Pursuit of Godly Living

06/20/2023

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/the-seductive-sin-we-never-talk-about/

There’s a dangerous species of pride that often goes unnoticed and unbattled in the Christian life, yet it kills. It poisons relationships. It prevents us from repentance. And because it slyly leads us to justify our wrongdoing by appealing to how we’ve been wronged, the tentacles of pride maintain their grip on the heart, even while we appear humble and needy. I’m talking about self-pity—a sin that is everywhere these days.

There's a dangerous and subtle sin that can creep into our lives, sometimes masked as low self-esteem or low sense of worthiness. Find out more.

06/20/2023

If its in the Word of God, we need to follow that command. You don't need some special prophecy spoken over you to share the Gospel, you just need to follow the conviction to obey God's command as a Christian. We challenged ourselves these last couple of days to find at least 50 scriptures that shows us commands, examples, and actions of proclaiming the goodness of God and sharing the Gospel. Here are just a few scriptures on the importance of sharing and proclaiming the Gospel. No matter how you do it, active Evangelism is a lifestyle, a natural occurrence, desire and result of our salvation. The more your fill your heart with Jesus, the more you'll share Him with the world, the more you fill your heart with pride, elitism from wealth and career, and carnality, there won't be room for His salvation to be shared through your life.

Matthew 28:19-20:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

Mark 16:15:
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

Acts 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."

1 Corinthians 1:23:
"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness."

2 Corinthians 6:2:
"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)"

Romans 10:14:
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"

Romans 10:15:
"And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

Acts 3:19:
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."

2 Corinthians 5:20:
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

Matthew 10:7:
"And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand."

1 Peter 3:15:
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."

Colossians 4:5-6:
"Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."

1 John 4:9-11:
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him... Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."

1 Corinthians 3:6-7:
"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase... So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."

Romans 12:21:
"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

Galatians 6:10:
"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."

Acts 4:31:
"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."

1 Peter 2:9:
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."

Matthew 5:14-16:
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

2 Timothy 4:2:
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

James 5:19-20:
"Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."

John 4:35-36:
"Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together."

Romans 1:16:
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

Acts 20:24:
"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."

Acts 22:15:
"For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard."

2 Corinthians 5:18-19:
"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation... and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."

2 Corinthians 2:14-15:
"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish."

1 Corinthians 1:23-24:
"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

Proverbs 11:30:
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise."

Isaiah 52:7:
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"

Acts 9:27-28:
"But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem."

Matthew 28:19:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

Acts 4:13:
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."

Acts 26:18:
"To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

Ephesians 3:8:
"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."

Acts 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."

Luke 19:10:
"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Philippians 2:16:
"Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."

1 Corinthians 1:18:
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

Psalm 96:2-3:
"Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people."

Jude 1:22-23:
"And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

1 Corinthians 3:10-11:
"According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

2 Thessalonians 3:1:
"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you."

Psalm 107:2:
"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy."

Matthew 4:19:
"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

2 Corinthians 5:20:
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

Ephesians 4:15:
"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ."

Colossians 4:3:
"Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds."

2 Corinthians 3:2-3:
"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men... written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."

John 13:35:
"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

06/03/2023

This Patches item by DoctrineMatters has 2 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Shepherdsville, KY. Listed on May 4, 2023

06/02/2023

05/30/2023

Spirit Filled Christians & Attitudes: "We must put away all evil attitudes including hatred, wrath, envy, jealousy, covetousness, bitterness, malice, pride, prejudice, vengeance, and all discord (contention), strife, selfish ambition, dissension, clamor, brawling, murmuring, complaining, rebellion, a critical spirit... The fruit of the spirit -- such as love, kindness, patience, and self-control -- must manifest itself in our attitudes. We must learn to forgive, to be obedient to authority, to be thankful, not to let anything offend us, and not to be a busybody in the lives of others.

Galatians 5:19-21:
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 4:31-32:
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

05/28/2023

https://www.apostolic.edu/fasting-entire/

By Teri Spears & Thetus Tenneys Why do we fast? Scripture gives a strong precedent for fasting. This spiritual discipline was practiced by Moses, Elijah, Esther, Jesus, Paul, Nehemiah, Corneliu…

05/28/2023

"Fashion exists as a cultural marker. As much as we deny it, style is used to mentally identify and separate people into predefined groups. Outfits are often selected to declare a desired persona, either deliberately or subconsciously. Style can be used as a means of personal expression or a demonstration of uniformity, depending on the virtues of the culture.

The effort to intentionally commit our wardrobes to "holiness standards of dress" is meant to intentionally separate from mainstream culture, emphasize commitment to the church and Biblical principles of modesty and gender distinction, and stress humility and honesty as virtues."
..Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (II Corinthians 6:14–17)

05/28/2023

"If a professing Christian continues to live in sin or allows unrepented sin to remain in his life, he will not inherit salvation in the life to come. By his sinful, faithless, lifestyle he will lose the salvation he received by his previous repentance and faith."

04/12/2023

04/12/2023

Finally, I was able to finish the book "Grace Based Recovery: A Safe Place to Heal and Grow" by Jonathan Daughtery. If you are starting off in ministry, and you want to reach out to someone you know is struggling with addiction, this book is a good must-read, starting off point.

The author takes a practical approach to recovery, grounded in biblical principles, and offers a unique perspective that will inspire you to keep pushing forward. There is a good section where he talks about the importance of leadership and how to guide others towards recovery. When we get saved, we are bound by a mission to share the Gospel and extend our hand to whosoever longs to be pulled out from the miry clay. In this day and age, sin has become an addiction.

This book is also easy to read just like the previous book I shared about authored by the same individual. The writing style is engaging and easy to follow, with personal stories and anecdotes that make the book more relatable and inspiring. Plus, it's not just for Christians – anyone can benefit from the practical guidance and insights provided in this book. So if you're looking for a book that will help you overcome addiction and find a new path towards freedom and wholeness, "Grace Based Recovery" should definitely be on your book radar -- that and a whole lot of Jesus!

I gotta give a shoutout to the leadership section in this book. The leadership guide is pretty awesome and offers some legit insights into becoming a leader who can be a guiding light.

The author talks about the importance of being humble, authentic, and having integrity as a leader. He also emphasizes the need to be transparent about your own struggles and create a safe space where others can be real and honest.

What I love most about this section is how it shows that anyone can be a leader, no matter their background or experience, or where they are on their journey in ministry. Whether you're a recovering addict or not, you can use these principles to inspire and guide others towards a better life.

So if you're looking to level up your leadership game and become a positive influence in your church community, check out "Grace Based Recovery". It's a game-changer, fam… at least for me it was!

Keep it real, stay strong, and may God bless you on your Christian journey and pursuit of Godly living.