Touching Lives with James Merritt DAILY DEVOTIONAL EMAIL Subscribe to receive the daily devotional from Dr. James Merritt right into your inbox SUBSCRIBE Worship Together October 6, 2020 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a Great Priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19-22 This passage found in Hebrews gives every Christian the only true reason we should ever need to attend church. We should come to church (and want to come) because we desire to draw near to God with brothers and sisters who have also experienced His mercy and grace. Notice the author of Hebrews says “since” we can confidently draw near to God in worship, and “since” Christ is our High Priest. Christ’s sacrifice for us, and the salvation He has given us, is the foundation of the Church. He is the cornerstone of our lives as believers. We are free to draw near to God! We won’t be struck dead like the priests in the Old Testament who offered “strange fire” to the Lord (Numbers 3:4). We don’t have to live in fear of God’s wrath, because Jesus satisfied that wrath against sin on the cross. You may be thinking, “I can draw near to God by myself.” That is true…and every believer should spend time alone worshipping God. But, when you truly draw near to God alone, you will find that you don’t want to be alone in drawing near to God. You will begin to crave Christian community. There is something different about loving and worshipping God together with other believers. There is something wrong with anyone who is part of a family but doesn’t want to be with that family. Likewise, there is something wrong in the heart of a person who says they are a Christian, yet has no desire to be part of a community of believers. Think about this question: Who is going to heaven? The answer is “the Church.” I don’t mean people who are just members of a local church. I mean people who are a part of the “true” Church, who are part of the Body of Christ, who make up the Bride of Christ. My question is: If you don’t want to be a part of a church, even one day a week, why would you want to be a part of the Church for all eternity? Remember, gathering in worship is God’s idea, not ours. If God thinks it’s important, so should we. Dear Lord, thank you for the local church and for how you use it to further your kingdom. I pray that you would give me opportunities to get plugged into and to serve with my local church so that I might point those outside the church toward you. In Jesus’ name, amen. Topics: Worship Bible Reference Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Numbers 3:4 About Contact Us Jobs Pastor Resources Prayer Request Privacy Policy Copyright © 2019 Touching Lives, Inc. | 1800 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30097 | United States | 770-982-0168 Touching Lives is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization

Touching Lives with James Merritt DAILY DEVOTIONAL EMAIL Subscribe to receive the daily devotional from Dr. James Merritt right into your inbox SUBSCRIBE Worship Together October 6, 2020 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a Great Priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19-22 This passage found in Hebrews gives every Christian the only true reason we should ever need to attend church. We should come to church (and want to come) because we desire to draw near to God with brothers and sisters who have also experienced His mercy and grace. Notice the author of Hebrews says “since” we can confidently draw near to God in worship, and “since” Christ is our High Priest. Christ’s sacrifice for us, and the salvation He has given us, is the foundation of the Church. He is the cornerstone of our lives as believers. We are free to draw near to God! We won’t be struck dead like the priests in the Old Testament who offered “strange fire” to the Lord (Numbers 3:4). We don’t have to live in fear of God’s wrath, because Jesus satisfied that wrath against sin on the cross. You may be thinking, “I can draw near to God by myself.” That is true…and every believer should spend time alone worshipping God. But, when you truly draw near to God alone, you will find that you don’t want to be alone in drawing near to God. You will begin to crave Christian community. There is something different about loving and worshipping God together with other believers. There is something wrong with anyone who is part of a family but doesn’t want to be with that family. Likewise, there is something wrong in the heart of a person who says they are a Christian, yet has no desire to be part of a community of believers. Think about this question: Who is going to heaven? The answer is “the Church.” I don’t mean people who are just members of a local church. I mean people who are a part of the “true” Church, who are part of the Body of Christ, who make up the Bride of Christ. My question is: If you don’t want to be a part of a church, even one day a week, why would you want to be a part of the Church for all eternity? Remember, gathering in worship is God’s idea, not ours. If God thinks it’s important, so should we. Dear Lord, thank you for the local church and for how you use it to further your kingdom. I pray that you would give me opportunities to get plugged into and to serve with my local church so that I might point those outside the church toward you. In Jesus’ name, amen. Topics: Worship Bible Reference Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Numbers 3:4 About Contact Us Jobs Pastor Resources Prayer Request Privacy Policy Copyright © 2019 Touching Lives, Inc. | 1800 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30097 | United States | 770-982-0168 Touching Lives is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization

Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day Hebrews 9:14 ◄ What Does Hebrews 9:14 Mean? ► how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:14(NASB) Verse Thoughts From the beginning of the book of Hebrews, the Lord Jesus Christ is elevated above every prophet of God and all angelic beings. He is of greater importance than Moses the Law-giver, and Joshua, who led the children of Israel into the promised land. The Lord Jesus is far higher in rank and authority than Aaron the first high priest of Israel, and His ministry eclipses the Levitical priesthood. And here in chapter 9, we read that Christ’s offering of Himself is far superior to the Old Testament sacrifices, and cannot be compared with the ashes of a red heifer, or the blood of bulls and goats, which.. for a season, covered the sins of the nation, or which removed them temporarily from defilement – until that day when the perfect Lamb of God would come to earth, and take away the sin of the world. In former times, an annual atonement was made for the sin of the nation, where the blood of animals covered the sin of the people for a single year.  And yet through the sacrifice of His life, Christ Jesus obtained eternal redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting for all who would believe in Him. In the book of Numbers, we discover WHY the ashes of a red heifer were highly prized. They were used to remove a person’s defilement, if they came in contact with a dead body. The young animal was slaughtered outside the camp, and its blood was sprinkled seven times in front of the tabernacle. Only then was the body of the red heifer burned to ashes. The ashes were ceremoniously gathered up and carefully stored for multiple future cleansings. Only a tiny quantity of ash was required each time to cleanse the defiled Israelite, and the cherished cinders could last for many decades. Indeed, some sources say that only six such red heifers were required, during Israel’s entire, pre-Cross history. However, the extra-special cleansing effect of these special ashes, and the value that was placed upon them, cannot be compared with the efficacy of Christ’s atoning blood, for we read, “if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh – how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?” Christ’s offering of Himself was through the eternal Spirit. He willingly offered His life as the full ransom price for the sin of the world, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. In former times the animals, which were a type of Christ, had to be without physical imperfection – but for our sake, Christ lived and died without any moral blemish, for the glory of God and for our permanent and eternal salvation. Our sins are not merely covered for a season nor are we only cleansed outwardly through His blood. We are cleansed inwardly and we are cleansed forever. Our hearts are made new. Our consciences are cleansed and purified by the shed blood of the perfect Lamb of God, and we are covered in Christ’s righteousness, forever. By faith, we are freed from slavery to sin, and delivered from a nagging need to carry out ‘dead works’ of the flesh, in an attempt to justify ourselves, cover our own confusion, cleanse ourselves from our own unrighteousness, and appease our sin-offended God. Rather, we are enabled to work the works of righteousness and do the good works of the spirit through the power of the Holy Spirit – good works which God Himself has prepared for all who have trusted Christ for the salvation of their soul. May we never ever minimise the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made on our account, and the tremendous power that the blood of Christ has in the lives of all who trust in His redemptive work. May we never diminish the inconceivable sacrifice the Lord Jesus gave, when He left His home in glory, made Himself a little lower than the angels on our account, and clothed Himself in mortal flesh, so that by the willing sacrifice of His sinless life.. we sinners might be declared righteous, in God’s sight. My Prayer Heavenly Father, what an incredible sacrifice, that through the blood of Christ, my salvation has been made secure. Thank You for sending Jesus to be the sin-sacrifice for me and for the rest of the world. Thank You that through the eternal Spirit, He offered Himself without blemish to You.. so that by faith, my conscience is cleansed from dead works, and I have been given the sufficient grace to love and serve You in newness of life and in purity of spirit. May I do so to my life’s end to Your praise and glory. This I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN. ◄ Previous: Hebrews 8:12 Next: Hebrews 9:22 ► Choose a Verse from Hebrews 9 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728 Zephaniah 3:5 1 Corinthians 15:58 Titus 1:6 2 Corinthians 5:16 Follow us Hebrews 9:14 Further Study Hebrews 9:14 in the Parallel Bible Hebrews 9:14 in the Thematic Bible Hebrews 9:14 Cross References Hebrews 9:14 Treasury of Scripture Knowing Hebrews 9:14 Sermons Hebrews 9:14 Prayers Hebrews 9:14 Images Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals The Spirit of Fellowship Revelation 19:6 1 Samuel 3:17 Merciful Death The Bent Of Regeneration A Beautiful Picture Christian Beware Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved

Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day Proverbs 16:1 ◄ What Does Proverbs 16:1 Mean? ► The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. Proverbs 16:1(NASB) Verse Thoughts God is sovereign over all the earth and His supreme plans and purposes will prevail. However from the beginning of creation, man was given a free-will, and we read in this verse that, “the plans of the heart belong to man.” The responsibility to make good choices or even bad decisions, is given into the heart of man, but this does not suggest that God has somehow lost His authority in our lives, for the verse continues.. “but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” The sovereignty of the Lord is not diminished because of man’s God-given ability to make his own, free-will choices. Conversely, man’s volition and human accountability is not thwarted by the sovereign authority of God. It is God’s grace that has endowed man with a will to make choices, a mind to think things through, and a heart to make plans. However, when man has done all he is able to do.. it is also by God’s grace that the Lord formulates the ultimate outcome – for although the plans of the heart belong to man (by God’s grace).. nevertheless, the answer of the tongue is from the Lord – (also by God’s amazing grace.) How often we have formed our plans and purposes only to have them changed, mid-stream. And yet, as we reflect on the outcome, we often recognise that it was by God’s grace that He guided us in a different direction, to a more fruitful outcome. The mind of a man may plan his way, but the Lord in His grace guides our steps. Many plans may be hiding in the heart of a man, but our gracious God directs our way, for the counsel of the Lord will stand firm, forever. This verse is not informing us that our decisions are of little consequence. It does not withhold man’s responsibility for the choices he takes nor does it deny man’s accountability for the actions he undertakes and the words he speaks. This verse is highlighting the importance for every child of God, to use our God-given free-will to choose wisely.. as we seek to carry out His perfect will, in the choices we make. The psalmist tells us to delight ourselves in the Lord and He will give us the desires of our heart.. for when our heart is turned towards our heavenly Saviour, His perfect desire will become the perfect plans of our inner being. When we abide in Him and submit our will to His leading and guiding.. the plans of our heart, will align with God’s purpose for our life.. and the answers we receive from the Lord, will become the delight of our heart – until we are able to say.. Thy will not mine be done, to Your praise and glory. My Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for the many truths that are hidden within the precious pages of Your Word. I pray that the plans and purposes of my heart will mirror the desire of Your will for me. Thank You that my life is in Your hands, and I pray that the answer of my tongue and the plans for my life are perfectly aligned to Your Word and Your will. This I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN. ◄ Previous: Proverbs 15:1 Next: Proverbs 16:3 ► Choose a Verse from Proverbs 16 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233 Hebrews 13:4 Luke 6:31 Hebrews 10:16 Romans 6:7 Follow us Proverbs 16:1 Further Study Proverbs 16:1 in the Parallel Bible Proverbs 16:1 in the Thematic Bible Proverbs 16:1 Cross References Proverbs 16:1 Treasury of Scripture Knowing Proverbs 16:1 Sermons Proverbs 16:1 Prayers Proverbs 16:1 Images Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals The Principle of the Cross Psalm 50:15 Hebrews 10:37 Dethronement The Bias Of Degeneration Where is Your Trust? Kept In His Love Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved

Touching Lives with James Merritt DAILY DEVOTIONAL EMAIL Subscribe to receive the daily devotional from Dr. James Merritt right into your inbox SUBSCRIBE Community October 5, 2020 “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1 A 2012 Pew Research Poll asked Americans who said that spirituality and religion was somewhat important in their lives, but either did not attend church, or at best attended sporadically, why they didn’t attend more often. The number one answer given by almost 40% of the people was that they didn’t consider attending worship services important. The “drop-out rate” of people regularly attending church has never been higher. In fact, there is now a category called “Nones,” which are people who do not attend any church – and it is the fastest growing “religious group” in America. God did not create the church because He was looking for a way to waste our time, keep us busy, or just give us something else to do. God designed the church, not primarily for His benefit, but for ours. The truth is that it is God’s gift to His family. Therefore, no Christ follower should ever quit the church. Interestingly, the problem of quitting church is not just a modern-day problem. Evidently, the early church had an attendance deficit as well. Some believers had begun to slack off, drop out, and sleep in. The Book of Hebrews lays out why the Church is important to God and why it should be important to every believer. Throughout Hebrews the author uses the phrase, “Let us…” He is talking to the Church as a whole, not just to individual believers, but also to every follower of Jesus collectively. He encourages the believers to worship together, share their faith together, serve together, and never stop living life together. A great New Testament scholar once said: “We do not find an un-churched Christian in the New Testament…A person was not saved for the sole purpose of enjoying a personal relationship with God…A person is saved to community.” No Christian is an island. We need each other. And the local church is our connection point to one another. Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of community. I pray that you would help me not to take this gift for granted, and that you would surround me with fellow believers so that we might encourage each other and spur one another on in our walk with you. In Jesus’ name, amen. Topics: Fellowship Bible Reference Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! About Contact Us Jobs Pastor Resources Prayer Request Privacy Policy Copyright © 2019 Touching Lives, Inc. | 1800 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30097 | United States | 770-982-0168 Touching Lives is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization

Toggle navigation Search Browse The Bible Toggle Dropdown Search The Bible Find it! What Did Jesus Mean When He Said to “Remain in Me”? Bible / Bible Study / Topical Studies Share Tweet Save Clarence L. Haynes Jr. Sunday, October 4, 2020 “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). With such an important verse of Scripture as this one, what immediately comes to my mind and hopefully yours, is why? Why is this verse, “if you remain in me and my word remains in you,” so important? There are two important reasons that address this question. 1. Living Power As a believer, Christ is your source. There is no salvation without Christ and there is no living this Christian life without Christ. Earlier in this same chapter (John 15:5) Jesus himself said “apart from me you can do nothing.” So in order to live an effective life you need help that goes beyond yourself or your ability. You receive that help when you remain in Christ. 2. Transforming Power The second part of that verse, “my words remain in you,” highlights the importance of the word of God. Simply put, the word of God teaches you how to live, and Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, helps you live out what the word of God teaches. God uses the word to transform how you believe, how you think, and ultimately how you act or live. Do you want to live a transformed life that represents Jesus well in this world? To do that you must remain in him and allow his word to remain in you. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Andrey Popov What Does This Verse Mean? To remain means to abide or to dwell. The implication is not that this is a one-time occurrence, but that this is something that is ongoing. Think of anything electric you have in your house. For that item to work properly, it must be connected to the power source. As great and smartly designed as that device is, if it has no power it doesn’t work. You and I are the same way. As fearfully and wonderfully made as you are, you cannot accomplish the things of God if you are not connected to the source of power.  Jesus is calling you to dwell or continue in him and for his word to dwell or continue in you – the two are intertwined. You cannot dwell in Christ apart from his word and you cannot truly dwell in his word and remain apart from Christ. One feeds naturally into the other. In the same way, the appliance can’t work without remaining connected to the power. Also, the appliance can’t refuse to work either once it is connected to the power. The two work together and are intertwined. (Now if the appliance is broken that is a whole different story and the subject of another article.) How Does the Word Remain in Us?  Let’s dwell for a moment on part of this verse and why it is important. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you.” How does God’s word remain in you? The answer is probably something you already know. As much as people try to get away from the basics, they will always be foundational to your walk with God. Here is how you do this: Read, meditate, memorize, obey. Joshua 1:8 says “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” There is power in reading God’s word. There is power in meditating on God’s word. There is power in memorizing God’s word. Ultimately there is power in obeying God’s word. The good news is when you remain in Jesus, he gives you the desire to walk in obedience to his word. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/kevron2001 What Is the Context of John 15? This portion of John 15 is part of a longer discourse that began in John 13. Consider John 13:1: “It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” From this point forward, through John 17, Jesus proceeds to give his disciples some final instructions. Knowing the hour was at hand, it’s like he wanted to remind them of the most important things to remember when he was no longer here. Think of a person who is terminally ill with only days to live and they have a conversation with you about what’s important and what you need to focus on. Chances are those words would have greater meaning to you. These are among the last instructions and encouragements Jesus gave his disciples, so it puts added weight on why it is important. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you” were not light words then, and they certainly aren’t light words now. What Does the Rest of This Verse Mean? So far, we have focused on the first part but there is a second part of this verse and we must consider why it is important. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (emphasis added). Wait a minute – did Jesus just say we can ask for whatever we want and it will be done? You did read that correctly, but this requires some context. This is another example of these truths being intertwined together. If you really think about it, this is an incredible statement, so let’s understand how this works. As we discussed earlier, when you remain in Christ that is the source of your power to live. When God’s word remains in you that is what God uses to transform your life and your way of thinking. When these two things are operating correctly and effectively in your life then you can ask for whatever you wish because it will be in line with Christ in you and the word of God in you. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/rudall30 Does This Verse Support a Prosperity Gospel? This verse does not and here is why. God does not answer prayers that are born out of wrong, selfish, or greedy motives. Consider these verses in James: “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure” (James 4:1-3). When it comes to God answering your prayers, motives matter. Let me be clear – God has no problem blessing people, in fact he enjoys doing that. The problem comes when people are more interested in receiving the blessings, without wanting the one who blesses. Notice the order of things in John 15:7. Before you ask, the first thing you do is remain in Christ where he becomes your source. The next thing you do is allow his word to remain in you where you line up how you believe, how you think, and how you live with what he desires. When you have aligned your life in this fashion, then your prayers will change. They will be in line with his desires because you have aligned yourself with Jesus and his word. When this happens then God will answer your prayers because they will be in alignment with what he wants to do in your life. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15). When you are in Christ and Christ’s words are in you, you will pray according to God’s will. When your prayers line up with what God desires to do you can be certain that you will have what you asked for. However, you can only get to this place by remaining in Him and his words remaining in you. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Moussa81 What Does This Verse Mean for Our Everyday Lives? There is one word this verse means for our everyday lives. That word is fruit. Consider these earlier verses in John 15: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). It is really quite simple and at the same time it is easily missed. Ask yourself this question: Do you want to bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God? If the answer is yes there is only one way to do that, you must remain connected to the vine. There is no other way. The more connected and tied you are to Jesus, the more connected you are to his word in your life and the more fruit you will bear. Quite honestly, you won’t be able to help it because it will be the natural result of the connection. More remaining, more connection, more fruit. It really is that simple. Fight to Remain in Him The victory is in remaining. The blessing is in remaining. The productivity and the fruit are in remaining. However, so is the challenge of remaining. While remaining in Christ and his words remaining in you is simple to understand, it is sometimes harder to execute. That’s why you must fight for it. There will be many things to distract you and pull you away from your place of remaining. You must resist them and fight to remain. Remember that outside of the vine there is no power, no productivity, and no fruit. I encourage you today to do whatever it takes to remain connected to Christ and his word. This may require you to unplug yourself from some other things, but I think you would agree that the fruit you will bear and the life you will live will make that sacrifice worth it all. Photo credit: Unsplash/Priscilla Du Preez Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, author and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He has spent more than 30 years serving the body of Christ in various capacities and has just released his first book, The Pursuit of Purpose. If you have ever struggled trying to find God’s will, this book will help you discover the different ways God leads you into his perfect will. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.  Popular Articles What Did Jesus Mean When He Said to “Remain in Me”? Clarence L. Haynes Jr. 4 Uplifting Lessons from Hannah’s Life and Prayer Kirstyn Mayden Why It Is So Incredible That God Is “Alpha and Omega” Heather Adams Was There Power in Jesus’ Physical Blood? Michael Jakes What Does It Mean to Be Sanctified? 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Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day Mark 2:2 ◄ What Does Mark 2:2 Mean? ► And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. Mark 2:2(NASB) Picture courtesy of Sweet Publishing/FreeBibleimages.org Verse Thoughts At the beginning of Mark, chapter 2, we read that Jesus had returned to Capernaum, after having completed an exhaustive preaching tour throughout the Galilean region. For days, He had not only been preaching and teaching the gospel of the kingdom, but had cast out many demons and healed numerous people that were sick with diverse diseases. However, soon after Jesus returned to His home base at Capernaum, following this strenuous teaching tour, we discover that people suddenly realised that Jesus was back in their village again.. and soon the message was spread abroad, that the Lord Jesus had returned to Capernaum! Once the people knew He was in the house, they quickly gathered together and pushed inside, so that there was no longer any room left in the house – not even near the door! Jesus naturally started speaking to them the word of life, and proclaiming the good news of the gospel of God and the coming kingdom, for He knew that they were like sheep without a shepherd. It was likely that the house in question was Peter’s home, where he lived with his wife and mother in law.. and as was the custom in those days, many uninvited guests would stream, unhindered, into a person’s home, if there was someone there that they wanted to meet. Jesus did not have much time to recuperate from his arduous preaching assignment before He was surrounded by vast numbers of people who wanted to see Him, and who brought the sick and lame so that they could be healed, and so we read, “Jesus, having returned to Capernaum, after some days – it was rumoured about – that He was in the house.” This is the precursor to the healing of the paralytic man whose four friends were so desperate to bring him to Jesus for healing, that they joined the thronging crowds and even clambered up onto the roof of the house, in order to bring this man to Jesus. They carried his bed onto the roof and let this paralysed man down into the courtyard below, so that the Son of God could heal his body and forgive his sins. When one is weary and exhausted, following some strenuous project, it is generally rewarded with a time of recuperation and relaxation, but Christ had little time to recover from His demanding and difficult preaching tour of Galilee.. before the next call on His strength began. Sadly, most of the short-sighted people in Capernaum were simply looking for some temporary physical relief, and were paying little attention to their spiritual poverty, their need of salvation, or their eternal destiny, while the blind, jealous, Jewish leaders foolishly overlooked the presence of the incarnate God, Who was living in their midst – as they sought to find anything that would discredit His important, heavenly-ordained ministry, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. May we seek to imitate our precious Saviour, and gather the God-given strength we need for each day from the indwelling Holy Spirit – through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. And may we work tirelessly while it is still day – for the night is fast approaching, when no man will be able to work. My Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for the example of Jesus, Who during His earthly life, placed the needs of others before His own comfort, and gathered the strength He needed to finish the work that You ordained for Him to do, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, to Your praise and glory. May I live as Jesus lived, in total dependence upon You and in submission to the Holy Spirit, knowing that Your grace is sufficient for all the work that You have prepared for me to do. This I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN. Picture courtesy of Sweet Publishing/FreeBibleimages.org ◄ Previous: Mark 1:24 Next: Mark 2:5 ► Choose a Verse from Mark 2 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728 Hebrews 10:39 Romans 10:10 1 Samuel 13:14 Luke 4:40 Follow us Mark 2:2 Further Study Mark 2:2 in the Parallel Bible Mark 2:2 in the Thematic Bible Mark 2:2 Cross References Mark 2:2 Treasury of Scripture Knowing Mark 2:2 Sermons Mark 2:2 Prayers Mark 2:2 Images Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals 1 Corinthians 12:6 Quickened For Service Exodus 34:29 Bold Belief The Vision And The Verity The Folly of Worry Servant-Spirit, Servant-Mind, Servant-Life Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved

Are we capable of hiding from God?

            The answer is no!! According to Job 34:21 says for His eyes are on the ways of man, and he sees all his steps.  When it comes to man himself, he is only dust and clay.  The air that man breathe does not belong to him.  It belongs to God.  God is a sovereign God.  He is the God of all humanity.  According to Job 33:14 says for God may speak in one way or in another, yet man does not perceive it  This means that man is totally unaware of the presence of God.  Whenever a man, woman, or child call themselves hiding from God; He knows exactly what you are doing at all times.  It is not very easy for someone to hide from a Power that is greater than yourself.

Job 33:4 says the Spirit of God has made me and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.  The Lord has made man out of the dust of the ground, he breathed His breath into the nostrils of man, and man became a living soul.  Genesis 2:27.  The Lord God has made man and woman in His image Genesis 1:27.  Job 33:6 says truly I am as your spokesman before God: I also have been formed out of clay.  God knows the ways of all mankind.  Remember one thing, God’s ways and thoughts are not your own.  God is all in all.  Therefore, we cannot hide from God.  Job 34:11 says for He repays man according to all of his works, and he makes man to find a reward according to his way.  God is solely responsible for giving us life.  He is responsible for giving us the ability to do the things that we are currently doing right now.  This is so true that we shall be judged according to our works.  Faith without works is dead.  The only reason why we cannot hide from God is because He is inside of us.  Job 32:8 says but there is a Spirit in man and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.  To answer this question, God knows exactly where we are whether we are living or dead.  Thank you for reading my information!!

Faithfully Submitted,

Anthony Hopkins

Are we sticking to a script in our daily lives?

        I have a very important question to ask everyone.  Are we sticking to a script in our daily lives?  When it comes to a parenting relationship, an average mother and father stick to their roles as parents of children.  This is because a person is trying to guide another person in the right direction.  When it comes to a script, it is a set of behaviors that are designed to gain an advantage or changing the behavior of another. Do not let anyone laugh you out of doing God’s work.

 John 10:10 says the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  This is because Satan and demonic spirits are sticking to a script.                  Its purpose is to annihilate everyone on earth.  They also have a program of destruction with the use of mind games. Therefore, Satan is the master deceiver. 

Currently, there are a very small number of individuals who are incarcerated or are sent to institutions to serve a sentence for crimes that they have committed. Satan is the accuser of the brethren.

 There are those who are deemed as mentally ill or have a psychosis.  Let’s look at the definition of the word psychosis.  The definition of the word psychosis is when someone who has lost touch with reality.  Some would say that the behavior fits the crime.  However, if a person exhibits a specific behavior, in some cases, it does not mean that they are unfit to be in society.

 It is that they are in need of additional help.  Therefore, these individuals are assigned to a Case Manager.  A case manager’s job is to stick to a script consisting of modifying the behavior of their clients.  At least this is what they are trying to do.  Even though I have been perceived as mentally ill.  If the Lord’s Will, my job is to study and to analyze human behavior myself.

  I want to inform everyone that I have experience in working as a Youth Counselor from 1993-1996 while living in Toledo, Ohio.  I have maintained a license as a Social Work Assistant from the State of Ohio Counselor and Social Work Board from 1993-2010.  I also would like to inform all of you that I have experience working in College and University Libraries.  I have a total of 12 years of experience.

 I have worked in State Government for 12 years from 1992-1996 and 2001-2009.  I will admit that I have a mental illness and currently, I am a Blogger.  I really have been blogging for a total of 8 years.  I have a total of 650 blogs online with WordPress, Blogger, Mocospace, and Blackplanet.Com.  I have blogs on a new website called Tumblr and Penzu.  If anyone want to search my blogs, please look them up using my name.  My name is Anthony Hopkins and I thank all of you for reading my blog.

Sincerely,

Anthony Hopkins

Encouragement for the trouble heart.

This is an essay that is based on the encouragement for the troubled heart. First, let me inform everyone that whenever a person has a troubled heart, it is either a broken spirit or a form of depression. There are times as human beings that we might suppress our feelings. Therefore, there are times that we do not allow others to enter our personal space. The only person who is able to comfort us is Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. 

        Second, I have a very important question to ask everyone right now. Who comforts us in our afflictions? The answer is Jesus Christ. This is the reason why I trust Him on a daily basis for everything in my personal life. We should trust Jesus Christ, who has died for the sins of mankind. There are times when there is strength inside of our weaknesses. God is by nature an encourager. He uplifts us and we should take advantage of it.

      Third, I want to inform everyone that there is a real need to talk to our heavenly Father. God feels exactly what we all our going through. God wants us to talk to Him about all of our problems. He also wants us to praise Him as well. Whenever, I read the Bible, it enlightens me personally. God talks to all of us through His word. There are also times when the Bible is an implication of my daily walk with Him. God also reveals Himself to all of us in prayer. He also seals our heart, and helps us. You cannot beat talking to Jesus Christ.

       Fourth, when it comes to the word of God; He searches our heart and spirit. I want to tell everyone that my heart and spirit has been revived. God is a good God. He encourages us in all of our afflictions. He is always available 24 hours per day. God is forever unending because He is always there for us. This reminds me of the footprints inside of the sand poem. He is always strive with us. He is there to comfort us. God enjoys building into our lives by encouraging us; so that we can encourage someone else. We must learn how to get out of our own self-pity. God enables us by being there for us. We just need to take the initiative to be there for others. We cannot allow sin to overwhelm us.

      Fifth, we always hear God speaking to us. Being thankful is a learned behavior. It does not matter how far we are in despair, God and His son is always there for us. He is there to rescue us. The Holy Spirit will be able to help us in our time of need. Finally, it begins with the very first step by asking God to save us. We have to allow Him to speak to our heart. There is someone who will pull you out of the grips of stress and despair. Jesus Christ will help you. God also uses others to encourage us in our time of need. God knows what we are all about personally. He always keeps His promises.

Is It True That Our Breath That We Breathe Does Not Belong To Us?

            This is an essay that will focus on answering this very important question.  First, I would like to say that our breath that we breathe does not belong to us.  Psalms 100:3 says; know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His Pasteur.  This means that God has made us period!! He knew us even while we were inside of the womb.  Job 27:3 says; as long as my breath of God in my nostrils.  This means that it is God who is responsible for keeping us alive.  I cherish His breath that is inside of me.  I give Him credit for being with me in my time of need.

 It is the Lord that I love because for me to live is Christ.  Let it be Jesus!! All that it is completed. 

            Next, I believe in the name of Jesus Christ.  Let it be Jesus!! I am very happy that Jesus Christ is my personal Savior.  Through it all, my eyes are on you.  It is well with me!! It is well; it is well with my soul.  My soul does not belong to me.  I love like Jesus because it is God and His Son Jesus Christ, who I give praise to each day and night.  You are stronger Lord!! I must decrease and you must increase! Jesus, you are Lord! I am willing to let your name be lifted high.  Sin is broken.  Jesus, you are Savior of all. 

            Further, I want to mention another Bible verse that has some interest inside of this essay.  Job 32:8 says, but there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.  This means that we are all children of God.  I am no longer a slave to fear.  Therefore, I am a child of God.  We have been chosen by God.  It is God who have drown our fears that we have in our current life.  2^nd Timothy 1:7 says; for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and of a sound mind.  Lord Jesus, you are rich in love.  Bless the Lord, my soul blesses the Lord.  I worship your Holy name.  I sing like never before; on my soul. I worship your Holy name.  It is you Lord that I praise each day of my life.  I will admit that I have made a lot of mistakes in my life.

Moreover, I would like to place emphasis on another Bible verse from the Book of Job.  It comes from Job 34:15.  It states that all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.  This means that we all will pass on someday and eventually return to dust that we were formed.  Lord Jesus, I worship you each day of my life.  Nobody loves me like you love me.  I stand faithful and true, I will always love you.  Jesus, you love me like a mother loves her children.  Your love is unconditional.  I worship you as long as I am breathing.  Lord Jesus, I thank you for the little things.  I praise you Lord Jesus.  I even thank you for the little things.  I thank you for everything that you have given me.  I also thank you for the things that I do not have right now.  Lord Jesus, you have never left my side.

            In addition, I lift up my hands and eyes to you Lord Jesus.  I will always praise you in all of my personal trials and tribulations.  I will admit that I have been hearing voices that are not the Holy Spirit for the past nine years now.  Forgiveness was bought by you Lord Jesus.  Thank you Lord, for opening your arms to me.  I am very sorry for everything that I have done wrong throughout my 53 years of existence.  Thank you Lord Jesus, for being there for me, and everyone else that exist on earth.  I pray for every living creature on earth.  There is power in the name of Jesus.  Lord Jesus, please follow me every day; as long as you allow me to live.

            Also, I want to thank you Lord Jesus for allowing me to surrender to you.  I came here with nothing.  When I leave this precious earth, I will not take anything with me.  Please make me your vessel. Lord Jesus, please allow your hands to console me.  On Sunday February 15, 2015; I surrendered to you.  I was baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.  I will admit that I have been baptized a total of nine times in the past eighteen years.  Thank you Lord Jesus for making me a new creation.  I am desperate for you.  I am lost without you.  I cannot do absolutely nothing without you.  Lord Jesus, it is you, who have ordered my steps.  You even count the steps that I take as well as the hairs on my head are all numbered.  I belong to you.  I love you!!

            Finally, Lord Jesus, I thank you for my breath that you have provided for me.  As I hear and read your precious Word.  Lord Jesus, I am really thankful for the air that I breathe each day.  I do not take this for granted.  I praise the one who have set me free.  Death has lost its grip on me.  Lord Jesus, you are my living hope.  Psalms 56:8 says your number my wanderings, put my tears inside of your bottle, and are they not inside of your Book?  Only Christ in me, sets me free.  Lord Jesus, there was a period of time when I used to be afraid of death.  Right now, I love you.  I truly thank you for being yourself.  I thank you for all things.

Reconciliation and Forgiveness with God, Ourselves and with Others!!

          This is a very special essay concerning the importance of reconciliation and forgiveness with God, ourselves, and with others.  The first thing that I want to say is that God has never left us or forsaken us.  Perhaps, we might have forsaken ourselves at times in our personal lives.  I say this because I used to be a person who did not believe anything, unless I see it with my own eyes.  Secondly, God is not mad at you.  He is mad about you.  God wants us in His family.  He really wants us in heaven with Him. 

          Further, God forgives us because He loved us.  Forgiveness does not equal reconciliation.  Reconciliation takes two people.  For instance, our relationship with God is very important to us.  God’s love is supernatural.  Forgiveness opens the door to reconciliation.  God’s love will always persevere.  Our conversations with others with God requires change on our part.  He have to be totally honest and sincere with Him.  Reconciliation requires that we be on the same page with God, ourselves, and with others.

          Moreover, I want to inform all of you that I have rededicated my life to Jesus Christ as of June 3, 2018 at 7:30AM.  I want to inform all of you that I have been baptized several times in numerous of Churches.  It is that I was still harboring a lot of anger with myself and others.  God had always understood me from the time that I was inside of my mother’s womb. 

According to Jeremiah 1:5; God knew us while we were inside of our mother’s womb.  Even before we were formed, He knew us, before we were born, He sanctified us and ordained us as a prophet to the nations.

          In Addition, God even knows exactly how long we are going to live.  When it comes to Psalms 139:16, it states that our days are fashioned for us even before we are born.  However, love keeps no record of wrongs.  Therefore, we should meditate on God’s love.  There are times that we tend to hold onto our past and there are times that we do the same thing to others.  God sent His Son to die for our sins.  In order to have a conversation with God, we need to keep prayer simple.  We also need to read the Bible as well.  We are ambassadors for Christ.  Do not hold grudges against anyone.  We need to turn from our self-centered living so that God’s love would be possible.

          Jesus died for us so that we can be free.  The cross makes reconciliation possible.  God’s love is stronger.  God is the God of all power.  God communicates His heart with us.  We represent the heart of God.  Fear in love; perfect love cast out fear.  We need to allow God to fix us.  We need God’s grace.  Freedom is here.  God love for us is very pure.  To me personally, God was saying let me know when you are ready.  Reconciliation requires change.  We are afraid of asking too much.  For me personally, I have become a member of the Mormon Faith, 3 Baptist Churches, and currently the United Methodist Church.  I have dedicated my life to each church by getting baptized in water and receiving the Holy Spirit.

Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Please, never stop at forgiveness.  I have officially reconcile with God yesterday and I am happy.  I still have a whole lot of work to do.  I have to share the Good News of the Gospel of Peace.  Jeremiah 23:23 says that am I a God near at hand says the Lord, and not a God afar off?  God is always with us.  He has been with me even during my active addiction.  I have learned a whole lot since the year 2015.  This is during the time that I was baptized by my current pastor at Fort McKinley Church in Dayton, Ohio.

  Romans 16:18 says live at peace with everyone.  Jesus body and blood was shed for us.  God’s love drives out fear.  Acknowledgement is the first step of healing.  God will never fail us.  Christ died for us so that we can move forward and reconcile with Christ.  God will always give ourselves to us.  Freedom and joy comes from God.  I know for me personally, I feel a whole lot better right now.  I must reconcile with my family members and those who refuse to talk to me.  I must first reconcile with God, myself, and others as well. 

The Bible is a conversation material for us.  God is saying engage with me.  I engage with God by reading His word, praying, and acknowledging all of my sins and ask God for repentance each day.  We all want to be heard and understood at all times.  Hurt people hurt people!!  I will admit that I used to take all of my problems out on others.  I was not a bully.  I was a person who was under attack by my enemies from the past.  I also had Satan as an enemy as well. When it comes to the devil, I will admit that I was a person who was hearing voices that were not benevolent.

 The voices that I have heard were demonic spirits attacking me.  There were times when I used to talk back to the voices.  Personal attacks destroy our character both externally and inwardly.  These messages cause a lot of blame.  People react to pain in different ways.  All we do is collect wounds, and it starts all over again.  It also has a lot to do with anxiety and worry.  God sees a future with us.  He forgives us.  God wants a heart to heart conversation with us.  The cross represents the hope for reconciliation.  God is more interested in changing our circumstances.  There are no exclusions to God’s love.  Whoever lives in love, God is with them.

 We are made free in Jesus Christ.  We are ambassadors for Christ.  God reveals His character through us.  We are God’s creation.  This is the Good News.  His blood was poured out for our forgiveness.  God has forgiven me.  I feel much better right now, and I am sharing this message today because God loves you, and so do I.  This is a love that has no walls.  God’s love goes beyond our human expectations.

May the God of all peace be with you all!!  God Bless You!!  Thank You for reading my essay.

My name is Anthony Joseph Hopkins and I am a Blogger.  I want to inform everyone that I have been writing for the past 11 years now.  I have a total of almost 670 professionally written blogs on a number of websites.  I am intelligent, kind, sincere, understanding, humble, and smart.

Man is like a breath!!

Man is like a breath. His life is like a passing shadow. It gives me the indication that God is not finish with us yet. He is giving all of a chance to repent of our sins. This is coming out of the Bible in Psalms 144:4. I know that this is very serious. It also gives me a chance to acknowledge God and His Son Jesus Christ as my personal savior. Jesus Christ is my personal Savior, and God is my Father. I have a second chance to redeem myself from things that I have done was distasteful in my personal life. I am happy that I have given myself to Him. The Lord God is very good. I am really happy to share my experience, strength, and hope with everyone. Life itself is like a vapor according to James the 4th Chapter.

Jesus, you have died for me. I repent and I turn toward you. I receive you today. Make me what you want me to be. Thank You for loving me. I am ready to begin my new way of living. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change. Prayers! Please keep me in perfect peace!! May The Lord God Be with you spiritually and keep you in His hands. I am truly grateful that God accepts me for who I am as a person. The Lord God is perfect!! I am willing to share the Gospel with everyone that I come in contact with. My life is only a breath because it is His Spirit that dwells with me. The air that I breathe does not belong to me. I realize that my life has been misunderstood. I know that I am only human flesh. I am a Christian.

I am a Christ Like Person. I am the type of person who is honest, truthful, sincere, pleasant to be around, and very kind. I am letting my light shine each day of my life. I have a peace, joy, empathy, and truth about myself. The Lord God knew me when I was inside of my mother’s womb. According to Jeremiah 1:5 says before I formed you inside of the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you and ordained you as a Prophet to the Nations. God knows everything!! God knew all of us long before we were born inside of our mother’s womb.

I am very happy to be a Child of The Most High God. At The Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord over All. We should pray to want to know God. How can you know God? Please have an experience with Him right now. We must have an intimate relationship with Him right now. We need to know Him. I am really sure that God is in charge of my life. I am happy to say that I am blessed when good things happen in my life.

Encouragement for the trouble heart.

This is an essay that is based on the encouragement for the troubled heart. First, let me inform everyone that whenever a person has a troubled heart, it is either a broken spirit or a form of depression. There are times as human beings that we might suppress our feelings. Therefore, there are times that we do not allow others to enter our personal space. The only person who is able to comfort us is Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. 

        Second, I have a very important question to ask everyone right now. Who comforts us in our afflictions? The answer is Jesus Christ. This is the reason why I trust Him on a daily basis for everything in my personal life. We should trust Jesus Christ, who has died for the sins of mankind. There are times when there is strength inside of our weaknesses. God is by nature an encourager. He uplifts us and we should take advantage of it.

      Third, I want to inform everyone that there is a real need to talk to our heavenly Father. God feels exactly what we all our going through. God wants us to talk to Him about all of our problems. He also wants us to praise Him as well. Whenever, I read the Bible, it enlightens me personally. God talks to all of us through His word. There are also times when the Bible is an implication of my daily walk with Him. God also reveals Himself to all of us in prayer. He also seals our heart, and helps us. You cannot beat talking to Jesus Christ.

       Fourth, when it comes to the word of God; He searches our heart and spirit. I want to tell everyone that my heart and spirit has been revived. God is a good God. He encourages us in all of our afflictions. He is always available 24 hours per day. God is forever unending because He is always there for us. This reminds me of the footprints inside of the sand poem. He is always strive with us. He is there to comfort us. God enjoys building into our lives by encouraging us; so that we can encourage someone else. We must learn how to get out of our own self-pity. God enables us by being there for us. We just need to take the initiative to be there for others. We cannot allow sin to overwhelm us.

      Fifth, we always hear God speaking to us. Being thankful is a learned behavior. It does not matter how far we are in despair, God and His son is always there for us. He is there to rescue us. The Holy Spirit will be able to help us in our time of need. Finally, it begins with the very first step by asking God to save us. We have to allow Him to speak to our heart. There is someone who will pull you out of the grips of stress and despair. Jesus Christ will help you. God also uses others to encourage us in our time of need. God knows what we are all about personally. He always keeps His promises.

The Essence of Man, Woman, and Child!!

        This is an essay that pertains to the essence of man, woman, and child.  The definition of the word essence is the basic nature of something.  When we look at the basic nature of man, woman, and child; it is composed of the fleshly nature of being.  The fleshly nature of being consists of dust and clay.  The existence of mankind is derived from the earth.  This means that our existence is made up of the dust, clay, organs, cells, bones, as well as blood and plasma that comes from the composition of both parents. 

        Next, when it comes to my personal existence, my blood type is AB+.  This means that my father’s blood type is A, and my mother’s blood type is B+.  Therefore, when you put the two blood types together, you get AB+.  During the past 27 years, I used to donate plasma from 1983-2010.

 I used to earn money from donating my own plasma for money.  The money that I used to receive was nominal.  The definition of the word nominal means relatively very small.  This means that I did not earn very much.

        Moreover, when it comes to the makeup of our existence, an average person have a total of 610 muscles and 208 bones.  An average person has 23 chromosomes and the DNA structure that is derived from both parents.  According to 1^st Corinthians 11^th Chapter, it states that woman comes from man and man from woman.

 Both men and women are independent of each other.  However, woman comes from the womb of man; in Genesis 2^nd Chapter.  Whenever a child is born into this world, it has 46 chromosomes from both parents.  The blood type of the child varies.

 A chromosome is any of the microscopic rod shaped bodies carrying the genes.  A gene is any of the units of chromosomes by which heredity characteristics are transmitted. 

Further, I want to say that nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord; this comes from 1^st Corinthians 11:11.  The two might be different, but both man and woman become one flesh.  According to Genesis 3:20, Eve is the mother of the living.  Adam is the father of mankind.  In modern times, a mother is the head of the household.  The father is the breadwinner.  In a single parent home, usually, the mother is the head of the household and is the breadwinner.

The essence of men, women, and children are very important when it comes to creation.  Currently, some children consider their father’s as a sperm donor.  This is an insult to the father himself.  It is up to both parents to raise their children.  There are times when parents would consider co-parenting. 

This is a process itself.  This means that an average child or children would spend time with both parents equally.  In most cases, children would prefer to spend most of their time with their mother. 

Finally, the essence of man, woman, and child is very important.  In my estimation, the creation itself is very important.  I know that it is very important for men, women, and children to get along with each other.  During the last days, things are going to get worse.  I understand that the essence of mankind is based on man’s existence on earth.  It is very important for everyone to relate well with each other and oblige each other as well.  I want to be perfectly honest with everyone, I have a total of 36 nieces and nephews and 14 great nieces and nephews.  I do not have any children because of an injury that I had sustained back in 1979.  I was playing football and I got speared inside of the breadbasket.

In Conclusion, my parents admonished me when I was growing up, and they eventually told me not to have any children.  I am not saying that it is too late for me to become a father, but God has other plans for me.  I know that the essence of man essay is very important to me as well as others that are involved in my life right now.  To be perfectly frank with everyone, man determines the sex of any children.  It varies according to the type of woman that man is connected with.  Everyone has to be very careful when it comes to making a child.  Thank you for reading my essay.

The Holy Spirit vs Mankind

            The purpose of this blog is to try to help those who understand God, and who has the Holy Spirit inside of us.  Mankind believes in the things of man.  I know that it is not very easy for any of us to understand God.  I want to inform all of you that this is a battle between good vs evil.  I would like to tell everyone that Mankind only lives in the moment.  Romans 8:9 says you, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not.  This means that God dwells inside of us.  There are those who do not believe that they have God inside of them.  Do you know that every time I type a blog, I usually start crying because it is God who is inside of me convicts me of all of my sins and forms of unrighteousness?

Romans 12:2 says do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. God is responsible for changing me for the better.  I still have a long way to go when it comes to my character.  I know that I have a problem with people who are sarcastic and rebellious.  The Lord has forgiven me.  It is Jesus who is doing for me, more than I am doing for myself.  The dove represents peace.  It also represents the Holy Spirit.  Mankind thinks of doves as just birds. 

          The Holy Spirit is our Helper.  It guides us to the point where it gives us direction in advance.  Mankind perceives the Helper as something that does not exist.  I want to inform all of you that I am the type of person who loves God; a whole lot.  If anyone gets sarcastic with me, I am prone to retaliate.  The Lord is one who gives us grace and love in our personal lives.

 The Helper is located in the 14^th Chapter in the 26^th verse but the The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to.  Glory means that you want your life to be like God. According to Mankind, man places more emphasis on holidays and other things rather than God.  Mankind always makes decisions that goes against God.  Mankind always does the things of the world for their own gratification.  Man goes against God Isaiah 59:2.

 Man tends to make decisions to always stray away from God.  The Holy Spirit grieves while inside of man.  Romans 8:26 says we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. New Living Translation and the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.  The Holy Spirit dwells inside of us for the rest of our lives.  However, God will let you live all by yourself in a reprobate mind when it comes to Romans 1:28-32.

The Knowledge of Self

          I would like to start this essay off by asking a question.  What does it mean to have a knowledge of self?  The answer is the definition of the word self consists of the physical, mental, emotional, and environmental and a psychological entity that has a whole lot to do with God.  In Jeremiah 1:5 says before I formed you inside of the womb, I knew you.  I have sanctified you and ordained you as a prophet to the nations.  When it comes to our physical self, this has a whole lot to do with our body.  What the human body looks like and how we feel about ourselves personally.  When it comes to our mental self, this has an impact on universal feelings.  What we actually feel like among members of the rest of society is derived from the center of the brain called the conscious mind. 

          Romans 12:2 says do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  The question that you need to ask yourself is how do you feel about yourself today?  The environmental self has a lot to do with our community, society at large, and the things that we have learned from our families.  It also has a lot to do with our culture, friends, education, and church.  It has a lot to do with how well we adapt to our environment or city where we grew up right now.  A knowledge of self has a lot to do with the opinions of others. 

The social self is the way we feel about ourselves every single day of our lives.  The social self has a lot to do with our relationship with Jesus Christ.  This has a lot to do whether or not we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal savior.  Is God the center point of our life?  The social self consists of the inner person that communicates with us each day.  This inner person is called the Holy Spirit.  I call the Holy Spirit the persona; the inner person that communicates with us by giving us instruction and guidance throughout our daily lives.  The social self has a lot to do with the guidance that we have received from our parents.  A knowledge of self has a lot to do with our identities with ourselves and a solid foundation in Jesus Christ. 

          A knowledge of self has a lot to do with the emotions and psychological aspects in our personal lives.  The physical self on the other hand, has a lot to do with development within the womb of our mothers.  The knowledge of self is three fold.  It is determined how long we are going to live on earth by God.  A knowledge of self is determined and decided by God.  According to Psalms 56:8 says; Your number my wanderings, put my tears in your bottle, are they inside of your book?  This verse means that God is responsible for our actions, ways, and our course of action.  Psalms 139:16 says; your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed, and in your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me when as yet there were none of them.

 This verse means that God knows exactly how long we are going to live on earth.  The knowledge of self is determined by God in advance.  Therefore, man cannot determine he is going to live on earth.  Man’s time on earth is temporary.  Philippians 3:20 says for our citizenship is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for the savior the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

What does it mean to have a log or a speck inside of your eyes?

          This is an essay that has a whole lot of importance in our daily lives.  The question is what does it mean to have a log or a speck inside of your eyes? First, I would like to say that having a log or speck inside of your eyes, means we have sins in our lives.  For instance, in my case, I used to look at pornography each day for the past 43 years.  I also used to use vulgarity since I was 5 years old.  The reason why I have done these things because I was angry and my parents used vulgarity toward each other.

          Further, my mother and stepfather used to cuss each other out all of the time. I guess for the past 21 years of their marriage, my mother and stepfather has problems communicating with each other. As far as pornography is concerned, I started looking at it when I was a child.  I asked God to stop me from using vulgarity and looking at porn. God has changed me from the inside out.

I feel a whole lot better because I am a new creation according to 2 Corinthians 5:17. I had problems from my past that tend to affect me through this very day.  According to Matthew 7:3-5 says: And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but you do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, let me remove the speck from your eye; Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

          Moreover, I must repent of all of my sins; first and foremost, before I am able to help another person.  The reason why I am saying these things because it is not easy dealing with my own sins without God’s help.  I want to inform everyone that I have to be very careful about the things that we do because God is watching us.  If you do not believe me read Proverbs 15:3.  This Bible verse say the eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.  This is true because I asked Him too.  I am not saying that I am a very weak person.  However, I still have to be very careful because Satan is busy.  Satan is the master deceiver. 

In Addition, I want to inform all of you that the devil will hurt you.  According to John 8:44; it states that you are of your father, the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources; for he is a liar and the father of it.  This is the truth because the devil, all he wants to do is steal, kill, and destroy.  This is a verse from John 10:10. The Lord says that He has come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  The Lord God is blessing me every single day.  For example, He is keeping me clean and sober from alcohol and drugs.

          Also, I have been clean and sober for 28 years as of this year in 2018.  I admit to using vulgarity for the past 47 years.  I also admit to looking at pornography for the past 43 years. I also admit to having a mental illness called schizoid affective disorder and bipolar1.  I also admit that I come from a dysfunctional family.  I will admit to writing a 350 page manifesto about my personal life during the time I was a patient at Summit Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. For 4 consecutive months, I wrote down everything that the voices were saying to me; whether or not it was good or bad.

          According to 2^nd Timothy 1:7 says that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and of a sound mind. God does not want me to be scared of demonic spirits.  We are supposed to fear God and not demonic spirits. I also want to say that God is doing for me, what I cannot do for myself. I write every single day, read the Bible out loud, and pray out loud because it helps me to cope with having a mental illness. I also attend AA and NA meetings as well as attend church on a regular basis.  When it comes to people who had a plank inside of their eyes. The first one was Cain, who killed his brother Abel because the Lord favored Abel over Cain.

          Eventually, when it comes to the Bible, King David, killed the husband of Bathsheba in secret.  2^nd Samuel 12:9-10 says why have you despised the commandments of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. The Lord punished David for what he has done to the Lord.  These are examples of what it mean to have a plank and a speck inside of your eyes. It is the sins that we commit each day that makes the Lord very displeased with us. The Lord will forgive us of our sins as long as we repent honestly of our sins.

Finally, there is no turning back. David’s first child by Bathsheba died and he was in great distress.  David did wrong in the eyes of God.  We all must repent of our sins and be honest about it.  I repent of my sins on a daily basis.  I will admit that I feel ashamed and embarrassed about everything that I have done wrong. Do you know that everything we do in our life is being recorded by God? Matthew 12:36-37 says but I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give3 account of it in the day of judgement. For by your words, you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.  Please repent of your sins because it is the only way; we are going to heaven.  We must believe that Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead. We must also believe that God is the Creator of all things. Thank you very much for reading my essay.

My name is Anthony Joseph Hopkins and I am a Blogger.  I have been writing for the past 11 years.

My Grace is Sufficient for Me

                   By

Anthony Joseph Hopkins

October 2, 2020

 Biography

Good Day Everyone!!  My name is Anthony Joseph Hopkins, and I am from Dayton, Ohio.  I am a 55-Year-Old Author, who lives in a modest neighborhood in the Dayton, Ohio Area.  I have been Writing for the past 11 years.  I am a graduate from the University of Toledo.  I majored in Social Work and Interdisciplinary Studies.  I attended the University of Toledo from April 1, 1991 through June 14, 1996.  Some of my characteristics are as follows: I am very intelligent, smart, I am a gifted Writer, and I am a person who has a lot of common sense.  I have 5 brothers and 2 sisters.  I have a total of 48 niece and nephews.  I love writing about the Lord, and what He has done in my life.  I attend Fort McKinley United Methodist Church.  The Pastor at Fort McKinley United Methodist Church is Dr. Karl Penn.  I have been a Born-Again Christian since February 15, 2015. 

About the Book

About the Book: It is a collection of essays that are based on my relationship with the Lord.  The Lord is my Personal Savior.  This Book My Grace Is Sufficient for Me is my very first book.  I feel that I have accomplished a whole lot when it comes to this book.  I want to inform everyone to please keep me in your prayers because I am a brand-new Writer.  I hope and pray that I can gain a sense of accomplishment when it comes to my Grace is Sufficient for Me.  My Grace is Sufficient For me, and my strength is made perfect in Weakness.  This Bible Verse is located in 2^nd Corinthians 12:9. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.

The Table of Contents

1.  Are We Capable of Hiding from God? Pages 1-2.

•  Are We Sticking to a Script in Our Daily Lives? Pages 4-6.

• Encouragement for The Troubled Heart Pages 7-9.

• Is It True That the Air That We Breathe Does Not Belong to Us? Pages 10:14.

•  Reconciliation and Forgiveness with God, Ourselves, and with Others!! Pages 15-19.

•  Man is Like a Breath!!  Pages 20-22.

•  A Repeat of Encouragement for The Troubled Heart Pages 23-24.

•  The Essence of Man, Woman, and Child!! Pages 25-29.

•  The Holy Spirit vs Mankind!!  Pages 30-32.

1. The Knowledge of Self!! Pages 33-35.

1. What Does It Mean to Have A Log or A Speck Inside of Your Eyes? Pages 36-40.

1. Cover Page!!  Page 41.

1. A Picture of Myself!!  Page 42.

1. Biography and About the Book Page 43.

1. The Table of Contents Pages 44-45.

Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day Romans 1:12 ◄ What Does Romans 1:12 Mean? ► that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. Romans 1:12(NASB) Verse Thoughts It was very important that Paul built up a rapport with the Christians in Rome, because this gentile church was one of the few Christian communities that was not started by Paul himself. No doubt, he wanted to share first-hand some of the mysteries that had been hidden for ages and generations.. but which had been revealed to him, for the benefit of the Church. He also wanted to be sure that their doctrine was sound, their faith was maturing, and that they were growing in grace. And doubtless, Paul also longed to rejoice with these fellow believers, about the good news of the glorious gospel of grace and their mutually secure position in Christ. We do not know who took the gospel to the capital city of the great Roman empire, but we do know that there was a thriving church in this pagan city – and that many of the believers there were known personally to the apostle. Paul had experienced many trials and tribulations.. and knew that one day, he would be handed over to the gentiles, and would even appear before Caesar himself. But Paul knew that nothing could separate him from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, and that no one could pluck him out of God’s hands – and he wanted the saints at Rome to know the same truth in their heart, and to encourage these believers to hold fast to the faith, and stand firm on the truth of the gospel of God. But like all of us, Paul also needed encouragement from other members of the body of Christ, and so he told these Christians in Rome that he longed to come and see them.. “So that I may be encouraged together with you while I am among you, each of us encouraged by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.” Perhaps more than anything, this is a glimpse into the heart of a man.. who at times must have experienced seasons of loneliness and some human discouragement, through the things that he had to endure for the sake of Christ. Paul obviously knew the joy of genuine, Christian fellowship in a lost world that is at enmity with God and exhibits hatred for God’s people.. and his letter shows a genuine desire to visit these faithful believers. As the days get darker and the world becomes increasingly evil, the need for sincere Christian fellowship and encouragement becomes even more necessary. Every believer has been given spiritual gifts and graces that are to be used to encourage and exhort one another. Paul himself taught that our spiritual gifts are to be used for the mutual edification, exhortation, teaching, consolation, building up, and encouragement of the Church of Christ. As members of His body, let us seek to use our gifts and graces to uplift and invigorate our brothers and sisters in the faith, and to welcome the encouragement and advice we receive from them. Let us never forget that we have gifts that differ from one another, according to the grace that has been given to us, and through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit we should exercise our spiritual gifts and grace accordingly – not only for the mutual encouragement of one another.. but also for the honour and glory of His precious name. My Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You that we are all members of Your body and that each one has been given gifts and graces that are to be used appropriately. Help us to live according to Your Word and to use our gifts and graces for the mutual encouragement of our brothers and sisters in Christ. May we all grow in grace and in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus, as we see the day of His return grow ever closer. This I ask, to Your praise and glory. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN. ◄ Previous: Romans 1:10 Next: Romans 1:16 ► Choose a Verse from Romans 1 1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132 Esther 9:17 Genesis 2:15 Genesis 4:1 2 Corinthians 11:3 Follow us Romans 1:12 Further Study Romans 1:12 in the Parallel Bible Romans 1:12 in the Thematic Bible Romans 1:12 Cross References Romans 1:12 Treasury of Scripture Knowing Romans 1:12 Sermons Romans 1:12 Prayers Romans 1:12 Images Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals The Perfecting of Holiness Revelation 1:5 1 Corinthians 12:5 Permanent Position The Sphere Of Ministration Be Transformed The Divine Life Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved

Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day Genesis 2:15 ◄ What Does Genesis 2:15 Mean? ► Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Genesis 2:15(NASB) Verse Thoughts Each day of creation added more colour and beauty into God’s perfect design, until our almighty Creator finally took some dust of the earth, and made man. He formed and fashioned it into the image and likeness of Himself. No surprise that God was satisfied with the work of His hand, and declared everything He had made was very good. And God rested on the seventh day. The second chapter of Genesis gives greater insight into the finer details of certain elements of God’s wonderful creative work. The broad brush-strokes that flung stars into the firmament, illuminated the earth with two great lights, and filled the world with a myriad of colourful birds, flamboyant fish, amazing animals, and creeping things, submitted to the precise elements of His creative activities. We discover that the Lord Himself breathed His own life into the inanimate body of Adam, and that He made a special garden for the man He made. Indeed, we read of the meticulous care that the Lord took in designing a beautiful garden for the man He made. And then the LORD God took Adam, and put him into the garden of Eden, to cultivate and keep it. And God endowed man with a mind to think, and a free-will to make choices. The Hebrew indicates that the man was ‘set to rest’ (nuah) in these splendid surroundings, in order to ‘to serve’ (abad) his loving God, Who had created all things well. God rested, and the man was to find rest for his soul in Him. The ground was well-watered by four shimmering rivers, and the Lord made sure that every tree that produced luscious fruit was growing in this idyllic place, for the man to enjoy. God even placed the tree of eternal life within easy reach of Adam’s fingers.. for all who eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God, will never die. God placed eternity in the heart of man as well as a freewill, for God wanted Adam to serve Him of his own volition – not out of duty but out of love for his wonderful Creator. Would Adam pass the test of love and loyalty or would he rebel? And so, the Lord also placed the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the centre of the garden, to test the man. God forbade Adam to eat of its fruit for He desired that man would freely choose to serve and honour Him, out of tender affection and a desire to reverence his Creator – Who would walk and talk with him in the garden and commune with Adam in the cool of the evening. Man was created innocent, faultless, and without a sin-nature to prompt him towards evil, and the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. He was placed in the most lavish of surroundings, and provided with all that he could desire.. with one simple call to obedience – you shall not eat of that tree. But Adam failed! Adam disobeyed the Lord, plunging the human race into eternal condemnation instead of enjoying eternal rest. Adam’s transgression put up a barrier between himself and the Lord, and from that point forward, Adam and his progeny were at enmity with God. But God, in His grace, purposed to redeem His fallen race by sending a second man – the last Adam, Who would be the Word made flesh – the eternal Son of God. He would also be tested – but He would learn obedience by the things that he suffered, and would triumph, where the first Adam failed. The Lord Jesus would be tested as we are, but He would not sin. He would willingly choose to obey God out of love for His Father.. whereas Adam disobeyed Him and fell into sin. Christ would readily submit to His Father’s commands and live His life as God intended that all man should live – in utter dependence upon the gracious Creator – in humble submission to His Father, out from a heart of love that passes human understanding. Just as all who are born into this world are Adam’s sinful progeny, and identified with Adam’s sin.. so all who are born-again, by faith in Christ, become part of God’s new creation of humanity and are identified with Christ’s, perfect righteousness. All who are saved by grace through faith in Him, receive His life and are give rest for their soul – for Christ is our Tree of Life, and that life is eternal. The Lord Jesus Christ is the last Adam.. and has become the perfect, sinless, federal Head of a New Creation – and all who trust in Him become one with Him, through time and into eternity. Praise God that by faith we are transferred from the old creation in Adam, into God’s New Creation in Christ – by grace, through faith in Him. Sponsored by Advertising Partner Sponsored Video Watch to learn more SEE MORE My Prayer Heavenly Father, what amazing grace that Jesus would choose to come to earth to die on my account, so that I no longer remain under condemnation as a sinner, but am identified with Him and clothed in His righteousness. Thank You that You did not leave us in eternal condemnation, through Adam’s sin, but purposed to redeem us with Christ’s precious blood. I pray that I may live in willing obedience and thankful submission to Your leading and guidance, and thank You that in Christ I have eternal life, and will one day eat of the Tree of Life. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN. ◄ Previous: Genesis 2:7 Next: Genesis 2:17 ► Choose a Verse from Genesis 2 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425 2 Corinthians 9:6 James 2:19 Psalm 34:1 Matthew 5:18 Follow us Genesis 2:15 Further Study Genesis 2:15 in the Parallel Bible Genesis 2:15 in the Thematic Bible Genesis 2:15 Cross References Genesis 2:15 Treasury of Scripture Knowing Genesis 2:15 Sermons Genesis 2:15 Prayers Genesis 2:15 Images Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals God’s All-Inclusive Way Leviticus 16:22 1 Corinthians 4:7 Afflicted And Comforted The Sphere Of Humiliation Salvation and Discipleship A Corporate Body Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved ×