Category: Christianity

This is a very important verse to remember.  It is one of the most famous and well known verses among Christians today.  It is an awesome reminder from the Apostle Paul that the Lord is constantly working on us and that we should press on in Christ despite the difficulties of imperfection in this fallen world!

In chapter three of Philippians Paul is explaining that he puts no confidence in legalistic righteousness.  There is nothing we can do to work our way to Heaven.  That is, we cannot justify ourselves before God through good works.  Paul also makes this very clear in chapter two of his letter to the Ephesians.  Let’s read the verses before and after Philippians 3:12 to better understand the context Paul is talking about.

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Philippians 3:7-11

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

Philippians 3:12

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:13-14

Paul is explaining that he has thrown away his old way of life of trusting in his own good works following the law, and he only finds his righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ!  We are not perfect on this earth and we never will be!  We are a work in progress and thank God we don’t have to work our way into Heaven!  That is a mighty blessing!  Any good works we do after we accept Jesus Christ were prepared in advance by God and all the glory goes to Him!  We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone!

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:8-10

If you stumble and fall in your walk with the Lord, which happens to all of us, just get back up, turn away from the stumbling block, and keep going!  The Lord loves and forgives you and He will keep leading you to those good works that He prepared for you to do!  We are not working our way into Heaven.  It is God who is working in us to spread the light and love of Jesus to the world!

Yes, this world is imperfect.  We are imperfect.  Everything here is imperfect!  We know this all too well!  How glorious it will be when the imperfect is made perfect in the end!

“But our citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.  Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!”

Philippians 3:20-4:1

Forget what is behind, strain toward what is ahead, and press on toward the goal of Heaven!  We will be perfect at our last breath when Jesus raises us up!  Amen!

Grace and peace to you all!

 

 

Hello everyone!  Blessings to you all!  Today, I would like to look at a few powerful statements Jesus made and one very important question that He asked.  Now of course everything Jesus said and asked was important, but the above question He asked regarding our souls is a big one!  Please read that question very carefully and consider the One who is asking it!

Jesus also made many amazing statements that are tied to that question.  Here are a few of those statements to ponder regarding your eternal soul:

Jesus made it clear that He is the only way to Heaven.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

Jesus also made it clear that He loves us and does not want us to perish!  He wants to give us eternal life and that is why He died for us!  He also made it clear that His free gift of salvation is something we have to receive by faith.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:40

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

John 7:37-38

The statements Jesus made and the questions He asked are eternal.  They are just as valid today as they were in the A.D. 30s.  So, when Jesus asks us today, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36), we need to carefully consider those eternal statements that He made regarding how to save our souls.

You could have everything that this fallen world offers.  You could be the richest and best looking.  You could have all the land and all the gold.  You could have all the power and everything you have ever wanted in this world…but if you reject the only One who died to save your soul, then you would be the poorest in the world indeed because you forfeited your soul.  That question is intense when you better understand who is asking it!

This life is short folks.  The older I get the more I realize that truth.  I’m already 40 and I might get 60 or 70 years, only God knows.  That is crazy to think about!  I might only be 20 years or so away from my death!  Maybe I am only a week away.  My great great Grandpa was struck in the head by lighting and killed instantly!  We just never know!  But eternity in Heaven is forever, I know that!  There is nothing that this world can offer you that is worth losing your soul over!

The Holy Spirit of God is the living water flowing within all people who believe in Jesus!  His salvation and forgiveness far outweigh any pleasures or treasures of this sinful world!  The love of Jesus Christ and the refreshing power of His Holy Spirit inside of us are so much better than anything in this whole world!  There is nothing that compares!

If you don’t want to forfeit your soul, trust your soul to Jesus and He will raise you up at the last day!  You will not be lost, you will be saved!  There is no need to fear death!  Jesus has your victory over sin and death!  Receive it with joy and be at peace!

Grace and peace to you all!

 

Hello everyone!  Blessings to you all!  I pray you are having a peaceful Sunday and enjoying some much needed rest!  Our family is definitely thankful for the rest this fall break!  Yesterday was the first day that I didn’t do a blog post since I started the blog on 8-10-18.  The Lord was moving through me at a rapid pace there for a little bit!  I appreciate the Lord’s comfort and encouragement!  He knows I need it!

The above verse in Hebrews is comforting too!  That is a truth that you can truly rest in!  Jesus is the same Jesus today that He was all the way back in 33 A.D. when He died for us (Matthew 27:32-56)!  He is the same Jesus who rose from the dead three days after He was buried (Matthew 27:57-28:10)!  He is the same Jesus who appeared to many of His followers for forty days after He rose from the dead (Acts 1:1-3), and He is the same Jesus who ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father (Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:4-11)!

His love for us is the same!  The power of His sacrifice is still the same and it is still offered to every person on earth!  His forgiveness for all your sins is still the same and His grace and mercy are still the same!  There is nothing that we could ever do to change Jesus or Who He is!  He will stand the test of time for all eternity and He will be the same yesterday, today, and forever!

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name.”

Hebrews 13:15

Stand up for Jesus today!  Be counted among those who confess His Name!  Don’t be afraid.  There is no fear in His love (1 John 4:18)!  Be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9) and step forward into His grace and forgiveness (Ephesians 2:8-9)!  Jesus loves you and His love has not changed since the beginning of time!  His love is a mighty river that rushes strong forever and ever!  Let His love wash over you today and let the living water of the Holy Spirit flow within you (John 7:38)!

Grace and peace to you all!  The Lord be with you in strength and power!

P.S.

I made this Scripture pin yesterday and posted it on my Twitter.  It got more likes and retweets than any other tweet I have ever done!  Amazing what the Lord can do with a couple cute animals He created and His Word!  Enjoy!  May we love one another just like Jesus loves us!

By the way, I would love to see you all on Twitter too!  @AuthorRyanC

God bless you all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello everyone!  I spent the afternoon at the park with the kids!  When we got back, I jumped on Amazon and pre-ordered the MP3 version of TobyMac’s new album called The Elements!  The album doesn’t come out until October 12th, but when you pre-order it you receive access to the first 4 songs on the album!  We listened to them while playing darts!

I highly recommend buying the album!  I am excited to hear the rest of the album when it drops next Friday!  With the pre-order, you get access to the songs:

The Elements, I just need U, Scars, and Everything

“I just need U” is an older song, but it’s cool he put it on the new album.  The other three are brand new songs!  I really like the vibe on this album!  It is filled with the Holy Spirit and the love and compassion of Jesus!!!

Here are the songs Scars and Everything!  Enjoy!  Remember, just like our good brother TMac says on this album, you are not alone!  Jesus loves you!  Come to Him today and receive your salvation and freedom!

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

Grace and peace to you all!

Good morning and happy Friday to everyone!  My kids are on fall break for the next 10 days starting today, so I will be spending a lot of time with them.  My wife had to work today, but her break starts this afternoon!  My wife teaches at the charter school our kids attend, which is a huge blessing for our family!  I will still be checking my messages and doing posts to my blog, but not as frequently.  We will be enjoying time together as a family and doing some traveling around our great state of Colorado taking the kids to new places!  I hope to get some great pictures for the blog too!

I have been thinking about the above verse in Ephesians lately.  Read that again please, and take time to consider it.  If you believe in Jesus Christ, then you have been given EVERY spiritual blessing in Christ!  That is phenomenal to think about!  When I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior in 1996, God blessed me in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing He gave to Jesus!  You were blessed in the same way when you accepted Christ!  For those of you who don’t know Jesus yet, you will be blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ once you receive Him!

That is incredible folks and that is a very positive truth to think about!  God loves us so much that He blessed us like He blessed Jesus!  What a humbling and encouraging truth!

Grace and peace to you all!  Jesus loves you!

 

 

 

 

Did you know Jesus prayed for Himself before He was crucified?  Yes, He prayed for Himself, His disciples, and for all believers before He died for us.  Today I want to focus on the prayer Jesus prayed for Himself.  What He prays is beautiful and it is clear that He knew what His purpose was and that He knew His time had come.  As you can see in the above verse, Jesus also made the definition of eternal life very clear.

Here is the prayer Jesus prayed for Himself before he was brutally executed:

“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the time has come.  Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.  Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.  I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

John 17:1-5

That last line is especially amazing to me!  Jesus was with God before the world began!  That is what the beginning of the Book of John talks about!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.”

John 1:1-4

Jesus is the Word!  He is God in human flesh!  That is why He prayed, “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”  Our Creator died for us, so we could be in Heaven with Him forever!  That is mighty!

Jesus has authority over all people, so He can give us eternal life!  Jesus is our eternal life!  His prayer was answered too when He was crucified, dead and buried, rose back to life on the third day, and ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father!  He was most definitely glorified in the Father’s presence just as He had prayed!  Amen!

Jesus loves you and that is why He died for you.  Don’t ever forget that!  There is no fear in coming to Jesus.  His perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18)!

Grace and peace to you all!

P.S.

I took the above photo with the flowers while sitting at a red light on the way to pick up my kids from school yesterday.  God’s beauty is everywhere!  God bless you all!

 

 

 

 

Yes, Jesus said that!  He is the only One to ever say that in fact!  Read those lines carefully, for they hold a truth so important that it can save your soul!  God has made the way back to Him very clear, and that way is Jesus.

Be encouraged!  God has provided a way out of the valley of the shadow of death!  You do not need to fear death any longer!  Hallelujah!

God bless you all!

 

 

I am praising God right now and I want to share why!  I also want to share a prayer request tied to that praise!  I just received the opportunity to share the Gospel by giving my book to the plumber who came to our house this morning to fix our leaky shower!

Only God could take a leaky shower and turn it into something good!  This man has come to our home before and his name is Jacob.  He looks to be in his late 20s or early 30s.  He did an excellent job fixing our sump pump back in 2016, and he did an excellent job on our shower today.  He makes it look so easy!

I let Jacob know that I am an author and I have a book on Amazon.  When he was outside writing up the invoice, I went downstairs and wrote a note to him in one of the paperback versions I have on hand.  After I was done paying the bill, I handed him the copy of the book and said, “I want you to have a copy of my book, especially with Halloween coming up.  I appreciate you Jacob.  Thank you for the good work you do.  God bless you.”  As I blessed him I patted him on the shoulder and smiled.  With that, he thanked me and smiled back as he looked at his new book and we shook hands.  God is so good folks!  What a fine day the Lord has made!

Holy Spirit filled prayer warriors, please pray for Jacob today!  The Lord struck a blow to the evil one today!  Pray Jacob is safe as he does his work.  Pray that the Lord will open his heart to the truth and he will receive it with joy!  Pray he comes to know Jesus!  Pray for him in the Spirit!

Thank you Jesus!

Grace and peace to you all!

P.S.

What really amazes me is that God set that appointment up before the beginning of time!  He is I AM!  Try wrapping your mind around that one!  Glory to God!

 

 

 

That is a powerful promise for every believer in Jesus Christ!  No matter what you are going through right now, God is working it out for your good!  That is eternally encouraging!

The above photo reminds me of God’s goodness!  I took that photo on our vacation to San Diego this summer back in June.  At one point during my suffering with Celiac I thought I was going to die.  The doctors said what I suffered was very similar to cancer suffering.  I can relate to Hezekiah (Isaiah 38) because that is exactly what I felt like!  I was laid out in the dust of the earth and I was done!  I could not imagine ever going on vacation or doing anything ever again.  I was making preparations to go home with Jesus!

 

I had no idea what God had in store for me and my family!  After over 6 years of suffering where I was pretty much home bound, it was amazing to be able to get on a plane again and fly to California!  I felt so free!  I love Cali and San Diego was beautiful!  The people were super cool too!  The Lord even used me to minister to some guys from Mexico who came to the rental house to help with the pool.  I shared Christ with them and gave them each a paperback version of my book with a little note I wrote to each one of them.  I was able to hold hands with them and pray with them, and the one guy got so excited that he was jumping up and down and waving his arms around praising the Lord!  It was awesome!  You know me, vacation or not, I’m going to preach and help people!  All glory to Jesus!  It is awesome to watch Him work!

It was a great vacation and the Lord proved to me that He is not done with me yet!  He continues to show me that every day too!  He is working out this Celiac Disease for good!  I know I can trust in Jesus and so can you!  He has it all!

If you don’t know the Lord, then today is a good day to know Him!  Come to Jesus today, receive His love, and let Him work out all things in your life for good!

Grace and peace to you all!

 

Why do I hate Halloween?  Because my family lived with a literal demon from hell the entire time I was in high school, that’s why!  There is nothing fun about a haunted house.  It was terrifying and it almost ruined our lives!  Hear me now, the only reason, and I mean the only reason our lives were not ruined is because of Jesus Christ!

I am warning anyone who thinks Halloween is a joke to not be so careless with your soul!  Anyone who has read my book knows what I have been through.  I love Jesus with all my heart because He rescued me and my entire family from real evil!  I don’t make any money on my book.  I give it away for free!  I have only sold a little over 100 copies and I purchased about 100 of those and gave them away to my entire family.  It is my testimony and I am sharing the Gospel through it.  If you would like a free copy, just contact me through my blog contact page, give me a good email address, and I will email you a free copy of my eBook directly from Amazon.

Here is something I just wrote in the comments section under a post I read regarding haunted cemeteries:

“I must caution anyone who might want to mess with these things on Halloween or any other day.  As someone who lived in a real haunted house all through high school, I must warn everyone not to mess with these evil spirits unless you believe in Jesus Christ and are called to do battle against them by the power of the Holy Spirit!

If you do not know Jesus, please stay away from any place that is said to be haunted! It is no joke!  Angels and demons exist, and if you don’t know Jesus, then demons can mess you up real bad!  Read my book!  Demons masquerade as many things and they can manifest visibly and audibly, and they can touch things in our physical reality.  I hate Halloween because demons love it and satan uses it in a big way.  It is not funny, nor is it fun, and it is no joke!  Our family was delivered from that evil because of Jesus!  My advice to all is to take the spiritual realm very seriously, don’t mess with demons, and give your soul to Jesus!  You need the protection of His blood over your soul!”

-Ryan Callahan (Author of One Man’s Very Strange Supernatural Life)

I am dead serious folks!  Do not mess with the spiritual realm or provoke demons!  Run to Jesus and receive His salvation, forgiveness, and protection!  I plead with you with all my heart, run to Jesus!  He loves you and you need His protection from the very real evil that exists on this earth!

You cannot imagine the fear our family lived through!  Lights turning on and off!  Our dog getting kicked by a force out of thin air!  It made a breathing sound in my ear!  That demon terrorized our family for four years night and day!  That is why I hate Halloween!  I had to live that nightmare every day 365 days per year for four years!

Does it make more sense now why I love Jesus so much and why I am on here preaching about Him all day?  We are in a spiritual war folks!  Whether you like it or not, you are in it too.  You must choose a side and choose wisely before you die.  I am here trying to help you make the most important decision you could ever make regarding your soul!  I know it is not easy and there are a lot of cultural differences in the world, but Jesus died for everyone!  He wants to save your soul!  God does not want anyone to perish!

Yes, there are “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” just like the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians!  I have lived through it and so has my little sister, my Dad, and my Mom.  I have also engaged in spiritual battle against those forces!  After I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I went home in the power of the Holy Spirit and cast that demon out of our house in the Name of Jesus!  No more demon after that!

I hate Halloween.  No, we don’t celebrate it.  Our church does a thing for the kids where they can get dressed up, but it is called “Fall Festival” and it is an outreach to share Christ with all the families that come.  Our kids know what happened to me and they know we don’t celebrate it.  I don’t hand out candy either.  I hate scary movies too and I won’t let that filth into my home.  It is real and it is not to be messed with!  There is nothing funny or fun about demon possession of homes or people!  My younger sister woke up one night and saw the thing standing in the corner of her room watching her!  People, listen to me, I am pouring out my heart here!  The spiritual realm is as real as this one and everything the Bible says is true!

Please accept Jesus and His love for you!  He defeated sin, death, and evil when He died on that cross and He did that for you, for me, and for everyone!  God has me out here telling my story, so that people can make a more informed decision about their souls.  He knows most people have never experienced angels and demons.  He knows I have, so He wants me to be brave, and tell people.  I must obey Him, so here I am.

I pray this post encourages you and helps you come to Jesus if you do not know Him yet!  I pray you are all reconciled with your Creator who loves you so deeply it is beyond all we could imagine!  Jesus has already defeated the evil one!  Claim your victory in Christ and overcome the world!

Grace and peace to you all in the Name of Jesus Christ!  Confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” believe with your heart, and be saved!  God bless you all!