Curses verses Picking up the Cross

Almost everything we face on a daily basis are curses. Since Adam and Eve sinned, curse will be in our sinful nature until we die or when Christ returns. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." The "promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" we labor and strive. We work hard because we realize that what we do has eternal implications. There is an eternal heaven and an eternal hell. Everyone on the face of the earth will spend eternity in one place or the other. Galatians 6:14--Paul said that by taking up the cross of Christ, he crucified himself to the world--he died to everything around him and became consumed with the gospel of Christ. We're engaged in an eternal work; the destiny of souls is at stake. We are seeking to uphold the world, to save it from the curse of God of eternal death. We are free to obtain wealth and healthy life, but our those kinds of freedom must prove a source of real temptation of this world. We are free from the chains of sin because by grace we are saved by Christ that we are forgiven. Spiritual liberty means the freedom to be all that we were designed to be, but this is not a freedom that is without restrictions or responsibilities. Grace is about loving other people that we have the freedom to do so but at the same time, respect how they practice their beliefs. As long as our conscience is clear and our heart is pure before God, don't be concerned with issues. I mean, it's like losing ourselves in the pursuit of Christ and let everything else take its place. In Romans 14:5 "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind." 1 Corinthians 10:28-29 "both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience' sake, the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience?" The problem is this, we do not know what Spirit-filled really means nor we know how to practice Spirit-filled virtues. In Ephesians 5:18 where the present tense of the verb in Greek means: "Keep on being filled with the Spirit." Being filled with the Holy Spirit means we are to refrain from using our rights and privileges we are entitled to by God's grace because we desire to do God's will out of love and obedience as if we are after God's own heart. Great faiths in the Bible were willing to let go of their rights, privileges and lives in the interests of doing God's will. In other words, they put up with anything that came to them, endured and overcame their circumstances rather than hinder God's will. Faith and Grace together is to "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14, NIV). What is my spiritual prize since I already have my gift eternal life? What are my eternal rewards? If I am to claim and take my temporal rights and privileges, what happens to God's eternal will? I have learned that it is God's will to submit to the Holy Spirit and keep on filling me (Ephesians 5:18). I will leave with this GREAT quote of the past. Oswald Chambers explains better than anyone could: "If we are willing to give up only wrong things for Jesus, ever let us talk about being in love with Him. Anyone will give up wrong things if he knows how, but are we prepared to give up the best we have for Jesus Christ? The only right a Christian has is the right to give up his rights. If we are to be the best for God, there must be Victory in the realm of legitimate desire as well as in the realm of unlawful indulgence."

Qualities of a Pastor

Jesus gave us wonderful examples and one of His great example is "By THEIR FRUITS you shall know them" Christians are too look at the WHOLE package of a Christian. Do not have a tunnel vision" based on their teachings alone. You need to look at their whole being. By THEIR fruits, you shall know them. So, the next time you watch a TV preacher; be careful. Jesus reminds us that if the fruit is bad, so is the tree. Look at the whole ministry. I don't care how long good a TV preacher is preaching because Jesus said: "by their fruits, you shall know THEM!" Integrity is a major problem for me. My dictionary defines integrity as 'consistency and sincerity, with no deception or pretense'. Integrity's overriding quality is wholeness. A spiritual leader ought to be humble, self-effacing, self-sacrificing, modest, clean living, free from the love of money, eager to promote the honor of God and just as eager to disclaim any credit or praise on self-promotion that inspection, ethical standards will be high and personal life is above reproach. Teachers are to have good reputation. In the book of Titus, the requirements are: Show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose they may be ashamed because those have nothing bad to say about them. That teachers are to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. In 2 Corinthians 7:2 says that we "make room for others in our hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one." This is where "accountability" comes in. In 1 Timothy 3:1-3: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. Reproach: an expression of rebuke or disapproval; the act or action of reproaching or disapproving ; a cause or occasion of blame, discredit, or disgrace; to express disappointment in or displeasure with (a person) for conduct that is blameworthy 1 Timothy 3:7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.

God's Attributes

It is agreeable that one of the attributes of God is force but the Holy Spirit is NOT force alone. The Holy Spirit have many attributes and force is just part of the Holy Spirit. Force will be used at God's discretion, not ours. As for God's attributes: We are to be aware of ALL of His attributes, NOT PARTS. We cannot ignore one attribute of God and focus only the ONE that appear to be more important than the other, because if we do that, we are NOT following EVERY word of God as truth worshippers. God is absolutely powerful, that God is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, that God is immutable, never changes, that God is all wise, perfectly just, holy, righteous. God is causing all things to work together for our good, which means our eternal glory because we love God because He first loved us and purposed to bring us to His Great Glory. List of God's attributes are very long. 1. Matthew 17:20, Mark 11:22-24, Luke 17:6 God is absolutely powerful and I have the ability to move the mountains. However, I am unable to move the mountains because God says "NO". By faith, can anyone able to walk on WATER? I have the ability to walk on water only if its according to God's will. The Christian walk is a fight of Faith, we have to understand that living (walking) by faith, we accept purpose and plans of God however He sees fit. Romans 8:28-29 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Proverbs 20:24 A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way? Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Romans 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. 2. James 5:14-16 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. We practice the "laying of hands for healing" but we also teach that healing is never guaranteed and that we always TRUST God. If I am not healed today (temporal), I will be fully healed later. Healing MAY come in this life, but it's not a lack of faith which causes people to not be healed here and now. The promise, and God's Grace, is still ready and available for any and all to receive -- by faith -- and even if the condition of life contradict the promise, we are still called to proclaim -- by faith -- that we are healed. 3. Ephesians 1:19 "and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength" In 2 Corinthians 12:9, God said: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. God can only use believers who have limitations, which are weaknesses that the believer inherited or has no power to change. I have learned that it is God's will to submit to the Holy Spirit and keep on filling me (Ephesians 5:18). Like an athlete when training, I should always keep drinking water so that I won't be dehydrated and feeling weak. With that thought in my mind, I should always keep filling the Holy Spirit in my life so that I am able to act and react any difficulties in my life with God's power (Grace). The power of Grace through the Holy Spirit is my strength that I am able to boast and win for Christ at all costs (see 2 Corinthians 12:1-12).