glory

THE **** OF THE EYES, SEEING AND WANTING WHAT DOESNT BELONG TO YOU; THE PRIDE OF LIFE IN WHICH PEOPLE LIVE FOR WEALTH AND TO ACCUMULATE MORE SO THEY CAN BOAST OF WHAT THEY HAVE AND WHAT THEY CAN DO; AND THE **** OF THE FLESH SUCH AS SEXUAL ****, COVETOUSNESS, GREED, SELFISH AMBITIONS, AND IMMORALITY ARE SOME OF THE SINS COVERED BY JOHN'S THREE EXAMPLES. THIS IS SO DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SEE BECAUSE MY HEART CAN DECEIVE ME AND IT'S ONLY WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT'S HELP I SEE THESE THINGS AND REPENT.WORLDLINESS CAN KEEP MANY OUT OF THE KINGDOM BECAUSE WHEN WE PUT MONEY OR ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE GOD, WE ARE SETTING UP IDOLS IN OUR HEARTS, AND IDOLATRY IS SIN.

THE WORLD HERE REFERS TO THE PLANET, HUMANITY IN GENERAL, OR THE MANY ASPECTS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE.THE LOVE OF MONEY, POWER, POSITION, ETC HINDERS US FROM COMING TO THE FATHER. ALL THIS CAN BE SUMMED UP AS THE **** OF THE EYES, THE **** OF THE FLESH AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE.I CANT HELP BUT THINK OF SO MANY PEOPLE I KNOW, FAMILY MEMBERS INCLUDED, WHO ARE LIVING FOR MATERIAL STUFF WHILE THEIR RELATIONSHIPS, MARRIAGES, ARE SUFFERING. OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT SAVED AND ARE NOT EMBRACING GODLY PRINCIPLES BUT RATHER FOLLOWING THE WORLD'S SYSTEM OF DOING THINGS.THEIR DEVOTION IS NOT TO THE LORD AND THEY BELIEVE HAPPINESS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY BEING SUCCESSFUL ON THEIR JOB, HAVING MORE MONEY, MORE EDUCATION, ETC. IT'S AN ILLUSION.

JOHN WAS ENCOURAGING THE BELIEVERS, NEW AND MATURE, YOUNG AND OLD, SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE LIES AND THE ATTACKS OF THE ENEMY .HE WANTED THEM TO KNOW THE ASSURANCE OF SINS BEING FORGIVEN,THAT THE WORD ABIDES IN THEM, THAT THEY HAVE THE STRENGTH TO OVERCOME THE EVIL ONE AND THAT THEY KNOW THE FATHER.MAYBE SOME BELIEVERS WERE DOUBTING THESE THING BECAUSE OF LIES BEING SPREAD BY OTHERS IN THE CHURCH.WE ALL NEED ENCOURAGEMENT,IT'S SOMETHING I TRY TO REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR DAILY FOR MYSELF BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN SO BEATEN DOWN BY FAMILY FOR MY FAITH IN CHRIST.

WHEN WE HATE AND DONT FORGIVE OTHERS WHO HAVE WRONGED US,WHEN WE DESIRE TO GET BACK AT OTHERS FOR HURTING US, WE END UP HURTING OUR OWN SELVES. WE CUT OFF OURSELVES FROM GOD'S FORGIVENESS BECAUSE JESUS SAID IF WE DONT FORGIVE OUR ENEMIES, NEITHER WILL HE FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS. SO WE RETAIN OUR SINS AND THIS NOW BLINDS US TO TRUTH AND LIGHT. WE COME BACK INTO THE LIGHT THROUGH GENUINE REPENTANCE FOR UNFORGIVENESS AND HATRED,CONFESSING IT TO GOD AND THEN ACCEPTING HIS FORGIVENESS BY FAITH.I ALSO HAVE HAD TO FORGIVE VARIOUS PEOPLE FOR ABUSE AND IT'S DIFFICULT.BUT FORGIVENESS IS A CHOICE AND FORGIVENESS SETS ME FREE.

I GREW UP IN A VERY LEGALISTIC HOME WHERE THER WAS HARDLY ANY LOVE, SO FOR MANY YEARS WHEN I FIRST GAVE MY LIFE TO JESUS, I WAS VERY MUCH INTO RULE KEEPING, AND I TRIED TO DO EVERTHING THE BIBLE SAID BECAUSE I WAS SO AFRAID OF BEING PUNISHED BY GOD IF I MADE A MISTAKE.I THOUGHT BACK THEN HE WOULD ONLY LOVE AND ACCEPT ME IF MY PERFORMANCE WAS RIGHT.I'VE HAD TO REPENT OF SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND GRADUALLY LEARNED HOW TO LOVE GOD.NOW I TRY TO OBEY HIS WORD BECAUSE I LOVE HIM.LOVE COMES OUT OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LIVING GOD, WHEREAS LEGALISM BINDS YOU TO LAW KEEPING ONLY.I THINK BEING SERIOUS ABOUT OBEDIENCE TO GOD CAN ONLY COME FROM A LIFE THAT IS TOTALLY SURRENDERED TO HIM, OTHERWISE WE'LL CONTINUALLY GO BACK AND FORTH IN OUR WALK WITH THE LORD.

JOHN GIVES US THE ASSURANCE THAT IF WE DO SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUS ONE.THIS IS COMFORTING TO ME BECAUSE IT GIVES ME THE ASSURANCE THAT ALL MY SINS ARE FORGIVEN, NOT TO BE USED AGAINST ME ANY MORE, AND ALSO GIVES ME CONFIDENCE TO STAND BEFORE MY HEAVENLY FATHER WITHOUT GUILT.THIS MAKES ME WANT TO AVOID SINNING BECAUSE IT MAKES ME GRATEFUL FOR WAHT HE DID ON THE CROSS FOR ME.THANK GOD FOR HIS MERCY AND GRACE, AND FOR HIS PRECIOUS HOLY SPIRIT WHO BRINGS AWARENESS OF SIN SO WE CAN REPENT AND BE IN RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD ONCE MORE.

I BELIEVE CONFESSION IS SIMPLY AGREEING WITH GOD ABOUT WHAT HE SAYS IS WRONG AND ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS WHEN WE MISS THE MARK.CONFESSING SIN IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS SIN SEPARATES US FROM GOD, THEREFORE IT HINDERS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.IF WE STOP CONFESSING SINS, OUR HEARTS BECOME HARDENED TOWARD THE THINGS OF GOD.GOD WANTS A REPENTANT HEART. SO MANY PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE SORRY WHEN THEY SIN, BUT THEY GO BACK AND DO THE SAME THING AGAIN AND AGAIN.TRUE REPENTANCE IS TO TURN AWAY COMPLETELY FROM THAT SIN.IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE AND CLEANSE US.(PRAISE GOD!!).FORGIVENESS OF SINS MAKES ME RIGHT ONCE MORE BEFORE GOD AND RESTORES MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM; CLEANSING DECLARES ME CLEAN FROM THE INSIDE OUT.GOD BLESS.

WOW!.THIS STUDY IS ALREADY HELPING ME ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH FOR YEARS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO GO TO CHURCH OR CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS BUT LIVE IN DARKNESS.IF SOMEONE CALLS HIMSELF A CHRISTIAN AND CONTINUALLY LIVES IN SIN,HE IS DECEIVING HIMSELF. FOR A TRUE CHRISTIAN, LIVING IN SIN SHOULD NOT BE A WAY OF LIFE. IF WE DO SIN HOWEVER, THERE IS FORGIVENESS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF CHRIST WHICH WAS SHED FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.I ASK THE LORD DAILY TO SHOW ME BY HIS SPIRIT THE THINGS IM MY HEART THAT ARE DISPLEASING TO HIM SO I CAN ALWAYS HAVE A REPENTANT HEART TOWARDS GOD AND NOT A HARDENED HEART.I WANT TO BE SINCERE IN MY CHRISTIAN WALK AND NOT A PHONY. I CAN THINK OF NUMEROUS EXAMPLES, SOME IN MY OWN FAMILY WHO CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS AND ARE LIVING IN PURE DARKNESS..GOD BLESS.

MY GOAL WHEN I BECAME A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO BECOME MORE CHRISTLIKE.HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN AFRAID TO BE TRANSPARENT IN CHURCH AT TIMES FOR FEAR OF BEING REJECTED, CONDEMNED OR CRITICISED.SO, I FELLOWSHIP WITH PEOPLE ON THE SURFACE LEVEL BUT KEEP THEM AT A DISTANCE.PERSONALLY, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP AT A DEEPER LEVEL BUT I STRUGGLE WITH TRUSTING SOME CHURCH FOLKS.BUT AT TIMES I GET SO TIRED OF PRETENDING, I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE MASK OFF AND BE REAL.THAT'S SO HARD TO DO NOWADAYS SINCE I WANT THE APPROVAL OF OTHERS, BUT UNTIL I AM REALLY TRANSPARENT, I AM IN BONDAGE; I'M NOT FREE TO BE ME.TO HAVE DEEPER CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP THAT IS TRULY AUTHENTIC, WE WOULD HAVE TO RISK BEING HONEST IN SPITE OF THE SHAME OR REJECTION WE MAY FACE AS WE DO SO..GOD BLESS.

THE ROMAN SOLDIERS MAY HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR PHYSICALLY NAILING HIM TO THE CROSS , BUT IT WAS OUR SINS AND THEIRS THAT HE WAS TAKING UPON HIMSELF.HE WHO KNEW NO SIN BECAME SIN SO THAT WE MIGHT ME MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.NO GOOD THING DWELLS IN ANY OF US.WE SENT HIM TO THE CROSS.JESUS WAS PRAYING FOR FORGIVENESS NOT ONLY FOR THEM BUT ALSO FOR US WHOM HE ALREADY KNEW WOULD BE HERE AT THIS TIME , LIVING IN THIS CENTURY, BUT STILL IN NEED OF FORGIVENESS FOR SIN OF ALL KINDS..GOD BLESS..

WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO HELP THE POOR AND NEEDY IN OUR CHURCH COMMUNITY TO THE EXTENT THAT THE LORD HAS BLESSED US WITH THE MEANS TO DO SO.WHETHER IT'S FINANCIALLY, OR GIVING SOME FOOD OR CLOTHING, WE ARE BEING MOST LIKE JESUS WHEN WE GIVE TO THE POOR AND HELP THE NEEDY INSTEAD OF LOOKING DOWN AT THEM.EVEN THOSE OUTSIDE OUR CHURCHES ARE HURTING AND IN NEED , AND MANY ARE DESPERATE FOR LOVE AND NEED HOPE TO SURVIVE ANOTHER DAY.I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO HELP BOTH THOSE IN CHURCH AS WELL AS THOSE OUTSIDE WHEN I'M ABLE TO DO SO.

SINCE OTHERS CANT SEE WHAT'S IN OUR HEARTS, THE ONLY WAY FOR THEM TO KNOW WE ARE TRUE CHRISTIANS WHO LOVE THE LORD IS BY OUR DEEDS AND ACTIONS.WE ARE NOT SAVED BY OUR GOOD WORKS, BUT RATHER SAVED FOR GOOD WORKS.HOW CAN WE NOT HELP THOSE IN NEED AND CALL OURSELVES FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST WHEN HE WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD AND HELPING THE NEEDY? THEY GO HAND IN HAND WITH EACH OTHER.BESIDES, FAITH PLEASES GOD, SO WHEN WE LINE UP OUR WAYS WITH HIS WAYS AND OUR DEEDS, THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS WITH HIS, WE ARE REALLY WALKING IN LIVE FAITH AS OPPOSED TO DEAD FAITH.

[/font I THINK I TEND TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE OF A PARTICULAR RACE BECAUSE OF A LOT OF HURT AND PAIN I ENDURED.I KNOW THAT'S WRONG.WITH GOD'S HELP LOVE TOWARD THIS PARTICULAR RACE AND GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL TO HELP ME. I USED TO HAVE SO MUCH RESENTMENT AND BITTERNESS TOWARD THESE PEOPLE THAT I USED TO TRY AND AVOID GOING TO THEIR RESTAURANTS. NOW I SEE HOW GOD HAS BEEN SETTING ME FREE IN THIS AREA; I'M ABLE TO GO EAT AT THEIR RESTAURANTS AND WALK IN LOVE TOWARDS THEM. I DONT KNOW IF THE CHURCH I ATTEND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO IMPRESS ANYONE. THE PASTOR PRETTY MUCH TELLS IT AS IT IS; HE'S MORE OF A GOD PLEASER THAN A PEOPLE PLEASER, WHICH I LIKE. AS FOR MYSELF, BECAUSE OF A LOUSY AND DYSFUNCTIONAL CHILDHOOD, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THE NEED TO LOOK SMART, ATTRACTIVE AND CONFIDENT TO PEOPLE SO THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT ME BECAUSE OF THE SCARS OF CHILDHOOD REJECTION..GOD BLESS.

WHEN WE CAN TRULY TAME OUR TONGUES AND SPEAK BLESSINGS OVER OTHERS INSTEAD OF CURSES, AND WHEN WE CARE FOR THE POOR WHO CANT DO ANYTHING FOR US IN RETURN, THEN WE ARE TRULY WALKING IN THE SPIRIT AND DEMONSTRATING OUR FAITH IN A PRACTICAL WAY, WHICH BRINGS GLORY TO OUR GOD.QUIET TIME AND WORSHIP IS NECESSARY TO BUILD OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD, BUT FAITH IN GOD WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND BE A LIGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY SO OTHERS CAN SEE CHRIST IN US; THAT IS REAL RELIGION.

THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN PRAYING ABOUT AND ASKING GOD FOR WISDOM IN THIS AREA AS I SEE MANY FAMILY MEMBERS OF MINE CALLING THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS BUT NOT WANTING TO GIVE UP THEIR IMMORAL OR SINFUL LIFESTYLE.THEY GO TO CHURCH, LISTEN TO THE MESSAGES, SOME READ THE BIBLE , ETC, BUT ARE NOT REPENTING OF THEIR SINS AND SUBMITTING TO GOD. OF COURSE THEY'RE BEING DECEIVED AND I'M PRAYING THAT GOD WILL OPEN UP THEIR SPIRITUAL EYES AND EARS THAT THEY MAY SEE TRUTHS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. AS FOR MYSELF, MY HEART'S CRY TO THE LORD HAS ALWAYS BEEN ASKING THE LORD TO SHOW ME ANY SIN OR DECEPTION IN MY HEART THAT I MIGHT REPENT OF IT AND WALK IN TRUTH FOR HIS GLORY.AND HE HAS BEEN FAITHFUL TO SHOW ME IN MANY AREAS. I GUESS MY FAMILY THINK THAT GOING TO CHURCH, LISTENIG TO BIBLE TEACHING,ETC, MAKES THEM HOLY BECAUSE THEY'RE FULFILLING THEIR RELIGIOUS DUTY TO GOD. BUT THEY DONT HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD; FOR MOST OF THEM CHRISTIANITY IS JUST A RELIGIOUS OBLIGATION.

I BELIEVE WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE WORD OF TRUTH MANY YEARS AGO, FAITH CAME ALIVE IN MY HEART AND THAT'S WHEN I ACCEPTED JESUS AS LORD OF MY LIFE. PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS SPIRITUALLY DEAD.ONCE CHRIST BECAME LORD OF MY LIFE, MY HUMAN SPIRIT WAS NOW RECREATED OR BORN AGAIN AS THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME TO DWELL IN ME.NOW I AM LED BY HIM AND NOT MY OWN CARNAL DESIRES AS I DAILY SURRENDER TO HIM. JESUS SAID THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK TO YOU, THEY ARE SPIRIT AND THEY ARE LIFE.SO THE WORD IS SPIRIT AND THE WORD IS LIFE.SO SPIRITUAL LIFE AND THE WORD IS ONE; THEY CANT BE SEPARATED.SPIRITUAL LIFE HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE WORD.

THE PROMISE IS TO ASK FOR WISDOM AND GOD WILL GIVE IT TO US GENEROUSLY AND WITHOUT FAULTFINDING. THE CONDITION IS TO ASK IN FAITH, WITHOUT WAVERING, LIKE A DOUBLEMINDED PERSON WOULD DO.WITHOUT TRIALS, WE PROBABLY WOULDNT LEAN ON GOD'S WISDOM AS MUCH. A LOT OF PEOPLE RELY ON HUMAN WISDOM AND NOT SEEK GOD'S WISDOM UNTIL THEY'RE DESPERATE.I'M DEALING WITH THIS RIGHT NOW AS I SEEK GOD'S WISDOM AS TO WHETHER I SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT SAY ANYTHING TO A PARENT WHO IS CAUGHT UP IN IMMORALITY BUT BELIEVES SHE IS RIGHT WITH GOD AND ON HER WAY TO HEAVEN BECAUSE SHE READS THE BIBLE AND GOES TO CHURCH OCCASIONALLY.SHE DOESNT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT SHE NEEDS TO REPENT OF SIN IN HER LIFE AND TURN AWAY FROM THAT LIFESTYLE.GOD BLESS..

BECAUSE I CAME FROM A VERY DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY, I HAD A HORRIBLE TIME TRUSTING ANYONE, ESPECIALLY A GOD I COULD NOT SEE. BUT WHEN I ALMOST DIED AND THE DOCTORS GAVE UP HOPE, HE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO STOOD WITH ME.I'VE BEEN THROUGH MANY TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS SINCE THEN, BUT I HAVE BEEN LEARNING HOW TO TRUST HIM DAILY.LEARNING TO TRUST HIM HAS STRENGTHENED MY FAITH IN HIM.IF I WAS SERVING A GOD I COULDNT TRUST, I WOULDNT WANT TO PUT MY FAITH IN THAT GOD, BUT JESUS IS TRUSTWORTHY AND HE CAN BE RELIED UPON .HE'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE FAMILY I GREW UP IN..PRAISE GOD..

PEOPLE BLAME GOD FOR EVIL WHEN THEY DONT UNDERSTAND THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF GOD. GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME; OUR CIRCUMSTANCES MAY NOT BE GOOD ALL THE TIME, BUT HE IS.GOD WILL NEVER TEMPT US WITH EVIL BUT RATHER PROVIDE A WAY OF ESCAPE WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED, IF WE RUN TO HIM.GOD DOESNT EVEN TEMPT SINFUL PEOPLE; THEY SIN BECAUSE IT'S THEIR NATURE TO DO SO UNTIL THET TRULY MAKE JESUS LORD OF THEIR LIVES AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS.MAN HAS A FREE WILL AND AS A RESULT MAN HAS A CHOICE TO SIN.BEFORE MAN FELL IN THE GARDEN, LUCIFER HAD A CHOICE TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD BECAUSE EVEN THE ANGELS HAD A FREE WILL. HE CHOSE TO REBEL AGAINST GOD AND WHEN HE FELL, HE SEDUCED ADAM AND EVE TO REBEL, BUT THEY HAD A FREE WILL ALSO. THEY CHOSE TO LISTEN TO THE SERPENT INSTEAD OF A LOVING GOD, AND SIN CAME INTO THE WORLD AND WITH IT, EVIL AND ALL ITS TEMPTATIONS...GOD BLESS..

SINCE I BECAME A CHRISTIAN, I HAVE HAD TO ENDURE NUMEROUS TRIALS, A LOT OF PERSECUTION FROM AN UNSAVED SPOUSE, BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS , TROUBLES WITH MY TEENAGED SON, ETC. I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO COUNT IT ALL JOY, SO I MURMURED AND COMPLAIN MOST OF THE TIME.I'M NOW STARTING TO REALISE THAT TRIALS ARE VALUABLE IF YOU ALLOW THE LORD TO HELP YOU RATHER THAN RUNNING FROM GOD AND THEREBY ALLOWING THE ENEMY TO COME IN. SO I HAVE BEEN ALLOWING THE LORD TO REFINE ME IN THE PROCESS AND MAKE ME INTO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, WHICH IS AN ONGOING PROCESS.I DO BELIEVE I AM MUCH STRONGER NOW IN MY WALK WITH THE LORD BECAUSE OF HAVING TO ENDURE SOME REALLY TOUGH TRIALS..GOD BLESS..

I HAVE BEEN MEDITATING ON PSALS 23 A LOT MORE THAN USUAL LATELY. BEFORE, IT USED TO BE A PSALM THAT I JUST RATTLED OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT LATELY HAS BECOME SO REAL TO ME AS I HAVE BEGUN TO SEE HIM AS THE TRUE SHEPHERD OF MY SOUL , LEADING ME ON THE RIGHT PATHWAY AS OPPOSED TO ME CHOOSING MY OWN PATHWAY AND NOT TRUSTING HIM. I CAN HONESTLY SAY I CAN SEE HIM AS THE ONE PERSON I WANT TO FOLLOW ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE. I DIDNT EVEN REALISE BEFORE THIS STUDY THAT I WASNT EVEN FOLLOWING HIS PLANS AS MUCH AS I WAS FOLLOWING MY OWN AGENDA. THANK YOU, PASTOR RALPH, FOR THIS STUDY..GLORY.