God worketh in us…through His Word

Philippians 2:13 says it is God that worketh in us, but how can we know for sure that it is HE that is working in us? Well, it dawned on me that the answer is pretty simple, we can know by God’s Word. This is one reason why there has been such a falling away in Christianity these last days. Preachers have let go of sound teaching, sound doctrine, of studying and of reading the Word of God, and some have even let go of preaching altogether!

It is God's way of working in us. God works in us, but He works in us through His Word. We are living in a Christian world where "emotionalism" gives us assurance. It is going over so big, you know, “I feel this”, and “I feel that”, whereas “I KNOW this” and “I KNOW that”, because God’s Word says so.

True Christian living calls for daily searching and studying of God's Word. The flesh wants to work in us, the devil wants to work in us, and the world wants to work a work in us, but the only way we can keep God working in us is by the Word of God. The flesh has deceived us on the fact that God will work in us even if we do not read. How untrue!

We want God to work in us every way except, well, God’s WAY. We read in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." An thus we have assurance that God works in us, through His WORD!

I had to do this

Blogger wasn’t allowing me to publish posts unless I switched to Blogger Beta. I’m not sure I like the new blogger, but I guess I will have to adapt.

The Gentleness of Christ

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

My prayers are that the Lord would bear in me the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is an attribute of our Lord and Saviour. He is love, gives joy, is longsuffering, gentle, good, faithful, meek and temperate.

Of recent, I’ve been thinking a lot about gentleness. Gentleness is from the root gentle, which means amiable, moderate, soft, polite, tender and refined. Jesus Christ is gentle; He is a gentleman. We just have to read our New Testament to see how kind and polite he is towards women. How about to Mary, his (earthly) "mother". Or Mary Magdalene. Or even the woman that was caught in adultery, and the woman of Samaria. Gentleness is attribute of Christ, one that we should all possess.

Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 2 Co 10:1

With His gentleness, we can impact those around us. How about being gentle with those suffering in the church? Or how about exercising gentleness with our lost friends and family, much like Jesus Christ treats the sinner. It's what Jesus showed his disciples as they asked him question after question. At times, they even questioned who he was! Maybe through our Christ-like gentleness we can win those we love to the Lord.

The word gentleness is mentioned four times in the Bible. Once in the book of Galatians, once in 2 Corinthians, and the other two passages are the following:

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great. 2Sa 22:36

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Psa 18:35

WOW! Ever wondered what made King David a great man? The GENTLENES of God made Him great. If we, likewise, want to be great men and women, then we need to posses the gentleness of Christ!

One step closer!

Praise the Lord; Mitchelle came to church for the first time! She even brought her Bible with her, very impressive! She really liked the people, liked the singing, and best of all, enjoyed the preaching.

The Lord never ceases to amaze. As most of you know, Mitchelle and I work as legal secretaries for a downtown firm. Anyone wanna take a stab and guess what Pastor Larry preached on this morning?

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2

Pastor Larry preached on Jesus Christ as our Advocate!! It was a perfect message that spoke both to the saved, and to the unsaved.

Mitchelle even lunched with me along with some church family after the service. All the while, she was very interested in knowing more about Jesus Christ and asked a lot of questions concerning salvation. She hinted how much she wants to come back to church, and even wants her mother to come. Please continue praying for Mitchelle, she is thirsting for the truth…"If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” John 7:37

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DOUBLE WAMMY

My mami (Consecrated) has been praying for Mitchelle to come to church, and I’ve been praying for her friend Nadia to also come. Today, Mitchelle came for the morning service, and mom’s friend, Nadia, came for the evening service. AMEN!

I really need prayer for my friend’s salvation

Mitchelle is my co-worker and my really good friend. I have been witnessing to her for just over a year, and although, they may have been but “baby steps”, the Lord has allowed me to place a tract in her hands, give her a Bible, and invite her to church numerous times. She’s read the tract, she’s read a little bit in her Bible, but she has not come to church yet. Every Sunday, there is an “obstacle” and se is unable to come.

She “almost” came to church last Sunday evening, and though I may have been discouraged that she didn’t, I quickly had to trust in God that He wants her to come on an appointed day that she may hear a certain message that will specifically speak to her.

The reason why I am so keen for wanting her to come to church is because she’s heard about Jesus Christ from myself only, and I want her to hear the Word of God preached by a Man of God, not just from some girl at work whose testimony is a bit shaky at times…I want Mitchelle to get SAVED, and I want her to be live for Christ. She’s my friend, and I don’t want her to be another case of “almost persuaded”.

I don’t know why I am so nervous about this. All I know is I am burdened for her. I am even burdened for her family. I want Mitchelle, her two sisters and mother to be born again.

All week, Mitchelle has been saying that she is determined to come to church this Sunday. I now just hung up the phone with her and she has confirmed that she will be coming in the morning. Please pray that she does show up! Maybe tomorrow is the day of her salvation. Please, Lord Jesus, may it be so.

~Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor 6:2

A dirty ministry

Our church has a “cleaning ministry”, that is, each Saturday a different team cleans the church. I had never done it in the past, because the church always had enough people to fulfill that ministry.

A few months ago, our associate Pastor announced that the church would need more recruits for the coming year. My brother and volunteered to help out, and today was our first time cleaning the church.

Let me tell you, there's something very humbling about having to clean your own church’s toilets!

My mami’s birthday :)

Tomorrow, January 10th, is Consecrated’s birthday. It’s a blessing for both my brother and I to have a mother that truly lives up to her blogger name, Consecrated. She is entirely devoted to the Lord and makes for a great female role model. I love her lots!

Happy birthday, mom.

~Her children arise up, and call her blessed. Proverbs 31:28

The thought of foolishness

Think about it for a moment. God describes FOOLISHNESS as the WISDOM of the world.

~For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 1 Co 3:19-20

In contrast to Heavenly wisdom (James 3:14-17), worldly wisdom exalts self and trusts in the wicked deeds of the flesh. Even though, the schools, cultures, governments, media and religions endorse and promote this “wisdom of the world”, the Lord considers it to be nothing but foolishness.

In Proverbs 24:9 we read that “the thought of foolishness is sin.” And in Matthew 9:4 Christ says that man thinks in his heart (Matt 9:4). The thought of foolishness, therefore, is a heart problem. God also says that as a man “thinketh in his heart, so is he”.

This really bothers me. This means that every time I have a "thought of foolishness" the Lord must think I am fool, not to mention that I have sinned against Him. I don’t want to think with my heart, and I don’t want to lust after the wisdom of this world. I want to be overcome by God’s wisdom!

~If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:5

When do Christians faint?

[…And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.] Matthew 26: 37-43

Ever noticed how Christians tend to faint and quit on Jesus Christ at the time that they are needed the most.

Thank you, Lord Jesus

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph 5:20

If the Lord taught me anything this past year, 2006, it is to give thanks always, and in all things for I serve a good God.

In 2006, the Lord Jesus accomplished many wonders for me and His mighty right hand was with me as a good shepherd protects His sheep from the roaming wolf.

It started out with the Lord blessing me with a significant raise at work, then with my first ever car, then with a brand new laptop, and so on, but those are just worthless physical possessions.

In the summer of 2004, the Lord had allowed me (and my mother) to be reunited with my brother aka my prodigal brother after a six-year separation. He spent a few weeks with us before going back to Lebanon. The next year, he spent the entire summer of 2005 with us before going back again to Lebanon to finish his studies. As I praised the Lord for having my brother back in my life, there was yet one thing that remained unsettled; an eight-year separation between my father and I. It was something that I was dreading and that I was greatly fearing.

Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt (Matt 26: 39) was my prayer. God’s perfect will found me on the airplane on June 16, 2006 and on my way to Lebanon to be reunited with earthly father. Thankfully, my brother was with me the entire two weeks to strengthen me with God’s Word and with prayer, as it was a very intense and difficult time, for both of us.

To God be the glory, I got to see my brother graduate from University and on July 3, 2006, we both made our way safely to Montreal, not to mention less than 10 days before war broke out in the country! I now have my brother here for good, unless and until the Lord calls Him elsewhere. Nevertheless, He is in my life. He is also a faithful servant and a soldier of Jesus Christ for which I greatly rejoice.

Maybe this does not seem like much to you, but it is a special love story between Jesus Christ and me. The Lord has always watched, kept and preserved me all of my life. I have a lot to be thankful for and have learned to give thanks always in every thing because this is the Will of God. The least I can do is to give Him the glory. Thank you, Lord Jesus.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you . 1 Thess 5:18