All things work together for good...

Wow! What a day we had with Cardboard Box Church. I don't refer to healing miracles, but rather to persecution. Without getting into too many details, the trouble brought the police who told us we couldn't do this (Cardboard Box Church) legally and if we've been doing it without the police stopping us, it's because certain officers didn't fully know the ordinances. Long story short, we were directed to an organization in town that showed us how to do this legally and in a better location. What the devil meant for trouble, the Lord turned around for good.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28

Remaining in Him

Although salvation is a work of God and not of ourselves, it's important to remember our role in believing. When someone hears the gospel message clearly and receives Christ, that person is coming into agreement with the terms of the covenant. The terms of the covenant includes, continuing to believe just as from the beginning.

As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. - 1John 2:24

Is there correction in grace?

The grace of God builds us up and encourages us. We're taught to grow in grace, but grace without reproof is no grace at all.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, - Titus 2:11-12

Rightly dividing the word

Many Christians take scripture out of context. For instance, Isaiah 55:8 says,

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.

Because of this verse, people think it's not possible to figure out God, but they fail to see the context of that verse, which shows us that the Lord is speaking about the wicked man. We can see this clearly by what verse 7 says.

Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

However, the Christian is a new creation. We have the mind of Christ, who is God.

For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct him. But we have the mind of Christ. - 1Corinthians 2:16 

Stumbling

All of us stumble in different ways. If we know Jesus Christ, we'll feel grieved when we stumble (sin).  I feel bad when I stumble, especially when I mess up in a way that I know I've been victorious in. The scripture has a simple way of helping us to not stumble. It's through love.

He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. - 1John 2:10

The mystery of God's power

After almost 9 years of experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit stirring and flowing everyday, I still can't explain to you how it works. I just know it does.

But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves. - 2Corinthians 4:7

Parting ways

Sometimes we need to part ways with those who are not part of God's plan for our lives. The Lord has a good plan for us, but if we have people in our lives that are just not part of what the Lord is doing through us, we need to pull away. This doesn't mean certain people around us are from the devil. It just means God is very precise in all that He does.

The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. - Genesis 13:14-15