Understanding Righteousness

Rev. Samuel S Konjah, from Ghana

Understanding Righteousness

Righteousness means right standing with God through Christ

Righteousness is a gift

The gift of righteousness
For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.  (Romans 5:17, ESV)

We are made righteous

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)
Righteousness is conferred on us

How are Righteousness comes

It does not come by works.
It does not come by growth.
Our believing makes us righteous.
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  (Romans 10:10, ESV)

By faith in Jesus Christ.

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-  22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  (Romans 3:21-22, ESV)

Abraham believed unto righteousness
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,  (Romans 3:9, ESV)

just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as
righteousness"?  (Galatians 3:6, ESV)

Noah believed unto righteousness
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.  (Hebrews 11:7, ESV)

God's idea of righteous man
One whose transgression is forgiven.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (1 John 1:9, ESV)
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.   (Psalm 32:1, ESV)

Whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.   (Psalm 32:1, ESV)

Whose iniquity is not counted.

Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.   (Psalm 32:2, ESV)

Righteous men have faults too
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.  (James 5:16, ESV)

Elijah was just like you

1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.  2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow."  3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.  4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers."  (1 Kings 19:1-4, ESV)

You have a right standing with God
You have believed in His son.
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  (Romans 10:10, ESV)

He has made you righteous

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

You have received the gift
For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.  (Romans 5:17, ESV)

It's God's righteousness, not yours
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  (Romans 3:22, ESV)
no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD."   (Isaiah 54:17, ESV)

Be confident in your Righteousness
God sees Jesus, not you.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

Come boldly into His presence

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  (Hebrews 4:16, ESV)

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.   (Proverbs 28:1, ESV)

He longs to hear from you

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."   (1 Peter 3:12, ESV)

Your prayers avail much

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.  (James 5:16, ESV)

Always walk in this knowledge

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)
God bless us all.
I pray the Lord will help us to walk in righteousness.

Christian relationships

Christian relationship is decided by the Heavenly father and celebrated on the earth.

Coming to the point, our relationship was planned and decided by the Father in Heaven much before the creation of the earth and even the universe.

He created his with the mind that all would celebrate his fathership and that all of us would be sons and daughters of God. But a wierd understandings created a lot of commotion.

The Holy Bible is a book of relationships

1. It shows us what our relationship to God is meant to be and how we can have that kind of relationship.
2. It shows us how we should interact and treat our fellow Christians.
3. It shows us how we are to view those who do not believe. 

Because we can see and touch the physical world around us, many times it seems more real than the spiritual world in which we connect and communicate with God.

This means that sometimes we let our earthly relationships become more important than our relationship with God. That is the relationship of God to man and then the relationship of man to animals and ultimately the relationship of husband and wife; the beginning of the family

In fact, the entire Bible paints a picture of God’s tremendous love for His children

When we know Jesus, a good relationship with Him will sustain us through all other earthly relationships because it is the only relationship that is guaranteed for all of eternity. 

The following twenty good scriptures about relationships are found in the Bible.

1. Love The Lord…First
In Mark 12:30, Jesus tells us that our first responsibility is to Him,  “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength"

This same theme is reiterated many places in the Bible (Deuteronomy 6:5, 13:3, 30:6; Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27).

Putting the Lord first in our lives is the most important decision we could ever make. A life built around anything else but God, is a life built on shifting sand and vapor. 

Too many people today wonder why their lives are filled with so much turmoil and misery. However, these very same people refuse to submit to God and live for Him. These people build their lives on fantasies and deception; then they wonder how it could all fall to pieces.

It is because their foundation was untrustworthy.

They put their faith something other than God and that something let them down. There is no surer foundation for life than a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.The founder of all faiths.

Therefore It is this relationship that must be first and foremost in the life of the Christian

2. Love your neighbours
Our neighbours are our immediate parents for us. The command that we are to “love our neighbor” is repeated many times throughout the Bible (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 19:19, 22:39; Mark 12:31; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8).

Along with the admonition to love God completely, this command was also repeated in three of the four Gospel accounts.

The importance of loving God and loving others as much as we love ourselves is apparently a very important matter.

It is also very important to get the order correct…God first; everything else follows.

The apostle Paul said that we can be sure we are treating others the way God would have us treat them if we simply followed this commandment,  “For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself"" (Romans 13:9 ESV). Simply, if we are motivated by a love for our neighbor, we will never intentionally do them any harm, only good.

3. Husband And Wife
Early in the creation account found in Genesis, God instituted the union of marriage, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24 ESV). 

This is certainly a relationship of which Jesus approved because, when questioned about marriage He reiterated the word of the Genesis account. However, He added some words that make the marriage union even more important, “He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate" (Matthew 19:4-6 ESV, cf. Ephesians 5:31).

It is clear that God designed marriage to be between one man and one woman ‘for as long as they both shall live’. Although, as sinful human beings, we do not always live up to this standard, the marriage bond was designed by God to be permanent. The failure of humanity to take this union more seriously is resulting, and has resulted, in much of the moral decay we see in our nation today.

4. Relationship with non believers of God or Other Believers of God in some other faiths
When a person becomes a believer in Jesus Christ, that person begins a new relationship with others who have done the same. The new believer becomes a member of the family of believers. These believers build each other up in the faith.

*Faith..... several types of faiths given in The Bible such as healing faith, saving faith, much faith and, little faith.

The one who takes God as the whole without any Ifs....the true faith.

They can be trusted for wise counsel. The Holy Spirit living within believers empowers us to have a special relationship with one another that, at times, can be an incredibly special bond.

In the gospel of John, Jesus says,
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another"(John 13:34-35 ESV)

The New Testament repeatedly admonishes Christians to love one another (I Thessalonians 4:9; I Timothy 1:5; I Peter 1:22). Because of his or her relationship with God, the believer now has a special connection with other believers.

The love of God binds them together in a way nothing else can. Christians are to encourage one another,

“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up" (Romans 15:2 ESV; cf. 1:12). The Bible says that believers are all part of the Body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:11-13; cf. Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11; Ephesians 2:13-17) and, as one body, we are to support one another. We should help those brothers and sisters in need and not merely be concerned for our own needs (Philippians 2:4).

We should also be quick to forgive a brother or sister when they have wronged us (Colossians 3:13).

As John 13:34-35 stated, non-believers should see something different, and wonderful, about the way Christians treat each other.

5. The Lost
After Jesus’ resurrection, before He ascended to God, He commanded his disciples to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV).

This command applies to us as His disciples also. In the Old Testament (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11) as well as the New Testament (Matthew 18:14; Luke 19:10; II Peter 3:9; I Timothy 2:4), makes clear that God [Jesus] does not want anyone to suffer eternal punishment. Jesus came to earth, died on the cross, and has entrusted to us the task of taking His message to the people of the world.

We are to be lights in a sin-darkened world, showing people the way to the Savior (Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:14-16).

Conclusion
Jesus stressed how important it is that we put Him first in our lives when He said, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37 ESV). 

Jesus did not say that we are not to love others, but that we must love Him more than all others.

Many more relationships could be considered, such as children, bosses, and extended family.

However, the quality of all these relationships hinge on the preeminence of our relationship with God. When our relationship with God is our most important relationship, all other relationships will be what they are meant to be. In other words, only when Jesus is our priority can we be assured that our other relationships are based on a firm foundation.

May our Heavenly father help us to bind in love with relatives, neighbors, friends and who follows other faith with dignity and respect.

Do you know The Bible writers?

Important facts to know about The Holy Bible

Bible writers ...

Genesis: Moses
Exodus: Moses
Leviticus: Moses
Numbers: Moses
Deuteronomy: Moses
Joshua: Joshua
Judges: Samuel

Ruth: Samuel
1 Samuel: Samuel; Gad; Nathan
2 Samuel: Gad; Nathan
1 Kings: Jeremiah
2 Kings: Jeremiah
1 Chronicles: Ezra
2 Chronicles: Ezra

Ezra: Ezra
Nehemiah: Nehemiah
Esther: Mordecai
Job: Moses
Psalms: David and others
Proverbs: Solomon; Agur; Lemuel
Ecclesiastes: Solomon
Song of Solomon: Solomon
Isaiah: Isaiah
Jeremiah: Jeremiah
Lamentations: Jeremiah
Ezekiel: Ezekiel
Daniel: Daniel
Hosea: Hosea
Joel: Joel
Amos: Amos
Obadiah: Obadiah
Jonah: Jonah
Micah: Micah
Nahum: Nahum
Habakkuk: Habakkuk
Zephaniah: Zephaniah
Haggai: Haggai
Zechariah: Zechariah
Malachi: Malachi
Matthew: Matthew
Mark: Mark
Luke: Luke
John: Apostle John
Acts: Luke

Romans: Paul
1 Corinthians: Paul
2 Corinthians: Paul

Galatians: Paul
Ephesians: Paul
Philippians: Paul

Colossians: Paul
1 Thessalonians: Paul
2 Thessalonians: Paul
1 Timothy: Paul
2 Timothy: Paul
Titus: Paul
Philemon: Paul
Hebrews: Unknown

James: James (Jesus’ brother)
1 Peter: Peter
2 Peter: Peter
1 John: Apostle John
2 John: Apostle John
3 John: Apostle John

Jude: Jude (Jesus’ brother)
Revelation: Apostle John

BIBLE STATISTICS
Amazing Bible Facts And Statistics
Number of books in the Bible: 66
Chapters: 1,189
Verses: 31,101
Words: 783,137
Letters: 3,566,480
Number of promises given in the Bible: 1,260
Commands: 6,468
Predictions: over 8,000
Fulfilled prophecy: 3,268 verses
Unfulfilled prophecy: 3,140
Number of questions: 3,294
Longest name: Mahershalalhashbaz (Isaiah 8:1)
Longest verse: Esther 8:9 (78 words)
Shortest verse: John 11:35 (2 words: "Jesus wept" .
Middle books: Micah and Nahum
Middle chapter: Psalm 117
Shortest chapter (by number of words): Psalm 117 (by number of words)
Longest book: Psalms (150 chapters)
Shortest book (by number of words): 3 John
Longest chapter: Psalm 119 (176 verses)
Number of times the word "God" appears: 3,358
Number of times the word "Lord" appears: 7,736
Number of different authors: 40
Number of languages the Bible has been translated into: over 1,200

OLD TESTAMENT STATISTICS:
Number of books: 39
Chapters: 929
Verses: 23,114
Words: 602,585
Letters: 2,278,100
Middle book: Proverbs
Middle chapter: Job 20
Middle verses: 2 Chronicles 20:17,18
Smallest book: Obadiah
Shortest verse: 1 Chronicles 1:25
Longest verse: Esther 8:9 (78 words)
Longest chapter: Psalms 119

NEW TESTAMENT STATISTICS:
Number of books: 27
Chapters: 260
Verses: 7,957
Words: 180,552
Letters: 838,380
Middle book: 2 Thessalonians
Middle chapters: Romans 8, 9
Middle verse: Acts 27:17
Smallest book: 3 John
Shortest verse: John 11:35
Longest verse: Revelation 20:4 (68 words)
Longest chapter: Luke 1

There are 8,674 different Hebrew words in the Bible, 5,624 different
Greek words, and 12,143 different English words in the King James Version.

• Written by Approximately 40 Authors
• Written over a period of 1,600 years
• Written over 40 generations
• Written in three languages: Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic
• Written on three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa
• Written in different locations: wilderness, dungeon, palace, prison, in exile, at home
• Written by men from all occupations: kings, peasants, doctors, fishermen, tax collectors, scholars, etc.
• Written in different times: war, peace, poverty, prosperity, freedom and slavery
• Written in different moods: heights of joy to the depths of despair
• Written in harmonious agreement on a widely diverse range of subjects and doctrines

10 Longest Books in the Bible
• Psalm - 150 chapters, 2,461 verses, 43,743 words
• Jeremiah - 52 chapters, 1,364 verses, 42,659 words
• Ezekiel - 48 chapters, 1,273 verses, 39,407 words
• Genesis - 50 chapters, 1,533 verses, 38,267 words
• Isaiah - 66 chapters, 1,292 verses, 37,044 words
• Numbers - 36 chapters, 1,288 verses, 32,902 words
• Exodus - 40 chapters, 1,213 verses, 32.602 words
• Deuteronomy - 34 chapters, 959 verses, 28,461 words
• 2 Chronicles - 36 chapters, 822 verses, 26,074 words
• Luke - 24 chapters, 1,151 verses, 25,944 words

10 Shortest Books in the Bible
• 3 John - 1 chapter, 14 verses, 299 words
• 2 John - 1 chapter, 13 verses, 303 words
• Philemon - 1 chapter, 25 verses, 445 words
• Jude - 1 chapter, 25 verses, 613 words
• Obadiah - 1 chapter, 21 verses, 670 words
• Titus - 3 chapters, 46 verses, 921 words
• 2 Thessalonians - 3 chapters, 47 verses, 1,042 words
• Haggai - 2 chapters, 38 verses, 1,131 words
• Nahum - 3 chapters, 47 verses, 1,285 words
• Jonah - 4 chapters, 48 verses, 1,321

Forgiveness in the Holy Bible

Forgiveness in the Holy Bible

"Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).

Love flows from Jesus to His accusers and murderers even while they mistreat Him beyond what anyone could imagine.

Had he not forgiven His assailants, you and I could not enter heaven.

The superficial punishment one can offer your beloved ones when they go wrong is forgive them. They feel themselves ashamed of such an act shown to them by following the path of our soul Jesus.

A spirit of revenge says the other person has to pay for their actions. Pride steps in with words that you'll look weak, if you forgive. Pride steps in with words that you'll look weak, if you forgive. It seems unfair to let someone off the hook—to let them go scot free when you carry scars of mistreatment.

Incorporate Bible verses about forgiveness into your life to speed up the process.
1. Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember, the Lord forgives you, so you must forgive others." (Colossians 3:13).
Then Peter came to him and asked, “Sir, how often should I forgive a brother who sins against me? Seven times?” “No!” Jesus replied, “seventy times seven! (Matthew 18:21-22). Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ." (Ephesians 4:32)

Forgiveness is not just about saying the words. “It is an active process in which you make a conscious decision to let go of negative feelings whether the person deserves it or not,” Swartz says. As you release the anger, resentment and hostility, you begin to feel empathy, compassion and sometimes even affection for the person who wronged you. Studies have found that some people are just naturally more forgiving. Consequently, they tend to be more satisfied with their lives and to have less depression, anxiety, stress, anger and hostility. People who hang on to grudges, however, are more likely to experience severe depression and post traumatic stress disorder as well as other health conditions. 

2. Reflect and remember
That includes the events themselves, and also how you reacted, how you felt, and how the anger and hurt have affected you since.

3. Forgive deeply
Simply forgiving someone because you think you have no other alternative or because you think your religion requires it may be enough to bring some healing. But one study found that people whose forgiveness came in part from understanding that no one is perfect were able to resume a normal relationship with the other person, even if that person never apologized. Those who only forgave in an effort to salvage the relationship wound up with a worse relationship.

4. Let go of expectations
An apology may not change your relationship with the other person or elicit an apology from her. If you don’t expect either, you won’t be disappointed.

5. Decide to forgive
Once you make that choice, seal it with an action. If you don’t feel you can talk to the person who wronged you, write about your forgiveness in a journal or even talk about it to someone else in your life whom you trust.

6. Forgive yourself

The act of forgiving includes forgiving yourself. If the offense came through a spouse or loved one, it's harder to move on when you see them every day. The challenge then becomes how willing are you to obey God when Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you if you forgive those who sin against you; but if you refuse to forgive them, he will not forgive you."

To move on (I admit it’s hard to do), I remember how much God forgives me and the grace He offers when I mess up. If He can do that for me, I can certainly do the same for others (as impossible as that may feel).

The price of Holiness

What is The Price of Holiness?

While we no longer live under the strict rule of the Levitical code, let’s never forget that God still requires a high price for our holiness. It is a price we couldn’t pay, so Jesus did. Jesus is the gift and grace that God bestowed upon the world.He is the ruler of world. We live under the guidance of Him.

CHARACTER IS EVERYTHING-the measure of a man's character is what  we do when we know we won't be found out. out best index of one's character is how we treat people who can't do us any good!! how we treat people who can't fight back tells what our character really is!! You can easily judge the character of a man by how they treat those who can't do anything for them!!the way we treat people we think can't hurt us(surbodinates/house helps !! etc tells more about our character than how we treat people who we think are important!! Always always remember PRAYER IS VERY IMPORTANT/ESSENTIAL BUT PRAYER WITHOUT HOLINESS/CHARACTER AND OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD IS A WASTE OF TIME!!
 

*Levitical code*

Going Deep // Focus: Leviticus 21:5-6:
Throughout leviticus chapter after chapter, often in verse following verse, again and again God gave Moses clear and exacting instructions on what the Israelites were required to do now that they had been set apart as a holy nation unto a holy God. Holiness—that is the big deal in Leviticus. God is holy, and his people must be made holy and kept holy—even in the minutiae of their lives.
That included, especially, the priest. As you read this chapter, to be a high priest or a regular priest, there was an exceedingly high price to pay for a lifestyle of continual holiness unto the Lord. They couldn’t eat some things—ever; couldn’t touch certain things—ever; and couldn’t marry “those” women—ever. Even if things happened to them, due to no fault of they own—a birth defect, a chipped tooth, a debilitating injury or disease—they were disqualified. *They had to be without defect. Their holiness demanded an impossibly high price*.  So does yours and mine. The Bible says that without holiness, no one will see God. The problem is, the price for holiness is too high for us. And even though we don’t live under the rules and regulations of holiness that were required of the Israelites, the price of holiness has not changed—the costs still have to be paid.

Let’s never forget that God still requires a high price for our holiness. We couldn’t pay it, so Jesus did. And we are clear of the charges to our account when we trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

But still, our salvation was anything but free. Someone had to pay; Someone did. And if you and I will never forget that, we will live out true holiness unto the Lord in the most beautiful, God-honoring way of all: *through a life of organic gratitude to God for our gift of salvation through Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross*

Going Deeper With God
Holiness exacts an impossibly high payment. You couldn’t pay it so Jesus did.
Therefore offer Him gratitude throughout the day—and every day for the rest of your life.
The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us
Living a holy life is possible by being strengthened and energized by the power of the  holy spirit and  spending life as we should. May it please the Great
Teacher, who has promised to “show us the path of life,” to bless us and through Him help someone to a pure and noble life and to the   accomplishment of all God’s design in giving them life.

Many times we may become wearied and think the toils of the way
almost too heavy; but when we remember that it is the way that Jesus trod,
then the heavens open to our view, we look forward to the mansion
prepared for us, and the toils of the way grow lighter.

See that aged pilgrim journeying down the western slope of life. The 

sun is nearing the setting. Long and toilsome has been his pilgrimage, but
he has walked in the path his Savior trod. For many years his life has been
hid with Christ in God. In Him he has lived and moved and had his being.
Now he is making his last step on the shore of time; he passes out of our
sight through the gates into that land where toils are ended and the sun
never sets. But his life was the life of Jesus. He was holy as God is holy, he
walked as Jesus walked. This is how to live. This is the true way of life and
the only way to life eternal.

Atonement, Remission and, forgiveness

Word Ministration is by Rev. Samuel S Konjah, Ghana, West Africa.

What is Atonement?

Covering of sins old testament

To atone for something is to: compensate for, make amends for, pay the penalty, redress, make up for.

Atonement: settlement, reparation

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.  (Leviticus 17:11, ESV)

Transfer of guilt to innocent animals
We're blood-washed

and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood   (Revelation 1:5, ESV)

Remission

A complete wiping  out, as though there had never been only used in connection with the new birth.
It happens once and for all
Sinners who believe receive remission of sins

To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."  (Acts 10:43, ESV)

Remission of sins for repentant sinners

And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 2:38, ESV)

to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'  (Acts 26:18, ESV)

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the
knowledge of him,  (Ephesians 1:17, ESV)

Believing sinners become brand new. Old things are wiped away

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 
(2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Forgiveness

* Any Christian can sin

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
(1 John 1:8, ESV)

*Sin breaks fellowship but not the relationship

3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.  4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.  5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  (1 John 1:3-7, ESV)

* Forgiveness belongs to Christian

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
(1 John 1:9, ESV)

*Forgiveness is the way back

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 
(1 John 2:1-2, ESV)

*We have an advocate with the Father

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 
(1 John 2:1-2, ESV)

*Forgiveness is your for the asking

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
(1 John 1:9, ESV)

Staying in fellowship

*Our fellowship with the Father and the Son and with one another

that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.  (1 John 1:3, ESV)

*Walk in the light of the word

6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  (1 John 1:6-7, ESV)

*Except you forgive

12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.   13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.   14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,  15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 
(Matthew 6:12-15, ESV)

12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.   13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.   14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,  15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 
(Matthew 6:12-15, ESV)

*Forgive one another

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.  (Ephesians 4:32, ESV)

*Walk in love

and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.  (Romans 5:5, ESV)

*Never stay down always . seek forgiveness
1 John 1:9, 1 John 2:1-2

I pray this scripture for you and myself:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 
(2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

God bless us all

How to apply the word in our daily life

How to apply the word in our daily life

By. Rev. Samuel S Konjah, Ghana, West Africa.

Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.   (Psalm 119:133, ESV)

Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.  (2 Corinthians 10:11, ESV)

Use the word of God as:

1. Standard of conduct

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.  7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.  8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.  10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  (Matthew 5:3-12, ESV)

2. Light for guidance

*for directions

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.   (Psalm 119:105, ESV)

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.   (Psalm 119:130, ESV)
[31/01 1:49 am] Divine Push: * for decision

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  (Romans 12:1-2, ESV)

3. Rock of assurance

* Salvation

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.  (1 John 5:13, ESV)

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into
judgment, but has passed from death to life.  (John 5:24, ESV)

* Forgiveness

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (1 John 1:9, ESV)

* Victory

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8:37-39, ESV)

4. Sword against the devil

*Spiritual warfare

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,  (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, ESV)

and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  (Ephesians 6:17, ESV)

*Temptation

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.  (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV)

Look at Matthew 4:1-11 too

5. Food for growth

*Milk

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-  (1 Peter 2:2, ESV)

*Meat

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,  13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.  14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.  (Hebrews 5:12-14, ESV)

6. Answers to problems

* When fearful or anxious

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?   2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.   3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.   4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.   5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.   6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.   (Psalm 27:1-6, ESV)

* when discouraged or depressed

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.   2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.   3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!   4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.   5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.   6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.   7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.   8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!   9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!   10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.   (Psalm 34:1-10, ESV)

* When frustrated

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.  4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.  5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.   6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."   7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  (Hebrews 12:1-7, ESV)

* When in trouble

6 "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;   7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.   8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.   9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.   10 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,   11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.   (Isaiah 55:6-11, ESV)

*When bereaved

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.  15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.  18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.  (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, ESV)

God bless us all. I pray for you and myself that the Lord will guide us to how to apply the word in our daily life to always overcome the enemy and live a victorious life in Christ Jesus.

God bless you.