“The Shining Armor of RIGHT Living”

 “The Shining Armor of RIGHT Living”

 

This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is RUNNING OUT. WAKE UP, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is almost gone; the Day of Salvation will SOON be here.  So, REMOVE your DARK DEEDS like DIRTY CLOTHES, and PUT ON the SHINING ARMOR of RIGHT LIVING.  Romans 13:11-12

We live in a VERY TROUBLED WORLD, one of which the WORD of the LIVING GOD has almost become NULL and VOID.  Even in SOME of our CHURCHES today, mankind has changed the WORSHIP and PRAISE into more of ENTERTAINMENT, with a little worldly atmosphere thrown in, to be ABLE to show unbelievers that Christianity is not much different than what the world has to offer.  When the churches stoop to that level, then what else can we OFFER a LOST and DYING WORLD?

The Apostle Paul tells us that it is URGENT to KNOW just how LATE it is; that TIME is RUNNING OUT.  He warns US to WAKE UP, for our SALVATION is NEARER than we FIRST believed.  I believe that our SALVATION being NEARER than when we FIRST BELIEVED is talking about the COMPLETION of SALVATION.  When we are SAVED, we are in a GROWING and MATURING process. For the TRUE BELIEVERS, the COMPLETION of OUR SALVATION will happen at the RAPTURE of the CHURCH, and that time is QUICKLY APPROACHING!!

In the meantime, we should REMOVE the DARK DEEDS like DIRTY CLOTHES and PUT ON the SHINING ARMOR of RIGHT LIVING.  We MUST LIVE DECENT LIVES for ALL to see.  We should NOT PARTICIPATE in the DARKNESS of WILD PARTIES and DRUNKENNESS or in SEXUAL PROMISCUITY and IMMORAL LIVING or even in QUARRELING and JEALOUSY.

Instead, CLOTHE YOURSELF with the presence of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. And DON’T EVEN let yourself THINK about ways to indulge your EVIL DESIRES, or ways to IDENTIFY with WORLDLY WAYS. But put on the SHINING ARMOR of RIGHT LIVING that is ONLY AVAILABLE to those who belong to GOD’S FAMILY. 

In order, to be ABLE to put on the SHINING ARMOR, you MUST FIRST become a MEMBER of the FAMILY of the LIVING GOD.  The ONLY WAY to do that, is to FIRST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, Son of the LIVING GOD, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE. 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. You MUST CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ask HIM for His FORGIVENESS.  YOU MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and PUT ON the SHINING ARMOR of RIGHT LIVING.  DO this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND !!!

 

“The Rejection of the Cherished Son!”

 “The Rejection of the Cherished Son!”

 

“What will I do?’ The owner asked himself.  ‘I know! I’ll send my Cherished Son.  Surely, they will RESPECT him.”   Luke 20:13

Prior to the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, He was teaching the people and preaching the GOOD NEWS in the temple, and the Religious Leaders approached Him, challenging His AUTHORITY to do the things He had been doing.  And He did not reveal to them the answer they were wanting.  Instead, He turned back to the people and told them a STORY: “A Man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country for several years.   At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.  So, the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed.  A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away.

“What will I do?” The owner asked himself.  ‘I know! I’ll send my cherished son.  Surely, they will RESPECT him.’ But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the Heir to this estate, Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!” So, they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. “What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?” Jesus asked.  “I’ll tell you—-he will come and KILL those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.”

Over centuries, God sent His prophets to warn His people to bear fruit—-to KEEP His Covenant and to LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY.  BUT Israel REJECTED, REPEATEDLY God’s Word that was spoken by His Prophets.  We see from this Parable, that those who REPEATEDLY REJECT, the WORD of God, who is the LORD JESUS CHRIST!!  “He came to His own people and even they REJECTED HIM.”  BUT to all who BELIEVED HIM AND ACCEPTED Him, He gave the RIGHT to become CHILDREN of GOD.

Today, there are JEWS and GENTILES (non-Jews), who REJECT the WORD who BECAME HUMAN and made His home among us. He was|is FULL of UNFAILING LOVE and FAITHFULNESS. PLEASE! Don’t REJECT Him!  Time is running out!  You may NOT have TOMORROW, because The LORD JESUS CHRIST IS COMING SOON.  And you DEFINITELY don’t want to be LEFT BEHIND. 

This is what YOU MUST DO, to be ABLE to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there. You MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE. 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, you MUST CONFESS YOUR SINS, before Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFE-STYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and SPEND your ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS. Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“Rejoice, Be Patient, and Be Persistent “

 “Rejoice, Be Patient, and Be Persistent”

 

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble and keep on praying.  Romans 12 :12

 

The Apostle Paul gives us a list of PERSONAL ATTITUDES that will ENHANCE our SERVICE to the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.  These attributes describe how we should SERVE the LORD. At the end of v11, he tells us to SERVE the LORD ENTHUSIASTICALLY! So how can we do that?

First, Don’t COPY the BEHAVIOR and CUSTOMS of this WICKED WORLD, but LET GOD transform you into a NEW PERSON by the way you THINK. Then you will learn to KNOW GOD’S WILL for you, which is GOOD, PLEASING, and PERFECT. (V2)

Don’t THINK you are better than you REALLY ARE. Be HONEST about YOUR EVALUATION of yourself, measuring yourself by the FAITH GOD has given you. Do ALL things as unto the LORD. Serve Him well.

DON’T PRETEND to LOVE others. REALLY LOVE THEM.  HATE what is WRONG. HOLD TIGHTLY to what is GOOD.  Don’t be LAZY, WORK hard and SERVE the LORD ENTHUSIASTICALLY!!

And REJOICE in the CONFIDENT HOPE we have in GOD, which is made POSSIBLE because of our RELATIONSHIP with His SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  BE PATIENT in TROUBLE, just because you are a CHILD of GOD, does NOT mean that you will be FREE from TROUBLE. IF anything, you will probably have MORE TROUBLE than you need.  But because of your CONFIDENT HOPE in GOD, He will get you THROUGH IT, SO, BE PATIENT and WAIT on the LORD.  And while you are WAITING, PRAY and KEEP ON PRAYING until SOMETHING HAPPENS, and it WILL in HIS OWN TIME!!

Now, if you DO NOT have a RELATIONSHIP with GOD, ALMIGHTY, then it will NOT HELP YOU to believe that you can apply these attributes to your PERSONAL ATTITUDES and you’ll have a RELATIONSHIP with GOD, because you are doing all these things. It is NOT by WORKS that you do or what kind of person you are that will get you into HEAVEN.  It’s a GENUINE RELATIONSHIP with JESUS CHRIST, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED and was RAISED from DEATH and the GRAVE. So, when you feel the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD, STIRRING your HEART and bringing GUILT FEELINGS upon you.  You MUST SURRENDER, by ADMITTING that you are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S ONLY SON, who GAVE HIS LIFE to SAVE your SOUL from an ETERNITY IN HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY TO ESCAPE once you are there. 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. You MUST CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and REJOICE, BE PATIENT and BE PERSISTENT IN PRAYING.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!! Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“Believing, Hearing and Declaring”

 “Believing, Hearing and Declaring”

 

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.  Romans 10:9-10

When a NON-BELIEVER, is under CONVICTION for their SINS, they MUST be WILLING to HEAR the WORD of GOD. They MUST NOT REJECT the WORD of GOD. So, to be able to CALL on JESUS for His FORGIVENESS, they MUST HEAR the WORD and BELIEVE in the WORD.

Verse fourteen asks this question: “How can they CALL on Him to SAVE them unless they BELIEVE in Him?  And how can they BELIEVE in Him if they have never heard about Him unless someone tells them?” And verse fifteen goes on to say;  “And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?”  When one believes in Christ Jesus, they will CALL on Him. And BELIEVING, is based on someone DECLARING the WORD of GOD to them. This PROCLAMATION is NOT held ONLY to a PREACHER, preaching from a pulpit. 

The TRUE BELIEVER is commissioned to WITNESS or TELL the unbeliever what the WORD of GOD says about being able to ESCAPE GOD’S ETERNAL JUDGMENT for their sins. Also, WHAT the WORD says about GOD’S GIFT of SALVATION.

That is to SHARE the GOOD NEWS, which is that God SO LOVED this WRETCHED world, that He GAVE His ONLY SON, JESUS CHRIST, to ALL of HUMANITY, as the ONLY WAY for HUMANS to be FORGIVEN of their SINS and to be able to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS, and to be ABLE to SPEND ETERNITY in HEAVEN with all its BLESSINGS.  THEY must BELIEVE, HEAR and DECLARE to EVERYONE they meet, that THEY ARE FORGIVEN and on their way to HEAVEN!!!

SADLY, though NOT EVERYONE who HEARS the GOOD NEWS will WELCOME IT. And because of their rejection, they will face the JUDGMENT SEAT of the ALMIGHTY GOD. When one comes under conviction and REJECTS the GOOD NEWS, JESUS SAVES.  They will have SEALED their FATE. And it will be TOO LATE. 

So, if you are an UNBELIEVER and you are under CONVICTION, SURRENDER YOURSELF to the ALMIGHTY GOD. And ACCEPT His FREE GIFT of SALVATION.  YOU don’t have to PAY a THING for it.  JESUS has ALREADY PAID IT IN FULL.  To ACCEPT IT; you MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. 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. You MUST CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS. You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFE-STYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION, and BELIEVE, HEAR, ACCEPT, and DECLARE that JESUS is YOUR SALVATION!!  Do this NOW while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

.”Amazing Love”

 “Amazing Love”

 

For the Love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all,  so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.  2 Corinthians 5:14-15

The Apostle Paul shared that the LOVE of CHRIST controls the TRUE BELIEVER, and having come to that conclusion, the message, Paul wanted the people to know was that ONE died for ALL, therefore ALL died to their OLD LIFE.

Christ died for EVERYONE so that those who receive His NEW LIFE will no longer LIVE for themselves, but they will live for Him who DIED and ROSE again on their behalf. And since we TRULY KNOW HIM, means that ANYONE who KNOWS HIM has become a NEW PERSON. The OLD LIFE is GONE, and a NEW LIFE has begun. 

God has given the TRUE BELIEVER the TASK of SHARING the GOOD NEWS: JESUS SAVES!! For God was in Christ, RECONCILING the WORLD to Himself, no longer counting people’s SIN against them.  WOW! What an AMAZING LOVE!!

And God has given the BELIEVERS this message of RECONCILIATION to SHARE with a LOST and DYING world.  SADLY, there will be MANY who will reject the message. But there will be SOME who will ACCEPT it.  It is up to the BELIEVER to be OBEDIENT to God, and be about His business of RECONCILING this WRETCHED, WICKED WORLD from the HORRORS of and ETERNITY in HELL. 

If you are NOT a BELIEVER, you NEED to be NOW.  Don’t put it off!! Time is RUNNING OUT.  Here is what you MUST DO to COME to JESUS.  You MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR; JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S SON, who DIED to give us ALL ETERNAL LIFE.  You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART, that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is in Heaven making intercession for you before GOD. You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS. You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and a “WELL DONE!” From the LORD JESUS for fulfilling the TASK of RECONCILIATION!!   Do this NOW, while you STILL can. He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“God’s Invitation’

 “God’s Invitation”

 

“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have NO money! Come take your Choice of wine or milk—-it’s all FREE!   “Come to Me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find LIFE.  I will make an EVERLASTING COVENANT with you.  I will give you all the UNFAILING LOVE I promised to David.  Isaiah 55:1&3

 

This invitation was given to Israel, however most of Israel REJECTED IT. And it is very applicable for ALL people, Jew or Gentile.  I felt led to use verses 1and 3 as my introduction, giving you an idea of God’s LOVE and PATIENCE for the JEWS and GENTILES, alike. So, we will look at verses 6 and 7. 

The Prophet Isaiah is giving instructions on what to do to be able to accept God’s invitation. Verse 6 tells us to:  “SEEK the LORD while you can FIND Him. CALL on Him NOW while He is NEAR.”  There are a few things people MUST DO to ACCEPT GOD’s INVITATION; they MUST SEEK the LORD while they can FIND Him.  When the HOLY SPIRIT begins to deal with people's hearts, and they feel REMORSEFUL for their sins, then that person MUST SEEK, meaning to CALL OUT to the LORD while you can FIND Him, because when JUDGMENT COMES it will be too late. In verse 7, It tells the wicked to CHANGE their ways and PUT AWAY the VERY THOUGHT of doing wrong.

Then they should TURN TO the LORD so that they may have His MERCY on them.  And when they TURN TO GOD, He is FAITHFUL and JUST to GENEROUSLY FORGIVE them of their WRONG DOINGS. And they can then ACCEPT HIS INVITATION of SALVATION and REAP the REWARDS HE has STORED UP for them, when He RETURNS, which will be SOON and VERY SOON.  ARE YOU READY? 

Here is what you MUST DO to be READY:  ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, God’s Only Son, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and ROSE from DEATH and the GRAVE to SECURE you a place in HEAVEN for all ETERNITY and to KEEP YOU OUT OF HELL with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there. You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is in HEAVEN making intercession for you before God.  You MUST CONFESS YOUR SINS to Him and ASK Him for His SALVATION.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s INVITATION to SALVATION and His gift of ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS.  So, do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

“He’s EVERYWHERE! He’s EVERYWHERE!”

 “He’s EVERYWHERE! He’s EVERYWHERE!”

 

“I can never escape from Your Spirit!  I can never get away from Your Presence! If I go up to heaven You are there; if I go down to the grave, You are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there Your hand will guide me, and Your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—-but even in the darkness I cannot hide from You. Psalm139:7-12

 

King David confesses that the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, has examined his heart and that God knew EVERYTHING about him.  He KNEW when David SAT DOWN or when he STOOD UP.  The King acknowledged that God KNEW his THOUGHTS even when he was FAR AWAY. YOU SEE me when I travel and when I REST at home. 

You, God, KNOW EVERYTHING I DO!  You KNOW what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. You GO BEFORE ME and FOLLOW ME. You PLACE Your Hand of BLESSING on my head. Such KNOWLEDGE is too WONDERFUL for me, too GREAT for me to understand!

In this Psalm, we see the three attributes of God.  His OMNISCIENCE, OMNIPRESENCE, and OMNIPOTENCE. This is what those three words mean: OMNISCIENCE-ALL KNOWING, OMNIPRESENCE-EVERYWHERE at the SAME TIME, OMNIPOTENCE-ALL POWERFUL.  And this Psalm, is a good example of all three attributes.  And just like He did with DAVID, God does with His CHILDREN.

He KNOWS ALL ABOUT US! He GOES BEFORE US, because He KNOWS where we are going and is there BEFORE we are, and yet He is STILL with us.   And he is ALL POWERFUL, David knew that God is ALL POWERFUL. In verse 19, David cries out to God:  “O God, if only you would DESTROY the WICKED!”

 What an AWESOME GOD!

We NEED to HUMBLE ourselves before the ALMIGHTY GOD and INVITE HIM to: “SEARCH ME, O God, and KNOW my HEART; TEST ME and KNOW my ANXIOUS THOUGHTS. Point out ANYTHING in ME that OFFENDS YOU and LEAD ME along the PATH of EVERLASTING LIFE. (VV 23,24)

Do you belong to GOD?  Is He LEADING you along the PATH of EVERLASTING LIFE in HEAVEN? If NOT, He can be, if you will ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, SON of the LIVING GOD, who gave his LIFE to SAVE your soul.  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.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS. You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and be able to proclaim with a JOYFUL HEART: “He’s EVERYWHERE, He’s EVERYWHERE!!”  Do this NOW while you STILL can He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!! Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!