Category Archives: Character of God

Bitterness / Resentment, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Miracles

Bitterness Hurts the One Who Holds It

Bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness can be real obstacles to healing relationships or just healing in your own life after feeling hurt by others. Even if the person who hurt you does not repent and you never reconcile, holding bitterness and resentment is not helpful. Release it to God and move on with your life.

[Matthew 6:14-15] 14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

[Romans 12:14-19]

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
    I will pay them back,”[a]
    says the Lord.

[Hebrew 12:14-15] 14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Remember that holding bitterness and resentment in your heart continues to hurt you and impede your healing process. It is like holding a hot pot without a handle… it hurts the one who holds it.

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Am I on the path?, Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Righteousness / Serving God

Not All Who Call Jesus’ Name Will Enter Heaven

Jesus speaks a strong warning to each of us in Matthew 7:21-23.

21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

There are far too many who even identify as Christians that have not truly accepted Jesus Christ in their hearts. They accept Him in name, perhaps go to church, maybe volunteer and even do good works. However, only those who actually do the will of God will enter heaven.

If you identify with Christ, I encourage you to spend time studying His word and changing your behaviors to become more like Him and less like the world. It is a hard road, as it was for Jesus. It is not typically a comfortable walk from a worldly perspective but when we walk with the Lord we can find joy in living as He commands.

Want to evaluate if you are “on the path” to heaven?  The Bible provides the answers. You may start by reviewing devotions from the category “Am I On The Path?” on our website home page. (On the  sidebar for computer users and by scrolling down on home page on mobile devices).

Understanding your eternal destination while you still have time to make corrections is important… make time for it.

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Am I on the path?, Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Obeying God, Righteousness / Serving God

The Door is Wide and the Road is Easy That Leads to Hell

Jesus provides a strong wake up call for us as His followers to expect to be different and make different choices than what is typical or popular. We are called to put God first not just in words but in our hearts and actions.

[Matthew 7:13-14] 13 “Go in through the narrow door. The door is wide and the road is easy that leads to hell. Many people are going through that door. 14 But the door is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life that lasts forever. Few people are finding it.

Jesus warns us directly to go on the “road less traveled” that represents following Him. It is a hard path, one where many will mock you for your faith. It is a path where you are doing things differently than most of those around you. You seek to serve God rather than yourself.  You make choices that are “unpopular” with people but honor God. You are willing to be a leader for those around you and a follower, submitting to Jesus Christ. You do not seek to do the bare minimum required by God to just “get in” to heaven, but rather rejoice in pleasing the Lord by living according to His word.

The road to hell… that is easy. Just follow the crowds or your own internal sin nature. It looks fun and easy. Many will agree with your choices. You blend in with the world and those around you. Few mock you for your faith… they don’t notice it.

Just because some acknowledge Jesus Christ with their lips, call themselves Christians, or go to church once a week does not mean they will come to heaven and rejoice eternally in the presence of Jesus Christ.

[Matthew 7:22-23] 22 Many people will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not preach in Your Name? Did we not put out demons in Your Name? Did we not do many powerful works in Your Name?’ 23 Then I will say to them in plain words, ‘I never knew you. Go away from Me, you who do wrong!’

Of course, for those of us who are trying to find and stay on the narrow path, we want to bring as many people as we can with us… so we must at times endure mocking to share the good news of the gospel with those who would receive it.

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Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Prayer

Praying for Others

At times Christians feel a desire to intercede in prayer on someone else’s behalf.  There are multiple examples in the Bible of intercessory prayer from godly leaders. When we intercede, we do not come before God asking for worldly desires to be met, but rather we pray according to the character and word of God for those for whom we are interceding.

In Genesis 18:16-33, God reveals His plans for the destruction of  Sodom as judgment for their unrepentant sin. Abraham intercedes humbly before God on behalf of the righteous people that may live amongst the wicked in Sodom.

In Exodus 32:9-14, when God tells Moses that He will destroy the Israelite people for their blatant idolatry, Moses intercedes for the people. Moses changes God’s mind on this decision by highlighting  how their destruction may impede others from following God. He does not appeal to God in such a way as to say the punishment is inappropriate or harsh or undeserved… because Moses knows the punishment would be just.

Continuing to Exodus 32:30-35, Moses actually intercedes again asking forgiveness of the people’s sin, even at the expense of removing his own name from God’s record. In this case God decides instead to justly erase the names of those who sinned against Him and not to erase Moses’ name. The people were each held accountable for their own sins.

Of course the most obvious example of intercession on behalf of others is Jesus Christ Himself. He took our sins on the cross and died for us. He has interceded on our behalf such that our sins would be forgiven… for those of us who accept His gracious offer. Even as He was dying on the cross He was interceding… asking for God to forgive even those who were persecuting them.

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” [Luke 23:34]

We should strive to listen closely to the Holy Spirit as well as look for guidance in the written word in regards to humbly interceding on someone’s behalf before our holy God.  We may not get what we ask for, but God will listen to a righteous prayer from a righteous servant.

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Anger (unrighteous anger), Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, How do I get started?

Do I Have “Right” To Be Angry?

When we let our sinful natures determine our response to events or people we often respond in anger. The world tells us we have a “right” to be angry based on these situations or words from others.

There are, in fact, situations where a righteous anger is an appropriate response… similar to when Jesus turned the tables of the money changers in the temple.  However, many times we are not responding in righteous anger and a response filled with patience and love would be more effective in managing the situation in a way that honors God.

[Proverbs 29:11] Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.

[Proverbs 15:1] A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.

[Ephesians 4:26-27]  And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”[a] Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

[Colossians 3:8]  But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.

When we accept Jesus Christ as lord and savior and learn to let the Holy Spirit guide our behaviors and our words we begin to transform ourselves to become more like Jesus. We respond less in anger and more in patience and love.

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How do I get started?, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Salvation

ABC’s of Salvation

On a recent trip through a store selling groceries and household items I was handed a blue card by someone as I walked by the aisles near the front of the store. After reading the card, I was delighted to see that it was a Christian outreach from a local church. I thought they captured a good overview of salvation in a few words and felt it would be good to share more broadly.

ABC’s of Salvation

Acknowledge – that we are born sinners into this world and that we can’t save ourselves.

Believe – that Jesus Christ died for your sins, and by accepting Him as Lord, you can become a born again Christian.

Confess – Romans 10:9 which says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Prayer of Salvation is not about specific words but the heart. A prayer of salvation may sound something like this…

Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I confess that Jesus is Lord. I believe in my heart that you raised Him from the dead. Come into my heart Jesus, and be Lord over my life. Thank you God for saving me.

I will add here that when you truly accept Jesus as Lord of your life, it is more than words or a one time profession of faith. It is more than going to church once a week and saying you are a Christian. Your behaviors and values change to be more like Jesus.  You want to study His word to learn more about His character, what He wants from His people, and how He interacts with His people.

Someone who accepts Jesus as lord of their life learns over time to be less concerned about the opinions of the world and more concerned about the truth of God’s word.  It is a wonderful experience that starts us on a journey of transformation to become more like Jesus Christ and less like our old sinful nature. People cannot help but notice true Christians living joyfully for God in their daily life, even during difficult times.

If you find yourself blending in with the world so much that nobody notices you are different as a Christian… you  should prayerfully consider if you are really living for Christ.

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Addiction, Consequences of Sin, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Sin

Our Sin Nature Can Lead to Crippling Addictions

Our sinful nature can lead to many crippling addictive behaviors. We should remember that it is not God tempting or testing us… God never tempts people. In fact, God provides a helper in the Holy Spirit to dwell inside us and help guide us to choose what is right and reject the destructive path of temptation and sin.

Ultimately we must make a choice to get the help we need and reject the wrong behavior, no matter how strong the temptation or addiction. God wants us to be set free from sin and addiction. He will help us if we turn toward Him wholeheartedly.

James 1:12-15

12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong,[c] and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

Galatians 5:16-24

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

God is not the one tempting us, but rather He is offering to help.

  • Stop rationalizing the addiction or sin as acceptable.  Christ came to set us free from bondage to sin.
  • Reject the idea that you cannot overcome it.
  • If you have not already done so, accept Jesus as lord and savior.  It is more than words, but rather a matter of your heart.
  • Turn from the addiction with repentant heart and ask God’s forgiveness and help to overcome it.
  • Rely on the Holy Spirit and God’s word to guide you in overcoming addiction and living the way God intends.
  • Seek the help of other Christian believers. God does not intend for us as His children to live in isolation from one another.

Jesus Christ came to set us free from the bondage of sin and addiction. We must not submit to our sin nature in defeat, but rather overcome it through God’s help in the Holy Spirit.

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Fasting, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Prayer

Prayer and Fasting

Jesus provides specific guidance on prayer and fasting in Matthew 6:5-18. Prayer and fasting are intended to be part of a personal relationship with God, not something intended for show or attention before men.

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
    may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
    as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,[a]
12 and forgive us our sins,
    as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,[b]
    but rescue us from the evil one.[c]

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair[d] and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

God does not want us to perform “religious” activities like prayer or fasting as displays for men. He wants us to develop relationship with Him through these activities by doing them privately.

Jesus lays out in simple instructions the way we should come before God in prayer. It is not about memorizing and repeating words. Instead let the words of Jesus guide us in our approach to prayer before our holy God. Focus first on God… on His kingdom… on His will.  Then ask Him for our daily needs and provision. He intends for us to come before Him every day… not once in awhile. As an extension of our daily needs Jesus guides us specifically to go beyond our physical needs and to ask for forgiveness and for help to resist temptation and the evil one. Satan is real. He is not a metaphor. We need Jesus’ help daily to resist Satan and the traps he lays out for us.

Jesus also reminds us in this scripture that being forgiven by God goes hand-in-hand with forgiving others who you believe have sinned against you. This forgiveness does not mean you endorse or agree with what they did. It means you will not hold a grudge or hold bitterness against them for something in the past. If they wholeheartedly repent you accept them back joyfully and relationship is restored. Even for those who choose not to repent, you should be careful not to harbor bitterness in your heart. Bitterness hurts most the one who holds it.

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False Prophets / Teachers, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Share the Good News

What if Teaching Scripture Offends People?

In John 6:35-68, Jesus teaches truth, even when it is hard. He never compromises the message of scripture just to make people feel more comfortable. People may choose to leave if they refuse to accept God’s word or it offends them, but if we refuse to teach the truth of God’s word then there is no purpose to anyone staying to listen. They may as well listen to the message of the world.

35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. 37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

41 Then the people[h] began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

43 But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. 44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures,[i] ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)

47 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50 Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

52 Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

53 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54 But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”

59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”

61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.[j]”

Simon Peter replied with both simplicity and great wisdom. Once we know that Jesus is the Holy One of God, then we should not reject His hard teaching, but seek to understand it. To whom else will we go?

Sadly, many churches choose not to teach the full gospel or change it to avoid offending their flock with hard teaching.  Leaders may even rationalize that it is for the good of their flock, to keep them in church and not have them leave. Some just want to fill the seats and get donations. Jesus shows us to teach the truth boldly is to truly love God’s people. Some will reject it, but those who accept it will understand the truth of the good news.

A parent could tell their children it is safe to play in the street and the children may be happier, but they are in danger. So too is it important to preach the full gospel in its full truth to the body of Christ!

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Anger (unrighteous anger), Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law

God’s Law Demands A High Standard

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Jesus explains the full measure and expectation in the law regarding “murder” in Matthew 5:21-26. He reveals exactly how high God’s standards are and reveals to those of us that are listening that we continue to fall short of those standards.

21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’[c] 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone,[d] you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,[e] you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,[f] you are in danger of the fires of hell.[g]

23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[h] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.[I]

Jesus commands us not to hold unrighteous anger toward others. Instead we should seek to be reconciled with them. Holding anger toward others creates bitterness and separates us from God and the joy filled life He wants us to have.

We also see in this scripture that as sinful beings we will never perfectly meet the standard of God’s law. This realization should help us to turn toward Jesus and accept His offer of grace through His death on the cross. Only in this way can we be set free from the bondage of sin.

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