Category: God

I Identify As…

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I identify as a born again Bible believing Christian, spirit filled, Bible reading, tongue talking, doer of the Word, who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and soon coming King – this is my reality.

It hasn’t gone unnoticed that people of the Christian faith are not included in treating people with dignity, respect and inclusion. We are all equal as human beings, regardless of age, sexual orientation, mental health and faith, and what is pertained for one individual should be across the board for all people, not just the chosen few, who are in vogue. Like everyone else, we should be able to express who we are, which is a huge part of our identity too, and should not be ostracised and mocked because of it, the ‘safe space’ is for everyone. The hypocrisy is astounding.

Please note that Jesus our Saviour, will be returning soon and we all will need to give an account of our lives: the thoughts, deeds, actions, words and motives done in the flesh, and who can stand before God? If you did not know, Jesus is our redeemer who came to save us from our fallen and sinful nature. If you don’t know Jesus yet and how He came to restore our relationship with God in heaven, who loves you and wants you to be reconciled to Him, I say to you today: Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, no one comes unto the Father but by Him, Jesus is the only one mediator between God and man, and only God can forgive sins.

What is sin? It is knowing the right thing to do and not doing it. Sin includes things like sexual immorality, addictions, drunkenness, drugs, watching porn, lying, stealing, unforgiveness, hate, anger, gossiping, and much more. These separate us from God, who is holy and righteous and just. He weighs the motives of our hearts and all of us have missed the mark.

The call to salvation is for everyone. Regardless of your wealth, status, sexual orientation or religious background, Jesus invites you to turn from sin and accept His gift of salvation. No amount of money, social standing, or religious observance can save you. It’s not about comparing yourself to others; the only comparison that matters is with God, and we all fall short, we all have sinned. God doesn’t want our religion; He wants a relationship with us. Good works cannot save you; there is nothing you can do to earn salvation. It’s by grace alone, so no one can boast. Our works are like filthy rags to a holy God. The Bible says the wages of sin is death, eternal separation from God in hell—a fate you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. We are created with a God-shaped vacuum that nothing else can fill but Him.

Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins on the Cross so we can be restored to God, our heavenly Father. There needed to be a sacrifice, and God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, who was sinless, to take our place. It’s like a mother giving away her new-born baby or you giving away your only child to pay someone else’s debt, someone who couldn’t care less about you or love you back. God was willing to do that for you and me.

Jesus Christ was crucified, with nails driven through His hands and feet and a crown of thorns pressed onto His head. He was whipped until His skin was torn off, becoming unrecognizable. As He hung on that Cross, He did it for your sins. He took our sins upon Himself, including the very sins that have destroyed our lives. He was destroyed for those sins on that Cross. He bled and died for our sins, which were buried with Him in the grave. Three days later, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Jesus is alive!

Now is the time to respond. Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” This declaration and belief bring salvation. John 3:36 warns, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

Embrace this good news today and pray: “Dear God, thank you for loving me. I confess that I have sinned against you. I believe that Jesus, Your Son, died on the cross to pay for my sins. I believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. I ask that you forgive all my sins. I confess that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Thank you for Your gift of eternal life! I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Remember, it’s not the prayer that saves you; it’s the heartfelt belief and confession, repentance and choosing to trust in Jesus for a righteous life, from now on. Now is the time for salvation. Turn from darkness to light, from sin to salvation, and follow Jesus.

Ask God for forgiveness of the wrong things you have done, repent (turn from them) and leave your old sinful ways behind, and begin a new and righteous life trusting in Christ Jesus, every single day, ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit to help you, and read your Bible and obey it, repent to God daily, connect to God through prayer and ask the Holy Spirit for revelation, guidance, wisdom and discernment.

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** By Lori McPherson / Photo by Patricia McCarty

The Tale of the Little Boy and the Sailboat

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I want to share with you a story about a young boy who lovingly crafted a small sailboat. He adorned it with fine gems and precious metals, polished it until it gleamed, and marked it with his signature, ensuring everyone knew it was his creation. When he took it to the river to test it, the boat sailed beautifully. However, a strong wind arose, sweeping the boat away, and the boy was heartbroken by the loss of his cherished creation.

Sometime later, while walking through town, the boy was astonished to see his boat in the window of a shop. Though some gems were missing and it was battered, his signature confirmed it was his boat. He rushed inside and told the shop owner, “That little boat is mine; I made it.” The owner replied, “I’m sorry, but I bought it from someone else. If you want it back, you’ll have to pay for it.” Determined, the boy worked tirelessly for weeks, saving every penny. Finally, he returned to the shop, slammed the money on the counter, and bought his boat back. Holding it aloft, he exclaimed, “Little boat, you are twice mine. I made you—and I bought you back!”

The Deeper Meaning

You might wonder how this story relates to us. In many ways, we are like that little boat. Each of us is uniquely created by God, reflecting His image and cherished deeply by Him. However, life’s storms and the lure of the world have swept us away from our Creator, leaving us battered and lost. The challenges of life and the wrong things we do separate us from God. The temptations of the world and our own pride hurt us, and the enemy, Satan—the fallen angel, who hates mankind—tries to keep us down.

The boy in the story represents Jesus, who came to save us. Despite our broken state, affected by sin and life’s hardships, Jesus recognized us as His own. Just as the boy worked hard to buy back his boat, Jesus paid the ultimate price for our redemption. He bought us back with His precious blood, shed on the cross. He did this to restore our relationship with God the Father, as God is holy and cannot abide in sin. We are twice His—created by Him and bought back with His blood.

Understanding Our Condition

All of us have done wrong and fallen short of God’s standards. Sin is not just about major wrongdoings but also includes knowing what is right and failing to do it. It encompasses acts like lying, stealing, unforgiveness, hatred, jealousy, anger, sexual immorality, idolatry, addictions, pornography, drugs, and wanting to live separately from God. These wrongdoings separate us from a holy and righteous God.

God judges the heart, including our thoughts, words, deeds, and motives. While people can pretend to have a holy exterior and act pious, God sees through our facades and knows our true nature. It’s not about religion, where you have to do things to be accepted by God. It’s about a relationship with God who is near and accessible. Our good works cannot save us; they are like filthy rags in comparison to God’s purity, you cannot buy salvation. The Bible states that the wages of sin is death—eternal separation from God in hell, a fate none of us would wish upon anyone.

The Sacrifice of Jesus

Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins on the cross so we can be restored to God, our heavenly Father. There needed to be a sacrifice, and God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, who was sinless, to take our place. It’s like a mother giving away her newborn baby or you giving away your only child to pay someone else’s debt, someone who couldn’t care less about you or love you back. God was willing to do that for you and me.

Jesus Christ was crucified, with nails driven through His hands and feet and a crown of thorns pressed onto His head. He was whipped until His skin was torn off, becoming unrecognizable. As He hung on that cross, He did it for your sins. He took our sins upon Himself, including the very sins that have destroyed our lives. He was destroyed for those sins on that cross. He bled and died for our sins, which were buried with Him in the grave. Three days later, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Jesus is alive!

The Call to Salvation

This message is for everyone. Regardless of your wealth, status, sexual orientation or religious background, Jesus invites you to turn from sin and accept His gift of salvation. No amount of money, social standing, or religious observance can save you. It’s not about comparing yourself to others; the only comparison that matters is with God, and we all fall short, we all have sinned. God doesn’t want our religion; He wants a relationship with us. We are created with a God-shaped vacuum that nothing else can fill. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

Now is the time to respond. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” This declaration and belief bring salvation. John 3:36 warns, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

A Prayer of Salvation

If you feel the call in your heart, don’t wait. Embrace this good news today and pray:

“Dear God, thank you for loving me. I confess that I have sinned against you. I believe that Jesus, Your Son, died on the cross to pay for my sins. I believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. I ask that you forgive all my sins. I confess that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Thank you for Your gift of eternal life! I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Remember, it’s not the prayer that saves you; it’s the heartfelt belief and confession, turning away from sin, and choosing to trust in Jesus for a righteous life. Now is the time for salvation. Turn from darkness to light, from sin to salvation, and follow Jesus.

What next?

Download the free guide on the 7 Things To Do After Getting Saved:

7-things-to-do-after-getting-saved-copy-copy.pdfDownload

Fake Christians

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Bible Verses About Fake Christians

Sadly there are many false believers who will be expecting to go to Heaven and will be denied entrance. The best way to avoid being one is to make sure you have truly put your trust in Christ alone for salvation.

When you have repented and put your faith in Christ that will lead to a change of life. Follow God and educate yourself with his Word.

Many people follow false teachings from the Bible given by false preachers or they just refuse to obey instructions from God and follow their own minds. 

There are many people who throw on the Christian name tag and think by just going to church they will be granted Heaven, which is false. You know there are people like that in your church and especially in the youth today.

You know there are people still having sex outside of marriage, still going to clubs, they still have a continuous willful potty mouth. Hell will be worse for these people than atheists. They are just Sunday Christians and they don’t care about Christ. Am I saying that a Christian is perfect? No. Can a Christian backslide? Yes, but there will be growth and maturity in a true believers life because it is God working in them. They won’t just remain in darkness if they are the Lord’s sheep because God will discipline them and also His sheep hear His voice.

Fake Christians quotes

Laurence J Peter – “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to the garage makes you a car.”

“Don’t let your lips and your lives preach two different messages.”

“Your most powerful testimony is how you treat others after the church service is over.”

“What a heartbreak it would be to live an “almost” Christian life, then “almost” get into heaven.”

Beware, there are many fake Christians

1. Matthew 15:8 These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

2. Isaiah 29:13 And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.

3. James 1:26 If a person thinks that he is religious but can’t control his tongue, he is fooling himself. That person’s religion is worthless.

4 1 John 2:9 Those who say that they are in the light but hate other believers are still in the dark.

5. Titus 1:16 They claim to know God, but they deny him by what they do. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit to do anything good.

Fake Christians don’t care about God’s Word

Fake Christians sin on purpose saying, “I’ll just repent later” and disobey God’s teachings. Even though we are all sinners and we still struggle with sin, Christians don’t live a lifestyle of willfully and deliberately sin.

6. 1 John 2:4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

7. 1 John 3:6 Those who live in Christ don’t go on sinning. Those who go on sinning haven’t seen or known Christ.

8. 1 John 3:8-10 The person who practices sin belongs to the evil one, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason that the Son of God was revealed was to destroy what the Devil has been doing. No one who has been born from God practices sin, because God’s seed abides in him. Indeed, he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born from God. This is how God’s children and the Devil’s children are distinguished. No person who fails to practice righteousness and to love his brother is from God.

9. 3 John 1:11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.

10. Luke 6:46 Why do you call me Lord but don’t do what I tell you?

Fake Christians think that there is another way to get into heaven besides Jesus.

11. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

True Christians love Jesus and have new desires and affection for Him.

12. John 14:23-24 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.”

13. 1 John 2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.

14. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Fake Christians are hypocrites

Even though the Bible says we are to lovingly, kindly, and gently go to our brothers and sisters alone to correct them of their sins, how can you do that, but you’re doing the same thing as them just as much or even more than them? People who do things for show such as give to the poor and other acts of kindness to be seen by others are also hypocrites.

15. Matthew 7:3-5 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

16. Matthew 6:1-2 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

17. Matthew 12:34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Fake Christians will not enter into heaven.

False converts will be denied. 

18. Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

19. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

20. Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Fake Christians are false preachers and false prophets just like the cast of Preachers of LA.

21. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

22. Jude 1:4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

23. 2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

24. Romans 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Reminders

25. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

If you don’t know the Lord: A Clear Gospel Message

***By Fitz Cherry at Bible / Photo from pexels

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