In the movie “A bug’s life”, it shows a scene of a bug flying toward a bright blue light. The bug’s bug friend shouts, “DON’T LOOK AT THE LIGHT!” But the bug responds, “BUT ITS SO BEAUTIUL”. He keeps flying toward the light until he flies into it and is zapped and killed by the bug light.
The Bible says in Proverbs 4:23,”ABOVE ALL ELSE, GUARD YOUR HEART, FOR IT IS THE WELLSPRING OF LIFE.” Our heart drives our feelings of love and desire. It dictates to a great extent how we live. This verse tell us to guard our heart above all else. We should make sure we concentrate on those desires that will keep us on the God’s right path. Just because everyone else is doing it, doesn’t make it right. Our Moms’ and Dads’ have probably told us more then once when we were growing up, “IF YOUR FRIENDS JUMP OFF A CLIFF, WILL YOU?” Sadly, today many people live their lives like the bug in the movie, “A bug’s life.” If it feels right, then it must be right. God’s word says in Proverbs 14:12, “THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN, BUT IN THE END IT LEADS TO DEATH.” God is always trying to get our attention. He wants us to seek Him with all our hearts and find Him. He has a total plan and way for us to live our lives through His son, Jesus Christ. His way will give us perfect understanding on how we should live our life.
GUARD YOU HEART FOR THE TRUTH
In John 18:37-38 Jesus tells Pontius Pilate “‘YOU ARE RIGHT IN SAYING I AM A KING. IN FACT, FOR THIS REASON I WAS BORN, AND FOR THIS I CAME INTO THE WORLD, TO TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH. EVERYONE ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH LISTENS TO ME.’ PILATE RESONDS, ‘WHAT IS TRUTH?’ WITH THIS HE WENT OUT AGAIN.” There is nothing more important in your lifetime than to seek out the truth and make a faithful decision to live by it. When Pilate responded to Jesus with the question “what is truth”, he wasn’t actually wanting to hear an answer from Jesus. I believe he was cynical and didn’t think there was an absolute truth. Pilate’s truth was based on the majority of the people who supported him. But Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. There is no other way to get to God. Are you following Jesus words in your life? As a church, we are committed to get the truth about Jesus out in Arizona and throughout the world. We are part of a global mission to take God’s word to all nations. God is working powerfully. We are united with 30 churches and growing. I ask you what is more important than living for God’s truth in your life?
GUARD YOUR HEART AGAINST YOU
Jeremiah 17:9 says,”THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS AND BEYOND CURE. WHO CAN UNDERSTAND IT?” The Bible tells us that we will deceive ourselves. This takes great humility toward God to accept this verse. Because most of us think we are smarter then we look. But we are told that emotions and feelings are not always going to lead us to truth.
Does sincerity always equal the truth?
No. You can have a sincere belief, but that does not mean that what you believe is what the Bible teaches. In 1 Timothy 4:16 we read, “WATCH YOU LIFE AND DOCTRINE CLOSELY. PERSEVERE IN THEM, BECAUSE IF YOU DO, YOU WILL SAVE BOTH YOURSELF AND YOUR HEARERS.” Paul tells Timothy here to make sure that his life is lived out by his doctrine. Obviously, the doctrine Paul is referring to is the Word of God, the Bible. The Bible is very clear that doctrine is a salvation issue. IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR BIBLE AND APPLY IT IN YOUR LIFE!
PSALM 32:10 tells us,“DO NOT BE LIKE THE HORSE OR THE MULE, WHICH HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING BUT MUST BE CONTROLLED BY BIT AND BRIDLE OR THEY WILL NOT COME TO YOU.” God wants us to be willing and humble to follow Him. Are you repenting of sin in your life when God makes you aware of it? Or are you like a child who throws a fit when he is corrected? God wants us to be surrendered to his will and excited to have a relationship with Him. Lets grow up in the Lord now that “we tasted He is good.” (1 Peter 2:2-3)
GUARD YOUR HEART AGAINST THE DEVIL
Revelation 12:7-9 says,“THERE WAS WAR IN HEAVEN. MICHAEL AND HIS ANGELS FOUGHT AGAINST THE DRAGON, AND THE DRAGON AND HIS ANGELS FOUGHT BACK. BUT HE WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH, AND THEY LOST THEIR PLACE IN HEAVEN. THE GREAT DRAGON WAS HURLED DOWN—THAT ANCIENT SERPENT CALLED THE DEVIL, OR SATAN, WHO LEADS THE WHOLE WORLD ASTRAY. HE WAS HURLED TO THE EARTH, AND HIS ANGELS WITH HIM.”
Satan has one goal and one goal only. It is to LEAD YOU ASTRAY OF THE TRUTH. HE WILL DECEIVE YOU WITH HALF TRUTHS MIXED IN WITH HALF LIES. HE WILL EVEN GET MANY TO PUT THEIR FAITH IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS, AND GET PEOPLE TO THINK THEY ARE SAVED WHEN THEY ARE NOT. THE ONLY THING THAT YOU CAN DO IS TO STUDY THE BIBLE AND FIND OUT HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN THE WAY THE BIBLE TEACHES. SADLY, MANY CHURCHES HAVE WATERED DOWN THE BIBLICAL TRUTHS TO A POINT WHERE THEY ARE TEACHING FALSE DOCTRINE.
In Galatians 1:9 Paul says,“AS WE HAVE ALREADY SAID, SO NOW I SAY AGAIN: IF ANYBODY IS PREACHING TO YOU A GOSPEL OTHER THAN WHAT YOU ACCEPTED, LET HIM BE ETERNALLY CONDEMNED!”
As a body of believers, The Phoenix International Christian Church is “DEVOTED TO THE APOSTLES TEACHING, THE FELLOWSHIP, THE BREAKING OF BREAD AND TO PRAYER” (ACTS 2:42) We are determined to reach out to our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and anywhere else where there are people who want a close relationship with God. We are dedicated to growing in our knowledge of God’s word. We are dedicated to loving one another and cultivating deep friendships that are real enough to speak the truth in love. We hope you are encouraged by what you see. We are happy to set up personal Bible studies with anyone who wants to study the Bible and seek out God’s plan.
Life is short, then we get to go to Heaven!
Love, your brother in Christ,
Chris Chloupek
