His Love Ministries

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL WHAT DO YOU PUT IN YOUR MIND

This is Marty McKenzie with His Love Ministries. A mind is a terrible thing to put waste in, I’m talking about trash, garbage.  You wouldn’t go to the garbage dump, and bring it home to put in your refrigerator would you?  Well, that’s what we do every time we let the world’s trash enter our mind.  If you put Garbage in, you get Garbage out. We don’t let them teach us what to believe. Listen to what Phil 4:8 says:  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. So what will you put in your mind today?
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be

JAMES 2:8-13 THE TEST OF IMPARTIALITY OR THE SIN OF PARTIALITY PART 2

James 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
 Faith shows love v8-11
v8 WE BREAK "THE ROYAL LAW"
The “royal law” was given in Leviticus 19:18 and affirmed by Christ (Matt. 22:39): Love your neighbor as yourself. The law is royal or regal (basilikon, from basileus, “king”) because it is decreed by the King of kings, is fit for a king, and is considered the king of laws. The phrase reflects the Latin lex regia known throughout the Roman Empire. Obedience to this law, nonpreferential love, is the answer to the evident disobedience to God’s Law, prejudicial favoritism.[1]
Which is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" is quoted from Leviticus 19:18 and is the most often quoted OT command (8 times in the NT) 3 in Mt alone
  This is one of the most fundamental laws that God has ever given!
As proclaimed by Christ - Mt 22:36-40
As taught by Paul - Romans 13:8-10
Who is my neighbor: all people whom I come in contact with and have a chance to help spiritually or contribute to their well being.
Phil 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
V9 Showing partiality is sin (to miss the mark) Means if you keep on showing partiality the verb tense is a continuing action
and are convicted by the law as transgressors. A willful breaking of the law
 V10 And, as emphasized by James, by breaking one law, we become guilty of ALL the law!
The Law consists of Ten Commandments and God gave us the Law
To be a lawbreaker one does not have to violate all the laws, but he must keep all the law or be perfect to be saved
Ga 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."
 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
 V11 To show partiality is to make one as guilty as if they committed adultery or murder!
 This illustrates just how terrible any sin is!
Faith will be judged v12-13
This refers to the law of Christ, or the gospel, that sets us free to obey God
But if we: Apply man-made restrictions upon others like showing partiality
Gal 5:13-14 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Or If We Don’t show mercy toward others, then NO MERCY will be shown toward us!
Mt 6:14-15 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. This is an intentional act of not forgiving.
Prov 25:21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.
Mt 5 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy
Most likely means they will end up in hell with no mercy being shown since they have never been saved.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
Mercy triumphs over judgment. Based on verse above.
CONCLUSION
In view of all these things remember James says;
Don’t show partiality
Don’t judge others
Honor the poor and all others
Love your neighbors as yourself
Be forgiving and show mercy by doing so
Fellow brothers in Christ, we serve A GLORIOUS LORD, we serve for His glory; may we NEVER allow the sin of partiality, bias, prejudice, or racism to taint that wonderful glory in any way!
 
Lewis Smedes says we put labels on people the way designers sew labels on clothes. And then we let those labels tell us what people are and what they are worth.
Lets honor Jesus Christ  this season by our actions
Now a concluding word for the NON-Christian:
   1) Notice that in our text James speaks of:
The terribleness of even one sin (2:10) Sin in one point, guilty of all
DL Moody compared God’s law to a chain of 10 links. If all 10 links break the man falls to his doom, if 5 break he falls to his doom, if any one of the ten fall the man falls to his doom just the same
b) The fact of judgment (2:12)
   2) Won't you accept the mercy God offers to you in the gospel of His Son Jesus Christ?
Accept His mercy in obedience to the gospel today!
Acts 3:19  "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord
Mahatma Gandhi
In his autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi wrote that during his student days he read the Gospels seriously and considered converting to Christianity. He believed that in the teachings of Jesus he could find the solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India.
So one Sunday he decided to attend services at a nearby church and talk to the minister about becoming a Christian. When he entered the sanctuary, however, the usher refused to give him a seat and suggested that he go worship with his own people. Gandhi left the church and never returned. “If Christians have caste differences also,” he said, “I might as well remain a Hindu.”
That usher’s prejudice not only betrayed Jesus but also turned a person away from trusting Him as Savior.
Our Daily Bread, March 6, 1994
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL GOD'S TRUE JUSTICE

As Christians, so many times we see so much injustice and wonder when it all will end.  Romans 12:18-21 says If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  We need to realize that God’s true Justice, will be fully and finally realized only in eternity.
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

JAMES 2:1-7 THE TEST OF IMPARTIALITY OR THE SIN OF PARTIALITY PART 1

James 2:1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool," 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
INTRODUCTION
Partiality is being intolerant, prejudiced, or racist it literally means to lay hold of one’s face or to judge by appearances
In the first century, A.D., people were either rich or poor, slaves or free, Jew or Gentile, Greek or barbarian However, part of the good news of the gospel was that in Christ Jesus social barriers were removed. As Paul wrote in.
Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
But it took a while for this truth to sink into the hearts of those who were Christians; even the apostle Peter had to be told this truth through a vision and then a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit
Ac 10:34-36 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 "The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ----He is Lord of all----
From the second chapter of the epistle of James, apparently showing partiality was still being practiced and its sinfulness needed to be pointed out
It’s a lot like today, we tend to dislike anything that doesn’t look like us, dress like us, act like us or live the same way we do.
The Motion Picture Association of America gave the Billy Graham film the Prodigal a PG rating because they said no one under teen age should be exposed to Christianity without their parents’ consent.  They can get abortions without parental consent, but not learn about Christ.
Discrimination is based on two false ideas
Prejudice 1-7
Presumption 8-13
Presumption 1 - Discrimination is not sin
Presumption 2 - Discrimination is not significant
Presumption 3 - Discrimination is not serious
We know from other scriptures that Jewish Christians often showed partiality to the Gentiles which included the hated Samaritans
But here the problem was one of showing partiality between the rich and poor
TODAY, WE CAN ALSO BE GUILTY OF PARTIALITY...
By showing partiality between rich and poor by giving preferential treatment to people based upon their clothing or money
By showing partiality between people of different races
By despising people because of handicaps or looks
By not allowing people whose past was bad(drugs, prostitute, crimes etc.) to live that down and not having anything to do with them
Kosovo – Serbs and Croatians – Rada was married to a Serb and they would have forced them to divorce if they stayed in Croatia or Serbia.
Blacks - light skinned vs dark skinned - taunt and ridicule each other.
1 Sam 16:6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him." 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Psalms 139:21-22 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.
We need to hate the sin and love the sinner
Godly hatred is marked by a brokenhearted grieving over the condition of the sinner.
(Sadly, the sin of partiality is probably just as common if not more so than it was in the days when James wrote his epistle!)
Let's notice WHY CHRISTIANS CAN'T SHOW PARTIALITY
Faith does not show partiality v1-3
JESUS CHRIST IS A "GLORIOUS" LORD!
Exodus 34:6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,
As Christians our goal is to imitate Christ
Lk 6:40  "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.
   people may believe this is what Christ is like or teaches
Want to trust in the false glory of riches rather than God’s true Glory
Faith does not Judge v4-7
v4 We become judges with evil thoughts…better translated judges with evil intentions. The real sin of this passage is the way we judge people based on appearance.
One day we will be judged by our words, our actions, and our attitudes.
God has always hated unjust judges and Jesus Himself warned about the dangers of judging
Mt 7:1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.
Mt 7:12 "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
V5 Both then and today God has chosen to honor the poor
If we judge against the poor due to our prejudice against them, we will find ourselves fighting against God!
Ps 109:31 For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, To save him from those who condemn him.
The gospel was proclaimed to the poor
Lk 7:22 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.
The majority of those who responded were from among the poor
1 Co 1:26-29 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
v6-7 WE HONOR THOSE MOST CAPABLE AND LIKELY OF OPPRESSING US
The rich were doing this to the Christians in James' day and might be the ones most likely to do it in this time since they have the resources to do it.
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL PHILIPPIANS 4:1 STANDING FIRM IN SHAKY TIMES

In Philippians 4:1 Paul tells us to stand firm in the Lord. Are you spiritually stable?  Or are you like the double minded man in James 1 and Eph 4:14 who doesn’t know what he believes and is tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine? The Bible tells us in 2Pe 3:18 to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. So how can you stand firm in shaky times.  You need to get your Bible out, read it, study it, memorize it, then you won’t fall prey to Satan’s lies and traps because as John 8:32 says you will Know the truth and the truth will set you free.
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

JAMES 1:24-27 REAL CHRISTIANITY CAN BE SEEN PART 2

James 1:24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
V-24 Hearer and not a doer, You are like a man who after looking in mirror soon forgets what he looked like
"He glanced at himself and off he has gone and straightway forgot  what sort of a man he was". The tenses present a vivid and lifelike picture of the careless listener to preaching (Christ's wayside hearer).
Compare Luke 12:24, 27; Heb. 3:1. So that the contrast is not between a hasty look and a careful contemplation (ver. 25, looketh). It is not mere careless hearing of the word, which James rebukes, but the neglect to carry into practice what is heard. One may be an attentive and critical hearer of the word, yet not a doer.[1]
Lu 6:47 "Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
You need to apply what you heard to your life,
If God convicts you of something, you need to do it.
Ro 7:9 "I was alive without the law; that is, I took all to be right with me, and thought myself not only clean, but, compared with the generality of the world, beautiful too; but when the commandment came, when the glass of the law was set before me, then sin revived, and I died--then I saw my spots and deformities, and discovered that amiss in myself which before I was not aware of; and such was the power of the law, and of sin, that I then perceived myself in a state of death and condemnation."
2Co 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
V25 Blessed is the man – Psalm 1
One who looks into(intense examination)
 The perfect law of liberty and continues in it...
Joh 13:16 "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
The Gospel is a law of liberty it frees us from sin and frees us to do the will of God
The saved man delights to do the will of God
John 8:36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
The ceremonial sacrifices a yoke of bondage
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
The Bible is "perfect" because it is inerrant. It contains no factual errors or misrepresentations. It perfectly reveals the will of God for man. It will not allow for any distortions of reality. It will not allow us to fool ourselves into thinking that we are better than we are.
"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple" (Psalm 19:7).
Liberty and license are different. Biblical liberty is the freedom to live within the principles of God. License gives free rein to the flesh.
"For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!" (Galatians 5:13-15).
Is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work
It is one thing to have an extensive knowledge of the Bible but it is another to expansively apply it to experience.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).
Will be blessed in what he does
I believe it Refers back to verse 12 blessed is the man who overcomes
Matthew 5:3-12 The Beatitudes
Be Pure v26-27
V26 If you think you're religious, shows that it refers to the external observances of public worship, such as church attendance, almsgiving, prayer, fasting (Mt 6:1-18). It is the Pharisaic element in Christian worship
A religious person here is a pious person, someone who is devoted to or worships God. He perceives himself as a godly person.
But do not bridle your tongue Ps 34:13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
Ps 39:1 To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David  I said, "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me."
When we detract from others in order to make ourselves seem superior, we enter into the vanity of religion.
"Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3).
"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36).
1Pe 3:10
Jas 3:12
you deceive only your heart, In verse 17 be not deceived, here deceive not yourself
He plays a trick on himself.
(Jeremiah 17:9) "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; who can know it?"
v27. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this... James now shows a genuine Christianity that is "pure" and "undefiled" instead of the formal religion of the previous verse.
Undefiled (ἀμίαντος). See 1 Pet. 1:4. The two adjectives, pure and undefiled, present the positive and negative sides of purity.[1]
To visit orphans and widows in their trouble
To visit (ἐπισκέπτεσθαι). See on Matt. 25:36. James strikes a downright blow here at ministry by proxy, or by mere gifts of money. Pure and undefiled religion demands personal contact with the world’s sorrow: to visit the afflicted, and to visit them in their affliction. [1]
The idea is to oversee orphans and widows in their trouble, "Take responsibility for them."
Helping everyone any way you can is what is meant, not just widows and orphans, although they most of the time are the most needy
Isa 1:16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
Isa 58:6 "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Joh 14:18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
Taking care of orphans and widows (conduct) is a duty that lies close to the heart of God (cf. Exod. 22:22-24; Deut. 10:18; Jer. 5:28; Ezek. 22:7; Zech. 7:10). Yet many who professed to love Him neglected it (Ps. 68:5; Eccles. 4:1; Mark 12:40)
To keep oneself unspotted from the world
"to keep on keeping oneself un-specked from the world" (a world, kosmos, full of dirt and slime that dirties the best of men).
We need to stay away from things we know are wrong but the world says is okay.
Stay away from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
Deut:8:3 Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord
John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
We are given Spiritual Strength and Power by trusting in Jesus Christ and feasting on His Word
We need to read, study, and memorize the Word
The Word will give you:
Deliverance from Sin
Victory over Satan
Spiritual prosperity
Personal Guidance
Help for Others
"To summarize, vv. 22-27 insist that a person's religion must consist of more than superficial acts. It is not enough to listen to the statement of spiritual truth (vv. 22-25), nor is it sufficient to engage in formal religious activity (v. 26). The person whose religious experience is genuine will put
spiritual truth into practice, and his life will be marked by love for others and holiness before God."85
If you died today, do you know for sure you would go to heaven?
If God asked you why should I let you in My heaven what would you say
Can you say that you know your faith is real?
What are you trusting in to get you to heaven?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Acts 3:19  "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL JOHN 8:24 JESUS SAID, YOU SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS

In John 8:24 Jesus said, "You shall die in your sins for if you believe not that I am He, you shall die in your sins."  “John 3:16 says For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes should not perish but have everlasting life.” Did you hear that?  It says whoever believes, not whoever behaves or is baptized or takes communion or does good works.  You need to believe that Jesus is God, He died for your sins, turn to Him, repent of your sins and ask God to forgive you by because He said He would. Have you been made righteous because you have trusted Christ?
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
 

JAMES 1:19-22 REAL CHRISTIANITY CAN BE SEEN PART 1

James 1:19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James has told us in verses 1:1-12 that he is a willing slave to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He has told us that we will fall into trials and that we should count it all joy because of the reasons for trials, the results of our trials, that we can count on God in our trials and when we have overcome trials, we will receive eternal life. Because if we depend on God in trials he will sustain us and we will not only make it through the trials but also be better people because of them. Instead of being VICTIMS, we can become VICTORS In verses 13-18 he tells us that God allows trials and Satan causes temptation, but when we are drawn away by our own desires, it causes sin and sin causes physical death. James says that God is creator and giver of every good thing and that God never changes. God saved us by his word as a promise of the future glory we will have in the new heaven and new earth. Based on these wonderful things, James says how then ought we to live our lives if we are Christians!
1:17-18. The solution for temptation is to be found in a close relationship with the Father and a constant response to His Word. One must rest in the unchangeable Lord of light and rely on His life-giving “Word of truth” (cf. Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:15).[1]. In stark contrast with the morbid scene of death that descends from unbridled lust is the bright scene of new life that emanates from the Word of truth (v. 18; of Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5). The father of darkness—Satan (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13)—generates the offspring of sin and death. The Father of the heavenly lights (i.e., God, who created the starry universe) gives salvation and life and is unchanging. [1] V18 - Ac 17:28 "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'
What do I have - v17-18, What do I need - v19-20, and how do I get there - v21-27
It is implanted; divinely given, in contrast with something acquired by study-Compare Matt. 13:19, “the word of the kingdom — sown in his heart.” Grafted or graffed is expressed by a peculiar word, employed by Paul only, ἐγκεντορίζω, from κέντρον, a sharp point, thus emphasizing the fact of the incision required in grafting. See Rom. 11:17, 19, 23, 24.[1]
V-19 So then my beloved brethren
Be Disciplined v19-21
Go back to verse 4- let patience have it’s perfect work
Be patient not letting passions control you
An angry and hasty spirit is soon provoked to wrong things
be ready to hear and consider what God's word teaches
We should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak any thing that should prevent this: and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath; for a soft answer turns away wrath. 
We need to learn to be more disciplined and we will if we belong to Jesus Christ
v-19 Let everyone be swift to hear
They did not have the whole word of God written down like we do today, where it is available to everyone. It was not until the 14th century John Wycliffe in England had the whole Bible translated into English for the common man, but copies were still made by hand. Then Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440 so that Bibles were able to be mass produced for the common man to have and read for the first time in 1456. It was actually declared illegal by the council of Toulouse in 1229 AD for anyone but a church leader to have a copy of the Bible.
We need to be swift to
Hear the word of truth and apply it to our lives
1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
"Whereas men often pretend zeal for God and his glory, in their heat and passion, let them know that God needs not the passions of any man; his cause is better served by mildness and meekness than by wrath and fury."
Solomon says, The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that rules among fools, Ec 9:17.
What God says about trials and temptations.. don’t blame him
James1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
In relationship to Christian disputes
Open our hearts and our ears to hear what God says to us
Slow to speak..Hear others out, meditate on the word before you decide that you know everything the word says
Pr 10:19; 14:7; 16:32; 17:27; Ec 5:1-2; 7:9
Mark 4 soils, had no root in themselves – Implanted word
Slow to wrath
Don’t get angry with others when they treat you bad, admonish you or especially when they preach the word. They are only speaking what God has laid on their heart and what is in the bible
Luke 4:28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.
Don’t get angry with God
V20 For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God
Romans 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
"Give room for the wrath" of God instead of taking vengeance in your own hands.
V21. What to lay aside, and what to receive
Lay aside all filthiness (pride, vanity, wrath, and evil speaking) and overflow of wickedness (malice is ill will towards someone or the desire to injure them) malicious disposition toward one’s neighbor.
filthiness speaks of taking off a filthy garment
metaphor of removing clothing as in Ro 13:12; Col 3:8; Eph 4:22,25; 1Pe 2:1
We are called upon to suppress other corrupt affections, as well as rash anger: Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, Jas 1:21. The word here translated filthiness signifies those lusts which have the greatest wickedness and sensuality in them; and the words rendered superfluity of naughtiness may be understood of the overflowings of malice or any other spiritual wickedness. Hereby we are taught, as Christians, to watch against, and lay aside, not only those more gross and fleshly dispositions and affections which denominate a person filthy, but all the disorders of a corrupt heart, which would prejudice it against the word and ways of God.
Observe,
Sin is a defiling thing; it is called filthiness itself.
There is abundance of that which is evil in us, to be watched against; there is superfluity of naughtiness.
It is not enough to restrain evil affections, but they must be cast from us, or laid apart. Isa 30:22, Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say, Get you hence.
This must extend not only to outward sins, and greater abominations, but to all sin of thought and affection as well as speech and practice; --all filthiness, every thing that is corrupt and sinful.
Observe, from the foregoing parts of this chapter, the laying aside of all filthiness is what a time of temptation and affliction calls for, and is necessary to the avoiding of error, and the right receiving and improving of the word of truth: for,
Receive or welcome with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls
We need to be meek and mild
Psalms 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Mt 15:13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
Which is able to save (τὸν δυνάμενον σῶσαι) Compare Rom. 1:16, “the power of God unto salvation.”[1]
Be Doers (22-25) Rather, "But keep on becoming
v22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only
Jas 4:11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
Mt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
1Jo 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
Ro 2:13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified
Otherwise you deceive yourselves
Our Faith is shown by how we treat others
An unknown author captured eloquently the way in which we so religiously fall short of Christ’s demand of service for others:
I was hungry and you formed a humanities club and discussed my hunger.I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly to your chapel and prayed for my release.I was naked and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance.I was sick and you knelt and thanked God for your health.I was homeless and you preached to me of the spiritual shelter of the love of God.I was lonely and you left me alone to pray for me.You seem so holy, so close to God.But I’m still very hungry and lonely and cold.
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
 

HIS LOVE MINISTRIES 30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL SO SHALL YOU REAP

Hi, This is Marty McKenzie with His Love Ministries.  Why do you think God gave us the 10 commandments?  Is it because you think that God is some kind of cosmic kill joy, and that He doesn’t want you to have fun?  You wouldn’t let someone you loved play in the middle of a busy highway would you?  God gave the 10 Commandments because He is Holy and also to keep us from getting hurt.  When we sin we hurt others and ourselves.  The Bible says sin is fun for a season, but it also says whatever a man sows that shall he reap.  Sin does have consequences.
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

THE HOUSE BUILT ON SAND

Here we are in the United States having just come out of one storm and are now in the midst of another bad storm but this will pass and there will be other storms but there are also storms in our lives that come every single day. Are you prepared for those storms? I’m not talking about physical storms I’m talking about the trouble in families and jobs and our lives, that’s the kind of storms I’m talking about. A question for you today is Do you know the one that even the winds and the waves obey? The one the disciples said what kind of man is this that even the winds and the waves obey him so when the trouble comes and the storms of life happen to you and your family and your job or whatever trouble it may be do you have that peace that passes all understanding from the Savior? Do you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? He said in John 14:27 my peace I give you not as the world gives you that I give a different kind of peace. Do you know the Lord and Savior when the storms of life come and are you prepared when the final storm comes that you will face of the end of life? Do you know The Savior? The one in Matthew 7:24-27 who said that the house that was built on sand and the storms in the wind and the rain and the trouble came and great was the Fall of that house, but the one that was built on the rock which is a picture of Jesus Christ, that house in the storms was protected and safe because that’s a picture of our salvation in Jesus Christ do you know Him?
 
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
 

JAMES 1:13-17 TESTS AND TEMPTATION PART 5 DANIEL

Don' Be Ignorant of the devil's schemes - 2Corinthians 2:10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. Gets us when we are hungry, angry, lonely, tired, discouraged, when we hold grudges, makes others laugh at us, distorts the truth, makes us afraid, Ephesians 4:26
1John 2:16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.  The devil always tempts us in 3 ways --the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--See Genesis 3:6 - So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh - feels good do it, also involved the eyes), that it was pleasant to the eyes (lust of the eyes, I see it and I want it), and a tree desirable to make one wise (pride of life- look at me, see who I am), she took of its fruit and ate. 
See Matthew 4:1-11 - Mt 4:3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." (the devil used the lust of the flesh, he was hungry) Mt 4:5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" (the devil used the pride of life- you are so important that God will send his angels to catch you), Mt 4:8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." (the devil used the lust of the eyes, I see it and I want it) Notice Jesus used the Word of God to fight the devil (verse 4, verse 7, verse 10)
John 10:10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Walk in the Spirit - Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Means to be prayed up, we have confessed all sin, and are walking in God's will)
Eph 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, (RSV)
Resist the devil - Ephesians 4:27 nor give place to the devil.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Submit before resisting
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
Joshua 24:14-15 But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Deny the Flesh - Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
Romans 6:12 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
Ephesians 4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, (Our part is to put off, His part is to supply the strength Phil 4:13)
Colossians 3:8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds 3:10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Ephesians 4:24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Reckon ourselves dead to sin - Ro 6:10-18 (2 Corinthians 5:17 - We are new creations)
Remember who we belong to - Hebrews 12:1-11, 1Corinthians 6:19-20
Realize God is still in Control - James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Philippians 4:13, 2 Peter 1:3-4, Colossians 2:10, Romans 8:31
1Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
1John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.
2Peter 2:7-9, Isaiah 43:2-3, Hebrews 13:5-6, Daniel 3:8-30 - Jesus was with them in the fire
 
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL GOING THROUGH A TRIAL ROMANS 8:28

Hi, I'm Marty McKenzie with His Love Ministries. Are you going through a trial in your life?  There are some things we say that are not in the Bible, but are very true.  Every cloud has a silver lining and it is darkest before the dawn.  God does great thing in our lives through trials if we will just trust Him.  In Romans 8:28, it says God works all things together for good to those who love Him.  Just when things get the worst and you don’t think you can make it, just call on God and He will get you through and just like it is darkest before the dawn, you will be blessed greatly on the other side if you will just hang on to God.
 
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

JAMES 1.13-17 TESTS AND TEMPTATION PART 4 JOB

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
 In this section of scripture we are taking another deeper look at Temptation by looking at what happened to Job and how he reacted.  A temptation is a test that is reacted to in a wrong manner.  God Tests us, the devil tempts us.  God wants us to become better people, the devil wants us to become bitter people.  We are taking a several message long look at who is tempted, why we are tempted and how to handle it.  I hope you will listen to all of these because the Bible says we are all tempted, just as all are tested.  The question is how will you react and do you know how to overcome the struggle we all have in this area?  If you don’t, please stay with us for this whole series because God wants us all to know how to deal with this area or we will never become the Christians that God wants us to become.
Principles To Live By and How To Deal With Temptation
Be Saved - John 3:16-21, Romans 3:23, 6:23, Romans 10:9-11, Ephesians 2:8-10,
John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?  Colossians 2:10 - You are made whole (complete) in Christ
Fear God - Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever. Deut 13:4
Ec 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.Matthew 10:28 - Don't fear man. Galatians 6:7-8 whatever you sow, you reap
Purpose in our heart to Follow God - Daniel 1:8, 3:3 - They knew what they were going to do before they ever got to the place of temptation. Daniel 6:7-24 (when he was in the Lion's Den)
Joshua 24:15 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."Job 31.1 I have made a covenant with my eyes that I would not look on a young woman
Hide the Word of God in our Heart - Ps. 119:9-11, When Jesus was Tempted, He used the Word in Matthew Chapter 4 to fight the devil (verse 4, verse 7, verse 10)
Bring every thought captive/Change the Channel of our mind 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Phil 4:8-9
James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.  Sin starts as a thought in our mind that we allow to turn into lust
Avoid Bad Company - 1Cor 15:33 Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals
Run away - Genesis 39:6 -12 (Joseph ran away)
1Corinthians 6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
 1Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
2Timothy 2:22  Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Be Content with what you have - 1Ti 6:6 -11 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Psalms 37:16 A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.
Proverbs15:16 Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, Than great treasure with trouble.
Being content is not having all you want, but wanting all you have
Put on the whole armor of God - Ephesians 6:10-18 - Start the day out right
Watch and Pray - Eph - 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--
Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." - Peter did not watch and pray (he fell asleep), so he ran away, tried to kill Malchus, and denied Christ 3 times - see Matthew 26:40-75
1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Don't be Deceived - James 1:16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Devil promises the good life, but God has it
 Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
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The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL REPENTING AND CRYING OUT TO GOD

As Christians it looks like we have some repenting and some crying out to God we need to do. Just as the Israelites in the book of Judges were oppressed by others because of their sin, we too have sinned and fallen very short of the calling we have as Christians. It is no wonder we have the leaders and people who are oppressing us. Let us begin to live as we ought to and fulfill our calling as Christians, then we can cry out to God to ask Him to deliver us. 1Pe 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

JAMES 1:13-17 TESTS AND TEMPTATION PART 3

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
 In this section of scripture we are taking another deeper look at Temptation.  A temptation is a test that is reacted to in a wrong manner.  God Tests us, the devil tempts us.  God wants us to become better people, the devil wants us to become bitter people.  We are taking a several message long look at who is tempted, why we are tempted and how to handle it.  I hope you will listen to all of these because the Bible says we are all tempted, just as all are tested.  The question is how will you react and do you know how to overcome the struggle we all have in this area?  If you don’t, please stay with us for this whole series because God wants us all to know how to deal with this area or we will never become the Christians that God wants us to become.
Who is the author of every good thing v-16-17
v-16 Do not be deceived.    Don’t blame God, it is your fault
Mt 7:9-11 "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10  "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11  "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Every good gift and every perfect gift—James uses two different Greek words here the first word gift means the act of giving and the last word means the object given
Jews called God the father or creator of lights (stars, sun, moon)
1John 1:5-7 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow
Why are we tempted v-18
We belong to God and satan wants to destroy our witness
Of his own will
by the word of truth
If we can sin habitually without guilt we do not belong to God
First fruits Ex 22:29-30 "You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. 30  "Likewise you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.
Giving God the first fruit was an act of faith that he would fulfill his promise of a full harvest
So we are the promise of the new creation
2Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
 How to avoid sin
Stay away from people who will encourage you to do wrong
Stay away from situations and places that will expose you to wrong desires
Fell in the Hole Story
Psalms 101:3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
Study the Bible
Ps 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!
Ps 119:104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.
Have a quiet time where you read the Bible and Pray to God
Mt 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Mt. 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
By studying you will grow as a Christian and will want to serve the Lord and not do those things which do not please Him
Read 7 Hacking Agag to Pieces by John Owens
1Sa 15:1-33 Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD.
Do you know the Lord
You can’t stay out of sin unless you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour
Many years ago, Indian youths would go away in solitude to prepare for manhood. One such youth hiked into a beautiful valley, green with trees, bright with flowers. There he fasted. But on the third day, as he looked up at the surrounding mountains, he noticed one tall rugged peak, capped with dazzling snow. I will test myself against that mountain, he thought. He put on his buffalo-hide shirt, threw his blanket over his shoulders and set off to climb the peak. When he reached the top he stood on the rim of the world. He could see forever, and his heart swelled with pride. Then he heard a rustle at his feet, and looking down, he saw a snake. Before he could move, the snake spoke.  "I am about to die," said the snake. "It is too cold for me up here and I am freezing. There is no food and I am starving. Put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley."  "No," said the youth. "I am forewarned. I know your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you will bite, and your bite will kill me."  "Not so," said the snake. "I will treat you differently. If you do this for me, you will be special. I will not harm you."  The youth resisted awhile, but this was a very persuasive snake with beautiful markings. At last the youth tucked it under his shirt and carried it down to the valley. There he laid it gently on the grass, when suddenly the snake coiled, rattled, and leapt, biting him on the leg.
"But you promised..." cried the youth.  "You knew what I was when you picked me up." said the snake as it slithered away."  Bits and Pieces, June, 1990, p. 5-7.
 Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL ARE WE PRAYING OR COMPLAINING

If we are not happy about our leaders, instead of complaining why don't we pray for them as the Bible says do so that God can do something about it, because we for sure cannot change things on our own. 1Ti 2:1-4 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Have you tried the only solution that will work?
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

JAMES 1:13-14 TESTS AND TEMPTATION PART 2

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
 In this section of scripture we are taking another deeper look at Temptation.  A temptation is a test that is reacted to in a wrong manner.  God Tests us, the devil tempts us.  God wants us to become better people, the devil wants us to become bitter people.  We are taking a several message long look at who is tempted, why we are tempted and how to handle it.  I hope you will listen to all of these because the Bible says we are all tempted, just as all are tested.  The question is how will you react and do you know how to overcome the struggle we all have in this area?  If you don’t, please stay with us for this whole series because God wants us all to know how to deal with this area or we will never become the Christians that God wants us to become.
What causes us to sin v 14-16
v-14 His own desires
Who is tempted? Every man......Noah's drunkeness, Abraham lied, David's sin, Peter's denial
Benjamin Franklin said It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it.
A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them:
Materialism.
Pride.
Self-centeredness.
Laziness.
(Tie) Anger/Bitterness.
(Tie) Sexual lust.
Envy.
Gluttony.
Lying.
Survey respondents noted temptations were more potent when they had neglected their time with God (81 percent) and when they were physically tired (57 percent). Resisting temptation was accomplished by prayer (84 percent), avoiding compromising situations (76 percent), Bible study (66 percent), and being accountable to someone (52 percent).
Discipleship Journal, November / December, 1992.
Why is he tempted?
Holiness consists of two parts:
Romans 12:9 Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
So sin consists of two parts: we are drawn away and enticed
Sin is Desire + Opportunity + Action
Drawn away by his own desires or craving.
Drawn away pictures fishing.. the word means to be hooked like a fish
Enticed is to catch fish by bait or to hunt with snares
Sin is the union of the will with lust
Believe me satan and his demons watch us every minute and they know all our weaknesses and exactly when and how to tempt us
1Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
Who' s fault is it when we sin...ours
2corinth 2:11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
God told Cain that sin crouches at your door
Adam- Gen 3:12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." Blamed the woman and ultimately God
Eve - Gen 3:13 And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." And the serpent did not have a leg to stand on.
Job's response     Job 1:20-22, Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD." 22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
Job 2:10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
V-15 Satan gives us a thought, then we act on it if we dwell on it
The desire gets the best of us when we continue to think about the thing which we are tempted by
John Gill says of this: instead of resisting and rejecting the motion made, he admits of it, and receives it,  and cherishes it in his mind; he dallies and plays with it; he dwells upon it in his thoughts,  and hides it under his tongue,  and in his heart,  as a sweet morsel,  and forsakes it not,  but contrives ways and means how to bring it about; and this is lust's conceiving.
2Co 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
When desire has conceived it gives birth to sin.. this is the picture of childbirth
Sin exists just as an egg in the woman, when it is dwelt on then it grows and grows until fullgrown or complete
Sin must be stopped at the beginning, the first thought we have about doing something we know is wrong must be stopped. Replace that thought with a good one or ask God to remove that thought
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy----meditate on these things.
Then once we have done it, satan says now you've done it God will never forgive you or want anything to do with you again
Then you are get caught in a pattern of habitual sin and become enslaved by the devil
V-12 when we overcome we receive eternal life
V-15 when it is full grown-- we habitually sin we receive death, premature death-- physical not spiritual
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God won't let us embarrass Him
1John 5:16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.
1 Corinth 11:30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
 

LUKE 11:2 PRAY FOR OUR NATION

IN LUKE 11:2 JESUS SAID TO THEM, "WHEN YOU PRAY, SAY: OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME. YOUR KINGDOM COME. YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO PRAY EVERYTIME YOU HEAR THIS DEVOTIONAL OR THINK ABOUT IT TO PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR WORLD, OUR NATION, IT’S LEADERS, AND FOR US TO COME BACK TO GOD.  THAT GOD WOULD BE GLORIFIED BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE LIVE FOR HIM, THAT PEOPLE WILL BE SAVED, AND THAT WE WOULD LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD SO THAT HE IS PLEASED WITH OUR LIVES. THAT IS HIS WILL BEING DONE.  WILL YOU DO THAT WITH ME?
 
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions
 

JAMES 1:9-13 TESTS CAN BECOME TEMPTATION

James 1:9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
In this section of scripture we will see that God wants the poor man to be satisfied in Him and the rich man to realize that only in God is there real riches.  He will also tell us in verse 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; because Trials can quickly turn into Temptation if we don’t trust in God.  This message begins a series of several messages on Temptation, what is it, how does it happen, who is responsible when we are tempted, and most important of all, how to resist temptation.
V9 Let the Poor Exalt God and give Him glory
The poor can give glory to God because of their standing before God and their eternal riches in Him
Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
V10 Let the Rich be Humbled
Trials will bring the rich to a point that they realize that true happiness and contentment come from God, not material wealth and things
V11 A picture of how quickly death and judgement from God can take away wealth and possessions
V12 Consider the Rewards of your Trials
V12 Blessed is he who endures Temptation...Shows we are truly saved 1Corinth 10:13
He will be approved
Receive the crown of life or eternal life with God in Heaven
Luke 22:28  "But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 "And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 "that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
The Lord has promised to those who love him
In a time of crisis how do you react?
Are you asking why is the reason this is happening
Are you angry
In Denial, saying this can't be happening to me
Depressed
Did you cause your own trial or trouble
God will forgive, but most likely He will not remove the consequences
Are you preparing for trials?
How do you prepare? Study the Word, Pray, and when the trial comes ask God what do you want me to learn from this?
Do you know the Lord? If you do not have the Lord to depend on trials can destroy you
 V13 God allows trials in order to strengthen our faith and mature us
Temptation comes from satan to cause us to sin
God tests us to bring out the good
Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."
Satan tempts us to bring out the bad and embarrass God
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
The mission of satan is to Kill, steal, and destroy
Whatever Happened to Sin by Karl Menninger
V-13 Who is the author of temptation
Temptation is Desire + Opportunity
God cannot be tempted because he is Holy
Look at Job. He lost his children, livestock, servants and his health
God allowed this to happen, he even brought the subject up of Job and his uprightness
This was a trial from God and a temptation from satan
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.
6-12 Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it." 8 then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" 9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 "But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
 Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL ROMANS 1:18-24 WHO OR WHAT IS YOUR GOD

Romans 1:18-24 says God’s wrath is revealed against men who suppress the truth of God, that everyone knows there is a God because of our conscience and the beauty and order in creation, we have not glorified Him as God, nor are we thankful for His gifts we enjoy everyday, we change the true God into man made images and have exchanged God’s truth for the devil’s lie.  We worship the creature (cars, people, money) rather than the Creator.  Bob Dylan sings a song that says you may serve the devil, or you may serve the Lord, but you are going to serve somebody.  So who or what is your God? 
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

JAMES 1:5-8 TRIALS ARE FOR YOUR FAITH

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; Jas 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
In this section we will see that God wants us to come to Him in the midst of trials and He wants us to ask Him for wisdom to get through the trial.  We might not get the reason why, but we will get what we need to get through it.  He will give all of us who ask wisdom and He will not get tired of us coming and asking again for it. He also says to ask in faith, because if we don’t we will not get it.  Go to chapter 4 for more insight on why we don’t get from God.
V5 -8 Count on God in your Trials
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
God is willing and able to help people who turn to Him no matter what their situation
Ask for Wisdom from God with Single mindedness
Wisdom is the ability to make the right decisions based on knowledge
God will give generously
He is the true source of wisdom
1 Kings 3:28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.
Without Reproach
You can come to Him as often as you want or need no matter what the problem is and He will be there for you
V6 Ask in Faith believing God
Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."
V6-7 Not doubting... You will receive nothing if you do
Proverbs 24:10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.
V8  Double minded an unsaved man who is a hypocrite who cannot trust God when trials come
 
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL JAMES 2:14-26 TRUE FAITH VS FALSE PROFESSION

 In this section of Scripture we will see the difference between the true children of God and the false professors.  Many people say they belong to God, but Jesus tells us here that if we were truly His children then our walk will match our talk.  It is easy to say you are a follower of Christ; it is another thing to have that ring true by the way you live and talk day in and day out.  The Bible always matches saying and doing together. James 2:14 says what does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?  In other words if you say you have faith, but are not backing it up by working for God, then you are not really saved.  He says can this kind of faith save him.  It is a question that is asked with the implied answer of no it cannot and will not.  He puts it this way in James 2:20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 
James 2:14-26 says there are three kinds of faith, one is a dead faith that talks the talk, but cannot and will not walk the walk because it is not real.  One that is demonic, they say they believe in God, but the demons also believe and tremble.  Then there is Dynamic faith, that is true saving faith which believes that Jesus Christ’s work on the cross alone is sufficient to get them into heaven and works for God because they love Him.  It is one demonstrated by a love for those who cannot help themselves and by living a pure life by the power of God.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

JAMES 1:1-4 TRIALS ARE FOR JOY

James 1:1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
In this new book we are starting today, we will hear the intro to the book of James along with several reasons we have trials.  This is a great book, a very practical book that deals with hard issues of life and really helps us as we live our Christian lives.  We will also see how we are to respond to trials, we will look at trials from God’s perspective and see lastly that the way we respond to trials show the genuineness of our faith
The Book of James was written about 60 AD
James was the half brother of Jesus, he was known as James the Just
It is said he spent so much time in prayer that his knees became hard and callused like camel's knees
He was probably the closest in age to Jesus
Even though James lived with Jesus for over 30 years he did not believe Jesus was the Messiah our Savior until a few months before Christ's crucifixion
John 7:5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
James was written to the Jews and is a practical book that addresses many hard issues
James says that faith is not passive, but evidenced by a life of action
According to James, faith perseveres, resists temptation, obeys, accepts others, tames the tongue, and depends on God's wisdom. Faith considers the will of God when making decisions, waits patiently for the Lord's return and offers effective prayer.
In other words faith changes the way a person lives
James uses the word brethren or beloved brethren 14 times to indicate that even though he dealt with hard issues he had a heart for his readers.
This book is about for integrity in our life and how to achieve it.
V1 James a bondservant-Doulos a involuntary slave, but Paul elevates it to a higher level in Romans it comes to mean in a Christians life, a voluntary slave who is willing to give his life to God and for the Lord Jesus Christ in service
Book was written to the twelve tribes of Jews who were scattered abroad because of persecution.
V2 Count it all joy when you fall into Trials  Hebrews 12:2, 12:8, John 16:33
When you encounter trials not if
We need to look at trials from God's perspective
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30  Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
God is control of everything,
Look at Job 1: 12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Count the Results of your Trials v 3-4
V3 Trials produce endurance and patience
Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
V4 Trials produce maturity and makes you complete or whole
1John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
2Corinth 12:9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
God gives us the ability to overcome trials
John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world----our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Consider the Reason for your Trials V-4 Martyrs died singing           Russian guy and the KGB
You are Rewarded in Heaven for your Good Deeds to others for God
1 Peter 2:20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
Mt 25:40  "And the King will answer and say to them, `Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
Faith turns trials into glory for God
1Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
John 11:3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." 4 When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."
Testing reveals the genuineness of your faith - Matthew 13 soil and seeds
1Peter 1: 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith----the salvation of your souls.
Mark 4:15-20 15 “And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 “These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 “and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble. 18  "Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19  "and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 “But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
Revelation 21:7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
John 11:14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. 15 "And I am glad for your sake that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."
 Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL JOHN 12 THE BEST GIFT FROM MARY

In John 12 Mary takes a very costly perfume, breaks the bottle and pours it all out on Jesus and wipes His feet with her hair.  First of all, she gave her best and greatest gift when she poured out her costly perfume, probably worth $20,000 - $25,000 at our rate of exchange today.  This was probably all her wealth and savings she had in this world.  Then, she also used her hair which speaks of a woman’s glory.  She humbled herself and anointed Jesus for His burial with her perfume and her hair.  How about you, are you giving Jesus your best, your all, and humbly bowing down and worshipping Him?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL ARE YOU GOING THROUGH A TRIAL ROMANS 8:28

Hi, I'm Marty McKenzie with His Love Ministries. Are you going through a trial in your life?  There are some things we say that are not in the Bible, but are very true.  Every cloud has a silver lining and it is darkest before the dawn.  God does great thing in our lives through trials if we will just trust Him.  In Romans 8:28, it says God works all things together for good to those who love Him.  Just when things get the worst and you don’t think you can make it, just call on God and He will get you through and just like it is darkest before the dawn, you will be blessed greatly on the other side if you will just hang on to God.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL MINISTERING TO THE LEAST OF THESE

Everyone His Love Ministries reaches out to is locked up in some way.  Some are locked up in bodies that don't work or the Nursing Home facility or in the wheelchair or bed they cannot get out of.  We minister to youth who are locked up because of behavior problems or their parents and their cry is we want to have a “REAL FAMILY”. Other kids are locked up because of crimes.  We reach those locked up correctional facilities; in addictions to drugs, depression, and suicidal thoughts.  Jesus came to give us life and set us free and these folks are not free that we minister to, but we can set them free through Christ Jesus. 
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don’t go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

JOHN 21:14-19 JESUS SAID TO SIMON PETER, SIMON, SON OF JONAH, DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE PART 2

John 21:14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. 15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep. 18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish." 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
 
Today we look a little closer at the three do you love Me statements and what they mean to us in practical terms of what we need to do and how we need to live in light of these questions.  Peter is like us in that he is not willing to totally commit to something unless we are sure WE can pull it off.  So, Jesus gives a prophecy of how Peter will die.  He tells Peter that he will live to be an old man and then they will put him on a cross. That he will glorify God through his death.  That is just like God to let us know, yes you have failed, yes you are hesitant to fully commit now because of your failure, but I am going to use you anyway. Also, I want to let you know that when it comes  time to stand up for me, you will not fail, you will not make the same mistake again and you will ultimately do the will of God as you are supposed to when it really counts.  2Co 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
 
14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. Joh 20:19,26
John said that this was the third post-resurrection appearance "to the disciples" (i.e., the apostles, cf. 20:19-23, 26-29). Chronologically this was at least Jesus' seventh post-resurrection appearance (cf. 20:11-18; Matt.
28:8-10; 1 Cor. 15:5; Luke 24:13-32; John 20:19-23, 26-29). Nevertheless it was the third appearance to the disciples, and the third appearance to the disciples that John recorded.
John viewed this appearance as further proof of Jesus' resurrection. Perhaps he viewed it as completing a full complement of testimonies since he drew attention to its being the third appearance to the disciples. The number three in Scripture sometimes connotes fullness or completeness (e.g., the three Persons of the Trinity). However by calling this appearance a "manifestation" (Gr. ephanerothe, cf. v. 1) John indicated that he also viewed it as a revelation of Jesus' true character. So far Jesus had reminded these disciples of lessons that He had taught them previously that were important for them to remember in view of their mission. He had also set the stage for an even more important lesson that would follow.
I believe there are lessons to be learned from this miracle in the light of its similarity to the great fish harvest of Luke 5. Because of the fishing miracle in Luke 5, Peter and the other disciples came to see Jesus (and themselves) in a whole new light. There, Peter realizes he is not worthy to be in the same boat with Jesus. In John 21, Peter and the others are once again awed by our Lord and His works. In both texts, these professional fishermen were not able to catch anything on their own, even though they were laboring in the area of their expertise.
Jesus taught them that He is the source of their success, He is the One Who, when obeyed, makes men fruitful fishermen.
In Luke 5, the disciples were called to leave their fishing boats and to become “fishers of men” (5:10). I believe that John 21:1-14 is a reaffirmation of that original call. The disciples are all waiting around, wondering what to do with their lives.
I believe that by means of this miracle Jesus reiterates and reinforces their original call, which came in Luke 5.
There are some interesting differences in these accounts as well—and lessons to be learned from them.
The most obvious (and probably the most important) difference is that in Luke 5, Jesus was in the boat. In John 21, Jesus is on the shore. You may think I am pressing the limits of this story, but there is a lesson here: “Jesus is able to guide, to provide for, and to watch over His disciples just as well (better?) from a distance, as He is able to care for them “up close and personal.” From 100 yards away, Jesus knew they had caught no fish. From 100 yards away, Jesus could guide them to an abundance of fish. Even before they saw Him, Jesus was prepared to provide for their needs. He had breakfast “on the table,” so to speak, when they arrived on shore. Were the disciples uneasy about Jesus going away, about Jesus leaving them to return to His Father? Such fears are unfounded. He is just as able to care for them when He is in heaven as He was to care for them while He was on earth. I think this was a significant part of the lesson He wanted them to learn.
That is why this story is included here -- to teach us that in the work of evangelizing, whether through mass evangelism or individual witnessing, God himself is working with us and will supply far more than we ever dreamed.
Both of these accounts refer to Peter as "Simon Peter." Recall that when the Spirit of God uses the name "Simon" Peter, the natural Peter, the one with whom we feel a kinship, the Peter in us all, is in view.
And three times, Jesus is going to ask Peter the same question, or at least, we think it’s the same question, but as we’ll see as we move through this there’s actually a subtle shift in this question that we can’t see in our English Bibles, right?
It’s a rich picture of how intimately Jesus knows His friend, Peter, and by implication, how He knows us.
So, not only the guilt of, “Oh, I failed, and I didn’t respond well,” but, “Let me restore you to a place of usability that’s far beyond your wildest imagination.”
We need to keep this in mind as well, especially those of us who are very aware of our own sins, and how we have failed…
No matter how great a person is, he may fall (cf. 1 Cor. 10:12).[i]
Would you begin to understand that nothing you will ever done will make Him love you more, -and nothing you have ever done will make Him love you less. And when you start there, I believe the prayer thing is going to take care of itself.” But we’re all in this performance quota, “I have to do this before God will look on me favorably.”
He could not have demonstrated His love more profoundly than He already has. Why would He then change that conditionally based upon our works? So the motivation is, “I love you, and I want to respond well to you.”
Not, “I need to pray more, I need to be more faithful, I shouldn’t have done that.” What a terrible way to live the Christian life. Ultimately, that performance mindset that you’re talking about is legalism. It’s an attempt to self-justify and we have to come back and say do we believe that Christ has paid it all, and that we’re accepted not because of what we do, - but because of what He has done? And Peter had to realize that as well. As we pick up this account in John’s Gospel, Jesus has just finished cooking breakfast for His friends, and He’s about to have a conversation with Peter.
to follow Christ as maybe we have promised to do. Jesus is in the business of restoration. I am inclined to understand verses 1-14 in terms of evangelism—being fishers of men. But it is not enough to simply bring a lost sinner to faith in Jesus Christ; that person should also be discipled, and thus brought to maturity in Christ. This seems to be implicit in the Great Commission:
Lu 24:33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"
Mr. 16:7 "But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
Jesus is not seeking to correct (or even rebuke) Peter here for his three-fold denial. Jesus personally revealed Himself to Peter, probably before He appeared to the disciples as a group (1 Corinthians 15:5; Luke 24:34; Mark 16:7). I believe it is there that our Lord dealt with Peter’s three-fold denial, and forgave him. In our text, Peter is eager to be with our Lord. I believe this is because Peter’s sins have already been confronted and forgiven, and thus he has already been restored to fellowship with the Master
I am not even inclined to see this text as Peter’s restoration to leadership. There are some scholars who hold that Peter was restored to fellowship in his private interview with Jesus, and that this incident is his public restoration to leadership. I see the emphasis of this passage falling on humble service, not on leadership, per se.?????????
this passage is more about love than about leadership. Love for Jesus is demonstrated by faithfully caring for His sheep. So, too, when we care for the sheep whom our Lord loves, and for whom He gave His life, we show our love for the Shepherd.
caution should be exercised in making too much of the two different words for “love” which are employed in this text. The two verbs are agapao and phileo. The first two times Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him, the word for love is agapao. The third time Jesus asks, He employs the term phileo. Every time Peter responds to Jesus’ question, indicating his love, he employs the word phileo. The distinctions that some make between these two terms may hold true in some cases, and for some authors. They do not seem to hold true for John, who often uses different terms for the same concept. When commentators do seek to emphasize the distinctions between the two Greek words John uses, they do not agree as to what the meaning and emphasis of these terms are. We should keep in mind that when Jesus spoke to Peter and asked him these three questions, He spoke not in Greek (the language in which the Gospel of John is written), but in Aramaic, the language spoken by the Jews of that day. The change in words may have some significance, but I hardly think it is the key to understanding the passage.
Jesus began by addressing Peter as Simon the son of Jonas. In the Gospels, Jesus addressed Peter this way on only the most important occasions. These were his call to follow Jesus (1:42), his confession of Jesus as the Son of God (Matt. 16:17), and as he slept in Gethsemane (Mark 14:37).????????????
 When Jesus addressed Peter this way here, Peter probably realized that what Jesus was about to say to him was extremely important.
"His [Peter's] actions had shown that Peter had not wanted a crucified Lord. But Jesus was crucified. How did Peter's devotion stand in the light of this? Was he ready to love Jesus as he was, and not as Peter wished him to be?"
His will is content with following. His work is compelled by love. His way is committed to God. And his work, or his will is content with following, but his words are about Jesus.
Number one, his work is compelled by love. A real committed Christian operates on the basis of his love for the Lord. Two, his way is controlled by God. He has learned how to give his life totally to God and trust Him for it. His will is content with following. He's happy to do what Jesus leads him to do. Fourth, his words are concerning Jesus. His work is compelled by love. His way is controlled by God. His will is content with following. And his words are concerned with Jesus.
A committed Christian operates on the basis of his love for the Lord.
 15 ¶ So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."
Each question begins with Simon, son of John. It’s funny to me that He names him Peter, but He never calls him Peter but one time. At least, it’s only recorded one time that He calls him Peter. He still calls him Simon. I think it has to do with the person of him before the Holy Spirit indwells him because in Acts he’ll be known primarily as Peter. But now, Jesus still calls him Simon.  Called Him Simon Peter every time something important occurred. Original calling, garden of gethsemane, and now.
Peter had denied that he was one of Jesus' disciples and that he even knew Jesus three times. Thus Jesus' question was reasonable. He wanted Peter to think about just how strong his love for Jesus really was.
"There can be little doubt but that the whole scene is meant to show us Peter as completely restored to his position of leadership. . . . It is further worth noting that the one thing about which Jesus questioned Peter prior to commissioning him to tend the flock was love. This is the basic qualification for Christian service. Other qualities may be desirable, but love is completely indispensable (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1-3)."
Our Lord’s addition of the words, “more than these do,” really got to the heart of the matter. Our Lord’s prediction of Peter’s denials came in the midst of Peter’s confident boasting that even if all the others denied Jesus, he certainly would not. In other words, Peter was claiming a higher level of devotion than the rest. Jesus is simply asking him to re-evaluate his boastful claim. And this Peter did. Peter could truthfully affirm that he did love Jesus, but he would not go so far as to claim that his love was greater than that of his fellow-disciples. He also speaks of his love in terms of the Savior’s assessment of it: “Yes, Lord, You know I love You.” To this our Lord replied, “Feed My lambs.”
There is some discussion over what Jesus means here. The verse could be translated (and understood) in several ways. (1) “Peter, do you love me more than these fish, more than this boat and the nets, and the things which represent your life of a fisherman?” (2) “Peter, do you love Me more than you love these men?” (3) “Peter, do you love me more than these men do?”
But a comparison of these two accounts reveals that what he means is, "Do you love me more than these men love me?" Before he denied Jesus, Peter had inferred that he loved Jesus much more than they. "All men will forsake you, Lord, but I will lay down my life for you," he had said. Clearly he regards himself as more faithful and more committed than the others, whom he expected would desert the Lord in a time of danger. Thus Jesus addresses these words to him, "Do you love me more than these?"
When we bring that into our context, taken together, “Peter, now that you’ve denied me three times, remember I told you you’d deny me? Now that you’ve denied me three times, can you tell me that you love me more than these people love me?” That’s the question He’s posing to him.
And Peter is saying, “Look, Lord you knew I was going to deny you three times, you know if I love you or not, Lord.” Now, Peter is starting to develop a fuller Christology. This Jesus Christ knows everything about him. And He knows everything about him now. That’s why it grieved him, I think. Three times, “Lord, you know I love you. You know everything.”
Peter has learned some painful but necessary lessons. He does not judge himself in relationship to the others, but reads his own heart and replies, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." He makes no mention of the others. Here is a great lesson on how we are to look at others. Peter indicates he has learned to read his Lord's mind better. In the Garden of Gethsemane he felt that his love for Jesus required that he assault the enemies of his Lord, but here he learns that he is responsible to feed the sheep of Jesus. That is the correct manifestation of love.
Jesus responded graciously by giving Peter a command, Tend My lambs” This is an PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE. All three of these statements are the same grammatical form.
Note that Christ gives Peter a new commission: he is now a shepherd (pastor) besides being a fisher of men. (See 1 Peter 5.) He is now to shepherd the lambs and sheep and feed them the Word of God. All Christians are expected to be fishers of men (soul-winners), but some have been called into the special ministry of shepherding the flock. What good is it to win the lost if there is no church where they might be fed and cared for?
When Peter sinned, he did not lose his Sonship, but he did fall away from his discipleship. For this reason Christ repeated His call, “Follow Me.” Christ also confronts Peter with the cross (v. 18), indicating that Peter would one day be crucified himself. (See 2 Peter 1:12–14.) Before we can follow Christ, we must take up the cross. When you recall that earlier Peter tried to keep Christ from the cross, this commandment takes on new meaning (Matt. 16:21–28).[ii]
He told Peter to tend (Gr. boske, feed) His lambs (Gr. arnia). Previously Jesus had referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd (10:14). Now he was committing the care of His flock to this disciple who had failed Him miserably in the past. Jesus had formerly called Peter to be a fisher of men, an essentially evangelistic ministry (Matt. 4:19). Now he was  broadening  this  calling  to  include  being  a  shepherd  of  sheep,  a pastoral ministry.
The image, however, changes from that of the fisherman to that of the shepherd. Peter was to minister both as an evangelist (catching the fish) and a pastor (shepherding the flock). It is unfortunate when we divorce these two because they should go together. Pastors ought to evangelize (2 Tim. 4:5) and then shepherd the people they have won so that they mature in the Lord.
Here is the chief work of a shepherd. Jesus says to Peter, "Feed my lambs"; "Tend my sheep"; "Feed my sheep." Three aspects of feeding are suggested here:
"Feed my lambs." Teach the children. Do not wait for them to grow up. Teach children from the Word what life is all about.
Peter was grieved because Jesus found it necessary to ask virtually the same question three times. I do not like to be asked the same question repeatedly. I conclude that either the person asking the question wasn’t paying attention (this could not be the case with Jesus), or that my answer was not acceptable or credible. The three-fold repetition must have registered with Peter as being related to his three-fold denial. Peter was grieved because he realized that the bold and even arrogant claims he had made proved to be empty. Peter is not distressed with Jesus; he is grieved over his own sin.
Jesus is not attempting to shame Peter; he is seeking to reaffirm his call to service. Did Jesus question Peter about his love for Him three times? Then note that three times Jesus instructed Peter to care for His sheep. Does Peter fear he has been cast aside as useless? Jesus tells him to return to His work, three times!
Peter really did love Jesus. But Peter needed to understand that his love for the Savior was not as great as he thought, just as his ability to catch fish was not as great as he seemed to think. In loving, and in landing fish, Jesus was supreme.
Even in the thing Peter did best (fishing), he could not hold a candle to Jesus, who proved to be far better at fishing than he. Peter sought to prove his love for Jesus by boasting about it, by arguing with his fellow-disciples about it (see Luke 22:24), and by being the first to draw his sword and lop off an ear, or perhaps even by being the first man into the water and onto the shore. These were not the benchmarks our Lord had established for testing one’s love for Him.
The proof of one’s love for God is sacrificial service —feeding our Lord’s sheep.
The way I understand verses 15-19 is something like this: “Peter, do you really love Me as much as you say? Then prove your love for Me by taking care of My sheep.” Jesus is the “Good Shepherd,” Who cares for His sheep (see John 10).
If Peter really loves his Lord, then his passion will be the Lord’s passion.
The circumstances must have reminded Peter of the scene of his denial. And if the circumstances as such did not remind him of this, what was about to happen was bound to do so. Note the following resemblances: 1. It was at a charcoal fire that Peter denied his Master (18:18). It is here at another charcoal fire (21:9) that he is asked to confess (his love for) his Master. 2. Three times Peter had denied his Master (18:17, 25, 27). Three times he must now own him as his Lord, whom he loves (21:15-17). 3. The prediction with reference to the denial had been introduced with the solemn double Amen (13:38; see on 1:51). The prediction which immediately followed Peter’s confession was introduced similarly (21:18).
Ps 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But it has been shown that the resemblance is even more pointed. In reverse order the same three ideas—1. following, 2. a cross, 3. denying—occur here in 21:15-19 as in 13:36-38.” William Hendriksen, Exposition of the Gospel According to John, II , p. 486.
John 21:15-17 is more about love than about leadership. “Peter if you’re going to love me, part of that will be shepherding and feeding and caring for my sheep, but the manifestation of those attributes come connected to your love to me. If you love me, Peter, you will shepherd the flock that I will give to you. My passion, Peter, will be your passion. The things I’m concerned about, Peter, will be the things you’re concerned about, if you love me.”
 16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." Ac 20:28; Heb 13:20; 1Pe 2:25; 5:2,4
Now the first and third words for “feed”, “Feed my sheep… feed my lambs… “ is the same word. The middle word is the word I want to talk about. The middle word is the word shepherding. Some of your translations use the word “care for”, and it has the root of a pastor. In fact, the word that Jesus uses here for Peter to shepherd is the word for pastoring and for eldering. Pastoring is the gift, eldering is the function. It is a shepherd; one who cares for people. The shepherd-sheep relationship describes the spiritual task of leaders of God’s people. The command ‘to shepherd’ includes guiding, guarding, feeding, protecting.
Then, "Shepherd my sheep." The word means, watch over, guard them. In Peter's first letter he says to the elders to whom he is writing, "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, watching out for them," (1 Peter 5:2). Try to discern where they are at, apprehend the coming dangers, warn and guard them. That is the work of a shepherd.
The verbal tense conveys urgency. It calls upon the elder to have the official life of devotion to serving the flock of God.”
 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep. Joh 2:24-25; 16:30
Jesus is the “Good Shepherd”; He is the Shepherd who came to lay down His life for His sheep. If Peter really loves Jesus, he will care for the Master’s sheep, and he, like the Master, will lay down his life for the sheep. Love manifests itself in service—humble, sacrificial, service.
            You become like the people you love. The things they love, you love. If Peter really loves his Lord, Who is the Good Shepherd, then Peter will surely seek to shepherd in the same way.
He will seek the lost sheep (evangelism). He will feed and tend the young and vulnerable lambs (discipleship). And, like the Good Shepherd, he will lay down his life for the sheep. That is why the Lord moves so quickly and easily from verses 15-17 to verses 18 and 19. Peter had assured his Lord that he was willing to die for Him (Matthew 26:35), and so he will. But he will not die in the manner that he once supposed—seeking to keep His Master from being arrested and crucified. Peter will die, as the Savior did, as a good shepherd, and for the sake of the gospel.
Finally, "Feed my sheep, my grown-up ones."
The instrument of feeding, of course, is the teaching of the Word of God. Open their minds to the thoughts of God. This is the missing element in the church today.
The primary function of shepherding is in teaching and explaining the Gospel and the Word to the flock of God.
People are not thinking the thoughts of God, not looking at life the way God sees it, but following blindly after the fantasies and the illusions of the world. What is necessary is the unfolding of the mind of God in obedience to the word of Jesus: "Teach the word." The weakness of the church flows from a famine of the Word of God.
Peter had learned not to make rash professions of great love. Therefore he did not compare his love for Jesus to the love of the other disciples as he had done before. He simply appealed to Jesus' knowledge of his heart.
Notice that throughout this interchange Jesus consistently referred to the sheep as His sheep, not Peter's sheep. Moreover Jesus described Peter's ministry in terms of acts, not in terms of an office. Later Peter wrote to elders urging  them  to  apply  these  same  viewpoints  to  their  pastoral ministry (1Pet. 5:1-4).
The Greek word for “sheep” at the end of John 21:17 means “dear sheep.
A committed Christian’s way is controlled by God.
Having loved Jesus Christ to that extent that you'd give your life for Him, it's no problem to hand Him your life and let Him keep it. Didn't Paul say, "I'm confident that what I've given the Lord He'll keep till the day of Jesus Christ?" And as a Christian, you can say, "All right, Lord, I love You, here's my life, You've got it now, it's up to You to do what You want." Are you willing to say that? Whatever God's will is, he'll do it. The committed Christian yields the control of his destiny to God, no questions asked. Psalm 37:5 puts it this way, "Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him." Just let it go. Here's my life, God, and it's Yours, do whatever You want. And Paul says, "If I live, I live unto the Lord. If I die, I die unto the Lord. So, if I live, if I die, I'm the Lord's." See. I gave myself to Him.
18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."
Joh 13:36; Ac 12:3-4
Peter had been learning how his self-confidence led to failure and how he needed to depend on Jesus more (i.e., "You know vv. 15, 16, 17). Jesus reminded Peter that as time passed he would become increasingly dependent on others even to the point of being unable to escape a martyr's death. Therefore, Jesus implied, Peter should commit his future to God rather than trying to control it himself as he had formerly tried to do.
    "The long painful history of the Church is the history of people ever and again tempted to choose power over love, control over the cross, being a leader over being led."
For Peter, following Jesus would involve more than teaching, it would ultimately involve pain, suffering, deprivation, and death. This was historically fulfilled.
Clearly this book was written after the death of Peter, as John records the way Peter would die. Eusebius, the church historian, tells us that when Peter went to Rome at the close of his life (by the way, he did not found the church at Rome at all; he went there much later), he was finally imprisoned, his hands were bound and he was led out to the place of execution, and there he was crucified. At his own request he was crucified upside down because he did not feel he was worthy to share the manner of his Lord's death.
Jesus is saying that preaching and teaching the Word of truth in a mixed-up world like ours will call for sacrifice. It may mean living in primitive conditions, under difficult circumstances, and not feeling harassed, but privileged, to teach and to suffer for the sake of the Word of God. Peter found this to be true. He ultimately obeyed his Lord. He had said, "I will lay down my life for you," and Jesus replied, "You will indeed, not like you once thought, not in defense of me with a sword, but in the teaching and preaching of the Word. Eventually you will lay down your life for me."
A committed Christian’s will is content with following.
 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."2Pe 1:14
Follow Me” This is a PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE as is v.22. This is related to the renewal and reaffirmation of Peter’s call to leadership
Our Lord’s words, “Follow Me!” must have brought new joy and love to Peter’s heart. Literally, Jesus said, “Keep on following Me.” Immediately, Peter began to follow Jesus, just as he had done before his great denial.
Peter later wrote that Christians who follow Jesus Christ faithfully to the point of dying for Him bring glory to God by their deaths
1Pe 4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
He lived with this prediction hanging over him for three decades
2Pe 1:14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.
Notice that Jesus does much more than predict Peter’s death. John wishes us to understand that Jesus went so far as to predict the way in which Peter would die: “(Now Jesus said this to indicate clearly by what kind of death Peter was going to glorify God.)” (verse 19). Peter’s previous effort to resist the arrest of Jesus was contrary to the gospel, and this is why Jesus rebuked him and abruptly ordered him to stop resisting His arrest. The death which Peter will experience is a death that will glorify God. Jesus also indicates that Peter will die in his old age, and thus he is informed that his death is not imminent. But his death for the Savior’s sake is certain: Notice it says that his death would glorify God. How? Because anybody who dies for their faith in Jesus Christ is a glory to God.
I agree with those who see here a prophecy that Peter truly will follow Jesus, by dying on a Roman cross:
More important is the way stretch out your hands was understood in the ancient world: it widely referred to crucifixion (Haenchen, 2. 226-227). … Bauer (p. 232) proposed long ago that this ‘stretching’ took place when a condemned prisoner was tied to his cross-member and forced to carry his ‘cross’ to the place of execution. The cross-member would be placed on the prisoner’s neck and shoulders, his arms tied to it, and then he would be led away to death.
The words, “Follow Me,” constitute the first calling of the disciples (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17; John 1:43). As time passed, these words took on a much deeper meaning. Following Jesus meant putting Jesus above family (Matthew 8:22). It meant a whole new way of life, where former practices would be unacceptable (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14). Before long, Jesus let His disciples know that following Him meant taking up one’s cross (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34). (At this point in time, our Lord’s reference to “taking up one’s cross” was, at best, understood symbolically.) For the rich young ruler, it meant giving up his possessions (Matthew 19:21; Mark 20:21). And now, for Peter, it means not only carrying on the Master’s work, but taking up a very literal cross. It would seem that at every point where following Jesus is more precisely defined, another challenge to follow Him is given. So it is in our text.
I fear that Christians today understand these two words, “Follow me,” in a superficial way. When Paul writes, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21), we interpret his words in a somewhat self-indulgent fashion. We suppose that Paul means living as a Christian is glorious, trouble-free, and fulfilling. It is, to put it plainly, “the good life.” In other words, we get to live it up here, and then when we die, it gets even better. There is a certain sense in which this is true. But we must understand Paul’s words in the light of what Jesus is telling Peter here, in our text, about following Him.
To follow Christ is to walk in His steps, to live as He lived, to serve others as He did, and to lay down your life for the sheep, like Him. In Philippians chapter 1, Paul is therefore saying, “For me, to live is to live just as Christ did, taking up my cross daily, laying down my life for His sheep.”
"Obedience to Jesus' command, Follow Me, is the key issue in every Christian's life. As Jesus followed the Father's will, so His disciples should follow their Lord whether the path leads to a cross or to some other difficult experience."
Peter got the message. He was willing to lay down his life for the Savior.
Do you know what Jesus is saying to him here? "Peter, you're going to grow old, “because He says, "When you’re old, so you're going to have a full life, Peter. And when it comes to the end of your life, you're going to be crucified."
That means, to Peter, that when it comes down to the crux at that hour, he's going to confess Christ and die for Him, right? Now don't you think that's good news to Peter who last time he had a chance to die for Jesus blew it? And so He says, "Peter, I'm going to give you another chance, you're going to live a full life and then at the end you're going to hang in there, it's going to come down to a life/death issue and you're going to stand up and say I believe in Jesus boldly and you're going to die for it." Now I can imagine the thrills were shooting up Peter's back like crazy because he was going to get a chance to prove his love for Jesus.
Peter committed his life to Christ and Christ said, "Peter, you'll live for Me and you'll die nailed to a cross." That's the destiny that God had designed for Peter. That's a beautiful promise. O Peter I'm sure in his heart just was saying over and over again...if I only had another chance...if I only had another chance to show the Lord I could be faithful in a crucial situation...if I only had one more chance to show Him my love in a life/death thing, O I'd do it, I'd do it. And so the Lord says, "Peter, you'll do it...you'll do it." And, you know, it's a good thing He told Peter cause Peter would have lived his whole life a nervous wreck thinking that every time he came to a real issue he'd blow it. And a leader with no confidence is no leader at all. And the Lord knew that Peter would worry himself about this so the Lord says, "Peter, you can relax through your whole ministry. When it comes to the end, you'll proclaim My name, you'll die a crucifixion death, don't worry about it."
Following Jesus means being where He is. Jesus said in John 12:26 that, "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me that where I am, there will My servant be also." In other words, Jesus wants servants to go where He goes. That's the first thing about following. You go where He goes. Real simple. And in all the days of your life, in all the circumstances of your life, in all the places of your life, in all the relationships of your life, you should be able to say when asked, "Why are you here?" I'm here because I'm following Jesus and this is where He's led me today.
Following Jesus means to pattern our lives after His attitudes. His holiness and His purity and His obedience to God becomes the pattern for us. Jesus said in Matthew 5:48, "Be ye perfect even as I am perfect." We are to pattern our lives after Him. As He was faithful to the Father and obedient, so are we to be faithful and obedient..
Thirdly, following Jesus means a willingness to suffer sacrifice for His sake. That's the nitty-gritty. Are you willing to do that? In Matthew 16 Jesus said, "If any man follow Me, take up his cross," right, "and follow Me." Now that's talking about the suffering sacrificial side of following Jesus.
But what does it mean to take up your cross, to bear your cross? in those days the victims of crucifixion bore the crossbeam of their own cross on their back as they marched to crucifixion. And in Matthew, as this was being spoken, the people in Galilee would well understand it because when the Roman General Varus had broken the revolt of Judas of Galilee, he crucified as a punishment two thousand Jews and he placed their crosses along all the roads leading through Galilee so that everywhere that everybody went they saw people hanging on crosses, two thousand of them. And all these people had borne the crossbeam on their back to their own death.
What Jesus is saying here is that means to be willing to sacrifice yourself for a cause. That's what it means. And Jesus is saying the same thing, are you willing to sacrifice everything you hold dear, everything you love, all the stupid little things that occupy your time, all your dreams and all your ambitions to be obedient to His cause? That's the real issue.
 Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
 John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
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“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions.
 

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL JOHN 6 FOLLOWING JESUS NO MATTER WHAT

Hi, I ‘m Marty McKenzie with His Love Ministries.  In John 6 when Jesus began to speak about the hard things of the Bible such as living for Him and Him only and that we can only come to Him if it has been granted to us by His Father, most of His followers left.  He asked the disciples will you leave too? But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.  Most people today will not stand up for the Word of God.  They would rather compromise and go with the popular opinion than be disliked.  So which one are you a compromiser, or will you follow Christ no matter what it may cost you?
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
   John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 
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The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

JOHN 21:10-17 JESUS SAID TO SIMON PETER, SIMON, SON OF JONAH, DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE PART 1

John 21:10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just caught." 11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. 12 Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?" --knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. 14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. 15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." 16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
 
In this very familiar section of Scripture we see Jesus telling the disciples after they have fished all night to cast the net again and they catch so many fish they almost sink the boat.  They need to recognize without Him they can do nothing, as do we.  Then He feeds the disciples with fish He has created for their breakfast in the same fashion He multiplied the fish and the loaves at the feeding of the 5000 men and their families.  He then proceeds to restore Peter by asking him three times do you love me.  That is the question of all time, do we love Jesus more than others, more than things, more than anything.  As the old song says I would rather have Jesus than silver or gold, than riches untold, I rather have Jesus than anything this world affords.
Jesus invites us to labor with them,  Little boy brought his fish and bread, they caught it and hauled it in.
The “fire of coals” would certainly remind him of the fire at which he denied the Lord (John 18:18). It is good for us to remember the past; we may have something to confess.
10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just caught."
Even though there was already one fish (Gr. opsarion, singular) on the fire Jesus instructed the disciples to bring some of the fish (plural) that they had caught. He would not provide for their physical needs by multiplying the food miraculously as He had done in the past. Now He would use the product of their labor to satisfy their need. Nevertheless it was clear that their fish had been the result of His miraculous provision. Perhaps this was all symbolic of how Jesus would carry out His mission through His disciples in the future compared with how He had done it during His pre- cross ministry.
But notice that Jesus then invites the disciples to bring the fish they have caught. This beautifully suggests the way God works with man. As I read through the Scriptures I am continually astonished at the privilege given us by God of being co-laborers with him. Human labor was involved in almost all of the miracles of Jesus. For instance, our Lord multiplied the bread and fish which the boy had to feed the multitude, but he first sent the disciples searching through the crowd to see what they could supply. The wonder of this is that God, who could easily do it all himself, nevertheless gave them the great privilege of being co-workers with him.
What he invites you to do may be a very simple thing. You may have opportunity to share your faith with your neighbors. While that may seem an insignificant thing now, when history has come to an end and we are all gathered on the shore with Jesus this may well become the greatest thing you have ever done. We will see ourselves as tremendously privileged to have worked with God in what he was doing in this world.
 11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.
A spiritual lesson here is that great blessing comes to one’s efforts when he follows the Lord’s will.
Peter either organizes the landing of the fish or he's the one who hauls it in. Now, if you've ever been in the water playing with your children when they're small, you can have two or three of your small children kind of hanging on you and you can still get around the water, right? Because the buoyancy displacement makes them not as heavy as if you were on land. On land you might be able to move a step or two but you sure can't haul them around the water, right? So you envision Peter. They can't get over the gunnel of the ship because it's so heavy, but he can sort of man handle it in the water up to the side and then the disciples would organize the getting of all the fish out before they could slip back into the Sea of Galilee. Why 153 fish? Well it's almost comical, commentators write pages of what the number 153 means. They have spiritualized allegorizations into all kinds of things in the Bible and it's almost comical to read, but unfortunately they happen to believe the stuff they write. I am one hundred percent convinced that it means there were 153 fish. And if you know anything about fishing, what does any good fisherman do? You count your fish. Notice the text says large fish? No one ever says, "I caught 153 little fish.  John tells us it was 153 large fish. Much has been made of the number 153, but it may be enough to note that the author knew the exact number of fish caught, and that it was a great quantity. Such details give credibility to one’s testimony, and John certainly provides us with details.
There have been many symbolic explanations of the meaning of the 153 fish. One of the more credible of these is as follows. Jesus formerly told His disciples that they would become fishers of men, an obvious metaphor (Mark 1:17). If the fish here represent the converts that Jesus would miraculously provide for His disciples to "catch," perhaps their large number represents many converts and the fact that Jesus is the one who is responsible to bring the converts in to us.
Mt 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,
48 "which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 49 "So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,
Mt 25:32 50 "and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
The fact that the net did not break may symbolize the capability of the gospel to "catch" many people without failing.
We are blessed by Laboring with the Lord
They have much patience and persistence, and they will not quit. They know how to cooperate with one another, and they are skilled in using the equipment and the boat. What examples for us to follow as we seek to “catch fish” for Jesus Christ!
We are indeed “fishers of men,” and there are “fish” all around us. If we obey His directions, we will catch the fish.
But the main emphasis in this account is: success cannot occur without the recognition that the power of God is needed. This is not new truth. In Psalm 127 the psalmist said, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it. Except the Lord guard the city, the watchman watches in vain," (Psalms 127:1 KJV). But it is very common in the church today to see people rely on strictly human methods, with no recognition of the fact that God must supply.
Eph 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us  12 Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?" --knowing that it was the Lord. Ac 10:41
Jesus, as the host, invited the disciples to dine with Him. Perhaps He was reminding them of their last meal together in the upper room just before His arrest. In the ancient Near East a host who extended hospitality to others and provided food for them was implying that He would defend them from then on.
Consequently Jesus' invitation may have been a promise of commitment to them like the oriental covenant meal. Such a meal involved acceptance, forgiveness, and mutual commitment. By accepting His invitation the disciples were implying that they were committing themselves to Jesus afresh.
"Three 'invitations' stand out in John's Gospel: 'Come and see' (John 1:39); 'Come and drink' (John 7:37); and 'Come and dine' (John 21:12). How loving of Jesus to feed Peter before He dealt with his spiritual needs. He gave Peter opportunity to dry off, get warm, satisfy his hunger, and enjoy personal fellowship. This is a good example for us to follow as we care for God's people. Certainly the spiritual is more important than the physical, but caring for the physical can prepare the way for spiritual ministry. Our Lord does not so emphasize 'the soul' that He neglects the body."
Jesus then invites the disciples to join Him for breakfast. We are not actually told that they ate some of their fish for breakfast, and I am inclined to believe that Jesus supplied their entire meal. This was true of the bread, it would seem, and I think it was true as well for the fish. If Jesus had not already prepared a sufficient quantity for all these men (something a little hard to believe), then He could simply have fed them the same way He fed the 5,000, on the other side of the sea. These men had worked hard to provide for themselves, and they had nothing to show for it. Then they come to Jesus, who has more than enough to meet their needs. And in the process, He provides this great catch, enough to supply for their future needs.  I suspect that Jesus had them bring some of their fish so they could actually see how great the catch was. Once again, it would seem as though Jesus did not look exactly as He did before His death and resurrection. Even after the disciples had gotten close enough to get a good look at Jesus, they were still wondering to themselves, “Is this really Him?” They wanted to ask, but no one dared. They knew it was Jesus, but He probably did not look exactly as He had before, and so they just found it hard to believe.
"Come. Have breakfast. You've been fishing all night. You're worn out. Come. Have breakfast." There's a charcoal fire and the smell of fish grilling on it. There are hunks of bread by the stones there maybe.
It is a great picture. I think we lose, again, a sense of the idea that the disciples, these appearances by Jesus were not every day or commonplace. There was still awe and wonder at when He appeared and what He had come to tell them. Try to envision yourself coming off this boat, you know with your particular first century garb. You are wet, tired, cold and hungry and you haven't had the advantage of a thermos full of coffee. You've been out there on the water all night. It's cold and you’re weary and you have nothing really to show for it. Then you come in and here's Jesus. And of course Peter is thinking to himself, "I've been here before. This has happened to me before." Because back at his conversion this is how Jesus called him. He had a night where he had fished and hadn't caught anything and Jesus sends him back out in the morning and he catches a boatload of fish and he comes before Jesus and he says, "I am a sinful man."   And Jesus says, "Follow Me."  13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.
 14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. Joh 20:19,26
John said that this was the third post-resurrection appearance "to the disciples" (i.e., the apostles, cf. 20:19-23, 26-29). Chronologically this was at least Jesus' seventh post-resurrection appearance (cf. 20:11-18; Matt.
28:8-10; 1 Cor. 15:5; Luke 24:13-32; John 20:19-23, 26-29). Nevertheless it was the third appearance to the disciples, and the third appearance to the disciples that John recorded.
John viewed this appearance as further proof of Jesus' resurrection. Perhaps he viewed it as completing a full complement of testimonies since he drew attention to its being the third appearance to the disciples. The number three in Scripture sometimes connotes fullness or completeness (e.g., the three Persons of the Trinity). However by calling this appearance a "manifestation" (Gr. ephanerothe, cf. v. 1) John indicated that he also viewed it as a revelation of Jesus' true character. So far Jesus had reminded these disciples of lessons that He had taught them previously that were important for them to remember in view of their mission. He had also set the stage for an even more important lesson that would follow.
I believe there are lessons to be learned from this miracle in the light of its similarity to the great fish harvest of Luke 5. Because of the fishing miracle in Luke 5, Peter and the other disciples came to see Jesus (and themselves) in a whole new light. There, Peter realizes he is not worthy to be in the same boat with Jesus. In John 21, Peter and the others are once again awed by our Lord and His works. In both texts, these professional fishermen were not able to catch anything on their own, even though they were laboring in the area of their expertise.
Jesus taught them that He is the source of their success, He is the One Who, when obeyed, makes men fruitful fishermen.
In Luke 5, the disciples were called to leave their fishing boats and to become “fishers of men” (5:10). I believe that John 21:1-14 is a reaffirmation of that original call. The disciples are all waiting around, wondering what to do with their lives.
I believe that by means of this miracle Jesus reiterates and reinforces their original call, which came in Luke 5.
There are some interesting differences in these accounts as well—and lessons to be learned from them.
The most obvious (and probably the most important) difference is that in Luke 5, Jesus was in the boat. In John 21, Jesus is on the shore. You may think I am pressing the limits of this story, but there is a lesson here: “Jesus is able to guide, to provide for, and to watch over His disciples just as well (better?) from a distance, as He is able to care for them “up close and personal.” From 100 yards away, Jesus knew they had caught no fish. From 100 yards away, Jesus could guide them to an abundance of fish. Even before they saw Him, Jesus was prepared to provide for their needs. He had breakfast “on the table,” so to speak, when they arrived on shore. Were the disciples uneasy about Jesus going away, about Jesus leaving them to return to His Father? Such fears are unfounded. He is just as able to care for them when He is in heaven as He was to care for them while He was on earth. I think this was a significant part of the lesson He wanted them to learn.
That is why this story is included here -- to teach us that in the work of evangelizing, whether through mass evangelism or individual witnessing, God himself is working with us and will supply far more than we ever dreamed.
Both of these accounts refer to Peter as "Simon Peter." Recall that when the Spirit of God uses the name "Simon" Peter, the natural Peter, the one with whom we feel a kinship, the Peter in us all, is in view.
And three times, Jesus is going to ask Peter the same question, or at least, we think it’s the same question, but as we’ll see as we move through this there’s actually a subtle shift in this question that we can’t see in our English Bibles, right?
It’s a rich picture of how intimately Jesus knows His friend, Peter, and by implication, how He knows us.
So, not only the guilt of, “Oh, I failed, and I didn’t respond well,” but, “Let me restore you to a place of usability that’s far beyond your wildest imagination.”
We need to keep this in mind as well, especially those of us who are very aware of our own sins, and how we have failed…
No matter how great a person is, he may fall (cf. 1 Cor. 10:12).[i]
Would you begin to understand that nothing you will ever done will make Him love you more, -and nothing you have ever done will make Him love you less. And when you start there, I believe the prayer thing is going to take care of itself.” But we’re all in this performance quota, “I have to do this before God will look on me favorably.”
He could not have demonstrated His love more profoundly than He already has. Why would He then change that conditionally based upon our works? So the motivation is, “I love you, and I want to respond well to you.”
Not, “I need to pray more, I need to be more faithful, I shouldn’t have done that.” What a terrible way to live the Christian life. Ultimately, that performance mindset that you’re talking about is legalism. It’s an attempt to self-justify and we have to come back and say do we believe that Christ has paid it all, and that we’re accepted not because of what we do, - but because of what He has done? And Peter had to realize that as well. As we pick up this account in John’s Gospel, Jesus has just finished cooking breakfast for His friends, and He’s about to have a conversation with Peter.
to follow Christ as maybe we have promised to do. Jesus is in the business of restoration. I am inclined to understand verses 1-14 in terms of evangelism—being fishers of men. But it is not enough to simply bring a lost sinner to faith in Jesus Christ; that person should also be discipled, and thus brought to maturity in Christ. This seems to be implicit in the Great Commission:
Lu 24:33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"
Mr. 16:7 "But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
Jesus is not seeking to correct (or even rebuke) Peter here for his three-fold denial. Jesus personally revealed Himself to Peter, probably before He appeared to the disciples as a group (1 Corinthians 15:5; Luke 24:34; Mark 16:7). I believe it is there that our Lord dealt with Peter’s three-fold denial, and forgave him. In our text, Peter is eager to be with our Lord. I believe this is because Peter’s sins have already been confronted and forgiven, and thus he has already been restored to fellowship with the Master
I am not even inclined to see this text as Peter’s restoration to leadership. There are some scholars who hold that Peter was restored to fellowship in his private interview with Jesus, and that this incident is his public restoration to leadership. I see the emphasis of this passage falling on humble service, not on leadership, per se.?????????
this passage is more about love than about leadership. Love for Jesus is demonstrated by faithfully caring for His sheep. So, too, when we care for the sheep whom our Lord loves, and for whom He gave His life, we show our love for the Shepherd.
caution should be exercised in making too much of the two different words for “love” which are employed in this text. The two verbs are agapao and phileo. The first two times Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him, the word for love is agapao. The third time Jesus asks, He employs the term phileo. Every time Peter responds to Jesus’ question, indicating his love, he employs the word phileo. The distinctions that some make between these two terms may hold true in some cases, and for some authors. They do not seem to hold true for John, who often uses different terms for the same concept. When commentators do seek to emphasize the distinctions between the two Greek words John uses, they do not agree as to what the meaning and emphasis of these terms are. We should keep in mind that when Jesus spoke to Peter and asked him these three questions, He spoke not in Greek (the language in which the Gospel of John is written), but in Aramaic, the language spoken by the Jews of that day. The change in words may have some significance, but I hardly think it is the key to understanding the passage.
Jesus began by addressing Peter as Simon the son of Jonas. In the Gospels, Jesus addressed Peter this way on only the most important occasions. These were his call to follow Jesus (1:42), his confession of Jesus as the Son of God (Matt. 16:17), and as he slept in Gethsemane (Mark 14:37).????????????
 When Jesus addressed Peter this way here, Peter probably realized that what Jesus was about to say to him was extremely important.
"His [Peter's] actions had shown that Peter had not wanted a crucified Lord. But Jesus was crucified. How did Peter's devotion stand in the light of this? Was he ready to love Jesus as he was, and not as Peter wished him to be?"
His will is content with following. His work is compelled by love. His way is committed to God. And his work, or his will is content with following, but his words are about Jesus.
Number one, his work is compelled by love. A real committed Christian operates on the basis of his love for the Lord. Two, his way is controlled by God. He has learned how to give his life totally to God and trust Him for it. His will is content with following. He's happy to do what Jesus leads him to do. Fourth, his words are concerning Jesus. His work is compelled by love. His way is controlled by God. His will is content with following. And his words are concerned with Jesus.
  Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
 John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions.

30 SECOND DEVOTIONAL FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED

Hi, this is Marty McKenzie with His Love Ministries.  In Romans 1:16 Paul says For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. In 1Corinthians 15:3-4 it says the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that He died for our sins, He was buried and rose again the third day.  It is the power to change lives, to forgive sins, and make us a new creation, so why aren’t we telling people about the Good News of the Gospel? says If we are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of us.
Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
 John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.
hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F
 
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32
 
The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions.