Christianity Plain and Simple

By Bobbie Gannon

Jesus was God in the flesh. He was just as human as you and I. Hebrews 4:15-16 states “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” One who was not fully human could never truly be an example for those of us who were bound to our human nature. God, understanding just how disconnected from Heaven that humanity had become, sent someone that we could see and relate to in order to reconnect again. Jesus came to show us how we, as humans, created in His image could overcome our weakness and walk in victory and authority. Italics mine
Christianity is simply a one on one relationship between you and Jesus who gave His life to free you from the bondage of this world, (man’s world). Jesus opened the way for you to enjoy an eternity filled with peace and happiness that surpasses our understanding. Enjoy the journey, beginning now.
This book only touches on the few of the subjects that we all deal with in our lives. How you handle them is a choice only you can make.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491854549

Bobbie Gannon

Bobbie was born and raised in the Illinois. She graduated from Eastern Illinois University and worked for the Quaker Oats Company for over 30 years. Upon her retirement, she and her husband Ron moved to Northwest Oregon. Bobbie has a deep desire for everyone to know that they are passionately loved by God and were each created for a unique purpose. As a wife, mother and grandmother of five lively grandchildren, Bobbie understands the importance of passing on a spiritual legacy for many generations to follow. This book is part of that legacy.

Book preview

Christianity

Plain and Simple

Bobbie Gannon

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AuthorHouse™ LLC

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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© 2014 Bobbie Gannon. All rights reserved.

Bible reference: Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations

are from The Spirit-Filled Life Bible (New King James Version)

Copyright © 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. (used by permission)

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/06/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-5455-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-5454-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014902241

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Preface

Our God of Abundance

Chapter One Awesome God

Chapter Two The Son

Chapter Three The Person of the Holy Spirit

Chapter Four The Word

Chapter Five It Is Finished!

Chapter Six Faith/Trust/Belief/Promises

Chapter Seven Salvation

Chapter Eight Baptism

Chapter Nine Choices/Decisions

Chapter Ten Pride and Unforgiveness

Chapter Eleven It’s Not Just About Me! Sin/The Flesh/Disobedience

Chapter Twelve The Tongue and the Spoken Word

Chapter Thirteen Who Do Men Say That You Are? When they see you, do they see Jesus? Are you known by your fruits?

Chapter Fourteen Names

Chapter Fifteen Attitudes

Chapter Sixteen Love

Chapter Seventeen Joy/Rejoice

Chapter Eighteen Joy Stealers

Chapter Nineteen Sowing and Reaping

Chapter Twenty Treasures

Chapter Twenty-one Your Legacy

Chapter Twenty-two Gifts and Talents

Chapter Twenty-three Psalm 23

Chapter Twenty-four Amazing Grace

Chapter Twenty-five The Whole Armor of God

Chapter Twenty-six Prayer

Chapter Twenty-seven When God Says NO!

Chapter Twenty-eight The Vine

Chapter Twenty-nine Wisdom

Chapter Thirty Angels

Chapter Thirty-one Lucifer/Satan/The Devil

Chapter Thirty-two Heaven

Chapter Thirty-three Hell

Chapter Thirty-four Jesus Is Coming Again!

Chapter Thirty-five Pharisees/Sadducees/Scribes

Works Sited

Come Unto Me

for

{I AM}

The Way

The Truth

and

The Light

This book is dedicated to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are the reason that I wrote it. Without their guidance and direction, I would never have had the courage to even begin. I have been blessed while writing because I learned to trust that if God led me to write this book, He would see me through it.

I would like to express my gratitude to my God for the loving family with which He has blessed me. They are my greatest treasures and my best earthly support.

Thanks to my good friend Trish Bates for reviewing my manuscript and helping me refine it before it left my hands.

Thanks to the love of my life, Ron, for standing beside me no matter what I get involved in. He is the anchor that stabilizes me. I will love him forever.

Preface

My name is Bobbie Gannon. There is nothing really significant about me. I was born and raised in central Illinois. I’ve been married to the love of my life for more than fifty years. My deepest desire in writing this book is to share the love of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, with anyone who desires to learn from some of the things I have experienced in my life. I have been a Christian for most of my life, and yes, I have fallen down and even skinned my nose a couple of times. Been there, done that, and messed up more times than I care to remember. But the Lord always picked me up and set me back on the right path. No matter how many times I fell, He was there to lift me up. His mercy endures forever, and I would never have made it this far without Him. I love the Lord, and I want to help you get to know His love in a plain and simple way. I believe it encourages us to keep fighting when we know that other people fight the same enemy we all face every day (our flesh). Put your trust in the Lord Jesus and He will bring you through.

Several years ago, I had this prompting in my spirit that I needed to be doing something to minister to older people, such as going to a nursing home and maybe reading to the residents. This was on my mind a lot, but I wasn’t sure if it was something God had laid on my heart or was just an idea I had come up with. I already had a full-time job and was away from home more than I or my family wanted me to be. I didn’t act on it, because I didn’t know where or how to begin, and the feeling finally passed.

A few years later, because of my mother’s failing health, she had to go into a nursing home to receive the professional care that she needed. When I would go to visit her, some of the other patients would join us. I began to develop a friendship with most of them. I asked if they would be interested in having a Bible study. It surprised me when they answered enthusiastically, Oh, we would love that. I realized that I had just committed myself. I knew that the Lord was bringing this opportunity before me once again, so I knew I had better do it this time. I was getting close to retirement and would have more time to devote to this call. I had no clue where to begin, but God gave me direction, and together we made it happen.

During those meetings, our group had a Bible message, and then we sang old hymns that only God would have enjoyed hearing, since there was no musical accompaniment and none of us could carry a tune. We would often have a snack and make a craft that the residents could keep. Then we would just love on one another, share our hearts, and have a special time together. My youngest grandson sometimes accompanied me. He spent time talking to the residents and helping them in whatever way they might need assistance. They always enjoyed him, and it made him feel good to be able to help.

I believe that I often relate to the young and elderly much more easily than I do my peers. Perhaps it is because they seem less critical, which of course makes it easier for me: I don’t have to be concerned about how someone else might view what I am doing. I have old issues of low self-esteem that often arise and throw doubt into my mind. Sometimes I forget that I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. He sustains me, because I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me. Well, with His help, I did this work for five years, along with teaching Sunday school to children at my local church. I am not sure who was blessed more, but I think it was me.

I spent a lot of time preparing the Bible messages, because I believed that these people, both the young and the elderly, deserved God’s best from me as His messenger. After I quit teaching, I had a box of messages that were just taking up space, and now I know why I still have them. Once again I heard the Lord giving me direction. Write a book, He kept telling me. I thought, Me write a book? Who would read it? the devil said, trying to discourage me.

Being a Christian is not easy. We have an enemy (Satan) that lurks about, tempting our fleshly desires at every opportunity. But keep in mind, we have to give him permission to be in our lives. Ultimately we make the decision. If we resist him, he has no choice but to flee. Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. You belong to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Stand!

I hope that the things that you read in this book will bless you and help you grow to become the person God has designed you to be. I tried to cover some subjects we all have to deal with as we walk this journey of life and strive to become righteous before our God. It is pretty plain and simple reading. My goal in writing this book is to get you so interested in what the Bible is about that you hunger to learn more. God bless you.

Our God of Abundance

He is neither the God of half empty or half full in our lives. He is the God of exceeding abundantly above all we could ask or think. His will for us is not just joy, but great joy, not just peace but peace that passes all understanding, not just love, but the fullness of love, not just a conqueror but that we be more than conquerors.

When He fills our cup, it is overflowing. When He flows through us, it is as rivers of living water. When He meets a need, He does it out of the riches of Christ Jesus. (author unknown)

God has always been with His people. The Bible is God’s Word for you and me because we are His people. This abundant life described throughout scripture is for us. Jesus said that He came to give life and give it more abundantly. He came that we might be blessed.

Chapter One

Awesome God

If you do not believe that the Bible is the written Word of God, this book is probably not something you would like to read. This book is about walking out the Word of God and using it as an aid in being a righteous child of your heavenly Father.

It is important that you believe that the Bible is God’s holy word given to us as a guide to living our lives according to His plans, finding our purpose for being here, and discovering how we can fulfill that purpose. His word leads us into fellowship with Him, reflects who He is, reveals His love for mankind, and shows us how we can gain access to heaven for eternal life.

God

Father/Son/Holy Spirit

Do you know the Father? Do you know the Son? Do you know the Holy Spirit? If you know one, you know all three, because they are God. Even though they function as one, we need to understand them in their individual roles. You need to know them, because they, for sure, know you and me. God created us in His image, and He watches over us and keeps us in His care.

I am not asking if you know about them or believe in them. I am asking, do you really know them? Do you know them in an intimate, personal way? The only way that we get to really know people is by spending time with them. How can we know if we want to associate with people until we know them? How can we know the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit if we don’t spend time in their presence? God created man to have fellowship with Him. The Bible tells us that God is jealous and wants all of us, all of the time. He wants to be in our lives 24/7, not just on Sunday or when we need Him. How will you know His will for you if you don’t stay in touch? Even when we are certain that we know people, they often disappoint us. But we can be certain that God won’t ever disappoint us, because nothing about Him ever changes.

The Bible is the gospel message, which is a message of love, a love that has no equal, God’s grandest gift to mankind. The Bible is the only book that has never been out of print. For centuries, evil men have tried to destroy it, and because they couldn’t and still can’t destroy it, they forbid people to own it or read it. No matter what man tries to do to destroy the Bible, it remains the number-one book sought after all over the world.

Speaking of this much-sought-after book… We live in this wonderful place called the United States of America. We are a free people who can pretty much live our lives without fear. Of course we have to live within the law. And although many of our freedoms are becoming a bit more restricted than in the past, we don’t have to be afraid of being killed or going to prison because we go to church or read the Bible. Isn’t it a shame that more people don’t take advantage of this freedom?

Because of some of the newer restrictions that we have to deal with, we have to be careful where we read our Bibles, pray, and even use Jesus’ or God’s name. Do you ever wonder why it really matters? No one is forcing anyone to be involved if they choose not to be. Why do they feel the need to destroy our privileges? Could it be because they are working for Satan? It is his desire to get rid of God.

Some time ago I read a book by Tony Evans called Our God Is Awesome. As I began reading, I realized that maybe I didn’t know Him as well as I thought. Pastor Evans had a simple way of explaining God that helped me to better understand just how great a God we serve. Of course there is nothing that we could read that would give us a complete understanding of how truly great He is. I knew a lot about Him, but I had never read anything that gave such a detailed account of all the facets of just God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I would highly recommend that you read this book to help you get to know the fullness of God in a whole new way. We know that God cannot be contained in any form, but it sure opens up a whole new understanding. Many of the things I want to share about God in this chapter can be found in Pastor Tony Evans’ book.

God is…

God is everything we will ever need, because He is all! He is the great I AM! Omni means all. Our God is omniscient—all knowing. He is omnipresent—all present (everywhere), and He is omnipotent—all powerful. And He is sovereign.

Part One

The Sovereignty of God

God’s sovereignty concerns His absolute rule and control over all of His creation. God rules over the affairs of man and sits on the throne of the universe as Lord. Everything that happens comes about because He either directed it or consciously allowed it. Nothing happens that is out of His control. There is no such thing as luck, even though this word is used regularly.

There are no chance happenings and no accidents with God. Our God is a God of order. Everything has purpose. Anything that happens, either good or bad, must pass before Him first. Not even the smallest details of our lives escape Him—none! God alone knows the outcome and our destiny. He will, however, allow us to make choices that determine how we get to that end.

In both the Old and New Testaments, God’s sovereignty is made clear. The universe and all of creation belongs to Him. Psalm 24:1 says, The earth is the LORD’S and all its fullness. The world and those who dwell therein. By the virtue of His ownership, God can do whatever He wants to do, whenever He wants to do it. Job tells us in verse 23:13; And whatever His soul desires, that He does. And in verse 42:2, I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. (In other words, you can’t overrule God.) Psalm 115:3 says, But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. Psalm 135:6 says, Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places. Romans 11:36 says, For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. Ephesians 1:11 says, In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. Revelation 19:6b says, For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns.

We exist for God. You and I were created to bring God glory and to accomplish His purpose on earth. That is why we find no rest in life until we find our rest in Him. You are who you are, by the grace of God. You should feel humble to have been made in His image and likeness.

The God we serve can do whatever He wants, but He did not create robots with no minds of their own. He has given man free will to make choices. God neither causes sin, incites it, or approves of it. He does, however, permit it by allowing His creatures to rebel against His authority. He then needs to overrule their evil intent to accomplish His predetermined purposes. In allowing evil, God demonstrates how great He really is.

Through God’s sovereignty we can find strength: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. We can find comfort in all circumstances, for His hand is on all things. We can have confidence, because there are no chance happenings, there is no luck, and there are no mistakes. It is all in His planning. Romans 8:28 tells us, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

We owe this sovereign God our enthusiastic worship, because He holds up the universe by the power of His word. He gives us the air we breathe and provides us with everything we need. He is Almighty God and full of power. Love Him and surrender your life to Him. He is unlimited and awesome!

Let me define what it is to be the great I AM! It is like having a blank check with God’s signature on it. After where it says I AM, we can just fill in the blank with what we want or need Him to be, and that is what He is. I AM___________. He has told us the many things that He already is:

• I AM everything you will need.

• I AM the Bread of Life.

• I AM the way, the truth, and the life.

• I AM the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

• I AM the comforter.

• I AM with you always.

Part Two

The Omniscience of Our God

God’s omniscience (all-knowing nature) is intuitive. Isaiah 40:13-14 explains that God does not gain knowledge by learning. He knows what He knows, simply because He knows it. He did not learn it. He didn’t have to go to school. First Samuel 2:3 says, For the LORD is the God of knowledge;

God is an eternal being. Whatever He knows, He knows immediately and simultaneously. Because He is eternal, He does not have to look back to the past to remember or look forward into the future to know. All that is known, could be known, or has been forgotten, God knows intuitively and eternally. All knowledge that is known, past, present, and future, resides in Him in the eternal now.

Nothing is hidden from God. That means you never do anything alone. Whether it is good or bad, the all-knowing God sees it. In Psalm 139:1-4 David tells us, "O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD You know it altogether. And verses 7-10 say, Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning; And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me." God’s omniscience is personal. He knows all of your shortcomings, He understands you and sees through you, and He still loves you no matter what.

Responding to God’s omniscience in your personal life involves some important points:

If sin is a problem; run to the Father. He already knows about it, so don’t try to hide it or hope it just disappears. First John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Read Psalm 139:1-18. This scripture is about God’s knowledge of man. It is telling us that God knows all of our faults and shortcomings and loves us anyway. No one will ever love you more than God. Go look in the mirror and realize that you are the person that God created. Nothing about you is a mistake or an afterthought.

Part Three

The Omnipresence of God

There is no place in creation that God does not exist. God’s presence is in the sphere and immensity and infinitude. Infinitude or infinity means that which is without limits. God’s presence is so vast that not only is He everywhere in the known universe, but He bursts through the universe and fills everything we do not even know. God’s presence is immense and cannot be contained. God’s presence is also absolute, in that all of Him exists everywhere. God is spirit, and therefore He can be everywhere at the same time. So whatever you do, no matter where you are, all that He is, is right there with you. He has no limitations.

Satan is not omnipresent. He is a created being and is therefore limited. Because he is the ruler of the demonic kingdom, he needs a vast army of followers to whom he can give orders. Satan and his demons are often very successful because they obey him, whereas many of those who have chosen to obey God don’t.

Part Four

The Omnipotent God

There is nothing that God cannot