What Got Lucifer Kicked Out Of Heaven…

Pride is what got Lucifer kicked out of Heaven. And it’s what sends many into Hell. Pride says, “I’ll do it myself”, “I’ll do a better job”, and “I don’t need your input or help”. There was a song back in the day that could summarize the concept of pride, it was called “My Way”. You see pride is selfishness. Selfishness is the opposite of Love. If God is Love, then pride opposes God. The second biggest thing pride does is blinds us to the truth. It makes us feel we can do things on our own. The reason pride goes before destruction or a big fall, is because it makes us believe in ourselves, leaving God out of the picture. Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing”. So in recap, Pride makes us believe in ourselves and not God. When we make plans to do this or that without God, it may seem to work for a short while, but it won’t last. There’s more to the picture then what is seen. Human pride is always opposed by God. It leads to embarrassment, humiliation, and a very big fall. Ultimately, that very big fall bottoms out in Hell. Is our selfishness really worth the journey down there? Lucifer is a prime example of this concept. Choose today Whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

18 Pride goes before destruction,and haughtiness before a fall. 19 Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud. Proverbs 16:18-19

It’s What Makes Us Holy….

Virtue, integrity, and love all lead us away from evil. They also protect us from condemnation, for they are above the law. When the Holy Spirit resides in you, and you follow His direction, peace, contentment, significance, and purpose surround us, protecting us from all sides. Serving God, being obedient, and allowing faith to guide us, is what sets us apart from others in this world. It’s God’s gift to those who truly love Him. It’s what makes us Holy.

17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe. Proverbs 16:17

Trusting In God Alone…

Money, power, and fame have an appeal that attracts many in this life. Money deceives. Power corrupts. Fame is fleeting, like chasing the wind. We shouldn’t make any of these the focus of our life. God is the One in control not us. He determines our steps. Those who plan and promote evil will have that evil be repaid in full, usually by their own doing. Trusting in God alone is what we are to do. He is the refuge and salvation we need. Our victory comes from Him. Seek Him out today.

5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God,for my hope is in Him.6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,my fortress where I will not be shaken.7 My victory and honor come from God alone.He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.8 O my people, trust in Him at all times.Pour out your heart to Him,for God is our refuge. 9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,and the powerful are not what they appear to be.If you weigh them on the scales,together they are lighter than a breath of air. 10 Don’t make your living by extortionor put your hope in stealing.And if your wealth increases,don’t make it the center of your life. 11 God has spoken plainly,and I have heard it many times:Power, O God, belongs to You;12 unfailing love, O Lord, is Yours.Surely You repay all peopleaccording to what they have done. Psalms 62:5-12

2,000 Year Old Advice….

The difference the Holy Spirit makes in a believer’s life is paramount. The Spirit of God allows a human being to know Truth. It allows one to see spiritually. It allows one to understand God in a deeper sense, actually being able to communicate with Him. Unfortunately, many live their lives never knowing what God has in store for them strictly out of unbelief. They miss out living their lives focused totally on themselves. John the Baptist told his disciples this. It’s 2,000 year old advice worth taking in.

22 Then Jesus and His disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people.23 At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism. 24 (This was before John was thrown into prison.) 25 A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing. 26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the One you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to Him instead of coming to us.”27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28 You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for Him.’ 29 It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at His success. 30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.31 “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but He has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. 32 He testifies about what He has seen and heard, but how few believe what He tells them! 33 Anyone who accepts His testimony can affirm that God is true. 34 For He is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives Him the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves His Son and has put everything into His hands. 36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” John 3:22-36

When We Make Plans…

The problem we all have, some more than others, is when we make plans, we tend to leave God out of the picture. We act as though He doesn’t exist. When adversity strikes we get all worked up and wonder why? The why is simple, God is in charge. He determines our steps, not us. When we make plans and include God in them, adversity doesn’t seem to have the same effect on us. With or without God, our plans, the adversity that comes, and our attitudes will determine how we handle it. Only one involves trust. Only one involves security. Do you know which one that is? There’s a huge difference. With God means we don’t walk alone.

9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9

Light Reveals….

When we have the Holy Spirit in our lives, we gravitate towards the Truth (the light). We do this because light reveals. We want others to see our good works, and praise our Heavenly Father. Jesus’ words are so powerful. They even reached a stubborn, prideful, Jewish religious leader, named Nicodemus. It changed him forever. If Jesus can do that for him, He certainly can do it for you and me too. Gravitate towards Truth, it will set you free from the power of sin.

1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent You to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with You.”3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”4 “What do You mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, We tell you what We know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe Our testimony.12 But if you don’t believe Me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,15 so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.16 “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.17 God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in Him. But anyone who does not believe in Him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” John 3:1-21

16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:16

Everyone… Is Accountable To Him…

What people who don’t fear God fail to see, is that the fear of God is healthy. It keeps people aware of their sinful behavior. It helps people avoid evil. People practice and promote evil because they think they are not accountable to God. Everyone, regardless if you don’t believe He is real, is accountable to Him. Every person born on this earth, past, present, and future, will one day stand before Him and have to give an account of their life to Him. I would say that’s accountability, wouldn’t you? Praise be to Jesus for providing the atonement for sin to all who believe and trust in Him, so they can rest assure that they have been accepted, forgiven, and truly loved.

6 Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil. Proverbs 16:6