As a Biblical teacher I seek to stay away from anything that might deter from the ability of God’s Spirit working through what I might teach. I stand on the guideline that I actually don’t have an argument with any person and the life they choose to live. I do however find great pleasure in trying to allow the spirit of God to speak and, I also have great confidence in his ability to change the sinful mindset of people far above any ability I might have. That; is by God’s design. He chose sinful men to speak to sinful people that his spirit might open spiritually blinded eyes. This sinful man’s eyes were opened by his spirit in November, 1975. In this case, I am the sinful man he has chosen to allow his spirit to speak to any person that might read what I write. This sinful body of mine desires to allow him to use me that I might help other people see his will.

I see a similarity in what we see in the world and what we see in the average place we consume our weekly dose of religious activity. In my case, I’d call that place a Church. Let’s start this by giving a verse of scripture that basically is a key in what is happening in all institutions today. ( 1 Timothy 6:10 ) For the love of money is the root of all evil: they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

I live in the United States of America. As I look back at the founders of this country I might see some spiritual beliefs that I will disagree with. I’m sure if those people were here today we could have a great spiritual debate about our differences which can even be said about many people I am around on a daily basis. I can however say that those people had a passion for doing what they did to form a nation that went far beyond any amount of money they might or might not have been paid. We can even look at the common soldier of that day. Their passion to set up a nation where their families, their children could be free had nothing to do with money at all. It was all about will and passion to build something bigger and greater than themselves, live or die.

The early Church, even in that day was the same way. I can’t say they didn’t get paid, I don’t know but I do believe they would have done and said exactly what they taught with or without any money ay all. Doctors, nurses, teachers, pastors, they all had the same mindset. They were driven by a desire to make a difference. Can you see how that, at that time; all things were relative? Money might have been involved but, that was not the driving force behind what those people did.

If we bring this up and look at it today, how many politicians would be in office if the flow of money was cut of? How many teachers would be teaching if their was no money? How many preachers or pastors would be doing the work in the Church if there was no paycheck?

I understand money is needed and we must have it to move about in this world but, if that is the driving force behind what you do then, is what you are doing real? Is it a heart felt passion? The things we see in the secular world, the mindsets and driving forces are also in every basic element of our local Churches today. It’s to the point that without the ability to make the amount of money that the pastor needs then, he won’t be there.

If you have been around for a few years you can remember when a pastor felt led by God to be in a certain area. He was determined to preach to the people that God had called him to serve even if he had to work five days a week to pay his own way. When did God began to call men to buildings and not areas?

Let’s say that a man truly feels led to come to a certain area. A Church in that area asked him, after he had preached a trial sermon to be their pastor, he excepts. After a few Sundays as he preach what God truly lays on his heart to preach; the people of that Church change their minds and asked him to leave. So, he agrees, the next Sunday he has rented a building right across the street from the Church and he is still preaching in the same area. Why don’t we see those types of things today?

Many pastors are relative to the mindsets of our politicians, they don’t move without money. Again I say, I realize we all need money but that cannot be the reason for our passion. Even worse; many pastors preach what the members of the Church are pleased with. Now tell me, who actually gets the worst end of the deal in that scenario? I’d say our children, the children we say we love.

By the same token, look at our country. When men began to see dollars and migrate towards those dollars; who has been hurt the most since it began to happen? I see where younger generations are paying for their lack of passion for liberty and honesty. Politicians and pastors should never be concerned about themselves but rather what is best for the people they say they care about.

Every leader is ordained by God. Each person that takes on the responsibility of leading people will stand before God and give an account for his actions. This includes me as a simple man that writes and tries to point people toward truth and a loving Savior. We know that no man is perfect but if we will allow ourselves to be led by a passionate, Godly Spirit; leaving money completely out of the picture then, one day we will be able to stand before God and hear him say ( well done my good and faithful servant ). That being worth far more than any money we might gain while we are here.

As we survey the vastness of the world and all it’s population we often think we are insignificant. The the human eye it might appear to be like a drop of water in an ocean.

We might sit in one of our many Churches among all its members and feel or, be made to feel like we are not important. In some cases the very people that look significant are the very ones that are not, not in God’s eyes.

Do you realize why your willingness witness to people, to share the gospel of Jesus Christ is so important? In the whole Church you go to, you just might be the only person one or more of the people there, in the community you live in might truly be willing to listen to? We can’t even imagine how important we, as individuals are.

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The only kind of salvation God Offer’s is ( eternal salvation)? Adding to that it is also a ( know so ) salvation ). It all has to do with life. Actually life truly begins with the acceptance of Jesus Christ as your personal savior. He is life and that life is eternal. I realize that there might be many people that will not say they know they are going to heaven when they die but, the knowledge of knowing heaven will be your home comes through the study of God’s word and learning what salvation is all about. You can know for a fact but you must study and become mature as a believer to have that assurance.

I often relate eternal security to your physical birth. Did you know you where here the day you were born? Your knowledge of even birth came with maturity. Many people that have ( know so ) salvation might gain that security earlier than others and, I know of people that will say that it was such a change in them the moment they were saved that they knew or had assurance that very moment.

Many people also never take the time to study scripture and allow the spirit within them to help them to came to a spiritual understanding on their own, to know him on an individual level. Instead we just allow our pastor or Sunday School teachers to do our studying which cannot bring us to the place of security. It helps educate and enhance our knowledge but, reaching deeper on our own is what it takes to have that kind of assurance.

DID YOU KNOW

The word ( predestined ) is only mentioned in two places in scripture? There are people that believe that God pre- determines where all people will spend eternity. That means that we, as individuals don’t actually have a choice . God has already decided our destiny.

The Bible tells us that ( whosoever will ) ( Romans 10:13 ) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

That, in itself is self explanatory. God is no respecter of person, we also see that in scripture. ( Romans 2:11 ) For there is no respect of persons with God. WE are all sinners, we all deserve hell because of who and what we are. It is simply God’s grace and love for us that affords us salvation.

The first place we’ll look for this word is in ( Ephesians 1:5 ) Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

I mention this place first because, here he is actually speaking of the Church and the fact that we, as members of that body have been adopted into God’s family. It makes the statement that ( it’s according to the good pleasure of his will ). God seen fit to allow that body ( the Church ) to become a part of his family. As far as that body ( the Church ) is concerned, any person can become a member of it simply by asking Jesus Christ to become their savior, allowing him to take abode up in their heart. That body, ( the Church ) is predestined to go to heaven. One day God will lift that body out of this sin cursed world and bring it home to be with him for ever.

I often put it this way; There’s a bus leaving the front of this building in one hour, every person on that bus will have a free meal at a certain fast food place. if you want to go, be on that bus. There is no other stipulation, whosoever wants to go eat, get on the bus. It’s leaving in one hour, you must be on that bus to get the free meal. Actually you don’t have to do anything else but, you have to be on that bus.

The universal Church as we call it is just like that picture. The Bible tells us to ( confess with our mouth, believe in our heart. ( Romans 10:9-10 ). It also teaches us to be baptized, that’s a ordinance given in scripture. However, those things are there to benefit the people around you, to show those people a picture of the inward change that has happened to you. If we put it this way; I can see the fact, along with everyone else that you got on the bus. Salvation is a work God does in your heart. God’s desire is for you to show that inward change by the actions you make but, b the believing in you heart is the saving factor and not the confession. It’s a great thing to confeSs, it makes you accountable to what you say, it’s a great thing to be baptized and to join a local Church, again, it makes you accountable to people but, those things are not salvation. The fact that you ask Jesus into your heart and become a member of the body of Christ ( the Church universal ) is the saving factor.

The other place we see the word ( predestined is in ( Romans 8: 28-29 ) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. ( 29 ) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Once we are a member of that ( universal Church ) then God, by his spirit begins to transform us day by day by the washing of his word. ( Ephesians 5:26 ) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

You can read more about that but, here I like to point out that salvation is in all three tenses; past, present and future. You have been saved ( past tense ) from the penalty of sin, that happened the day of you salvation. You are being saved ( present tense ) from the practice of sin. Each day you live, if God has his way, old sinful habits will fall away from you. We will never reach perfection on this earth but, we spiritually should be always listening to his spirit within our hearts as he speaks and seeks to guide us toward that goal. In all probability, there are sins within us that we can’t even recognize, at least until they are pointed out by a pastor in a message or, read in scripture. When these things are learned we should be willing to or have a spiritual mind to seek to be like Christ, ever seeking that goal. Then we have ( future tense ). That’s when we are actually standing in his presence. We will lay aside this veil of flesh and be conformed completely to his image. We are, as members of the Church, the body of Christ ( predestined ) to be at that place, all in time.

I totally realize this is a very simple way of stating this but, you can also study and see what you can. I’m just a simple man with a great passion to help people understand God’s will for their lives. If I can create a desire within you to study deeper then I done what I’m called to do.

The Bible says: For what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own souls ( Mark 8:36 )

Within the thought process of the average person it is important to become excellent in some field for the purpose of making a living as we go through this life. However, within the very makeup of every person is a God conscienceness. Because of that part that’s built within us we all realize we must depart this world someday and, it is ever before every person.

There are people that speak about this in very different ways, some even deny the very exsistance of God the Father and speaks as though there is nothing beyond the grave.

God has give every person the free will to think and act as they please but, even that doesn’t change the fact of truly what’s within them. We have the ability to make our tongues say whatsoever we chose for them to say. I contend that when the vilest man lays his head on his pillow at night, he knows that at some point ther will be a reconing day whether he chooses to consider the end or not.

We have a choice of what we truly want the most. If we build great things only while living on this earth then we lose it all when we die. However, if we choose to lay our treasures up in heaven where we, if we choose to, can spend eternity with the things we work to gain after we depart this earth.

This is something we must be taught. The things we send before us are all spiritual and probably not for the purpose one might think. We even have to be taught to consider what happens after we die. That is the responsibility of people such as I using scripture to prove all that is being said. My intention is to do just that. All in time.

Pastors and teachers have the awesome responsibility to prepare you, as a student. If we graduate high school and go to a university to further our education In a specific field, then we expect to have credentials to verify what we have accomplished and the end of our training. In this life, as we pursue the things we are passionate about, that’s the way it works. We trust our professors to prepare us on day one for all we need to know, we even continue to learn about the changing aspects of our field as we go through our lives.

In a general Church setting that is also the responsibility of our spiritual leaders. We have to be taught that when this life ends at what we call death; it actually just the beginning. On that day, you begin either, life eternal or death eternal. That aspect of your being has to be confronted. We must deal with and make a choice. Failure to make a choice is actually stating that what you have in this, your present life is all you desire. This is what you want the most.

As a spiritual teacher, failure for me to warn you and try to teach you to get prepared for those days in front of you would be compared to a professor in a university not properly teaching you to be prepared in the field you seek. My passion demands that I at least try to help you see your spiritual need, to seek to change what you think you desire the most. The Apostle Paul puts it this way: ( 1 Thessalonians 2:19 ) For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

What he is saying here is that you as a born again believer, one that he had the privilege to lead to Christ, standing before him on that day is what he finds joy in, that’s what he wants the most.

The Apostle Paul was educated in the religious field, he also knew other trades but when he was born into the family of God, he still taught, worked at his other trades for a living but his passion changed and he sought to prepare people to stand before God, in a way that was pleasing to God the Father.

What do you want the most? God’s desire is to change you desire and to use you for his glory. He deals with the heart of mankind through the passionate teaching and preaching of his word. As he speaks to you, you decide, seek to follow him. One day you’ll be glad you did.

WHO AM I

I Heard a man make this comment once. He said that if a person that an opportunity to meet him and missed out on that moment actually, that person hadn’t missed a thing. By the same token if a person has the privilege of meeting Jesus Christ and misses that opportunity, he’s missed it all.

As I write and seek to build this blog or website, something I know very little about, it’s my passion to teach all about the man, Jesus Christ. My prayer is that he, through his spirit can use me to spiritually educate any person that is willing to hear what I have to say.

To be honest, I really don’t understand blogging or how to build a website. However, my passion to help prepare people that are either lost or deceived about their spiritual lives is so great I feel I must seek to learn the process that I might get my heartfelt passions out for the world to see.

To the best of my ability my opinions will never be shared. I believe that there is one truth and I do not own that truth. The word of God is that truth, we simply must be willing to study and seek that truth.

Truth has nothing to do with a religion, race, culture or denomination. The truth is hidden in scripture and is revealed by God’s spirit to those that possess that self-same spirit. There is only one spirit of God. Therefore we must move beyond our mindsets of religion or denominations and be willing to hear that one spirit when he speaks to out hearts.

This is who I am. I seek no fame or monetary gain only to give any person that is willing to read and seeks to understand the true and living God a chance to do so. I even understand that I can be wrong and, I desire for other people to teach and guide me to the truth in scripture if that is the case.

Therefore, as you read and study behind all the things I might write, allow the Spirit of God to teach you and not simply what I have to say. You, as a reader can also go deeper in the study of God’s word than I can and thereby, become my teacher.

TEACHING IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY BELIEVER

— Marshall Clayton

Each child of God begins as a babe in Christ. The very next day, the second day of your new birth is a time to teach; even if it’s just what happened to you the day before. The second day of our salvation is a measured growth as designed by God the father and, we are able at that point, to call people to God’s glory and to teach new born babes in Christ. It’s never yet been seen what one person totally surrenders to the Spirit of God can do in one lifetime.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.