Death To Life in God's Kingdom

     Before Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, we were bound by death. A death that we inherited that was caused by the devil deceiving Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve sinned and passed down that sin and death to us. The bible said in Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." We were lost in our sin and helpless to save ourselves.
     Satan is cruel and heartless, he not only brought down Adam and Eve into sin and death but accuses their descendants of sinning before God. Revelation 12:10 "And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God." Zechariah 3:1 "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him." Satan uses accusation to create condemnation and shame, making us feel that we could never be forgiven. He creates a feeling of hopelessness that we will always be sinners deserving of death. Even before Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, Satan used the power of death to bring people down.
      God saw what Satan was doing to his people. He saw that his people needed a redeemer. They needed to be freed from the sin and death that Adam and Eve brought upon them. God sent Jesus Christ his only begotten son so to free us. Romans 5:18-19 "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many will be made sinners, so by the one's obedience the many will be righteous." 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 "For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive."
     Even though Satan may still try to accuse us, we now have Jesus Christ to intercede on our behalf. Romans 8:33-34 "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised-- who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." Jesus Christ sacrifice justified us before God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Romans 5:1 "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
     Satan accusations against us are being brought to nothing. God as forgiven our sins so the devil cannot not use our sins against us. Jesus Christ has release us from the fear of death by opening up the gates of heaven. We have hope and we have salvation. Our future is secured in our belief in Jesus Christ. One day we will all be standing in God's kingdom.

Even Though He Die, The Memory of Him Still Lives On

     There was an elder within the church that I was going to. He had a vibrant personality. He was friendly and kind. People felt comfortable being around him. Even though he was an elderly man, he was energetic and always constantly doing something that was church related. His mind was very sharp, he was like a human Bible encyclopedia. He knew Bible scriptures, dates and history very well. He could almost answer any question you had about the Bible. He would often be the leader at Bible study meetings. He was so happy and alive during his lifetime that when he die my mind did not see him as dead because within my mind his memories are so vivid and full of life. Even though he die my memories of him are not of a dead person but of someone that is still alive. 
     When I found out about his death, I was surprise that I did not have a great amount of sadness because I remembered his joyful energy that he had in life and that memory of him overshadowed his death. My mind knew he was dead but because he live his life with so much passion that he did not feel dead within my mind. I found this to be so fascinating because many people that had die within my lifetime my mind sees them as dead but with him my mind sees him as alive. He lived his life with so much joyful energy that all my memories of him are of a happy man that was full of life. My mind knows he is dead but my memories of him are very positive making him feel to be alive within my mind.
    During church services, he would often give talks about the Bible. His Bible talks were always simple and down to earth. He was always smiling, making jokes and describing scenes from his own life in order to make clear a Bible scripture or story. He was like a mentor to me. He took me along when he went to visit others so to see how they were doing. He encouraged them to keep their faith in God and when it was time to leave he quoted a Bible scripture or two and said a prayer. He was well like by many people. When he past away many people miss him. He left us with so many happy and positive memories. Even though he die, he left me with memories of him that made him still feel alive.  

I Am Walking in Circles

     I am walking in circles if I am not walking towards God. There was a period of time in my life, where I was just in a routine of eating, sleeping and working. I would watch videos, play pc games and read different kinds of news articles. I felt like I was wandering around aimlessly through life without a purpose and a direction. It felt like I was just walking in circles and doing the same things over and over again. My life felt like it had no meaning. I could feel a distance between me and God. I use to read his word and pray to him more often but I was not doing this and I could not tell you why. I realized that if I am not walking towards God, I am aimlessly walking around in a circle.
     Somehow I let the doing other things in my life get in the way of my relationship to God. None of the other things that I was doing was getting me closer to God. They were actually taking up my time and the time I needed to use to draw near to him. This had taught me a good lesson, a life without God is meaningless. It makes you feel lost and empty inside. If I was not walking towards God, I was not going anywhere but in circles. I needed God in my life more than I needed to do other things that took my time away from him. God is my purpose and my life.
     I am not saying that you cannot do other things in your life but make sure you are not leaving out God in your life. Make time for him. If you are not making time for God, you will definitely feel that there is something missing in your life. God gives you a purpose in life and he gives you meaning and makes you feel that you have a direction to walk in. Without God in our life, we are just walking in circles.
     I thank God that this time in my life without him was a short one. I could never live without him for a long time. I would have a depression that would not end. I need his light and love. I could never live my life just walking around in circles, I must have a direction to go in and that direction is towards God. 

I Place My Thoughts

       I place my thoughts upon heaven to where God and Jesus Christ dwell. I place my thoughts upon the light and love of God that shines down upon those to whom he loves. His light guides my way and his love brings warmth to my heart. I place my thoughts not upon the darkness but upon the hope that God gives. I choose to think about the goodness of God over that which brings me sadness. I will not let my mind to be a captive to darkness but to set it free by thinking life uplifting thoughts instead of life diminishing ones.
     I place my thoughts upon good memories and the joy that they bring. Whatever that lifts me up and makes me smile is where my thoughts are. Why take a dive into the depths of misery instead of resting upon a happy shore? Why are you drawn to despair instead of being drawn to what gives you hope? Do not let yourself be suffocated by this world but turn your mind towards heaven so to see God's salvation for us. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is coming soon to take away all of our feelings of hopelessness and to wipe away our tears. I place my thoughts upon his kingdom and all the hope and happiness that it will bring.
     Even though I maybe surrounded by problems that are out of my control, I will still place my thoughts and prayers upon God for my deliverance. I will never surrender to the darkness but only to the will of God. I place my thoughts upon the words of God to seek my answers. There is a light that shines through the darkness and shows me the path to which to travel. The Holy Spirit of God lights my way. The illumination of God's Spirit is filled with his love and uplifts my soul and mind. I place my thoughts upon God for it is the only way I can truly live and survive.  

The More Wiser and Knowledgeable I Have Become

     I find the more wisdom and knowledge that I gain, showed me clearly how limitless wisdom and knowledge are. If there is a sea of wisdom and a sea of knowledge and I put one hand in the sea of wisdom and the other hand in the sea of knowledge and then pull them both out, how much more is left to learn but two whole seas of knowledge and wisdom. My mind is looking at the impossibility to know all things in my lifetime. I will only come to know a fraction of it during my life. I never wanted to be a ignorant man or a unwise one but when I look at both the vast seas of wisdom and knowledge, I feel I am lacking in both wisdom and knowledge.
     I stand before God and the universe as a humble man knowing very little in what God knows. How small will I feel when I will stand before my maker? I want to believe I am smart and wise but when I look up toward heaven I feel like a little man standing upon a immense world created by an immeasurable God. In all of my knowledge and wisdom all I can do is to kneel down and give reverence to God.
     I will keep on trying to learn so to have knowledge and wisdom but I will not become arrogant and prideful in doing so. How can one be arrogant when standing before the seas of wisdom and knowledge? How can any mortal man that does not have limitless knowledge and wisdom and have only a limited amount of time to live and to learn thinking himself to be equal to an immortal all knowing God. Is this not insanity? This man who may think himself as a God because he has a mountain of gold. He maybe able to stack his money as high has the moon but he is not God nor will he ever be. He is just a man with a limited amount of knowledge and wisdom who will die one day and be no more.
     The more wiser and knowledgeable I have become the more resistant I am becoming to learn anything more. I use to want to know everything but now if someone wants to tell me something I just say I do not want to know. The sea of knowledge and wisdom is great and I do want to learn but I refuse to drown in it. I am starting to enjoy the simple things in life that requires less thinking and more enjoying. My mind has always been in a mode to understand and learn but I think my mind needs some quiet time and just enjoy the things that are around me.
     I give praise, honor and worship to God. I stand humble before him for his knowledge and wisdom is far beyond my own. What I really want to know is more about God and how does he want us to live our lives? God is our future and I want to know all about him. Yes, I do want to keep on learning so to have knowledge and wisdom about God's love and the joy that it brings.

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

Proverbs 2:6 "For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;"

Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom."

1 Corinthians 13:2 "And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge... but have not love, I am nothing."

God Will Tell Us How

     When God wants us to do something, he will tell us how to do it. In the six chapter of Genesis, God told Noah that everything that is on the earth shall die. However he also told Noah how he could save himself from the destruction by building an ark. God even told him how to build it. In Exodus the third chapter, God told Moses to talk with Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. He told Moses exactly how to do this, all Moses needed was to follow his instructions. Moses did what God instructed him to do and the children of Israel was set free. In Joshua chapter six, God told Joshua how to conquer the city of Jericho. Joshua did as God instructed and the walls of Jericho fell. When God wants us to do something, he will tell us how and all we need to do is to follow his instructions in order to succeed.
     Even in todays world, God is still telling us what he wants us to do and how he wants us to do it within his word the Bible. All we have to do is to read and follow his instructions within it. John 6:28-29,40 "Then they said to him, 'What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus answered them, this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." God's words within the Bible told us how we could have eternal life and all we need to do is to follow them.
     Jesus commanded us to love one another. How do I do this? All I have to do is to look in the Bible to find out what love is and how it acts. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." 1 John 3:18 "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." There are many Bible verses that tells us how to love. It is God's word and we need to apply them within our lives. God is clearly showing us what he wants and how we need to do it.
     God has given us many instructions to follow within the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." If we want to know what God wants from us and how to do it, just read the Bible and find out for yourself. God has shown us many times in the Old and the New Testament that if he wants us to do something, he will tell us how and all we need is to do it. 

Our Desperate Cry

      In our desperate cry, Father hear our prayers. See the desperate situation that we are in. Deliver us Father so that we may continue to live without a feeling of hopelessness. Let not the devil entrap us. Let not the devil to win. Let your son be our guide and our way. Holy Father, creator of Heaven and Earth hear our prayers and rescue us from this hardship that we are facing. We cry out for your help. We cry out to be seen and to be heard so to have our prayers answered. Oh Father come quickly so that our hope does not fade.
     In our desperation we cry out and say, "Lord, please hear me and see the darkness that surrounds me. Keep me safe from the devil's work." Protect our heart's from this darkness for is trying to take away our love. It is trying to take away our peace and to set our world ablaze with hate and violence. Protect our souls and protect our families from the evil that is within our world. Lord if we are surrounded, help us to find a way out. Let not the righteous die by the wicked. Let the righteous live a full life. Show us the way Lord Jesus so that we may follow you and be saved.
     In our desperation, we are near the edge and trying our best not to fall off. Lord hear our cries and come quickly to our help. Lord Jesus clear all the fog away so that we may see what is in front of us and what is in back of us. Give us the strength to carry on and the wisdom to do what is right. Please, find us if we do get lost and hold our hand to support us when we stumble and fall. The world does not care for us but you do. Let us feel the warmth of your love so to chase away the cold. Lord, please watch over our lives.
     In a loud cry of desperation, I say, "Lord come soon so that your Kingdom will take away all of our desperation!" In your Kingdom, no more cries for help will be needed. No more tears will be shed because of our pain. Our Lord Jesus will be here to comfort us and to fill all the world with his love. Loving God from Heaven, I will be here eagerly awaiting for this new world that is to come.
     Glory be to God for his time is getting closer and our deliverance from evil is getting near. Our time of desperation will be ending and our time for rejoicing will soon begin.

In Psalm 91:14-16 the LORD says, "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Psalm 40:1-2 "I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure."