Tag: Jesus

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Repent

by Emily Wooten

Since the fall of Adam, God has called to humans to turn from their evil, repent and pay attention to his word. He asks us to give place to his word. God gave instructions for carrying out various ministries before the Lord. He told Aaron to burn incense every day. He told him how to perform this sacrifice and Aaron’s decedents had been doing just that since God told them to.

Exodus 30:6-8 And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.

Like his ancestors before him, that is what Zachariah was doing in the temple on the day that the angel Gabriel appeared to him. Gabriel told him he and his wife would have a son. Gabriel prophesied their son would turn God’s people to him.

Luke 1:15-17 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.  And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Zachariah doubted he and his elderly wife, who had never had children, would finally have a son. As a sign to Zachariah he was unable to speak. 

Elisabeth, Zachariah’s wife conceived and in her sixth month the same angel appeared to her cousin Mary.

Luke 1: 30-33 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Another miracle was working in their family and soon two sons would be born. Both of them would be men of renown. They were linked together in a mission to save the world. Elisabeth and Mary had no idea the role their sons would play in the eternal.

Noah was a man who was called to a specific work. He too preached the message of repentance.  Hebrews 11:7 says Noah became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. II Peter 2:5 calls Noah a preacher of righteousness.

John Baptist had a simple message. Repent and turn from your evil ways. If you see someone who has need, share with them what you have. Only take what is due. He said things like: Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. People wondered if he was the Messiah. 

Family and neighbors might have supposed John would have followed in his father’s footsteps to be a priest in the temple. They didn’t understand that he was doing the same work but his ministry was pointing to the ultimate sacrifice. All the sacrifices for all the generations had only pointed to the one sacrifice which would once and for all take away the sins of the world.

The message, after more than 2,000 years is still repent and be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. 

It is time for us to take that message to all we know. There is no more important words that we can say. Will you, like Noah, John and Jesus, choose to take the message to a people who are on the edge of eternity? Who among you won’t make it one more week? If they face the judgment will they be prepared? Tell them!

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Why Wait?

by Emily Wooten

After the death and resurrection of the son of God, the disciples were instructed to wait. They gathered in Jerusalem and prayed. Jesus promised them before he left, they would be given power.
Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
52-53 And they worshiped him, and returned to
Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.
The reason they were asked to wait is not because it was necessary to beg for the Holy Spirit to come. When Jesus left them, they were not distraught. They came together in one mind looking to receive.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
They were looking with anticipation for the gift prophesied by Joel.
Joel 2:28- And it shall come to pass afterward, that
I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
It had been fifty days since Jesus had been raised from the dead. Every day after he left they had been looking for the comforter.
Acts 2:1- 4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
They were all filled. It wasn’t for some and not for others. The experience of being born again is for everyone who will receive it. That same Spirit, who creates the “born again” spirit when we are born again, is the Spirit of God. Scripture refers to him as Holy Ghost and sometimes Holy Sprit. He is here right now making himself available to you. Sanctification happens in an instant and we continue to develop as we grow in our soul and spirit. Don’t wait until you are good enough. That won’t happen. In fact, why wait one second to receive what Jesus sacrificed to give you more than 2,000 years ago? Be filled today!

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If God says it’s possible, I do too!


2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Everyone wants to be heard. In order to be heard we have to obtain the hearer’s attention. In the scriptures we see God’s instructions which help us approach God in his love language. If we follow his instructions he promises he will hear us!
Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
In addition to clear instructions, God also sent us a comforter. If we let him, he will lead us in prayer and teach us so we aren’t praying a miss or in unbelief.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 11:22-24 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. Of a truth I say unto you, whoever shall say to this (obstacle, sickness, weakness) mountain, “Be removed, and be cast into the sea;” and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he shall have whatever he says. Therefore I say unto you, What things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.
Jesus told us, in his instructions for us, we have what we say. I can’t, I don’t, and I’m afraid should not be our conversation when discussing what God has for us. Praise be to God, he has given us hope! We can say, “I am free from sickness and disease!” We can say, “My body is healed in Jesus name.” We can say, “I operate in strength and wisdom. God has given me health!” According to the scripture we just read in God’s instructions to us, we can speak to our body in Jesus name and command it to obey what God said. We can call our body, well.
Everyday people wake up and take medication from the pharmacy. They will take more at lunch time or evenings. Perhaps they even have bedtime meds that they will consume. God’s medicine is far more important. This week as you take your prescribed medicine, lay your hand on your body part as you confess, “I call my (name the body part) healed and whole. I am loosed from all infirmity in Jesus name!”
Every time you take your pharmaceutical medicine, take God’s medicine saying, “I’m free from every form of weakness, disease or malfunction. I thank God for restoration, correction and strength.”
Remember, all things are possible to him that believeth.

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No Place for Evil

By Emily Wooten

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

God wants us to understand who we are in Christ Jesus. He also wants us to understand the devil has no place in our lives. We can be adamant. Evil has no place with us.

Ephesians 4:22-27 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

James 4:6-8 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

One minute, one hour, one day, that is how we win the battle. One step in front of the other, repenting when we miss it and not allowing Satan to guilt us into a spirit of condemnation. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. We should not let the devil remind us of things we did in the past. We should proclaim: I AM the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

We call the shots! We can constantly be saying no to Satan and yes to Holy Spirit.