If You Knew the Gift of God

If You Knew the Gift of God

Recognizing Jesus at the Well

The account of the Samaritan woman at the well is one of the most powerful stories in the Gospel of John. It is often remembered as the story of a woman with a troubled past, but it is about much more than her mistakes. It is a story about Jesus crossing barriers, offering salvation, revealing truth, and using one person’s testimony to reach an entire community.

John 4:10 records these words:

“Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”

The words “If thou knewest” stand out to me. The woman was standing in the presence of Jesus, but she did not recognize Him. She saw a Jewish man asking for water; she did not yet see the Son of God offering eternal life.

We face this same danger today. Jesus can be near us, working around us and speaking through His Word, yet we may fail to recognize Him. We can attend church, quote Scripture, sing worship songs, and say that we know Jesus while failing to demonstrate His character in our daily lives.

Jesus said:

“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Knowing Jesus is more than knowing facts about Him. It means trusting Him, obeying His Word, following His example, and allowing His character to be seen in us. First John 2:6 teaches, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”

Jesus Crossed the Barriers

The woman immediately recognized that something unusual was happening:

“Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9).

The divisions between Jews and Samaritans were historical, religious, and cultural. In addition, a Jewish man would not normally have spoken publicly with a Samaritan woman in this manner. Yet Jesus refused to allow prejudice, tradition, gender, reputation, or social boundaries to prevent Him from reaching her.

Jesus saw someone who needed salvation.

The disciples were surprised when they returned and found Jesus speaking with her, but Jesus was demonstrating the heart of God. Romans 2:11 declares, “For there is no respect of persons with God.” Jesus did not come to save only those who looked right, lived in the right place, or had a respectable history. He came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

This should challenge us as believers. If Jesus crossed barriers to reach people, we cannot allow our preferences, prejudices, or assumptions to keep us from sharing His love. We should never decide that someone is too different, too broken, or too sinful to receive the grace of God.

The Living Water

The woman came to the well seeking ordinary water, but Jesus offered something greater:

“Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst” (John 4:13–14).

Jesus was speaking about spiritual life. The woman had returned to this well because physical water could satisfy her only temporarily. In the same way, worldly things can never permanently satisfy the deepest thirst of the soul.

We often try to satisfy that thirst through relationships, careers, possessions, recognition, pleasure, or success. Some of these things may be blessings, but none can take the place of Christ. Jesus alone gives the living water of eternal life.

Later, Jesus declared:

“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37).

The invitation remains open today. Anyone who recognizes their spiritual thirst may come to Jesus. Salvation is the gift of God, not something we can purchase or earn. Romans 6:23 teaches that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Jesus Knew Her Story

As the conversation continued, Jesus told the woman to call her husband. When she answered that she had no husband, Jesus revealed that He already knew her history. She had experienced five marriages, and the man currently in her life was not her husband (John 4:16–18).

Jesus spoke truth, but He did not humiliate her. He brought her past into the light so she could understand her need and recognize who He was. She responded, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet” (John 4:19).

This reminds us that nothing in our lives is hidden from God. Psalm 139:1 says, “O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.” Jesus knows our victories, failures, wounds, sins, fears, and disappointments. Nevertheless, He still invites us to receive His grace.

The woman’s history did not cause Jesus to walk away from her. Her past was real, but it did not have the final word. Jesus stood before her offering a new life.

Her Understanding Began to Change

The woman’s understanding of Jesus developed throughout the conversation. At first, she identified Him simply as a Jew. Then she called Him “Sir.” After He revealed knowledge of her life, she recognized Him as a prophet. Finally, the conversation turned toward the promised Messiah.

She said:

“I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things” (John 4:25).

Jesus answered:

“I that speak unto thee am he” (John 4:26).

Imagine that moment. The One she had heard about was standing directly in front of her. The promised Messiah knew everything about her, yet He still offered her living water.

When she recognized that Jesus was more than an ordinary man, everything changed. She left her waterpot, returned to the city, and said:

“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (John 4:29).

The waterpot represented the reason she had come to the well, but her encounter with Jesus gave her a greater purpose. She arrived looking for water and departed carrying a message.

A Testimony That Pointed Others to Jesus

The woman did not possess formal theological training. She did not have every question answered. She simply told others what Jesus had done and invited them to meet Him.

John 4:39 says:

“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified.”

Her story pointed people toward Jesus. However, they did not stop with her testimony. They went to Jesus and heard Him for themselves. After spending time with Him, they told the woman:

“Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42).

This is the purpose of our testimony. We are not the Savior; we point people to the Savior. Our story may cause someone to become curious, but they must ultimately encounter Jesus personally, hear His Word, and place their faith in Him.

The woman at the well teaches us that God can use anyone who is willing to tell others about Jesus. Her past did not disqualify her. After meeting Christ, the very story that could have produced shame became a testimony that helped bring others to Him.

The question for us is simple: Do we recognize who is standing before us?

Jesus is more than a name we speak on Sunday. He is the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the source of living water. When we truly recognize Him, follow Him, and receive what He offers, we should want others to know Him too.

Like the woman, our message can be simple:

Come and see. I have met Jesus, and He has changed my life.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, open our eyes so that we may recognize who You truly are. Forgive us for saying that we know You while failing to follow Your example. Fill us with Your living water and help us cross barriers to show Your love to others. Use our past, our testimony, and our lives to lead people toward You. Give us the courage to say, “Come and see,” so that others may encounter You for themselves and know that You are indeed the Savior of the world. Amen.

Built for the Wind: Answering God’s Call

Built for the Wind: Answering God’s Call

When I look at the banana spider, also known as the golden silk orb-weaver, I see more than another creature in nature—I see evidence of God’s wisdom. This spider produces strong, durable, and flexible silk and uses it to construct a large web capable of enduring wind, rain, and changing weather. The spider does not attend a class or read instructions before building. It works according to the ability God placed within it. According to the University of Georgia, the golden silk orb-weaver’s threads are remarkably strong and capable of capturing large insects.

The spider’s web reminds me that God created every living thing with purpose. Genesis 1:25 says, “And God made the beast of the earth after his kind…and God saw that it was good.” God gave the spider what it needed to accomplish its purpose. In a similar way, God has placed gifts, abilities, and a calling within each of us.

Ephesians 2:10 declares, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” We are God’s workmanship. We were not created accidentally or placed on this earth without a purpose. Before we understood our calling, God already knew the work He intended for us to do.

However, having a calling does not automatically mean we will walk in it. We must surrender to God, listen for His direction, and respond obediently. Paul told Timothy, “Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee” (2 Timothy 1:6). God provides the gift, but we must be willing to use it. We should ask Him to reveal, awaken, and strengthen the mission He has placed within us.

I understand what it means to run from God’s calling. Like Jonah, I spent a long time going in the opposite direction. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, but Jonah attempted to flee from the presence of the Lord. His disobedience led him into a storm and eventually into the belly of a great fish. Nevertheless, God did not abandon Jonah. After correcting him, God spoke to him again: “Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee” (Jonah 3:2).

Jonah’s story encourages me because it demonstrates that our failures do not cancel God’s faithfulness. God could have chosen someone else, but He gave Jonah another opportunity to obey. I believe God has also given me another opportunity. For years, I carried this calling while wrestling with grief, fear, uncertainty, and my own feelings of inadequacy. Yet God continued to call me back.

Answering God does not mean I believe I will never make a mistake. It means I have decided that my weaknesses will no longer be an excuse for disobedience. My prayer is, “Yes, Lord. I surrender fully. I may sometimes fail, but Your love never fails. You will never leave me or forsake me.”

Hebrews 13:5 confirms God’s promise: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” This does not mean the journey will always be easy or that we will never experience storms. It means we will not face those storms alone. Just as the spider’s web is designed with the flexibility to endure movement, God develops spiritual endurance within us through His Word, prayer, faith, and obedience.

Jesus said that the wise person hears His words and obeys them. When the rain fell, the floods came, and the winds beat upon that person’s house, it did not fall because it was founded upon a rock (Matthew 7:24–25). The strength of the house was revealed during the storm. In the same way, the strength of our faith is demonstrated when life becomes difficult.

God provides the tools we need, but we must build according to His instructions. We cannot ask God to bless our plans while ignoring His Word. Proverbs 3:5–6 teaches us, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Following God requires more than giving Him the convenient parts of our lives. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). True surrender means giving God our plans, fears, failures, gifts, time, and future. It means saying yes even when we do not know every detail of the journey.

Our sufficiency does not come from our own strength. Jesus said, “Without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). At the same time, Paul testified, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). These verses remind us that the power to fulfill our calling comes from remaining connected to Christ.

God is able to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” according to His power working within us (Ephesians 3:20). This promise is not simply about receiving material abundance. It is about God supplying the grace, strength, wisdom, courage, and resources necessary to accomplish what He has called us to do.

I believe sharing God’s Word each week is part of His mission for my life. I do not claim to have every answer, and I know I will continue learning and growing. But I am ready to stop running. My desire is to use my testimony, including my pain, failures, and restoration, to help someone else recognize the purpose God has placed within them.

The wind will come. The weather will change. The work will not always be easy. But when our lives are anchored in Christ, God will give us what we need to remain faithful.

The banana spider builds because God placed that ability within it. Now it is time for us to ask: What has God placed within me, and am I willing to say yes?

Prayer: Lord, reveal the purpose You have placed within me. Forgive me for the times I have run from Your calling. Teach me to trust Your Word, surrender completely, and faithfully use the gifts You have given me. When the winds of life come, keep me anchored in Christ. My answer today is yes, Lord. Use my life to help others and bring glory to Your name. Amen.

When Leaders Elevate Themselves Too High

Images like the one Trump Share of him as Jesus can stir strong reactions because they place a human figure in imagery that closely resembles Jesus Christ. For Christians, Scripture makes it clear that no human—leader, king, or president—can occupy the place that belongs to Christ alone.

The Bible consistently teaches that while God may favor or use leaders, they remain human and fallible. For example, King David was deeply loved by God and described as “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). Yet even David never claimed to be divine, nor did he allow himself to be treated as God’s Son. David himself pointed forward to someone greater—the coming Messiah.

The Bible repeatedly warns about rulers who exalt themselves like gods.

In the book of Daniel, the king of Babylon became proud and claimed glory for himself. God humbled him until he acknowledged God’s authority.

“Those who walk in pride He is able to humble.”
— Daniel 4:37

Scripture reveals that Jesus alone holds that role. At Jesus’ baptism, God declared:

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
— Matthew 3:17

The Bible never gives that title to any other person. In fact, the uniqueness of Christ is a core foundation of Christian faith. John 3:16 states:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Because of this, elevating any human to imagery that resembles Christ—especially portraying them as healing, glorifying, or acting in divine authority—moves dangerously close to giving a person a position that belongs only to Jesus.

Scripture also warns about human pride and self-exaltation. Proverbs 16:18 says:

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

And Psalm 146:3 gives a direct warning about political or earthly leaders:

“Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.”

That verse is powerful because it reminds believers that salvation never comes from political figures, governments, or powerful personalities. Salvation belongs to Christ alone.

The Bible ultimately declares that Jesus stands above every ruler and authority. Revelation describes Him as:

“King of kings and Lord of lords.”
— Revelation 19:16

No earthly leader shares that title.

So the issue is not about supporting or opposing any particular political figure. The deeper biblical principle is this: Christians must be careful never to elevate any human being into imagery or reverence that belongs only to Jesus Christ. Leaders can be respected, prayed for, and even used by God—but they remain human.

There is only one Son of God, one Savior, and one Lord—Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:37

Luke 1:37 declares, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” This statement was spoken by the angel Gabriel to Mary when she questioned how she could give birth to Jesus as a virgin. The message was simple but profound: God’s power is not limited by human understanding or circumstances. However, to fully grasp the depth of Luke 1:37, we must also understand the principle found in Proverbs 3:5–7.

Proverbs 3:5–7 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” These verses explain the posture of faith required to experience what Luke 1:37 teaches.

Mary’s response demonstrates this perfectly. From a human perspective, her situation made no sense. Biology, culture, and personal reputation all pointed toward impossibility. Yet Mary did not rely on her own understanding. Instead, she trusted God’s word. This is exactly what Proverbs instructs believers to do—release the need to explain everything logically and instead place full confidence in God’s character and promises.

When we lean on our own understanding, circumstances often appear impossible. But when we trust the Lord completely, we allow God to work beyond the limits of human reasoning. Luke 1:37 reminds us of God’s unlimited power, while Proverbs 3:5–7 teaches us the attitude of trust required to receive and walk in that power.

Together, these passages reveal a powerful truth: God’s ability makes the impossible possible, but it is our trust in Him that positions us to see His power at work in our lives.

For believers today, this means that when we face situations that seem overwhelming—whether in our families, careers, health, or spiritual lives—we must choose trust over understanding. Just as Mary trusted God even when the situation seemed impossible, we are called to trust that God is still directing our paths and working in ways we cannot always see. When we surrender our limited perspective and acknowledge Him in all our ways, we open the door for God to demonstrate that what seems impossible to us is always possible with Him.

Without Good Direction People Will Lose Their Way

When you look at the photo above what do you see? Grass sprouting between the space of two bricks or is there more too it. Imagine the grass is you and the bricks is all the pressures in your life that is crushing all-round you.  How do you handle that pressures that life throws at you, continue to let it weight you down or seek help.

Proverbs 11:14 msg; Without good direction people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances

I see that grass between the bricks sprouting out in difference direction try to get above all the pressure in live, continuing to spread above the bricks and eventually over taking the space between the bricks.  

Do you seek out to the Lord in pray or seek wise counsel from others. Solomon who was one of the wises man to ever live believe this; ( Without Good Direction, People Lose Their Way)

Solomon also believes that (Wise People Take Advice)

Proverbs 12:14msg; Well-spoken words bring satisfaction; well-done works has its own)

That grass if left alone will continue to sprout between the bricks, and before you know it the grass is the dominant force.

God is that Dominant Force we all need in our life that can help us overcome all the pressure in our lives if we only do the following.

What is that you saying?

I’m saying Let God lead our way in all we do, in our Family, in our career and in our everyday life.

Matthews 11:28-30 msg; 28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

If you get anything out of my message today it’s;  You don’t have to walk alone in live, Jesus our Lord and Savior wants to walk with you. In Front of you when you need him there, beside you when you need someone to talk to you, behind you pushing you forward.

So whenever you need someone to listen, take a moment and speak to him, you don’t need a phone with toll free number, or even get on the internet to seek him, just take a moment, and say Lord can we chat about life. He is listening and he will answer you in time.

What A Freind We Have In Jesus

When I was growing up like clockwork every Sunday morning, we would head to the church at 9:30 AM to be there for Sunday school at 10:30. My mom would get us up at 7 AM. The five of us (three girls and two boys) would get up and have breakfast while my mom put our clothes on our beds for church. Like clockwork because my dad had to be on the road by 9:30 all of us would be in the station wagon, I can still hear my mom saying “the station wagon will be leaving without you” { Which never ever happen) you also never wanted to be the last person in the car that was holding us up because my dad we give you that’s stare. We grew up in southern Baptist Church called Oak Grove Baptist Church in Herndon Virginia. The pastor was Rev. Hennie Brown in our congregation was about 200 people in all of them family. I don’t mean church family, I mean actual family everybody seems to be a cousin, sister or brother of someone. My brother, sister and I were foster kids but everyone at Oak Grove Baptist Church treated us like we were family. And since my mom and dad helped build the church our roots were strong.

What I remember now is my dad testimony’s, my parents were strong believer in the power of prayer and one of my dad’s favorite hymns was “What a friend we have in Jesus “to this day that’s song sticks in my heart it has carried me through the good and the bad times. The first verse starts like this:

What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear what a privilege it is to carry everything to God in prayer, O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

That song’s first verse has carried me through the loss of my daughter engage in three, the many times I struggled that marriage at work and in life in general has been my saving grace. Until I learned the true meaning of that verse, that all the burdens I was trying to carry were too much for me but never too much for my Lord and Savior Jesus who died on the cross for you and I, I was never going to find peace and comfort.

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The moment I truly believed in that verse and took to heart is the moment I truly found peace. None of us need to carry these heavy burden Jesus our Lord and Savior who died on the cross for us for all persons made perfectly clear that he alone can carry any burdens that we have, and in him we can find peace, comfort, & joy. Are you caring burdens that you should bring to the Lord in prayer. Then take this moment and read Matthew’s 11: 28-30 out loud and confess “Lord that I can carry these burdens alone, so I put them at your feet, and I truly ask you to be my Lord and Savior. Leave me to the path of salvation, please forgive me for all my sins in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

I hope this message help someone shows them the way to salvation and remember all the burdens you caring are because you do not bring the Lord in prayer.

Is Jesus Safe

The Church I have recently been attending pastor asked that question last Sunday to the congregation near the end of his message. The question came out of the blue doing his sermon and had a profound effect on him emotionally, to the point he needed to step back and reflect on the question himself. The question is actually one I feel we all at one time may ponder, Is Jesus Safe? Before I reflect on this question, I want us to read Daniel 3: 16-18

16: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17: If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[ a] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18: But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Now just a little summary of what Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were standing up for, they refused to fall down and worship an image of King Nebuchadnezzar whenever the sound of the horn, flute, zither lyre, harp and pipes played, which was a decree given by him, anyone who fell to worship his image was thrown into a blazing furnace

Now what I find so amazing here is that these 3 gentlemen made it clear that they would not worship the image of the King, they also made it clear that The Lord their God was able to save them from the fire but even if he didn’t, they would serve no other God but their Lord.

These 3 gentlemen faith in the Lord – (call it blind faith if you wish) yet their faith was so strong that they Knew they were safe in the Lord arm no matter what happen. Now I believe in the Holy Trinity – God the Father – God the Son- God the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. So, when the Pastor asked “Is Jesus Safe” I look at this question as are we safe overall in the Trinity. If you believe Jesus is the Word and he was there when the Lord Created the Heaven and the Earth then these next passages, I hope will help you see that as you are saved by faith you are also safe in Jesus.

Now after King Nebuchadnezzar listened to what Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had to say, he was so furious that he order the flames in the furnace to be turned up to the max, it was so hot it killed the soldiers that threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the flames. Now the King had them tied and tossed into the furnace thinking that will teach everyone a lesson that doesn’t fall down and worship my image. I can almost imagine him smiling or grinning at this point

Let’s look at Daniel 3:24-26

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the god.”

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

Now some Bible Scholars believe that when King Nebuchadnezzar was stating that he saw the Son of the God that he was referring the Jesus Christ (I believe this also) now image if you will (I always wanted to use that Line) For those of you who remember the Twight Zone. Telling my age here. Again – Image if you will what must have been going thru the Kings mind, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego should be burned to a crisp, there shouldn’t be anyone dancing around in the fire, and how in the heck did someone else join them. Oh, what a Mighty God we serve. King Nebuchadnezzar thought that he was more than a man, but he was only a Man, but the Lord that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego served is the Lord of Lord and King of Kings, the Alpha and the Omega- The Beginning and the End

Their Blind faith In the Lord Kept them Safe, they knew that even if the Lord didn’t save them, they would be with him, and they still would be safe.

So the Pastor question “ Is Jesus Safe” my answer is YES but I would also ask you this “How Strong Is Your faith” Faith Can Move Mountain, and Faith Can get you through the toughest of Season. Yet is your Faith fullness only doing the tough season?

Ephesians 2:8

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God

So, we are Saved through Faith, and the Lord Grace is a gift. So, Is Jesus Safe? You have to decide for yourself, but I know by Faith we can all be saved

Here is a Challenge for you, when your Greeting Someone this week, when you end the conversation tell them to ” Have a Blessed Day- share God Blessing with everyone you meet, you might just save someone one Soul

HAVE A BLESSED DAY !

Are You Walking the Talk Part 1

First giving all Honor and Praise to the Lord above for all his Wonderful Blessing. Oh What a mighty God we serve!

Recently I was with some friends discussing a powerful sermon we heard at Night of Worship at LifePoint Church in Fredericksburg Virginia. Pastor Carl Lentz, the Lead Pastor of Hillsong NYC, spoke on Loving the way Jesus loves, everyone I spoke with that heard that messages gave nothing but Praise for Pastor Lentz message. Yet after a week, I wonder how many of us really truly received the message, I say this because even I have not truly Loved other as Jesus Love me. How can I help my Niece understand what God Love truly looks like when we as Christain can be our own worst enemy. We love on Sunday after hearing the word / message of God given by our Pastor; we hug each other, we smile in the face of others, and before we drive off the parking lot we forget the message of Love given earlier.

Love Like Jesus

In these days and time when the WORLD is in such a desperate need of God truly Love we as Christians should be should stepping up to the plate. Instead, we as Christain are more divided than ever; I dare say we are actually our own worst nightmare, We have Church Leader today that only want Christian that will conform to their ideas, or tell you how you as a church follower should act. They will use terms like “we as Christians should do this, we as Christian should not worship with those who don’t share our belief.” Where in the Bible does it say Jesus said to hate your enemies or those with different views than yours, maybe they need to reread Luke 6:27-36 again

Luke 6:27-36 27“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32″If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Let’s take a moment and break down this passage, but before we do what does Christian mean?
Wikipedia said that “ A Christian is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. “Christian” derives from the Koine Greek word Christós, a translation of the Biblical Hebrew term Mashiach.”
WOW THAT WAS A MOUTH FULL TO READ, NOW TRY SAYING IT OUT LOUD
A key statement in the above text is “ Monotheistic “the doctrine or belief that there is but one God “ Religion based on the Life and Teaching of Jesus Christ. “ We will need to remember that as we go further into the discussion.
In Acts 11:26 “the first disciple in Antioch were called Christian because they believed in Christ and followed His example.”

Now in Luke 6:27 -36 Jesus is teaching to a crowd of people on how WE should act towards one another, and when I first read this passage I realized how far I am from being Christ-like, Isn’t that what we should ALL strive to be.
Let’s Continue!
Have you ever heard of The Passion Translation it’s a new, heart-level translation that expresses God’s fiery heart of love to this generation using Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic manuscripts, merging the emotion and life-changing truth of God’s Word! Sometimes said to Encounter the Heart of God. Written by Dr. Brian Simmons
In the TPT “The Passion Translation” of Luke 6:27-31 it reads: “But if you will listen, I say to you, love your enemies and do something wonderful[m] for them in return for their hatred. 28 When someone curses you, bless that person in return. When you are mistreated and harassed by others, accept it as your mission to pray for them. 29 To those who despise you, continue to serve them and minister to them. If someone takes away your coat, give him as a gift your shirt as well. 30 When someone comes to beg from you, give to that person what you have. When things are wrongly taken from you, do not demand they be given back. 31 However, you wish to be treated by others is how you should treat everyone else.

Now, can you count, on the one hand, how many people have driven you crazy last week did you turn around to do something nice for them or even pray for them? I DIDN’T, Shouldn’t that be something that comes naturally as a follower of Christ? Imagine the example you would set for others to see? Of course, there would be those who think you are crazy; I’m actually ok with people seeing me acting like Jesus would have.

Ask yourself; Are we as Christain supposed to be Christ Followers or just a body of church-going folk who say we Love the Lord but don’t Love the way the Lord loves us. You wonder why a lot of nonbelievers and even other believer call us Christian hypocrite because we fail to act the way our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ showed us. If we truly Loved others the way Jesus loves us, we would be looking for ways to bring everyone closer together, not use our religion to draw us further apart. We know Jesus was seeking to save all our lost Souls shouldn’t we as Christain be doing the same thing.
Here is the Question to ask yourself? Do I want to Love Like Jesus or do I Just want to be a Christian? FYI it’s a trick question! If you recall the meaning of a Christain from above. ““ A Christian is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.” Then you realize that to be a TRUE CHRISTAIN; YOU HAVE TO LOVE LIKE JESUS.
I know that’s not an easy thing to do, but it’s what we should all strive for. Just Maybe if we took the time just to think WHAT WOULD JESUS DO! More often, what a BETTER WORLD THIS PLACE WOULD BE!

Next Week We Will address Part 2 of Luke 32-34 TPT. Walking The Talk
In the TPT “The Passion Translation” of Luke 6:32-36 it reads; “Are you really showing true love by only loving those who love you back? Even those who don’t know God will do that. 33 Are you really showing compassion when you do good deeds only to those who do good deeds to you? Even those who don’t know God will do that. “If you lend money only to those you know will repay you, what credit is that to your character? Even those who don’t know God do that. 35 But love your enemies and continue to treat them well. When you lend money, don’t despair[o] if you are never paid back, for it is not lost. You will receive a rich reward, and you will be known as true children of the Highest God, having his same nature. For your Father is famous for his kindness to heal[p] even the thankless and cruel. 36 Show mercy and compassion for others, just as your heavenly Father overflows with mercy and compassion for all.”
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Jesus said in John 14:2 NIV “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you.

Jesus has a place prepared for us in Heaven all we have to do is accept him as our Lord and Savior.
I have heard it said that you can never live up to God Love, But the Truth is God Love you so much that he is seeking a relationship with you so that you will be with him one day in Heaven.
OUR GOD demonstrated that love when he let his only Son Jesus Christ died on the Cross while we were still sinners so that we could all be saved.
Romans 5:8 NIV
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
If you haven’t accepted The Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savoir, But want to learn more about Our God and his plans for you. I strongly recommend you find a Good Bible Base Church, speak with the Pastor about what God is saying to you, read your Bible daily and keep God First in your life. He will make a difference in you.

Amen

Is God For Real

To My readers, I must say I am truly sorry for not keeping up with the blog these past few months, but I hope to change that now. I want to start by saying that these next few weeks my blog will address some interesting points concerning God, Faith, and Religion brought up by my niece at dinner doing our last night of vacation in Barcelona Spain. My niece was questioning why she should go to church when she truly is not sure if there is a God. My niece is 15 years old, questioning the existence of God in your teen years is nothing new, I would like to say at that same age I had those same questions, but I didn’t. Yet I have had times in my life where I question God on why he lets bad things happen to people, Christian or nonbelievers since he is a Loving God.
“I do need to provide you with a little background information on my niece and nephew and a major life-changing event that occurs this past year.”
My nephew and niece have a group of friends (15 of them) that hang at my Sister-N- Law home every day after school and stay the night over the weekends. So when I say these teens were close, I’m not over exaggerating. This past year one of the young men in the group committed suicide. This young man death not only had major effects on the group but on the parents as well. Each Parent was wondering how did they not see this coming and the kids in the group are questioning everything, looking for answers and not knowing where to find them. The group grew closer together after this young man died, but they were still so lost when it came to knowing how to deal with the loss of a close friend. My wife and I reach out to my Nephew and Niece to let them know we are praying for them and family of the young man. My nephew then asked my wife and me to come home to NYC to be with him and his friends. We met with all the teens, pray with them and let them know we are there for them if they ever needed us. From that moment on my wife and I inherited 13 more nieces and nephews who call us uncle Troy and auntie Vernie. Which we both take as a no small honor, we have even met the parents of some of the teens. We send daily inspirational Scriptures to the teens to let them know that God loves them and we love them, but after listening to my niece and her questioning her faith in God I realize that just sending Scripture without providing meaning is worthless. So I’ll be changing how everyone in the group texts receives their daily Scripture moving forward. What good is spreading the word of God to the group if you don’t understand the meaning?

These next series of blogs are meant to answer the question “ Is There Truly A GOD.” It’s not meant to push my Niece towards Christianity but to help her understand God Love. “ For the record, you can’t push God on anyone, but you can educate everyone on the wonders of God Love.” I feel when we push too hard you tend to push people away; people come to Christ in most cases when the chips are down.People tend to thinks that Our God is only available doing the hard times. NO! THAT’S SO NOT TRUE! God is there ALWAYS when the times are good and bad. So Give Praise to him Morning, Noon and Night, Thar’s my belief! So, for now, my niece doesn’t believe there is a God, she finds it hard to believe that someone is controlling our destiny, that if you are bad, you’re going to hell, there is no saving grace, for the record she has every right to feel that way. Just as we as Christian have every right to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. So how do you tell someone that God is for Real? Before I started writing this next section, I prayed to the Holy Spirit for wisdom on how to relate this not just to my niece but other nonbelievers. So IS GOD FOR REAL
Is God For Real

When I was a young lad growing up in Manassas Virginia, we attended Oak Grove Baptist Church in Herndon Virginia. My Mom was the church Secretary and pianist, and my Dad was a Deacon. If you ever been to a truly Southern Baptist Church then you know on any given Sunday it could be all day event. Our Pastor could preach for 2 hours, and everyone normally left church being filled with the Holy Spirit. What I loved about going to church and having a Mom that led all the Church Choirs, “which by the way meant I was always singing on Sunday with My Mom” was that I was able to memorize a lot of old gossips songs, those songs today have comfort and lift me up when I was in need of spiritual healing. That all being said, there was a song written by Kenneth Morris in 1944 called “Yes God is Real.” At the time he wrote this song he said; Yes God is Real expresses the surety of faith of many Christian.” What is so wonderful about this song is that it answers the Is God Real question for many Christian in just a few verses

There are some things
I may not know
There are some places
Oh Lord, I cannot go

But I am sure
Of this one thing
That God is real
For I can feel
Him in my soul

Yes, God is real
Oh, He’s real in my soul
Yes, God is real
For He has washed
And made me whole

His love for me
Is just like pure gold, oh Lord
My God is real
For I can feel
Him in my Soul

The verse “For I can feel, Him in My Soul” the write “Kenneth Morris” is Saying that God fulfills that emptiness or void that we sometimes feel when life can seem so complex, or we feel when we are at our wit’s end. The dictionary definition of Soul as “One person or is the spirit and essence of a person.” One example could be stated this way, “Your Soul or Spirit is the part of you that makes you who you are, and that will live on after you are gone.” Christian believe that your spirit will live on after your physical body has died, If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will be with him in Heaven if not and the Bible is very clear you will go to hell. Now here is the part where lots of Christian will tell nonbeliever “ What if you are wrong and when you die, you face God, and you end up in hell? Just as a nonbeliever can come back and say what if you as a Christain are wrong and you are just ashes to ashes, dust to dust? I call this the Tic for Tac syndrome no one wins this battle or do they?

My niece was right about one thing; it can be hard to believe that some God is controlling our every movement. We as a human really don’t want to be controlled by anyone; we want to determine our own faith. Yet don’t we seek leaders and mentor to guide us, sometimes blindly putting our faith / lives into another person’s hand who may have their own issues. We are only human, can you truly believe that another human doesn’t have his or her’s own fault. Maybe nonbelievers don’t want to believe in God because that means they would have to put their faith/lives into something they can’t see or control. Hebrew 11:1 said:

11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. “KJV”

John W. Ritenbaugh said ” Faith is the foundation for what we hope, the foundation for our relationship with God and everything that it implies within His purpose. Faith is the very beginning of everything that really matters spiritually

So we as Christian believe that our faith creates a relationship or bond with our Lord and Savior. I have heard it said, “ We believe even though we do not see,” I say we believe because of the things we hear and see today. When I wake up in the morning, and I see the wonders of God works, when I hear or read the Living Word God Bible I see the Love he shows for all of us, believers and nonbelievers. I have heard people say that in the Old Testament your God was a wick and evil God. I see in the Old Testament where God Showed his love to wick people who pray to be rescued from their enemy time after time only to turn from God again after being saved. Many of these people who say God is evil have never even read the Bible or go by hearsay. I say go find a Good Bible base church and for 30 days give God a chance to make an impact on your life, but you must truly commit to giving God a chance. If you do You Will be amazed at what changes God will do in your LIFE.
Inclusion is God for Real, that depends on the individual if you need to actually see and touch God then you may never truly believe. One of Jesus disciples named Thomas said he would not believe the Jesus lived until he saw the nail marks in his hand. When he met up with Jesus and saw the marks he cried “ My Lord and my God. Jesus replied in John 20:29 KJV

John 20:29 29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

I hope and pray that you will come to the Lord on your own and not because of some major life change event, that made you feel there nowhere to turn, and you cry out to him for help.  Even if that happens God will be there for you. Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8 NIV

Matthew 7:7-8 New International Version (NIV)

Ask, Seek, Knock
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8″ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened
Please don’t miss read this, I have heard this verse used against God because some people believe it means that God will give you everything you ask for,

In an article written in Gotquestion.org the author said:
Jesus is not saying that believers always get what they ask for—wrong motives, for example, will hinder answers to prayer (James 4:3). However, the more time a Christian spends in communion with God, the more he or she will know what to ask for in accordance with God’s will. Prayer, in and of itself, does not produce sanctification (an increasing holiness in a believer’s life), but it does show a dependence on God for needs that can be met no other way. God is always pleased with such displays of faith. It is only faith in what God can do, and what Christ has done, that brings about true sanctification, not an artificial self-righteousness (Hebrews 11:6).

I truly agree with the above statement so to my niece and others nonbeliever the question Is God For Real well, to me he is for I can feel him in my soul. For others, it could be in other ways. To you, my niece and others I say give God a chance, commit for the next 30 days on finding out is God for Real? Start by finding a good bible base Church, go online on Youtube and listen to some Great Sermon by Pastors like Chris Hodges, T.D Jakes, and one of my Favorites sermons by Robert Morris of Gateway Church on the Holy Spirit is my Friend. Go in with an open mind, pray to God for answers to your questions, join a Church small group so you can fellowship with other believers. You will also find many answers you seek from reading the Bible itself. You too may begin to build a relationship with God.  I pray  that you will Grow not only in knowledge and Wisdom but build a healthy relationship with God as well

AMEN