​Today's Christian lesson has to do with what not to do. Over the weekend I got really angry about something (which usually never happens) which was beyond my control. I became upset because a minimum wage blue-collar worker at a hotel chain gave me wrong information. I got upset and frustrated. This was not the first but the fourth time in as many weeks that a retail employee had treated me badly. Rarely a week passes when I am not treated badly by someone, somewhere. What happened to me was beyond my control but how I reacted to it was definitely within my control.
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1
It is very much within our control how we react to situations. “In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." Ephesians 4:26-31
"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." James 1:19-20
"A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel." Proverbs 15:18
"But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." Colossians 3:8
"Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly." Proverbs 14:29
Was I wronged? Yes. Am I wronged and treated badly almost every day? Yes. Just today Fedex declared that I received my shiny new iPhone 12 Pro from AT&T, except my phone is nowhere to be found....! Am I tempted to get upset and angry? Absolutely. Will I? No, it's not worth it.

​Today's Christian lesson is on the Creation Account --- the creation of the world. The world did not evolve from amoebae into a human being over millions of years as Darwin puts it; it was CREATED by out most High and Holy God:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day.
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Genesis 1:1 - Genesis 2:7

​Today's Christian lesson is on justified anger and rage. I am very angry today, and I will tell you why in a minute. Jesus taught us to love our enemies and to turn the other cheek when someone hurts us. However, there are times when anger and rage are justified.
In His time, when Jesus saw what was being done in the houses of worship, he, too got angry..."And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” Matthew 21:12
There is a time when anger is justified. Today, I am very angry and enraged with the Muslims. I weep for my dead. They killed twelve of my fellow Americans and Marines in Afghanistan. I am hopping mad, and my anger is justified. It is no secret that I am no fan of Muslims. There would have been a time years ago when I would have cursed them all out. I have since tempered my attitude and believe that there are good Muslims in this world who want peace. I pray today that the Muslims don't enrage me so much that I call upon the LORD to destroy them all.
LORD, I pray for the families of those soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan today. Comfort them, as only you can. Lord, Bless and protect the remainder of our troops there, and avenge the deaths of those who perished today.
In Jesus' Precious name I pray,
Amen.

​Today's Christian lesson is about believers not being judged by unbelievers. Scripture is extremely clear about two things: (a) Believers should not sue each other so the matter goes before a civilian court to be settled by unbelievers and (b) believers should not be judged or tested by unbelievers.
"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!
Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?" 1 Corinthians 6:1-9

​In today's Christian lesson, I was going to post about believers being judged by non-believers, but instead I am going to post on something else. I am going to post on the importance of having a Christian accountability group. Your Christian accountability group not only keeps you accountable for your actions, but is also a Board of Directors for your life, advising you, guiding you, mentoring you and shepherding you through life. It is also a group you can discuss your ongoing struggles and challenges with.
Once every few weeks people at work decide to take a massive dump on me. This has become a ritual --- happens once every 3 to 4 weeks. Now, the company I work for has generally been very good to me, and extremely generous to me, and I am paid extremely well, so I don't quit every time someone decides to shit on me, but I feel the pain and the heartache. Instead of showing any emotion at work, I write to my accountability partners who are my personal Board of Directors. I also talk to my sweet, wonderful and kind girlfriend. They listen. They empathize. They advise.
Your Accountability partners (Board of Directors of your life) are also your sounding board for when you need to make really big life decisions, or when you need prayer for something, or when you need character references. These people know you well and if you have been in constant contact with them over the years, listening to your victories as well as struggles, and how you have overcome them, these people know your strengths and weaknesses quite well --- and can accurately judge your Christian walk. They can be useful character references for you if you ever need them to be. These people can also advise you if you are facing a difficult situation, or open doors for you if you are ever in a bind.
I would encourage every believer to have a Board of Directors consisting of other believers to go to and lean on in both good times and in bad. The Christian life is meant to be done in Community, not alone. End of today's lesson.

​Today's Christian lesson continues yesterday's lesson on the eyes of the blind being opened by Jesus. We are all born blind, in a symbolic way of putting it. We are born without the saving knowledge of Christ and while some Churches differ on the precise theology, most Protestant denominations and non-denominational Churches agree that accepting Christ into one's life is an act of God pulling on your heartstrings and calling you --- and of your listening to that call and accepting Christ into your life. Some people get that call at an early age, some, like me, spend 35 years of their lives on this earth before they get that call, and some don't get that call until they are old and gray and on their deathbed. In any case, the call to accept Christ into your life and your acceptance, if genuine, is a life-altering experience. I know that it was for me, and it opened my eyes to vast knowledge and wisdom to which I was erstwhile completely blind.
Today we will examine scripture in which one of the pillars of the Church, who wrote 2/3rds of the New Testament, and who planted numerous Churches in Greece, Asia minor and other places, went from being a radical, devout Jew, a pharisee of pharisees who was bent on persecuting Christ's Church, to being one of it's greatest advocates. His eyes too, had to be opened by Jesus, and this happened on the road to Damascus. We read:
"But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the (Christian) Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.
For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
"And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied." Acts 9:1-31
Now, Saul, after his conversion, came to be known as Paul, or St Paul as some denominations and Bibles like to call him. When God opens your eyes, He opens them for good, and does a miraculous work in you. Paul, and I as his namesake, had our eyes opened by Jesus and we can now see clearly, never to be blinded by the world again.
The next Christian lesson on Monday, on what the Bible says about believers being tested and judged by non-believers.

Today's Christian lesson is on tithing --- giving to God. The word tithe literally means tenth. We as believers are called to give at least ten percent of our income to God. Some believers I know give less; some give more. Some, who cannot afford to give money, give in other forms, such as volunteer at their Church. Time, talent and treasure is all valuable and people give according to what they are able, what the needs of the community are, and according to their talents. Some, like me, took our Spiritual Gifts quiz and found out that we are well-equipped to preach, teach, and lead. Others sing or perform music for the Church. Others give in terms of welcoming people into the Church. They have the Spiritual gift of hospitality. Regardless of how we give back, we as believers are all called to give, and give generously. Today we will examine scripture in the Old as well as the New Testaments on this topic. No time, talent or treasure given to God is ever wasted.
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!" Malachi 3:10
"Speak to the Levites and say to them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the LORD’s offering." Numbers 18:26
"Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10
"He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD. As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything." 2 Chronicles 31:4-5
"and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything." Genesis 14:19-20
"We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the LORD each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree. “As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there. “Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work." Nehemiah 10:35-37
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21
"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44
Beloved, do you tithe? If you don't, why don't you? Do you not know that the LORD loves a cheerful giver? Do you not know that God has the power to multiply many times over what you give Him? I have been Blessed to have many friends ranging from multi-Billionaires, multi-Millionaires, plain rich folk, middle-class folk, as well as folk who are living on housing assistance and cannot hold down a job. Even to those who cannot afford to give anything, I urge them to go to Church every week, and if possibly, put $10 into the basket. If they cannot give $10, give $5, but give something --- whatever you can afford to give. Do you not know that God can feed many multitude with the scraps that you bring to Him?
"Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”
His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”
He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan."
So believer, whether you are rich or poor, can sing a melody or not, can preach a sermon or not --- whatever you can do for God, is NEVER wasted. So go now, and do for His Kingdom whatever you are able to do, and you will hear from me tomorrow when I post the next Christian lesson.​

​Today's Christian lesson is inspired by a comment received yesterday from someone who is extremely frustrated by our government. Well, Believer, as a Christian you can be comforted to know that ALL things, even the United States Government is under God's purview. There is nothing which God doesn't control.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,
and the government will be upon His shoulders.
And He will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on the throne of David
and over his kingdom,
to establish and sustain it
with justice and righteousness
from that time and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:6-7
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Matthew 28:18
​
Believer, remember that no matter how gloomy things look now, know that God is in control. He will never allow someone so incompetent to occupy the Presidency or the Congress or Senate which will bring ruin to the country. When everything is said and done, this is God's country and God's earth. His will be done on this earth as it is in Heaven. Believer, if we could withstand 8 years of Obama, you have to believe there are checks and balances which will prevent this pair from doing too much harm. I can't say any more. I am afraid I have already said too much. Bottom line...relax, the LORD is in control.

Today's Christian lesson is on re-do's. In His infinite Grace, God knows that we on this earth are massive screw-ups. We make mistakes, blunder plenty, say things we do not mean to, get angry and upset, lose patience, and sometimes even offend God and the Holy Spirit. We are a nasty lot on this wonderful planet that God created for us, and so in His Divine wisdom as our Heavenly Father, God gives us an infinite number of retries or re-do's or do-overs to get it right. He is patient with us, as a father is with his son or daughter.
In the Old Testament, we read that God's people Israel would worship Him for a while, then become hard-hearted, calloused, sinful, complacent, arrogant and bitter complainers, and turn away from worshiping God, only to fall into various and sundry difficulties, persecution, capture, and exile, only to once again lament, and fall before God. God's mercy would once again be shown to them and they would repent and turn from their wicked ways to follow the one true Living God. Those who would not turn would be destroyed, but those who lamented, repented and turned from their evil ways were always embraced and taken back by God. God was merciful and just, and patient, just as a father is to his children.
In the New Testament we find a similar theme with Jesus who, instead of condemning people, gives them many chances to repent, turn away from their sin, and come to saving Faith in Him.
In the episode of the woman caught in adultery we read "But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:7-11
In the episode of the healing of the paralytic, Jesus forgives the sins of, and heals a paralyzed man: "Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him." John 5:2-15
When Jesus was teaching his disciples, "Then came Peter to him, and asked, Lord, how often shall my brother (anyone) sin against me, and I forgive him? upto seven times? Jesus said to him, I say not unto thee, not upto seven times: but, upto seventy times seven." Matthew 18:21-22
As Jesus was being crucified, "One of the criminals who was hanged next to him, asked, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43 Hanging on the Cross, for something He did not do, unjustly punished and tortured to death for our sins, Jesus forgives the thief nailed to the cross next to Him and tells him that he will be with him in Heaven. How much is that not a second chance?
He is a God of many re-do's and second and third and fourth and fifth and sixth and seventh chances....even up to seventy times seven. His Grace and Mercy outlast our biggest foul-ups and screw-ups.
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

​Today's Christian lesson is on meeting and experiencing discomfort and staying calm in the face of it, knowing Romans 8:28 and praying it over and over again.

Over the past weekend I was up with my girlfriend visiting Northern Wisconsin where her sister has a really nice log home on a lake. Praise and thanks be to God the entire family had a very nice time boating, tubing, water-skiing, hanging out by the campfire at night, and cooking impromptu meals and treats. The entire family was invited, including the siblings, spouses, kids, and of course, me! This was my second year in attendance. This is one of my favorite groups of people to hang out with, and this is one of my favorite activities I look forward to all year long. Praise be to God it went off without a hitch....! Everyone got along fantastically, lots of laughs were had, and it was three days of pure family fun and love all around.

Yet, something really puzzled me. It has become an annual ritual for me to take all the kids and one of their uncles to the local ice-cream store where everyone enjoys a tasty treat. This year I called ahead to find out how late they were open. Well, at the ice cream store, even though I paid for the ice cream for everyone, I was kinda insulted. While everyone else was given a perfectly nice straight cone of ice cream, they gave me an upside-down cone smothered in a dish. I could have hollered and complained but instead I kept quiet, saying in my mind "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Believer, in this world, we will be insulted, persecuted and treated unjustly just as Jesus was persecuted. Yet I kept repeating in my mind Romans 8:28 and showed not a single sign of being upset. I even tipped them generously --- an 18 percent tip for providing absolutely no service. If something like this ever happens to you, just forgive and forget, and pray the following prayer: "Lord, I forgive those who wronged me, intentionally or unintentionally. I pray for those who persecute me. May they come to know your love and mercy just as I know you."
In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

​Today's Christian lesson is on being coerced into the past. I am writing from experience here because this is what I fight every single day --- every day. God wants to lead me forward. Satan wants to drag me kicking and screaming into the past. What is even worse is that Satan has everyone --- even my friends --- convinced that I have left Jesus. Only a handful of people are not fooled --- my brother and a few of my Pastor friends who know me very well and have witnessed my Faith walk over the past 12 years.
If you haven't already, reference the lesson I posted on July 20th stating that if you are Born again, you should never look back to a time in the past before you were Baptized. Doing so is a really bad idea. Everything you need, God will provide and there is absolutely no need to look back to anything prior to that event. I find myself fighting this fight almost every day. What is the sure way of protecting yourself? By putting on the full armor of God. ---
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. " Ephesians 6:10-18

​Today's Christian lesson is on the times when fervent prayers are not answered. The life of a Christian ought to be immersed in prayer. Indeed, the Bible says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:16
"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." John 15:7
So the Bible is quite clear about the role of prayer in a believer's life. However, what happens when you don't get what you want? When your prayers are not answered, you may be tempted to say --- God doesn't answer prayer or doesn't listen. This, believer, is definitely not true. Not only does God listen, but He certainly answers prayer. It may not be in the timeframe you or I want, or in the manner you or I want, but he certainly answers prayers. Often when we pray, we don't have the bigger picture in view. Perhaps we are praying for a particular job. God might know that there are perils in that job or in that company waiting to trap us or ensnare us or trouble us, so we end up not getting the job, only to get a much better job at a much better company a few days later. Or, we pray for something but are not ready for it. God prepares our heart and our minds for it over time, so we are ready to receive His good and perfect Gift. Thus God works in and through us to prepare us to receive His Blessings. Never for a minute doubt His goodness and favor upon your life, Beloved. For the Bible says "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32
So if you are praying and not seeing immediate results of your prayers, know that either God has something better for you in store, or is preparing you to receive something better. In any case, persist in prayer. "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

​The Christian lesson for today is on doing things in God's strength, not in our own strength. Most of us high-achievers like to claim our own victories, set our own goals, strive toward achieving them and celebrate our successes as we achieve the same. Those of us who are Believers give glory to God along the way, for making it possible for us to achieve the things we have achieved, because we know that without His help, His divine hand, we wouldn't even have been born, let alone achieve great things.
However, what happens when we run across things we cannot do in our own power? Things that we feel are beyond our abilities, beyond our reach, and beyond our capabilities? The Bible talks about such things as these. In Matthew, Jesus talks about all things being possible with God. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Indeed, God makes the impossible possible. There is nothing beyond the reach of Him who breathed the Universe into existence. "yet ye have not, because ye ask not" James 4:2
Have you chased impossible dreams? Set impossible goals? Felt that something was beyond your reach? Dealing with a problem so tough or going through a situation so difficult, that you feel like you are at the end of your rope? Have you given it up to God in prayer? If you haven't done so believer, isn't it time you do so?
This reminds me of a wonderful hymn long forgotten but one I love to sing. It reminds me to take everything up to Jesus in prayer.
What a Friend we have in Jesus
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge--
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there

​Today's Christian lesson is on repentance. Repentance is the act of turning away from sin and expressing remorse, regret and sorrow over committing the sin. Indeed repentance is a dominant topic in the Bible:
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Acts 3:19
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
"From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17
"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." Luke 15:7
"For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!" Ezekiel 18:32
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15
"I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Luke 5:32
"Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38
Indeed the Bible talks a lot about repentance. Repentance must be  heart-felt, sincere, and solemn. It must involve turning away from  sin and sincere regret over the committing of it. It must involve heart-felt change. Unlike Old Testament times, we are not called to wear sack-cloth and ashes, but to turn from our sins and commit them no more. I leave you with this thought...when was the last time you confessed a sin and repented for it. If it has been too long, perhaps it is time to do it now?

​Today's Christian lesson is on judging people by their heart not based upon their appearances. Appearances can be deceiving. Wealth can be fleeting. Education and experience can lose relevance. Kingdoms can be raised up and destroyed. Love, Kindness, goodness, gentleness, mercy, generosity, faithfulness, love for God...these are the things which last forever, and by which we ought to measure other people.
This is how God measures us. "But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
"And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us..." Acts 15:8
"but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who examines our hearts." 1 Thes 2:4
Indeed when we decide whether to friend another and keep their company, if they are a believer, they must exhibit the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
If the Holy Spirit lives within them, they will exhibit these characteristics..."But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23
Is the Holy Spirit doing it's work in them? Is it transforming them to become more Christ-like every day? If not, then they are not walking in the faith.

​Today's Christian lesson is on owning up to our mistakes. We all make mistakes. "To err is Human, to forgive, Divine" someone once said. As Humans, we all (every one of us) make mistakes from time to time. It is what we do with those mistakes which makes a difference.
1. If we keep making the same mistakes, we are a fool. 'As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly." Proverbs 26:11
2. Learn from your own mistakes and try not to repeat them.
3. Learn from those who can help improve you. Learn from the wise: "A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, Nor will he go to the wise." Proverbs 15:12
4. Try to learn from the mistakes of others.
5. When you do make a mistake, own up to it right away. It is much better to own up to your mistakes right away rather than to hide it, be found out later and be shamed by others for making the mistake. We all make mistakes from time to time. Admitting your mistakes is the right thing to do.
I conclude with this: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7

​The Merriam Webster dictionary defines Grace (noun) as
a: unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification
b: a virtue coming from God
c: a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance
Indeed these are all true. Grace is a noun, and it is unmerited divine assistance given to us by God. Unmerited in that we are all sinners and have fallen short of the Glory of God "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" -- Romans 3:23 however, due to the blood shed on the Cross, we have been redeemed and are presented Holy and Sanctified and Blameless in front of God our Father. "he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him," Colossians 1:22
Therefore, the gift of Grace given to us is indeed unmerited...we do not deserve it, yet it is given to us, freely, unconditionally and in abundance so that we might do God's will on Earth and Glorify His son Jesus Christ who died on the Cross for our sins. Those who are "In Christ" and "In Grace" are called to treat each other with love and kindness just as Christ loved us. We are called to turn the other cheek and forgive each other. We are called to unity through the partaking of the Body and Blood in communion. We are the Body of Christ Jesus who is alive today as surely as He was alive 2000 years ago.