lighthouse2014

Christ personally suffered for our sins so we could be set free from the bondage of sin. Though he was sinless, he bore our sins on the cross.

Christ examples show us how we are to react to being treated unfairly, for he did not retaliate against oppressors. Seeing and being aware of Christ character should provide a good example for me to follow.

Being an employee of an unjust employer we are still to be obedient and do a good job, this brings honour and glory to the Lord. A Christian should not be a complainer for this shows disrespect to all and the Lord. Complaining of unfair treatment at work does not bring justice to us or honour to Christ. For when he was reviled he answered not back. I usually do not react to unfair treatment, but when necessary I will confront the offender of his unjust ways.

We are to submit to our bosses and do a good job, this brings glory to God and shows our employer we are faithfully following our Lord Jesus. If we do not do a good job for our employers, we will display to him that we are not good followers of our Lord, this brings discredit to the Lord and hurts him.

God is dependant upon us to live a submissive life to authority because this brings glory to him. If we are rebellious to authority then this hurts the Lord and brings no glory to his name.

The good deeds we commit openly as Christians, displays to everyone our commitment to Christ. These acts bring glory and praise to our Lord and God. When we blend in with the world we distract not only our own commitment to Christ but ruin our witness to non believers for Christ.

Peter tells us to combat the lies of the world because they war against our spirit. We are to stay away from desires that cause us to rebel against God. The reminder that Peter gives us as to saying no to lustful desires that are sinful and fleshly. His reminders keep us calling to mind that we are aliens and strangers in this world.

Being part of God's family should inspire us to live a holy life, being an example to others and share the gospel with the unsaved.

We offer praise to God by being obedient to from our heart, by our finances as we give tithes back to the Lord, by proclaiming the gospel to the unsaved and lastly by praising and worshiping him in song.

The mindset of the priest is to offer sacrifices and prayers for the people to God. This mindset inspires me to offer up prayers for others, brothers, sisters and non believers that they may come to know Christ.

Feelings of no worth or value are often thoughts that enter thee mind, but we must remember we have been purchased by the blood of Christ, thus we are of an exceptional value, greater than silver or gold which will decay. God's love for us has been before the beginning of time itself. He knew he would have to send his only son to redeem us back to himself. No greater love has anyone than this, to give one's life for us. our balance sheet has been wiped clean by the blood of Christ. God no longer see's or remembers our sins because we have been washed by the blood of Christ. Our acts will be judged and a reward given to us according to our good deeds. Our long term investment is to live a holy life and help others come to Christ and do good deeds for God. We are now God's children, we should and must help spread the gospel, obeying his commands and loving our brothers and sisters, we want to live a holy life as much as possible.

When people today in our culture sense they are being judged by someone else they become very defensive, because they believe their ways are the right ways. To reconcile God's final judgement of the world with his love, is that God Love's everyone but hates their sin. Because he is holy he can not tolerate evil and must judge accordingly. Jesus has satisfied God's judgement for sin. God raised him from the dead and gave him complete authority to judge and rule justly. When the final judgement is left out of the gospel, it has no more power to save anyone. Without judgement of sin and evil there can be no holiness.

Holiness is the changing of our lives from living the worldly ways and changing our hearts and minds to live a holy life as Christ is holy. In a sense we are holy now because through faith we have accepted Christ as our Savior and we begin to live a holy life as he did. Becoming believers in Christ we immediately become holy because we are his, purchased by his blood. Now we become obedient to his word which will help in sanctifying our lives. The biggest struggle with holiness is getting rid of all the old worldly ways in my life which became a habit by nature.

Christ coming should keep us looking forward to his arrival at any time. His coming inspires us our hope because he has promised to return and judge evil and we are to live with him. If we do not anticipate Christ coming very soon we tend to fall back into the worldly pattern of living.

The basis of Christian joy that is inexpressible and glorious is that we love him, though we see him not and seeing him not we believe with faith in our salvation through him. This joy is an emotion of unspeakable joy, a spiritual joy. To praise and worship the Lord who has provided our salvation is an emotion that can not be expressed, only through the spirit can we feel this joy. This joy is no way a general emotion that is related to the "pursuit of happiness". For this earthly happiness is only temporary and fades away, the glories joy we receive for our faith in Christ is a joy that will last forever. This genuine joy can be determined from the counterfeit because this joy from the Lord last forever and ever. Our spirit gives witness to us that this joy is from the Lord. Counterfiet joy can be displayed outwardly, but there is no inner peace of the spirit.

The Lord has used many circumstances to refine my faith, through answered prayers and speaking to me when times have become most difficult. The accomplishment in my life that God has done is that Christ, God's only begotten son, has died for my sins and gave me access to the heavenly Father. Genuine tested faith brings glory to Jesus because only through him can prayers be answered, people healed and his spiritual gifts given to us, this brings all the glory to him, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God's part in our salvation is by his own power, he is protecting us and watches over us. Our part in this salvation is our activating faith, for through faith we are saved.

Forgiveness and obedience come together as a package because we realize that Christ died for our sins. We are forgiven of our sins because of his sacrifice, we are to be obedient to his commands and submit ourselves to him. Some Christians are deceived into believing they can have forgiveness and yet not be obedient to the Lord. This is called hy-per grace, to continue to sin and believing that grace has covered our sins regardless of our action. We are saved by grace rather than works and this is not of our own. If we were saved by our works it would be boasting in ourselves, not God's grace.

A Christian who identifies more with his earthly homeland rather than his heavenly one is not a true born again Christian who follows not Christ. Occasional, I have caught myself doing the same thing. Realizing this I ask the Lord to strengthen me so I not take my eyes off of him or his heavenly kingdom. To get our spiritual priorities right we must repent and ask God for forgiveness and his strength to carry on.

Psalm 27:8 "to seek His face" is to desire to know Him intimately. For us to have this desire to seek God's face, e must have a heart that follows the Lord and we observe his commands through obedience. When Moses talked to God face to face it left his face glowing from the glory of God himself. He would cover or veil his face so the people could not see the countenance that was upon his face. Aas time passed this countenance of God's glory would fade from him. Seeing God and his glory will change us from mortality to immortality. We who actively seek Christ will also have to bear suffering and trials as he did. This suffering is worth the endurance because we will eventually be as he is. Seeking his face relates to the theme of the Glorious Kingdom, for the New Heaven will come down from God and we will dwell with him for ever and ever.

In my own words of describing the glory, we will experience will be unfathomable and indescribable in present terms. However, as expressed in Revelation, the brilliance will come from God himself and the streets of gold and refinements of jewels will no doubt cause us to fall prostrate before the Lord our God.

To "rule and reign" with Christ now in this life means we are called to be conformed to the image of Christ which is the process of becoming like him. After Christ returns we will be raised to reign with him, to be a Kingdom and priest to serve him. This relates to the theme of the Glories Kingdom to be announced by the 7th trumpet. Christ will set up his Kingdom which will last for ever and ever. We will reign with him and God the Father.

In Matthew 24:30-31, when Christ returns all nations of the earth will mourn. He will come on the clouds of the sky with power and glory. The angels will gather the Lord's elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. The above relates to Daniel prophecy of the Lord coming on the clouds of heaven and his prophecy of the Son of Man being on the right hand of the mighty one.

We are to rule and reign in the Christ Kingdom now in this life because we are filled with the Holy Spirit and need to let him rule our lives so the Lord's Kingdom can be accomplished. In our present world, if believers took this authority of ruling and reigning with Christ now on earth, it would indeed be peaceful where justice and righteousness ruled. When Christ returns our roll with Christ will be to rule this world as he directed us to do. Are we not one day to judge angels?

The basis of our spiritual authority from the Lord is a positional authority. Believers neglect to exercise their God-given authority because they lack faith, do not understand the authority we possess or we flat believe only the Apostles had this authority