The above verse is the very last verse in the Old Testament. It reveals how God looks at the family – especially the father’s role in the home. Ephesians 6:4 says that fathers are to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

All too often, in today’s world, the father is missing in many of the activities in the home – and maybe gone altogether. This verse shows that God considers the father’s role in the home to be very important. He wants you to be a role model for your family members.  

When a home is conducted the way God desires, the father is the spiritual leader in the home. Praise God for fathers who take their children to church – and go with them. Children learn quickly what is important to the father and mother. They also know whether or not their parents read the Bible every day, and whether they are guided by it.  

When fathers ignore the children, there will be trouble in the home. As a result, children will often fail to see the importance of church, of Christianity, and of God. God cannot bless disobedience.

The above verse also warns that God says that when fathers ignore the children, He threatens to “come and smite the earth with a curse.” Christian dads, love your children, spend time with them, teach the boys how to be a man – a godly one – and love God by being in church regularly.

To those fathers who love God, their families, and are faithful to the Word of God – may God bless you today!

When the Lord Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose again, He forever broke the power of sin over the believer. It means that every believer has the power through Christ to resist sin. The excuse “The Devil made me do it” can never truthfully be used again.

It also means that no sin can ever condemn you to Hell again – because Jesus paid for all your sin. His mercy and goodness, however, do not offer an excuse to sin, neither will He overlook it.

In the above verse, Paul points out that the believer is free from the law – but only in the sense that it can never condemn them again. But Paul, out of thankfulness to God, and realizing all the blessings that God wants to show him (and all believers today), says that he will not permit himself to become a servant of sin again.

It does not mean that he would never sin again, but that he chooses to not let sin of any kind rob him of the sweet fellowship with Christ that he so much enjoys. He also does not want to hurt the Savior that forgave him and called him to serve Him.

Christians today need to take the same attitude. If you are not free to serve God, and able, you are not free. Paul said this about the Roman believers, in Romans 6:17: “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.”

Do you love the Lord that much, that you do not want to be under the power of any sin again? Are you still a servant (frequently commit the same one) of some sin? Do you really want victory over it?

When someone believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the news of the Gospel, they become a child of God. Their sins are forgiven, they are put into the family of God, and they are given a new nature.

The new nature is the Person of the Holy Spirit. He moves into the heart of the individual and makes him or her a “new creature in Christ” (II Cor. 5:17). The above verses reveal that the Holy Spirit becomes our “seal,” or evidence of ownership by God Himself.

He is in the newly saved person “until the redemption of the purchased possession.” The redemption spoken of here is not a reference to salvation, but to the time when Jesus comes to take His people to glory. This speaks of the Rapture.

The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit becomes the “earnest,” or downpayment of salvation. His presence and working in your life is proof that you have been purchased by the blood of Christ. Romans 8:9 says that “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

He will be there in your heart until the Rapture and will not leave before it takes place. This guarantees salvation.

Certainly, it is something to praise Him for. Like He said in Hebrews 13:5: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

The Bible talks about people being chosen by God “before the foundation of the world.” It makes a strong declaration that He made a choice that affects the saved of all generations. It does not refer to the Calvinistic doctrine of God choosing who would be saved and who would not.

Before He ever created the world, God decided that those who are going to be saved will be “holy and without blame” in His eyes through His love. He starts the process by putting us into His family (adopting those who believe).

In salvation, because of Christ’s payment for sin, God takes the filthy sinner and forgives them of their sin, makes that person His child, and then makes them holy. Holiness occurs in a two-fold way. First, there is the way God sees us because we are “in Christ” – spotless and without blame. Secondly, God wants us to choose to live holy by being separate from the world and choosing to live pleasing to Him in all we do. It is a lifelong process.

God’s plan of working this way in the believer’s life is “according to the good pleasure of his will.” It is the best way. God never chooses any way less than the best way. It leaves us with a free choice to love Him – or forsake Him – as some have done.

Thank God that all who sincerely come to Christ for salvation are instantly and forever saved. Whether you get saved to not is a choice you must make. Once saved, though, He will work on you to help you fulfill His unchanging plan of making you “holy and without blame before him in love.”

Christian, are you helping Him fulfill His plan for your life? Remember that He came to give you an “abundant life,” and it is a joyful life. The old song says: “Let Him have His way with thee.”

I often hear people say that you cannot know if you are going to Heaven or not. The Bible is plain about this matter – especially throughout the New Testament.

The Bible makes it plain that you not only can know but that God wants you to know – for sure. Consider the above two verses. Before you read them again, eliminate all preconceived ideas about the matter and observe what the Bible – God’s Word – says.

In verse 12, the bottom line of knowing whether you are saved or not, is what the Bible says about believing on Christ. It declares that if you have the Son (Jesus) then you have eternal life. If you do not have the Son, then, you do not have eternal life. That is quite plain.

Now, people are not born physically having the Son. We know this because verse 13 says twice that you must “believe” to be saved. Babies do not believe anything. It is why Jesus said, in John 3:3, that to go to Heaven, you must be “born again.” The first birth is not sufficient.

To believe on Jesus Christ means to understand, first, what He said about salvation. He declared that He came to save sinners. Jesus said, in Luke 5:32: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

After admitting to God that you are a sinner, you must know that Jesus died as your Substitute. All people, because of their sin (rebellion against God’s laws), are destined to go to Hell to pay for their sin. Repentance means turning from sin in your heart and being willing to start doing what God wants.

In prayer, tell God that you are sorry for your sin. Believe that Jesus died to pay for your sins and receive His payment for them, then ask Him to come into your life as Lord (Boss). If you are serious about it: you “may know that ye have eternal life” – based on the Word of God.

At that time, you have “the Son” – and not before.

There are times when our bodies grow weary. It is especially true after a hard day’s work and as we grow older. Our bodies can get refreshed afterward by resting, drinking or eating – or a combination of them.

It is also possible to get weary in your daily service for the Lord. Because it is contrary to the flesh, but must be performed in the flesh, it can cause some weariness.

In the above verse, Paul speaks about getting refreshed in spirit. Increased age can mean it takes longer to get refreshed physically, but Paul says that you can be spiritually strengthened “day by day.”

This inner strengthening enables God’s servants to continue to teach that class, preach, witness, pray, etc. It is the Holy Spirit who does the work of refreshing our spirit, so you must be in tune with Him to know His power. Paul said that God’s renewing in his spirit refreshes him “day by day” so that he does not “faint” (quit).

When you get weary, it is necessary to get in your prayer closet and spend some time talking with the Lord. He will refresh you. At the same time, your flesh may also need a break – and maybe a good nap.

God gives us the tools to enable us to keep going for Him, but it may be occasionally necessary to “come apart” from the busyness of Christian service for a few hours. Stay faithful and His strength will come.

Friends usually have something in common so that they attract each other. Whether it is sports, shopping, hobbies, games, hunting, church, etc., there will always be some common interest that draws them together.

The same is true with God. The verse today declares that God pays attention to those who seek to walk in righteousness. This means they put away known sin and seek to live lives that please God.

Unfortunately, many professing believers have little desire to live different than the world today. The believers who have had a tremendous impact on the world and in their churches are those who have put away the old way of life and fully embraced a new one.

In Amos 3:3, the prophet declared: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” God cannot bless those who walk contrary to His will – whether they are His children or not. God’s love for righteousness has never changed, which is why He warns the wicked, in I Corinthians 6:9: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?”

To the believer, He says: “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (I Corinthians 3:17). You cannot serve God and mammon.

Christian, make up your mind who you will serve. Walk with God or stop pretending to be one of God’s children. If you want His favor and blessing, get in His Book and walk accordingly, then He can be happy with you – and you will find it to be a life worth living.

This verse demonstrates the ability of the Word to give victory over sin. The words “none of his steps shall slide” refers to its power to keep you close to God and away from the world.

There is always a danger of going back to the world: it offers many attractions, false promises, and empty satisfaction. All of which can never satisfy the soul of those who know God through Jesus Christ. Jesus warned, in Matthew 24:12: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” This coldness of heart toward God, the Word, and the local church, are what the Word can keep you from.

For the believer, victory is always a choice. God will never force you to have it. The Holy Spirit dwelling inside is there to help you want to get that victory, but you must stay focused on the Word and its principles for life.

Notice that the Word must be in your heart. The heart is the place where your true emotions, motives, drives, etc., reside. You need to let the Word influence your heart and be willing to follow it – with God’s help. When the Word indicates a change in direction and activity is needed – you heed it.

One of the best ways to put the Word of God in your heart is to memorize various verses – especially those that promise victory. Then, deliberately run them through your mind during the day as reminders of His will and power.

It is good for believers to look back every now and then at what we were before salvation. No matter what age you were when you were saved, the Bible declares that we were all “dead in trespasses and sins” prior to salvation.

You may not have been a big sinner, especially if you were saved as a child, but it must be remembered that it only takes one sin to be a sinner. This brings everyone to need to pay “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

Once saved, God immediately quickened us. That means He made us alive – now capable of doing righteousness and pleasing Him. Before we were the sons of darkness and of the Devil, but now we have been made the sons of God (John 1:12).

Along with that new quickening and sonship, we also have the power to resist sin and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. In fact, that old sin nature is to be considered dead, and we can live in the new life He gave us.

If and when we sin, we also have an Advocate with the Father – “Jesus Christ the righteous” (I John 2:1). He helps us to get forgiven and cleansed when we ask Him. It enables us to go on and shows that He loves us still.

Are you walking in the quickening power of the Holy Spirit, or according to the works of the flesh?

Remember that serving Jesus alone brings victory over sin, real joy, and blessing.

Jesus had promised His disciples that the Father would send the Holy Ghost after He leaves. He will not leave His disciples on their own. Before He could come, Christ must ascend to Heaven.

The very Name of the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, reveals a large part of His ministry. His presence within the heart of the believer will provide assurance of salvation and give access to God in prayer. He will also provide comfort in the heart of believers, even when facing difficulties – if they will bring their cares and concerns to God in prayer with faith.  

The Spirit of God can give calm when others are panicking, as well as clarity of mind in those times. It will be so noticeable to others that they will wonder how you can be calm when…

God desires that Christians maintain a state of prayer throughout the day (“men ought always to pray, and not to faint” Luke 18:1). In prayer, needs can be brought to Him, as well as concerns. When doing His will, He provides peace beyond our understanding (Philippians 4:6,7).

The above verse also mentions another ministry of the Holy Spirit. He will teach you His Word and help you remember it when needed.