Members Of The Household Of Faith

Ephesians 2:19

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.

What does it mean to be a member of the household of faith? As a member of the household of faith means that all believers have accepted God's gift of salvation which came through our faith in Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as Lord and Savior. Therefore, becoming a member of the faith community we now are citizens of heaven and will one day reside with Christ there.  Believers are no longer alienated from God but have been reconciled back to God through Christ's atoning work at Calvary.

Being a member of the household of faith means that we as believers have been called out of this world and the bondage of sin to a live of sanctification and have a right standing with God our Father. As a member of the household of faith we as believers become adopted sons of God and co-heirs with Christ Jesus God's Son. As a member of the faith community we are committed to continuing the gospel message of Christ and kingdom building. As members of the household of faith believers become part of a holy nation and a royal priesthood that have become peculiar to the world simply because believers are a chosen generation (1 Peter 2:9).

Blessings galore await believers as members of God's family.

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white3285@sbcglobal.net     

http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

Be Viligant

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

Peter is encouraging all believers both then and now to be wise and aware of your adversary the devil as he is constantly seeking to impede the believer's faith journey as believers have committed him or herself to doing the will of God.

How must believers be vigilant of our adversary? This is achieved by first refusing to believe his lies as he is a masterful strategist and is very clever in laying straps.  Reflect on how he deceived Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, he is still at work in the world today. Second, believers are to be watchful by studying God's Word and living according to His Word. Third, believers must rely on the Holy Spirit in our efforts to refrain from falling prey to Satan. Fourth, believers must remain fully dressed in God's body armour as God knew that Satan would make every effort to destroy believers (Ephesians 6:11-18). Therefore, believers are to take the fight to Satan through prayer and God's Word-the Bible.

1 John 4:4 states, "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world;" therefore, use your resources and remain watchful of your surroundings, because Satan is on the prowl. He wants to destroy you. Believers, we have victory; Christ won the victory.

Watch as well as pray.

Comments are welcome.

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white3285@sbcglobal.net

http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

Abound In Love

Philippians 1:9

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgments;

From our scripture text we can conclude the meaning of abound is to grow or increase in love as we emulate the love of God as He is love. Love is fundamental to the Christian faith. The love Paul is referencing is not merely head knowledge, but a spiritual love that springs from the heart as it reveals our personal relationship with God. It is noteworthy to say that having a personal relationship with God all believers can and will develop a brotherly love relationship with our brothers and sisters (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

How can we have a deeper knowledge and love for God? This is accomplished by knowing the Word of God through daily Bible reading and meditating on His Word and His Will (Acts 22:14). Knowing God's Word all believers expresses a nearness to God, fellowship with Him and obedience to His Word and Will. With that being said, all believers have good judgment between good and evil and with the help of the Holy Spirit the ability to avoid evil.

Love is an action word. God loves all, believers we are to love all.

Comments are welcome.

Author's contact

white3285@sbcglobal.net

http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

The Goodness Of God

Exodus 34:6

And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful, and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

Throughout the history of mankind the goodness of God has been on display as He is longsuffering which is giving all mankind time to repent of one's sins and turn to Him as He is the one true God that is worthy of all honor, worship and praise. God is truth and cannot lie. This is evidenced in His many promises made and kept. God promised a Savior and the Messiah came providing salvation to all who believe. God promised to supply all your needs according to His riches and glory and He does on a daily basis.

Reflecting on the goodness of God as He has delivered us from something or provided what was needed when we thought all was lost and there was no way out of a sticky situation, God was there. Just look at God!

God's goodness is seen daily as He touches each of us and says "arise my child this is a new day." For me I say thank You God for another day's journey which gives me the opportunity to make a difference in somebody's life.

God's goodness is all around us, enjoy it.

Comments are welcome.

Author's contact:

white3285@sbcglobal.net

http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

Being Anointed By God

1 Samuel 16:12-13                                        

And he sent, and brought him, Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he. Then Samuel took the oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

What does it means to be anointed by God? It means that God has placed His Spirit upon you for a special task. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit equipped certain persons with power and the ability to do tasks for which God had called them to (1 Chronicles 12:18), but in the New Testament Jesus promises that all His followers would be empowered with the Holy Spirit as recorded in Acts 1:8 which states "ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you."

God had appointed David as King before it was known to Samuel or his father Jesse. This holds true for you and I today as every believer have been anointed with the Holy Spirit; however, some believers have a special anointing to preach, some to teach, some prophecy and other spiritual gifts as God see fit in building the body of Christ-the church, but all have the anointing to witness Christ the world over (Matthew 28:18-20).

Accept your calling and do the will of God.

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white3285@sbcglobal.net

http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

A Heavenly Focus

Matthew 6:19-21

                                                                                           

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; For where your treasure is, there will be your heart be also.

If the question were raised, What are we living for, earthly wealth and status or eternal wealth which is salvation? Our scripture text tells us that wherever our priorities are then that is where the heart is. If it is on earthly wealth and status then that is our focus, but on the other hand if spending eternity with God is our priority then heaven is our focus.

Matthew 6:33 encourages all believers to seek God's kingdom and His righteousness first and then as promised God will supply all our earthly needs (Philippians 4:19).

Seeking the kingdom of God carries a connation of allowing the rule and power of God to be demonstrated in our daily lives so that unbelievers will see God's manifestation in our lives and come to know Him. Seeking God's kingdom allows believers to yield to the guidance of the Holy Spirit who keeps believers from falling prey to Satan's lies. Seeking the kingdom of God states that all believers have committed themselves to obeying God's commands and to do His will as well as possessing Christ's righteousness, remaining separated from this world and its system while displaying God's love for the world to see (Philippians 2:12-13).

With that being said, a heavenly focus is putting God and His righteousness first and everything comes after.

A heavenly or an earthly focus, which do you choose? Heaven is best.

Comments are welcome.

Author's contact:

white3285@sbcglobal.net

http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

Crucifixion Friday and Resurrection Sunday

Matthew 20:19

And shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him; and on the third day He shall rise again.

Two of the most significant days in Christian history and putting in perspective the events that occurred on those two days we can pause and thank God for His love, grace and mercy. Man being God's special creation had become separated from our creator as a result of sin. God's redemptive plan was to pour out His wrath on His Son Jesus Christ who became man's propitiator as His precious blood was shed that dreadful day on Calvary's cross.

On Crucifixion Friday prophecy was fulfilled and as God's Son hang dying on the cross God's other created elements went out of control, the moon closed its eyes and refused to watch God's Son dye, the sun turned its face back to God and said, "I cannot look and watch Your Son dye" and the earth became dark as midnight. The earth reeled and rocked like a drunk man as if the weight of its axis was too much to bear because the sins of the world was on the Son of God's shoulders. The curtain in the temple was rent from top to bottom signifying that man could now go to God in prayer as our Savior Jesus Christ had paved the way. When Jesus Christ said "it is finished," He gave up the ghost and the dying process was complete. Thank God for Sunday (Resurrection) morning our Savior rose with all power in His hand. Through Christ's death, burial and resurrection, believers have victory because Christ took away the stain of death; sin has been forgiven, and rendered Satan powerless. All who believe in Jesus died with Christ on Friday and rose with Him Sunday morning and can shout glory hallelujah. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

All praises to a risen Savior and a forgiving God. Jesus is His name.

Comments are welcome.

Author's contact:

white3285@sbcglobal.net

http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

April Devotional

All;

Below is the link to my devotional. Read and be blessed.

http://issuu.com/white8613/docs/april_2012__devotional.

The Cross

Galatians 6:12, 14

As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution of the cross of Christ. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Reflecting on the significance of this week these questions come to mind, What do the cross mean to you? Does it mean that all had sinned and come short of God's glory (Romans 3:23) and this posed a love dilemma for God and the cross was God's perfect solution as He is righteous and cannot look on sin? Do you believe that the cross of Christ was where God's wrath and love collided? Do you believe that God poured out His wrath on His Son so God's love and forgiveness could be lavished upon us?  Does it mean that the horrific death that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ suffered for our salvation is worthy of our steadfast faith in Him? Does it mean that all who believe in Jesus Christ suffered and died with Him on the cross and was raised with Him on Resurrections Sunday to a life of righteousness? Do you believe it was necessary for Jesus to go by way of the cross and to shed His precious blood to atone man's sins as man lacked the ability to atone his own sins?

The cross means that Christ bore the wrath of God the Father for our sins to redeem man back to the Father all out of love. Without the cross of Jesus Christ there is no salvation and no hope for tomorrow.

The cross is the beginning of Friday's and Sunday's events; Crucifixion Friday and Resurrection Sunday. Thank God for both.

Comments are welcome.

Author's contact:

white3285@sbcglobal.net

http://willie-writing.blogspot.com