Hope

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain,

~Hebrews 6:19

Christ is

Moral excellence and self-control

2 Peter 1:3-11

right teaching and living

Wow!  My previous blog entry, God led me on Monday already in His word about right teaching and living and now again!...this time in 2 Peter 1 also regarding right teaching and living.

Right teaching and living

Titus 2

wholesome teaching and living

We must promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching.

We must exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. We must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.  We must live in a way that honors God. We must not slander others or be heavy

Praise and worship bring the victory

2 Kings 20

I greet you in the wonderful name of Jesus. May God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord give you grace and peace.
  

What an encouragement when I read 2 Chronicles 20. The following is what I got from this chapter. I make it mine! You can do the same, because God's love, blessing and victory

Peace

PEACE
Luke 10:5-6

Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘May peaceG1515 be on this house!’
And if a peace-loving person is there, your peace will remain on him, but if not, it will
return to you.Luke 10:5-6 (NET)

Luk 10:5
1 Sam 25:6; Isa 57:19; Mat 10:12-13; Act 10:36; 2 Cor 5:18-20; Eph 2:17

Then you will say to my brother, “PeaceH7965 to you and your house! Peace to all that is yours!
1 Samuel 25:6 (NET)

I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate.  Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,” says the Lord, “and I will heal them.
Isaiah 57:19 (NET)

I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
Isaiah 57:19 (KJV)

And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Matthew 10:13 (NET)

You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)—
Acts 10:36 (NET)

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near,
Ephesians 2:17 (NET) 

Luk 10:6
2 Thess 3:16;James 3:18

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all.
2 Thessalonicense 3:16

And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.
James 3:18

 

I have learned a lot about the word peace.  What does it mean when a Christian blesses you with peace?

If you wish peace/(shâlôm) shalom on someone, you are wishing them "peace (literally or figuratively); by implication prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again."
It is a greeting.
 
You are wishing them to be safe, well, happy, wishing them good welfare in their health, prosperity and peace.  You are wishing God's favour upon them.  Wishing them to be wholly well.  In all aspects of their lives.
 
Wow!  What a blessing when someone blesses you with PEACE!  So many of God's blessings in one word.
 
When the person you are blessing is not welcoming and not seeking peace, your peace returns to you.

I know true peace can only come from God, peace that surpasses all understanding.

Such a small word encompassing so many blessings. :)  

Do Christians even greet others with a peace blessing, especially unbelievers?  Time to change that and start blessing people with the peace of Jesus when we greet them!  God blesses even the unbeliever.  He blesses them to show them His mercy and goodness, to draw them to Him.  So let us bless them when we greet them.

Thanks for reading! :)  Shalom!

Study tools: e-Sword

Sin │ Forgiveness

Have you been indulging any sin in your life?  Sin grieves the Holy Spirit and when you pray while indulging in a sin, God will not hear your prayers.

If you repent of that sin though and you ask God's forgiveness, He will hear from heaven and forgive your sin because the blood of Jesus washes us and cleanses us from all sin.

Then all things become new and fresh and you can come to God in prayer without shame or guilt.  You can be steadfast in your prayers again.  Then you do not need to fear anymore because God is a God of great mercy.  You can forget about that sin, do not dwell on it, that you gave in to it, because God has forgiven and when He forgives He also forgets!  And so should you, forget about it.  It is like a river that flows past you and that water that flows past you disappears into the sea of forgetfulness.  Think of your transgression like that, because that is how it is with God.

Now that God has forgiven you, you can be happy again.  Though things were dark, all things are new again, like the morning.  Just like God's mercies are new every morning.

Be at peace.  God is loving, good, kind, forgiving when you repent with a sincere, remorseful heart.

“If you would prepare your heart,
And stretch out your hands toward Him;
If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away,
And would not let wickedness dwell in your tents;
Then surely you could lift up your face without spot;
Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
Because you would forget your misery,
And remember it as waters that have passed away,
And your life would be brighter than noonday.
Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.

~Job 11:13-17

Cussing │ Rivers of living waters

That's something I don't understand about some Christians.  Is there no conviction when they talk like that?  Because as a Christian, the Holy Spirit will convict you the moment you speak foul. 

It is written in Ephesians 5:26-27 that Christ cleanses the church with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.  Yes Christ did it all through the shedding of His blood.  Do we now continue as always and there is never a change?  No!  God changes us through His word.  You read the word of God and those truths hit home and you are convicted and you start to change, in time comes a change that people notice, especially from what comes out of your mouth (or what you type on the internet!).

Christ said in Matthew 15:19 that it is what come out of our mouths that defile us, because it comes from our hearts from where come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  These are the things which defile us.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, God's word changes us.

From our bellies will flow living waters.  That is the Holy Spirit flowing out of our hearts to bless others.  Now how can we as Christians be cussing and at the same time be a blessing with what comes from our heart, when what comes from our hearts are foul and not from the Holy Spirit?

Let us pray:

Father God I pray that you fill our hearts with your Holy Spirit and cleanse us by the washing of the water by the word so that from our hearts will flow rivers of living waters that will bless others.  We thank you for convicting us Father because you love us and are changing us into the image of Christ from glory to glory by your Spirit.
In Jesus' Holy Name we pray.

Amen.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

~2 Cor 3:18

Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?

~James 3:11 

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

~James 1:26