abandoned to Christ.

Dear Sunny, “I had a question that has laid on my heart that I wanted to ask and felt that you would be able to help clarify about. So maybe people, including non-believer's are quick to misphrase "judge not lest ye be judged" without taking the scripture into context and then cite the "Sermon on the Mount" as the "Golden Rule" yet, from personal reading, there is no reference to a "Golden Rule". It is like they are trying to rewrite the Bible into human terms and to justify sinning. What is the true meaning of "judge not lest ye be judged" and your thoughts of the "Golden Rule" that is often thrown about and use to "justified" no judging at all and if we are watering down Christ's message and the message of salvation by taking out conviction, sin and righteous judgment and trying to paint Christ's sacrifice as a "love one and all unconditionally-sin and all?" This i...

There are many who are of the opinion that forgiveness should only be given to those who have either asked for forgiveness or have some how demonstrated true repentance. They say it is because the Bible says that without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sins, therefore no salvation (Luke 13:1-5). It's true that if a person does not repent of their sins, ask God for forgiveness, and trust their lives to Jesus Christ, they will suffer the full penalty of their sins. But we're not talking about God's forgiveness that is necessary for salvation, we're only discussing the gift of forgiveness from one sinner to another. As Christians, we understand that before anyone sins against us , they first sin against God. Therefore, it would be proper that they ask God for forgiveness BEFORE they seek our forgiveness. " Strive for peace with everyone , and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace o...

Last week, I received an email from one of my reader's who asked me a few questions regarding Christians divorcing and remarrying. Before I share my answer I'd like to say a few things: First, I'd like to state that my answer is strictly based on God's word regarding His children's involvement in both divorce and remarriage. I am neither condemning nor supporting any of you (or those you love) who have divorced and remarried in a way that is unbiblical. I am very aware that we are all sinners, and by God's generous grace, He has provided us forgiveness for all our sins by the shed blood of His one and only begotten Son, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Therefore, if you have participated in an unbiblical divorce and/or remarriage, I encourage you to repent of sins before God, carefully listen to His admonition and teach others what He has graciously taught you, then thank God for His forgiveness and His continued blessings He bestows on your life because He ...

ADVENT ~ Day 26 December 24, 2009 Scripture Passage: READ 1 John 3:11-18 Abundance n. - an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply; overflowing fullness "I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that He has granted them according to His compassion, according to the abundance of His steadfast love . For He said, 'Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.' And He became their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old." Today is our the last day of our Advent - that is, preparing our hearts, minds and souls for the day we celebrate the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Tomorrow, many will come to give honor, glory and thanksgiving to our ...

ADVENT ~ Day 25 December 23, 2009 Scripture Passage: READ Galatians 4:1-31 Today, I'm combining my Word-Filled Wednesdays post with the Advent devotional, as the Key Verse for today's devotional has really impressed upon my heart who we really are - without Christ. As I read our Scripture Passage today, my heart rejoiced in the fact that I am a child of The Promise. An adopted child, born of God, through faith in Jesus Christ's first coming, His virgin birth, His perfect sinless life, His atonement for my sins, His death, His resurrection and His second coming. And then my eyes and heart stopped and rested on two verses: "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5) I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, left Heaven. In Heaven, Jesus was rightly worshipe...

ADVENT ~ Day 23 December 21, 2009 Scripture Passage: READ Isaiah 60:1-5 I've mentioned before that I am not the sharpest pencil in the pack, therefore I don't understand many things as other people do. Often it takes me quite some time to really perceive what someone is saying, as the meaning often seems to escape me. Knowing this, when I was in high school, I used to carry a dictionary in my backpack, to have with me at all times. And back in the days when dinosaurs still roamed the earth (just kidding), pocket-dictionaries were not invented yet; well, not very good ones. So, the dictionary I carried around in my backpack was - you guessed it, the large, Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Sure it was heavy, but I didn't mind because I pulled it out often to look up the words that people were using during conversations, as well as reading it during lunch and anytime I had available. I always had it with me when I read the Bible because it seemed that I would of...

ADVENT ~ Day 19 December 17, 2009 Scripture Passage: READ 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 What an incredibly uplifting passage! The Apostle Paul opens his first letter to the church in Thessaloniki with a greeting of mutual love, hope, grace and peace found only in God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Then Paul shares how he is so encouraged by the faith of the Thessalonian believers, that he is moved to give thanks to God for their work of faith, labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord, Christ Jesus. What was it about these 3 things that caused the Apostle Paul to continually give thanks to God? Let's take a closer look. work of faith: The way the Apostle Paul worded this is very significant. Notice here that Paul specifically writes, "work of faith", not "work to have faith". As we know it is clear in Scripture that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, it is a gift of God, NOT by works, so that no man can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9)....