God the Creator

It’s not surprising the world rejects God’s message. The evidence of God is everywhere. Our Creator has left His mark on every continent, body of water and throughout the universe. Humanity gives it best shot in denying those facts and dismisses God’s creation of the heavens and the earth. But God is never absent for He is living. Take notice around you and savor God’s undeniable energy.

Most scientists can’t accept God as the Creator, so they cling to evolution as the answer. Here they argue life came out of mutation and blinded themselves from physical DNA proving life is from creation. Evolution can’t offer the ingredients required to bring forth life. It does not create organisms that reproduce, preserve and repair themselves. Even as believers, it’s hard to fathom the depth of God’s mighty forces.

When we take an honest look at evolution, its flaws are magnified. It doesn’t hold up to its definition. People who live by the evolution code believe life derive out of it. They fail to understand mutations don’t generate new organs. Mutations can make changes within cells, but don’t produce new cells.

Doctor Werner Gitt, a director and professor at the German Federal Institute of Physics and Technology, answered this question. Can new information originate in a living organism through mutation? He responded by saying this: "Mutations can only cause changes in existing information.  There can be no increase in information and, in general, the result of mutations is injurious. New blueprints for new functions or new organs cannot arise.  Mutations cannot be the source of new information." He understands evolution is limited.

Another scientist supporting creation comes from Henry Morris. In 1989, he wrote the book The Long War Against God. In this excellent book, he supplies the facts, separating God’s truth from man’s disbelief on creation. One of Henry’s points is how evolution theory deceives the mind. He said this:  "Evolution's lie permeates and dominates modern thought in every field.  That being the case, it follows inevitably that evolutionary thought is basically responsible for the lethally ominous political developments and the chaotic moral and social disintegrations that have been accelerating everywhere." Mr. Morris gives a powerful definition of a reprobate mind.

God’s unique way of inventing life is remarkable. Nothing can change His personal signature. Satan uses evolution to attack God’s word by discounting the first three chapters of the Bible. In the book of Genesis, it begins with God’s account of creation. It gives testimony to the way He creates everything including humanity.

The first 11 chapters of Genesis are referred to throughout the Bible, Even Christ referred to its validity on six different occasions.

The biggest defense God has against evolution is His Living Spirit. God has given everyone a conscience (Romans 1:18-20). Mutation can’t explain the soul and this shows us the fallacy behind its deception. Regardless if a person believes or not God has provided us the ability to understand right from wrong.

God’s brilliant creativity isn’t limited to humans, but is experienced by His other creatures. The earth is full of fascinating living things attesting to His extraordinary abilities. Human’s coexists with God’s other creations reaffirms He is the alpha and omega. People who deny these facts can’t enjoy God’s kingdom.

Salvation crushes evolution. When we are saved by God, then we understand the truth of our existence. This secures our inheritance in heaven, for we are given Christ. Nothing can overtake Christ’s strength and Satan flees, taking with him every lie, he uses to entice the unstable soul. We are fortunate to have found God’s mercy. 

Dead Faith:

Concealed Sin

Did you know it’s possible to have faith and leave God out?

Many people proclaim faith in God, but their actions say otherwise. They speak of God’s word, but lack the wisdom in living holy. Their lives don’t imitate Christ and in times of distress, they are troubled by God’s silence.

What is dead faith?

Dead faith is a self-knowledge of God’s words lacking the qualities of a Spirit-filled life. Here the individual leans on its interpretation of God’s will unaware of the dangers it brings to one’s eternal resting place. Spiritual intelligence can’t stand up against the evil one. We don’t have the strength required to fight Satan.   

In the Epistle of James, we find the Biblical definition of dead faith. Here James points out that faith without works is dead (James 2:20). He emphasized being a doer of God’s word (James 1:22). Words are meaningless until put into action. Action speaks volume in the kingdom of God.

 

One way dead faith enters a believer’s life is through concealed sin. Un-confessed sin is damaging to our spiritual growth. Nothing good comes from hiding sin. Even though God knows we sin our responsibility is to confess our transgression.

Salvation isn’t a free pass.

We must be diligent in our walk with Christ or face eternal consequences. A Christian life is an example of God’s living Spirit manifested through selfless service to God, Christ, and others. A real believer’s life is full of good deeds, helping to spread the good news Christ brings to the faithful.

Unbelievers watch the way Christians behave and this makes it imperative for us to back up our words in action. And a Spirit-filled life radiates a loving, forgiving and compassionate response to life’s difficult terms. Spiritual integrity doesn’t use words for its God’s way of attracting others to a life centered in Christ.    

Holding onto inequity is unwise for we won’t find God’s mercy (Proverbs 28:13). And a life absent of God’s mercy is full of unnecessary pain. Most of our struggles can be traced back to a hidden sin. It shouldn’t surprise us that concealed sin causes us trouble.

A secret sin is an act of disobedience. We are commanded to confess our particular sins (Leviticus 5:4-5). It’s easy to overlook the need of owning up to our sins. We can’t afford to let disobedience rob us of our inheritance with God.

Yes, God has forgiven us, and Christ’s death has taken away sin, but we must be an active participant in our salvation. Remember, God will judge us according to the way we live (Ecclesiastes 12:14). And Christ pointed out the need to look at our sins (Matthew 7:3).

When God saved me, I didn’t understand the value of confessing sins. Salvation was a great revelation and in my spiritual infancy, this worked.

Then one day I had trouble living holy. I couldn’t stop myself from disobeying. My constant prayers and humble approach weren’t paying off, but God was listening. The Lord answered and showed me the way to confess sins. It involved confessing to Christ and asking for the guidance in repenting.

The way this works is simple. One of my biggest stumbling blocks is pride. So when I realize my prideful ways I pause and pray to Christ: “I confess to you Christ, my sin of pride. Forgive me for my trespass. What is my repentance?  Your will always not mine. Amen.” This works for any sin and brings me in line with God’s will. Sometimes I have to wait and listen for the answers. But Christ never leaves me guessing on what I need to do in making amends for my wrongs.   

Our willingness to give God our best effort is crucial to our eternal lives. Christ doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but wants us to strive for spiritual progress. And our admission of wrongful behavior opens the door to Christ’s abundant peace. There is no greater Christian freedom than the one God gives.   

A vibrant faith welcomes self-examination (Haggai 1:5). Concealed sin thrives in darkness blocking Christ’s light. It’s painful looking at our sinful nature but to grow in God’s Spirit, we need to know our misconduct. And confessing our findings makes our faith alive.

We have discussed one way of identifying dead faith. Un- forgiveness, selfish prayers, and judging others are indicators of a faith unfavorable with God. Remember the Pharisees had faith but Christ exposed it as dead. Our hope is secured through a living faith anchored in the body of Christ.

 Building a Christian Character

The greatest way to show the world God is alive is centering ourselves in Christ’s sovereignty. A life anchored in God radiates to others a Spirit full of love, forgiveness, and selfless service. A real Christian’s character manifest the way Christ lived when He was here on earth. So it becomes our responsibility to abide in Christ, pick up our cross and stand firm on God’s word.

The essence of a Christian is for Christ to use His faithful believer as a living witness to God’s truth. To the believer, this means unity in the body of Christ. And for the unbeliever, it’s an up close look (1 Peter 2:12) at the impact God has in relieving the pains of sin. This truth doesn’t speak in words. It is lived in spiritual action.

  

   

Building a Christian character is an essential part of a believer’s conviction. It has two key components. First, it includes a sanctified life where faith in God through Christ removes sin and makes us holy. The other is an edified life full of God’s mercy, grace and a continual willingness to grow more Christ-like. They are as crucial to a Christian’s life as are air and water are to our physical survival.

Sanctification begins with God’s gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). Here, God has blessed us with His mercy and is pleased with our faith. Glorifying God through trusting in His word is favorable to Him. God wants to save us and does if our faith is in Christ (John 14:6). The Lord preserves our souls so we can glorify Him in heaven. Without this gift, our room in His house doesn’t exist, and we end up in the fire of Gehenna.

Once God saves us, then He anoints us with the Spirit of truth (John 14:16). God uses the Holy Spirit as undeniable proof of His existence. You will know the time it happens for the purity of God’s presence is overwhelming, astounding and extraordinary. Satan can’t match the indescribable love God brings to you. This is a transcending soul changing experience with heavenly rewards. 

It’s the Holy Spirit that unites us to God and Christ as one and completes the Trinity. Here we become spiritually whole, and our souls spared from God’s wrath. God is astonishing and allows us a way out of sin and into His eternal care. And the original sin, Adam and Eve committed washed clean through the baptism of Christ’s resurrection (1 Peter 3:21).

God’s grace is remarkable, and that motivates us to improve our spiritual lives. A willingness to grow under spiritual lines is the backbone of edification. Humility plays an integral role in a holy life. One quality of an edified life is staying teachable and being humble means we learn from Christ’s divine wisdom.

Alone we can’t overcome sin. Our willpower is useless for we don’t have the spiritual muscle required to win the battle over evil. Satan is cunning and uses subtle ways to convince us to walk away from God. This is the reason we can’t afford to become complacent.

Complacency is being satisfied with our current spiritual progress unaware of hidden dangers. Evilness is a patient foe waiting for an opportunity to destroy us and by staying spiritually stagnant the door to disaster swings open. One of the greatest defense against our adversary the devil is to continue strengthening our dedication to Christ. Jesus has defeated evil and for us to have His protection means we must be diligent in our Christian actions.

     

Now we have a general understanding of the characteristics of building a solid Christian foundation, then we can see the need to continue to improve. And God makes His affection so irresistible we want to continue building our eternal lives. 

 Isn't God incredible!

Undeniable Faith  

 

The great fall of Adam and Eve set in motion God’s plan for faith as the way to regain His grace. When they disobeyed God’s command, everything changed. They became ashamed and hid from God. Guilt entered the picture and fear overtook their conscience.

When sin entered Adam and Eve’s heart, those same effects are still felt today. We can’t ignore or escape this truth, and it’s through faith we discover God’s gift of salvation. (Ephesians 2:8)

Adam and Eve came face to face with God’s displeasure. We too are in the same predicament. Our sin is the same. In God’s eyes, we are born into sin (Romans 5:12-14). 

But the Lord’s love for humanity is remarkable and through the bloodshed of His Son we find our way out. Faith in Christ is our responsibility and unlocks the wisdom to stay on the narrow way. (Matthew 7:13-14)

    

God established faith as an act of exerting our wills over to His merciful grace. He wants us to want Him above everything and waits for our walk in faith to do the talking. Through humility, we become open, receptive and conscious of His presence. Seeking Christ in everything we do, say or think is humbling ourselves before God. Christ lives in God’s will and to know Him is living in the Spirit of truth.    

In the Old Testament, the Lord used prophets as guides in identifying real faith. The Israelites struggled with the faith required to stay in His favor. They didn't understand the essence of this precious and eternal act of glorification. Their lack of faith caused them immense suffering.

What faith is favorable to God? 

A faith centered in trust and exemplifying His holiness. It’s a faith showing the world the inner strength He provides in turning away from sin. A strong endurance to stay spiritual in the midst of deception, wickedness, and the hurt caused by other sinners. And Christ holds the key to a faith acceptable to God. No other faith can grab the Lord’s attention than the one placed in Jesus. (John 14:6)

Faith is the fundamental principle connecting us with God’s kingdom. An active faith is abiding by God’s command, regardless of personal sacrifice. One of the finest examples of faith in action is Abraham. He was a faithful servant of God. His wife Sarah (unable to bear children) received a miracle from the Lord and gave birth to Isaac. Then one day God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. (Genesis 20:18; 21:1-7)

Abraham’s love for God was stronger than the one he had for his son. He didn’t bargain, plead or ask the Lord to change His command. God took notice of his unshakable faith and spared his son’s sacrifice. The outcome resulted in God blessing Abraham’s offspring with a spiritual strength stronger than their enemies (Genesis 22:1-19).

Abraham understood the penalty of disobedience and put aside his personal feelings. He did as God asked. His faith is incredible and an excellent model for us to learn the quality of an unwavering trust in God.

Another great biblical illustration of faith is when Christ converted the Samaritan woman. In her conversation with Christ, the reality of her sinful ways couldn’t be denied. The truth, Christ spoke to her changed the way she believed. As the result of Christ’s intervention, she was reborn. (John 4:1-26) 

Apostle John’s account of the Samaritan woman’s talk with Christ didn’t stop with her miracle. It showed another way of faith. When she returned home and proclaimed Christ, many believed in Him from her spoken truth. Then when Jesus stayed in their town, many more believed in Him. (John 4:39-42).

When we proclaim Christ as the savior of the world, then God sees our faithfulness. Here we are losing ourselves in Christ and finding our spiritual lives. We are living in His Spirit and have gained the freedom from sin. Our faith is on solid ground, and we are no longer afraid of physical deaths. And our hope is secured for we understand God’s eternal promise.

How do we know our faith is real?

The Holy Spirit is the answer. God releases His Spirit in the soul of those who believe in Christ. We become embraced with His love and are awakened to His holiness. God leaves no doubt who He is and the Holy Spirit is the proof of God.

Real faith motivates us to be more Christ-like, and we become disgusted with sin. Our whole outlook on life changes and we see the world in a Christian way. We rely more on Christ and less on ourselves. Trials and tribulations become spiritual opportunities where we enjoy the challenge they bring in strengthening our walk in Christ.

True faith is developing a passion for Christ and striving to live holy. It has no room for complacency.  Faithfulness is understanding the room for improvement and accepting the weakness of the flesh. It’s easy to become complacent and stop growing.

A living faith is based on repentance, forgiveness and love. It’s centered in serious devotion, bible study and selfless serving. Confession of sin becomes an integral part of a faithful follower. Self-control becomes automatic and when the flesh fails the believer’s trust in Christ prevails. Take those actions and experience Christ's impact.

In my journey with God the results from living His word have been astonishing. One incident involved falling victim to a financial scam. When I first approached by the scammer my response was silence.

Then one day while attending church, God commanded me to take action. The Lord called on me to offer my services. A lady who claimed to be dying from cancer needed my help. She wanted some help in donating funds to orphanages. 

I relied on Christ every step of the way for His guidance. My consultation was with God making sure I was in His will. I ended up sending over a thousand dollars. When the scam was exposed my reaction wasn’t full of revenge, but centered in Christian morals.

It was disappointing, but I understood the value of acting on God’s commands. I was grateful to give the money and Christ supplied me with a plan of action to restore my finances. My forgiveness for them was from the heart and I asked God to fulfill His will in their lives before doing something for me. I grew closer to Christ and enjoyed the way God used me.

Faith goes beyond belief. Each of us has found incredible strength as the result of trusting God’s infinite plan. Every time we are in distress and turn to Christ those troubles melt away. Faith in action is our greatest defense against God’s enemy. Our victory over sin is the direct result of Christ’s sacrifice and faith is essential in knowing the significance of the cross.

  

Christ:

The Great Divider 

The Old Testimony is full of scripture showing God’s plan for bringing great division in the world. In those days, every Prophet and miracle God used wasn’t enough for them to stay firm on His word. The Lord needed another way for His truth to stand out and prepared the world for Christ. God made Christ the sole heir to His Kingdom.  

Jesus is the ultimate Authority on God’s law.

Christ, the great divider unites us with our inheritance to God. When Christ lived on earth, people had problems grasping His sovereignty. They expected the Messiah to crush the Roman’s rule and lead them to another promised land. Their focus was on how God delivered His mercy in the past, and it blinded them from the Lamb of God.

Christ made it obvious He wasn’t the peacemaker. One reason for Christ’s division is in Matthew’s gospel. Jesus said this: “Do not think that I came to earth to bring peace on earth, I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” (Matthew 10: 34)

The sword Jesus brought is God’s justice for disobeying His commands. God gave Christ the power to put right His people and shine light on His word. Christ’s wisdom stunned those believers and made them uncomfortable. Jesus came to separate the truth from the false. 

Here is where God established one of His holy reason for being in the flesh. Jesus identified the family as a place of separation and used love as its reason. (Matthew 10: 35-37).

Christ pointed out the love of Him is greater than one’s love for any family member. To love others more than Jesus is a sign of unworthiness. Real self-esteem results from one’s love for Christ. God values our lives, and His greatest manifestation of our worth comes from loving Christ. The Christian reality of loving Christ first is our affection for family glorifies God.

Remember, we are God's creations and are given His trust in helping Him to create. Wow, God allows us to be partners with Him! Now if this truth isn’t enough to convince me to love God above everything, then I need to reevaluate my conviction?  My eternal destination rests upon my love for Christ.

Jesus disclosed the enemy has no boundaries and exists in the family. Satan uses abortion, contraception, same-sex marriages and artificial stimulation as the means to destroy the family. The destruction they bring is undeniable and aimed at abolishing our genetic connection to God. Satan is cunning and knows God cherishes the family, so he attacks its moral fiber.

Christ’s next two commands (Matthew 10: 38-39) are action steps. First, Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him. Then He tells us to lose our life for His sake. Again the Messiah places our worth on abandoning ourselves over to Him or faces eternal consequences.  

Seeking Christ takes daily action, and our experiences with hidden obstacles are proof of this truth. God gives us a daily reprieve and waits for us to turn to His guidance and protection. Without trusting Christ, we are weakened and make it easy for God’s enemy to permeate our spirits. Our eternal lives are at stake, and imperative to have God’s grace in our lives.

Humility is a prime example of losing ourselves in Christ. A humble life is a selfless existence and the key to unlocking the essence of God’s favor. Pride flees from spiritual submission for it can’t stand Christ. Humility opens a channel so God can fill our hearts with His Spirit.      

Another place Christ brought great division was amongst the spiritual leaders. The Messiah was candid with them and never stopped correcting their self-righteous ways. God exposed their prideful deeds. They couldn’t digest this unpalatable reality and plotted Christ’s death.

Christ used brutal honesty to put God’s truth in the face of the scribes and Pharisees. The entire 23^Rd Chapter of Matthew’s Gospel is directed at their wrongful interpretation of God’s Law. They used their understanding instead of living in the purity of God’s word. Jesus exposed them as unbelievers and divided them from the divine doctrine. Their reaction to Christ’s truth resulted in killing Him.

Jesus called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites. Christ, backed up this claim by naming a list of their prideful sins. They balked at His accusations and couldn’t accept being challenged by a man. Here God was in front of them, but they didn't notice Him. They tried to test Christ by asking Him tricky questions about the law, but Jesus showed them God’s way and crushed their false faith.

The separation Christ has brought to my life is remarkable. Part of my past involved agnostic beliefs, sexual immorality, alcoholism and self-seeking attitudes. This lifestyle was unmanageable, unreliable and unholy. I caused emotional, mental, spiritual and sometimes physical harm to those in my path. My conscience was nonexistent and my spirit was dead. I wanted to die!

Then one day I heard God’s call. That day was the end of my unsaved life and the start of a Spirit filled life centered in Christ. I am grateful to share this with you today. The power of Christ is extraordinary. Glory to God!

My Christian awakening continues to evolve and my spirit is renewed daily. One truth, Christ has shown me is knowing part of my family is lost. I don’t know God’s plan for them, but their beliefs are not right. My prayers to God is for Him to do His will in their lives before doing something for me. I place their souls in Christ’s hands.

We have discussed a few ways Christ separates good from evil. The Gospels are full of Christ’s wisdom of right and wrong. It’s our responsibility to understand, believe and honor those truths.  

Christ division is simple. It happened the day He shed His blood and took on the sins of the world. Jesus defeated Satan and opened God’s door. God is available to anyone who loses their life in Christ.

What effect has Christ’s division made on your life?