Resolutions for the Child of the Living God

Resolutions for the Child of the Living God!

 

 

You should praise the Lord for His love and for the wonderful things He does for all of us.

You should celebrate by offering sacrifices and singing joyful songs to tell what He has done.------Psalm 107: 21-22

 

The term “resolutions” means to “resolve” something which means: to change or transform something. At this time of year, it seems like everyone wants to make “RESOLUTIONS” that would alter or change them or their lifestyle.  Mostly for GOOD things in their lives.  To help them LIVE a LONG and PROSPEROUS life.  Some want to make changes to their appearances, like losing weight, exercising more, getting more sleep, etc.  Now these things are not bad things to “RESOLVE” to do in the New Year. 

 

But what about your “SPIRITUAL” well-being?  Have you given thought to how you might “RESOLVE” to do some things to “ENHANCE” your spiritual life?  To have a CLOSER relationship with your Heavenly Father?  To learn more about Him and His Son, by reading and studying His PRECIOUS HOLY WORD, the BIBLE.  To have a MORE INTIMATE relationship with Him by INCREASING your PRAYER LIFE to include PRAISE and THANKSGIVING, not just praying, ONLY when you need something. 

 

As a Child of the LIVING God, we need to “RESOLVE”:  to PRAISE the Lord for His LOVE and for ALL the WONDERFUL THINGS HE has done and STILL DOES, for each of us.  We need to PRAISE Him from the SETTING OF THE SUN, to the RISING of the SUN and wake up with PRAISES on our LIPS and in our HEARTS. 

 

We should “RESOLVE” to offer SACRIFICES to the VERY ONE who SACRIFICED His OWN LIFE for US (YOU).  What kind of SACRIFICES do we offer?  PRIORITIES, to start with, just where does the King of kings and Lord of lords, fit into your schedule?   He LONGS to be at the VERY TOP of the list, and DESERVES TO BE THERE.  I mean how many people you KNOW, would give up their life for YOU, by the way that is what we call a SACRIFICE!  How about spending time with other Christians?  After ALL they ARE your brothers and sisters in the Lord, and you can remedy that by going to church more often.  What about USING your God-given talents for Him.  Like, singing in the choir or teaching a children’s Sunday School class.

 

Then we should “RESOLVE” to WITNESS MORE and with a JOYFUL SPIRIT, about the WONDERFUL THINGS that He has DONE and is STILL DOING in our lives.  Our SALVATION should be at the TOP OF THE LIST of WONDERFUL THINGS that He has done for US.   So when you start to make “RESOLUTIONS” make sure you START with your SPIRITUAL LIFE, then all the other “RESOLUTIONS” will be a lot EASIER to KEEP.

 

For those of you, who have NEVER come to Christ, and are NOT ONE of His, that SHOULD DEFINITELY be the VERY FIRST “RESOLUTION” you make.  RESOLVE to come to Him, offering the SACRIFICE of YOURSELF to Him and let Him work WONDERFUL THINGS in your life.  You can come to Him by doing this ONE and ONLY thing:  CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and have a TRULY HAPPY NEW YEAR.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!

Rejoice, Be Glad, Shout for Joy!

Rejoice, Be Glad, Shout for Joy!

 

 

Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.  So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey Him!  Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!------Psalm 32:10-11

 

 

There is a scripture that says that you will REAP what you SOW.  And as this Scripture says:  MANY sorrows come to the wicked. I believe that what this is telling us, is that when a person is living a wicked life that is full of SIN, and DEPRAVITY, they will have an ABUNDANCE of sorrows to contend with, and life for that person will be MISERABLE to the point of being UNBEARABLE.

 

But for a Child of God, UNFAILING LOVE surrounds that one, who puts their FAITH and TRUST in the Lord, and is LIVING a life that is DEDICATED to the ALMIGHTY GOD.  This SHOULD bring JOY and GLADNESS to their hearts.  So much so that they, who are STRIVING to KEEP a  PURE HEART,  SHOULD REJOICE and be GLAD to the point of SHOUTING for JOY! 

So much for the QUIET, RESERVED, HIGH-CHURCH, attitude, the WORD of the LIVING GOD, says we are to SHOUT FOR JOY!!!  Well, some of God’s children need to practice SHOUTING FOR JOY! Because, some have NEVER DONE IT, and for those of you who have believed that God does not like it.  My question to you is?  If He doesn’t like it then, why would He have it written SO MANY times in His Word?  TRY IT!  You may find SUCH JOY AND GLADNESS oozing from every part of you and giving you some of that JOY UNSPEAKABLE and FULL OF GLORY, attitude that you have been missing ALL these years. 

 

If you are one of those who have been living in SIN and are PRACTICING wickedness in your life.  And find you are experiencing an ABUNDANCE of SORROWS and HEARTACHES, because of your SINFUL living.  I have GOOD NEWS for YOU,  you can change your situation, you may still have sorrows and heartaches, but you will be surrounded by the UNFAILING LOVE of a LOVING, COMPASSIONATE FATHER who will SEE you through those SORROWS and HEARTACHES, and you won’t have to go it ALONE, because He will be right there with you.  But you MUST:  CONFESS your sins to God and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!! 

 

Who?

Who?

 

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in His holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

who does not lift up his soul to what is false and

does not swear deceitfully. 

He will receive blessing from the Lord

and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Such is the generation of those who seek him,

who seek the face of the God of Jacob.-------Psalm 24: 3-6

 

Some people have the mindset, that if you live a “good” life and are good to others, YOU are, for sure going to go to Heaven.  Well, that is NOT what my Bible teaches.  In this passage of Scripture it PLAINLY states that, He who has clean hands and a pure heart, is the one who will be able to ascend to the hill of the Lord and who will be able to stand in His holy place. 

 

CLEAN HANDS, and a pure heart does not mean that you can use a hand sanitizer every day or wash your hands three times a day with a bar of soap, and you are on your way to Heaven.  But CLEAN HANDS means that you are NOT living in SIN, but you are STRIVING to live in GODLINESS, because you have come to Jesus with CONFESSION of the SINS that are giving you DIRTY HANDS and His PRECIOUS BLOOD will cleanse your hands and you then CAN ENTER HIS PRESENCE.

A PURE HEART means that YOU are NO LONGER DESIRING to live in SIN, but have a DEEP DESIRE to live in GODLINESS.  And you have this desire because of what JESUS CHRIST has done for YOU, by the SHEDDING of HIS blood, He has provided a way for you to ENTER HEAVEN. 

 

Now don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that it is possible for us to live a SINLESS life, to my knowledge the ONLY ONE that has EVER done that has been the BLESSED SON OF THE LIVING GOD, JESUS CHRIST.  But we as God’s children, SHOULD have a DEEP DESIRE to STRIVE to live a life SEPARATED from ANY form of UNGODLINESS, because OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS is from the God of our SALVATION.    And when we do SIN we can COME to the Father with a REPENTANT HEART and the SCRIPTURES tell us that He is FAITHFUL to FORGIVE us of our SINS.

Do you possess CLEAN HANDS and a PURE HEART?  It is the ONLY WAY to ENTER into the PRESENCE of the ALMIGHTY, RIGHTEOUS GOD, CREATOR AND SUSTAINER of this UNIVERSE and EVERYTHING in it. 

Where do you want to spend ALL ETERNITY?  If you choose Heaven, then here is what you MUST do:  CONFESS your sins to God and ask for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION. Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!

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Unfailing Love, Enduring Faithfulness

Unfailing Love, Enduring Faithfulness

 

 

Praise The Lord, all you nations.  Praise Him, all you people of the earth.  For He loves us with unfailing love; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.  Praise the Lord!--------Psalm 117

 

As we leave this year and face a NEW YEAR, some will face the NEW YEAR with a WILD ABANDONMENT, doing their OWN thing, throwing caution to the wind.  Some will face it with a CRIPPLING FEAR of the UNKNOWN.  Some will face it with CAUTION, NOT taking ANY chances at ALL, maybe having the proverbial OSTRICH SYNDROME, they just stick their head in the ground and hope all the BAD things will go away. 

 

Then you have the TRUE Child of the Living God, who faces a NEW YEAR, putting their FAITH, TRUST and HOPE in the ONE, who is MORE THAN CAPABLE of GUIDING us through the UNKNOWN.  Because He has ALREADY BEEN THERE and He KNOWS what lies ahead.  He WILL take care of His own and will be FAITHFUL to us to the END of this age and ON to ETERNITY.  He TRULY KNOWS BEST!!  

PRAISE THE LORD, ALL YOU NATIONS

After all, He did send His ONLY SON to SUFFER and DIE A HORRIBLE death for those who have and still reject, disrespect, make light of, insult, etc. even the very name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  And He is STILL LOVING them and WAIING for them to COME to Him with a BROKEN and CONTRITE spirit.

PRAISE THE LORD, ALL YOU PEOPLE OF THE EARTH!

My question to you, today is, in what category do you place yourself?  We know that this old, sinful world seems to be teetering on the brink of self-annihilation.  Do I believe that the END of this AGE is drawing NEAR?  YES, MOST definitely, I believe that we are SO VERY CLOSE, I would not be SURPRISED or DISAPPOINTED to see it happen before the end of this year or in the year to come. 

EVEN SO COME QUICKLY, LORD JESUS!

Are you READY?  You can be, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and His UNFAILING LOVE, and ENDURING FAITHFULNESS.  So you can JOIN His family and PRAISE THE LORD!!!   Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!

 

Peace That Passes All Understanding!

Peace That Passes All Understanding!

 

 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. -------John 14:27

 

The fourteenth chapter of the gospel of John is such a comforting chapter.  It is where Jesus is talking to His disciples, preparing them for their lives and ministry without Him.  He would soon be leaving them and going back to the Father.  His departure, of course, was by His DEATH on the cross. 

 

These Scriptures are often used in funerals, for the purpose of bringing, HOPE, PEACE, AND COMFORT to the hearts of those that are left behind.  Christmas Eve morning, my DEAR, SWEET ninety-one year old MOTHER, left us to go and spend Jesus’ birthday with Him, face to face, to be able to say “Happy Birthday, King Jesus, my Lord, and my brother."  To be in the very PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD.  To be in a place that is FREE from the very things that ROBBED her of her memory and life.  She is NOW, walking the STREETS OF GOLD, or SITTING at the FEET of our BLESSED SAVIOR.  And she has a CLEAR, HEALTHY MIND.  SHE KNOWS AND IS KNOWN.  She is NOW with my PRECIOUS, EARTHLY DAD, and ALL of our EARTHLY FAMILY that has gone on before us.  What a reunion that must have been.  She is FULL OF JOY and is probably SINGING PRAISES TO THE KING OF kings and Lord of lords.  She is rubbing elbows with, the SAINTS OF OLD. And MORE than anything else she is FINALLY AT HOME!!

 

This my dear friends brings a PEACE to my heart that is beyond explanation.  I am SAD, yet I am REJOICING, because I KNOW THAT I KNOW where she is and that SOME DAY, we will all be together again.   And ALL because of God’s great LOVE for US, exemplified by Him sending His Son, as a newborn baby to grow up to be a SACRIFICE for ME and YOU, to give us the HOPE OF HEAVEN, when WE leave this old world. 

That brings HIS peace to my SAD heart, and I am here to say, IT is a PEACE like NO OTHER.  If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to Him. Then you cannot experience that PEACE, that this OLD SINFUL, CORRUPT, SICK WORLD can’t even BEGIN TO OFFER, the PEACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.  And you can’t POSSESS the HOPE of HEAVEN, or a GREAT REUNION with your loved ones who are in Heaven, because they, one day, decided to give their hearts and lives to the Lord.  If you don’t come to Jesus and turn from your SINFUL LIFE, and give your heart and life to HIM.  You will spend ALL ETERNITY, separated from them. 

 

But you can CHANGE your destination, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for you and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION. Do it NOW, while you STILL can, and RECEIVE that PEACE that PASSES ALL understanding and the HOPE OF HEAVEN.   HE’S WAITING!!!

 

 

The Star!

The Star!

 

 

“Where is the newborn King of the Jews?  We saw His star as it rose, and we have come to worship Him.”

…And the star they had seen in the east went on ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  They were thrilled and excited to see the star.    Matthew 2: 9-10

 

The STAR, where did it originate? And what Planet was it?  Well, the wise men, of which, some are said to have been ASTRONOMERS, men who studied the heavens and the STARS and were WELL ACQUAINTED with the origins and positions of the planets, did not know where the STAR came from.  But this STAR was a new star that they had not seen before.  This mysterious STAR is similar to the “pillar of fire,” that led the Children of Israel in their exodus, with Moses, across the wilderness, on their trek to the PROMISE LAND.

 

Some scholars believe that this STAR could have been the “Shekinah glory of God.”  Nevertheless, this UNEXPLAINED STAR led the wise men to the EXACT PLACE where the Christ Child was, just like the PILLAR OF FIRE led the Israelites through the wilderness.  Could it have been the “SHEKINAH GLORY OF GOD?”

 

I believe we could say that the MYSTERIOUS STAR that night, the ONE that LED the wise men to the Christ Child, is similar to the Holy Spirit of the LIVING GOD, who LEADS US to CHRIST, when we are LOST and WANDERING in the WILDERNESS of SIN and can’t FIND our way to the SAVIOR, when we get to the point where we have had enough of the WILDERNESS and God says, “that’s enough!”  Then the Holy Spirit shows up and LEADS the WAY to Christ. 

 

Now we have the CHOICE to FOLLOW the HOLY SPIRIT, as did the wise men to FOLLOW the STAR, which will/did lead US to JESUS CHRIST.  If you are WANDERING in the WILDERNESS OF SIN, and feel you have had enough, and are WILLING to be LED by the HOLY SPIRIT to JESUS.  All you have to do is: CONFESS your sins to God and ask for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting.

 

The Gifts of the Magi

The Gifts of the Magi!

 

 

When the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped Him.  They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and gave them to Him.---------Matthew 2:11

 

Gold, frankincense, and Myrrh, these gifts, that were brought, by the Magi, were gifts worthy of a king, in this case no ordinary king, but the King of kings. 

Why would the Magi travel so far and bring such EXTRAVAGANT gifts?  Some of them IF not all of them must have been believers of the ONE and ONLY, TRUE and LIVING GOD.  And they must have been a LEARNER of the HOLY WORD of God, or had such a close relationship with Him that He delivered a birth announcement to them.  Were they expecting to go to a BIG, FANCY PALACE?  Or did they KNOW ahead of time that they would find Him in a SIMPLE, PLAIN, HOUSE?  We don’t really know how much information they had, except they KNEW enough to bring gifts for a King.

The Scripture tells us that when they entered the house and saw the Child with Mary, his mother, they KNELT DOWN and WORSHIPED Him.  They didn’t ask ANY questions, like:  Could you direct us to the PALACE of the CHILD that is a King?  I believe that they immediately FELL to their knees and WORSHIPED, the ONE, they KNEW to be the King they were looking for.

Some believe that the gifts they brought reflected on the character of this CHILD’S LIFE.  The GOLD:  might represent His DIETY or PURITY, FRANKINCENSE:  might represent the FRAGRANCE of His LIFE, and the MYRRH: (used for embalming) might represent His SACRIFICE and His DEATH.  And it may be the case, because why else would they bring such things to a TINY CHILD?

The Magi recognized the Child to be the King they were searching for, the ONE and ONLY MESSIAH sent from ALMIGHTY GOD.  They didn’t ask a thousand questions, but immediately FELL to their KNEES and WORSHIPED HIM.  Have you been searching for the KING of kings, the ONE TRUE MESSIAH?  Has God been dealing with you concerning your relationship with Him?

If you can answer YES to these questions, then I can tell you that your SEARCHING is OVER, if you will just:  CONFESS your sins to God and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!

 

The Wisdom of the Wise Men!

The Wisdom of the Wise Men!

 

 

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.”

After listening to the king, they went on their way.  And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.  And going into the house they saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him.  Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.  And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.--------Matthew 2:I-2,9-12

 

The timeline of this occurrence is not known, but the Scriptures give us some indication.  First, we see their visit was sometime AFTER the birth of Jesus.  Some say that the wise men travelled a FAR distance and it may have taken them a year or two to reach Jerusalem.  If that was the case, then we MUST give credit to the wise men for NOT getting discouraged and returning home.  Instead they were determined to REACH the KING of the Jews. 

Some believe that the wise men, also known as the Magi, were LEARNED men of the stars or ASTROLOGERS, who studied the heavens, and noticed the BRIGHTNESS of an unknown star, which may have been a SPECIAL REVELATION, from God to lead them to the Christ Child.  We are NOT told of their religious affiliation, but to me, it seems EVIDENT that they BELIEVED ON and TRUSTED IN ALMIGHTY GOD. 

So we see that these WISE MEN were DETERMINED to REACH Jesus.  Are YOU DETERMINED to REACH Jesus too?

When they stopped to ask Herod, where the KING of the Jews was.  It appears that maybe the STAR that was guiding them disappeared, because after their visit with Herod, they CONTINUED on their way to FIND Jesus, it says:  And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the CHILD was.  When they saw the STAR, they REJOICED EXCEEDINGLY with GREAT JOY.  Some believe that this STAR may have been the SHEKINAH GLORY OF GOD.  Nevertheless, it led the wise men to where the Christ Child was. 

The Scriptures tell us that when they saw the Christ Child, they FELL down and worshiped Him before they did anything else.  NOTICE:  it says they FELL down and WORSHIPED Him.  I believe that they KNEW INSTANTLY, who He TRULY was and it evoked in them the NEED to WORSHIP the KING of kings, and LORD of lords.  After presenting their gifts to Him they departed to their own country.  And because they were WARNED in a dream NOT to return to Herod, they did NOT go back to tell him where Jesus was. 

Are you like the WISE MEN, have you COME to Jesus, presenting YOUR HEART AND LIFE to Him?

If NOT, you can give Him the BEST gift you have, and you don’t have to fight BIG crowds, to reach Him.  You don’t have to WORRY about NOT being able to get what He offers YOU, SALVATION, ETERNAL LIFE, with Him in Heaven.  All you have to do is:  CONFESS your sins to God and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus, came to earth as a newborn baby and at the age of 33 gave up His LIFE for YOU, and is ALIVE, TODAY, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!

 

The Long Awaited Promisr!

The Long Awaited Promise!

 

 

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon.  He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel.  The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.  That day the Spirit led him to the Temple.  So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there.  He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let Your servant die in peace, as You have promised.  I have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for all people.  He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of Your people Israel!”------Luke 2:25-32

 

 Mary and Joseph came to the Temple to offer their purification offering, as was required by the law of Moses  after the birth of a child, and they came also to present baby Jesus to the Lord.  Which also was a law of the Lord, and it states:  “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.

After the giving of the purification offering and dedication of baby Jesus.  Mary and Joseph met a man by the name of Simeon, who was a righteous and devout man and was up in age, who had waited for a LONG time to be able to see the Lord’s Messiah.  At some point in time, the Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would NOT die until he had SEEN the Lord’s Messiah.  And at just the RIGHT time the Spirit led him to the Temple, where he met with Mary and Joseph.

Simeon took the Baby in his arms and PRAISED GOD, What a THRILL must have FILLED that PRECIOUS, old man’s heart to not ONLY SEE, but to actually HOLD the LONG AWAITED MESSIAH.  At this time, Simeon was ready to go ahead and die.  He proclaimed “I have SEEN Your SALVATION, which You have PREPARED for ALL people.  Now, before this statement of Simeon, the acclamation by the angel was, “He will save HIS people from their sins.”  Which I believe is indicating that Jesus came FIRST to the JEWS and then because for the most part, the JEWS rejected, and as a matter of fact, most of them are STILL rejecting Jesus Christ as the MESSIAH, it was part of God’s SALVATION plans that the JEWS would take the GOOD NEWS to ALL people. But because they FAILED TO BELIEVE that Jesus was/is the Messiah, God has ALLOWED the GENTILES to be “grafted” or “adopted” into Abraham’s family, when they come to Him in FAITH.  THANK YOU, LORD!!

My question for God’s Child is; are you like Simeon, does the MERE THOUGHT of Christ dying for YOU THRILL your HEART?  It SHOULD, just the thought that the King of kings and Lord of lords thought ENOUGH  of YOU  to SUFFER SHAME and DISHONOR, not to mention the EXCRUCIATING PAIN and AGONIZING DEATH of the ONE who knew NO SIN  and yet He BECAME SIN, by taking on ALL THE SINS of ALL MANKIND.  He did it for ME and for YOU!

If you are a JEW or GENTILE, and you have not COME to Jesus with a BELIEVING HEART, then you are not part of His family, but the GOOD NEWS is that He is offering you the opportunity to be adopted into His family if you will, like Simeon,  ALLOW yourself to be LED  by God’s Holy Spirit to the TRUE MESSIAH, you can do this by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your Heart that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!

 

The Shepherds' Response

The Shepherds’ Response

 

After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.”  They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.  When the Shepherds saw Jesus, they told His parents what the angel had said about Him.  Everyone listened and was surprised.  But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant.  As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about Him.  Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.-------Luke 2: 15-20

 

I think it’s interesting to note the REACTION of the shepherds to what they had just EXPERIENCED.  They didn’t seem to try to EXPLAIN it away, or to keep QUIET about their ENCOUNTER. 

They were EAGER to GO and find what the angel had told them about.  The Scripture says that they HURRIED off and FOUND what the angel had told them to look for.  In other words, they were ANXIOUS and DETERMINED to see for themselves this MIRACLE that had been proclaimed to them.

They FOUND Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who, sure enough, was lying on a bed of hay in a feeding trough or manger, just as the angel had said.  When they had seen Jesus, they told His parents ALL the angel had said about Him.  Everyone there LISTENED and was SURPRISED at what the shepherds reported.  But Mary kept ALL the things they had said and pondered them in her HEART, and wondering EXACTLY what it all meant. 

Now the shepherds returned to their flock and they were PRAISING GOD and GLORIFYING HIM for ALL they had SEEN and HEARD, and it ALL was EXACTLY as they were told.

What was YOUR reaction, when you first heard the GOOD NEWS, that Jesus came to earth to be a SACRIFICE for YOU?  Were you like the Shepherds, so EXCITED to come to Him and GIVE your HEART and LIFE to the ONE and ONLY ONE, who can GIVE you SALVATION, ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN with HIM, or were you like so many others, and turned away with an UNBELIEVING HEART?

If you are one who has been to the manger and gazed upon the SAVIOR of the world and rejected His gift to you.  You may have another opportunity to ACCEPT that gift of SALVATION, NOW, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!

 

The Angels' Message

The Angels’ Message!

 

 

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you:  you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”------Luke 2:8-14

 

It was a star-studded night and the shepherds were doing their nightly duties.  Some were bedding down for the night while some of the others were keeping watch over the flock.  It was business as usual.  UNTIL, the blackness of the night sky ERUPTED with a BRIGHT LIGHT that lit up the ground all around them and an angel of the Lord appeared before them. The shepherds were OVERCOME with FEAR and they TREMBLED at the sight that they beheld. 

But the Angel of the Lord spoke to them, in such a way, that it brought PEACE to their FEARFUL hearts.   This is what the angel told them:  “Fear not, for behold, I bring you GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY that will be for all the people.  For unto YOU is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you:  you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Can you imagine the complexity of this MESSAGE as it was delivered to the lowly shepherds?  And why was the very FIRST birth announcement delivered to shepherds out on a dark and lonely hillside? 

Well, that’s the way our God works, because He is a SUPERNATURAL God and His ways and thoughts are not OUR ways or thoughts.  HE IS THE ALMIGHTY GOD and CAN and WILL do as He pleases.  And as STRANGE as it might seem to us, it is HIS WAY.  I think He carried out this part of His plan of SALVATION, to show us that Christ came for ALL people not just for the AFFLUENT or the MOST INTELLIGENT, but for the POOR and DOWNTRODDEN. 

NOTICE, that the angel told the shepherds that he had “GOOD NEWS for ALL the PEOPLE.  Then he proceeded to tell them how they could recognize the SAVIOR, CHRIST THE LORD, “you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  Now those shepherds certainly knew what a manger was and what it was used for.  They must have wondered why a baby would be laid in a FEEDING TROUGH.   I think that the CIRCUMSTANCES that surrounded the birth of the King of kings and Lord of lords, was orchestrated by God to show us the HUMILITY that Christ would possess in His HUMANITY and in His RELATIONSHIP with mankind.

Then the night sky EXPLODED with a MULTITUDE of the heavenly host and they were JOYFULLY PRAISING God and SAYING,

“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth PEACE among those with WHOM HE IS PLEASED!”

“PEACE among those with WHOM HE IS PLEASED!”   In order to have PEACE, TRUE ABIDING PEACE, we MUST be PLEASING to God. Having SIN in our lives is NOT pleasing to Him.  In order to PLEASE God we, His Children, need to CONFESS our SINS DAILY to Him.  And if you have NEVER come to Him and INITIALLY CONFESSED your SINS to Him then you are NOT PLEASING to Him and cannot possess that TRUE ABIDING PEACE that the angels PROCLAIMED to the shepherds.

But YOU can change that situation by coming to Him and:  CONFESSING your sins to Him and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION. Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!

 

No Room for You!

And Joseph, also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn Son.  She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.------Luke 2:4-7

It was getting late as Joseph and Mary travelled to Bethlehem and Mary being at the end of her pregnancy, was EXHAUSTED from the long day traveling on the back of a donkey.  The time for her to deliver her PRECIOUS, FIRSTBORN Child was VERY NEAR.  "Are you ok?" Joseph asked, "yes, just tired and I have a nagging backache, but I'm fine,"  Mary replied.  "We will be there SOON," Joseph said, smiling at his VERY PREGNANT wife.

As they travelled on, Mary's nagging backache became more intense and it was becoming VERY DIFFICULT for Mary to get comfortable sitting on the donkey's bony back.  She had Joseph stop to let her get off the donkey so she could stretch her legs.  Joseph CAREFULLY lifted Mary from the donkey's back and with STRONG ARMS, steadied his young, and very pregnant wife.  "Look!  Mary, I see the little town of  Bethlehem," he said, pointing off into the distance.  Mary was relieved with the thought of being able to stretch out and rest. So they wasted NO time getting to the little town.

As they entered the gate of the city, they both GASPED at the sight.  The streets were FULL of people with hardly any room to move about, but Joseph begin to work his way through the HEAVY CROWD pulling the donkey that was carrying Mary and the SOON to be born Baby.  It seemed to take forever to get through the crowd, and Mary's backache became LABOR PAINS, "Joseph, HURRY, we MUST find a place to stay SOON, the baby is on its way!"  She cried out between birth pains.

Joseph saw a sign swinging above a big wooden door that had the word "INN" painted in big bold letters so he managed to work his way through the crowd to the door. Joseph POUNDED on the Big wooden door, soon a tired-looking, older man opened the door and before Joseph could speak, the old innkeeper snapped, "I don't have ANY more rooms."   Then the old innkeeper started to shut the big wooden door, but Joseph blocked the door and pleaded,  "PLEASE SIR, MY WIFE IS ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH!!  We NEED a place to stay!  The old innkeeper scratched his balding head and glanced over at Mary, who by now is all bent over and clutching her belly, with tears and sweat running down her forehead and cheeks and gasping for breath, she looked at the old man and when their eyes met his heart melted with compassion.

The old innkeeper led Mary and Joseph to the back and a good distance from the inn to a SMELLY, stable filled with animals.  "It's not much, but it's ALL I have to offer you."  The old innkeeper said.  Joseph helped Mary off the donkey and they both "thanked" the old innkeeper as he turned to leave them to the birthing of GOD'S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.

You know we are kind of like the old innkeeper.  Those of us who have ACCEPTED God's gift of  SALVATION.  When the Holy Spirit started to deal with our hearts and brought conviction upon us, as the old innkeeper, said "I have NO ROOM FOR YOU!"  We, like the old innkeeper tried to KEEP Christ out of our HEARTS, because they were CLUTTERED with things that didn't belong there and there was NO ROOM for Christ.  But PRAISE THE LORD!  That He didn't give up on us and like Joseph, He kept POUNDING on our hearts door, until we opened the door to our hearts and WELCOMED Him in.

If you are still in the same mindset as the old innkeeper, that you have NO ROOM for SALVATION or the HOLY SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD to move into your HEART, you can GET RID of the CLUTTER and make ROOM for Him by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, INVITE HIM IN!  Do it NOW, while you  STILL CAN.  He's waiting!!!

Joseph's Dilemma

Joseph was a good man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone.  So he decided to quietly call off the wedding.  While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream.  the angel said, "Joseph, the baby Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her.  then after her baby is born, name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."------Matt. 1:19-21

What a DIFFICULT predicament Joseph found himself in.  I would imagine that he had DEEP FEELINGS for Mary, and could not believe that she would or could do such a thing.  He knew that she was a GODLY young lady with impeccable qualities and a STRONG, DEVOUT FAITH, so how could this be happening?

In order to PROTECT her, he decided to QUIETLY call off the wedding plans, and not bring embarrassment to her or her family and to spare her life.  Even though their marriage was a PREARRANGED one, I believe that maybe LOVE was developing between them.  I believe that this situation brought ANGUISH to Joseph's heart, and mind, he must have wondered, "how could Mary do such a thing?" While Joseph was contemplating HIS PLANS, GOD had other PLANS, and sent an angel to Joseph , and the angel said this to him, "Joseph, the baby Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit.  Go ahead and marry her.  Then after her baby is born, name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."  Joseph's mind must have been FLOODED with all kinds of questions, such as:  "What a STRANGE WAY to SAVE God's people?"  "How can a TINY, NEWBORN, baby SAVE ANYBODY?"  and "Why ME, Why Mary?

I'm sure Joseph spent many sleepless nights PONDERING what the angel had instructed him to do.  NEVERTHELESS, Joseph did EXACTLY as the angel said.  He was OBEDIENT and FAITHFUL to the TASK that the LORD GOD had CALLED him to do.  Is God calling you to do what you think is an IMPOSSIBLE TASK?  If so you NEED to put your TRUST IN Him and STEP OUT in FAITH and be OBEDIENT to Him.  You NEVER know where it will lead you.

Maybe, you have NEVER STEPPED OUT in FAITH, to ACCEPT the gift that He has waiting for you.  You can receive that SPECIAL gift by coming to Him and :  CONFESSING your sins to God then ask for His FORGIVENESSS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

Mary"s Choice

Then the angel told Mary, "Don't be afraid!"  God is pleased with you, and you will have a son.  His name will be Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High.  The Lord God will make Him King as His ancestor David was.  He will rule the people of Israel forever, and His Kingdom will never end."
Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant!  Let it happen as you have said."  And the angel left her.------Luke 1: 30-33,38

Mary, a young, (some believe that she was between the ages of 12-17), humble village woman, who lived in a small, insignificant town, with her parents, and betrothed to a mere carpenter, by the name of Joseph, possessed a quietness of spirit, an admirable self-control, and was PURE, TENDER, and MOST IMPORTANT of all she was FAITHFUL.

One day as she was about her daily routine, she was visited by an angel, more than likely Mary was ALONE, when the visit occurred.  How afraid she must have been, I imagine she trembled,  and FEAR must have been evident on her face and in her eyes, as she faced the Angel Gabriel, who quickly comforted Mary with the words:  "Don't be afraid!" Those words were probably spoken in such a manner, that it SOMEHOW brought PEACE and CALMNESS to Mary's trembling spirit.

And then the next message that the angel had for Mary was/is the MOST IMPORANT words ever to be spoken to any of God's Children, "God is PLEASED  with YOU!" Mary, evidently lived a GODLY, PURE, HOLY, FAITHFUL life, before God, at least as much as she could, because she was still HUMAN and I'm sure she had moments where the flesh surfaced, but I believe over all, Mary was about as GODLY and HOLY as she could be.

And because of her DEVOUT FAITH, she found FAVOR with the ALMIGHTY GOD.  He was SO PLEASED with her, that He CHOSE her for the MOST IMPORTANT TASK that has ever been given to any NORMAL human being.  A TASK so MONUMENTAL that it CHANGED the world and is CONTINUING to CHANGE the LIVES of the inhabitants of this OLD, SINFUL WORLD, even today.

Mary was to take on this MONUMENTAL TASK with GREAT RISK to herself, she was to become with child and NOT just any child, but the VERY SON OF GOD, Who would be the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, the ONE and ONLY MESSIAH, that would take away the sins of this WRETCHED, SINFUL world.  Yet she was BETROTHED or engaged to Joseph and by law if she became pregnant by being UNFAITHFUL to him, she faced certain death by being stoned.

But Mary, being a WOMAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART, ACCEPTED this TASK, because of her LOVE and DEVOUT FAITH.  This POOR, LOWLY, HUMBLE, PEASANT girl, that was of NO FAMILIARITY, has become KNOWN AS, "Mother of the Lord," and "Blessed among women."

Mary's reply to the angel was:  "I am the Lord's servant!  Let it happen as you have said."  In spite of ALL the RISKS, Mary TRUSTED God and was a WILLING VESSEL for her Master.

Are we WILLING VESSELS?  Do we TRUST GOD'S HAND?

If you have NEVER TRUSTED God's PLAN OF SALVATION, you can do it NOW, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus came to earth as a tiny baby, and to grow up to be a sacrifice, by dying for YOU, and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then  ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

Bless the Lord!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! 
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all of His benefits, Who forgives all your iniquity, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life form the pit, Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.------Psalm 103:1-5

As God's Children, we SHOULD offer up our PRAISE and ADORATION to Him, with ALL that is WITHIN us, and in doing so, we are blessing Him and His holy name.  Are we blessing Him?

We are blessing Him by NOT forgetting ALL of His benefits or blessings on us, such as:  His FORGIVENESS of ALL our iniquity or sin, His HEALING touch from ALL our diseases, His work of REDEMPTION which KEEPS us from going to the pit or hell, His CROWNING of us with His STEADFAST LOVE and MERCY, His RENEWAL  of our YOUTH or strength.  Are we blessing Him, or have we FORGOTTEN  ALL OF HIS BENEFITS TOWARDS US?  Are we making KNOWN the GREAT STEADFAST LOVE AND MERCY that He has for ALL of mankind?

These are all questions that we must use to EXAMINE our own HEARTS to get a TRUTHFUL answer, then when we have our TRUTHFUL answer we MUST be doing ALL we can to BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL, WITH ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME!!

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you CANNOT participate in BLESSING Him, until you :  CONFESS your sins to God and ask for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

The Candy Bar Trinity

"If you know Me, you will also know My Father.  From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.  "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me....------John 14:7&11

This is probably one of the MOST WONDERFUL, MIRACULOUS, SUPERNATURAL, UNIFIED, MYSTERIES concerning the PERSONHOOD of the HOLY TRINITY.

It is hard for mankind to wrap our mind around.  I like to use the illustration, for the Holy Trinity, by using a candy bar that has a nougat filling on the inside, with caramel filling on top of the nougat filling, then its ALL covered with creamy milk chocolate, three different components making up ONE candy bar.

So it is with the Holy Trinity, we could say that the nougat represents: the Holy Spirit, the caramel represents: Jesus Christ, and the creamy milk chocolate represents God. They are all separate, yet when brought together they are ONE.

Jesus was speaking to one of His disciples in this passage of Scripture, concerning the Holy Trinity, telling them that He and the Father are one entity.  And He goes on to say that He will NOT leave them ALONE, but will send them another part of the HOLY TRINITY, the Holy Spirit, that will take His place and will NEVER leave them, but will come and indwell them or LIVE within them until He RETURNS.  The Holy Spirit will be their (our) COMFORTER, TEACHER and GUIDE through life on this WRETCHED, SINFUL, EARTH.

And so it is, with God's Children, He has NOT left us ALONE either, to try to live for Him, without GUIDANCE and INSTRUCTION or a  COMFORTER when the going gets ROUGH.  We too, have the INDWELLING of the Holy Spirit to MINISTER to us, and the ASSURANCE that He will NOT leave us until the return of the SECOND PERSON in the HOLY TRINITY, our Lord Jesus Christ!

If you have NEVER given your Heart and Life to Jesus and are STRUGGLING in this life, and feel like you just can't make it.  You NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT in your life.  You can receive Him by:  CONFESSING your sins to God asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your Heart, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

It's A Heart Thing!

The Lord says:  "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught."------Isaiah 29:13

I fear that this is the situation of  a LOT of people, who consider themselves to be "Christian."  But in ALL actuality they ARE NOT, because they are merely saying and doing what they have been TAUGHT it IS or NEVER has been a TRUE HEART-THING.

You don't become a Child of the LIVING GOD by RECITING or DOING a HEARTLESS homage to Almighty God.  It MUST be done from the HEAT, because the HOLY SPIRIT of God ABIDES there.  He moves in, when TRUE REPENTANCE is made and SALVATION has taken place.  IT MUST BE A HEART-THING!! 

If one has NEVER made  a TRUE REPENTANCE and SALVATION has NOT occurred, then ALL  of your LIP-SERVICE and WORSHIP has been or is NOTHING more than a FARCE, because it has NOT ORIGINATED from the HEART.

Our RELATIONSHIP with God, MUST originate in the HEART.  We must SURRENDER our HEARTS over to HIM then our PRAISE and WORSHIP is a WHOLE HEART-THING, which is EXACTLY what the ALMIGHTY GOD expects and desires from His CHILDREN.

If you have NEVER REPENTED of your sins and have NEVER had SALVATION take place in your HEART, and have been duped to believe that mere LIP-SERVICE and a HEARTLESS form of LEARNED WORSHIP is SUFFICIENT enough to put you in RIGHT standing with God, you are on THIN ice.  BUT, you can change your situation, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and ask for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

God's Phone Number

Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it------the Lord is His name; "Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."-------Jeremiah 33:2-3

I think that it is VERY interesting the way the Lord God introduces Himself to the Prophet Jeremiah.
Notice that He doesn't say, "hey Jeremiah, this is the Lord God and I want to talk to you."  But He CLARIFIES EXACTLY who He IS.  He IS the MAKER of the EARTH, the ONE who FORMED and ESTABLISHED it!!  Then comes the introduction of His name------the LORD.

I would venture to say that whatever Jeremiah was doing at this time came to a SCREECHING HALT, as he gave the LORD GOD his UNDIVIDED ATTENTION.

In Jeremiah 33:3, which is LOVINGLY known as, "God's telephone number," the Lord God speaks to Jeremiah, saying, "CALL TO ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU AND TELL YOU GREAT AND HIDDEN THINGS THAT YOU HAVE NOT KNOWN."  The first thing that God says is "CALL TO ME," God invites Jeremiah to CALLTO HIM, and then He PROMISES to ANSWER him, not merely to have a little chit-chat time with him, but to tell him GREAT and HIDDEN things that Jeremiah had NO KNOWLEDGE of.

I BELIEVE with ALL my HEART that when we have some INTIMATE, ALONE TIME with the MAKER and ESTABLISHER of this EARTH, that He will reveal to us GREAT and HIDDEN things that we have had NO KNOWLEDGE of.  Things about Him, and His PLANS for US, things that will ENCOURAGE, ENLIGHTEN AND EMPOWER us in our service to Him.  So Children of the Most High God, CALL TO HIM and LISTEN as He ANSWERS.

If you have NEVER made that MOST IMPORTANT INITIAL CALL to Him for your SALVATION, you can do it NOW, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION. Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

Shouts of Praise

All of you nations, come praise the LORD!  Let everyone praise Him.  God's love for us is wonderful; His faithfulness never ends.  Shout praises to the LORD!------Psalm 117

If EVERYONE did as the Holy Word of the Most High Living God instructs us to do, to, PRAISE THE LORD and  not just PRAISE HIM, but to SHOUT PRAISES to the ONLY ONE WORTHY to receive those PRAISES, if EVERYONE in ALL the nations, OBEYED the WORD of God, SHOUTING our PRAISES, this old world would ROCK on its foundations.

Can you even IMAGINE the sounds of the SHOUTS OF PRAISES reverberating from EARTH to HEAVEN, and into the VERY THRONE ROOM of the  ALMIGHTY, EVERLASTING, HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, GOD. I can just imagine those GLORIOUS ANGELS, CLAPPING AND DANCING around the throne SHOUTING, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, WHO IS AND WAS AND FOREVER SHALL BE!!!

WHEW!  If that doesn't arouse you to SHOUT, NOTHING will!  For the CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, let your PRAISES RING OUT to the ONLY ONE WORTHY!!!

If you are NOT a Child of the MOST HIGH LIVING GOD; and would very much like to be, so you too can SHOUT PRAISES to GOD ALMIGHTY, you can join in with His children, by becoming one of them, and this is how you do that, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession  for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

The Same Lord

As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.  Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect.  They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on Him.  For "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Romans 10:11-13

The world in which we live, is FULL of skeptics, people who want everyone to believe that Christianity is NOTHING more than a MERE "mind-game" or"fantasy" that somebody came up with, years ago.

But I am here to tell you, as the Holy Scriptures say:  "ANYONE who TRUSTS in Him (the Lord Jesus Christ), will NEVER be DISGRACED or DISAPPOINTED.

Whether you are a Jew or Gentile, we have the SAME Lord, who is MORE than willing to give generously to ALL who call on HIM.

The Scriptures state that:  "Everyone who calls on the NAME of the Lord will be saved."  For He is our Redeemer, Sustainer, Ruler, and TRUE Friend, He is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, He is our ALL in ALL.  TRUST Him TODAY by: CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS , BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION. Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

The Trembling Earth

The earth trembles, and its people shake; you alone keep its foundations firm.  Psalm 75:3

The earth is TREMBLING with famines, pestilences, droughts, storms, floods, corruptness on EVERY hand and in EVERY nook and cranny.  It TEETERS with fears, discouragenents, anxieties, frustrations, heartaches, disillusionments and so many other factors that are adding to the list of things that are QUICKLY causing people to shake and quake at our present day dilemmas.  Wondering, "what next!"

But God brings assurance to the TREMBLING earth, and its inhabitants, ESPECIALLY to His Children, with the FAITHFUL words: that He ALONE is ABLE to keep its foundations, and that SHOULD strengthen the faith of EVERY Child of the Living God.

If you are TREMBLING and have your doubts about your future, I am telling you that you don't have to be ANXIOUS or AFRAID, if you will just do these SIMPLE, but LIFE-CHANGING things:  CONFESS your sins to God and ask for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

Moving Shadows

We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.  We heap up wealth not knowing who will spend it.  And so Lord, where do I put my hope?  My only hope is in You.-----Psalm 39: 6-7

Our lives that we live here on earth are like a vapor, HERE today and GONE tomorrow.  And the intriguing part of ALL of this is that mankind puts most if not ALL of his efforts into making sure they are building up WEALTH and PROSPERITY for their children.  And this accumulation of WEALTH MAY OR MAY NOT end up with their offspring.

After they have RUSHED about, spending MOST, if not ALL, of their  PRECIOUS, but relatively, SHORT time stock-piling their WEALTH, they have NO time to PREPARE for what is MOST IMPORTANT, their ETERNITY.

They have accumulated MUCH WEALTH, that in a SHORT period of time will be gone to who KNOWS  where, or to WHOM it may end up with.  And my dear friends, they have NO say in the matter, because they have gone to their OWN destination or PLACE where they will spend ALL ETERNITY, and were NOT prepared for it.  They have SPENT ALL their PRECIOUS time preparing for ANOTHER'S FUTURE here on earth, but have NOTHING laid up for THEIR ETERNITY.  So, I  ask, "where is their HOPE?"  The Psalmist says that his ONLY HOPE is in the LORD.  Where is your HOPE?

If you have put ALL or MOST of your PRECIOUS TIME in preparing for your or someone else's FUTURE here on earth, and have NOTHING laid up for YOUR ETERNITY, well the GOOD NEWS is that you can START PREPARING for your ETERNITY, NOW, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION. Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

Tell the Good News!

You have taught me since I was a child, and I never stop telling about your marvelous deeds.  Don't leave me when I am old and my hair turns gray.  Let me tell future generations about your mighty power.  Your deeds of kindness are known in the heavens.  No one is like You.------Psalm 71:17-19

This Christmas season is one of the BEST times to share with children the AWESOME DEEDS of a LOVING, KINDHEARTED, MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, who is POWERFUL enough to bring SALVATION to a WRETCHED, SINFUL, CORRUPT, WORLD.

And the FACT that He, Himself, came CLOAKED in HUMANITY, as a newborn BABY, to live a mere thirty-three years PREACHING, TEACHING, HEALING and SO MUCH MORE, to reach people with the SAVING GOSPEL:  That the MESSIAH has come to redeem FALLEN MANKIND.

The Psalmist asks God to not leave him when he is OLD and GRAY-HEADED so that he might be able to tell other generations about God's MIGHTY POWER.  Then he says:  "NO ONE is like YOU!"

We are to be GOOD, STRONG WITNESSES for our Heavenly Father, EVEN in our OLD AGE and GRAY-HEADEDNESS.  So that we might be a SHINGING BEACON to ALL the generations that follow us.

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to God, you cannot be a BEACON in the DARKNESS, of a CORRUPT, SINFUL, DOOMED WORLD, to the children or anybody else, because you too are living in DARKNESS, BUT, God has provided a WAY for you to live in the LIGHT, by coming to Him: And CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION. Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

Faith in Christ Makes Us Right With God!

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him.  I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.  For God's way of making us right with Himself depends on faith.------Philippians 3:8-9

What kind of value do YOU put on TRULY KNOWING Jesus Christ?  Do you think about the REALITY of who He is?  How about the SACRIFICE that He made to bring us into a RIGHT relationship with Father God, in other words, to make us RIGHTEOUS before the ALMIGHTY GOD.

The Apostle Paul did, and he sacrificed ALL he HAD and WAS so that he might gain a CLOSER, more INTIMATE relationship with the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.  To TRULY KNOW Him.

Paul says that he NO LONGER counts on his OWN righteousness through obeying the law, but his RIGHTEOUSNESS comes through his FAITH in Christ and Christ ALONE.  And so it is with EVERY Child of God, because OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS is like FILTHY, PUTRID, STINKY, RAGS before a HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD.  FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ is the ONLY way, because it is GOD'S WAY of making us RIGHT with Him.

If your FAITH is in material things, or your status in society, education, wealth, etc.  your FAITH is MISGUIDED, and to the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD of this Universe you are NOTHING but a pile of FILTHY, PUTRID, STINKY RAGS.  This is what your claim to fame, or fortune, YOUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS is in His eyes and THAT is ALL that matters in the end.  But you can CHANGE the OBJECT of your FAITH by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and become TRULY RIGHTEOUS in God's eyes.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!

A Spiritual Legacy

Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:  that He looked down from His holy height; from Heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die.------Psalm 102:18-20

Are you leaving a SPIRITUAL LEGACY for your FUTURE generations?  If so, what kind of SPIRITUAL LEGACY are you leaving?

Is it the kind that would DIRECT their paths to SALVATION?  The Psalmist here, is saying that a SPIRITUAL LEGACY should be one that shows the COMPASSION of a LOVING, HEAVENLY FATHER, who looks down from His HOLY, HEAVENLY HEIGHTS and hears the GROANS of those PRISONERS, DOOMED to DIE, and to set them FREE.

My dear friends that SHOULD be the SPIRITUAL LEGACY of EVERY CHILD of the LIVING GOD.  For you see, WE as SINNERS were PRISONERS of the SINS that had COMPLETE CONTROL over our lives, until Father God looked down from Heaven and heard our GROANS, and sent the ONLY ONE, who was WORTHY to set us FREE from the BONDAGE of our sins, the Lord Jesus Christ, through the SHEDDING of His PRECIOUS BLOOD, and NOW we are FREE, yes, WE ARE FREE, INDEED, and have the HOPE of HEAVEN for ALL ETERNITY!!

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus, then you have NO SPIRITUAL LEGACY to leave to YOUR future generations.  But God has done for YOU what He has done for EVERYONE, He has provided a WAY for you to have a SPIRITUAL LEGACY, and you can obtain it by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can. He's waiting!!!

The Giving of Thanks

I often think of the heavens your hands have made, and of the moon and stars you put in place .  then I ask, "Why do you care about us humans?  Why are you concerned for us weaklings?"  You made us a little lower than the angels, and you have crowned us with glory and honor.------Psalm 8:3-5

On this Thanksgiving eve, I have come across this passage of Scripture.  And when I read this I reflected back to the many times that I have been outside at night and on a clear night I was in AWE of the beauty of the night sky with the stars scattered across the vast blackness of the evening sky, like tiny diamonds twinkling on a piece of black velvet and the moon setting on it like an iridescent pearl.

It makes me come to the realization of just how MAGNIFICENT our Father God really is and how LOVING, COMPASSIONATE, GRACIOUS, MERCIFUL, and PATIENT  He is with His CROWN of CREATION, MANKIND. So loved He the World that He gave Himself, in the PERSON of Jesus Christ, as a SACRIFICIAL LAMB for ALL of MANKIND.  To take away our sins, as far as the east is from the west and to be remembered NO MORE. To give us the HOPE of HEAVEN, where we will spend ALL of ETERNITY with Him and will bask in His GLORY.

This my dear friends is what I am SO VERY THANKFUL for, to the ONLY ONE worthy of our GIVING of THANKS, and NOT just tomorrow, but throughout ETERNITY.  So as you sit down with ALL of your FAMILY and FRIENDS why not reflect on ALL that He has done or provided for YOU and TRULY offer up PRAISE and the GIVING of THANKS to HIM.

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus, then I have one question for you., "to whom do you offer up THANKS?"  If you do not belong to Him, He will not ACCEPT your thanks until you come to Him, by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him, asking for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE, in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and make this Thanksgiving a VERY memorable THANKSGIVING!  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He's waiting!!!