For you.

Jesus died for you. He died so you - so WE - in all our sin, in all our pain and shortcomings, could one day stand in the presence of God, by offering Himself as a sacrifice for the Grace of God. In His Death and Resurrection, He has given us the chance to change, the chance to LIVE. He 'tore the veil' separating us from God by becoming the ultimate sacrifice needed to atone (make right) our sins. He did all this - He suffered, He died, He taught in Hell for 3 days apart from God's Spirit, and finally rose again, a victor over death and the Devil - all for YOU. 

Romans 1:4-5

And Jesus Christ our Lord was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles (outsiders, unbelievers) everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to His name.

Romans 6:8-11

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus 

1 Peter 1:13-25

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Matthew 20:28

"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many"

Hebrews 2:14-15

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

1 Peter 2:24

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

1 John 2:2

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Humility in the Bible

We must all strive to be as Christ was, that is what it is to be Christian, and this week, I would encourage you to study these verses, translated into the NEW ENGLISH VERSION for universal understanding. These are only a handful of those in the Bible that speak over Humility, God’s blessings for those who are humble, and the folly’s of those who aren’t. To humble yourself is to:

1.) KNOW you are NOTHING without GOD.

2.) ALLOW GOD to do with you whatever HE chooses and follow Him unconditionally, with no thoughts to your own power, but complete submission to HIS.

1 Peter 5:6 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Philippians 2:3-11 

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ...

James 4:6 

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Matthew 23:12 

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Ephesians 2:8-9 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

2 Corinthians 11:30 

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

Luke 18:9-14 

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ ...

1 Peter 5:5 

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Micah 6:8

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Proverbs 16:18 

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Deuteronomy 8:2 

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

James 4:10

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

James 2:24 

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Ephesians 4:31-32 

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Philippians 2:5-8 

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Honor our Parents. Honor our “Father”

Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God will give you. ~ Exodus 20:12

I am merely 16 years old, and I still remember when my mother had this bible verse (and the various others like it) printed and hung on our refrigerator. I strive to live by it, and can honestly say so far in my life is has remained true, and I encourage all of you to live by it as well. [Even if your parents are no longer with you, God is your Father as well ♥ The Bible contains many promises to those who are willing to put aside the world and the Flesh and live as Jesus told us to.]

Teach your children to do the same. My mother and father can attest to the fact I was a stubborn child, a character trait I am using to His Glory now, ;) --- But God provides parents wisdom to teach their children, as He will to you if you seek Him. And if anyone would like me to talk to your children, on this or any other matter, on a teen-to-teen level, I would be happy to.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right. Honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise – that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life. ~Ephesians 6:1-3

To be Sanctified. To be Christian.

     If there is one thing God has been putting on my heart to write about, it is how to be a "Christian." There will be no such talk of denominations; Protestant, Methodist or Baptist. There will be no political or worldwide secularism or sugarcoating. This is about being a reflection of Christ. To be CHRIST LIKE. To be Christian. 

      When we first pray God into our lives, we are saved. Our sins have been made white as snow, we are one of God's children. 

     But it doesn't end there. When Jesus said "It is Finished," He was talking about HIS part of the deal. He got us saved. Now it is time to be Sanctified. When we begin the The Process of Sanctification, we have to remove the sin and the darkness from our lives, and be as Jesus was, pure, and holy (sanctified.)  No one but Jesus will ever truly become so on this earth, but to be a Christian, is to live as one within this process of becoming as He was. It means to stand for righteousness within the world, and in your own home. It means to live your life as an act of love, hating evil, and serving Him. It means to speak with calm and wisdom, so "that none might have bad things against you" (so said Paul.) It means to rid yourself of fortification, gluttony, lies, hatred, greed, lust, envy, and all these things we so often follow our flesh into. You have to really think about every choice you make, be it the people you associate with, the music you listen to, the movies you watch, the things you say, the jokes you tell, the comments you make, the thoughts you think, the actions you take, and pray and focus on what God would have you do in every situation. 

    It takes work. It takes effort. It takes time. But like all things, if you reap, you will sow. If you make progress towards living a saved and sanctified life through God and Jesus Christ, you will see the benefits of His Presence in your life, and His Peace in knowing you are living the way you should be. 

    Sanctification starts the moment you repent for your past, and ends the moment you rest in His Presence, but right now, for you, while you read this, it can begin anew. You can live as a CHRISTIAN. You have been granted this minute, this hour, this day, by God, and should treat it as a gift. We need to USE it. If you want to see your life change, make the effort and the sacrifice needed. God sees your efforts, and by following Him, you are in His Protection, and you are 'setting yourself up for' all the blessings He has placed aside for you.

2nd Thess. 2:13 “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the truth.”