TRUST at ALL Times!"

 

“TRUST at ALL Times!”

 

Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our Refuge.    Psalm 62:8

 

King David was not only a GREAT KING, and WARRIOR, but he was also an ACCOMPLISHED SONG WRITER.  Many of his Psalms were sent to the Director of Music.  And this Psalm is one of his songs.  David KNEW where his STRENGTH came from, and was pretty adamant about where he placed his TRUST. 

 

In this Psalm, David expresses that the ALMIGHTY GOD is his REST, ROCK, REFUGE, HOPE, A MIGHTY FORTRESS, and his SALVATION.  And his DEPENDENCE was on God.  This claim came from life-time experiences.  God RESCUED David from his enemies, many times and gave him the ability to be a MIGHTY WARRIOR and KING.  Whenever David was in trouble, he CALLED upon the ALMIGHTY GOD, because he KNEW that GOD would RESCUE him and would be his SALVATION.  He also KNEW the IMPORTANCE of WHEN to put his TRUST IN GOD. 

 

David says to:  TRUST in God at ALL times, NOT ONLY when we are facing TROUBLES, but ALL the time. We NEED to TRUST Him with EVERY ASPECT of our lives.  We SHOULD POUR OUT our WHOLE HEART to Him, without ABANDONING our FAITH, but with ASSURANCE that He is ABLE to take care of EVERY and ALL needs.  For the TRUE BELIEVER, He is their REST, ROCK, REFUGE, HOPE, A MIGHTY FORTRESS, and THEIR SALVATION, and like King David, They can DEPEND on Him at ALL TIMES.  CAN YOU?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then He is NOT your REST, ROCK, REFUGE, HOPE, A MIGHTY FORTRESS or SALVATION.  But He CAN be and WANTS to be, if you will TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that JESUS, God’s Son, died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and allow Him to be your REST, ROCK, REFUGE, HOPE, A MIGHTY FORTRESS and your SALVATION, and to provide a WAY of ESCAPING HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and GAINING HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS for ALL of ETERNITY.  So, do this NOW, while you still can.   He’s waiting and COMING SOON!!!

"Righteous through Faith"

 

“Righteousness through Faith”

 

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them garbage, 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 on the basis of faith.      Philippians 3:7-9

 

The Apostle Paul CONSIDERED his RELATIONSHIP with the LORD JESUS CHRIST, PRICELESS, and WORTH MORE than he POSSESSED or had EVER POSSESSED.  He tells us that he considers EVERYTHING a LOSS compared to KNOWING Christ Jesus, PERSONALLY.  He NO LONGER had CONFIDENCE in the FLESH, but NOW he had CONFIDENCE in JESUS CHRIST alone. 

 

Paul, CONSIDERED those things that he had GAINED in life to be nothing more than RUBBISH, in order to GAIN a RELATIONSHIP with Christ Jesus.  NOTHING else really MATTERED to him, in light of him possessing a RELATIONSHIP with JESUS CHRIST, as his SAVIOR and LORD, this SURPASSED everything he had ever gained in his JEWISH RELIGION.   

 

For those who are FOUND IN CHRIST, they are the ones who have GAINED a RELATIONSHIP with Him, because He, JESUS CHRIST, is in the TRUE BELIEVER and the TRUE BELIEVER is in HIM. It is a CRUCIAL MATTER, that the one who comes to Christ, is responding to the WORK of the HOLY SPIRIT, who draws them to CHRIST. And when they come to Him, it is not because of their SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS, but it is through the RIGHTEOUSNESS of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  The Prophet Isaiah, writes that; …. ALL our RIGHTEOUSNESSES are like FILTHY RAGS.” (Isa. 64:6)

 

However, the RIGHTEOUSNESS that is found in CHRIST is the RIGHTEOUSNESS that we MUST POSSESS to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD, the ONE who holds the DESTINY of EVERYONE, in His HANDS.  If you POSSESS the RIGHTEOUSNESS of CHRIST JESUS, then you will have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with Him and will be able to stand COMPLETE IN CHRIST JESUS, through HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, and because of your FAITH in CHRIST JESUS.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are NOT in CHRIST JESUS, and HE is NOT in YOU.  You do NOT POSSESS His RIGHTEOUSNESS, and CANNOT have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God, until you are WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and receive the RIGHTEOUSNESS of CHRIST, through FAITH in Him, and BE READY to ACCEPT an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and COMING SOON!!!

"Doubtful Praying"

 

“Doubtful Praying”

 

But When you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.    James 1:6-7

 

Our Scriptures, today, tells us of the RISK of PRAYING without a TRUE, STEADFAST FAITH in the ONE, to whom we are voicing our PRAYERS.  First, we MUST BELIEVE in God and His AWESOME POWER and His ABILITY to do what we are asking Him to do.  And to TRUST Him to do it at the PROPER time. We MUST TRUST His WILL, and KNOW that HE will do what is BEST for EVERY SITUATION. 

 

We are told to NOT have DOUBTS, it isn’t that TRUE BELIEVERS DOUBT the EXISTENSE of God, but MORE to the CHARACTER of God, in the aspect of what KIND of God do they SERVE.  DOUBTING that hinders our PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with God, will also HINDER our PRAYERS to Him.  ABSOLUTE TRUST is what will bring about a STRONG, VIBRANT, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Him and His Son, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who makes it POSSIBLE to POSSESS a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the Almighty God. And a PRAYER-LIFE that is BASED on a STRONG FAITH and an ABIDING TRUST. 

 

The FAITH, which we are talking about MUST TRUST GOD without ANY HESITATION.  When a person who has NOT TRUSTED God with their SALVATION or maybe even NOT BELIEVED in Him, comes to Him, to offer their URGENT REQUEST, they will NOT be HEARD, by Him, because they HAVE NOT TRUSTED in Him for their SALVATION, and they LIVE in a SINFUL LIFESTYLE.  In Psalm 66:18, it says: “If I regard iniquity in my HEART, the Lord will NOT hear me.” He will ONLY HEAR them, if they FIRST, PRAY a TRUE PRAYER of REPENTANCE, one that is FREE FROM DOUBT. 

 

God’s Answer may NOT be what we are LOOKING for, because we MUST TRUST HIS WILL, and NOT voice a DOUBTFUL PRAYER, but have a STRONG FAITH, knowing that He will work ALL things for our good.  But, if you have NOT PRAYED that PRAYER of REPENTANCE, God is giving you the OPPORTUNITY NOW, to do so.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful life-style, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT (SORROWFUL) HEART. Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that His Son, JESUS CHRIST died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and STOP the DOUBTFUL PRAYING, but PRAY BELIEVING and TRUSTING.  And receive an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and COMING SOON!!!

"The Desire to Do What is Good"

 

“The Desire to Do What is Good”

 

 

For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do---this I keep on doing.    Romans 7:18-19

 

There was once a RICH young man, who came to Jesus and said to Him: “GOOD Teacher, what GOOD thing shall I do that I may have ETERNAL LIFE?”  Jesus replied: “Why do you call Me GOOD?  No one is GOOD but ONE, that is GOD.” (Luke 18:19) This tells us that we possess NO GOOD THING within us, because of our SINFUL NATURE.  When we are born, we are born with a SINFUL NATURE, the desire to carry out SINFUL THINGS, the things that expresses themselves through the MIND and the BODY.  The MIND THINKS about it, and the BODY carries that SINFUL thought to fruition or GRATIFICATION. 

 

This is TRUE even for the TRUE BELIEVER, they may have the DESIRE to do what is GOOD, but they can’t carry it out, because they are in the FLESH and on their OWN, they do NOT have the POWER to COMPLETELY pull AWAY from those SINFUL THOUGHTS and ACTIONS.  ONLY GOD’S POWER can SEPARATE us from the EVIL things that we REALLY DO NOT WANT TO DO, but we STILL are PRONE to KEEP on doing.  Because GOD is GOODNESS, personified, and we are NOT, we MUST DEPEND on Him to STEER us in the RIGHT DIRECTION and to have the RIGHT THOUGHTS.  We ALL are SINNERS in NEED of a SAVIOR, even those who have given their HEARTS and LIVES to HIM.  He is the ONLY ONE who can produce GOOD in us. 

 

The definition of GOOD is:  Morally excellent; virtuous; righteous, pious.  You cannot fall into this category, UNLESS you have been to the CROSS of CHRIST, and been CLEASENED by His BLOOD, for the SALVATION of your soul, and then COME DAILY for a CLEANSING of your SINS, SEEKING FORGIVENESS and to have your FELLOWSHIP with God, RENEWED, and your RIGHTEOUSNESS, with Him REFRESHED.  And ALLOW Him to do the GOOD you DESIRE to do.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, you have NO RELATIONSHIP with Him or His Son, JESUS CHRIST, who gave His OWN life for the FORGIVENESS of your sins. And if you DESIRE to DO GOOD, and to NOT DO what you SHOULD NOT DO, you MUST have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with ALMIGHTY GOD.  And to do that, you MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and DESIRING TO DO GOOD, allow Him to DO GOOD through you, by HIS POWER.  And be able to ESCAPE HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, as your ETERNAL DESTINY, and RECEIVE HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS as your ETERNAL HOME.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and COMING SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

"A Common Temptation"

 

“A Common Temptation”

 

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!  No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.        1 Corinthians 10:12-13

 

I have been told MANY TIMES that there is NOTHING STRONGER or more POWERFUL than the ALMIGHTY GOD.  So, when I read this verse it gives me HOPE that there is NOTHING that this SINFUL, CORRUPT, DEPRAVED, EVIL WORLD can throw at me, that MY GOD, can’t provide for me at WAY of ESCAPE.

 

The Apostle Paul, gave the Corinthian Believers, a little bit of a Hebrew history lesson, concerning the EXODUS of the Israelites from EGYPT to the PROMISED LAND.  And MANY of them put the LORD GOD to the TEST.  They engaged in sexual immorality and revelry, and GOD was NOT PLEASED with them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. This is a WARNING to NOT SET your HEARTS on EVIL THINGS.  WE SHOULD NOT TEST the LORD. 

 

As we get CLOSER to the CULMINATION of the AGES we will encounter MORE and MORE of a WICKED, PERVERTED, CORRUPT and DESPICABLE WORLD.  And TEMPTATIONS will be RAMPANT, and many will FALL, even those who THINK they are STANDING FIRM.  They MUST NOT PUT the LORD to the TEST, because they are subject to FALL.  However, our Scripture tells us that there is NO TEMPTATION that has OVERTAKEN us, but that the TEMPTATION is COMMON to MANKIND.  And the ALMIGHTY GOD is FAITHFUL and He will NOT LET us be TEMPTED BEYOND what we can BEAR.  But when TEMPTATION COMES, He will PROVIDE a WAY of ESCAPE, so we can OVERCOME it, through ENDURANCE.  For some, though, the problem is; when they are faced with temptation, they are NOT LOOKING for a WAY OUT, through ENDURANCE, but they have FALLEN, and are LOOKING for a WAY IN through, INDULGENCE. 

 

Those who are LIVING SINFUL LIFESTYLES, and REJECTING the Son of God as their SAVIOR and LORD, are those who have FALLEN into the TEMPTATIONS that have come their way.  They have surrendered to their passions and INDULGED in REBELLION AGAINST the ALMIGHTY GOD.  They are facing an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, after they are there.  However, REMEMBER, the ALMIGHTY GOD has PROVIDED away to OVERCOME the TEMPTATIONS, which is; His PLAN of SALVATION.  In order to be SAVED from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, you MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and DO NOT PUT HIM TO THE TEST, but TRUST Him to make a way for you to ESCAPE your TEMPTATIONS, and to keep you from an ETERNITY in HELL and to GIVE you an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  So, do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and COMING SOON!!!

"The Climax of Experiential Joy!"

 

“The Climax of Experiential Joy!”

 

You love Him, though you have not seen Him.  And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.     1 Peter 1:8-9

 

The EXPERIENTIAL JOY of a TRUE BELIEVER, comes through their FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ and His REDEMPTIVE WORK on the CROSS to FREE mankind from their SINS, and to PROVIDE an ETERNAL HOME in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Their FAITH is NOT a result of the   KNOWLEDGE of JESUS, but it is on the PERSON of JESUS.  And on whether they TRULY POSSESS a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with Him and His Heavenly Father, God.

 

The Apostle Peter was focusing on those who were being persecuted for their FAITH, and ENCOURAGING them to KEEP THE FAITH.  Even in times of PERSECUTION they could EXPERIENCE JOY, because they were PRESENTLY receiving SALVATION, which is the GOAL of their FAITH.  Even though, they did NOT see JESUS, their BELIEF and FAITH in Him could bring them INEXPRESSIBLE and GLORIOUS JOY.  And SALVATION through Him, is PAST: He has given us a NEW BIRTH.  It is PRESENT: Through a FAITH that is SHIELDED by the POWER of GOD.  And FUTURE:  It is an INHERITANCE for the TRUE BELIEVER.   EACH DAY brings us CLOSER to RECEIVING the CULMINATION of our SALVATION.  And because we BELIEVE even when we have NOT SEEN our REDEEMER, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, we can EXPERIENCE INEXPRESSIBLE, GLORIOUS JOY, even in times of PERSECUTION.  CAN YOU?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then the outlook of your DESTINY is DARK and BLEAK, because you are FACING an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, after you are there.  And you surely cannot EXPERIENCE TRUE, INEXPRESSIBLE JOY, with that in your future.  However, God is giving you an opportunity NOW to CHANGE that DESTINY by: TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURNING TO HIM, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and then EVEN though you have NOT SEEN HIM, BELIEVE in Him and place your FAITH in JESUS, and EXPERIENCE that INEXPRESSIBLE, GLORIOUS JOY all the way into your ETERNAL HOME, HEAVEN.  So, do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and COMING SOON!!!

"Have You Failed the Test?"

 

“Have You Failed the Test?”

 

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you---unless, of course, you fail the test?     2 Corinthians 13:5

 

Throughout the Apostle Paul’s ministry, his conduct was held in scrutiny, but this time he turned the tables on those in Corinth, who considered THEMSELVES to be TRUE CHRISTIANS.  He told them to EXAMINE themselves to see whether they REALLY WERE LIVING in the FAITH, that they PROFESSED to doing.  In other words, he was telling them to TEST their OWN conduct, was it QUESTIONABLE or TRUSTWORTHY?  He CHALLENGED them to put THEMSELVES to the TEST.

 

The test is ONE VERY IMPORTANT question: “ARE YOU REALLY A TRUE CHRISTIAN or not?”  Now, that is the question, that we, who PROFESS to be TRUE CHRISTIANS, must be willing to EXAMINE OURSELVES with, and to do that we MUST BE HONEST, it could determine your ETERNAL DESTINY. 

 

First part of the EXAM is:  Do you DEMONSTRATE A FAITH in JESUS CHRIST?  Are you LIVING by FAITH or by the FLESH?  Next, Are you OBEDIENT to the TEACHINGS of JESUS?  Do you even KNOW what His TEACHINGS are?  If NOT, try reading the Gospel of John.  To PASS the test you MUST BELIEVE that you are a SINNER in NEED of a SAVIOR, the ONLY SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who willingly died on a cross for you. Then HUMBLE yourself by CONFESSING your SINS to Him and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST ACCEPT HIS GIFT of SALVATION, and START LIVING by FAITH and NOT by the FLESH.  And be willing to be OBEDIENT to the TEACHINGS of JESUS.   Then you will PASS the TEST!!

 

But if you REJECT JESUS CHRIST, and remain DISOBEDIENT to His will and His teachings , and DENY any FAITH in Him, you not only FAIL the TEST, but you have signed your FATE to an ETERNAL DESTINY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, after you are there.  The only way to CHANGE that is to PASS the TEST.  So be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, and CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask for His FORGIVENESS. And BELIEVE that JESUS died for YOUR SALVATION.  Then ACCEPT it and START LIVING BY FAITH.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and COMING SOON!!!