A Ransom for Many

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."Christ was sent by God to be a servant! Are you willing to serve the lost and hurting? To be the hands and feet of God's Son? Our task before us is to minister to both the body and the soul! They are not separate but created by God, one eternal and one mortal! Satan will use every means to destroy! You will have to decide if you will seek God wholeheartedly or be content in sin. I am witnessing Satan's attack on families and I am persuaded by the true Words of the living testimony of a most holy God that God is the victor!1 Peter 5:6-116 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. God will use your trial to minister to another!2 Cor.1:4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.He will grow your faith!1Peter 1:6-7 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

These things I believe to be the true testament of God through His Son, Jesus Christ our redeemer!Amen

Romans 8:35 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

2 Cor.4:7-18

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 

8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 

9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 

10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 

11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 

12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, 

14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 

15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 

17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 

18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

The Cost of Gratification of the Flesh.

Satan is here to destroy everything! He will destroy your relationships with family and friends, your marriage, your integrity, your walk with the Lord, just think of all that is good and he will try to destroy it! His favorite tool is temptation! He knows that God made man flesh and spirit and that our flesh is weak!
Mark 9:49 For everyone will be salted with fire.
The word "fire," here, therefore denotes self-denials, sacrifices, trials, in keeping ourselves from the gratification of the flesh. As if he had said, "Look at the sacrifice on the altar. It is an offering to God, about to be presented to him. It is sprinkled with "salt, emblematic of purity, of preservation and of fitting it, therefore, for a sacrifice." So "you" are devoted to God. You are sacrifices, victims, offerings to him in his service. To make you "acceptable" offerings, every thing must be done to "preserve" you from sin and to "purify" you. Self-denials, subduing the lusts, enduring trials, removing offences, are the proper "preservatives" in the service of God. Doing this, you will be acceptable offerings and be saved; without this, you will be "unfit" for his eternal service and will be lost."(quoted from Barnes' notes on the bible)
The cost:
1Cor.6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality
Child of God, be prepared to stand on the living God's promise!
1 Cor.10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Lord, we know that Satan is defeated! Let us who stand strong in faith, teach others this truth! Let us impress upon them, Your Word is our weapon against Satan. Amen

Afflicted

James 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Definition of afflict: condition of grief, distress, poor, needy
What this verse is telling us is that we should have great grief over sin! We should humble ourselves before the Lord because of His great mercy! We are in need of a Savior! We have no power, but Christ does!
2 Cor.4:8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
Col.2:10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Matt.28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Eph.1:21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come
Why are we not crushed? Because of Christ! Why are we perplexed but not driven to despair? Because of Christ!
Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
Once you are in Christ, you are there because of His mercy!
Is.53:4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
Romans 4:25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Affliction brings humility!
Ps.119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.
Ps.119:71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
You don't need self help books because that is what God's Word is!!!
Ps.121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.Most gracious Lord, we truly do not understand the majesty of You! Sear Your Words on our hearts and daily change us to be like You. Help us to teach others of the depth of Your mercy! Amen

God of the Spirits of All Flesh

Num.27:16-17
16 "Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd."Most of the human race thinks in terms of ourselves as a physical body. Until we read and study the bible, we never take into account that, being made by God, He designed a body and a spirit, the body meant to die and the spirit meant to live eternally, and just what the implications are of having an eternal life. It is a great and deep mystery, this body we live in! It hides a soul inside that man can not find. The soul can not be seen as can different organs of the body. It is indeed a spirit. This is what is changed when you trust in Christ. The spirit will then show the outward change to the world. Thus, You are a new creation in Christ. Christ sent the comforter to be our ever present help, to guide us, to help keep us from yielding to temptation and to show the world Himself! We still have the human side that fails but we also have a spirit of repentance that leads to forgiveness when we do fail.Luke 6:45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.Romans 8:2-6because the Spirit's law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.  What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin's domain, and as a sin offering,  in order that the law's requirement would be accomplished in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  For those whose lives are according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those whose lives are according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit.  For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace.2 Cor.5:16-18From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him like that. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.  Now everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation
1 John 2:19-27
They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.  I have not written to you because you don't know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? He is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.  No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well. What you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father.  And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life.  I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don't need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie; just as it has taught you, remain in Him.Lord, Your Word is good! We ask for the souls You are calling. Help us to be aware of the ones who need You. Put Your Word in our mouth and loose our tongues! Amen

God Fulfills

Num.23:19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Who is man to question Almighty God? Will the one who is made question his Maker? God fulfills what He wills! 
Jer.18:4-6
4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.Is.64:8 But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.Romans 9:14-24  14What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory-- 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?God's will for us:1Tim.4:7-137 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.Lord, help us in times of deep hurt to stand on You as our all in all! You are constant, the same today and tomorrow, the same for eternity. Amen

Like Sheep Without A Shepherd

Mark 6:34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.
The great crowds sought the spiritual food which Christ offered. Christ knew that no one cared for their souls! They were ready and waiting for the gospel.
But He also knew that they needed food for the body.
Mark 6:41-44
41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.
42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.We are here to minister to the sheep who have no shepherd. Our compassion for the lost should be our priority. But we often just turn away! What if Christ had turned away? His command was to preach the gospel to the poor, the ones with broken spirits. Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,Only Christ can change hearts! His Word has the power to penetrate the hardest heart! We teach the gospel, we live the gospel, we plant seeds but God brings in the harvest! Christ is our Shepherd!Luke 10:2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.John 4:35 Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."Rev.5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nationLord, by Your power and might! Amen

Wicked

Mark 7:21-23
21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."Definition of defile: to make unclean or impureSpiritual War:Eph.6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.Satan has a plan:Mark 4:19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.2 Cor.4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.Who Christ our King is:Ephesians 1:21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.Repent from disobedience:Ephesians 2:2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedientOur prayer for the sinner:Acts 26:18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'Lord, so many are being led to hell by Satan. Help us to teach them the truth. You are light and everything that is good and Satan is the darkness that drags souls to a eternal darkness and torment. In Jesus name and by His power, AMEN