“For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.” Hebrews 9:16 

Jesus established a covenant with God by His death. He was sent to the world to be a sacrifice for sin. 

While Jesus was alive the gift of salvation was not available for anyone. It was impossible to be born again with the character of Jesus or restored to God.

The death of Jesus activated the Cross for all mankind. 

Where sin abounds the grace of God abounds more!

God created perfection in the creation of man and woman which was then ruined by Satan. 

God saw the sexual immorality and rebellion of mankind. This made Him very angry. 

God created a flood to destroy all humanity except for eight people. This was just a temporary fix. 

God established the Ten Commandments and told the Israelites to obey them. The Israelites failed God. No one could obey the biblical precepts. 

God knew from the very beginning there was only one solution to redeem His people. They were all unworthy to Him in their natural life from birth. They needed a new life filled with the values of Jesus. 

God created a covenant with Jesus that would come alive with His death on the Cross. 

There is only one way a human being can get right with God. He must be baptized into the death and resurrected life of Jesus.

The Cross offers the blood of Jesus to forgive all your sins and restore you to God. 

The Cross seals a believer with the Holy Spirit. He is the life of Christ and transforms you into a new identity with the character of Jesus.

The Cross guarantees a believer all the promises of Jesus. 

The Cross provides supernatural protection and the omniscient wisdom of Jesus.

The Cross brings an abundant life filled with the goodness of Jesus!

The goal of Jesus is to bring you into an uninterrupted relationship with Him.

This is impossible when you put personal desires or compulsive behaviors ahead of Jesus.

The man who insists on maintaining his rights and independence will be unable to experience the fullness of Jesus.

This behavior grieves the Holy Spirit who is your portal to the Living Christ.

The reality of a Christ follower is that he has no rights but to walk in oneness with Jesus.

When you make decisions for yourself this breaks up fellowship with Jesus. You are declaring your human nature is above the wisdom and protection of Jesus.

Jesus knows your needs better than you do; there is no reason to take matters into your own hands.

Jesus is a God of order and simplicity if you live under the authority of the Holy Spirit. However, many times we make impulsive decisions on our own and they usually lead to misery.

Fellowship with Jesus has no time outs. We pray, listen for His voice, read the Bible and obey His instructions. 

The Lord desires to be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your pathway. 

But you have to let go and allow God to take the lead!

God revealed His heart when He created the Ten Commandments.

This moral law does not care about your human imperfections or genetic dispositions. God tells all to honor these commandments without exceptions. And, if you violate one of the commandments you have violated all of them. There is no mercy from God.

The non believer is free from these laws and can do as he pleases. However, once you come to God you are convicted by these commandments and see there is no hope for you. 

The moral law causes a believer to see it is impossible to get right with God.

He is plagued by his natural life at birth which desires to live for self and defy God. 

This validates the contrast between God and mankind. God is perfect, without sin and has no ego. Mankind is self driven and desires to please self.

God designed the moral law to show the weaknesses and vulnerability of mankind.

There is only one way to become reconciled to God. You must be baptized into the death of Jesus.

This baptism by fire and the Holy Spirit provides you with a new life as you learn to die to self and live for Jesus. Your sins are covered by the blood of Jesus and you are restored to God and can face Jesus without blame or condemnation. 

The new life is created by the work of the Holy Spirit. He is the life of Christ who lives in all believers. He transforms a believer into the character of Jesus.

This sounds like a perfect solution but there is a catch. You must take Jesus seriously and seek the will of God for your life. 

The challenge is denying the desires of the flesh and the temptations of Satan. This is very difficult living in a world of darkness which is influenced by Satan. The Christ follower must focus on prayer, reading the Bible and listening for the voice of God. 

Commit your works each day to Jesus and walk in oneness with Him under the authority of the Holy Spirit.

The most startling fact about Jesus is discovering He is alive and wants a personal and embracing relationship with a believer.

Jesus has power and dominion over the heavens and earth. Nothing is impossible for Him. Jesus wants to give you a life you can never achieve on your own.

Jesus keeps His promises!

God never changes! We have to change and conform to His values.

I was reading the Bible today and God brought up this topic. There are so many powerful promises of Jesus but it seems impossible or unreal for a believer to receive all of them.

What makes God tick in releasing His promises to His people? God told me this has nothing to do with religion, works or keeping laws.

And, reading the Bible and going to church will not stir Him to action.

The answer to this question goes back to your decision to live for Jesus.

Did you accept Jesus wholeheartedly without compromise or was this like a token commitment?

Jesus looks at how serious you are about loving Him above all else. The love of Jesus is measured by obedience not emotions.

Is your faith strong and unyielding dealing with the trials in life? Without faith you cannot please Him.

Jesus tests believers with trials that seem impossible to overcome. Do you praise God in the darkest moments of life?

Are you obedient to the voice of God or do you run away from His instructions? He will ask you to do things that make no sense or defy human logic.

Jesus wants absolute obedience to His instructions without any wavering. Just look at the example of Abraham.

Jesus releases promises in His perfect timing. This might be after a long drought or a season of intense spiritual warfare. Sometimes you might have to wait many years.

Jesus is omniscient and sees every detail of your future. He knows your every need and asks you to trust Him.

Jesus delivers those who have steadfast faith and are obedient to Him.

Jesus blesses those who walk in oneness with the Living Christ and are not just looking for hand outs.

The Christ follower is thankful for the gift of salvation and the ability to live with Jesus forever. He accepts the work of the Cross providing forgiveness for all of his sins through the blood of Jesus. 

He is thankful for the indwelling Holy Spirit who transforms him into the character of Jesus. 

He lives for Jesus!

“Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s; All the weights in the bag are His work.” Proverbs 16:11

The Holy Spirit spoke this proverb to me and said He is admonishing (reprimanding) those who practice evil tactics in the workplace.

Unfortunately, there is a lack of honesty and integrity in the Christian community. This is evident in work ethics of many who are operating with self serving and dishonest motives.

This verse uses the analogy of God having a work bag of tools including weights and scales. The tools are for the purpose of measuring the truth and justice of people working in the business world. Are they serving mankind with the values of Jesus?

Jesus measures many different ethical and spiritual values in believers.

Are you living by faith and reaching out to Jesus for your every need? Or, are you scheming with evil tactics to benefit yourself?

Are you speaking honestly with your customers or using lies to cover up your actions?

Are you acting with justice in the workplace in all your dealings?

Are you giving your customers excellent products at a fair price or are you taking shortcuts to benefit yourself?

Jesus sees everything. Nothing is hidden from him. He sees your motives and hears your every word.

This spiritual principle is how God judges your work ethics. Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase.

If you employ dishonest tactics in your work God will diminish your wealth. However, the man or woman who labors under God will increase. 

The success of a believer in the workplace will come to those who commit their works each day to Jesus and invite the Holy Spirit to have authority over their life. 

Here is some excellent advice!

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” Colossians 3:23-25

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Philippians 3:20-21

The Holy Spirit spoke to me last night about how important citizenship is to a believer. It is your anchor to Jesus and His promises.

Citizenship refers to your heritage and allegiance to a homeland. If you are a believer you have a dual citizenship.

The Bible teaches that those who have their citizenship in the world are driven by pride, by what they eat and the things of the world. 

If you become a follower of Jesus your ultimate citizenship is in heaven. 

The citizenship of Jesus offers a glimpse of your home in Heaven and your transformation into a glorious body. 

The heavenly citizenship is in constant conflict with the world’s citizenship. The world will deprive you of the greatness and glory of Jesus. The world has a powerful attraction to lure you away from God.

The Bible teaches that we live in the world but we are not of the world. This is almost impossible to achieve without a mediator. This is why God gave all believers the Holy Spirit. He is the life of Christ and is sealed inside God’s people.

The Holy Spirit will help you navigate through life making decisions that honor Jesus. He will convict you of sin and guide your pathway. He will allow you to prosper in the world without endangering your heavenly citizenship. 

The Christ follower must commit his works each day to Jesus and invite the Holy Spirit to have authority over his life. This will fill the believer with the thoughts of Jesus and provide wisdom and strength to deal with the challenges of life. 

Citizenship with Jesus is life saving!

Citizenship forgives all your sins through the blood of Jesus and restores you to God.

Citizenship will provide a powerful buttress of support in your life. No weapon formed against you shall prosper.

Citizenship will bring the promises of Jesus into fruition in your life. 

Citizenship transforms you into a new identity with the character of Jesus.

Citizenship allows you to live in the reality of the Living Christ every day of your life!

“But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame; but the house of Esau shall be stubble; they shall kindle them and devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau.” Obadiah 1:17-18

This is a true story in the Book of Obadiah concerning the outcome of those people who believe in God and those who live for self.

You can read the entire story in just a few minutes about the consequences of the nations of Edom and Israel. 

God never changes. He judges all people about sin whether they lived several thousand years ago or are alive today. 

Choosing your destiny!

Deliverance, holiness and the fire of God or stubble and destruction!

We all have to make a choice in life concerning God. Is He worth the time and effort?

If you are determined to live for self and doubt the sovereignty and efficacy of Jesus, then you are on your own.

Jesus did not disappear in heaven. He is very accessible but you must reach out to Him by faith.

Jesus is alive today and desires to have a personal and embracing relationship with you. This has nothing to do with religion, mandated works, or keeping laws.

Imagine having the reality of the Living Christ in your life every day. This happens when you make a decision for Jesus and are sealed with the Holy Spirit. He is the life of Jesus and transforms you into a new identity.

The gift of salvation entitles you to all the promises of Jesus and the ability to live with Him forever. 

Jesus speaks to you and is present in all the moments of your life.

Jesus shares His powerful attributes with you which come directly from Heaven.

Jesus has power and dominion over the heavens and earth. Nothing is impossible for Him. He becomes your refuge and fortress against the evils in the world.

Jesus wants to give you an abundant life filled with the supernatural qualities of God.

Seek out Jesus and ask Him to show you who He is. It is impossible to live an abandoned life for Jesus without experiencing the transfigured Son of God.

The glory and greatness of Jesus will give you a passion that can never be quenched. 

Check out Jesus! He wants to live with you.

The Holy Spirit has been speaking to me about Psalm 12. This scripture has three powerful themes.

The signs of slipping away from Jesus!

The godly man ceases in his relationship with God.

He discredits faith, speaks with idle and flattering words and a deceitful heart.

The request to God from David is to cut off all flattering lips and prideful words.

Another sign is the man who speaks whatever he desires and believes his words belong to him and God has no control over what he speaks.

God’s desire to help His people!

God shows where His heart is by responding to the oppression of the poor and the cries of the needy.

God says He will arise and set these people in the safety for which they are seeking from God.

The precious and irrevocable words of God!

The words of God are pure and like silver refined in a roaring fire and purified seven times. 

God keeps His words and will preserve them forever. 

We live in a world inhabited by the wicked and vileness is present everywhere.

The Christ follower walks by faith and lives under the authority of the Holy Spirit. He is filled with the fruit of the Spirit. 

Check yourself out with the standards of Jesus:

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

“To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness” Isaiah 61:3

The word from God today is catharsis which refers to exfoliating unhappy memories or strong emotions such as anger or sadness by asking Jesus for healing. 

We all experience disasters in life. The challenge is how to recover and get ready for a new season. 

The past brings feelings and memories of irreparable things and can cause destructive anxiety, anger and bitterness. We strike out at God for the misfortunes in life. 

We are healed by His stripes!

God desires to transform an injured believer with a positive attitude and healthy outlook for the future. This requires you to let go of the past. Give your past and the attendant feelings to Christ.

Leave the irreparable past in the hands of God and pray for inner healing and renewal of a strong faith.

Trust the promises of Jesus! He wants to turn ashes into beauty.

The miracle of Easter is you can experience the Living Christ every moment of your life.

This happens because Jesus sacrificed His life on the Cross.

Christianity attempts to turn Easter into a new member recruitment effort but Easter is not about a church. 

Easter gives a human being the ability to have a personal and symbiotic relationship with Jesus. 

Jesus comes out of the Bible to be present in your life, speak to you, and share His powerful attributes with you. 

The Living Christ desires to give you the gift of salvation. This gift allows you to live with Jesus forever. He forgives your every sin with His precious blood and restores you to God. 

Salvation is a system of living with Jesus. Salvation does not relate to time. It is an endless relationship with Jesus.

The decision for Jesus seals a believer with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the life of Christ and gives you the ability to walk in oneness with Him.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me today about the importance of Easter.

Jesus transforms a human being from a nondescript character lacking spiritual features into a new creature in Christ filled with the values and personality of Jesus. 

Jesus can do for you what you can never get from the world. Have an awesome Easter!