Lifting up the name of Jesus

Matthew 10: 27- 33  by Kevin Kohltoff

Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

God was kind enough to share His word with us to which as faithful Christians we should be engaged in, and He speaks to us through our heart and through those who have fellowship with God. The things God tells us should not be considered embarrassing; we should not be ashamed of what God stands for and the righteousness that He preserves. Whatever we learn from God isn’t supposed to be kept to ourselves but rather shared with all. We are supposed to stand up for the values and morals of God, keeping His righteous standards above ground and not let the things important to God be buried amongst the dead. Which in these days that’s exactly what this world is trying to do; but we, as believers, can’t just keep our mouths shut and say nothing. God doesn’t want us to stay isolated and keep His word quiet, His word needs to be brought to the light and shouted from the highest peaks.

But most believers don’t really act that way, do they? No, they come up with some lame excuse as to why they don’t talk about the things of God. If you call them on it, they say that it’s not because they are ashamed, so they give some other reason to justify their silence. The most common thing you will hear is that they don’t feel that they know enough about the things of God, or that it’s not their calling, to which my response is that they need to get going in their studies. If you are a born again believer then you know how to talk about the saving grace of God and if you don’t then how do you know if you are saved. And as far as it not being you’re calling to preach, that might be so but you do have a calling to spread the Gospel. Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ is the calling of all born again believers; it really comes down to whether you really believe in what you are doing. If you really trust in what you are doing, whatever that might be, you will share it with others. But of course sharing the Gospel of Jesus with others can come with some heavy persecution and rejection.

There is nothing done in this world that God does not know about, we might not think twice about a sparrow falling to the ground but God is aware of each and everyone that falls and can you imagine trying to keep count of the hairs on all the heads upon the earth, not to mention each one that falls out, especially as we grow older and they start falling out more quickly, and yet God has them all numbered. God concerns Himself with everything going on in this world and as far as we are concerned, well let’s face it, God loves us so much that He came into this world and died for our sins. God knows everything about us and as much as we might be able to convince others the reasons we do the things we do, we cannot fool God as God knows the heart and the real reason behind your silence.

So what is it that we are afraid of? It is true that man can kill us but they have no power over our soul. But God can destroy both soul and body, but of course this is not referring to annihilation but rather ruination. To annihilate you would be the easy way out; to ruin you would be everlasting suffering and pain. So if its fear you have you better believe the one that you should fear is not man but God.

Everything we do will be evaluated at the judgment seat of Christ and for us to refuse to speak up for Jesus because we are afraid because of intimidation or persecution will result in us losing our reward and the consequence of not being able to enter into the kingdom of God. If you are ashamed of Jesus and His words then He will be ashamed of you, and if Jesus is ashamed of you then I don’t see Him telling the Father that He knows you.

The bottom line is that if we don’t want to confess to others, no matter what the situation, whether we are intimidated or fear for our lives, or whatever, if we deny Jesus and our relationship with Him then in essence we are denying our faith in Him and if you do not have faith then you are not saved. Anyone you know intimately and are friends with them you won’t deny, so what are you saying if you deny Jesus by not defending Him both in our actions and with our words? Many will say that they will show their faith with their actions but the truth is that they are scared about what others will say of them. You won’t get too much grief for living within your morals and values but try to tell others why you live the way you do, then you will begin to feel some of what Jesus went through when He defended you when He went to the cross. I could go on and on with this and I already have but the truth is that we need to start telling others about the things of God and lift up the name of Jesus before all.

Knit Together? I thought this was just stuff that happens…

Paul said this in Colossians 2:  ¹ I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. ² I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.

Paul understood some of the reasons that all this stuff in life was allowed, why it happened and how God was using the intricate situations in our lives to bring the church closer together.. He had  experienced quite a bit at this point and was not done yet!

He goes on to say ^{in Colossians2:3} In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴ I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. ⁵ For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.

⁶ And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. ⁷ Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

⁸ Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers^[a] of this world, rather than from Christ. ⁹ For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.^{[b] 10} So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

So often we fight against, pray against and struggle with the situations in our lives naturally. I purpose though that all of the situations, I mean everyone  all has a intricate design and plan. Not that God brings the problems but is aware of everything and is allowing it in our lives to number one refine us…

Revelation 1:6 (New International Version)

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, ⁶and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

^{Malachi 3:2} But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. ³ He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, ⁴ and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.

He has called us as priests and is refining us, we know this to be true. Secondly he is allowing and working life’s situations so that we are knit together with strong ties of love. He is building his glorious bride the church, refining us, teaching us how to get alone and how to truly one another.

This how we must do it.. To become mature and be ready for his coming a spotless church without spot or wrinkle…

¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

¹⁶ Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Let us look at al that is allowed in our lives as part of his refining process and try to let his love shine through us to those close to us truly being kit together with strong ties of love, cause stuff just doesn’t happen unless it is in His plan..

God Bless and ride safe 🙂

The Little Foxes that spoil the vines..

¹⁴ My dove is hiding behind the rocks, behind an outcrop on the cliff.
Let me see your face;let me hear your voice.
For your voice is pleasant,and your face is lovely.

¹⁵ Catch all the foxes,those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!

I know that we are indeed God’s  special treasures and many times the Word refers to us, the church as the bride. While reading this morning I was led to this passage of scripture which tells me just that.

While from a human, fleshly,lol biker point of view that always seems odd or uncomfortable to me. Gods Love is not completely understood by us and goes way beyond gender and my understanding of love. The first part of the passage says ” My dove is hiding behind the rocks,
behind an outcrop on the cliff.”   When reading this it made me think of Psalm 91 “¹ He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. ^”

I believe the next verses show us Gods heart and desire for our companionship as Solomon says  “show me your face,
let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

The Spirit of the Living God continues to lead us to trust Him, turn to him and spend time with him. He is asking his church to show me your face I like seeing it. Let me hear your voice it is pleasant to me, continuing to lead us to spend that time with him. I believe that when we do, that is when we dwell in the secret place of the most high and experience the benefits that Psalm 91 promises…

Now to the foxes… the foxes are indeed the sin in our lives. The grapevine is the example of our lives and the church , remember Jesus example of John 15, jesus is the true vine and we are the branches..

I believe it is the small foxes, the pet sins, the things we so easily rationalize and look past while looking at others..

This scripture has encouraged me to allow the Holy Spirit to do his work through me, cleansing me of the sins I have been allowing and treating as a pet fox! I know the Bible says to run from, put behind and count as dead the former works and sin in our lives. The Holy Spirit has reminded me yet again that he loves me, wants to hear from me more, wants to bless me and has swept clean again the little foxes in my life…

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you my friend?

Whats your soul worth?

Hello Friends and Family!

This was cut short at 10 minutes but hope it encourages you in your walk this day!

Here is the scriptures I will be talking about, so whats your soul worth?

³⁴Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵For whoever wants to save his life^[c] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. ³⁶What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? ³⁷Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁸If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Strong in the Grace of Jesus Christ…

2 Timothy 2 1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. 3Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. 5Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Great Examples Jester Shawn and Dave Noblitt

Galatians 6

Doing Good to All

¹Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. ²Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, ⁵for each one should carry his own load.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

That alone should get our interest! That is appealing to our fleshly nature even, wow I get what I want! I do not think that is what Jesus meant when he said this..

Jesus said many controversial things. What about this..John 15:7 “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” Lets read the context he said it in though..

John 15

Jesus, the True Vine

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

He said when we abide, live have our beings in Him. The amplified says in John 15: 7 “If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.”

It is our constant staying in his will that brings the powerful answered prayer that we so desire. This changes totally what we want, changes us getting what we want to asking for what God wants accomplished thru his people on earth.

Jesus next words truly reveal his plan and purpose, how we will act when we live and abide in him,  Love one another! Isn’t that what he wants, us to live in his love so much that we love others as ourselves! This truth brings Gods kingdom and plan to pass in our lives, as we ask for his divine help, he answers quickly..

Abide in Him, the basis for answered powerful prayers!

I’ll ride when it warms a fuzz!

Rags

More Power In Your Prayers !

I am continuing my thoughts on prayer and without a doubt Jesus was granted the most amazing results to his prayers. So let us study his prayers to stretch our faith and become more like Jesus. True believers are called and compelled by the Holy Spirit to be more like Jesus.
Let us see ow Jesus prayed, I believe we should hang on his every word as he is the Word!

Read Mark 11:12 The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14 Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.
Jesus Clears the Temple
15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.[c] 17 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”[d]

18 When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching.

19 That evening Jesus and the disciples left[e] the city.

20 The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. 21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!”

22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

This makes me think that Jesus meant to include our forgiveness level after we told us “Mark 11:24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” I think that our forgiving others is directly linked to our power in prayer.
Look here where Jesus mentions it again…

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,[a]
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,[b]
but rescue us from the evil one.[c]

Matthew 6:14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 5: 23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[i] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
We all want prayer to work exactly like Jesus promises us, I do! We want to ask and receive… so whats your forgiveness level?
How could we ever hold grudges when we have been forgiven all so freely!
I think that is Jesus’s point exactly to forgive others as we have been forgiven and in doing so we are blessed with our prayers being powerful and effective.
Bitterness and resentment eat at a persons soul and hinder our effectiveness in prayer!
Who do you need to forgive?
Start praying for that person and asking God for his forgiveness because we do not have it in ourselves.. none of us.
As we do this I know we will experience a power increase in our prayers.
Was Jesus prayers powerful?
This is what he said….Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”