for me” station. They do many things for their own pleasure. They are often self centered and self righteous. If in our marriages we only looked to please our spouse there would be less issues, especially in the marriage bed. But too many are only interested in being pleased by the other. And when that happens one person comes away unfulfilled. And when one is unfulfilled there is a big door for satan to step through and suggest some of these websites promoting adultery. This becomes the beginning of the end of a marriage. It becomes the beginning of the end of an entire society. Sexual immorality is not of God just because it feels good. As a born again Christian you know better then to fall into that trap of satan. We may be able to excuse away that feeling we have, but in our heart we know better. Jesus is looking for a pure clean bride. As we sin we remain dirty. He still loves us. He still covers us with His blood. He still protects us. We still walk in His grace. Yet we know we want to be closer to Him. To do that we cannot continue to walk in known sin. Hebrews 13:4 NIV ~ DickEvans.org

Lost Sheep

In church we have to be careful that we look to that one lost sheep instead focusing always on the many. The many may pay the bills, but that is not where God is looking. He wants us to pay attention to the needs of all and have compassion on them. If one is lost, we need to find them and care of them. Each and every one of His children is important. Each and every one deserves all His attention and ours, as He leads us. ~ DickEvans.org

One Flesh

God gave us our bodies and it is alright to do what you want with them, you say. This a truth mixed with a lie from satan. Men and woman were made for each other and to take pleasure in each other physically and spiritually. We are committed to each other in a bond blessed by God, in marriage, and we are to yield to each other as the two become one flesh. It is not about the man or the woman but of the one they have become.  1 Corinthians 7:3-5 NIV ~ DickEvans.org

Example

It is good to be excited for our new brother or sister in Christ; the new believer. What we need to be is an example to them of His love, and welcome them on His behalf. ~ DickEvans.org

Pledge

How often is a man harsh with a woman or a woman harsh with her man? In many relationships this is a daily occurrence. Words once spoken cannot be taken back and hurt for a long time. Often these harsh words cut deeply into a relationship and it takes a long time for trust to return. Without trust there is a big hole in any relationship even to the extent that the relationship can no longer continue. God loves us unconditionally no matter what we do. And isn’t this how our marriages should be? We pledge to love and honor each other until death do us part. Is it time to live up to that pledge in your relationship? Colossians 3:18-19 NIV ~ DickEvans.org

Upgrade

John 14:26 NKJV

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 things that I said to you.

We seem to be inundated with upgrades to our computer software and even cell phone apps. We use and are satisfied with what we have but they are always making it better. Often the changes come with something new for us to learn. We can't do it the old way anymore. 

As humans, we were born as version 1.0. And we live for years learning all the Ins and outs of who we are. Many of us come alongside another and together move forward doing as we have learned. Version 1.0. 

Then we receive Jesus into our life. We get an upgrade. We are born again. A new and improved version of the same physical person. Version 2.0. 

And we just can't do things the same. We have a helper living in us who teaches us all things. No longer do we have to learn who we are and how we should act. He guides us in what we say and where we go. 

But there are still pieces if that old code lurking in us. Pieces of Version 1.0 that would love to take over. They give us thoughts like "it is okay to do this or that. It is okay to use those words. It is okay to be doing what used to be fun." Version 2.0 knows better. 

We need to run from all version 1.0 ways of thinking. We need to trust in the upgrade and follow the leading of Holy Spirit. 

Submit

Another scripture where men only read the first line or two. Wife submit to your husband... But what does submit mean? I believe it means to listen to, to have open communications with. It does not mean as a slave does to a master. So submit to Christ, but not as a slave, but as His bond servant because together we are one with Him. Then, if the man should read it, Paul goes on to explain that men are to love their wives as Christ loves us, the church. To love their wives as their own bodies. And that he who loves his wife loves himself. And the wife must respect her husband. Marriage is about the two becoming one and this does not just happen. It takes love, yes, but also communications and a love of Christ as the center of it all. Ephesians 5:22-33. ~ DickEvans.org

An Example

We should be a good example of others to follow in all that we do. It is time to stop separating our church activities and the world around us. We live in the world and they should see the believer in us. We are not to have a dark side in the world and be a light only at church. No, we are to be the light for others all day, every day. ~ DickEvans.org

Marriage

We are the sons and daughters of God. We are His church, the bride of Christ. And He is grooming us to be a pure bride without spot of blemish for our wedding day with Him. Speaking of weddings and therefore marriage. It is wonderful to live in America where husbands and wives live under Biblical principles. A marriage succeeds when these principles are followed, even when the participants are not Christians. When they treat each other with love and respect. When each realize that their happiness together is not 50-50. That each is 100% responsible for the outcome. I can't imagine living in another area of the world where wives are treated like servants created to serve their masters...their husbands. (Ephesians 5:25-27 NKJV) ~ DickEvans.org

Go

In Mark 16 He tells us to go into the entire world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. That those that are saved will lay hands on the sick and see them recover. Yet many of us are sitting back enjoying the fact that we no longer have to worry about our ultimate destination; sitting back waiting for His return. He gave us a task to accomplish. We are to go about our Father's business, just as He did when He walked this earth. ~ DickEvans.org

Wisdom

Even with all the wisdom we can handle, we need another attribute. We need good judgment or discernment. If we cannot tell right from wrong or good from evil in a situation, what good is our wisdom? Each day let's ask Him for wisdom in all that we are to do that day and for the good judgment to know how to apply it. ~ DickEvans.org

The Gift

Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

When we want to do something we have not done before we usually read up on it first. We might even get a book or a tutorial on the subject. The more informed we are the better chance we have of success. So true in life, but not in Christ.

How hard many work to get to the point in their lives that they feel they can ask to be saved. But Jesus did not come and walk the earth and go to the cross for us to work. He said to His disciples when they asked what work they should do that the only work is to believe in the one the Father sent and that is Jesus.

Well OK, you say, but I have to make myself worthy before He will accept me into the Kingdom. Wrong. None are worthy, but all are called to be sons and daughter of God. All are called to be saved, to be born again. Our current condition or past deeds have nothing to do with it.

Jesus went to the cross so all could be saved; all forgiven; all healed. None are worthy. All have fallen short. But our condition does not matter. There is nothing we have to study or work into to become born again. It is a free gift. Believe in He who the Father sent, believe in Jesus as the son of God, and you are saved. You receive the gift of salvation. Your sins are forgiven and never seen again, forevermore. And you also receive the gift of His Grace forevermore; God's unmerited favor.

Father God, thank you for sending your Son Jesus to come and show us the way. Thank you for Your gift of salvation. Thank you for your gift of Grace.

The Magnet

When the chips are down and life turns around on them, people reach out. They reach out seeking a solution and when they can't find one, they are ready to reach out to God. We are all born into this world with a compass that points to Him. But the pull of evil is so strong in the world that we forget it is there. Go out into the world, into the marketplace, let His love shine out. Be that magnet that causes their compass to point to God. ~ DickEvans.org

Infiltrate

I believe we are called to infiltrate the dark places of this world; we are on a covert mission to seek out those that God is ready touch. We are to let His light shine through us, not blink Jesus on a well intentioned baseball cap. We are to be sheep among wolves. We are to walk with discernment through the enemy's camp always listening for the Father's voice. ~ DickEvans.org

Divide

Being a Christian divides us from others in the world. It can also divide us from family and friends. We cannot have one foot in our old ways, our old life, and the other foot with Him. It is one way or the other. It is both feet first. We have to be willing to give up the past to reach our future in Him. How hard this is for many. The sword cuts deep sometimes even within our own family. God must come first in all that we do. ~ DickEvans.org

Born Again

When we took that step of faith and reached out for Jesus’ hand and believed, we were saved. At that instant in time we became born again. Our sins, past, present, and future, were washed away and we started our new life in Christ with a clean slate. At that moment we were given the opportunity to begin our salvation journey. Even though we all continue to fall short, He continues to give us His grace and unconditional love. As we realize our mistakes and thank Him for His forgiveness, He continues to show us His unconditional love. ~ DickEvans.org

Stand Firm

As shaky as our legs might be, God will enable us to stand firm when His words are pouring forth from our obedient month. That is the key, being obedient to the Holy Spirit. When that happens, we touch those we are destined to touch. It has little to do with the amount of information we received in our education and has everything to do with revelation that leads us into our transformation. ~ DickEvans.org

A New Person

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior, we become a new person. But it is so hard to give up that old life and those old friends and the things we did together. Unlike switching jobs, we are changing from the inside out while we remain at the same job with the same people. We are not transported to a new place. No, we have to become a new person while remaining at the same place here on earth. Let's make today the day that His light shines brightly through us in our actions and words. ~ DickEvans.org

Relationship

You really can’t know someone by reading about them. You can only discover the combined opinions of man. To know someone, you have to have a relationship with them. To know Jesus you have to have a relationship with Him. Relationship is not a one time event; it is a lifelong commitment. ~ DickEvans.org

New Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:6 NLT
He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

Our Bibles tell the story of the beginning of both the Old and New Covenants. We tend to view them as the Old and New Testaments, but as it has been revealed to me, the Old Covenant was still in force until after the Cross.

The New Covenant is not a codicil to the Old; not something added to the Old. Jesus fulfilled the Law, the old written covenant. You see the laws showed the children of God what sin was. And all the promises in the Old had conditions attached that related to those laws. It was kind of like "Be good and I will bless you with this promise."

But Jesus died on the cross as us, each and every person on the earth from the beginning of time through the end of time. He took all sin upon Himself. He fulfilled all the law, all the conditions of the promises in the Old. And all those promises are for us to walk in.

The age of law ended and thus the Old Covenant ended. The age of grace began for all mankind. The New Covenant began. No longer are we bound by law to enter into the Kingdom of God.

Like salvation, grace is a gift. The only requirement to come under the Grace of God is to believe in Jesus; to accept Him as our Lord and Savior. This wonderful good news is available for all of mankind no matter what they have been like during their human life here on earth.

Jesus gave us the command to Love one another and the commission to go into the world and preach this simple message of salvation, this good news, to all. I believe it is time to stop talking about it and go and do; time to walk the walk.

Outbursts

Outbursts of love and good deeds are not just to be a thing of the mind, but of the heart. As we become more and more Christ like, the fruit of the spirit becomes more and more prevalent in our lives. It is this joy and this love for His children that prompts us to the good deeds for others, believers or not. ~ DickEvans.org

The Walk

We must be careful not to follow in another’s footsteps just because they have taken a certain path in life and seem to have success. It is our walk with Jesus that counts more than the worldly success. If we walk the path He has for us, we will reach the end He has for us and that is true success. ~ DickEvans.org

God’s Words

Listening to the Truth, to God’s words, is more than just taking them in with our ears. It is more than being entertained or enlightened. We must live our lives according to what we have heard. His words are a prescription for us to take. As we listen and obey, we grow; we take on more of His nature doing the work He has for us to do. ~ DickEvans,org

Be Productive

We should be productive members of society, not just productive members of a church. The Great Commission directs us to go into the world, and that is not the world of believers only. No, that is the world we are to be productive in. It is through our productive lives that God will open up opportunity after opportunity for us to help others. It is up to us to ask Him to show them to us and guide us into helping them. ~ DickEvans.org

Jesus Saves

Each one of us has a ministry that God has given to us. We are all called to serve His children and to bring the world the message of the Good News of Christ. We bring the message and He will save those that He has made ready. ~ DickEvans.org

Rules

Rules are only as good as those that are obeying them. They have no affect on a person's evil thoughts and desires. They can't change the way someone thinks. They simply help a good person to not cross the line. They don't bring back those already on the other side. As we grow in our relationship with God, He changes us. As we take on more of the nature of Christ, our desires line up with His. ~ DickEvans.org

Burdens

Galatians 6:2 NLT
Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

As brothers and sisters in Christ, and I am speaking of believers as Paul is in Galatians, we are to encourage each other and share the good and the bad with each other. When others are in need, we pitch in to help out. When they are hurting we give them comfort.

Sharing does not mean taking on their burdens as if they were ours. We do not take ownership of them. We support them in their journey through them encouraging them in who is with them seeing them through to the other side.

Perhaps we bring them a meal or two. Maybe we give them a needed ride. We might even give them a place to sleep. But we do not take away their responsibility to do for themselves. Doing that would be feeding into a spirit of entitlement. And that would not be helping them be free of the burdens in their life.

Father thank you for using me to help my brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you for pointing out there need and giving me a way to help that does not feed into a spirit of entitlement, but encourages them to take responsibility. May my life be a reflection of Jesus and may Holy Spirit guide me in all things. In Jesus name I pray. Amen!

Growth

The growth that we are looking for is not worldly growth. The growth we want is Spiritual. It is growth in our walk with God. That kind of growth doesn’t come from the internet, books, teaching series, or association with others that have achieved. As we build our relationship with Him, we receive the nourishment we need to grow into the person He destined us to become. Let’s take the time to be with our Father God today. ~ DickEvans.org

Exercise

It just makes sense that we should get as much spiritual exercise as possible while we are awaiting our eternal journey. The closer we are in Spirit to God now, the better a life we will have right here on earth. And the closer a relationship we have with Him now, the greater our rewards in heaven. Let’s take the time for spiritual exercise today. ~ DickEvans.org

The Task

Our task is to bring the gospel message to the lost. We only defend the message by speaking the Truth, not by trying to logically convince through our own words. God saves and God’s Word will always rise as the victor. We need to stick to the task and stay away from those that try to pull and push us in other directions. ~ DickEvans.org

Listen

We need to keep our conscience clear by clinging tightly to our faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit will guide us into all Truth, steering us in the right directions and keeping us away from the popular issues that could shipwreck our faith. We need to do is listen and obey. ~ DickEvans.org

Ears ro Hear

We were commissioned to preach the gospel message; to tell about the Good News. When we simply do that, those that have ears to hear will listen and God will call them to salvation. It is then that they will call out to Jesus and be saved. ~ DickEvans.org

Opportunities

As we go about our lives each day Holy Spirit will guide us and open up opportunity after opportunity for us; opportunities to bless others and for us to be blessed. All we have to do is stay focused on Him, listen to His voice and act on what He tells us. ~ DickEvans.org

His Plan

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

When I was getting started on my own I had many plans. I was not even looking at the far future, but planning for my short term (it felt like long term at the time.). I wanted to make something of my life to provide for my family and give us a good life. I knew God was always with me, but I was not pursing Him or His plans. I had never been told He had any for me.

Well those plans of mine turned out to be very short lived. After all, they were my plans. Plans my wife and I had made so seriously. I was progressing in the work arena, but was forgetting about reaching out to God. And all those plans crashed and burned. Maybe you have been there, too.

Wish I could say I learned something, but I continued on with my own planning. And that went on for years until in one day God made himself very real in my life. I saw with my own eyes Jesus perfuming a miracle in the body of my wife. The doctors had nothing to do with it. She was totally healed of an incurable disease she had lived with for decades.

Jesus died on that cross for each and every person on earth back then and for all future persons. He took on himself all the debt they have accumulated or will accumulate. He brought us out the age of law and ushered in the age of grace. Salvation is at hand for everyone. It is a gift given with no strings attached. Grace is a gift as well. We cannot earn either gift and we cannot lose either one either. All we must do is believe, believe in the one the Father sent. Believe in Jesus as the son of God, that died on the cross, and then rose from the grave to live forever in each and every believer.

Thank you Father for the free gifts of salvation and grace. Thank you for sending your Son to die for me. Thank you for your unmerited favor on my life, for your grace. Help me to hear Holy Spirit as He guides me down the path You have for me to fulfil the plans You made for me before the earth was formed. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Growth

Growth doesn’t come from books and videos and conferences; it comes directly from the application of God’s Word in our lives. The Sunday morning service, the Bible study, or the small group does not produce growth; it should stimulate us to seek God’s face. As we focus on Him and our relationship with Him, we will be fed. It is through that nourishment that we will become strong and growth will occur. ~ DickEvans.org

Opportunities

As we walk our daily walk in the world, God will present opportunities to us. He will show us those that need healing, those that need friendship, and those that are ready to hear the gospel message. It is up to us to keep our ears tuned in to Him so we can make the most of every opportunity He presents to us. ~ DickEvans.org

Worthy of Praise

If we are not thinking about things that are pure and lovely and admirable it is probably has something to do with who we are hanging around with, the television shows and movies we are subjecting ourselves to, and the books we are reading. It is pretty simple when you think about it in these terms: Hang around with a thief and you will soon be thinking it is fine to be one. Think about it. As we spend our time with those that are honorable and right, those that are doing things excellent and worthy of praise, then we will be also. ~ DickEvans.org

No Debate

God doesn’t want us to debate the truth with others, intellectually deciding what is right and wrong. He wants to teach us as we read His Word and communicate with Him. He sent Holy Spirit to guide us into all Truth. But there is more than just receiving a revelation of the Truth. We must use the Truth we have learned from Him. ~ DickEvans.org.

Focus

God wants us to focus on Him. Sin is more than doing something that we know to be wrong; it is doing anything that takes our focus from Him. He wants us forward thinking, focused on His plan for us. He wants all our energies on our relationship with Him, on our walk with Him, and on our obedience to His voice. When our eyes are on Him we can focus forward with excitement and anticipation. ~ DickEvans.org

Give it to God

Giving it to God is an easy thing to say and it is a difficult thing to do. Because of what we have read in His Word and what we have learned from other Christians, we think we know exactly what God would have us do; exactly how we are to act and do for others. We give it to God, and then we tend to help God by doing what we know He would want us to do. But trusting Him means waiting on Him. It means depending on Him knowing that nothing else you could do would work, knowing that He will come through. And that depends on Faith. ~ DickEvans.org

Persecution part 2

Matthew 5:11-12 NLT
God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

You may have started to read this scripture and thought about all the drama around you and how people may have you as their topic of the day. But as you read on you see that this is about our relationship ship with Jesus and stepping out to share Him with others either in words or in action.

When out in the world we come against the enemy, the evil one. As we become Jesus to the world around us the enemy over their lives is not happy. We become the target of many who want nothing to do with the truth.

Our walk on the right side is not always an easy one. Like Paul, we too have our thorns in our side. We have people of the world against us. People shooting arrows at us. But we are covered by the blood of Jesus. We have the grace of God on everything we do; His Favor.

When people come against us as we move out to fulfill the commission Jesus gave us we praise God. If we are not being persecuted perhaps we not walking the walk.

Give it to God

Giving it to God is an easy thing to say and it is a difficult thing to do. Because of what we have read in His Word and what we have learned from other Christians, we think we know exactly what God would have us do; exactly how we are to act and do for others. We give it to God, and then we tend to help God by doing what we know He would want us to do. But trusting Him means waiting on Him. It means depending on Him knowing that nothing else you could do would work, knowing that He will come through. And that depends on Faith. ~ DickEvans.org

The Fruit

As our relationship with Christ grows so does the fruit of our salvation. The evidence of relationship is in who we are and how we respond to others all around us – believers and nonbelievers. The changes in us are attributed to God and that gives Him the glory and the praise. Because of Him our lives change as we become more and more like Jesus; as we take on more and more of his nature. ~ DickEvans.org

Our Requests

Like we are parents to our children, God the Father is to us. He listens when we call out to Him and we can be confident that He will respond. Our focus in life is to be on Him. If that is true, then our requests will be lined up with His will. When they are, He promises He will fulfill them in the timing He knows is right for us. ~ Dick Evans.org

Relationships

When we are in a relationship with another it should never be about right and wrong. He wants us to be kind to each other, to give grace always. He wants us to listen and respond out of love for each other rather than having to always be right. Christ came and died on that cross so that our sins would be forever forgiven by God. Shouldn’t we be forgiving to each other as well? ` DickEvans.org

His Power

As believers, we have Holy Spirit under the covers. He resides within us. His power is at work in our lives when we turn the control over to Him. We hold the on/off switch. We can keep Him hidden and render Him useless by not listening to Him; by not allowing Him to comfort us and guide us. By releasing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. It is through each and every one of us that God is manifesting His awesome power today. ~ DickEvans.org

Set Apart

Those that have faith in Jesus are set apart as God’s people. God had to open our ears before we were able to hear. Then, when we heard the messenger God sent to us, we turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. The “proof is in the pudding”. Just being good does not make us a believer, so do not judge someone’s level of faith on what good they appear to do. You cannot make people Christians; you can only be a Christian to them telling your story to all who have ears to hear. ~ DickEvans.org

Persecution

Matthew 5:11-12 NLT
God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

Don't rock the boat. Turn the other cheek. Sticks and stones... And I am sure there are many others that come to mind about
Not letting what others say have an effect on you.

We tend to want to be liked by others. And sometimes we let them bring us down paths we know are not for us to travel on. Their language and innuendos can easily bring us from walking in the light to darkness. We are tempted because we want to please them.

We avoid bringing up Jesus and what He has done in our lives to avoid confrontation. We want happy. But the world's happy is far from true happy. That can only be obtained as we walk with Jesus.

As we boldly go where many believer dare not we are mocked and persecuted. We put on the full armor of God. We let them say what they will but we put on spiritual duct tape and just listen. We don't argue with them or we can be pulled into their web of deception.

Thank you, Jesus for going to cross making it possible for me to receive the grace of God and walk in it all day every day. For being protected by your blood and having your authority and power to command the enemy out of my life. Thank you for the great reward that awaits me in heaven.

Judging

Who are we to criticize a child of God? That is not in our job description. When we judge, we are falling into sin; we are going against His will. He is the only Judge. He alone decides right from wrong and our job is to obey His commands. ~ DickEvans.org

Exercise

Digging deep in the Word of God and applying it to our daily life gives us the experiential knowledge we need to be the worker He has called us to be. As we listen to His voice and obey Him, we exercise in a whole new way. We exercise our faith in Him. Our walk with Him is a grow as you go deal. He will never ask us to do something we cannot do. With Christ within, we will have the endurance to do all that He calls us to do. ~ DickEvans.org

Dependent

As we go forth telling our story, it is easy to turn it into an oration about what we have done and how great we are because of our accomplishments in life. It is easy in a society that promotes individuality to forget that we can do nothing without God. We have to remind ourselves that we are not independent from Him. Quite the contrary, we are dependent on Him in all we do, in all we accomplish. ~ DickEvans.org

True Happiness

God has given each of us talents, things that we are good at. It is in the pursuit of these things that we find our happiness in work. However, all work and no play can be just as dangerous as laziness. We must allow time to be with God and to enjoy the style of life He has allowed us to have. When we are on His path for us, we can enjoy true happiness. ~ DickEvans.org

Communications

No matter how good communications becomes, it will never replace being with someone. You cannot stand back to back and conquer when you are miles apart. There is more to communications than mere words said or texted. Being with someone, face to face, is a different experience and one that is easy to drift away from in today’s high tech society. First, we must work on our relationship with our maker, our Father God. It all begins with our communication with Him. ~ DickEvans.org

His Will

As our relationship with God grows, we begin to understand that all those earthly desires are of little importance in the big picture. What really counts is what His will is for our lives. We may have had our plan, but it is God’s plan that we are following now. ~ DickEvans.org

Growing

Philippians 1:9-10 NLT
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.

We know that to be hired in a position of any kind we need to be able to prove that we have had a certain amount of education. The higher the level we have obtained through hard work and study, the better that position might be.

So we are fed knowledge over the years we spend in school. As we walk out in the jobs we get in the workplace, we gain experience and that is the most valuable piece. It is our experience that drives us to the next level in that profession. We move from dishwasher to cook to manager. We move from janitor to supervisor over them to supervisor over other areas in the same company. We move from pumping gasoline to managing the station. Experience positions us for the next increase.

God's word tells us that Holy Spirit teaches us all things. He guides us as we walk this earthly walk. But that is not all we need to do. Our Bible is the source of all truth. And I believe He speaks to us through the words on those pages. This is why it is referred to as the living word.

I can read the same words tomorrow and fresh revelation can jump out of that page and touch my spirit, changing how I think and act. And it is in the action that we gain experience. It is in taking a risk to step out into the unknown for us knowing that God will be right there with us. He takes the lead and we let Jesus use our hands and feet and mouth to do the impossible.

As we take action, we gain experience. And experience gained is never lost. It is out stepping stone to the next level in our walk with Jesus. As we go, we grow.

Logical

Logic is an important part of our makeup. Things have to fit into a pattern for us to accept them. Only God can help us believe the unbelievable. It is only He who can help us accept the truth no matter how it differs from the reality we know. Even then, it takes Faith on our part to grab a hold of it. When we step out by faith to do what He tells us to do, untold miracles can unfold right before us. ~ DickEvans.org

Reflection

It is so important to watch what we think and what we say. In all things we should be a reflection of Jesus who is within us. It should be Christ’s nature that others see in us and as we lean on Holy Spirit for guidance we will grow more and more and be closer and closer to Him. Whatever we send out is received and resent in one way or another. Every action has a reaction. And love is reflected in love. ~ DickEvans.org

Ttransgressions

Just because we are saved does not mean that we are free from sin or free to sin. Our sin has been forgiven. The slate was wiped clean when we gave our lives over to Him, when Jesus died for us on the Cross. As the Holy Spirit opens our understanding about those transgressions we fall into, we are to listen and repent. We are to change our ways as we discover our error. This is a daily task for each of us. ~ DickEvans.org

The Source

The best source for all we need is God’s Word. We should be eating it up every day, pouring through its pages as He leads us. He will show us what we need to know to walk the walk He has destined us to walk. ~ DickEvans.org

More

Growing up we learn that more is good; that the more you make the more you have. Now that I am older in life and in my walk with God, I realize that having more income does not mean having more. If what we do with out income it is simply to satisfy our own desires, those desires born out of the latest marketing campaign or by a need to do better than our friends and neighbors, we will always have less then we need. We will always be pushing for more. We will always be in debt. We are to take what God provides for us and use it wisely; it will enhance our lives and the lives of others. ~ DickEvans.org

Wisdom of Experience

We are all experts on some things and ignorant of others. In most of our endeavors, someone else has gone down that path before us. We must open ourselves up to their wisdom of experience as God places them in our path. Above all, we must listen to the Holy Spirit. He will guide us to those that can speak into our lives giving us the encouragement to press on. ~ DickEvans.org

Acceptance

Romans 15:7 NLT
Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

It is a good thing there was no background check when I decided to accept God's gift of salvation.

Think about it. When we go for a job interview we have to prove we are qualified before we even get our foot in the door. Then there are tests to take and interviews. Even after we are hired there sometimes is a trial period where they can let us go without recourse.

Imagine having to do that to get into the Kingdom of God. Under the old covenant that is exactly what happened. That was the age of law. Obey them all and you might get in. Miss one and you started over.

Under the new covenant we are in the age of grace. There are no background checks or interviews. We simply say from our heart "Yes Lord. I believe."

He accepts us right where we are at in our life, no matter what our past has been like. He gives us forgiveness from all sin, freedom from our past, and a guarantee of our future. And His Grace covers us forever.

Thank you, Jesus for all you did for me at the cross. Thank you for my freedom.

Prosperity

Prosperity does not always mean finances. We prosper as our soul prospers. As we prosper, He will fill us with riches in many ways; He will fill us with wisdom, understanding, and more. So let us start right now with God and allow Him to direct our steps away from idleness. ~ DickEvans.org

Perfection

God wants us to look to Him first. When we let Him be in control and go before us each day, we walk in His perfection. We can never reach perfection no matter how much we try. Only through our dependence on Him can we walk in it. ~ DickEvans.org

The Messenger

God looks to the heart. As we reach out to Him, He fills us with more of His nature and as we go about our daily lives, He gives us a message for those that we meet. No matter what our success level in society, we become His messengers. ~ DickEvans.org

Courageous

We should always stand firm in what the Lord has for us to do, true to what we believe. We are to be courageous. This does not mean to pretend to be Superman and leap tall buildings or bend steal. I believe it speaks to the fact that He can have us do things that seem beyond our human capacity; He removes our human limitations. He wants us to step out and speak up. However, in all we do, He wants it done with love. ~ DickEvans.org

Spread the Message

We are to spread the message everywhere we go. Some will hear and heed the message. Some will ignore it. Others may even strike out at the messenger. None of that matters. All that matters is that we obey the command to take the gospel message, a message of repentance to all the nations. ~ DickEvans.org

The Good News

Jesus gave each of us the commission to spread the Good News everywhere we travel. As we tell others the story of how our relationship with Him has changed our lives, and how there is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to Him, we are doing the work He gave us all to do. ~ DickEvans.org

Give Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. 

As we have received the gift of grace we must also give grace to others and forgive them when they say or do something that could offend us.

Offense nurtured breeds bitterness. Bitterness will kill you. It is a cancer to your soul. With bitterness comes anger. It is not part of our new life in Christ.

God has saved us by grace not by works. We are forgiven. His word tells us that He remembers our sins no more.  They are as far away from Him as the east is from the west.

We need to be walking in the spirit not in the flesh. In the spirit we think with the mind of Christ.

As we allow our mind to draw from our old self we pull away from the mind of Christ. We let others offend us and pull us out of the spirit.

Satan works hard to tempt us into those old thoughts. Tempt us to go back to those things our old self enjoyed. Tempt us back into old relationships.

That life is over. We cannot go back. Our New life is in Christ. He has a path for us to go on. We need to let go of the dead past life and walk in our new life. Let go of those old friends. Stop the lifestyle we lived before Christ.

Father, thank you for showing me the path you have for Me to follow. Thank you for steering me away from the ways of my dead life. Thank you for wisdom and boldness to speak the truth to others. To use me to heal the sick. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.