Uncategorized Archives - The Way Ministries

Sawv ntsug ntawm koj tus kheej tseeg tias koj yog tus menyuam Vajtswv hlub

“Saib seb Leej Txiv txoj kev hlub loj npaum li cas rau peb, xwv kom peb yuav tsum raug hu ua Vajtswv cov me nyuam! Thiab qhov ntawd yog qhov peb yog! Yog vim li cas lub ntiaj teb tsis paub peb yog tias nws tsis paub nws. ” —1 Yauhas 3:1

Sau los ntawm Paj Tshiab

Lub Ob Hlis 2023

Phau Vajlugkub hais tias nyob rau hauv Yauhas 15:13 hais tias txoj kev hlub loj tshaj plaws ntawm txhua tus yog los ntawm Vajtswv hauv phau Vajlugkub hais tias, “kev hlub loj dua tsis muaj leej twg tshaj qhov no: kev tso ib txoj sia rau ib tug phooj ywg.” Yexus, uas yog Vajtswv tag nrho thiab tag nrho tib neeg, qhia Nws txoj kev hlub rau koj los ntawm kev tso Nws txoj sia rau koj.

Muaj cov uas hlub peb thiab nws yog Vajtswv txoj koob hmoov; Txawm li cas los xij, qhov koob hmoov loj tshaj plaws yog kom paub thiab ntseeg tias koj tau hlub los ntawm Vajtswv heev. Tsis muaj leejtwg yuav hlub tau koj li Vajtswv. Thaum peb nrhiav kev hlub ib zaug, Vajtswv xav qhia Nws txoj kev hlub rau peb. Cia peb thov Vaj Ntsuj Plig Dawb Huv qhia Vajtswv txoj kev hlub rau peb txhua hnub.

Sawv ntsug ntawm peb tus kheej raws li Vajtswv tus menyuam hlub yog qhov chaw uas Vajtswv xav kom peb ua txhua lub sijhawm, dhau lub sijhawm zoo thiab lub sijhawm nyuaj. Nws yog los ntawm kev paub txog tus kheej no uas yuav ua rau peb hla lub sijhawm nyuaj. Thaum peb los ua cov ntseeg thiab ntseeg Yexus, peb poob peb tus kheej hauv ntiaj teb no thiab txais peb tus kheej hauv Khetos. Thaum peb ntseeg tag nrho Vajtswv txoj kev hlub rau peb, peb muaj peev xwm ua tau peb lub neej tag nrho rau siab rau Nws. Phau Ntawv Nkauj 33:18 hais tias Vajtswv saib xyuas cov uas ntseeg Nws txoj kev hlub rau lawv.

Yauhas 3:16 hais tias, “Rau qhov Vajtswv hlub neeg ntiajteb kawg li, nws thiaj muab nws ib tug Tub rau tus uas ntseeg nws yuav tsis tuag tiamsis muaj txojsia nyob mus ibtxhis.” Tsis muaj lwm tus vajtswv nyob hauv lub ntiaj teb no uas pe hawm uas muaj kev hlub rau cov neeg pe hawm nws, thiab tsis muaj lwm tus vajtswv hauv ntiaj teb uas yog kev hlub (1 Yauhas 4: 16, “Vajtswv yog kev hlub”), tus uas hlub koj thiab kuv.

Vajtswv txoj kev hlub rau koj tau lees paub los ntawm nqe no hauv Lukas 12: 6-7: “Puas yog tsib tus noog muag rau ob lub nyiaj npib? Txawm li cas los xij, tsis muaj ib tug ntawm lawv tsis nco qab los ntawm Vajtswv. Tseeb tiag, cov plaub hau ntawm koj lub taub hau yog suav tag nrho. Tsis txhob ntshai; koj muaj nqi ntau dua li cov noog.” Nqe no yog ib qho kev txhawb zog rau koj tias thaum tsaus ntuj thaum koj hnov qab, Vajtswv hais tias, ib yam li Nws saib xyuas cov noog, Nws yuav ua ib yam rau koj. Nws yuav saib xyuas koj vim koj muaj nqi rau Vajtswv ntau dua li cov noog.

Cov phooj ywg, yog tias koj mus dhau lub neej yam tsis paub Vajtswv thiab Nws txoj kev hlub tiag tiag, ces nws yuav ua rau tsis muaj qhov sib txawv ntau npaum li cas kev txaus siab lossis kev vam meej uas koj yuav tau txais los ntawm txoj hauv kev hauv ntiaj teb no, thaum kawg, koj yuav nyob tsis muaj nuj nqis. Txawm tias qhov kev vam meej, yeej ib txwm muaj qhov khoob hauv peb uas tsuas yog Yexus tuaj yeem sau tau. Paub hnub no muaj ib tug Vajtswv hu rau koj uas xav qhia Nws txoj kev hlub loj rau koj los ntawm Yexus.

Koj puas paub Yexus?

Kev Thov Vajtswv Txais Yexus:

Tswv Yexus, kuv ntseeg haus kuv lub siab tias koj tau tuag theej kuv lub txhob thiab tau ciaj los tom nqa peb hnub. Kuv ua koj tsaug rau koj tus ntoo khaub lig. Thov koj zam kuv txim rau kuv tej kev txhaum. Kuv tig rov qab los tsis ua tej kev txhaum lawm es txais koj Yexus los ua kuv tus Vajtswv, Tswv, thiab Cawm Seej hauv kuv lub neej. Yexus kuv caws koj los nyob hauv kuv lub siab. Vajntsujplig Dawb Huv pab kom kuv paub Yexus ntxiv dua thiab pab kom kuv ua kuv lub neej rau Yexus ua nws tus thwjtim. Ntawm Tswv Yexus lub Npe muaj hwjchim kuv thov cov lus no. Amen.

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

Txoj Hauj Lwm Qhuab Qhiab Txoj Kev

Txoj Haujlwm: Qhia txog Yexus txoj kev hlub thiab txoj moo zoo rau haivneeg Hmoob.

Lub Hom Phiaj: Ua Yexus cov thwjtim.

“Yexus teb Thaumas hais tias, “Kuv yog txojkev, yog qhov tseeb thiab yog txojsia; tsis muaj leejtwg mus cuag tau Leej Txiv, tsuas yog mus ntawm kuv mus xwb thiaj tau.” Yexus hais rau lawv hais tais, “Nimno nej twb paub kuv lawm, nej yeej yuav paub kuv Txiv thiab txij no mus nej yuav paub nws thiab pom nws“

– Yauhas 14:6-7

Standing on Your Identity as a Beloved Child of God

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” -1 John 3:1

By Pachia

February 2023

The Bible says in John 15:13 that the greatest love of all comes from the God of the Bible, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus, who is fully God and fully man, demonstrated His love for you by laying down His life for you.

There are those who love us and it is a blessing from God; however, the greatest blessing is to know and believe you are loved by God greatly. No one can love you like God. As we search to be loved at times, God wants to reveal His love for us. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s love to us daily.

Standing on our identity as a beloved child of God is where God wants us to be all the time, through good times and hard times. It is through the knowledge of this identity that will get us through the hard times. When we become followers and believers in Jesus, we lose our identity in this world and embrace our identity in Christ. When we fully believe in God’s love for us, we are able to live our lives fully surrendered to Him. Psalm 33:18 says God watches those who believe in His love for them.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” There is no other god in the world that is worshiped that has love for those who worship him, and there is no other god in the world that is love (1 John 4:16, “God is love”), who loves you and me.

God’s love for you is affirmed by this verse in Luke 12:6-7:” Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” This verse is an encouragement to you that in dark times when you feel forgotten, God says, just as He takes care of the sparrows, He will do the same for you. He will care for you since you are more valuable to God than sparrows.

Friend, if you go through life without truly knowing God and His love, then it will make no difference how much pleasure or success you may gain from the ways of this world, in the end, you will have lived in vain. No matter the success, there is always an emptiness in us that only Jesus can fill. Know today there is a God calling out to you who wants to reveal His great love to you through Jesus.

Do you know Jesus?

How to have a relationship with Jesus:

The Bible says in Romans 10:9, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” If you would like to have a relationship with Jesus, you can pray this prayer below, and make sure you get connected to a Bible-based church to help you walk out and grow in your relationship with Jesus. May God richly bless you!

Prayer to Receive Jesus:

Dear Lord Jesus, I believe in my heart that you died on the cross for my sins and rose on the third day. Thank you for your cross. Please forgive me for my sins. I repent or turn away from my sins and receive you Jesus as my God, Lord and Savior of my life. Jesus I invite you to come into my heart. Help me Holy Spirit to know Jesus more and help me to live my life for Jesus. In Jesus’ mighty Name I pray, Amen.

Tus Nqi Rau Koj Tus Plig

Dab tsi yog qhov zoo rau ib tug neeg kom tau txais lub ntiaj teb tag nrho, es tseem poob lawv tus ntsuj plig? — Malakaus 8:36

Tus Sau: Paj Tshiab

Lub 1 Hlis 2023

Peb feem ntau pom lub ntiaj teb no muaj txhua yam peb xav tau rau lub neej zoo siab thiab ua tiav—xws li cov khoom hauv ntiaj teb, nyiaj txiag, txoj hauj lwm, kev muaj peev xwm mus ncig lub ntiaj teb, kev txaus siab, thiab lub hwj chim, txhua yam muaj nyob hauv Asmeskas kev npau suav. Phau Vajlugkub hais tias tej no tsis muaj nqis rau koj tus ntsuj plig.

Soul txhais tau tias “ua pa ntawm txoj sia,” yog ib feem ntawm tib neeg tsis txawj tuag. Phau Vajlugkub hais tias nyob rau hauv Chiv Keeb 2:7 hais tias Vajtswv ib leeg tsim noob neej los ntawm cov av av thiab muab nws ua pa ntawm lub neej rau tib neeg. Raws li qhov ua tsis taus pa ntawm lub neej no, txiv neej tau los ua ib tug ntsuj plig. Tus neeg muaj sia nyob no yog tsim los kom nyob mus ib txhis.

Phau Vajlugkub hais tias thaum peb lub cev dhau mus hauv txoj kev tuag, peb cov ntsuj plig yuav nyob mus ib txhis, tsis hais nyob rau hauv lub xub ntiag ntawm Vajtswv nyob saum ntuj ceeb tsheej yog peb tau txais kev cawmdim, los yog nyob rau hauv kev rau txim nyob rau hauv ntuj raug txim sib nrug ntawm Vajtswv yog hais tias peb tsis kam lees Yexus uas yog Vajtswv lub txiaj ntsim rau tib neeg rau lub neej kev theej txhoj ntawm peb tej kev txhaum. Koj puas paub tus nqi tau them rau koj tus ntsuj plig? Tus nqi no yog Yexus tuag saum ntoo khaub lig.

Tsis muaj ib yam dab tsi hauv ntiaj teb no muaj nqi tshaj li peb lub neej—peb tus ntsuj plig uas tsis txawj tuag muaj peev xwm ua neej nyob mus ib txhis hauv lub vaj kaj siab nrog Vajtswv.

Hnub no kuv thov kom koj muag koj tus ntsuj plig rau Tswv Yexus thiab tsis yog rau tib neeg thiab tej yam hauv ntiaj teb no. Hais txog lub neej mus ib txhis, koj yuav tsis khuv xim qhov kev txiav txim siab no yog tias koj xaiv Khetos.

Kev Thov Vajtswv Txais Yexus:

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

The Price for Your Soul

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? – Mark 8:36

By Pachia

January 2023

We often see this world as having everything we need for a happy and fulfilled life—such as earthly possessions, money, position, ability to travel the world, pleasure, and power, everything included in the American dream. The Bible says that these are not worth the value of your soul.

Soul means “breath of life,” the immortal part of man. The Bible says in Genesis 2:7 that God alone created man from the dust of the ground and put his breath of life into man. As a result of this breath of life, man became a living soul. This living soul of man was designed to live forever.

The Bible says when our bodies pass away in death, our souls will live forever, either in the presence of God in heaven if we are saved, or in punishment in hell apart from God if we reject Jesus who is God’s gift to humanity for the atonement of our sins. Did you know a price has been paid for your soul? This price was Jesus’ death on the cross.

There is nothing in the world more precious than our life—our immortal soul’s potential to live for eternity in paradise with God. I ask you today to sell your soul to Christ and not people and things of this world. In eternity, you will not regret making this decision if you choose Christ.

How to have a relationship with Jesus:

Prayer to Receive Jesus:

The Lord Jesus, the God Who Comes Finds Us to Heal Us

“Here a great number of disabled people used to lie- the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “ Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk. At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” – John 5:3-9

By Pachia

December 2022

Have you ever looked to something other than Jesus, the Son of God, who is God Himself, for healing? In this story, the invalid had waited thirty-eight years for someone to help him into the healing pool. He was believing in the healing pool for his healing. Even when Jesus asked this invalid man if he wanted to get well, he did not respond with a “Yes” that he wanted to get well. Instead he responded with a complaint related to him not being able to access the pool of water. He was so focused on receiving healing from the pool that he did not know or see that Jesus, the Creator of the universe, was wanting to heal him.

Yes, there are many ways to get healed, and different types of healers in this world. Why would one choose and seek Jesus to heal him? To consider Jesus, one must receive an encounter, a revelation and an understanding of who Jesus is, why He came to the world and why He heals.

The Bible says in Isaiah 53:4-5, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Jesus came to earth to die on the cross for our sins, bear our burdens, and bring us healing through his death on the cross. There is no other God like Jesus who has given His own life for our healing in every way, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

The Bible also says in 1 John 4:16 God is love and in John 3:16 it is because of God’s love he gave His one and only Son Jesus that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus heals because of His love for us. His sacrifice on the cross saves us from our sins, reconciles us back to a right relationship with God, and gives us eternal life.

This miracle healing by Jesus was performed on a man who did not ask for it, or he might not have wanted it from Jesus. This man’s healing was a display of Jesus’ compassion to heal the man through His divine healing power. It shows us that even when we don’t seek Jesus or want His help, He can reach out to us, come find us and act on behalf of what we need because of His goodness and love toward us. Sometimes like the invalid man, we are alone in our healing needs, but Jesus wants you to know He sees you, He is called Adonai El-Roi which in Hebrew means “the God who sees me,” and Jehovah Rapha means “the Lord God who heals.” Jesus wants to heal you since He already sacrificed His life for your healing. As with the invalid man, Jesus is saying to you if you have a need for healing: Jesus sees you, just believe He can and will heal you because of His love for you.

How to have a relationship with Jesus:

Prayer to Receive Jesus:

Contact by Email: pachia@the-way-ministries.com

Is Jesus God?

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him (Jesus), and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross.” – Colossians 1:19-20

By Pachia

November 2022

There are so many “gods” in this world today. Did you know that the Bible’s God is defined as the one, true God, the creator of heaven and earth (Isaiah 42:5)?

The Bible says in John 3:16-17 that this God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son (Jesus) that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Did you know that Jesus is God? The Bible says in Colossians 2:9-10 that Jesus is God: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to all fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”

Jesus has supreme power and authority over every other god in this world.

To understand that Jesus is God, one must understand the doctrine of the Trinity in the Bible. The Trinity states that within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three co-equal and co-eternal persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is a distinct person, yet each is identified as God: the Father (1 Corinthians 8:6), the Son (John 1:1–3; 14:10; Romans 9:5, Isaiah 9:6), and the Spirit (John 14:26; Acts 5:3–4).

The one true God has given us the ultimate revelation of Himself in the Lord Jesus. Jesus is “the exact representation of God’s being” (Hebrews 1:3-4). Jesus is the Word of God made flesh who “made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).

Jesus declared Himself to be God in John 8:5-8. Jesus told the Jews exactly who he is: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). This “I am” statement was Jesus’ clearest example of His proclamation, “I am Yahweh,” from the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 41:4; 43:10–13, 25; 46:4; 48:12; cf. John 13:19). His followers believed Him to be God.

Today, people worship some of the same pagan gods mentioned in the Old Testament; or they worship more recent false gods or they worship themselves. But the worship of false gods leads only to death in the end. The Bible clearly states Jesus is the only way to heaven: “This is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).To receive God’s free gift of salvation, we must look to Jesus and Jesus alone. We must trust in Jesus’ death on the cross as our payment for sin and in His resurrection. We must take up our cross and follow Jesus.

How to have a relationship with Jesus:

Prayer to Receive Jesus:

Making A Decision to Hope

“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be’.” – Romans 4:18

By Pachia

September 2022

Having a hopeless or helpless outlook on life is the most common symptom of depression as defined in the medical world today. Instead of utilizing psychiatry or psychology for a cure or relief, as Christians we have a greater antidote and it is written in the Bible. It is called Hope.

Hope in the Bible is not “wishful thinking,” as commonly understood in this world. The Bible defines “hope” to mean “to trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future.” Hope is a confident expectation and the proper response to the promises of God. When hope has attained its object it ceases to be hope and becomes possession.

As Christians, yes, we have a hope beyond the grave. This is the ultimate hope we have, to be with Jesus after death and the hope in His return as our Bridegroom coming for us, His Bride. Yet we are also to have a hope before the grave and amidst life’s trials and circumstances. Sometimes it is not easy to have hope, especially in a world of sin, pain and in difficult life circumstances; however, as Christians, we are to have hope, no matter what, as an anchor in our soul, as Hebrews 6:19 says: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” The hope we have in Jesus is like an anchor that grounds us and steadies our souls.”

Have you checked your soul lately and is it anchored in hope during these last days?
How do we get more hope?

God is molding us as pottery in the potter’s hand and as we surrender our lives to Jesus, we are being transformed into the likeness of Christ day by day. If we are missing some likeness of Christ, such as hope, we can ask the Holy Spirit for more hope to abound in us since He is the source of hope through his power (Romans 15:13). Hope is also a decision we make in our mind based on our knowledge of who God is and who we are to God (our identity in God). As Christians, the battle we face is in our soul, which is our mind, will and emotions. Following Jesus, or living sold out for Jesus is a lifelong process of fine-tuning our self-control over our mind, will and emotions to be like Jesus.

Sometimes we must hope in things that seem impossible. Our heart posture is to wait in hope, as Abraham did in Romans 4:18, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be’.”

Did Jesus have hope? Yes. In Hebrews 12:2 it says he was looking forward to the future in hope for the joy set before Him he endured the cross: “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

As followers of Jesus, no matter the trials in life, when we feel overwhelmed and hopeless and also in regards to the seemingly increasing darkness in the world, we make a decision to hope. It begins with being satisfied in God and trusting God for the security of our future. If we aren’t, we will be anxious and fearful resulting in self-centered thoughts and actions to control our future. But when we know who God is and who we are to God and in God through Christ Jesus, then we can have confidence for God to take care of us in the future.

I pray for you: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -Romans 15:13

How to have a relationship with Jesus:

Prayer to Receive Jesus:

Contact by Email: pachia@the-way-ministries.com

The Conquering Power of the Love of God to Meet Our Needs

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? -Romans 8:32

By Pachia

August 2022

The Bible says in John 17:3, Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

As true Christians, it is all about knowing Jesus, and this comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus, which involves us spending time talking with Jesus and listening to his voice. When we know Jesus, we will be able to answer questions such as: Who is Jesus? How is his character? What did he do in the Bible? Why did he do it? How does he see me? What does he want me to do with my life? What does he have to say about this issue? What would he like me to do in this situation?

Another aspect of knowing Jesus is to know His love for us. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” According to this verse, our relationship with Jesus is a love relationship. Our life as followers of Jesus is to live receiving God’s love for us and to love God back with our lives. We may be able to understand on the surface level God’s love for us; however, God wants us to experience His love for us in our own hearts, where the passion of God’s love for us becomes a reality in our emotions and in turn transforms us. As true Christians, it’s more than just “knowing” God’s love for us.

THE DEPTH OF GOD’S LOVE

Besides that, there is depth to God’s love for us as the Bible says in Ephesians 3:18-19, “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

As this verse says, for us to grasp (which means, to seize and hold firmly) the depth of the love of God, it is through the Holy Spirit power in our hearts that gives us the revelation of God’s love for us. God wants us to live knowing the depths of His love for us and not just the knowledge of his love.

1 Corinthians 8:1 says, “Knowledge puffs up while love builds up.”

BELIEVING IN GOD’S LOVE DURING THE TRIALS OF LIFE

When things are going well in life it may be easier to believe and receive God’s love for us; however, when we face trials in life, feel defeated, insecure, fearful, a loss, lost, or lacking anything, as followers of Jesus, it may become more difficult to believe and receive God’s love for us, and we may doubt God’s love for us. However, as Ephesians 3:18-19 says, the Lord Jesus wants us to remember that the solution now is for us to root ourselves and establish ourselves in love, and to hold firmly to the depth of the love of Christ for us at all times no matter the circumstances.

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? -Romans 8:32

In times of trials, we all of a sudden face a personal need. However, Romans 8:32 proves God’s love for us. God is a Father who did not spare his own Son, Jesus Christ for us all. God did a major work, he made a major personal sacrifice for us, his greatest treasure, the gift of His Son for the redemption of mankind and so why should we ever doubt His goodness and generosity toward us? He certainly will not withhold from us anything else he has to give us. In Christ, Christians are secure in that there will be no unmet need.

Friend, in times of discouragement and defeat, remember to put your faith in the love of God for you. Call out to Jesus to show you His love so that you can experience His love for you. I pray 2 Thessalonians 3:5, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

————————————-

How to have a relationship with Jesus:

Prayer to Receive Jesus:

Contact by Email: pachia@the-way-ministries.com

Guarding the Good Deposit

So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all of your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. – 1 Samuel 7:3-4

By Pachia

July 2022

In the chapters leading up to this verse, the Bible says in 1 Samuel 4, the ark of the Lord’s covenant had been captured by the Philistines. The Philistines put the ark in Dagon’s temple in Ashdod, and Dagon, a statue idol, fell on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and his head and hands had been broken off as well (1 Samuel 5:1-5). As a result, the people of Ashdod knew the hand of the God of Israel was heavy on them and moved the ark to Gath and afterwards to Ekron. The Bible says the hand of the God of Israel was against all the people of these Philistine cities and many people were afflicted with tumors or died. The same thing happened in Gath and Ekron. After 7 months, the Philistine priests and diviners advised the Philistines to return the ark of the covenant.

When the Israelites received the ark of the covenant back they turned back to the Lord, or repented. The ark of the covenant stayed in Kiriath Jearim for 20 years. Because of the Israelites’ repentance and rededication of their hearts to serving the Lord only, the Lord helped the Israelites and routed and defeated the Philistines who had come to attack them.

In the Old Testament, the ark of the covenant represents the Presence of God. Before Jesus died on the cross, the Holy Spirit or Presence of God didn’t come into the hearts of believers. Today Christians are constantly in the Presence of God with the Holy Spirit living in their hearts as stated in 2 Corinthians 1:22, “He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

Furthermore in 2 Timothy 1:14 Paul said we are to guard this deposit, “Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

Are you a Christian and are you guarding this good deposit?

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:16, “What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” “

In this verse, Paul is saying that those who are in Christ—true Christian believers—are now God’s temple on earth. His Spirit occupies every believer in Jesus. With that understanding, Paul is saying here that any believer who participates in the worship of an idol is guilty of betraying God in the same way as a Jewish person worshiping an idol in the Jewish temple. In the context of this chapter, Paul is commanding the Corinthians church not to yoke themselves to unbelievers since Christ can have nothing to do with Satan or darkness. God lives in them through the Holy Spirit, so they must separate from everything that is opposed to God. This applies to us today.

Friend, as true Christian believers, we are to evaluate our hearts often if there may be any idols in our hearts. Jesus wants all of our hearts. Idols can be statues of gods worshiped like Dagon, ancestral gods in a religion practiced by Hmong called animism, or Buddha. Idols can also represent things that take our time and attention from giving our entire heart to the Lord Jesus. If we find areas in our life that are out of focus, I pray that the Holy Spirit will help us to worship the Lord Jesus alone. Amen.

How to have a relationship with Jesus:

Prayer to Receive Jesus:

Contact by Email: pachia@the-way-ministries.com

The Lord is My Provider

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” -Genesis 22:13-14

By Pachia

June 2022

I recently went to Israel and visited Mount Masada National Park. It is an ancient fortification on a rock plateau and mesa located in the desert in south Israel. It had extreme desert heat. As I was leaving the mountain, I heard the Holy Spirit say to me: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided. (Genesis 22:14) ” When we are in a place in life where we have a need, it may feel like we are in the desert heat; however, it is in this place of need, where the Lord says, “Lean on Me in faith and I will provide.”

Today’s verse comes from the story of when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, his only son whom he loved, Isaac, his promised child, as a burnt offering on a mountain in Moriah (Genesis 22:1-2) and Abraham obeyed. The Bible says God was testing Abraham.

Like Abraham, as children of God, God can test us too to see if we have given over to God all of our heart, especially those things or persons in our lives we love the most. Instead of building physical altars of the Lord like Abraham, today, the altar of the Lord is our heart.

Paul wrote about this in Galatians 2:20 when he said: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

When we follow Jesus, He wants us to be living a life laid down for Him. Christianity is a life (Jesus’ life He gave for you) for a life (your life). Your life is your heart. Being a follower of Jesus involves living a life daily offering your heart to Jesus in exchange for His heart. This can be hard at times since God gave man, each of us a self will and a free will and so living a life surrendered to the Lord completely is to be practiced, making it a lifestyle.

As Abraham offered to the Lord in faith the one he loved most, giving God all of his heart, God made provisions for his need. When we offer our entire heart to the Lord, we can trust He will provide for our needs as well. Have you given all of your heart to the Lord Jesus?

*Elon Moreh, Israel* (Abraham’s first altar to the Lord, Genesis 12:6-7)

How to have a relationship with Jesus:

Prayer to Receive Jesus:

Email: pachia@the-way-ministries.com