God Of This City

My Own Little World

Love them Like Jesus (Casting Crowns)

Why Jesus - Casting Crowns Mark Hall

KLOVE

“Why should I follow Jesus?” The reality is, God loves you. He wants you to experience abundant peace and eternal life. He loves you so much that He sacrificed His only son to die for your sins.

That’s great that God loves me, but why should I follow Him?

God did not make robots to automatically love and obey Him. He gave you free will and a choice. All too often, this free will causes a separation from God due to disobedience.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. - Romans 3:23

The Solution

The good news is that you matter to God. He’s given an avenue for forgiveness where you can restore your relationship with Him. He gave His son Jesus to pay the death penalty by sending Him to the cross and raising Him from the grave.

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. - 1 Peter 3:18

So, now what?

It’s not enough to just know about this, or even agree with it. Act on it.

1. Humbly admit to God that you need His forgiveness
2. Confess that Jesus is Lord and that He alone can save you
3. Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead to pay for your sins

STEPS TO PEACE WITH GOD

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. - Romans 10:9

Key to Discipleship(Christain)

Living the Christian Life

The Bible says that you are a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) when you decide to follow Christ. Your old "self" is gone, and the new is here. As a result, we want to help you grow in your faith and in your knowledge of Jesus by providing you with some tips:

1. Read the Bible Daily
   The Bible is God’s inspired instruction manual for us. It has many answers to help you live a life that pleases God. A good place to start is in the New Testament with the Gospel of Luke. The book of Acts is a great follow up; it contains the exciting story of how Christ’s disciples spread the Good News about His death, burial and resurrection.
   
   As you read, ask God to give you understanding and wisdom: Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law (Psalm 119:18). Think about what you read: study and analyze it. Write down questions you have and ask a mature Christian to help clarify your understanding.
   
   
2. Pray with God Daily
   Talk with God often. Talk over your problems with Him. Thank Him for who He is and what He has done for you. Confess your sins to Him and admit your weaknesses. Ask God to help show you how to live a life that pleases Him. Pray for others, that they too may choose to follow Jesus Christ as their Savior and give Him the leadership of their lives.
   
   
3. Depend on the Holy Spirit The Bible teaches that now that you have chosen to follow Christ, the Holy Spirit actually lives within you (Romans 5:5; John 14:16-17). The Holy Spirit will teach you, guide you, and strengthen you in times of need.
   
   
4. Attend Church Regularly
   When you became a Christian, you began an authentic personal relationship with Jesus. However, it is important to also have authentic connections with other Christians. In a fireplace, many logs burn together creating heat and warmth, but a log by itself quickly dies out. Likewise, we too need the fellowship of other believers to keep our faith vibrant and growing. The Church is a place where you can worship God and make Him the focus of your life.
   
   
5. Be of Service to Others
   Jesus tells us repeatedly to give our lives to serve Him, and to serve others. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life (Mark 8:35). The more you give yourself in service to others, the more you will enjoy your Christian life.
   
   
6. Conquer Your Doubts
   At times you may doubt that you really are a Christian. Perhaps you have failed or surrendered repeatedly to temptation. Remember, you were not saved because of how good of a person you are, but by putting your trust in what Christ has already done for you. Trust the truth found in God’s Word over your own subjective feelings. I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life (I John 5:13).
7. Live One Day at a Time
   Too often we become anxious about what might happen tomorrow. The Bible promises that God will meet our needs, if only we will seek first His righteousness (see Matthew 6:33-34). God’s grace will be sufficient to meet the challenges that each new day brings.
   
   
8. Learn How to Deal with Temptation
   Temptation is a part of life. It was an issue before you became a Christian, it still will be. You do not, however, have to yield to temptation to sin. The Bible says, God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
   Be prepared to take advantage of God’s “way out” of temptation, whether it means that you “flee” the scene of temptation (I Timothy 6:11), or that you stay on the scene and “resist” it (James 4:7; I Peter 5:8-9).
   
   
9. Tell Others About Jesus
   Sharing with others about your new life in Jesus--by word or by action--can be one of the most satisfying and exciting experiences you have ever had. The Bible encourages us to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (I Peter 3:15).

K-LOVE - Switchfoot "Restless" LIVE

Devotionals with Casting Crowns Mark Hall - Part 3

Daily Devotionals

Daily Devotionals

 Read and spend sometime in Philippians chapter 2

Philippians 2

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Philippians 2

 ¹SO BY whatever [appeal to you there is in our mutual dwelling in Christ, by whatever] strengthening and consoling and encouraging [our relationship] in Him [affords], by whatever persuasive ^[a]incentive there is in love, by whatever participation in the [Holy] Spirit [we share], and by whatever depth of affection and compassionate sympathy,    ²Fill up and complete my joy by living in harmony and being of the same mind and one in purpose, having the same love, being in full accord and of one harmonious mind and intention.
    ³Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves].
    ⁴Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.
    ⁵Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]
    ⁶Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [^[b]possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not ^[c]think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped ^[d]or retained,
    ⁷But stripped Himself [of all privileges and ^[e]rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
    ⁸And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
    ⁹Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has ^[f]freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,
    ¹⁰That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee ^[g]should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
    ¹¹And every tongue [^[h]frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
    ¹²Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, ^[i]with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).
    ¹³[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while ^[j]effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and ^[k]delight.
    ¹⁴Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [^[l]against God] and ^[m]questioning and doubting [among yourselves],
    ¹⁵That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guiltless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world,
    ¹⁶Holding out [to it] and offering [to all men] the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in that I did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose.
    ¹⁷Even if [my lifeblood] must be poured out as a libation on the sacrificial offering of your faith [to God], still I am glad [to do it] and ^[n]congratulate you all on [your share in] it.
    ¹⁸And you also in like manner be glad and ^[o]congratulate me on [my share in] it.
    ¹⁹But I hope and trust in the Lord Jesus soon to send Timothy to you, so that I may also be encouraged and cheered by learning news of you.
    ²⁰For I have no one like him [no one of so kindred a spirit] who will be so genuinely interested in your welfare and devoted to your interests.
    ²¹For the others all seek [to advance] their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ (the Messiah).
    ²²But Timothy's tested worth you know, how as a son with his father he has toiled with me zealously in [serving and helping to advance] the good news (the Gospel).
    ²³I hope therefore to send him promptly, just as soon as I know how my case is going to turn out.
    ²⁴But [really] I am confident and fully trusting in the Lord that shortly I myself shall come to you also.
    ²⁵However, I thought it necessary to send Epaphroditus [back] to you. [He has been] my brother and companion in labor and my fellow soldier, as well as [having come as] your special messenger (apostle) and minister to my need.
    ²⁶For he has been [homesick] longing for you all and has been distressed because you had heard that he was ill.
    ²⁷He certainly was ill [too], near to death. But God had compassion on him, and not only on him but also on me, lest I should have sorrow [over him] ^[p]coming upon sorrow.
    ²⁸So I have sent him the more willingly and eagerly, that you may be gladdened at seeing him again, and that I may be the less disquieted.
    ²⁹Welcome him [home] then in the Lord with all joy, and honor and highly appreciate men like him,
    ³⁰For it was through working for Christ that he came so near death, risking his [very] life to complete the deficiencies in your service to me [which distance prevented you yourselves from rendering].