The Holy Scriptures

 2 Tim 3:15,16
 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus…All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

As a child, the Bible sat in a special place in our home, a sacred decoration that indicated that we were a home that believed in God, an emblem of faith in the church I attended for most of my early childhood. It contained the teachings that were held sacred to the church. Personally, I had very little knowledge of the words that were written between the cover of that book. I was taught the doctrine of the church through the catechism of classes I attended, and not by the investigation of holy scripture. I was ignorant of scripture and had no idea of the deep truths that this book contained. I was 15 years old when I came to the knowledge that this Bible contained the life-giving words of God. From Genesis to Revelation, God revealed the holy scriptures to me. I was like a little bird with my mouth wide open, taking in everything that the Bible contained. It was amazing to learn that Jesus Christ was revealed in both the New and Old Testament. The word became my spiritual life source. Over the 50-plus years of my spiritual journey, I have read it from the beginning to the end several times, not only becoming a student of the word, but a Bible teacher. Teaching others what scripture says about Christ, and how we should be living as Christians. The word is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing the hearts of men, revealing man’s sin and his redemption through Christ. I don’t claim to know all the answers, but I have experience that God’s word will guide us to truth if we have an open heart to the light He sheds in our path. Like Timothy, I want to study, to do my best to learn the holy scriptures, that I may be approved of by God, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim 2:15)

True Fellowship with God

 1 John 1:6

 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

I call myself a Christian because I asked Jesus to forgive me for my sins and come into my heart. Believers were first called Christians in Antioch. They were given the name because they were followers of Jesus Christ. A man who claimed to be God, a man who gave His life on the cross, shed His blood that the world may be saved. Through Christ, I now have fellowship with God. Christ bridged the gap, and I now can enter into the presence of a holy God through Christ who reconciled me back to my Creator. John says that if you have this kind of fellowship with God, then the way we live our life matters. Living a life of sin, and knowingly doing things that are contrary to what is right, is to walk in darkness. The Bible says that we once lived in darkness, but we are now the light of Jesus, and we need to walk in His light. Continuing to say that we have fellowship with God, and know Christ to be our savior, but refusing to walk in light is to deceive ourselves, and we are living a lie. The word religion has become the catchphrase for anyone who chooses to rest their salvation by keeping rules and rituals. It is true that a religion without a relationship or fellowship with Christ is empty. Yet, if one professes to have a relationship with God, then he or she will be a religious person, and, by God’s help and grace, walk in the light of God’s word. The devil has set spiritual traps along this path we walk. That is why we must walk in the light of God’s word and seek to do what is good and right. Love mercy, do justly, and stay humble before God and others. This is done when we walk a path that is full of light.

Christian Moderation

 Phil 4:5 
Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

The modern definition of moderation is to do all things in balance. Within reasonable limits, not to excess. The Greek meaning of the word refers to restraint on the passions, general soberness of living, being free from all excesses. The word also implies that a lifestyle that others who are watching would see Christ. They were to govern their appetites, control their behavior, and to be examples of what was proper living for those who were expecting the Lord to return soon. The exhortation to live in moderation is made possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. A life of moderation is to live in harmony with the fruit of the Spirit. There are those who live with strict adherence to the letter of the law, and their passion to keep the law comes across as harsh and intolerant. Living in moderation does not mean that one compromises their Biblical belief to keep the Lord’s commandment, but understands that the spirit of gentleness and kindness overrules the letter of the law to execute judgment. We who seek to live a balanced Christian life, must understand that love does not condone sin, but love will treat the sinner with kindness and gentleness, showing our moderation to all men.