In Philippians 4:6 Paul tells us that whenever we pray it should be mixed with thanksgiving to God. In Psalm 100:4 the people were exhorted to enter his gates, or presence, with thanksgiving. We can sing with grateful hearts to our God (Col 3:16). We are also exhorted to abound in thanksgiving (Col 2:7). The psalms are replete with thanksgiving to our heavenly father.

It is God's will for us to have thankful hearts (1 Thess 5:18); we don't need to think for too long to be able to prepare a long list of the blessings of God that we experience daily. We are recipients of his indescribable gift in Jesus our savior (2 Cor 9:15). We are forgiven (Eph 1:7), saved (Rom 10:9), healed (1 Peter 2:24) and walk in victory and authority (Col 2:15) over all the works of satan.  

To give thanks is to glorify God (Psalm 50:23). Like praise, thanksgiving pleases God and draws us up into his presence (1 Thess 5:18). Paul urged us to give thanks (1 Tim 2:1). Take some time today to be thankful, to thank God and see how he will lift you up into his spiritual realm, his presence: "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right-hand there are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11; KJV).

Please pass this on. All rights reserved.

I am always struck by the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). There we see the stark contrast between the cold, cunning of the unforgiving, Pharisees and Jesus consummate wisdom, compassion and forgiveness. However, Jesus did not overlook the woman’s sin but told her to sin no more.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that Jesus paid the price for our sins through his sacrifice on the cross (Rom 5:8). As Christians we are forgiven (Col 1:14), given new life (2 Cor 5:17) and righteousness in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:21). As Christians we do still sin (1 John 1:8) as our spirit (spiritual heart or conscience) is made new but not our body or soul (1 Thess 5:23). However, we should not habitually or willfully sin (1 John 3:6) as God has made us new spiritual creations in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:17). Our spirits are to govern our souls and bodies.

When we gave our lives to Christ we were born again spiritually (John 3:1-6); our spirits were made new (Ez 11:19). However, when we allow our souls to get the upper hand, we do slip and sin.  But the apostle John taught us that: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanses us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9; KJV).

What an advantage we have over the woman caught in adultery; how God loves us, in that he has placed his Holy Spirit on the inside of us to enable us to change us and help us not to sin (John 14:16-17). All we have to do is cooperate and walk in obedience.

Please pass this on. All rights reserved.

Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others. 

In the book of Proverbs, we learn much about the advantages of having wisdom; for example, in Proverbs 1:33 (KJV), we are told that with wisdom we: “shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil”. In Proverbs 3:13-18 we read that wisdom is worth more than money and jewels and it leads to long life, finances, honor, joy and peace. Proverbs chapter 4 gives us many more blessings of wisdom.

That being the case, how do we get wisdom? The book of Proverbs was written so we could learn wisdom (Prov 1:2) so that’s a good place to start. There is a big clue in Proverbs 9:10: "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom". "The Lord giveth wisdom" (Prov 2:6), so there is another big clue as to how to obtain wisdom. If we spend quality time with God his wisdom will be imparted to us. This is confirmed in 1 Corinthians 1:30, where it says that God made Jesus to be our wisdom. The apostle Paul taught us that all the treasures of wisdom are found in God (Col 2:3). Finally, in the epistle of James 1:5 we are assured us that we can simply ask God for wisdom and he will give it generously (James 1:5).

So, take God at his word and if you need wisdom for a particular situation then ask for it, but more importantly as you spend more and more time with God you will find his wisdom becoming a part of you, kind of like osmosis.     

Please pass this on. All rights reserved.

Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.   

In Ephesians 3:18 Paul prayed for the Christians in Ephesus that they would be able to comprehend the width, length, depth and height of God's love. That actually seems impossible to comprehend because it is so vast. This love is extended to everyone and no one is too far away to be included. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (1 John 4:8; KJV). Paul goes on in verse 19 of Ephesians 3 to pray that the Ephesians would know the love of Christ; the word "know" actually means know by experience, not just head knowledge.

If we feel like we are unworthy of being loved by God we only have to read that famous verse in the gospel by the apostle John, where we are reminded that God gave his only son for us all (the world) and that if we believe in him, we will have eternal life (John 3:16). If that is not convincing enough, then consider what the prophet Jeremiah had to say: “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jer 31:3).

In Jesus’ prayer for all those who believed in him he said that God the Father loved us as he loved Jesus (John 17:23).  

As a final note let us be reminded that nothing will ever separate us from God’s love: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 8:38-39). Amen.

Please pass this on. All rights reserved.

In the parable of the ten virgins (Matt 25:1-13) the virgins or bridesmaids waited for the arrival of the bridegroom, which in that tradition of marriage, could have happened at any time day or night. All ten had lamps lit but only five had extra oil in case the wait was long and the bridegroom came at night. When the bridegroom did come it was at night and the foolish virgins’ lamps sputtered as they were short of oil.

In this parable, Christ is the bridegroom returning for his church, his people, at his second coming. The foolish virgins were not prepared, they were like people that have not made Jesus their Lord and savior. The wise virgins had brought extra oil and were prepared; like people that have received Jesus as Lord and savior and are spiritually prepared to meet Christ at his second coming.

The wise virgins went in with the bridegroom to the wedding feast, just as spiritually prepared Christians will enter eternal life in heaven at Christ’s second coming.

The foolish virgins went looking at night for oil, just as spiritually unprepared people may search for the way to become a Christian at Christ’s second coming. When the foolish virgins returned with oil, the door of the wedding feast was closed and they could not enter. In fact, the bridegroom said to the unwise virgins: “I know you not” (KJV).

When Jesus returns, and he will, it will be too late to ask him into your life as Lord and savior. There are many, even in churches that see the light of Jesus but they do not know him. Have you repented of sin and asked Jesus into your life to be your Lord and savior and to give you the eternal life God has for you?

Be like a wise virgin, ask Jesus into your life now and make sure you have the light and are spiritually prepared to meet him when he comes back for his church.

Please pass this on. All rights reserved.

Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.