Your relationship with God is possible by traveling this path.
Romans 3:10as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one.
Romans 5:12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 5:8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus
I am curious how long it took for Mary to run to the disciples and return to the tomb. Was she a sprinter or a marathon runner?
Information is provided by a resident expert Vern Jordin:
Here is a map of Jerusalem at the time of Christ. It is about 1.5 miles from north to south and about 3/4 mile from west to east.
Some believe there were two upper rooms: one for the Passover supper [red border] and the second used on the day of Pentecost [black border]. The green oval shows the location of Golgotha and the new cut tomb. There are several women named Mary in the New Testament: the mother of Jesus and her sister both of Galilee, the sister of Lazarus of Bethany [Mount of Olives] and Mary of Magdala on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The ones from Galilee likely traveled with the Apostles and Jesus to Jerusalem [about a 100 hundred mile walk] for Passover and stayed for Pentecost. Remember Jesus’ mother was at the cross as well as others and so was Mary of Magdala. They likely all returned to the tomb that Sunday morning in order to finish putting the spices on the body. He died at 3:00 p.m. and they did not have time to complete the process before sundown on the eve of the Sabbath [a new day starts at sundown]. The next day was the Sabbath and they could not travel to the tomb to do that work then. So, they returned at sunrise on Sunday. When they saw and heard from the angel(s) they ran to tell the disciples, but Mary of Magdala lingered behind in sorrow and tears. Then Jesus appeared to her. From the red upper room to the tomb is likely just over a Sabbath day’s journey. The Apostles may have met back there after the Crucifixion and remained until Sunday. It is believed that the women of the group were left on the Mount of Olives, likely at Bethany in the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. That would be about a two and a half mile trip one way, too far for a Sabbath, but not too far to run from the tomb to the upper room, 3/4 plus mile. on the following Sunday.
Controlling our Thoughts The pathway to controlling our thoughts begins with an understanding of our relationship to Jesus Christ. — Dr. Charles Stanley
Colossians 3: 1-2
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
I have witnessed (and experienced) phone zombies. People (including self) engaged in mindless scrolling of content on their phone. We are being programmed by what we are filling our minds with and most of the time with Godless content.
Old things should pass away and all things become new when we accept Jesus as our savior. I must work hard at filling my mind with Godly things (scripture) instead of worldly things. This is all part of the process called “sanctification“.
“Donald B. Kraybill in his book, The Riddle of Amish Culture, writes: ‘The Amish blueprint for expected behavior, called the Ordnung, regulates private, public, and ceremonial life. Ordnung does not translate readily into English. Sometimes rendered as “ordnance” or “discipline,” the Ordnung is best thought of as an ordering of the whole way of life . . . a code of conduct which the church maintains by tradition rather than by systematic or explicit rules. A member noted: “The order is not written down. The people just know it, that’s all.” Rather than a packet or rules to memorize, the Ordnung is the “understood” behavior by which the Amish are expected to live. In the same way that the rules of grammar are learned by children, so the Ordnung, the grammar of order, is learned by Amish youth. The Ordnung evolved gradually over the decades as the church sought to strike a delicate balance between tradition and change. Specific details of the Ordnung vary across church districts and settlements.’”
People are reluctant to change.
I can see where even today in our Southern Baptist churches, we are more comfortable with old ways of doing things. I believe this stifles growth.
Christians are sometimes tempted to seek security through the accumulation of wealth. Pray that this idol will be torn down and that believers will find security in God’s loving provision as they seek His face instead (Matthew 6:24).
Matthew 6:24 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
24 “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
I do not like it when someone tells me I am wrong. I don’t like to be wrong.
To admit that I am a sinner is to admit guilt. I am guilty of disobedience. Disobedient to One for whom I owe my eternity. I must begin a journey to makes things right with God. The first step is confession. I must admit to myself to identify the sin and at the same time, to Christ, in prayer. I must recognize sin in my life and turn from it. Change direction. I cannot physically travel to two different destinations – the same goes for my journey towards Christ and sin.
Confess
Psalm 32
1 How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How joyful is a person whom the Lord does not charge with iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit! 3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drainedas in the summer’s heat. Selah 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
Repent
The word repentance comes from the Greek word metanoia. The prefix meta can mean “with”, “beside”, or “after”. The root noia is the verb form of the noun the we frequently find in the bible as nous. This is simply the Greek word for “mind”. In its simplest form, the term metanois has to do with “the mind afterward”, or, as we might say, “an afterthought”. In the Greek language, it came to mean “a significant changing of one’s mind.”
This is not just a matter of intellectual judgement, such as changing my approach after trying to solve a problem. It has to do with changing my mind with respect to my behavior.
As I seek Your face, Father, I want to be empty of me. How can this happen, LORD? Can I truly be empty?
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. 2 Timothy 2:21
Dennis Nunn taught us in Lesson 5 of “Every Believer a Witness” on How to filled with the Holy Spirit.
As we approach God in our Prayer life, it is a good practice to empty ourselves of anything and everything that does not please God.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 English Standard Version (ESV)
Today’s discussion could be titled: “Dealing with sin before we pray workshop” .
How do we deal with sin to empty ourselves before God?
From the book “Respectable Sins” by Jerry Bridges.
Apply the Gospel
Start by remembering that we are forgiven by the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without it, this discussion would be pointless.
Depend on the Holy Spirit
But if [you are living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will [really] live forever. Romans 8:13 (AMP)
Recognize our responsibility
We must diligently pursue all practical steps for dealing with our sins.
Identify Specific Sins
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the pattern of sin in your life.
Have a humble attitude and willingness to face that sin.
Memorize and apply appropriate Scripture
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalms 119:11 (ESV)
Store them up against future needs: the times we are tempted to sin.
Cultivate the practice of Prayer
Prayer is the single most important direction for dealing with sin.
The Holy Spirit and Scripture must be applied.
Involve one or a few other believers with you
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV)
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs (27:17)
Ephesians 4:17-24 (ESV)
The New Life
Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Discuss various sins:
Profanity. (Continue with Ephesians 25-32, possibly 1 Peter 4:11)
Ungodliness – describes an attitude toward God, while unrighteousness refers to sinful actions in thought, word or deed.
Colossians 1:9-10English Standard Version (ESV)
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Anxiety or Frustration –
Discontentment
Unthankfulness
Pride
Selfishness
Lack of Self Control
Impatience or Irritability
Anger
Judgementalism
Envy, Jealousy, etc
Sins of the Tongue – gossip, lying, slander, critical speech (even when true), harsh words, insults, sarcasm and ridicule. Any speech that ends to tear down another person.
About 60 references in Proverbs warning us of our speech.
Mathew 12:36 – I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
Worldliness
Make this your “wake up” prayer every morning:
“Lord, I want to glorify You in my life today. Help me love people like You love them. Give me a burden for lost people. Help me look for opportunities to witness today.”
We exist to have a relationship with the Lord that leads us to worship, love and serve Him.
Had we chosen this kind of relationship with God, we would have enjoyed an abundant life as Jesus promised!
Sin changed everything!
Our world was thrust into utter chaos, not only was our relationship with God broken, but every relationship in life was fractured.
The result is a decay in all of life and we find ourselves under the power of sin.
First, sin brought about separation in our life! (3:1-9)
We can know love, compassion again.
Death created separation. Immediately.
The issue of the authority of God’s Word! (vs. 1-3)
Serpent: Has God indeed said (do not eat or die)? Doubt undermines His authority.
The issue of the deception of the mind! (vs. 4-6)
The issue of the disobedience of man! (vs. 7-9)
Eve was deceived, Adam disobeyed.
Today, I find blame in anything but myself.
Our transgression creates our separation!
Second, sin brought about bondage! (Romans 6:15-18)
Our bondage always distorts our view of life!
Our bondage destroys our purpose of life!
Third, sin brought about condemnation!
(Romans 3:23, John 3:18)
We are guilty before God because of our sin!
We cannot keep the law.
We are in debt to God because of our sin!
Jesus fulfilled that debt.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of eternal life comes from Christ Jesus.
Wages come from my character, but gifts come from the character of the giver.
1 Peter 3:10-12 : 10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from eviland his lips from speaking deceit; 11 let him turn away from evil and do good;let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
This passage is under the heading “Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake”.
Do we really suffer when we deny ourselves and become obedient to God? It would appear so in some people, especially myself.
Defined: NOUN characters (plural noun) : the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.
Also: It is who you are, when no one else is around.
Our character influences what we say, do, think and act. Proverbs 28:6(ESV): Better is a poor man who walks in his integritythan a rich man who is crooked in his ways.
Accepting that Jesus died and was buried for your sin and to prove it rose again, you will begin to desire to develop good character, a Christ like character. But what is it and how do we develop it?
