Kit Up!

A kit is a package containing items a person will need to be able to carry out a certain job or activity-
 Students recieve a student packet or kit when they enroll in school. Soldiers are issued a kit when they volunteer for service to their country. Inside these kits are literature about this new life they are beginning, giving them what is required of them by the school or by the particular branch of armed services they are in. The literature consists of:

• Their personal identification- something that is exclusively theirs which no one else can legally use.
• The history of the organization, and the current leadership.
• What is expected of each person who enrolls or signs up with the organization.
•  Information on how to contact authorities to ask questions or make requests for help when they run into difficulty.
• If they have problems understanding they have been assigned an advisor, or an officer who can help them. 
•   Access to places and valuable tools they will need in the future.

Another more valuable kit
The Holy Scriptures tell us that when each believer accepts Jesus as Saviour we are given a Guide in the person of the Holy Spirit to lead and help us through this new life. But did you know that you were also given a "kit" when you became a disciple of God? This kit is what I will explore in my blog today.
Inside this kit every believer is given:

• A personal ID which no one else can use.

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." Revelation 2:17

You become a part of a new family and are given the family name so that you can be identified as such.
This isn't just any family that is adopting you, this is the God of Heaven and earth himself.
This bond-- this adoption is an eternal transaction. (Jn. 3:16)

You are given a timeless and divinely inspired book

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inspiration in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16,17

-- the Holy Bible which gives you:

•   the history of all creation(Genesis)
•  as well as your new family(The four gospels) 
• An introduction to Jesus who made it possible for you to be offered freedom from sin

          The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God,         which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1: 29 

• Information on how to contact the One who can answer all your requests and who is there to give help anytime it is needed through the person of the Holy Spirit
• Grace that  enables you to live a life that will be pleasing to God your Heavenly Father 
• Peace that comes from knowing the will of God and submitting to it in your life

Sadly most Christians don't even realize what a valuable resource they been given,or they read through it only to decide it is something they don not want to follow--They have ways they think are more in tune with today. They feel it doesn't "apply to their situation". Do you use the "kit" the Lord has provided for you? Look for it-- dust it off-- and become familiar with it's contents and commit to obey so that you are able to truly stand as a child  the Living God can be proud of!

Procrastination

As the title of this post so aptly put it I am a procrastinator. Not intentionally mind you, I intend to get  things done in a timely manner- just at another time, as is obvious by my lack of articles lately.
I sit down to my work - and emails need to be read and responded to, then there are the notifications from facebook that let me know I should check out friends there. Everyone and everything seems to be calling me away from my purpose of placing another article on the page.The next thing I know, I have traveled the internet from "stem to stern", have never left my desk and sadly, have still to write my article. Then as just happened about three hours ago family responsibilities call me away and the temptation to "wait and write tomarrow" comes over me.But tonight, for it is night now, I will perservere and complete the task I set out to do today at lunch!

As I sit and think about it,if I am not careful, my spiritual days can follow that same pattern. I am tempted to be the same procrastinator. Setting out to witness to someone and being sidetracked by a phonecall from a friend or family member to meet for lunch or something--resolving today that I will start to read my Bible through this year- yet going to bed after a hard day with the promise to do better "tomarrow". Then day follows day and my good intentions get pushed to the background by the day to day routine of interruptions. And that is what they are-routine interruptions.The ones that Satan is so adept at placing in just the right spot at just the right time to distract and ultimately deter me.These interruptions have just enough variety to them that if I am not careful I won't notice the daily routine.

How about you? When you think of the past few months or weeks, can you think of any "interruptions that have become routine at keeping you from spiritual growth or service? I Peter 5:8 tells us to be sober, be vigilant(always on the lookout) Why? because your adversary (your enemy) the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
I ask you to remember that lions hunt in prides. Just as it isn't always the lion that is roaring that brings the prey down-- Satan does not hunt alone either.The demon that is stalking just out of sight is lethal as well. It is only through the perservering of faith that we--you and I will be able to resist.

Merry Christmas!

This year has been in some ways very intense. I know that there are many of you who feel the same way. I am afraid that my writing has suffered because of it. I can't help but question if much of it hasn't been my own fault, but that is neither here nor there now as they say.

 I do wish each one who reads and follows my writing a wonderful Christmas this year. I will be praying that whis will be our last Christmas here. That next Christmas every born again believer will be spending Christ birthday with him, in heaven.

I am sure that is the wish of every true born again believer. The Lord tells us to not just look for his appearing but to pray for it as well. The Lord doesn't stop there in his instruction tho--even though we sometimes stop there in the telling of it.He also tells us to work on doing the work that he has put us, his children, in this field called earth to do.

What work is he talking about? As God's children we are to always be aware of the opportunity to reveal Christ to someone we come in contact with. Show them not the front that so many religious organiztions today have, but to reveal the true Lord. This is the Lord who met with us when we were at our lowest point to save us from the sin that we were in. The Lord who lives within us daily to guide us in every decision that we make, and to strengthen us in every temptation that we encounter.

That is the Christ that few see from Christians today, that close personal saviour and friend. Why is that? We take credit for God's work. Yes it's that simple. We ourselves seem to forget who it is that keeps us from falling. Someone congratulates us on our achievements. What do we do? "Oh, thank you" we say, "I really had to work hard for that." We begin to think it is something that we are doing ourselves. There is nothing wrong with that, but we 'forget' to acknowledge the grace that brought us there.

This Christmas season I pray that all of us  will make plans to include Christ in our lives and reveal him to those around us as never  before. This is how that co-worker will know who to turn to when they need encouragement. Or how that family member will know where our strength comes from in times of crisis.

If you truely believe that Jesus is the reason for the season, let it be known to those you meet-- in your actions and your words in a way that will be pleasing to God. It is time for God's true children to stand and be seen.

God bless you this Christmas and everyday following.

Carrie Parker

The Building of the Spiritual Temple.

In the Old Testament, God gave Moses the plans for the tabernacle that they were to build. It was to go with them everywhere they went, as they traveled through the wilderness.

In the New Testament, you will fnd that there is still a tabernacle that is to go with you everywhere you go. If you have been born not just of water, but of the blood of Christ, then your body is that reborn spiritual tabernacle that is God's temporay house that goes with you. Of course you cannot leave your body and travel without it, that is the idea. God's desire has always been,and still is, to be with His people.

When a person asks Jesus to forgive them of their sin, and save their soul from Satan, that is what happens.

"If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." John 14:23

The dictionary definition of the word "abode" is:  housing that someone is living in. How can that possibly be? God is spirit, the spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit who is the third person of the triune God is who lives within the believer. Look at what Jesus told his disciple before he ascended:

"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot recieve, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." John 14:17

Jesus Christ, the second person of the triune God was preparing his disciples for this major change that was about to happen. He would no longer be with them physically, but God himself in the person of the Holy Spirit would be moving into their body, he wanted them to know what to expect. Just as he wants the believer to know what to expect today.