Judging A Book By It’s Cover

(1Sa 16:7)  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Within the heart of man you will find the true worth of its soul, the outward appearance is a mere shell, a casing. The soul within every human bears the true essence of the individual of his or her character, their emotions, everything about a human is contained therein. You take the soul out of a person and all you have left is an empty vessel, hollow, a mere shell of what once was. However, when a soul realizes his failings, realizes his weaknesses and his inability to do what is right, to give it up to God to use then miracles happen. Take this human surrendered shell and fill it with the Spirit of a Holy God and that same individual God will work miracles through. He will use that same individual to leave dumbfounded the so-called intellectuals of our day. God used Jonathan a seventeen year old boy who by all appearances didn’t know anything about music let alone sing on key left those same judges, those panels of experts with their mouths dropped to the floor. At the beautiful voice of one of God’s creations who astounded the unbelievers who listened that you do not judge a man by his appearance but what is within a man is his true worth.

Listen to what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:20-30 (KJV)
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the so called wise people of this world. He took simple fishermen and a tax collector to confound with their wisdom the Pharisees and the Sadducee’s the biblical intellectuals of the day, to where they exclaimed that these men had been with Jesus. Even today God astounds the so called professionals with the likes of Jonathan in Britains Got Talent 2012 audition.

Paul declares, Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Time and time again this has been proven true, all the more reason for us as Christians to follow wholeheartedly the precepts written between Genesis and Revelations. How many Christians today have realized the importance of God’s Holy word? The more we know, the more we adhere, the better our lives are in this present age. It says that we shall know the truth and the truth will set us free. How many of us have breathed as sigh of relief with every new truth the Holy Spirit shines down upon our hearts and how foolish previously our way of thinking was?

How many of us could could be divided into two categories; the sign seekers or the wisdom seekers and yet when confronted with the gospel for the very first time it was either a stumbling block or foolishness to us. When God’s power and wisdom overwhelmed us to the point of seeing just how far from the glory of God we had fallen short of. Then when we accepted the power and the wisdom of God as valuable to a meaningful existence not only in this life but in the life to come our lives took on a whole new meaning, we became more content, more satisfied with life. Coming to know Jesus as our Lord and savior placing our faith in him, at that very precise moment we were born-again, born anew the old man being crucified with him. Our old man being dead we now live in newness of life in Christ.

(Gal 2:20)  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Now in my life God takes my recognized weakness and works through it to astound the unbelieving and the wayward with the hopes of drawing them unto himself thereby making them a new creature. God doesn’t take the gifted, he chooses the willing, those who place their hopes, dreams and faith in him to do his will so he can show His mighty miracles through us to the saving of mankind. So please do not be afraid of letting your light shine for Jesus in witnessing to others because you never know whose life will be change as the result of Christ working through you.

Intimacy With Christ,

Richard Wafford

Guard your Heart

Guard your Heart by Steve Green
The human heart is easily swayed
And often betrayed at the hand of emotion
You dare not leave the outcome to chance
You must choose in advance
Or live with the agony
Such needless tragedy

This is not only true in a marriage relationship but also with our relationship with the Lord. Our emotions if not guarded will easily sway us away from the Lord. That is why God’s Holy Word says, “The just shall live by Faith.” Feelings, emotions it all fluctuates that is why you cannot trust them. One day your happy and in three days depending upon the individual you will be sad, every person is different. Individuals that are Bi-polar go to the extreme.
Listen what Paul said in (2 Thessalonians 3:16 NASB) Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

1. The lord will grant you peace in every circumstance, not some of the time or part of the time but in every circumstance.
2. Continually means frequently recurring; always happening, having no interruptions
3. Peace is meant to be given to us frequently recurring; always happening, having no interruptions
4. Those of us that have been born-again, God will give us a continually peace
5. Why, because we are His children.
6. Jesus had peace even in the midst of a storm.

You don’t believe me just look at the next scripture.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (Romans 5:1 NASB)

This verse in 1 Peter 3: 11 is the key to keeping peace in our hearts.

“HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD;
HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. (1 Peter 3:11 NASB)
1. Turn from evil is a choice on our part it is an effort, a conscience decision.
2. There is Benefits to walking or keeping in step with the Spirit of God
3. Choose to do good; Choosing to live a godly life according to the scriptures
4. We must not only seek peace but pursue it
Meaning of Pursue:
1. “To follow in an effort to overtake or capture; chase: a fox that was pursued by hounds.

2. To strive to gain or accomplish: pursue lofty political goals.

3. To proceed along the course of; follow: a ship that pursued the southern course.

4. To carry further; advance: Let’s not pursue this argument.”

5. We must chase after it maintain it with all our hearts

Hence to guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. We must pursue after it continually guarding our hearts from outside forces that will try to steal it from you. Listen to what Jesus himself says to us about peace.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27 NASB)
1. Jesus gives us peace not as the world gives because the world or Satan cannot duplicate the power of God

2. Song: Oh this world never gave me the peace that I have I just couldn’t find it out there but sweeter by far is the love of my Lord I just couldn’t find it out there.

3. The world cannot produce peace if it could they would stop searching for fulfillment in the trinkets of mankind.

4. Devils counterfeit peace, he is an angel of light what may seem like peace is only the calm before the storm.

5. However, Jesus says, “Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” Ah, now that is peace in believing that His words are true.

6. We must not allow anything to rob us of our peace in Christ nor allow anyone of circumstances to steal away

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7 NASB)
1. The devil personally try to rob you of your peace
2. He’ll try to send someone else to rob your of your peace
3. He’ll plant thoughts in your mind of fake scenarios and things that are not just to make you fearful, but perfect love in Christ will cast out all fear. That is why faith is so crucial worth more than gold. For faith in God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Guard your Heart
Guard your Heart
Don’t trade it for treasure
Don’t give it away
For a soul that remains sincere with conscience clear
Guard your Heart

So when is comes to our marriage relationships or even close friends listen to what Steve Green sings in this verse.

What appears to be harmless glance?
Can turn to romance
And homes are divided
Feelings that should never have been
Awakened within
Tearing the heart in two
Listen, I beg of you
The devil is call a serpent because he slithers in without a sound and at time capture a heart without even firing and arrow.
So if you don’t Guard your Heart no one else will, keep that in mind when your tempted to turn away from those who truly loves you especially if it’s the Lord but also if it your spouse, your children, your parents and then a close friend no other relationship is has important has these.

Maintaining…… Intimacy With Christ…..is always a choice!!!!!

~ Richard W. Wafford

The Court Room of Your Life

It would be scary to be in a court room with judge Judy, especially if your guilty. This also true if confronted by Judge Dredd in the Hollywood movies is the most famous judge, Sylvester Stallone portrays a cop with instant field judiciary powers to bring about immediate sentence on the guilty. The law is made for those who break it but to those who have a strong integrity to do what is right at all times the law is of no effect to them. the law cannot touch those who are not guilty. However, to those who are guilty of wrong guilty of sin the will hound the guilty until due justice is served. Jonathan Edwards preached a stirring message on “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” many souls were convicted and many got saved. The thought still remains for those who reject Jesus Christ and His salvation for a certain fear of pending judgement awaits those who rebel against His good grace. What people need to hear is that one day we will stand before a Judge of all judges, Lord of all lords, King of all Kings and His name is Jesus Christ. His judgment will not just be for a few months or years in jail but an eternity in a blistering insatiable fire of hell. Think about this do you want Jesus as your defense attorney or as your prosecutor against all the known sins you have ever committed?

What a great God we serve who is full of grace and mercy that he would give everything just for us to be with him! That he would lovingly and patiently give us as sinners who shake our fists up at God every opportunity to turn our minds and give our hearts to him in spite of all that we do against him and His word. The very fact that He gave His very Son to suffer and die in order to pay the sin debt that we owe in John 3:16. Imagine someone coming to your home and paying off all your debts that you owe. Jesus did this with our most costly as well as priceless possession that we have that belonged to Satan…….our soul. He bought, redeemed, and paid in full our debt to buy our souls back from destruction. Not only did he do this but he regenerated, transformed or basically cleaned us up brand new, just as if we were never tarnished or sinned, its what we call being justified. What a thoughtful loving God that loves us unconditionally who gave up His son to pay in full the sins we have committed against him. Those who have been forgiven, who have been redeemed, who have been transformed in newness of life to an everlasting hope the Son of God has become your defense attorney. In Romans 8:1 “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,” No matter what the devil throws up in the face of God against you, Jesus steps in to say in your defense those sins have been paid in full by my own blood and God says we have no record of any sins that the prosecuting devil has stated against you. God sustains you at that moment at the throne of His justice he reads your name in the Lambs Book of Life your sins being washed cleaned by His blood thereby another soul the devil has lost his grip upon and has been been redeemed from certain pain and suffering for all eternity. Praise the Lord. No wonder paul says in Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren,by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Intimacy With Christ,

Richard W. Wafford

Christian? D-I-V-O-R-C-E Tammy Wynette 1968 hit

The 2nd annual Country Music Awards in 1968. Tammy Wynette takes home the female vocalist trophy with the help of the hit, “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.” Telecast from Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. Isn’t it ironic that such a song should became a hit and in 1968, what is the world coming too. However, before November of 2009 I previously like the catchy tune and the southern twang of Tammy Wynette who is truly an vocal artist in the era of country music that we just do not have with todays music. After experiencing divorce with the devastation that it brings to every family member and no one is immune to the sting of it. I somewhat feel differently now than what I did then for if I had the opportunity to turn back the hands of time along with the knowledge that has been given me, my marriage to a woman given to me by God would have been a totally different ending to the story I now know. I can clearly understand the heart of God concerning the matter of D-I-O-R-C-E-.

Malachi 2:15 (NIV) Has not [the Lord] made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.

Malachi 2:16 (NIV) “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel, “and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence as well as with his garment,” says the Lord Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

How many Christians have let down their guard and broke their faith with the wife of their youth? I know of one who did and that was me, my wife and I were of one flesh one spirit with God, we raised children who became Christians at a very young age of 6 and 4. I admit I that I failed and broke my family, broke that bonding that only a man and wife can have. This was hard for me to admit in  the beginning and God forgives and forgets however the pain is still there to all involved. God’s healing in such matters takes time, takes counsel, takes prayer and takes the reading of God’s word, but eventually healing does come to the heart. Now I am thankful and humbled that God has continued this process in me.

Divorce no matter if you spell it or speak it still hurts the same and no one comes out the winner. Devastation, accusations, blaming, shouting, anger, bitterness, and revenge are traits not uncommon with the world that we live in. Its sad but it seems every family ancestry has at least one broken home. However, to have these extremely hurtful traits within the home of a Christian is a paradox, for “God so loved the world that he gave” in John 3:16 is the very essence of love and who God is. So, for those who believe in God, believe in His word, and believe he is the very epitome of love, for the very ones who call themselves Christians to even bring it up in a marriage let alone go through with it is an extreme paradox, unacceptable even contradictory to all we stand for and believe in. For if we cannot truly love the gift that God has given us in human form how can we love him who is spirit. Those who are contemplating D-I-V-O-R-C-E please consider all the variables before going through it and exhaust all your resources at your disposal before finalizing it. Please consider these words from a man who is now on the other side of divorce who is telling you divorce is not the answer. The hurt you will cause, will cost you and those you love more than you can imagine. No one can make up for the loss only Christ can heal and restore what you will destroy.

Intimacy With Christ,

Richard W. Wafford

A Dog on a Leash

leash |lē sh | a strap or cord for restraining and guiding a dog or other animal. Satan’s nothing more than a dog on a leash, he cannot do anything without permission from God the Father. Remember Job? Satan could only do what God allowed him to do, no more, no less. However, don’t ever take Satan for granted for if faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain then we better start trusting in the Lord for we’ll never know what will come our way? Whether God will send boulders our way or Mount Everest Mountain down our way. Whatever comes our way God has just as much confidence in us as he did on Job when Satan inflicted him with several mountains in a row. Remember troubles and trials are never easy and they are always meant to stretch our faith to the limit in order to make our faith more stronger. Look at what Satan wanted to do with Simon Peter and God granted his request, but then look at the verse, “when you have turned back strengthen your brothers. What Simon Peter went through strengthen his faith enough so he could strengthen the faith of his brothers.

Luke 22: 31 Simon, Simon Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.

It is interesting to note that Satan still has to ask permission just like he did with Job 1: 7; 2: 2 God has and always will be in control. Always!

However, Satan is a powerful adversary who was once the highest-ranking angel in heaven. We are no match for this fallen angel of light who seeks to devour, rip to shreds or sift as wheat any believer of Jesus Christ. He will deceive, masquerade or disguise himself as an anointed one from God using powerful words that will stir the emotions, excite rage and anger. He will entice you to do something without praying first or comparing to God’s word, it will feel right and sound good but his deception is without equal. He is one not to be trifled with but is an enemy we cannot fight alone without the aid of Jesus Christ through the power of His word.

Satan will entice us to be like him. We will stand to defend God’s honor and His word, but in our haste and lack of waiting upon the Lord we will destroy and devour one another. For when you attack another person you will be thinking you are doing the very works of God, you will think that God himself told you to attack, however, a season mature Christian who rightly divides the word of truth knows that all we do is to be done through prayer and love. We are to be wise as a serpent but harmless as a dove in dealing with any person in the affairs of spiritual enlightenment. We are to have the perspective of hating the sin but loving the sinner. We are to be seasoned with salt so that those who have not tasted of the Lord knows not how good he is and can be to those who are spiritually discerned or even those weak in the faith who have not seen the power of God move through their life.

We are ambassadors, representatives of the most High God. We are to mirror the truth of His word, surrender to the power of His might and to be led by the Holy Spirit of God. We must do all things to the glory of God and we must at all cost forbid to do anything in our own strength. We must allow the master to use us as a vessel of honor as living sacrifices for him. Remember when the mountain comes your way I’ll pray that your faith fails not and when you have turned back strengthen your brothers and sisters in Christ when you do.

Intimacy with Christ,

Richard

Solomon Wasn’t Smart Enough to Avoid getting Knocked off His Feet

Solomon the wisest man in the Bible was knocked off his feet several times and turned away from God for a season because of one thing and that one thing was making poor choices. He married many women who believed differently then he did and turned his heart away from God. In essence Solomon wanted what Solomon wanted however in doing this his emotions overruled his wisdom and common sense. He allowed his poor choices to bring trouble into his life thereby robbing him of the peace of God. If Solomon would of allowed himself accountability they would have kept his head and heart together to bring our emotions back to our wisdom and common sense.
How many times will a boyfriend and a girlfriend allow their emotions to overrule their wisdom and common sense. Many children have been brought into this world by our emotions, where wisdom and common sense were thrown out the window.
We need accountability partners who are full of the Spirit and full of wisdom to keep our emotions in check when we are tempted to stray from the narrow way.
More importantly we need to start making right choices by asking God to direct our pathway through the Holy Spirit and give us the ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. To hear his still small voice above the loud cries of the world lobbying for our attention.
Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
This is a truth you can take to prayer every time and come out with a faith that can move mountains.
John 16:13 (NKJV) However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
He will guide you into all truth to show you things to come provided we are listening.

Intimacy With Christ,
Richard

Mission Impossible

Ethan Hunt who is on the IMF Team, the Impossible Missions Force. When everyone else fails Ethan gets the job done, on time and every time. No mission is too big for ethan Hunt and his IMF Team. Movies have always been great vehicles for stirring up the emotions and making everyone go home and feel good. The good guy wins, the bad guys loses and the hero gets the girl…..sigh. However in reality this ideology does not happen, not always.

I do have a friend that sticks closer than a brother, who is there when I need him the most and He also rescues me in times of trouble….every time. His success record for achievement not even 100 Ethan Hunts put together will ever come close too. My friends name…..Jesus Christ.
How great is my God? Well, let me show you.

Job 37: 5 “God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.”
Job 38:1 “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct me! Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone”

Wow, talk about what a mighty God we serve because, “now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us (Eph.3:20). He is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever imagine or ever believe in prayer.

My God who created the heavens and earth the Lord God Almighty says in His own words, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”(Romans 8:31)
Amen! Who can be against us….ever. No matter what we face, no matter where we go, no matter how bad the opposition or how bad the persecution, Jesus is always there to sustain us, comfort us and if need be carry us home to heaven. Either way we win every time. So we must not lean on our own understanding but to trust completely in him. To let everything go and let God bring the solution to your mind, let him solve your problems and your battles for the scriptures says the battles the Lords(1 Sam 17:47).

Lean on His wisdom for in Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
What a great God we do indeed serve! Encouraged one another with this truth and next time you watch Mission Impossible remember we have a God who’s success rate for solving the impossible is better than Ethan Hunt’s.

Intimacy With Christ
Richard

Sequel: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Music plays) ta da ta da ta da

Dr. Jekyll is now addicted to his alter ego, he cannot help himself to drinking the potion that turns him into the ravenous beast that lusts to kill and destroy. He is fully aware of this atrocity for during the day his memory replays like a bad exciting dream the events from the night before. The good citizens love Dr. Jekyll and they are completely unaware of the evil that lurks within.
Christians today are not much different sad to say listen to Philippians 3:17 (NASB) “brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk,of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ.” Paul is saying here that many false teachers who claim to be Christians walk as enemies of the cross. The good people of the church love Dr. Christian but are unaware of the evil that lurks within that comes out in the darkness. These types of people are legalistic and deny the grace of God who set us free teaching everyone that works will get us into heaven, when in fact according to Ephesians 2:8 (NASB)”for by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as the result of works, so that no one may boast.” Many of the Jews prior to the cross of Christ worked their way to salvation, but God did this so that they would understand that they could not do it of themselves in their own strength that they needed God Acts 15.

In 2 Timothy 3:5 (KJV) “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” Some people act like Christians but do not have intimacy with Christ on a personal level thereby denying the power of the Holy Spirit working in their lives. Everything they do is without God’s help for they do not need it because they are so full of themselves and their own abilities. Paul says from such people turn away from them, do not hang out with them, nor fellowship with them. Jude 1:12 (NIV) talks about these people………”These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm–shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted–twice dead.” Discern by the Holy Spirit who these people are and turn away from them but always be kind and loving and praying for their salvation. You will know them by their fruits, by their deeds, by their attitudes and who they give all the glory and credit too. Be careful my dears friends of for we are living in the last days and these days are evil so be wise as a serpent but harmless as a dove.

Intimacy With Christ,
Richard

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

We’ve seen the movies, we are fascinated with seeing the transformations of Dr. Jekyll into Mr.Hyde. Seeing one with a good nature who is sweet and kind to everyone around him only to turn into a ravenous beast at night. However, it is by his own free will and choice that he does this. You see Dr.Jekyll is a scientist who creates this formula that transforms him into a beast of a man with no reserves toward his lustful nature.
The sad thing about this story is there is a man in the bible who had this sad type of condition by his own free will and choice…..his name is Judas Iscariot. He loved money and often stoled what was in the bag because he was the group treasurer John 12:6. Oh Judas said the right words, by all appearances he was a disciple of Jesus Christ. However, his sinful lust for money eventually got the best of him. The ultimate culmination of His sin is when he betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
Look in Mark 14:21 (KJV) The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.
By the creator of heaven earth said unto him that it would be better if he had never been born….wow….what a tragic end to a promising future.
Interestingly enough is the fact that we see Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde sitting in our pews Sunday after Sunday, listening to the very words of God putting on a good show and by all appearances look and talk like one of Jesus disciples. However, just like Judas the culmination of their sins will be too much for them to bear with what they lost in the process. People do not fully realize what they have until they lost it. Judas realized this when he went out and sought forgiveness…..oops I guess reading what the Bible says it sadly didn’t happen that way did it? Judas went out and hung himself. In sin people do not think rationally because of the distance they put between them and God Isaiah 59:2. You won’t either my friend turn from sin and look unto God who will give you something better, something more lasting, whats the word I’m looking for? Oh yes….something eternal. Think and ponder your actions, renew your mind in Christ as it says in Romans 12:2 (NASB) “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” You by this verse renewing our minds in Christ will help us to think more clearly, so that you may prove what the will of God is. Please my friends as James admonishes us in 1:22 be ye a doers of the word and not hearers only, look also in verse 25 this man will be blessed in his deed. We will be blest following wholly after God with all our hearts with all our minds and with all our strength.

Intimacy with Christ,
Richard

Here I am Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m yours

Here I am signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours these words made famous by Stevie Wonder
In todays world people will sell themselves cheap, for a bottle of whiskey one would give their spouse away, in order to sustain their drug habit they would prostitute their own children just for the next fix and for lust of the flesh people have killed one another. Instead of allowing ourselves to be signed, sealed, delivered and given over to the devil for nothing but hatred, discord and destruction, why not give yourself over to a more worthy more satisfying cause?

Why not give ourselves to one who will satisfy the longing of our souls and give us life in him. Who will freely give His love and grace, to set us free from our bondage, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Who wouldn’t give their all to a person such as this?

Praise the Lord for those who sought forgiveness at the foot of the cross and were washed cleaned by the blood of the lamb you should be honored, for we ARE sign, sealed, delivered and I’m yours Jesus!
Jesus sign the New Testament with his very blood as it says in Hebrews 9:16 (KJV) For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

We were sealed in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NIV) “He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

We are delivered for Luke says, in 1:68 (KJV) “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people.” We have been delivered from sin and hell

A natural recourse for someone who gave His all for you and me would be for those who were redeemed by His very blood to give our all back to him. To totally surrender.

Let come what may for as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

I will be a living sacrifice for Jesus Christ.

I will be a mirror of your love and grace.

I will show others Jesus through my attitudes and my character.

I will do my best to be a living example of one who completely follows the word of God.
There is nothing in this world that even comes close to what Jesus will freely give if we only ask him.

Intimacy in Christ,
Richard