Life in Christ

NOTE. LAST POST WENT UP THE SAME DAY THAT A MASSIVE TORNADO STRUCK OUR STATE, AND ESPECIALLY HARD, OUR CITY OF TUSCALOOSA. PASTOR LOUISE’S HOME WAS HIT, A CAR WAS TOTALED, AND DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE FROM FALLING TREES, BUT SHE IS SAFE AND SOUND.
EVERYTHING INTERRUPTED SINCE THEN. WE HAD NO POWER FOR EIGHT DAYS AND AS OF TODAY, FRIDAY MAY 13, STILL HAVE NO LAND LINE TELEPHONE SERVICE OR CABLE SERVICE.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE HAVE BEEN IN “RECOVERY” MODE, AND NOW SLOWLY MOVING INTO “REBUILD” MODE.
WHEN WE GET EVERYTHING RESTORED, THE DAILY SCRIPTURE LESSON FOR THE DAY WILL AGAIN BE UP AND RUNNING!

The Word for today is found in 1 Corinthians 1: 3-5

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge.

The revelation of God’s grace toward us always precedes receiving God’s peace. Grace is not something that you work for or earn, but must be received as a free gift from the Father of Lights. Grace means I reach out and receive from Jesus what I cannot possibly earn or deserve.

We are enriched by Jesus in in everything, for God has given us all that we need for life and Godliness. Knowledge of God’s Word is the key that opens up all the blessings that God wants us to walk in.

What I do not know I cannot reach out and receive by faith. And what I do know must be acted on in Faith by the confession of the Word in our mouths.

Speak what you know to be true and it will come to pass for those who do not doubt.

Love in Christ, Pastor Louise.

The Word for today is found in Proverbs 10: 19-22

In the multitude of words sin is not lacking. But he who restrains his lips is wise.
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little.
The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom.
The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.

James 1:19 backs this verse up with “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

These verses mean so much to me, for I have learned to keep my mouth shut over the years. We need to make sure that what comes out of our mouth lines up with God and his Word.

Words have the ability to create and to destroy. Once they are out there, you cannot take them back.

You give life to sin when you think too much on something and then give it power by your words. People’s lives have been destroyed by the words of others.

It is God’s desire to bless his children, but one must also take heed to the verses that precede verse 22.

A righteous person that controls his mouth is a mature believer that knows how to handle riches that God want to bless them with.

It is all a progression on spiritual growth and does not come overnight, but through diligent study of the Word.

Be a blessing to someone today by what you say to them.

Love in Christ, Pastor Louise

The Word for today is found in James 2:13-18

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

As I was sitting in church yesterday and looking at some in the congregation, I was taken aback by the sourpuss looks on many. As the body of Christ this should be not so, for we are commanded to love each other, as brothers and sisters in the Lord. Some Christians act no different than unbelievers, and some unbelievers act better than Christians.

This type of behavior not only affects the indivual, but can take a real toll on the local church over time. It is like a virus and begins to affect the whole church.

We need to judge ourselves in line with the Word and get our flesh put under the authority of God’s Word.

God wants do this for you, but you are to get your mind and body to line up with your spirit man. Then you will begin to walk as Christ walked, and the devil will not have a strong hold in your life.

Check you your life today, and let the Word begin to clean up your flesh.

None of us have come to the point that we do not need to check out our lives and get back on the right path.

If you are too busy judging others then you will not see the plank that is in your own eye.

Love in Christ, Pastor Louise

The Word for today is found in John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Too often Christians think that God is mad at them. God is not mad at you or the world, for he sent his only Son, Jesus, to make it possible for man and God to be one through the saving grace of Christ.

Lack of peace tells me that you are not spending quality time studying God’s Word. Only through the knowledge of the Word can we grow and maintain our peace.

Fear is the opposite of faith and is a sin, for anything that is not of faith is a sin.

We are to rest in the finished works of Jesus and I can not rest in something I do not know.

Knowledge is the key here, for God has given you everything that you need for life and godliness. The world cannot see your faith in your spirit, but it can see your faith in action.

When things go wrong– instead of running in circles, screaming and shouting– take up the Word and rest in Christ.

Reach out this day and receive the grace that God has for you.

Happy Easter, Love in Christ, Pastor Louise.

Good Friday, April 22, 2011

The Word for today is found in Isaiah 53: 3-9

3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our grief’s
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
9 And they made His grave with the wicked—
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

This passage in Isaiah tells of all that Jesus went through on the cross for our salvation.

The cross is the Divine exchange between God and man. God took all our liabilities and we got all of God’s assets. God took all the negatives and gave us all the positives.

Salvation is not just for our spiritual rebirth, but we are healed, given an inheritance, peace, and prosperity.

God did it all and all he asks is for us to reach out and receive what he did 2,000 years ago.

That, my friend, is called Grace, for you cannot earn it but just receive it by faith in the finished works of Christ.

Happy Good Friday, Love in Christ, Pastor Louise.

The Word for today is found in Romans 12: 9-19, 21

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 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. 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Behave like a Christian.

Love in Christ, Pastor Louise.

The Word for today is found in Philippians 3:4-5

Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice! Let your gentleness (consideration) be known to all men, The Lord is at hand.

It is one thing to rejoice in the Lord when all is going your way. But when all hell seems to have broken loose, then it is another matter to feel full of joy.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and is not based on circumstances, but only on what the Word says.

God never did say all would go honky-dory, but he did say that if we put our trust in him he would have us come out on the other side victorious. God will see you through any situation if you do not lose your confidence in his promises.

Rejoicing in the Lord always is a mature Christian who has been fully convinced that God is more than able to deliver them from any weapon the Devil may try to use against them.

I was at a horse show this past weekend and there was a girl who butted in in front of me to show her horse. It was so rude, but I just smiled and let it go. Not only was the Lord watching, but all the people around me were watching to see what I would do.

It is that kind on situations that God’s character shows through to the world. Be considerate to people at all times even when they do not deserve it.

The world is looking more at your actions than at what you say. Walk the walk, then talk the talk.

Love in Christ, Pastor Louise.

The Word for today is found in Proverbs 28: 13, 14

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

Only God knows the heart of man. To think that you can put something over on him is stupidity gone to seed.

The Word says that we should pray that God search our hearts, for there are things that we are not even aware of that could be wrong.

Not confessing your wrongs is a thing of pride, for it is often hard for one to truly admit our mistakes. It takes a truly humble person to lay your life out for God to search, and to confess your sins.

Not confessing your sins puts up a barrier between you and God that will prevent God from blessing you.

The longer you let sin go unconfessed the harder your heart will become.

The further you move away from God, the easier it becomes for you to fall into sin and allow it to become a way of life.

This will not only stop God’s blessings, but puts you in a position for Satan to take his best shot at you.

Love in Christ, Pastor Louise.