Devotion: You Are Born To Win

Did you know that you were born to win?  We guess the correct thing to ask would be “Did you know that you were born-again to win?”  In order to win, you first have to be born-again, what the scriptures refer to as “being in Christ.”  Therefore, if you be in Christ, then you are born to win.

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

According to this passage, we are not just “conquers,” who are simply able to “overcome all these things.”  No, we are “more than conquers.”  We are “more than victors.”  We are “more than overcomers.”  Paul goes on to say that he is convinced, “fully persuaded” that nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is “in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  There be neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities or rules, nor the things in this present time, nor the things to come in the future, nor the forces of nature, nor the things on high above the earth, nor the things under the earth, nor any other creatures that could separate us from the love of God, which now rest upon us because of what Christ Jesus our Lord did.

Devotion: Always Put God First

God wants to hold first place in your heart.  God wants to be first in your life.  God wants to be the only god that we worship, praise, give thanks to, and serve.  This point is illustrated throughout the scriptures.

“And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exodus 20:1-5).

When God brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt and liberated them from their slavery, he told them they were not to have any other gods before him.  He did not want them worshipping any other gods other than him.  He did not want them to bow down before any other gods besides him.  He did not want them to serve any other gods besides him.  Because he is a possessive God, he wanted to be first in their lives.  Because he is a jealous God, he did not want to share their affections, their time, or any parts of them with any other gods.

The Project: "The Truth Tree"

 

THE TRUTH TREE

The Truth Tree:  ...finding truth amidst the distractions.  ...establishing strong roots based on undeniable truths.

Would you like to establish a better relationship with God?  Would you like to enhance your Christian walk?  Would you like to understand the truth about the scriptures that God has given you?  Would you like to comprehend the truth of the scriptures that comes from a higher level of perception, a higher level of discernment, and a higher level of understanding?

This book was written to help you answer these questions and many, many more.  This book will help open your mind that you might understand, help open your spiritual eyes that you might see, and help open your spiritual ears, that you might hear (Matthew 13:9-16).  “The Truth Tree” will help you do that.

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Devotion: Bad News

Every day is a battle.  No, we are not talking about a physical battle of sorts, but a mental battle, where we are constantly bombarded with information.  Known as “news” to many, this information, produced by “news outlets,” can be good, positive, or productive in its nature or it can be bad, negative, and counter-productive depending on the source.  We know most of you see the availability of this information, this “so-called news” as a positive thing because it allows you to stay informed as to the important things that are happening in the world.  Now we have devices that enables us to be connected to the news sources every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day, in every corner of the world through what is called “news feeds.”  We can even tailor these “news feeds” so that we can constantly have an ear tuned in to the things that we are most interested in and eliminate or skip over those things that do not interest us.  However, the truth of the matter is that all of this kind of information, this “so-called news” from these “news feeds” is actually bad, negative, and counter-productive.  They actually take away more than they give.  Why do we call the “so-called news” from these “news feeds” bad, negative, and counter-productive?

The “news outlets” specifically cater the information they send over their “news feeds” with one purpose in mind.  They want to keep us engaged in their programing so that we keep coming back.  What an interesting word “programing.”  The word “program” means “to set, regulate, or modify so as to produce a specific response or reaction.”  It also means “to cause to absorb or incorporate automatic responses, attitudes, or the like; to condition.”  The “news outlets” set, regulate, modify, and design this “so-called news” so that it, the information itself, will produce a specific response or reaction in us and from us.  Again, the intent of the “news feeds” is to keep our mind engaged in the “news outlets” programing.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

When we follow the behavior of the world, we become like others in the world.  Our thoughts are like the thoughts of the world.  Our actions and reactions are like the actions and reactions of the world.  This is why the scriptures tell us not to be conformed to the patterns of this world and not to copy the behavior and customs of this world.  We are instead to be transformed from all of these things by the renewing of our minds.  When we renew our mind, we change the way we think.  We change the way we think through the word of God.

“My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20:21).

God tells us to pay attention to what he says and to not let his words depart from our eyes.  He tells us to listen carefully to his words and to keep them in the midst of our heart.  This is not something that a person who is being programed by the “news outlets” tends to do.  Since the “news feeds” seldom carry anything that pertains to the goodness of God, the mercy of God, or the grace of God, much less the word of God, then it is impossible to attend to God’s word or to his sayings.  Without attending to God’s word, then we do not change our way of thinking.  Without changing our thinking, we are never transformed; instead, we conform by the programing of the “news outlets.”  This programing will never allow us to learn and know God’s will for us.  It will never allow us to, by experience, have knowledge of the good, pleasing, and complete purpose and/or will of God.  This programming will cause us to lose sight of the word of God and it will never allow God’s word to penetrate deep into our heart.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

God will keep them in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on him and whose thoughts turn often to him.  The “news outlets,” on the other hand have specifically program the “so-called news” that is piped through these “news feeds” to keep our mind engaged in their programing and not engaged in the things of God.  Therefore, transform yourself by the renewing of your mind that you may, by experience, have knowledge of the God’s good news and not the bad, negative, and counter-productive news of the world.  Now that you know the truth, which “news feeds” will you choose to listen to?

We forever pray that our inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Right Standing With God Is A Gift

Not long ago, we discovered that God had already forgiven us of our sins.  For any of us to receive this “abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17) we have to make Jesus Christ our Lord and savior.  When we do this, make Jesus our Lord and savior, we get all of these free gifts that God has to offer; God’s gift of grace, God’s gift of righteousness, and God’s gift of forgiveness.  We know that this is not the message that is being preached in many churches.  They still feel the need to use the law to try to control their congregations by continually making them feel guilty and condemned, but scripture tells us of another way that has no guilt, no condemnation, and is made as available as “a free gift.”

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:23-26).

Scripture tells us that we were all guilty of sinning and falling short of God’s glory, yet God, through his mercy and grace, “freely declared us as righteous.”  When Jesus was presented as the sacrifice for our sin, we were made right with God, declared “not guilty” of offending him, as long as we trusted in Jesus Christ.  Because God wanted to demonstrate his righteousness, his fairness, and his justness, he declared sinners to be right in his sight as long as we placed our faith in Jesus Christ and made him our Lord and savior.  God basically gave us right standing with him in exchange for our faith and belief in Jesus Christ.  But what about the law, wasn’t it given to make us right with God, if we followed it?

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20).  “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all’ (James 2:10).

According to this passage, the law applies to those who are still under the law, those who still try to follow the law, those who try to earn their way into heaven through their own self-righteousness.  However, the purpose of the laws was to keep everyone from having excuses for doing all of the evil things they were doing and to show that the entire world was guilty before God.  There were none that were made right with God, no matter how many righteous things they had done or how many laws they were able to follow.  The law served only to give us knowledge of sin and to show us just how sinful we were.  The more we knew of God’s law, the clearer it became that we were not obeying them at all and the guiltier we became.  The law was unkind and condemning, without understanding and without compassion.  People tried to follow the law, but the problem was that if “they broke one point in the law” and it did not matter which point that was, they were “guilty of breaking the entire law.”  The law simply made it impossible for anyone to be in right standing with God through their own efforts or their own performance.  No one could earn righteousness and the law was quick to point this fact out.  The law did two things, made us guilty before God and showed that we needed a savior.

“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Romans 3:21-22).  “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Galatians 2:16).

According to this passage, God has shown us another way to be made righteous and have right standing with him, that did not include the law.  No longer do we have to keep the standards of the law because “the righteousness of God has been manifested” and has revealed a different way to heaven.  This new way to heaven has nothing to do with us being good or self-righteous and trying to keep the laws, but is an alternative way that was foretold in the law and by the prophets.  No longer do we have to do good deeds according to the law and try to earn our way into God’s good graces and be right with him, because according to scripture “no one will ever be justified by obeying the law.”  Nonetheless, God says, “he will accept and acquit us, declaring us not guilty” if we will just put our trust and our faith in Jesus and in his righteousness as then means to take away our sins.  We can be made right with him and have right standing with him simply by trusting and putting faith in Jesus Christ.  God has made this “gift of right standing with God” available to all and it is the same for everyone who will accept it.

We pray that this inspirational message will be a blessing to you as well as informative.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God Has Already Forgiven You

Recently we talked about how all of mankind was made a sinner because of the actions of one man.  Because of Adam’s disobedience, “many were made sinners” (Romans 5:19).  When Adam fell, the entire human race was “constituted or formally established as sinners.”  We went on to say that even though all of this seemed to be a little unfair, there is more to the story.  We have learned that when it comes to the things of God, things are seldom what they appear to be.  We went on to mention that all of mankind has been given the opportunity to be made righteous because of the actions of another man.  Because of Jesus’ obedience, “many shall be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).  When Jesus died on the cross, the entire human race was given the opportunity to be “constituted or formally established as the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21).  And all that we have to do to receive this “abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17) is to make Jesus Christ our Lord and savior.  When we make Jesus our Lord and savior, we get all of these free gifts that God has to offer.  When we make Jesus our Lord and savior, we get God’s gift of grace, God’s gift of righteousness, and God’s gift of forgiveness.  But what you really need to understand is that before God arranged all of this, he had already forgiven us.

“To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him” (Daniel 9:9).  “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?  he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old” (Micah 7:18-20).  “Come now, and let us have an argument together, says the Lord: how may your sins which are red like blood be white as snow?  how may their dark purple seem like wool” (Isaiah 1:18)?  “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25).

Scripture tells that God is merciful and forgiving even though we have rebelled against him.  This same God is the one who has compassion on us, who loves to be merciful, and who pardons our sins.  This same God is the one who loves to be merciful towards us.  He takes our sins and puts them beneath his feet, then throws them into the depths of the sea.  No matter the complexity our sins, God will make us as clean as freshly fallen snow.  And though our sins may be blood red, God will make them as white as wool.  Because God cannot stay angry with us, he has set his love upon us.  God is the one who takes away our sins for his own sake and no longer remembers them.

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.  But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them” (Psalm 103:8-18).

God is merciful and gracious towards us.  God is full of kindness, love, and pity.  God is slow to anger and does not hold a grudge because his anger does not last forever.  God is like a father who has pity on his children.  He is tender and sympathetic to us who respect, obey, and praise him.  With all that mankind has accused God of, which includes plenty mischaracterizations, God has never given us the punishment that our sins deserve nor rewarded us according to our wrongdoings, but instead has forgiven us.  God’s mercy towards us, those who reverence, honor, and worship him, is as great as the heavens are above the earth.  God has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.  The mercy of the Lord and his loving-kindness is eternal, from everlasting to everlasting for those who love him.

We pray that today’s devotional will help you to understand that God has done his part and has already forgiven you.  Now, you need to do your part and just receive the free gift of forgiveness.  We also pray that this message will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: The Gift of Righteousness

Not long ago, we spoke about sin and its definition.  In that discussion, we gave a definition for the word “sin” as it applied to the passage “For all have sinned, and come (fall) short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and we mentioned that we believed the phrase; “All have sinned” referred to a point in time when everyone sinned.  We found that the only time this could have be referring to, had to be back in the beginning, in the beginning of God’s creation.  The phrase actually points to the very moment when all were in one man, Adam.  You see, when Adam fell, the entire human race was “constituted or formally established as sinners.”

“…by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners” (Romans 5:19).

Because of Adam’s disobedience, many were made sinners.  So you see, the thing that made us “a sinner” was not something that we have done nor is it something that we are doing, but it was something that Adam did.  It was Adam’s sin that caused everyone born into this world to be made a sinner.  We want to restate this fact one more time.  We are “a sinner” because of something Adam did and not because of something that we did or do.  Us being “a sinner” was inherited from Adam and the reason we go out and sin is because we were born with a sin nature.  It is our nature to sin.  Now we know that all of this may seem unfair to many of you, but there is more to the story.

“…so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).

Because of the obedience of Jesus Christ, many can be made righteous.  Just as the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners, the obedience of one man, many will be made righteous.  Now we want to restate this fact again.  We can become righteous because of something Jesus did and not because of something we have done or something that we do.  In the same way we received or inherited our sin nature from Adam, you can receive or inherit our righteous nature from Jesus Christ.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17).

Scripture tells us that if we be in Christ, then we be a new creature or a new creation.  The passage goes on to say that the old things that are, which be our old sinful nature, be passed away and that all things that are left, which is includes our spirit, becomes new.

“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).

Because of what Adam did, his sin brought death to all.  In the same token, because of what Jesus Christ did, his obedience brought forgiveness to many through God’s mercy.  The sin of Adam cause death to be king over all mankind, but the obedience of Jesus Christ gives every man the opportunity to receive God’s gift of grace, God’s gift of forgiveness and God’s gift of righteousness.  Adam’s sin brought with it death and punishment, but Jesus’ obedience brings with it righteousness and acceptability with God.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21).

We know that this may be a hard concept for many to accept, especially since many of you have been taught that we have to do something to earn our righteousness or our right standing with God.  But here is the thing, if you can accept the fact that you were born with a sin nature, inherited from Adam, then based on scripture, you should be able to accept the fact that when you are born again or born from above, you are born with a new nature, a righteous nature passed on from Jesus.  Adam’s disobedience caused many to become sinners, but it was Jesus’ obedience that causes many to be made acceptable to God.  It was God who made Jesus sin for us, so that through him, we might become “the righteousness of God.”  All we have to do to receive this “abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17) is to make Jesus Christ our Lord and savior.  Now how awesome is that.

As you read today’s inspirational message, we pray that it will be a blessing to you and that you will share it with others that they may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW