Does God exist? Is there a God? 

How do we know God is real? 

These questions have been asked for decades—even centuries. People want proof, evidence and arguments for the existence of God. 

The answer is available but it requires one thing: keep an open mind. Jesus made this promise to anyone seeking truth: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. … For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds” (Matthew 7:7-8). 

 You have already asked yourself if God is real or not, but go one step further. What if God exists, loves you, and wants you to know Him? For this theory to be proven true, God would have to reveal Himself to you. Not only would it answer the question but it would eliminate all doubt.  Let’s go through some evidence. God is not quiet. He announced Himself when He created the universe. 

The Bible says, “Since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (Romans 1:20).  If the universe was created by some random accident then there is no reason why it operates in an orderly manner and adheres to multiple laws. Yet, our world has structure—so much so the solar system was named accordingly. 

The reason why the universe obeys the laws of gravity, physics, energy and many others is because it was designed by a logical and orderly God. But God went even further He  to reveal Himself when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth. Christ was human but also divine .Jesus declared He is God and then backed up His claim in many ways. 

He shared Himself with thousands of people during His ministry, and again to hundreds more after His death and resurrection.

  In your search for truth, focus more of your effort on Jesus. You’ll discover He loves you. The clearest proof God is real is in Jesus’ prediction He would be killed and then come back to life a few days later. Not only did it prove He was God to everyone, but it clearly displayed His love for all of us. His death was the sacrifice that makes it possible for you to spend eternity with the living God who loves you and wants a relationship with you.
 

  A Relationship with God – The Real Spiritual Dream  I have asked this question hundreds of times in various parts of the world: “What is your spiritual dream?”  How would you answer it?

 Take a moment to stop reading and think about the question. Get a sheet of a paper and take three or four minutes to jot down some ideas.  There is something powerful about this question because many people think of their spiritual state as a yes-or-no kind of question: Either I am religious or irreligious. Either I am trying to pursue God or I don’t really believe in him. Either I am in the kingdom of God or in the kingdom of this world. To be able to name a spiritual dream means that you have purpose and direction, something to strive for and something to live for.

 “What do you mean by spiritual?” most people ask, and I tell them to define it however they want. What are the hopes, ambitions, goals, and dreams you have for your life that are going to fulfill you on a deeper level?  By now most people have an idea of what I’m after, but are stumped by how to answer. We are not often taught to dream in a spiritual sense. What’s more, if we define for ourselves a dream, then we have a certain obligation to fulfill it. Sometimes people are wary about speaking a dream out loud because often they know they have done nothing really to pursue it.  How about you? Have you come up with a dream yet? Was it something you’d ever considered before? Does it sound daunting to put it down on paper?

 “Anything at all,” I reassure those who need further direction. “If you could have anything in the world.” Once people get talking, I find it amazing how people give such very similar answers to this question. Most every answer falls into two categories:  Some will give an answer concerning their understanding of God. I have heard of answers like, “I want to be close to God,” or “I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit even more.” Some will say things like, “I want to be one with the whales.” Although this is not strictly a God answer, a person who answers this way still has an inner prompting toward worshiping something beyond himself or herself.  Some will give answers concerning their relationships with people. I have heard of answers like,

 “I just want my kids to know God,” or “I want to fight for my cause.” One person told me he wanted to give down-and-out children boat rides paid for by the government. These answers are almost always about benefiting a specific person or a broad group of people.  Most spiritual dreams are in some way connected to worshiping a higher being and showing love to other people. It is interesting because the way most people actually live out their lives is to benefit themselves and enrich their own standing, but the moment they are asked to pay attention to their spiritual side, they gravitate toward looking outside of themselves. I like to start out with this question about spiritual dreams because it places on the table two important desires that the average person has not fulfilled: connection with God and connection with people. I do not need to convince a person that he or she needs to have a spiritual life, because the person has just told me so in his or her own words. Suddenly the nice car and nice house aren’t quite as adequate a safeguard from needing something more.  Jesus of Nazareth taught that true fulfillment comes through a relationship with God your creator and through loving the people of this world. That’s what the Christian life is all about—living out our spiritual dreams of worshiping the God of the universe and giving of ourselves to our friends and neighbors:  One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, 

“Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31 NIV)  God instilled in us our spiritual dreams, and he taught us how to pursue them by revealing himself as the one true God who deserves our worship and by revealing that every person we meet is a neighbor who deserves our love and attention. Many have rejected this call because it is too difficult. It can be easier to pop in a CD of whale calls or to throw money at a social program and pretend you are fulfilling a deeper connection. It feels like you have more control. What God asks of us is to give up control, to submit ourselves to the law of love—and through pursuing our dreams by his means rather than our own, we will find real fulfillment.

 The Problem  Just because we each have a desire to worship and to love does not mean we are able to actually love God and our neighbor. The problem is that you and I were conceived in rebellion and sin (Psalm 51:5). We want to do things our own way, to be in control. This problem has plagued the human race since our first parents fell into sin (Genesis 3), and you and I are no different in our nature. The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:9-12:  

"What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.  All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good, not even one.” (NIV) 

 Complicating matters is that our fight is not just an internal struggle against our own rebellion and sin. Satan, or the devil, still has some power to deceive and blind humans. Paul wrote:  The god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV). 

 Left to ourselves, you and I are lost! Yes, you have a spiritual dream. But sin has poisoned your nature against God and others, and Satan has blinded your eyes so that you do not see God. Even though you and I may “dream” of wanting God, left to our own power, you and I cannot lovingly relate to God.  The great news, the gospel of Christ, is that God seeks to have a relationship of peace despite our wicked nature. God reverses what Satan has done.  Here is what is so amazing: God brings real forgiveness! The only thing that can free us from our selfish desires, our controlling ways, and our lack of love is forgiveness. We cannot pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and do better; we need to have this wickedness absolved in our lives, to experience the radiance of God’s love and let ourselves be a vessel for carrying this love into the world. It is not we ourselves who learn to love, but we submit ourselves to experiencing and passing on the overflowing love of God.

Maybe you have a hard time believing that God could forgive you for what you have thought and done. Maybe your transgressions go deeper than just a selfish nature or a self-righteous attitude. You have thought very wicked thoughts against God and others. You have even acted wickedly. But God will forgive you and change your life. He has promised that no one is beyond the reach of his redemptive power.  Here is what is so amazing: God brings real goodness! Maybe you are from a Christian home, but you are not following God as your parents did. You consider yourself a “good” person; you were raised to be good. But deep down you know that you have not transferred the control of your life to God. You live according to the law but not according to the standard of love. But God will give you love; then the law will make sense.  

God will take you where you are at now, and change you and restore or renew your spiritual dream. You will be vital in your walk with God. People in your life will see the change, and you will be involved in an eternal relationship. You have authority in Christ over Satan to be part of the building of the kingdom of God! You are saved from sin by the unbounded grace of God. How is Grace Possible?  God is an absolutely perfect being. He cannot tolerate sin. When we hurt each other, when we turn our backs on what is decent and right and loving, he cannot possibly invite us into his presence. There is a wall that separates us. But even though you and I do not deserve it, 

God brought down the barrier out of sheer undeserved grace. When God’s Son, Jesus, died on the cross, he took on himself all our sin. Jesus lived a perfect life yet was suffering the punishment for crimes he did not commit. He broke Satan’s power over us. Because Jesus was fully God and fully human, the shedding of his blood meant complete forgiveness of believers’ sins and restoration into new relationship. No more guilt, no more blindness. You and I are reconciled with God. Take note of these Scriptures: 

 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! (Romans 5:8-9 NIV) 

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15 NIV)  

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:3-5 NIV)  

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(James 4:7 NIV)  

Will you still struggle with sin and temptation? Yes. Will you desire to run your own life rather than submit to God’s plan for you? Yes. Sin is not absent, but more and more the changing power of God will make sin less desirable. Instead, we grow in attraction to love and worship of our God and love of our neighbor. This lifelong process is called sanctification. Our old self passes away and God grants to us a new spirit, the Holy Spirit, which works ­in us to accomplish this process. Sin does not stand between God and us; rather he dwells in us and perfects us with his love. 

Your Spiritual Dream Realized  Just because God has made possible this grace and offers it to us freely does not mean that we all have this grace in our lives. We must choose to receive his grace; we must accept his invitation into a relationship with him and accept the gift of a renewed heart that loves people. There is no magic formula to make these things happen, no words that unlock the secret door. There is only the surrender of the heart. There is the turning from our self-seeking ways to the will of God. There is the repentance of our sinful ways and the acceptance of forgiveness made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We die to ourselves. We are Reborn through the Holy Spirit of God  Even though God looks at the heart and not at the words we recite, it can be helpful to walk through the process of salvation step by step and look at suggestions for what one might pray to God to receive his grace. This might be very basic if you have been a Christian for a long time, but read the next sections in the spirit of a revival of your life. Read also with the goal of helping a friend or neighbor come to know Christ. This process will not be so simple to a newcomer to the faith. Do not rush things by insisting right away on a commitment. 

Often a person will need to actually walk with God a while before deciding to commit his or her life to God. Simply share the steps and encourage the person to pray them whenever his or her heart is truly believes the words. Christian families have children who walk the walk for many years before they make their profession of faith, and connection evangelism takes the same approach: Explain the process of salvation, practice walking with God, and then give oneself up to God when God calls.  So much of this course will deal with the nuts and bolts of a daily reproducible walk with God. But know this: A daily walk comes out of a relationship that Jesus won for us. This relationship is a gift from God that we do not deserve. 

We might have a spiritual dream, but the dream would not make any sense without acknowledging God as the one who establishes a relationship with you and me, and who makes all connection possible. Home discipleship, the seven connections, Bible reading, prayer, Sunday worship, the kingdom of God—all mean nothing without the foundational work of God saving us from the wages of sin and giving us new life in his Spirit. Step One: Repent  Repenting is a turning to God and confessing that you are a sinner and that you need God in your life. Repenting is not something you do lightly. This is something that you will continue to do throughout your Christian walk. Even when you come to the Lord’s Supper, you are to go with a repentant attitude. The Bible says: 

 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord . . .(Acts 3:19 NIV) 

 A prayer of repentance: “Dear God in Heaven, I confess my willful rebellion against you. I have been in control of my own life. I freely desire to surrender my will. I pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.” Step Two: Confess your Faith  In the Bible, the word faith is a relational word. When you become a believer, confessing your faith is like a groom saying his vows to his bride. Expressing your faith is a bold act of promise in your new relationship with God. The Bible says:  That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says,

“Everyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13) 

 This confession is not to be made lightly. You are now vowing to trust completely in God. You are entering into an eternal relationship. There is no turning back!  A prayer of belief: “Dear God, I trust in you as my Lord and my Savior. I receive from you your gracious gift of an eternal salvation, a relationship of peace from you, won for me by Jesus Christ, when he suffered hell for me on the cross and when he rose again from the dead. I have been spiritually reborn as your child now. I desire to serve you. I belong to you body and soul! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”  When you pray this prayer for the first time, you have just done something very bold. You have crossed over from death to life. You may not even feel like you did something that bold. If these prayers were truly from your heart, your spiritual center, you can be sure that you have been saved. Welcome to the body of believers!  

One more thing about step two: Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth . . . .” On one level, you did that today. You confessed your vow to God, between you and God. Now you need to confess your faith publicly. Just as marriage vows are made publicly, so it is with a confession of faith in Jesus. Maybe you have been nurtured in a Christian home. You do not remember a time when you did not trust in the Lord. For you maybe it is time to publicly declare your faith at your church. 2 Corinthians 4:13-15 puts it this way:  It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (NIV) 

 Talk to the pastor at your church about being baptized or confirmed before the entire congregation. Baptism is the public acknowledgement that you accept God’s gift of salvation and will live a new life in him.

Step Three: Walking in a Vital Relationship  When polls are conducted in America, over 80% of Americans say that they believe in God. A large percentage of people even say that the Bible is God’s Word. Many have confessed the sinner's prayer, a variation on what you may have just done in steps one and two. Yet the sad truth is that many who have professed their faith in Jesus do not walk daily with God in an ongoing transforming relationship. Many will attend church but fail to understand the relational nature of faith in Christ. They conclude that religion/church is a social event, a moral compass, a parenting and marriage guide, or social activism. While these things are natural by-products of a vital relationship, they are not the essence of walking with, serving, and loving God.  In realizing your spiritual dream to love God, you need to know basically who he is. He has revealed himself in history, and we can get to know him through his primary communication tool, the Bible. We call the Bible God’s Word. You also need to know that you are relating to a spiritual being in trinity. The Bible points to one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In some ways, relating to a spiritual God is different from relating to other humans. In human history, small numbers of people have physically seen members of the Trinity, that is, God. For example, Adam and Eve walked with God the Father in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2-3). 

Moses saw a glimpse of God the Father at Mount Sinai:  And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”  Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:19-23 NIV)

  The coming of Jesus, God’s own son, put God in plain view. Jesus was fully God and fully human. By believing in Jesus, you are relating to God. Through the eyes of faith, you now “see” God. Hebrews 1:3 says:  "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." (NIV)  

When Jesus was on this earth, he often spoke of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was preparing to die on the cross, He promised his disciples that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to them:  But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26)  

The book of Acts in the Bible should be called the "Acts of the Holy Spirit." The book of Acts shows how the Holy Spirit has been poured out to believers. This book shows that the Holy Spirit indwells believers. The person of the Holy Spirit empowers people to preach, to heal, to discern, to have authority over evil, and to receive special gifts to advance the Kingdom of God.  A very important creed in the early church was the Nicene Creed. This creed calls the Holy Spirit “the Lord and Giver of life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spake by the prophets.” The Holy Spirit helps you “see” God!  When you have professed your faith in Christ, you have come to God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You have learned something very important now about the one you are relating to. You are not becoming one with the whales. You are not becoming one with the force. You connect directly to God. You do not need a human mediator. Jesus is your mediator:  

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus . . . . (1 Timothy 2:5 NIV)  

You are connecting to the God of the universe revealed in the Bible. This is very different from relating to another human. This spiritual being, God, is distinct from his creation and creatures, yet we commune with God in an eternal love relationship. At the same time, relating to God is similar in many ways to relating to other humans. A relationship with God includes trust, love, service, loyalty, knowledge, etc. Just as human relationships have a key effect on our lives, a relationship with God has a major effect on our lives. Think of someone who married well; we may say that a wife really brings out the best in her husband or that he brings out the best in her. That same dynamic happens when you and I relate to God. Relating to God transforms us, changing the way we are in our marriages, our families, our friendship circles, our work, our communities, and our world. The fact is that God is good for us. He brings out the best in you and me. If you are teachable and open in this relationship, you will be changed. God will change you through his communication tool, the Bible, and through his Holy Spirit, who now dwells in you as a believer. 

  Spirit

  What Is the Difference between Soul and Spirit?

 Soul ~V~ Spirit: The soul is most often related to individual sense and spirituality, thus having a religious implication whereas spirit can refer to supernatural beings in addition to it being related with one’s life force. Therefore, rather than a religious outlook, the spirit can be used in other non-religious contexts as well. 

Does the immaterial aspect of human nature involve a soul and a spirit? Yes. Are the soul and spirit absolutely unified and united (dichotomy) or closely related but separate (trichotomy)? Unclear. Human nature is a trichotomy. Those who believe that the physical body is what connects us with the physical world around us, the soul is the essence of our being, and the spirit is what connects us with God. This is why the unsaved can be said to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13), while they are very much physically and “soulishly” alive.  Human nature is a dichotomy.The believers of this fact would have the same understanding of the body but would view the spirit as the part of the soul that connects with God. So, the question of dichotomy vs. trichotomy is logical if the soul and spirit are different aspects of the immaterial human nature, or if the spirit is simply a part of the soul, with the soul being the whole immaterial part of human nature.  
 The main difference between soul and spirit (soul versus spirit) is thatthe soul is the spiritual part that we carry after our death whereas a spirit can refer to a non-human entity as well. Therefore, even though spirit can be used to refer to a Supernatural being; the soul can only be referred to as the individual’s spirituality.   

  
   Power to live as an ambassador for Christ
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

An ambassador must walk a very fine line. He lives in one country, but he is responsible to another. He must represent the message of a leader who is not directly present. He must also embody the character of his home country, following laws and customs that are not necessarily known or even welcome in the host nation. He must do this all while respecting the laws and customs of that host.

Being “ambassadors of Christ” is a powerful concept. Christ Himself was an ambassador, the perfect example and representative of God’s government “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ,”

 (John 1:9).

In turn, Jesus called on His followers to become lights to the world. How?

Doing good things for others clearly benefits them. But what Jesus said went deeper than that. “Let your light so shine before men,” He said. Why? He continued, “That they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

God wants people to see His way of life in action, to capture the hope it represents for the Kingdom Jesus will inaugurate. Scripture calls this “the good news,” a phrase often translated as “the gospel.”

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, “He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1). He tells His followers to continue to proclaim that good news until His second coming (Mark 16:15; & Matthew 24:14).

The gospel proclaims a time when all evil will be eradicated. God wants people to see that His way of life—the way that will make the Kingdom    
“Even though the Bible speaks of our ‘citizenship’ as being in heaven after we are baptized But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:20), in order to enter the Kingdom, humans must be changed from flesh and blood into spirit, from mortal into immortal, at Jesus’ second coming I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. -51-Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -52-in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. -53-For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:50-53) "so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."  (Hebrews 9:28).   When the Kingdom of God comes to earth, it will rule over all the ‘kingdoms of this world’ The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
and he will reign for ever and ever.”(Revelation 11:15).”  
  
Christians are to become ambassadors of Christ in the sense of being representatives of that coming Kingdom.   
Whom does your life represent? Christ or you? Are you living for your own self-interests, or living for Him? It may be easy to live for Him some of the time, but the rest of the time are you just living for yourself and your own interests? Whom are you representing when you sit down at the computer or use social media? Is your role as ambassador for Christ part-time or full-time?
The truth is that our actions speak volumes more to people around us than what we say. We can think that we are representing Christ if we are often speaking of Him to others. But it is our life – our decisions, what we do, and what we don’t do in the daily situations – that truly speaks to others the most.

You are an example to others, no matter how you live. The question is whether you are a good example, or a bad example. We can say it another way: Your life is at all times representing someone – the question is “Whom?”   
Jesus said that you will know the tree by its fruit. People always taste the fruit that comes from your life in daily situations.

Do you go along with the crowd at school or at work because it is difficult for you to say “No” and go against the peer pressure? Or do you live your life for Jesus and take a stand for what is right? Do you give in when frustration or anger rises up within you, or do the people around you sense only peace and patience in a very trying situation?

When you do what is good and right in difficult situations, then you are being an ambassador for Christ. People see the life of God’s Son manifested once again in human flesh! And the power of that life, manifested as goodness and love in difficult situations, can bring hope to others who also have a longing for such a life of goodness and love – the life of Christ.   
Paul writes: “Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1. And again in Ephesians 5:1 he writes: “Therefore be imitators of God, as dear children.” It must therefore be possible for us to imitate Christ, that is to say, to represent and communicate His desires and will while we are here on earth.

If we only had our own strength to try and live such a life, it would truly be impossible. But the Holy Spirit can come into the heart of every believer and empower them to live a life worthy of their heavenly calling, a transformed life of goodness and love.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”   (2 Timothy 1:7). And again it says“… for it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

Blessed is each one who believes what is written, who believes in the power available to those who love God with all of their heart – power to live as an ambassador for Christ during our short time on earth, and communicate His gospel of a transformed life by way of example and living, tangible proof.

You Have the Power to live as an ambassador for Christ   

Proverbs 4:23-27 

23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity.
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead.
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the [a] paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left.
keep your foot from evil..

Perhaps no book in the Bible has more practical wisdom and advice about how to think about and live our life on a daily basis than Proverbs. Proverbs is the “Do” and “Don’t” book of the Bible; it’s filled with admonitions about what to do if we wish to have a life marked by goodness, honor, integrity, confidence and virtue. Proverbs also speaks repeatedly of what not to do if we wish to avoid ruin, shame, unhappiness and disgrace. The wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs makes it plain that while human civilization has advanced in innumerable ways in areas ranging from science to technology, at the same time, human beings have changed very little in the last several thousand years. The issues people struggled with then are still issues today. Areas in which people are tempted and fall, often to very public embarrassment, haven’t changed much either. 

Perhaps no book in the Bible has more practical wisdom and advice about how to think about and live our life on a daily basis than Proverbs. Proverbs is the “Do” and “Don’t” book of the Bible; it’s filled with admonitions about what to do if we wish to have a life marked by goodness, honor, integrity, confidence and virtue. Proverbs also speaks repeatedly of what not to do if we wish to avoid ruin, shame, unhappiness and disgrace. The wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs makes it plain that while human civilization has advanced in innumerable ways in areas ranging from science to technology, at the same time, human beings have changed very little in the last several thousand years. The issues people struggled with then are still issues today. Areas in which people are tempted and fall, often to very public embarrassment, haven’t changed much either.

The human heart is mentioned over 800 times in the Bible. In the scriptures, the heart refers most of the time not to a vital organ that is constantly beating and enables us to live. The heart is seen as the center of emotions, feelings, moods, and passions. The heart functions as the source of thought and reflection (Isaiah 6:10; Mark 7:21-23). The heart understands (Deuteronomy 8:5; Isaiah 42:25), provides wisdom to rule justly and wisely (1 Kings 3:12; 10:24), and discerns good and evil (1 Kings 2:44). The heart also represents the idea of our will and conscience (1 Samuel 24:5; 2 Samuel 24:10). The request for a pure heart is the desire for a new and more perfect conscience (Psalm 51:10; Matt. 5:8). Since the heart is the center for decisions (2 Sam. 7:21), obedience, devotion, and intentionality, it represents the total person. Listen to Proverbs 4:23-27,

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Put away from you crooked speech and put devious talk far from you.

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.

Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure.

Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.”

Proverbs 4:23 tells us that perhaps the most important thing we can pay attention to in life is what is happening in and with us. The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. The Bible’s view is that our heart and the capacity to choose is at the center of who we are. Three times in the passage from Gospel of Mark 7:20-23 that we heard earlier in the service, Jesus says, ““It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come… All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Jesus had a very clear-eyed view of humanity. One that is more realistic than he’s sometimes given credit for and Jesus is direct in his teaching that our outward speech and behavior have their source in the choices that come from inside us.

Jesus certainly knew Jeremiah 17:9-10 which states, “The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse— who can understand it? I the LORD test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.” Next month the movie Noah starring Russell Crowe is being released. The story of Noah begins in Genesis 6:5-6 which says. “The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.”

When I hear these ancient words I think Jeremiah is correct that the heart can be hard to understand. We can look around the world and wonder if much has changed since the days of Noah because the thoughts of many hearts still seem inclined to evil. Jesus and Proverbs offer us a different path. In the verses from Proverbs, did you notice the progression in human behavior? Proverbs talks of our heart, speech, eyes, and our feet. This progression from inner desire or thought to outward speech and action reflects that our actions have their origin inside us. We may think about something, talk about doing it, look to see where we may do it, and then we go there. Sometimes when we find ourselves in a bad place we wonder, “How did I get here?” You can look at Proverbs 4:23-27 and say, “Well this is exactly how it happened….” This progression can take place slowly over time or in a matter of seconds or minutes. Another way of stating Proverbs 4:23-27 is, Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Guard your heart because it shapes your thoughts and words. What you think is usually what you say, although most of us don’t say all we think. What we say and do affects our life’s direction.

If you look at the screen behind me, right now it’s blank. There’s a sense in which our lives are like a screen that makes visible some (but not all) of what’s going on in our heart. And it isn’t a Silent Movie. If our heart is filled with selfishness, our speech and our behavior will likely reflect that. If our heart is filled with love, our speech and behavior is likely to reflect that as well. On Friday evening I officiated at the wedding of Caitlin Spaulding and Matt Van Gelder. In the ceremony I read the familiar words of 1 Corinthians about love. We can forget that Paul’s powerful words from 1 Corinthians were not initially directed to a love struck bride and groom. They were delivered to a congregation whose hearts weren’t exactly right.  What Paul says love is – patient, kind, rejoicing in the truth; bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things – is what the Corinthians were lacking in and failing to do with each other. What Paul says love is not – envious, boastful, arrogant, rude, insisting on its own way, irritable, resentful, and rejoicing in the wrong – is how the members of the church were behaving with one another. They weren’t guarding and keeping their hearts the way Jesus would have wanted them to; we want to get it right.

When we keep our heart with all vigilance, we’ll allow God and even other people to shape our heart and the love, speech, and actions that flow from us. Henri J.M. Nouwen wrote about our hearts, “There is a twilight zone in our hearts that we ourselves cannot see. Even when we know quite a lot about ourselves-our gifts and weaknesses, our ambitions and aspirations, our motives and our drives-large parts of ourselves remain in the shadow of consciousness. This is a very good thing. We will always remain partially hidden to ourselves. Other people, especially those who love us, can often see our twilight zones better than we ourselves can. The way we are seen and understood by others is different from the way we see and understand ourselves. We will never fully know the significance of our presence in the lives of our friends. That’s a grace, a grace that calls us not only to humility, but to a deep trust in those who love us. It is the twilight zones of our hearts where true friendships are born.” When our heart is touched it leads us to speak, look, and act differently.

The love of Jesus Christ is what can truly transform the human heart. This is the love that God pours into our hearts and we in turn love God and Jesus, and others as well. When we let God love us, we will have love to share with others. It all begins in our hearts.

How do we keep our heart well? One of the best summaries of how to do it is found in Psalm 16:7-9, “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.” Note how many aspects of the self are referred to: the mind, the heart, feelings, the soul, and the body.  The key to having a glad heart and a joyful soul is stated in verse 8, “I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”  Like David, Helen Keller wrote about having a faithful and joyful approach to life, “Deep, solemn optimism, it seems to me, should spring from this firm belief in the presence of God in the individual; not a remote, unapproachable governor of the universe, but a God who is very near every one of us, who is present not only in earth, sea and sky, but also in every pure and noble impulse of our hearts.”

In Psalm 86, David, prays, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name. I will give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.” Psalm 86:11-12

This prayer asking God for guidance and the confident thanksgiving that follows says so much. What God needs from us is a willing heart. Do we have the desire to learn the ways of the Lord so we may walk in them? David asks for an undivided heart. For a heart that is pure, that’s not focused on nor distracted by many things. Our physical heart is divided into four chambers. The blood comes in one way, drops off the bad stuff, picks up the oxygen and goes out the other way. Our physical heart is divided so it can fulfill the function it must in order for us to live.

Spiritually speaking, however, a divided heart is a recipe for spiritual disease and weakness. We can pray for an undivided heart to revere, to hallow, to treasure God’s name and God’s presence in our life. When we give thanks to the Lord we do so with our whole heart, and not half-heartedly. The Bible spends a great deal of time talking about the human heart because we live from our heart. The condition of our heart influences our thoughts, our will, and our spirit – every aspect of our life. What is in our “heart” matters more than anything else for who we become and what becomes of us. Keep and guard your heart well for from it flow the springs of life.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” That is a goal worth striving for, now and always. The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.

Prayer:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:23–24a).

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.”

Psalm 51:10

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14) 

Blessing: Psalm 37:4, “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”  “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Questions for Reflection or Discussion

 What do you think Proverbs 4:23 means in urging us to keep our heart with all vigilance? How do we do that?

 In Matthew 5:8 Jesus states, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Why is purity of heart important? Is it attainable? What do we do when we experience moments when our heart or motives are less than godly?

 Verse 24-27 are examples of being vigilant about our behavior. Verse 24 addresses our speech; what do you do to strive to speak in a God honoring way? How aware are you of your words, tone, and assumptions in your speech?

Verse 25 deals with what we look at – where our eyes gaze and linger – how does this aspect of life deal with purity of heart? What can we do to be watchful regarding what we look at in our daily living?

Verses 26-27 uses our feet as an image for the whole body and the importance of staying on God’s path and not getting sidetracked into behavior that is unhealthy, unhelpful, and ungodly. How do you treat your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit?

Pastor David May

Pastor.Dave@Mail.com

05/28/2022

By: Pastor David May

On the way to pick up a pizza & soda for lunch at the local store, a, 3 min drive from my home, I went inside and placed my order, there was a lady at the counter scratching off her scratch off tickets, so after making my order I went back to my car and sat to wait for my pizza to cook that takes about 20 minutes.
The lady returned to her White Toyota car and started it and pulled out to an oncoming tractor trailer and, “Boom!” I saw the car spin around and I got out of my car and went to see if she was OK, she was shook up and scared to death, so I open her car door and ask her if she was OK. My arm hurts she said, so I called 911 told her to go to my car as I open the door behind my driver seat of my car, as the employee came to the front entrance door to see what happen I called out get me a bag of ice, as I place it on the lady arm to keep swelling down as IDK but looked like it was broken, and had her sit, until medic arrive.

What just happen? “I was a witness to the accident.“ I saw something that happen. Maybe you have witness something yourself? Maybe you witnessed an accident, or possibly even a crime, even better yet how about a miracle, these are just a few things that we have all experience in some way or another. But what about the people that witness the things during the time of Christ when he walked on the earth.

Witness: definition Is one who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced.

Testify: definition Is to give evidence as a witness to tell the story of that been seen as to what happen.

The word ‘witness’ had many usages and meanings in the Bible. It was commonly used to refer to people who saw, knew or experienced something,

John 3:11 I assure you we tell you what we know, (Testify) and have seen, (witness) and yet you won’t believe our testimony?

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

John 19:20 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. So in order for this to be recorded, they must had witnesses to this event and someone written the information down to record the event.

Up to 500 people Who witness. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: (witness) that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once,

(So 500 people witness)

After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me.

(1st Corinthians 15:3 to 8)  3 For what I received I passed on to you be as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen a sleep 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also,n as to one abnormally born. Paul’s claim makes Jesus’ resurrection a wide-reaching experience, not reserved for a small handful of disciples, but for a “multitude” of people. Furthermore, with an abundance of witnesses, the disciples of Jesus had a somewhat easier time convincing others of Jesus’ resurrection when so many saw him in the flesh. It would not have been easy proving that a man died and rose from the dead, but when over 500 people witnessed it, the task may have been a bit easier.

The most important question anyone will ever face is, “Who is Jesus Christ?” Your answer to that question will have a direct bearing on where you will spend eternity. Most people will be outwardly respectful of Jesus whether they personally believe in Him or not. Many secular people think of Jesus as one of the great teachers in History or a great ethicist – a teacher of moral values. Others are a bit more spiritual and refer to Him as the founder of a great religion. Some of those influenced by eastern mysticism will sometimes refer to Him as an “ascended master.” Muslims consider Him to be a great prophet. Yet, whatever title or term of respect is applied to Jesus, it must be compared to Jesus’ actual claim for Himself to see how far away they are from the truth.

Who is Jesus Christ? Humble Beginnings

Jesus is God's only begotten son, yet He came from the throne of His Father to the womb of a woman. He became Son of Man that we might become sons of God.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of a virgin. He lived in poverty, and was unknown outside of Nazareth. He had neither wealth nor influence.
He laid aside His purple robe for a peasant's gown. He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor. He slept in another's stable; He rode another's donkey; He was buried in another's grave. Who is Jesus Christ?

History has never known such as He. In infancy, He startled a king. As a boy, He stunned the theologians with His knowledge and wisdom, for His knowledge was directly from God.

In manhood, He ruled the elements and quieted the raging sea. He healed without medicine, and fed thousands from a boy's lunch. Even demons obeyed Him and He gave back life to those who were dead.
Yet He suffered and sustained in body and soul the anger of God against the sin of the whole human race. He was despised and rejected of men. Though He was innocent, He was condemned by a civil judge and sentenced to death on a cross. If this wasn't true then What would it be?

A false witness - this is a person who deliberately gives false testimony know as perjurer, a liar, prevaricator - a person who has lied or who lies repeatedly
-So-
The ninth commandments states, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour
”(Exodus. 20:16). This commandment is intended to protect one against defamation of character and to uphold an honest man’s reputation. As a part of human nature, lying and bearing false witness are so natural they seem to be the normal thing to do.
Acts 6:13 And set up false witnesses, which said, this man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

What happens if a witness lies to the court?

When witnesses testify to the court, they do so under oath. They also do so under the risk of facing criminal charges if they lie to the court. There are steps that another person can take whether a party or an observer to inform the court of lies. This is knowed as Perjury, Perjury is the criminal act of lying or making statements to misrepresent something while under oath.
Lying under oath disrupts the judicial process and is taken very seriously. Being convicted of perjury can result in serious consequences, including probation and fines. For federal perjury, a person can be convicted by up to five years in prison. For state perjury convictions, a similar sentence in a state prison may be imposed.

Who is Jesus Christ? Life-changing Impact?

By His suffering and death, He paid completely for the sins of all who believe in Him. He set us free from the certain judgment and eternal condemnation of God that was to fall on all of us.
Some have given their lives for others, and great men have come and gone, yet Jesus Christ lives on. Herod could not kill Him. Satan could not stop him. Death could not destroy Him. The grave could not hold Him. Having fully satisfied God's perfect justice, He conquered death and rose on the third day as He said He would.

John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (He was talking about his fleshly body, not a building made of stone)

2nd Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

Who is Jesus Christ Really?

For the last 2,000 years, every man, woman and child has been confronted with this same question. Mathew 16:15, Jesus put it this way, 'But who do you say that I am?' One of His disciples, Simon Peter, replied: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Now it's your turn. Who do you say that He is?

We have all sinned and deserve God’s judgment.
* God, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him.
**Jesus, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He died for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried and Rose from the dead according to the bible.
Bible - a book of events that people have documented & testified what they had witnessed.

So If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Savior, declaring,
"Jesus is Lord,"

You will be saved from judgment and spend eternity with God in heaven.
* Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

**John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

SALVATION
If you would like to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, say the following prayer:
Heavenly Father,
I come to You in the Name of Jesus. Your Word says, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). I am calling on You. I pray and ask Jesus to come into my heart and be Lord over my life according to Romans 10:9-10, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” I do that now. I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead.

April 9th. 2022Pastor David May

Pastor.Dave@Mail.com

05/28/2022

Someone asked me once, "What's Heaven All About?" I replied; "Imagine a place designed for you by someone who loved you so much He gave His Son to die for you?" The truth is, we are limited in our knowledge of the details about Heaven. God has purposely withheld some things from us. But He gives us all we need to know in scripture.

Every believer in Christ goes immediately to Heaven at death. Some people think the soul sleeps in the grave, awaiting the resurrection. No. The body awaits the resurrection; your spirit goes immediately to be with Jesus. How we derive at this comes directly from Jesus Himself. Jesus told the dying thief on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43). He went on to say; “Father, into Your hands, I commit My spirit.” (Luke 23:46). There comes a time when we move out of this body and into a position with our Lord in Heaven. The Apostle Paul said he desired, “To depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” (Philippians 1:23) The soul goes directly into the presence of God.

What does the Bible tell us about heaven itself? People ask whether we will know one another in heaven. In Bible times, you couldn’t see a reflection as clearly as we can today with a modern mirror, so Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” Of course, we will know one another in Heaven. When King David’s newborn son died, David wrote, “He shall not return to me. I will go to him” (2 Samuel 12:23). We go to our loved ones in Heaven.

The Bible tells us more about what will not be there than what will. God’s Word says there will be no more sin, sorrow, suffering, no more doubts, tears, pain, disease, or death, “for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Heaven is the presence of all that’s good and the absence of all that’s bad. Heaven is all the loving heart of God desires, the incredible mind of God can conceive, and the almighty hand of God can create. God’s love, His mind, and His power are on display in Heaven. No wonder Paul said, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

To me, Heaven is being in the presence of Jesus our Lord and savior. As He said to his disciples; “I go to prepare a place for you…that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). Heaven is where we get to be with Jesus and for those who are saved and accept Christ as their personal savior, we may rejoice in His glory forever more.

By: Pastor David May  

02/24//2022 

Do you ever pray? If so, do you know what to say? Or do you find it hard to pray? Maybe you're not sure where to start or what words to use. But to really pray, you don't have to be a great performer. You just need to be like a little child.

If you can't give great speeches, if you're not sure you know all the right words to produce an impressive prayer, don't worry. You can pray anyway. On the other hand, if you can't relate to God and talk to him as a little child to a Father, then prayer is a problem for you.

In real prayer, you're not performing to impress the judge of a talent show. You're pouring out your heart to your Father. Jesus says in his great Sermon on the Mount,

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need even before you ask him.”

According to Jesus, prayer isn't a public performance; it's a personal conversation. It's not giving a big speech to impress a stranger; it's talking to your Father who understands you and knows what's on your mind even before you tell him.

Learning to Talk

For many of us, this is good news. It makes prayer simpler. If you can't pray the way you've heard some religious leaders pray, don't worry about it. Prayer is between you and God. Just go somewhere by yourself, where nobody else can see you or hear you. Tell your Father in heaven what's on your heart. God loves to hear his children pray.

Maybe you're new to praying. You feel like a baby in the faith. You feel like you hardly know how to talk. You haven't learned all the words that long-time church people use when they pray. Don't let that bother you. Don't let it stop you from praying. Your Father in heaven loves to hear you trying to talk to him for the first time.

When a baby says, "Da-da, dah-dee,” does a father say, "Bad baby! You didn't pronounce that right”? No! When a baby gurgles a noise that sounds anything like "Daddy,” the father's face lights up. Likewise, when you stumble along in your first prayers, your heavenly Father doesn't frown and scribble notes with a red pen, criticizing the way you pray. God delights to hear his children's first words of prayer.

Think for a minute about some of the first words we use as children when we're learning to talk, words like "Daddy,” "Wow,” "I'm sorry,” "I love you,” "Please,” "Thank you”, and "Why?” Did you know that expressions like these can be found in many prayers in the Bible? Prayer is so personal and so simple that even a child just learning to talk knows most of the basics for praying to God.

"Daddy”

The starting point of prayer--and perhaps the most important part--is the way we address God. Jesus teaches his people to call God "our Father in heaven.” Sometimes Jesus even used the word "Abba” when praying to his Father. "Abba” is what little Hebrew boys and girls would call their father. It's a word like "Papa” or "Daddy,” a word of trust and closeness, of love and respect. What a privilege, to be able to speak to God this way!

Sometimes, though, we may be tempted to bring God down to our level, to make him our buddy and equal. That's when we need to remember that Jesus taught us to speak to our Father in heaven. God is near but he's also infinitely above us.

In any healthy father child relationship, there's a lot of love, but there's also great respect for the father. A father isn't just a buddy or an equal. He's a father! Some parents may say they just want to be friends with their children, but that's foolish. Sure, there should be love and affection, but a father is a father, not a just a pal. A good father is wiser and more powerful than his child, and he deserves respect.

Now, if that's true of earthly fathers, it's far truer of our heavenly Father. Yes, we can speak to our Father like a child to a daddy, but we must also remember that God is in heaven, that he is great and glorious and holy beyond anything we can imagine. Even Jesus himself sometimes addressed his Father as "Holy Father” and "Righteous Father” (John 17:11,25). If even Jesus spoke of the Father with such respect, we certainly should.

Prayer begins with lovingly and respectfully calling God "our Father.” If you trust Jesus and have his Spirit in your heart, and if you know how to say the word "Daddy” or "Father,” then you're ready to pray.

"Wow!”

The word "Wow!” is short and simple. It's among the first words you learn as a child. As you get a little older, you might also use the word "Awesome!” Prayer involves a lot of "Wow!” and "Awesome!” Who is more awesome than God? Who deserves a bigger "Wow!” than the almighty Creator and Savior?

One of the greatest things we can ever enjoy is a sense of sheer wonder and awe as we are overwhelmed by something so astonishing, we can hardly describe it. A big part of prayer is praising and adoring the Lord, bowing before him and exclaiming "Wow!” and telling our Father how awesome he is. The prayers of the Bible are filled with this kind of praise. "You are awesome, O God” (Psalm 68:35). "Great is the Lord in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name--he is holy” (Psalm 99:2 3). "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name?” (Revelation 15:3 4).

Jesus teaches that one of the most basic parts of prayer is to say, "Hallowed be thy name.” We praise God, and we pray that God's name will be praised by every living thing. We forget ourselves; we forget everything around us, and we're overwhelmed with awe at God and at his great name.

That's why we need to do most of our praying when we're alone. That way we can focus entirely on the Lord and his majesty rather than on the people around us. Instead of trying to show others how pious we are, we can concentrate on telling God how awesome he is. Every prayer should have this "Wow,” this sense of awe and astonishment at the marvel of a God who created everything, who controls the stars and galaxies, who is great and holy and lives in unapproachable light, and who also stoops down to touch and transform our lives.

"I'm Sorry”

Another thing most of us learn to say when we're little is, "I'm sorry.” Often, we don't like to say it. We don't want to say it. But when we've done something wrong, we need to say it. If you're a child and you disobey your parents or fight with other children, the best way to make things right again is to say, "I'm sorry” and to ask for forgiveness.

The prayers of the Bible show how God's children need to tell God, "I'm sorry.” In Psalm 51:3-4 King David says, "I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.”

Sometimes we're too proud to admit we're wrong. We'd rather pretend we're good. Jesus tells a story of a very religious man who prayed to God and gave thanks that he wasn't like other people. He claimed he was extra good and always did what was right. But God did not accept that man. Instead, God accepted a man who had done some terribly bad things but who prayed, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:9-14).

If we never admit we're wrong, if we never say we're sorry, we won't enjoy God's forgiveness and love. We'll just get more miserable. In Psalm 32, King David says that the longer he kept quiet and refused to admit his wrong, the sadder he became. Then, finally, says David, "I acknowledged my sin to you... I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord'--and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

It's hard to admit we're wrong and to say, "I'm sorry.” But once we do, it's wonderful. The Bible says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

God not only forgives us and makes things right between him and us, but he also moves us to forgive those who have wronged us. In the model prayer Jesus taught us, he told us to pray, "Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.” In other words, we tell God we're sorry for our sins and ask his forgiveness, and we also promise to forgive anyone who hurts us. That kind of prayer keeps our relationship with God healthy, and it keeps our relationship with other people healthy. "I'm sorry” --that's one of the first things we're taught to say as children, and it's a crucial part of prayer.

"I Love You”

Another thing children say a lot--and should hear a lot--is "I love you.” In the Bible God says again and again how much he loves his children. He showed his love by sending his Son to die for us, and his Holy Spirit warms our hearts with a sense of his love. So, it's only right to tell God how much we love him.

Jesus said the most important thing in all the world is this: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Since loving God is our highest calling, saying "I love you” is an important part of prayer. The writer of Psalm 18 prays, "I love you, O Lord, my strength.” That's not a fancy prayer, is it? But it pleases God to hear us say we love him. Every time we say that we are only echoing what God first said to us. He loved us before we ever loved him, and he delights to hear us say we love him. Just as a father beam happily when a little child smiles and says, "I love you,” so God our Father delights in our prayers of love, he embraces us in his arms of love, and he sings a song of infinite, eternal love that echoes and rings in our hearts. What a wonder prayer is! What joy to know God's love and to express our love for him!

"Please”

Something else little children do is ask for things. And it's okay to ask for things. It shows that children know they can't do everything on their own and that they count on their parents. So it's good to ask. But it's also good to learn how to ask. Our parents don't teach us to say "Gimme.” They teach us to say "Please.” "Please” is a good word. It shows how much we want something, and it shows we're making a request, not a demand. "Please” means we're not giving orders; we're humbly asking. We're depending on the kindness of the person we're asking, not demanding our rights.

Whether or not we actually use the word "Please” in our prayers, our attitude should certainly be one of humble asking. Sometimes, even when a father wants to give a child something, he won't actually give it until the child asks and says "Please.” In the same way, God wants to give us good things, but sometimes he doesn't give them till we humbly pray and ask him.

The Bible is filled with all kinds of requests. God's people ask the Lord for healing from illness. They ask God to supply food. They ask God to rescue them from enemies. They ask God for help in finding a wife. They ask for babies. They ask for help dealing with old age. They ask for wisdom in decisions and for all sorts of other things.

These examples from the Bible teach us that we should ask our heavenly Father, humbly and respectfully, for the things we need. This includes our daily needs--and much more. Jesus teaches us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread.” But as important as that is, there's something else that's even more important. Even before we ask for God to take care of our daily physical needs, says Jesus, we should pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

When we're little, we quickly find that our parents grant some requests but not others. If we ask them for something that's really good and helpful for us, they'll give it to us every time. But if we ask to skip schoolwork every day, or to eat candy from morning till evening, our parents are going to say no. In the same way, if we want to really be effective in prayer and see answers from God, we need to learn to ask our Father in heaven for things that are good for us, not just for things we happen to want.

If we seek first God's kingdom, if we seek to do his will and be delivered from evil, we can be sure God is going to say "Yes” when we ask him. If we ask God to fill us with his life and love through his Holy Spirit, we can be sure he'll do so. Our Father wants what's best for us. As Jesus said, "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though your are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11 13)

"Thank You”

Once we learn to say "Please” and respectfully ask God for what we're seeking, then we also need to say "Thank you” for all the great things the Lord does for us. "Thank you” isn't just a polite little phrase. It's the heart of happiness. A child who takes for granted everything his parents do for him isn't nearly as happy as a child who appreciates what his parents do, sees it as an expression of their love, and thanks them for it. Children must know how to say "Thank you,” and God's children certainly need to know how to say thank you to our Father in heaven.

Sometimes I smile when I hear little children pray. They thank God for sunshine and flowers and puppies, and I think, "How cute!” But is it just cute? Or is it deep and profound prayer? When I look in the Bible, I find many prayers that are just as childlike: praising God for the stars and the sun, thanking him for rain and food and animals and fish, thanking him for health and happiness. Of course, we should also thank God for spiritual blessings and for eternal life in Jesus. But there's deep insight in a child who sees every good thing as a gift from God and thanks him for it. There's nothing especially spiritual about forgetting to thank God for flowers and puppies and food and fun and a warm house and a decent income and all the other things he gives us. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever” (Psalm 136:1).

"Why? It's not fair!”

Now let's talk about another aspect of a child's prayer, one that might surprise you. When children are confused, they often ask "Why?” When something happens that they think is wrong, they cry out, "It's not fair.” Did you know that such things are part of prayer as we find it in the Bible?

The Israelite hero Gideon once asked in a time of trouble, "If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13). The biblical psalms ask "Why?” again and again. "Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1) The prophet Habbakuk asked God, "Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?” (1:3) Jeremiah asked the same question. Even Jesus himself asked "Why?” On the cross he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

How does God respond to our cries? Sometimes we find out that God shares our sorrow and opposes an unfair situation. At other times, when we cry out "Why?” or scream "It's not fair!” God may show us that we need to change our attitude and stop complaining. But even then, it's better to cry out in prayer and have God change our attitude than it is not to bring our struggles to God at all. He knows what's on our heart anyway, so we might as well tell him, and then be alert for his response.

Prayers of questioning and complaint don't always mean a lack of faith. If you're a child and you never ask your dad questions or say what's troubling you, is that a sign of trust? No, if you really trust someone, you don't have to hide anything. When you trust God, you can go to your heavenly Father freely and throw into his lap whatever is on your heart. As children can pour out their questions and complaints to loving parents, so we can be open with our heavenly Father about what is bothering us.

Wordless

If you're learning to pray, you don't have to be fancy. If you know the words any child knows, words like "Father,” "Wow,” "I'm sorry,” "I love you,” "Please,” "Thank you,” and "Why?” then you know most of what you need to know in order to talk to your Father in heaven. In fact, there are times when you don't need say anything. You can pray without any words at all.

When we're so confused and sad that we don't have any words left, then, like a child, at least we can still cry, and our Father hears us and knows what we need. "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit” (Romans 8:26 27). Sometimes just crying on God's shoulder is one of the deepest prayers his Spirit creates in us.

Wordless prayer is powerful not only in deep sadness but also in deep gladness. When we're almost too happy for words, we can just enjoy the Lord's nearness in silence. Sometimes a father and child sit together and hug each other and enjoy each other's love, without saying anything at all. Those are very special times. You and I can also do that in our prayer time with God. Don't say anything. Just bask in his presence, enjoy his love, and feel content that he is your Father and you are his child. There's no greater prayer than this silence of love.

One more thing: please realize that in order to pray a child's prayer, you have to be God's child. To call him your Father, he must be your Father. You must be part of his family.

How do you become part of God's family? Put your faith in Jesus Christ. Believe that the Son of God became human and died and rose again so that you might become a child of God. Trust Jesus to give you eternal life. Welcome his Spirit to live inside you and adopt you into God's family. Then rejoice as the Spirit moves you to pray a child's prayer. Your prayers won't be grand performances but personal conversations with your Father in heaven.

PRAYER

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. You are so amazing. Move us to marvel and to say "Wow!” at your genius and majesty. You are so good, and we are often so bad. We're sorry. Forgive our debts as we also forgive our debtors. We love you, Father, and we trust in your love.

Put us in tune with your desires for us, and then grant us the desires of our hearts. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. As you work your big plans for this world and give us a part in those plans, we ask you to please give us each day our daily bread and meet our personal needs. Thank you for all the good gifts you give us and thank you above all for the precious gift of salvation in Jesus. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one, that we may stand against Satan's attacks and do what pleases you.

When times are tough and we're struggling and we don't know the reason, hold us in your arms as we voice our questions and ask, "Why?” Thank you that we don't need to pretend with you, that we can come just as we are with our doubts and problems. Help us to be still and know that you are God, to find in silence the peace that calms our fears and the love that warms our hearts through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Put your mind in Gear, before mouth in Motion.

You need to engage your brain before you open your mouth as the saying goes.

Proverbs 15:28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

It is likely where this wise proverb came from. When you think before you act you will find a right words to say rather than just giving an off the cuff answer, you can give wisdom from God or evil things that come from your mouths.

Proverbs 29:11 Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.

When you are Angry

You say bad things out of anger, especially stuff that you don’t mean and you’re saying it simply because you’re feeling rash - you inflict grievous injuries on your relationships with others.

What you say is truly functions as a “sword” in its ability to cut through to the innermost depths of a person’s heart and soul.

When it came out of your mouth, it became a sharp, “two-edged” sword. One edge of this sword came into existence when the hurtful word initially proceeded out of your mouth. The second edge of this sword was added when the Word of God proceeded out of YOUR mouth! it depends on what size of the sword you use to slice through.

It’s ok to be angry it’s a normal human emotion but we can hurt others by projecting our anger onto them and hurting them in many ways including saying hurtful things. Sometimes we can choose not to say nasty things because we might, regret them but sometimes the words just come out before we can stop them. I have done this, and I'm sure you have too.

What happens when you criticize someone out of anger?

Criticism is a way of being hurtful and may cause permanent damage to the relationship. You don’t get to do this and then play the “I was only being truthful” card. When you say it out of anger the truth is you are angry. Things said out of anger are meant to hurt.

1 Peter 1:13-16
13 So prepare your minds for action. Control yourselves. Put your hope completely in the grace that will be given to you when Jesus Christ returns.
14 You should obey. You shouldn’t give in to evil longings. They controlled your life when you didn’t know any better. 15 The one who chose you is holy. So, you should be holy in all that you do.16 It is written, “Be holy, because I am holy.”

I used to have the same problem for a long time. And indeed, I hurt so many people while I was angry. I did realize words can leave scars even if we didn't mean them. Here's what I did to solve this problem to some extent.

One: Apologies are hard to do, but it’s important.
If you said something in anger, apologize for it. This will show that you are a person of integrity & love.
If someone else said something in anger to you, here are four things to consider:
Two: Remember that nobody’s perfect.
they could be having a bad day. Or be feeling tired or sick or something else. Or be afraid.
(Fear is often why someone is angry.)
Three: Building a story from these words is a bad idea.
“You always…” “You never…” “You’re such a…” When you turn what happened into a story about who she/he is or how he/she behaves, you make things worse for both of you.
Four: Saying something hurtful back makes things worse.
Though the temptation to do this is strong, every time you don’t, you become a stronger person. Try saying, “I can see you’re very upset by this.”ask (What can we do to work through this together?)
Five: Responding with facts doesn’t work.
Facts never overcome anybody’s anger. They just intensify their next negative response.

1. Be Empathetic
Speaking your mind is useless if you're just tearing someone down. To have a productive conversation, you should empathize with the person you're speaking to so you can connect with them and they can appreciate and take to heart what you're saying.
2. Stay Calm
My grandmother used to tell me that it's not what you say but how you say it as well.

Deception is not a topic to take lightly, brush over, or disregard. The Lord gives warnings throughout the Bible to be watchful of deception. Not just from the enemy, but also from those within the church forsaking truth, and those who’ve linked arms with the enemy to lead people into the detriments of sin. 

Over the last few years, we’ve watched falsehood, deceit, and the enemy’s schemes spread like wildfire all while trying to unravel our churches from the inside out. My prayer behind this devotional is that your eyes will be opened to the importance of understanding what God says about deception, that you’ll see places in Scripture that confirm the commands to stand firm and to hold our positions against evil. We’ll go through the call to take up the armor against such deception and to hold all things up to the Word of God, to know the foundation of our faith offered through Christ, and lastly that you will feel equipped and emboldened to stand firm in your faith against deception. 

"Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58

Day 1: Stand Firm on the Foundation of Our Faith

We are finding ourselves in a very rocky generation. A generation of people that seem to be easily tossed to and fro. A generation that appears to be deluded by the persuasiveness of the world and has decided to choose their fleshly feelings over the unchanging truth of God and His Word. 

You might be asking, “How did we get here? How have so many people turned so far from the truth?” Personally, I deeply believe it’s because people stopped being reminded and pointed to the love and knowledge we are to have for God, His Word, and His commands over our life. 

Day by day truth becomes more countercultural, repulsive, and undesirable to a world that rejects any sort of authoritative truth. It continues to be deluded by the world and unfortunately is paired up with the movement of “feeling-led-faith”. We in Christ can no longer sit back and let the truth of His Word be muddied and we must praise God this watered-down truth hasn’t taken over us. We in Christ must pull up our bootstraps and face this deception head-on. We must dig our heels into what God says about the shackling sin of deception, learn how He commands us to safeguard our hearts, and how we can stand firm while pointing others away from this deceit going on all around us.

I wanted to start this devotional by revisiting the truth of our foundation. The substance behind why the world cannot delude or defile the incredible gift of faith we have through Christ!

We’re going to start with Paul’s letter he wrote to the church of Colossae. We see here that he boldly made it a point to address why the church needed to have a firm foundation, understanding, and to have “knowledge of the mystery of God, which is Christ” (Col 2:2)” So that no one will delude you with persuasive argument” Colossians 2:4.

Paul knew there would be people, not only in his day but in our day too, that would seek to delude the truth and lead those who claim Christ astray. He knew these deceivers would have persuasive arguments; ones that would entice the sinful desires of our flesh, or cause those who aren't firm in their faith to stumble.

We see from this letter alone, a firm warning from Paul to know what you believe and why you believe it. “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” Colossians 2:8.

To stand firm in truth, we must know the truth for ourselves. It can’t just be taught from afar but must be implanted in our hearts through our pursuit of what God’s Word says. Then, once we know the truth of God’s Word for ourselves, we must love it, honor it, and desire to obey what it commands of us. Through this pursuit of God’s heart for truth, we see the beauty of the gospel, His desires for us, and have the ability to stand firm in Christ while fighting against the deception of the world. 

Scripture Reading

Colossians 2:6-15 esv

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Prayer Prompt

Lord, as I begin to study your word and seek Your heart in standing firm against deception, I pray that I will lean into the conviction You place on my heart. Father, reveal to me my blind spots and soft spots that I’ve allowed the world to influence. Lord, thank you for sending Your son to take my place so that I could be made right with You. In Jesus’s name, amen.  

Day 2: The Deception of the Enemy and Protecting Your Heart

The “deception of the enemy” is a topic we, as believers, must tackle. This topic seems to be one that many believers prefer to avoid at all costs. Whether driven by fear or false hope, perhaps they think if they don’t seek to study the enemy’s deception, then perhaps it won't be something that affects them. 

What I can tell you, is that will not be the case. If you live for Christ, the enemy will strike. He comes to do three things: to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).  The word "deceived" is mentioned 48 times alone throughout Scripture. Clearly, we must seek understanding from the Lord in our desire to be alert to Satan’s tactics. 

We know we will face these battles and attacks while living in the world. God’s Word makes that undeniable in Ephesians 6:12, “There is a battle going on in the heavenly places and a war waged against us taking place in the unseen.” We also know for Satan to execute his wicked plans he must use deception to lure a person in. An example of deception, and a story that I highly recommend taking time to study, is the life of David. David was the man after God’s own heart, he was anointed King, and the man who also fell deep into the detriments of being deceived. 

In 2 Samuel 11, we find David being consumed by lustful desires. Instead of turning to God in his weakness and disobedience of the mind, he fell into deception and commits adultery with Bathsheba, being blinded by the lie in the moment that he could go against God’s commands with no repercussions. Not only did this choice wreck his heart in conviction to God, but his lustful deception also led to the murder of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, and the consequential death of the child she and David conceived together in sin. 

We can see from this example that deception always stems from the enemy’s schemes. In that moment, he banked on the opportunity to steal, kill, and destroy multiple lives through luring David to sin while David’s guard was down. You see, deception is always partnered with a false belief that you are justified in making the sinful choice. Deception in action causes us to disregard the realities of what the sin will cost us, and we all know that sin will cost us something. 

Here are a few ways to spot deception and safeguard your heart from it:

• Is what you are believing able to withstand being held up to the Word of God? “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” 1 John 4:1
• Is what you’re believing based on feeling or based in God’s truth? “ ...By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:6
• Do you feel conviction from the Holy Spirit for what you are partaking in or entertaining? “When the Spirit of truth comes He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13

Ways to safeguard your heart from deception:

• Seek first the Kingdom of God - if you’re feeling uneasy, go to scripture before anything else! “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
• Take the time to grow in your knowledge of the Word. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7
• Love and honor God’s truth in your life. “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30
• Follow through with the convictions the Holy Spirit stirs up in your heart. “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” Titus 1:9

From these examples in Scripture, we see all the more why we are called to “be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). By God’s grace, this is why He has given us His Word. He has equipped us for the deception that will come and the battles we will face. The knowledge of God, love for His Word, and strength we have through Christ will always be more powerful than any deception of the enemy we face! May we always seek the heart of God above all else, take every thought captive and make it obedient to Him, and be ready to stand firm in the truth of what God desires for us.

Scripture Reading 

Colossians 2:8-12 esv

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Prayer Prompt

Lord, thank you for the gift of your Word. As I lean into you for understanding about the schemes and deceptions of the devil, build up in me a bold, firm faith. Father, I ask for growth in my obedience and convictions. I pray for the desire to hold everything up to what your Word says. I ask for my eyes to be opened and for me to be attentive to the leading of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’s name, amen

Fall of Satan

Luke 10:18 18He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Isaiah 14:12 12How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

Revelation 12:7-9 7Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 12:7-9 7Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Ezekiel 28:13-19 13You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. 18By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. 19All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.'"

Why Satan fall from Heaven

Why did Satan fall from heaven? Satan fell because of pride. He desired to be God, not to be a servant of God. Notice the many “I will...” statements in
Isaiah 14:12-15 King James Version
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit

Ezekiel 28:12-18 King James Version
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

While these two passages are referring specifically to the kings of Babylon and Tyre, they also reference the spiritual power behind those kings, namely, Satan. These passages describe why Satan fell, but they do not specifically say when the fall occurred. What we do know is this: the angels were created before the earth (Job 38:4-7). King James Version 4 Where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knows? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Satan fell before he tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:1-14).
Genesis 3:1-14 King James Version Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, who told thee that thou were naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gravest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Satan’s fall, therefore, must have occurred somewhere after the time the angels were created and before he tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Whether Satan’s fall occurred hours, days, or years before he tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden, Scripture does not specifically say.

The book of Job tells us, at least at that time, Satan still had access to heaven and to the throne of God. “One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, ’Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the LORD, ‘From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it’”

(Job 1:6-7). Apparently at that time, Satan was still moving freely between heaven and earth, speaking to God directly and answering for his activities. Whether God has discontinued this access is a matter of debate. Some say Satan’s access to heaven was ended at the death of Christ. Others believe Satan’s access to heaven will be ended at the end times war in heaven.

Why did Satan fall from heaven? Satan fell because of pride. He desired to be God, not to be a servant of God. Notice the many “I will...” statements in Isaiah 14:12-15. Ezekiel 28:12-15 describes Satan as an exceedingly beautiful angel. Satan was likely the highest of all angels, the anointed cherub, the most beautiful of all of God’s creations, but he was not content in his position. Instead, Satan desired to be God, to essentially “kick God off His throne” and take over the rule of the universe. Satan wanted to be God, and interestingly enough, that is essentially what Satan tempted Adam and Eve with in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-5). How did Satan fall from heaven? Actually, a fall is not an accurate description. It would be far more accurate to say God cast Satan out of heaven (Isaiah 14:15; Ezekiel 28:16-17). Satan did not fall from heaven; rather, Satan was pushed.

3 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be an affliction,
3 and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
4 For though in the sight of men they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
6 like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.
7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
8 They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them for ever.
9 Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his elect,
and he watches over his holy ones.[a]

10 But the ungodly will be punished as their reasoning deserves,
who disregarded the righteous man[b] and rebelled against the Lord;
11 for whoever despises wisdom and instruction is miserable.
Their hope is vain, their labors are unprofitable,
and their works are useless.
12 Their wives are foolish, and their children evil;
13 their offspring are accursed.

For blessed is the barren woman who is undefiled,
who has not entered into a sinful union;
she will have fruit when God examines souls.
14 Blessed also is the eunuch whose hands have done no lawless deed,
and who has not devised wicked things against the Lord;
for special favor will be shown him for his faithfulness,
and a place of great delight in the temple of the Lord.
15 For the fruit of good labors is renowned,
and the root of understanding does not fail.
16 But children of adulterers will not come to maturity,
and the offspring of an unlawful union will perish.
17 Even if they live long they will be held of no account,
and finally their old age will be without honor.
18 If they die young, they will have no hope
and no consolation in the day of decision.
19 For the end of an unrighteous generation is grievous.

The Christian faith can be described using five distinct labels:

1. Historical theology
2. Eschatology
3. Religious experience
4. A mission
5. An ethic

On the one hand, the Christian faith is a historical theology; that is, it points to certain historic events. The death and resurrection of Jesus are the most central and significant of those events.  Because of the death of Jesus for our sins and resurrection from the grave we are offered reconciliation and peace with God.

The Christian faith is an eschatology. That is the theological term that refers to the last things. The Christian eschatology offers the hope of a resurrection life. Because of the historical theology–the events connected with the death and resurrection of Jesus–the Christian faith offers the promise of everlasting life in a new heaven and a new earth.

The hymn writer has rightly said that “Grace is greater than all our sin.” When we look at the fact that God’s grace is more abundantly powerful than our capacity to turn away from Him, we sometimes conclude–wrongly–that we are therefore free to live in any way we want.

Let no one deceive you into thinking that the Christian faith has nothing to do with morality.  The Christian faith has everything to do with obedience to the will of God.

We can’t earn our salvation, but sometimes we emphasize that fact in such a way that we make the same mistake some of the Apostle Paul’s opponents made.

He addressed this problem in Romans 6:

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? (Romans 6:1)
We no longer live according to this present evil age.

If God’s grace is more powerful than the powers of evil, if Christ is stronger than Satan, if the mercy of God can overcome our sin, does it therefore follow that we are free to live any way we choose?

No. The testimony of Scripture is clear. To paraphrase Paul’s words,

The more closely you look at Scripture the more obvious it becomes that the God of the Bible is a moral God who turns away from sin and punishes disobedience.  The God of the Bible is the God who has sent His Son to deliver us from the powers of sin and evil so that we might become a people who are obedient to His will.

God’s kindness and mercy are intended to lead us to repentance, not to license:

May it never be!  How shall we who died to sin–to the dominion and tyranny of these powers of evil–how shall we who have committed ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ still dare to think that we can choose to live under the powers of darkness? (Romans 6:2, paraphrase)

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that now of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

(Ephesians 2:8-9)

The Christian faith is also a religious experience. As Christian people, we come together to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus for our sins. We believe that because Jesus has been raised from the dead, He is alive and present in our worship. We may come to know God through Jesus Christ. We come together to be renewed in mind and spirit, to be instructed, and to be inspired and encouraged to live as the people we have been called to be.

The Christian faith involves a mission. We have good news to share with the world. The message of the crucified and risen Jesus is not relevant only to the western world, but it is a message that proclaims an exalted Lord who is Lord overall. We must not keep this news to ourselves.

We have a mission; we have been tasked with evangelism. It is critical and important for us to share the gospel by whatever means available to us–through our giving to missions, through our prayers, through our preaching, and through our living. We must at all costs tell the message of the crucified and risen Jesus.

The teachings of Jesus–the exhortation to morality, the exhortation to put away sin, to put away deception, to put away greed, to put away lying, to put away materialism, to put away lust and immorality–are inextricably linked with the commandment to teach others of His saving death and resurrection.

People often forget this, but the Christian faith is also an ethic; that is, it involves a way of living. It is ironic that this point is so often laid aside. I sometimes wonder if we neglect this facet of our faith because, since the time of the reformation, we have been careful to emphasize that we are saved by the grace of God and not by works.

We have been so careful, in fact, to emphasize the gift of salvation as the mercy of God extended to us through Jesus Christ, that we have sometimes made the same mistake that some of Paul’s opponents made.

We have been delivered so that we might live as the people of God.  We have been redeemed through our historical theology – that is, the death and resurrection of Jesus.  We have been redeemed into a resurrection life as a people who can “go tell it on the mountain that Christ Jesus is Lord.”  We have been redeemed as a people who can walk in newness of life because we have found the mercies of God through Jesus Christ.

You and I must not be deceived into thinking that somehow because we are in Christ Jesus, we are insulated from evil or temptation. Of course, we still face temptation.  There is nothing sinful about being tempted; even our Lord faced temptation. Temptation is a harsh reality of life in this present evil age–but we must take care not to be deluded into thinking that we are somehow above sin.  We are called to live a different kind of life, but we can and will still sin.

The Scriptures would not exhort us to be obedient if we did not need that exhortation.  The Scriptures plead with us to live godly and obedient lives in fulfillment of the commandments of God precisely because we are a people who are in need of forgiveness. We are a people who can be tempted and persuaded to sin.

May God make us a people who are faithful to the commandments and teachings of Scripture and Our Lord Jesus Christ! 

Pastor David