Wealth: Temporary or Eternal?

1 John 3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Ecclesiastes 5:10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 6:2 God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. 1 Peter 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Love and Self-examination

In 1 Corinthians 13:5 says "Love does not act unbecomingly"; which means a Christian should demonstrate godly love and have real credibility. Our credibility is very important. Therefore when we come to 2 Corinthians 13:5, we need to guard our spiritual motives carefully and walk in Spirit regardless our circumstances. We need to examine our FAITH daily to make sure that our motives are pure. Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. In Galatians 6:3 says "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." And in James 1:26 says, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." God blesses you and the blessings flows through us with love. Without Christ, we are nothing. Along with love and under the control of the Holy Spirit, the power of love and Holy Spirit flows through us. The only way the spiritual gifts are going to operate is love. Love is the key. God is love. He gave us two commandments. We are to love God and others. With the Holy Spirit and love, I will walk in the Spirit, Christ produces the fruit. 2 Corinthians 1:5 (NIV) For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Watching Television is not as sinful as reading.

What you watch and read depends on our hearts. Sometimes I let my sinful nature get in the way of spiritual fruits. I realized that Christ in me does not mean that I am no longer without sin. My old sinful nature is not ripped out from my heart. Christ is in my heart and with the help from the Holy Spirit through my sanctification process. Romans 12:9 (NIV) "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." Ephesians 4:24 "and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." 1 Peter 1:13-16 "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." The heart is the source of our thoughts and motives. The heart is the part of our being where we desire, deliberate, and decide. I have to remember that God is not impressed by my appearance (1. Samuel 16:7). The Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord don't make decisions the way you do. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's thoughts and intentions (heart)." (NLT) Inner beauty is more important than physical beauty (1 Peter 3:1-6). Christians are warned to be careful about their welfare (works) because they should care more about spiritual than physical welfare (works) (1 Tim.2:9-10). In Proverbs 21:2, "People may think they are doing what is right, but the Lord examines the heart." (NLT). God is looking for Christians who will worship Him from their hearts, minds and bodies. The heart is where God meets us because that is where we make our decisions. Our hearts are where our desires and motives are located. It is important to understand that our hearts is the state of our "flesh". Our flesh search for pleasure, pride, passions and selfish motives. The heart is the source of our emotions, thoughts and motives. God meets us in the heart!!! The bottome line is this: Its okay to watch television just like reading a book. Its what we watch and read that God dislike.

God Ordained Family and Understanding of Submission

We are to be careful how we use the word "Submission" within a marriage. By no means that a husband is a king but rather a spiritual leader in a home as a Pastor is a spiritual leader in Church. I still submit to my wife and my wife submits to me. In fact, we mutually agree about everything. The only area my wife allows me to do is make a tough final decision that is best for the family when she cannot decide. It's a matter of woman's understanding of spiritual submission. In greek, there are two different meanings of the word head (kephale). One is a reference to the physical head, the skull, of the man and the woman. The other is a reference to the source and authority of Christ, the man and the woman. Commentators are divided on the meaning of the Greek word ‘kephale’ (head). Some interpret it to mean ‘source,’ while others maintain that it signifies ‘authority.’ Some scholars have examined the evidence and discovered that the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, records a number of places where the term head figuratively means ‘chief’ or ‘ruler.’ Our biblical family institution established by God (Eph. 5:22–32, 1 Pet. 3:1–7). The family is ordained by God and His authority (Gen.1:26–28, 2:20–25). We both believe that this applies to "the source and authority of Christ, the man and the woman". I am following 1 Peter 3:7 and listening to my wife is very important. I don't know how many men understands or even follow 1 Peter 3:7. That verse is important and very helpful in my own marriage. Open communication between my wife and I are our # 1 priorty. I will always to my best to submit to my wife's feelings and wishes. Spiritual intimacy in marriage is about partnering with God. In a Christian marriage relationship, God is at the top and my wife and I are at opposite ends on the bottom. As the two of us grow spiritually, we will move upwards together toward God. Engaging in a personal relationship with God is the first and most important step in initiating spiritual intimacy. Submission to me means "Live with your wives" The term translated "live" means "to dwell down with," being closely aligned, being completely at home with. The little word "with" calls for close companionship, deep-down togetherness. Husbands are the ones who should be cultivating an in-depth partnership with our mates. This word "dwell" speaks of intimacy. It is letting somebody else into your life. In every marriage, there needs to be verbal, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual togetherness. The word for "live" means to "dwell together or to be at home with." Peter is telling husbands that they are responsible for the "close togetherness" in the relationship. Providing a good living should never become a substitute for sharing deeply in life. The husband is to be sensitive to the needs of the wife. Know your wife. The success of your dwelling with your wife will be in direct proportion to your knowledge of her. Knowing your wife includes those things that others don't and won't know. Her deep fears and cares. Her disappointments as well as her expectations. Her scars and secrets and also her thoughts and dreams. It calls for a sensitive spirit, a willingness to be involved, to listen, to communicate, to care. The husband is exhorted to live with his wife "with understanding."

Definition of being a Christian

Is our Christian practice consistent with Jesus Christ? We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. God looks into my heart for our spiritual obedience rather than perfection. We will never be perfect as long as we live in our body. Like David's experiences, God meets us in our heart rather than our mind therefore we need to focus on the "heart of the matter". Every wrong act or practice begins with a "thought". Even though, our actions may "appear to be right" but we need to understand that Christians are always engaged in a spiritual warfare. Proverbs 4:23, it says "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." Spiritual maturity requires great care and a true knowledge of ourselves to distinguish a spiritual burden from irritation around us but at the same time, we cannot close our minds to everything that is happening around us. "Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16). We are to worship God from our hearts because we are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16), that God will search us and try us, and know our thoughts.(Psalm 139:23). Our Christian practice (life) starts in our hearts. Our thoughts are the product of our thinking and it is not our thinking that shapes our character, but the Holy Spirit that leads our thoughts and shapes our character. A person who have the Holy Spirit in the heart will understand God's standards of "sin" because a Christian will understand God's holiness. A person without having the Holy Spirit in the heart will not understand God's holiness therefore a person will define God's definition of sin in a human point of view (rather than spirit). Salvation is free through Grace (undeserve kindness) of God and His unconditional love. Is God's grace cheap? Becoming a disciple, following Jesus Christ requires personal cost, giving up your selfish "me" and become like Christ. Love is NOT conditional however discipleship is conditional. Jesus might have grieved over His Cost of Discipleship requirements, but He never ran after them to try to win them with rosy promises. Christians all around us are trying every shortcut they can think of, to get "something for nothing" in the kingdom of God. Although God's grace has been given freely to humans who do not deserve it, the grace of God and point out that Jesus commanded us to take up our cross and follow Him. Our minds are so much set on things earthly and so little on things above. To grow in Christ as God desires demands on our submission to Him. The point for Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures is great news. Jesus purged our sins, He mediates grace to all who believe, is wonderful news for this sinful nature world. Our Messiah, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself as a ransom for all Christians who did not reject the conviction of the Holy Spirit. God's will is for our redemption, adoption and the obtaining of our eternal inheritance in the heavenly blessings (Ephesians 3:10,11). God's gifts are many; His best gift is one which is the gift of Himself. Above all gifts, God desires most to give Himself to His people so that we can have eternal life instead of eternal death. God's New Covenant is eternal because Christ is the mediator of the covenant, that we receive the promised eternal inheritance. That Covenant is that He has died as a ransom to set us free from the sins committed under the first Covenant. The Book of Hebrews explains that Jesus is the mediator, the executor, of The New Covenant (The New Testament). The word mediator comes from the verb "to mediate" which means a mediator is one who stands between two parties or two factions needing to be reconciled eternally. With that promise, as a Christian, I always thank God continually for our New Testament guarantees of spiritual life and freedom in Christ. The bond of the Covenant between God and US is ETERNAL that will never fail because it is God who has promised, and I have strong FAITH in His Character of His Eternal Promise. Christ through His death and resurrection, every legal hindrance has been met and satisfied. There is nothing that can keep me from assurance except my own faith. Its not about thinking our way into salvation or to reason our way into salvation. The only way to get in is to believe Him with my heart which is sealed by the Holy Spirit. Because of Christ, we are Christians.