the Light of the world

God has not promised skies always blue,
flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God has not promised sun without rain,
joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God has promised strength for the day,
rest for the labour, light for the way,
grace for the trials, help from above,
unfailing sympathy, undying love.

5And this is the message [the message of ^[a]promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [^[b]no, not in any way].

6[So] if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are [both] speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth [which the Gospel presents].

7But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

8If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts].

9If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

10If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].

I love the amplified bible. It speaks so boldly and loudly, emphasizing whatever is most important, clearing all doubts.

This passage, read it carefully, cant you see? The Lord is telling us to walk with him! And to confess our sins. Not only our sins. Everything. Tell God everything. He doesn't find it boring at all toe know every single detail. Also, confess our sins to our brothers and sisters. As we tell each other of our day, the sins that we did, we let light shine upon the skeletons in the closet. And not only will we be more relieved, we receive forgiveness and ministry, we also have fellowship (vs 7)! God has every good thing planned. And He says, as we enjoy fellowship, Jesus's blood "purifies us from all sin."(NIV) Amazing huh.

What are you waiting for. Call up a close brother, share a little of your life.
Nothing is too much to share for God already knows all. And still He loves you.

Every wondered when is God happy?

Proverbs 23:15-16

My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad;
my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.

Make God happy. (:

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patience in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:11-12

Ever wondered what does Patience in Affliction mean?

patience - (adj)bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like.

So patience in affliction means - being calm, bearing everthing with fortitude and without complaint or anger.

Patience, Lord, teach me patience.

If you seek to be justified and declared righteous and to be given a right standing with God through the Law, you are brought to nothing and so separated (severed) from Christ. You have fallen away from grace (from God's gracious favor and unmerited blessing).
Galatians 5:4

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Phil 3:8-9

So here, God speaks so clearly, that if we seek to be righteous through the law, we are SEVERED from Christ! What a terrifying though!
But explained in philippians, We should not seek righteousness in the law for in the law there are sinners, but by the strips of Christ and the blood He shed, we are considered sin-free and righteous and worthy to stand ranked higher than the angels. Even Paul knew that everything else is rubbish and he rather lose the righteousness before the law for he knows that it will sever him from Christ. He follows the righteousness from God so that he may know come to greater know Christ Jesus.

Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old.
Isaiah 43:18

So God did not say forget. He says do not earnestly remember. He does not expect you to be able to clear your memory. But he does encourage us to let it go and not remember it.
For remembering the old hinders us from doing new things.

Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:19

Something fresh and new awaits.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ.
Philippians 4:6-7

Yes Lord, by prayer and petition I shall commit my burdens and worries to you. And Lord send your Holy Spirit to dwell within me and around me. That your peace may be felt by me 24/7.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Yesterday in cell, Kristie pointed out how we sometimes dont know who to hear. And Bird said its true, that sometimes the world's wisdom could sound wise and righteous as well. And today I stumbled upon this passage, one that would clearer state how to handle the situation when we do not know if the spirit is the spirit of God.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

Many people do not know the true meaning of Love. And the true meaning of Love is not of fondness or warm affection as in the dictionary. But the true meaning of love is more than that. No one really know what love is until they truly know the character and personality of God. The meaning of love is in God and through his ways and his words we know of love. I'm seeking to know what this love is about.

Read about this, how God created our body with this protein that is meant to HOLD our entire body together. And look at what it looks like: our cross. And if you analyize, there's the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, tangled into one.

The Supremacy of Christ
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 1:15-17

Indeed, one blessing after another.

-Good results.
-Sufficent income.
-Permission to go church camp.
-Learning of the truth through leading my sheeps in youth.
-Healthy and harmonious family.
-Growing bond with church friends.

All because God comes first...

13 Shout for joy, O heavens;
rejoice, O earth;
burst into song, O mountains!
For the LORD comforts his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me,
the Lord has forgotten me."

15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!

16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me.

Isaiah 49:13-16

Even in the hardest times, do not forget the Lord is by your side.

The Duck & the Devil

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.
As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching!

Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch the next day Grandma said, 'Sally, let's wash the dishes.' But Sally said, 'Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.' Then she whispered to him, 'Remember the duck?' So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.'
Sally just smiled and said, 'Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help.' She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?' So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer.

He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, 'Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you... I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.'

Thought for the day and every day thereafter?

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)...whatever it is...You need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven.

He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but He forgets. It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.

While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly.
Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a noble and lovable and generous benefactor someone might even dare to die.
But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.

Romans 5:6-8

How true. Would you choose to die for a righteous man? The chances of a man dying for another is already very slim, even if he is an upright man. So who would choose to die for the unrighteous and the sinful, who other then Jesus.
Now thats the intensity of the love of God.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

I want to say that as christians we hold not only our name but we hold the name of our Father who is in heaven. Even in the world, whatever we do wrong will be attributed to our parent's lack of disciplining their child. How much more will they criticise our Heavenly Father should we as Child of God do wrong.
So do good works for a righteous man gains the favor of God.

This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
1 John 3:11

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This is then how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemns us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obeys his commands live in him and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the spirit he gave us.

1 John 3:16-24

Many a times we see our brothers and sisters in church. It was assumed that all have Christ in them for we are christians, we go to church. But one thing that set apart one whose heart is with God and one who's still lost is by the way he demonstrates his love. 1 John 3:17-18 For no one with the love of God, would not behave as the world behaves.

Its sad to know that we as man will condemn ourselves with our very hearts. But God's words was not to judge, neither others nor yourselves. Our role in this world is not to judge and condemn, but to obey and bring life to others, just as the spirit that is now in us has brought life to us.
(:

I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.
Jeremiah 17:10

Indeed, the Lord search us deep within, where we hide our inner most thoughts, where no one can find them except the Lord. Thus the Lord knows what we are inside us, and reward us according to who we are, rather than who we appear to be.

However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].
John 16:7 (Amplified)

But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.
John 16:13-15

Now we know that Jesus is not WITH us physically and so by a biblical fact, the holy spirit is IN us. And the spirit's job, is to guide us and reveal the truths previously hidden for us at the time we are ready, just as he hears from our Father that we are ready.

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Thats the one and best reason why you should not harm your body, physically and emotionally. For God shall destroy whoever harms his scared temple, and since that temple is sacred and we are that temple, who is wrong to say " I am sacred in the eyes of God."

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