Refined and Strengthened through Trials

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. 1 Peter 4:12  Peter starts off here with the word 'Beloved'.  What a term of endearment, it is from the form of love that is God's divine love - agapētos.  You could translate it to be 'divinely loved ones'.  Peter uses this word as a descriptive title, reminding the recipients of this letter, who were going through much suffering because of persecution, that they were loved in the heart of God. What a beautiful comforting thought!  Peter goes on to say, 'concerning the fiery trial which is to try you'. 'Fiery' literally means burning, the word used here refers to a smelting furnace where gold and silver are purified.  What a perfect description of what going through fiery trials does to us; it is a purifying experience.  Picture this; refining gold from the ore involves a process in which the ore is tried or melted in order to separate pure gold from the other elements.  It is a very complex process where all the impurities are removed.  Peter is telling us that the fiery trial is a refining process rather than divine judgment. It is going to strengthen our faith as we lean on Jesus Christ.

Peter said in 1 Peter 1:6-7 'In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ'.  God's plan for your life often, but not always, includes pain and hardship. When trials come, we are not to be surprised, he writes, it is normal. As we suffer for Christ's sake, our lives will be refined and our faith strengthened.

Exciting Updates: iPhone/Android Apps

Exciting News! There has been an update on our iPhone and Android Apps...Not only can you have our Bible Studies at your fingertips, you now can connect directly to both our blogs at Empowered Bible Study Ministries and Changed Lives Today, our Changed Lives Today Website as well as EBSM Facebook and Twitter feeds.  All our sites with one simple app!

On the iPhone, you will see the websites under the 'connect' feature.
On the Android, you will see the websites under the 'about' feature.

If you would like to sign up for our Free Apps, Please click on the links below:

iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/empowered-bible-study-ministries/id470815183?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Android: https://market.android.com/details?id=net.sermon.sn21414&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsIm5ldC5zZXJtb24uc24yMTQxNCJd

Save Pastor Youcef's Life!

As you know we have been praying for Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani as he faces the death penalty because of his Christian faith.  He was ordered to recant his Christian faith or die, he responded 'I cannot' and was sentenced to death.  My friends, Pastor Youcef is standing up for his faith and following Jesus Christ no matter what the cost!

American Center for Law and Justice has been fighting for Pastor Youcef and is putting pressure on Iranian Officials.  They are asking that everyone be a voice for Pastor Youcef through Social Media.  If you have a Twitter Account please donate a Tweet a day; if you have a Facebook account send out a post to bring Pastor Youcef to mind, and if you don't have a twitter or facebook account, please email this post to your friends and family because they may have an account or know someone who does.  We need to get the word out to help save Pastor Youcef's life.

Please refer to this link for American Center for Law and Justice:  http://aclj.org/nadarkhani
Sample of Tweet:  #Iran Pastor Youcef #Nadarkhani pressured to recant #Christian faith Plse keep n prayer aclj.org/nadarkhani ReTweet to save his life

Please keep Pastor Youcef and his family in prayer each day and Thank you so much for joining us in the fight for Pastor Youcef's life.  May the Lord bless you.

*This is not Dr. Michael Youssef, Founder and President of Leading the Way.

When God calls, will you be available?

We read about Deborah in the Book of Judges, chapters four and five.  Deborah served the people of Israel as a judge and a prophetess.  Her testimony for the Lord and her influence upon the people were so great and pervasive that she was known as the 'Mother of Israel'.  She reached out to help the Israelites, welcoming them into her counsel and advice, encouraging them to return to the Lord.  Her life shows us that God can accomplish great things through people who are willing to be led by Him.  She had a remarkable relationship with God.  She was not power hungry, she wanted to serve God.  Whenever praise came her way, she gave God the credit.  Deborah's life challenges us in several ways, as a woman, a wife, and a leader.  She reminds us of the need to be available both to God and to others.  She demonstrates what a person can accomplish when God is in control.  Deborah waited on God, communed with Him daily, and encouraged others to do the same.  God's purpose in using Deborah as a judge was to lead His people into successful battle against the Canaanites and ignite spiritual revival in their hearts.  Hearing God's word from and through Deborah awakened God's people to their sagging spiritual condition and stirred up their hearts.  As God's witness, Deborah was used by the Lord to bring the Israelites back to Him.  May we learn from Deborah as we too commune with God daily through His word and prayer, making ourselves available to the opportunities that He sets before us.  Erwin Lutzer said 'Every day we live is either a loss or a gain'  We all have choices to make each day, the question is are we living each day in anticipation of what the Lord wants us to do.  Giving God honor and glory with each step we take.  It is never too late to live a remarkable life as Deborah did - Always be available to the opportunities that God sets before us - Living each day as unto the Lord.

Empowered Through Christ

One of my favorite verses is
Philippians 4:13 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me'.  The Apostle Paul knew this all too well.  In his life he suffered for Christ's sake, was beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked, placed in prisons, was hungry and cold yet his testimony was 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'  This was not an expression of pride in his own abilities but a declaration of the strength provided by Christ.  The Greek word for strengthen in this verse is - ἐνδυναμόω Which means to empower.  My friend Christ empowers us and gives us the ability to face whatever circumstance we are faced with.

The Amplified Bible translates it 'I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].   The Living Bible puts it this way 'for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.'  We are not alone, it is through Christ we are made strong.  Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:10 'Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.'

The power of Christ in Paul's life empowered him to live as unto the Lord.  And so it is for the life that lies ahead of you and me.  Paul accomplished great things for God even though he suffered much.  Fixing his eyes on Christ he said 'I can' and so can you and I.

Love Covers a Multitude of Sins

'And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.' 1 Peter 4:8

We are to have fervent love for one another.  The word 'fervent' is an athletic word.  It means to stretch and reach out; to strain and exert to the utmost degree just like an athlete in a race.  This means as Christians we are to love others with God-given love, even when they hurt us, persecute us, ridicule us, and speak evil against us.

The verse goes on to say, for love will cover a multitude of sins.  Here Peter is quoting Proverbs 10:12 'Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.'  The word 'cover' means forgiveness.  Where there is hatred, there is malice, and malice causes a person to want to tear down the reputation of his enemy. When someone sins, we are not to go out and announce it; this leads to gossip and slander.  Sometimes we try to make our gossip sound 'spiritual' by telling people things so that they might pray more intelligently. My friend we need to watch our motives, are we truly thinking of the person's best interest or just wanting to tell someone else what they did?  Instead of spreading gossip about their sin, we need to pray for them and reach out in love to them. You can ask for prayer but don't have to give all the details - God knows and that is what is important.

A Focused Mind in a Busy World!

1 Peter 4:1 'Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.'  


The Greek word translated "arm yourselves" was used of a Greek soldier putting on his armor and taking his weapons. The noun of the same root was used of a heavily-armed foot-soldier who carried a pike and a large shield as opposed to a soldier who was lightly armed. The Christian needs the heaviest armor he can get, to withstand the attacks of the enemy of his soul. My friend, we need to be vigilant to make sure that our minds are focused on heavenly things, that we keep our minds pure. You've heard the phrase: Garbage in Garbage out.


We all have busy lives, but we need to make sure that even though we are busy we need to make sure that God is number one in our lives, that we make time in our day for Him. When you examine your life in a 24hr time span, think about how much time we spend at work or school, with our family, at the grocery store, doing housework, sleeping, watching TV, doing homework, on the computer, studying God's word, in prayer, and anything else you do in that 24hr time span.  At the end of the day, if we cannot think of one thing that would count for the glory of God, then that day was wasted. My friend, we need to make sure that our lives glorify God, that something in that 24hr period counts for eternity.

Complacent or Glorified Life?

How often do we think about the price that was paid for our sin?  In 1 Peter 3:18 and 4:1 it talks about Christ suffering for our sins.  When you think about that, that Christ suffered on the cross because of our sins, why would we want to take pleasure in that sin that Christ suffered for?  Why would we want to continue in a sin that Christ painfully suffered for?  The thought of that alone ought to make us want to strive to live godly lives.

Sometimes we get so busy and so wrapped up in what we are doing that we forget God.  Sometimes as Christians we get complacent.  We tolerate sin around us. For example television programs, the TV moguls are getting their point of view across stronger and stronger, getting us used to seeing things and hearing things that we never would have allowed before.  But slowly we start accepting it, saying 'it isn't that bad' and allowing it to penetrate our homes.  

Don't accept the things of this world, live every day to glorify God.  Make sure you are making time for God each day, in His word and in prayer.  If at the end of the day, you cannot think of one thing that counts for the glory of God, then that day is wasted!  Don't wast your life - live it to the fullest for Christ!

Our Agenda or God's?

Jerry Bridges once said, 'to live less stressful lives, we must learn to live with a single agenda: God's agenda!"  How many times do we approach life's problems without thinking of God?  We need to be reminded that just because life isn't smooth doesn't mean we are out on our own.  We need to remember that it is not our will but God's.  It is His agenda for our lives that God will guard, protect, and advance.  We must learn to live by His agenda if we are to trust Him.  It is about our relationship with the Sovereign God.  It is about trusting God in the midst of life even when we don't understand.  It is about how did I live in spite of all the circumstances and heartaches in my life - did I trust God.  It is about being able to hear Christ say, 'good and faithful servant' in the end. We need to put our faith, put our trust in the One True God.  We need to know that Yes He is in control of every aspect of my life.  When we trust in God it will transform your life as you relinquish control and ultimately make God Lord of your life.  It is through His strength that we take each step and as we learn to trust we will find ourselves thanking God for everything in our lives.

Daily Guarding our Minds: Be all you can be

As believers we will go through various kinds of trials, therefore, as we see in 1 Peter, we are to gird up the loins of our mind. 1 Peter 1:13 "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;" NKJV
Girding up the loins – Peter here uses an oriental expression referring to the act of gathering up around the waist, the long, loose eastern robes which would impede the progress in running or other exertion. But notice Peter says to gird up the loins of your mind. It is not physical exertion that Peter has in mind here, but mental.
If the purpose of girding up the clothing was to put out of the way that which would impede the physical progress of an individual, then girding up of the loins of the mind would be the putting out of the mind all that would impede the progress of the Christian life.  For instance, things such as worry, fear, jealousy, hatred, unforgiveness, and impurity; these things harbored in the mind prevent the Holy Spirit from using the mental faculties of the Christian in the most efficient manner impeding the growth in their Christian walk.  Peter commands a mental discipline that does not allow our minds to follow ungodly thoughts that are untrue. Christ’s followers are to keep their minds tightly guarded in the truth. We need to be in the Word of God daily!

Trials are the Pearls of Life

Trials come in many forms; some trials can be like a little pebble in our shoe that pricks us and irritates us each time we walk, others can be gut wrenching, life changing experiences. It is our attitude towards the trials that makes the difference.

One of the many fascinating events in nature that depict the beauty in trials is the formation of a pearl.  Inside an oyster's shell is an organ called the "mantle"; which produces a material called nacre; a calcium carbonate substance that lines the inside of the shell.  The formation of the Pearl begins when a microscopic intruder such as a parasite or grain of sand becomes lodged between the mantle and the shell irritating it.  The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up the irritant to protect itself.  The mantel covers the irritant with layers of the nacre.  This process is repeated and over a period of several years, this build-up of nacre forms a pearl.

It was because of something that was an irritant that a beautiful pearl was formed.  God gave the oyster a way of protecting itself from irritants.  Just think, if there was no irritant, there would not be any reason to secrete the nacre and we would not have the pleasure of this beautiful gemstone; the Pearl.  But notice that the pearl was not formed immediately, but the process took time. 

This is the same with trials in our lives.  Trials act as the irritant and over time the Holy Spirit can produce a beautiful Christ-like character in us.  So the next time you are faced with a trial, remember that God has a plan and a purpose which is creating a beautiful pearl in your life.

Standing Steadfast in our Faith!

In this day and age we need to stand steadfast in our faith!  200 million Christians in over 60 Nations are persecuted every day.  In many regions Christianity is punishable by imprisonment or death.  Over 150,000 believers are martyred every year.  Thousands of People a day are arrested, imprisoned, threatened, tortured, brutalized, and martyred solely because they are Christians.  We have seen throughout scripture of those who suffered for Christ's sake, some survived and others gave their lives for Christ.

Daniel was thrown into a den of lions because of his beliefs and practices, but God delivered him Daniel 6:15-23.  His three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were condemned to death in a burning fiery furnace because they would not bow to an idol, but God miraculously spared their lives Daniel 3:8-29.  David constantly cried out to the Lord for deliverance from his enemies Psalm 7:1-2; 18:17-19.  Stephen was stoned to death because of His beliefs Acts 7:51-70.  

One thing we can be sure of is that God is there through every fiery trial, through every persecution, through every moment of our day to help carry us and support us, to redeem us whether it is in this life time or in Heaven.  

Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is brought to remembrance as we have been praying for him.  As you recall, Iranian Pastor Youcef was sentenced to death because of his faith in Jesus Christ.  Recent reports state that Iranian officials are still pressuring Pastor Youcef to renounce his faith in Christ and accept the prophet Muhammad as his savior.  Pastor Youcef, has once again refused, remaining steadfast in his faith and responded - 'I cannot'.  Please remember Pastor Youcef and his family as well as all the Christians who are being persecuted for their faith.  
*This is not Pastor Michael Youssef of Leading the Way ministry.

From Tragedy and Injustice to Good

Jesus Christ's death was not only the ultimate sacrifice but it was the ultimate injustice; He suffered for sins that were not His and paid the price for our sins. But yet it was through His death that we are brought to God.  Out of tragedy and injustice, God brought good.  

The point is when we do right and suffer for it, we can be sure that God intends to use our experience for good.  Whatever happens to members of God's family, we can be sure that our loving Father is at work for our good fulfilling His plan and purpose for our lives.


2 Timothy 3:12 'Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.'  
Romans 8:28 'And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.'

The Ultimate Sacrifice

How exciting that we have Victory in Christ!  As we see in 1 Peter 3:18 Christ suffered death on the cross for our sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God!  How awesome is that, Christ laid down His life so that we can live with God throughout eternity.


1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit" NKJV

 Note the words "for sins" in 1 Peter 3:18. These words are the very words used in the Old Testament for the sin offering (Leviticus 5:7; Leviticus 6:30).  The point is clear: Jesus Christ offered Himself for sin; He was the fulfillment of the sin-offering itself.  Remember God is perfect and only perfect beings can live in God's presence; therefore, Christ the perfect sacrifice died to cover our sins so that we can be acceptable to God.  We no longer have to stand before God guilty of sin because Jesus Christ paid the price by dying on the cross for our sin. In Christ we stand acceptable to God.  But we must always remember why - It is nothing that we have done, but because Christ died for us: the just One died for the unjust.  He sacrificed and substituted His life for us. All Praise be to our Lord, Jesus Christ! 

It's about TIME

The time is always right to do what's right - Martin Luther King Jr.

You ever think about time.  The Lord has given each of us twenty-four hours in a day, no more no less. How we spend the time in that day is up to us.

Psalms 118:24 says 'This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.'  Every day is a gift given to you from God.  Notice it says 'This is the day', it isn't talking about yesterday or tomorrow, it says this is the day, and as Christians we are to live our lives for Christ, so how can we maximize our day for the Lord?

First, we should read our Bible every day.  You cannot combat the enemies of this world on your own.  As you read the Bible, you will be equipped to face each day.  Second, pray every day. We need to be in communication with our Lord every day, talking with Him, praising Him, thanking Him, and asking Him to help us through our day. Through God's word and through talking with Him in prayer we can maximize our day according to His will in our lives.  I have found in my life that when I make time for Christ in the beginning of my day, continually pray during the day, and end my day with Christ, all other things fall into place.

My friend, we are given twenty-four hours in a day, don't waste it, each second counts.  If at the end of the day you cannot see one thing that was done for Christ, it is a wasted day.  What is driving your life?  Is it the temporal things of this world or eternity?  Colossians 3:2 'Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth'.

Face each day asking the Lord to lead you in the way He wants you to go. Today is the most important day of your life, don't waste it - live it for Christ.  Rejoice and be thankful for the day Christ has given you.  As Martin Luther King Jr. said 'The time is always right to do what's right'.

Walking with our Lord!

God loves us so much; He wants to be the center of our lives.  He wants us to put our full faith and trust in him as we walk in this world so that everything we do brings glory to him.  Colossians 3:17 'And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him'.

My friend, we are here for a short time and as we journey through this life we are to walk a godly walk.  We should be of one mind living in unity with compassion, tenderheartedness, and humble-minded as it says in 1 Peter 3:8. Remember, God directs our paths, carries us through the trials of our lives giving us the help and support we need, and has given us the abilities we need to do the tasks He sets before us. We need to make sure we give the honor and glory to Him  for what he does for us in our lives.  Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' Matthew 22:37

Making Christ Lord of our Lives

Someone once said 'Jesus often spoke of Christianity as a banquet but never as a picnic.'  How true that is!  He never said the Christian life was going to be easy.  When Christ is Lord of our lives and we fear only God, we need not fear the threats, opinions, or actions of our enemies.  Psalm 118:6 'The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?'  As Christians, we are faced with crises and we are tempted to give in to our fears, but if we make Christ Lord of our hearts, we never need to fear men or circumstances.  We need to trust God to protect us and to meet our every need.  We need to trust that He has a plan and purpose for our lives.  When we seek first the kingdom of God as it says in Matthew 6:33 and we present our bodies as living sacrifices not conforming to this world as it says in Romans 12:1-2, we will not be satisfied with anything less than the will of God in our lives.  Living totally for Christ.

Source of Life: The Lord Himself

I wanted to expound a bit futher on the last step to enjoy life from our last post which is 'To remember the source of life - the Lord Himself '.  1 Peter 3:12 'For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.'  Peter here is quoting Psalm 34

No person has life apart from God!  As we see in verse twelve, the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous - God sees all.  Then it says His ears are open to their prayers. Not only are the Lord's eyes open and watching, but His ears are open to their prayer. The idea here is that He hears our cries in times of need and He meets our need according to His will.  God cares and looks after us day by day never letting us suffer more than we can bear.  Nothing happens to God's people that He has not allowed for some purpose.  Whatever happens, we know that His promises of blessing, whether in this life or in the life to come are certain. These words are of great comfort, but the verse goes on.  Not only is the Lord watching and listening but also goes against those who do evil.  Note that the very face of the Lord stands against those who do evil.  The picture is that the Lord does not only see the evil person, but that those who do evil against us will stand face to face with the Lord as He deals with them.

A good day for the believer who loves life is not one in which he is pampered and sheltered, but one in which he experiences God's help and blessing because of life's problems and trials.  It is a day in which he magnifies the Lord (Psalm 34:1-3) experiences answers to prayer (Psalm 34:4-7) tastes the goodness of God (Psalm 34:8) and senses the nearness of God (Psalm 34:18).  The next time you think you are having a 'bad day' and you hate life, read Psalm 34 and you may discover you are really having a 'good day' to the glory of God.

Steps to Enjoy Life:

When we see persecution increasing and we see all the bad things happening in life, it should not cause us to give up on life. We can decide to endure life and make it a burden, escape life as though we were running from a battle, or enjoy life because we know God is in control.  It is an attitude of faith that sees the best in every situation. 

In 1 Peter 3:10-12 Peter shows us four steps to loving and enjoying life:

 1: refrain your tongue from evil (v.10)

 2: turn away from evil and do good (v.11)

 3: seek peace and pursue it (v.11)

 4: remember the source of life, the Lord Himself (v.12)

Live Life my Friend to the Glory of God!

Having Compassion towards One Another

1 Peter 3:8 tells us that we are to have compassion towards one another.

The words "having compassion" are the translation of a Greek word (συμπαθεῖς, sumpatheis) which we get the word Sympathy.  Meaning we are to be sympathetic, we should be willing to share in others' needs and being responsive to their feelings, having sensitivity and compassion towards others  - suffer with those who suffer; weep with those who weep; rejoice with those who rejoice

Unity cannot exist unless we feel compassion and sympathy for one another.  You cannot be seeking to get your own way not caring what happens to others and live in unity.  So Unity demands sympathy, feeling for one another.
Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."

Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

1 Corinthians 12:26 "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

We are to be compassionate towards one another.

You are not Alone in Your Trial

Christ is always with us, even in the midst of our trials.  Yes I said 'even in the midst of trials.'  Christians are persecuted every day for their faith in many different forms, from as simple as being mocked to as serious as murder.  


We see in 2 Timothy 3:12 ', all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.'  We also see in James 1:2-3 'My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.' 
We see in the book of Acts that Stephen was stoned to death for his faith; however, God was with him and gave him the grace to endure.
  
Acts 7:59-60 'And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."  Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.'


Stephen experienced the pain and suffering of the trial just as believers are also not removed or relieved from the sufferings of trials, but we are given the grace and strength to endure the trials.

Stephen called out to the Lord while he was being stoned asking the Lord Jesus to receive his spirit. He knew that to be absent from the body was to be present with the Lord as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:8.

Stephen was trusting in Jesus and the wonderful love of God to give him strength as he went through the adversity.

And Stephen's last act was of forgiveness, as he pleaded for his persecutors and murderers as he said "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." We are to forgive men no matter what the offense may be.

Then scripture tells us that Stephen fell asleep. There is something peaceful about his death in spite of its violent nature. Stephen went to be with Jesus and became the first martyr of the Early Church, the first of a long line of believers who gave their lives for Jesus and the gospel.

2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Trust in the Lord and rest in Him as He comforts you during the trials of your life.  Know that He is with you and will not leave your or abandon you as we see in Hebrews 13:5.  God is with us 24/7 every second of the day and He will meet every need according to His plan and purpose for our life.

Let your Light Shine

Have you ever been in a pitch dark cave, turned a flash light on and saw how it illuminated the whole cave? Simply an amazing sight.  That is what a believer is in this dark world.

We all know that Christ is the light of the world, as it shows us in John 8:12 'Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." 

As believers, we are children of God.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:14 'You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.'  

Jesus compared believers to light because they have the Holy Spirit living within them and demonstrate what God can do in a transformed life.  It is by our example and how we live that people can see Christ through us.   In Ephesians 5:8-9 'For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)'.

As children of God we are to be walking examples so that Christ's light will shine through us to a dark world.  Through Christ we can do all things - He is our strength and our source of power.   Live for Him each day.

Be a Transformer not a Conformer

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

The world wants to change your mind to keep you from focusing on God, so it exerts pressure from without.  But the Holy Spirit changes your mind by releasing power from within.  Warren Wiersbe said 'If the world controls your thinking, you are a conformer; if God controls your thinking, you are a transformer.'

There are two ways we can renew our mind; first is by being in God's word.  As we spend time meditating on God's Word and memorizing it, we learn more and more about God and we are more in tune to what God wants us to do.  Second, would be our prayer life.  As we spend time in prayer seeking God's will for our lives, surrendering our body, mind, and spirit to Him the more we will be able to know the will of God in our lives.  Not my will, but thy will be done.  To have a right relationship with God, we must start the day by yielding to Him our bodies, minds, and wills. Seek God First and everything else falls in place.

Knowing and Experiencing God's Love

Knowing and Experiencing God's Love.  What greater way to show God's love than for Him to give His only begotten Son so that we could live through Him.  
1 John 4:9-10 "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." NKJV

Notice verse ten says that it was not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son.  This verse parallels with: John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." NKJV

God's sacrificial love for us is far beyond anything we could ever imagine. When the Apostle John said that God showed His love by sending His Son, he was saying God showed His love by meeting our greatest need - which God offered up His Son as a sacrifice for our sins that we would be seen as holy and righteous in His eyes that we may live with Him throughout eternity.  He sees us united to His beloved Son, clothed in His righteousness.  He loves us, not because of anything we've done, but because we are in Christ.

My friend, there is nothing that we can do to deserve this love. God, before the foundation of the world chose to send His Son to die for us.  This was before the world was ever created, God in His love made a plan to save a wretch like me, to save a wretch like each and every one of us. Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. NKJV

Calvary is the one objective, absolute, irrefutable proof of God's love for us.

Living to Hear: Well Done

Our Motivation for living godly lives should be to please the Lord, to be able to stand before Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ and have Him say 'Well Done, thy good and faithful servant'.  We are to have an attitude like the Apostle Paul as he said in Philippians 3:14 'I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus' NKJV

Keep our eyes on the goal my friend because one day we will stand before the Lord and be held accountable for what we did in His name.  II Corinthians 5:10 says 'For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad'.  The first time I heard about the Judgment Seat of Christ, it set a spirit inside of me of accountability.  It set in me a drive to strive to keep my motives in check.  It was sobering to me to hear that there are rewards that I could have received if only I had not missed the opportunity.  It made me want to be a better Christian, to not take my salvation for granted but to bring honor and glory to God in every aspect of my life.  Imagine, staring into the face of Christ, one on one, and seeing your entire life before you as He sees it.  No hiding, no putting a better spin on what you did because He knows everything and He knows your heart attitude.  I don't want to have to say I gave my second best, but rather I gave my best to bring You honor and glory.  Live each day for the Lord my friend because we never know when He will return.  To learn more about the Judgment Seat of Christ click this link: http://empoweredbiblestudy.sermon.tv/Exploring_End_Times/2237710

What Kind of Witness are You?

One of my favorite verses is Titus 2:3-5 'the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things -- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.' NKJV

No matter what age you are, you are a walking example to those around you.  I remember when I was single, I would watch other married couples, both saved and unsaved and saw quite a few things that I said I would never do when I go married.  You know, Nagging doesn't get us anywhere and who cares who left the cap off the toothpaste, it is not worth arguing over and causing disunity in the relationship.  As we see in Titus, we are to show reverence and not be slanderers.  I don't know how many times I would here someone tearing their spouse down - just not acceptable according to Scripture! We are to build each other up, not tear down and this can be applied to all age groups not just married couples. When we show reverence and honor to those around us, Christ is glorified.  When we show dishonor, we dishonor God.  Remember, we are always being watched as to how we handle circumstances and how we act.  Be obedient so that the Word of God may not be blasphemed.

Study of 1 Peter 3: 1-7

For those of you doing the study of First Peter with me, our study on 1 Peter 3:1-7 is ready for viewing. You can watch the innovative video, listen to the audio or read the notes at:
http://empoweredbiblestudy.sermon.tv/First_Peter 

Some subject matters don't apply to everyone, but I encourage each of you to listen because we can always learn something from the word of God. In these verses we will see the guidelines for a happy marriage as well as how we are to live godly lives. So no matter what age you are or if you are single or married, we can all apply the principles given in this study to our lives.  I pray it is a blessing to you.  God Bless

A Loving Devotion to God

John 14:15   "If you love Me, keep My commandments. NKJV   
My friend, in the Greek language 'Keep' is in the Aorist Imperative, meaning it is a command.  So it is so clear that God is commanding us to keep His commandments.  Not only is it a command, but look at the richness of this verse.  There is something deeper than obedience because of duty.  Notice it says 'If you love Me', obedience done out of devotion is so much deeper than obedience because of duty.


I remember before I was saved I had attended church every Sunday and went out of the source of duty; that was what we were supposed to do.  One day in Sunday school, my Sunday school teacher showed us the difference between knowing God with a head knowledge and knowing God with a heart knowledge - experientially. I realized I did not know Jesus Christ as my personal savior, I knew of Him but I did not know Him experientially. I asked the Lord into my heart that day, and my heart was changed forever. I no longer went to church out of duty, but now I went out of desire to know more about God and to deepen my relationship with Him.  I now wanted to go rather than I had to go. This is the difference here that we should want to obey God's laws out of devotion to Him rather than out of duty. If you want to know more about Jesus Christ, please click this link: http://changedlivestoday.com/_webimages/knowinggod.html


Job learned of having an experiential knowledge - Job 42:5 'I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.'

Facing a New Year with the Lord

The Christmas decorations are slowly coming down, family and friends have all gone home and we are faced with a brand new year.  Many will start to make plans and resolutions for what they will do in the new year.  James 4:13-14 'Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.'

My friend our plans are always tentative because we never know what God has in store for us. The Key is to keep God in our plans.  We should say 'If it be the Lord's will we will do such and such.'  James goes on to say that life is just a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  This is a perspective that all believers should have.  This life, as we know it here on Earth, is just a temporary home.  We never know when the Lord shall return; therefore, we should always live each day as unto the Lord.  The only resolution we need to make is that we grow more and more in our Christian lives and that we are open to the opportunities that God presents to us.  Don't leave God out of your plans, live for Him.