There is no way we can know everything about God, Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit. But in the essentials, we believe and value, they are paramount to our life as a Christian.   Everyday of our life is a journey where we choose to deepen our relationship with the Lord, or choose to draw ourselves away from Him.   If we want to know God, then we need to spend time with Him. Genesis 1:1-2 tells us, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” God is the Creator and ruler of the universe.   He holds everything together.   When we say that God is the Creator, we mean that He is truly creative, in a category all by Himself, because He started with nothing.   Colossians 1:16 says …For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things ha

That’s why the Scriptures say, “Abraham believed God, and because of this he was accepted as one who is right with God.” Romans 4: 3 What does it mean to be saved by Grace? There is no act we can do to be saved.  God gave us the Law (Ex 20).  Matthew 22:37-40 - first act of life as a Christian.   Loving our neighbors as we love ourselves is act of ministry. We all deserved to be judged because we have sinned. Jesus won victory over death.   We will either live eternally with God or etetnally without Him. Eph 2:3 1.  If I break the Law, I deserved to be punished. 2.  Mercy is not getting punishment for what you deserve. 3.  I got what I did not deserve - GRACE goes the extra step. We do not deserve forgiveness of our sins; but God through Jesus gave us a way to be eternally with Him. 1 Peter 2:22, 23-24 The only way to be saved is faith in Jesus and what He did on the cross. There is nothing you can do to be saved except put your faith in Jesus Christ. We can only trust in t

Our faith is in what God has done for us, not what we do for ourselves. Ephesians 2 (whole chapter ) Ephesians 2 : 8-9 Faith in Christ  (the One who saves you ); good works do not save us.  Putting your faith in God  (through Jesus Christ ). The blessings of God - gives us the right to take responsibility in doing the things of God and we experience the blessings of God. There is one new man - the people of the Church.   The Church is where his family is. Ephesians 2 : 20-22 (Metaphor) We have the idea of church being organizations.   But church should be structured as a family - that's how God wants us to live. The Church is compared to a city; and every person saved by faith in Jesus Christ can live there.  In a family we serve each other;  we are also children, and friends. The Church is also compared to a building.   OT given as a physical sign of what would come in the spiritual. Building - foundation  (prophets and apostles;  today we are).  The foundation is built

To understand Ephesians 2 you need to read the rest of the Bible. v 15  -  One new man - the Christian. Christ died on the cross to fulfill the Old Testament and bring in the New Testament. v 8 & 9 - learn these two verses.  You cannot save yourself;  Christ saves us.  We come through faith - faith in Christ. v 10 - if you get saved and nothing happens,  you're a liar.   It's not about what you get right; it's about what God molds you into by what you do through your life  journey. This passage speaks of what we were like before we came into the kingdom of God.   By faith in Christ Jesus we are saved.  We are citizens of God's kingdom now.  v 1-3 - Pauk used 4 ways to describe how we were before coming to Christ: - dead to Christ (spiritually dead); - followed the ways of the world; - followed the ruler of this world  (devil); - gratify the cravings of the flesh. Sometimes we go back to these things.   Life is a journey and we walk (or run) this journey.

Bible References:  Nehemiah Chapter 1, Book of Acts Nehemiah was a cup bearer to the King.  He was in a position of power.  But Nehemiah was concerned about his fellow Jews who had gone back to Jerusalem.  He found out that the walls had not been rebuilt and this left the inhabitants in a vulnerable position of no security.  They were exposed to be attacked and taken by the local peoples surrounding them. Ezra taught the people about their spiritual state and what God required of them.  Nehemiah was a practical man.  He first went to God so that he could then go to the King. He prayed a fervent prayer to God asking for his help.  He entrusted his concerns to God.  He set us an altar. The book of Nehemiah shows us practically how God cares for his people.  This book focuses on the “how to”, being practical in everyday life.  Nehemiah also teaches us about being humble and not promote our position. God gave Nehemiah as-surety that he was called to rebuilt the wall - he was call

John 17:20-25 20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.  -o0o- Bible references:  John 17:20-25; Acts 4:34-5:11; 1 John 1:10; Psalm 63; Luke 14:27; Luke 14;33; Luke 9:23; John 8:31-32; James 1:22; Psalm 143:5; 1 Cori