NCarolinian

Looking for a "hidden sin" is a tactic of the enemy meant to get your focus and attention off The Lord.  Imagine all the things that concern you when diverted by a whisper in your spirit that says something like, "You must have done something to tick God off, otherwise things would be moving along."  Don't listen to comments like this, in any form!  Get into the Word of God and observe what His promises are for you in and through Jesus Christ! God's Word speaks about Christ's work on the Cross being a Complete work of saving or salvation ( Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:10 ).  How, then, can a "hidden sin" be a problem?  There is no "hidden sin" in a Complete Work of Salvation .      The key to walking or living in freedom for Christians is not to get addicted to looking for every mistake around the corner.  Christians still continue to sin after declaring to follow Jesus, but their nature should be changed to not be in...

What is so awesome about my conversion and all other conversions is that "he first loved us" - "We love because he first loved us." - 1 John 4:19   The love that was shown to us by God the Father through Christ so many years ago - His life, beatings, death, and resurrection - was all unconditional , undeserved , and unmerited favor .   "For it is by [ unconditional, undeserved, and unmerited favor ] you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--" (Ephesians 2:8) I have heard it said, even to my face, "Ah, but you don't know the atrocities I have done."  No, but God does and He took care of the penalty you and I would have faced for those "atrocities" in life.  The worse possible things in life a person could ever do or think to do - Jesus paid for it all.  So, whenever you begin to think of an affront against God that might be unpardonable, remember - "where sin increased, [ uncond...

When Paul observed the Roman soldier and in particular his shield he saw attention to detail.  The Roman shield was made-up of many layers, usually six layers, of durable animal skins (according to Rick Renner research) .  When forged together the shield became almost as strong as metal. The crucial element to remember with this piece of equipment was the daily care it required to keep it maintained. "A soldier was given a daily schedule for maintaining his shield in excellent condition.  Each morning when he woke up, he would reach for his shield and for a small vial of oil.  After saturating a piece of cloth with this heavy ointment, he would thoroughly rub the oil into the leather of the shield to keep it soft, supple, and pliable.  For a soldier to ignore this daily application of oil and to let his shield go without this kind of required care was essentially the equivalent of his inviting certain death." ( Dressed To Kill , Renner, p.349) Even though...

Have you ever spent what you considered all of your mind, all of your strength, and all of your soul in a project for others, as a gift? I am sure many have experienced the following.  Growing up, my mom and dad would play host to friends/family visits.  My family back in-the-day was mom, dad, grandma, brother, and me.  We lived in a split level house.  When the time drew near for the visit the whole property from the outside to the inside was made ready for their arrival and stay (no matter how brief or long).  We each had our duties and responsibilities and carried them out to make the whole yard, house, rooms, meals, atmosphere, and so forth - a welcoming place, a place you would want to stay and come back.  I know that might sound like a slogan for a hotel chain, but that is the kind of energy mom and dad put into hosting and STILL DO! This kind of taxing, draining sacrifice to accommodate family or friends is sometimes done willfully with a cheerf...

Can God say to you right now - "You are doing well, my good and faithful servant."?  If you can say, yes , to my question, then "the joy of the Lord is your strength" .  It is His Joy that is being spoken of in Nehemiah 8:10 .  Why would anyone receive strength in life from Him being joyous over them unless their relationship is right where He wants it to be? Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." - Nehemiah 8:10 In the development of the Christian, JOY is a wonderful benefit to grasp and never let go.  A definition of joy is "keen pleasure or delight".  So, the green phrase above could be read "the keen pleasure/delight of the LORD is your strength."  So, whenever you sense from God, His peace and joy - know that He has got you right where He wants you, He is delighted in...

Did you know everybody on the planet is saved from an eternity separated from God?  Christ's work on the Cross is Complete.  He does not have to come back for anyone and die for any individual over and over again.  All that needs to happen now is for the Body of Christ, the Church of Christ, the Ambassadors of Christ, the True Believers in Christ - Christians, in love, to share the best news ever told. Time is getting shorter and shorter upon which the Son of God will come back to Rapture or catch-up all His true believers dead and alive since His resurrection ( 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ), because -   "...if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." - John 14:3 Eternal damnation and/or separation from God is at stake.  This is Urgent!  This is Priority for the Church as a whole (world-wide, national, regional, state, county, city, and local).  This is a Priority for the individual...

I have held onto things in my life that would be so much better in the Lord's hands. Even now I can hear the Holy Spirit calling to remembrance and saying - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)   There have even been some things, the Bible calls strongholds , that I have basically said, to God, "I've got this one God. I can manage this issue on my own." [Buzzer sound] Wrong answer! In response, first I hear the Spirit say, "If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?" - 1 Timothy 3:5 Ouch! That one hurt a little Lord. Then a more powerful Word of the Lord is brought to mind - [Jesus said] "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he ...

Why does the news media report mainly negative stories or events? If there is an unfortunate vehicle accident on a major road that causes major issues - I understand. If there is a murder in which the killer is still loose and could kill again - I understand reporting. It there is a natural disaster or man-made disaster in which people need safety information - I understand reporting. However, I believe there are a myriad of stories/events that the news media could leave alone.  Those events are those that the public would just mummer about and is just filler for the broadcast.  The story has no bearing on anyone's life, only the development of a meaningless opinion around the water-jug at work. There are some short and extended parts of newscasts that inform the public on serious issues facing our local community, county, state, region, and nation.  These special parts to the newscasts have "professionals" discuss or debate the path we should take.  I believ...

I believe this needs to be addressed again... Christians - I implore you - DO NOT use GOD'S name as an EXCLAMATION!!! Whenever Christians say things like - "Oh my God!" or "My God!" or "God Almighty!" or "Good God!" -  my stomach turns and I want to say, "You should know better than taking God's name loosely, haphazardly, or in vain." In the Narnia collection of stories by C.S. Lewis, just the mention of the name of ASLAN (the lion) elicits a positive response physically (i.e. one's whole countenance is uplifted) from the other characters. That is how I feel when the name of Jesus is mentioned in respect or any other name that my Lord or God goes by in Holy Scripture. The opposite can be said too. Whenever someone, especially a supposed believer, straight out takes the Lord's Name in vain or misuses it in any other way (just being careless and flippant with His name like mentioned above), I feel violated, dirty, ...

Sacrifice. It can be a powerful expression of worship that often manifests in the physical world to display one’s commitment to God. When I hear the phrase, especially in song, “we bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord”, I imagine someone at a place in their life where they don’t feel and can’t reason praising God. I have been there. I have allowed some situations to blind me so bad I panic and don’t operate with the other spiritual “senses” I have like trust in His promises, previous victories, going back to the basics – His provision of my salvation. Yet, through the writer of the book of Hebrews, God says,  “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.” – Hebrews 13:15  One of the ways we can willfully show God our sacrifice of praise is to bow . If our mind and spirit are not quite ready to praise yet, bowing is a great start toward reaching that sacrifice of praise. "T...

Jesus’ High Priesthood Is Forever Hebrews 6:20 20…Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is our High Priest forever. This “forever” aspect changes the way we are blessed and how we receive our blessings from God. As our High Priest, Jesus represents us before God. Since His priesthood is after the order of Melchizedek, which is one of righteousness, His righteousness becomes our righteousness forever. This means that we are forever righteous in God’s eyes! And because He will never die, but continue as our High Priest forever, we have an everlasting righteousness, not merely a here-today-gone-tomorrow righteousness based on our works. No, we have a perpetual and everlasting righteousness because Jesus is our High Priest forever. This also means that blessings are perpetually on your head because the Bible says that blessings are on the head of the righteous ( Proverbs 10:6 ), and you are righteous forever! Unlike the priesthood accordi...