Lying Lips

Lying Lips

 

 

Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.  The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in those who tell the truth.--------Proverbs 12:19,22

 

The art of being able to tell lies seems to be a popular past time in today’s world.  It is getting harder and harder to find a GENUINELY, truthful person.  I believe the most accommodating place to hear an abundance of ‘lying lips’ is in our very own government, now I can’t speak about other governments of this world, but I can without reservation, say that the majority of our elected officials have and are still practicing the art of telling lies.

 

I sometimes believe that some are so good using their ‘lying lips’ that they actually believe what they are saying. But we can attribute their ‘lying lips’ to the fact that they are politicians and will say anything to get the votes, whether it is true or not.

 

Let’s look at families, some of our families are pretty proficient in the art of ‘lying lips.’  The parents tell lies to each other fairly easily, to cover-up their indiscretions.  The children lie to each other and to their parents, with some doing it on a regular basis and they do it for a number of different reasons.  Some will use their ‘lying lips’ to try and stay out of trouble and then there are those who will use their ‘lying lips’ to get their way. Usually it’s the parents that pass on the art of telling lies. It is really funny, yet sad, but the parents will undoubtedly ask the question:  “Where did they pick up telling lies?”  If the parents would stop and think about all the times they have had a bout with ‘lying lips,’ they would have their answer. 

 

I think that we all have had bouts with ‘lying lips’ from time to time, for whatever reason.  But the really sad part of the ‘lying lips’ syndrome is that it can become a really bad habit.  A habit that can cause a myriad of problems that have horrendous consequences, and destroys people, their livelihood, and label them as: Liars, untrustworthy, unfaithful, selfish, untruthful, etc.  It can and will destroy anything or anyone you hold near and dear to your heart.

 

The one who is most accomplished in the art of ‘lying lips’ is none other than Satan, himself, he is the great deceiver and is so capable of deceiving the strongest Christian.  That is why we need to be ALERT and be clad in the full armor of Almighty God.  So that we can be protected from Satan’s deceptions.

 

These verses plainly tell us that truth will stand the test of time and be victorious over ‘lying lips.’ They warn us about telling lies, they are soon exposed for what they are.  In verse twenty-two, we are told that The Lord detests ‘lying lips,’ in other words, He HATES ‘lying lips,’ and as a Child of the Living God, we should be vigilant about our relationship with Him and do ALL that we can to please Him.  The verse goes on to say:  “but He delights in those who tell the truth.”  We, who are His Children need to do all we can to keep our lips from becoming the ‘lying lips’ that He detests.

 

If you are not His Child, because you have never truly given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus, then you are living a lie and may be pretty proficient with the ‘lying lips.’  If this is the situation you live in, you can CHANGE your lifestyle by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking 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 work hard at getting rid of the ‘lying lips,’ and start practicing telling the TRUTH. Do it NOW, while you STILL can. He’s waiting

Who is Your Father?

Who is Your Father?

 

 

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from God and I am here.  I came not of My own accord, but He sent Me.--------John 8:42

 

 

Jesus speaking to the Pharisees, makes a pretty bold statement, concerning the validity of His true identity.  “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from God and I am here.”  He kind of turns the tables on them, by saying, “If God were your Father…” indicating that they aren’t really who they claim to be, the Children of the Living God, because if they were truly the Children of God, they would love Jesus. 

 

Then He continues with the statement:  “…I came from God and I am here.”  Adding more to His true identity, He enlightens them by saying that He is from God, out of His very presence and He was there now in their presence, and didn’t come of His own accord, He was not self-appointed; but He was there because God sent Him.

 

If you claim to be a Christian, but refuse to acknowledge Christ as the Son of God, who was sent to take away the sins of ALL mankind.  Then you are fooling yourself, because this scripture plainly states that if God were your Father, you would love Christ and therefore, believe that He is the ONLY Begotten Son of God, you would respect Him and accept the validity of His true identity and know that it was the desire of God’s heart to send Him here to carry out God’s redemptive plan.  He did not come on His own accord, but was sent by the Father.

 

If you have never given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus, then God is NOT your Father, but the devil is (v44), and your destiny is the same as his, to spend ALL eternity in Hell, with no way to escape the terrible misery, torture, pain, and torment that awaits the children of the devil.  However, you can change that destiny 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 Fountain of Life

The Fountain of Life

 

 

For You are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.--------Psalm 36:9

 

 

When Jesus was travelling through Samaria, He met a woman drawing water from a well, and He ask her for a drink of water, she in turn asked Him why He was asking her, a Samaritan woman, for a drink of water (for Jews have no dealings with Samaritans).  And He replied back to her that if she knew the Gift of God, she would have asked Him for a drink and He would have given her the living water.  And that anyone who drinks of the water He gives will never thirst again, but the living water will become a well of water springing up to eternal life.

 

I believe the Psalmist must have had a handle on the living water that becomes a well of water springing up to eternal life when he penned this verse of Scripture.  I believe God gave him the insight to be able to pen the words; “For You are the fountain of life.”  I mean what else would you get from a fountain, back then, other than water?  So when he makes the statement: “For You are the fountain of life,” I believe he is talking about the same ‘living water’ that Jesus was talking about, salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

And then the Psalmist says that the Lord is “the light by which we see.”  I believe that he was again pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ.  In John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.  If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”  So Jesus is the Living Water, and the Light of the World, and God illumined David’s mind and heart with the wisdom to know this long before Jesus spoke it.  Isn’t it amazing what God does in and through His Children, when we are open and sensitive to Him.  He gives us the wisdom and insight we need to live our lives for Him.

 

If you have never given your HEART and LIFE to the Lord Jesus Christ, then you are spiritually thirsty, and walking in darkness and you are in need of that Living Water and the Light of the World. You can receive Him by; CONFESSING your sins to God and asking 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 drink from that ‘fountain of life, and let your pathway to eternal life be illumined by the Light of the World.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!

Our Helper and Our Shield

Our Helper and Our Shield

 

 

All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord!  He is your Helper and your Shield.  Psalms 115:11

 

 

The word ‘fear’ in this verse means ‘respect’, so we could read it as: “all you who respect the Lord, trust the Lord!”  If you are a Child of the Living God, then you will respect Him and therefore we are commanded by the Apostle Paul to ‘trust the Lord!’  Notice he doesn’t say: “Please trust the Lord!” It’s not an invitation to trust Him, but more of a command to trust Him.

 

We live in uncertain times, when the world seems to be whirling out of control at break neck speed.  In times like these, for a Child of God, we are facing uncertain circumstances that can weaken our faith and diminish our witness and influence to the unbelievers.  Which is exactly what Satan would love to happen. 

 

So when we find ourselves getting into uncertain circumstances, where there seems to be no answer or way out, we need to stop and know that God can give us the right answer and provide the right way out if we will trust Him, because He is our Helper and our Shield.  The key word is ‘trust’.  We can’t possibly call upon Him to come and help or shield us if we aren’t willing to ‘trust’ Him to do it. 

 

Sometimes when we pray and ask for His help we show a lack of ‘trust’ in Him, by ending our prayer and going our merry way, trying to take control of our uncertain circumstance instead of ‘trusting’ the only One who can help us and shield us from the fallout of the uncertain circumstance.  We could save ourselves a lot of heartache if we would just TRUST in our Helper and our Shield.

 

If you have never given your heart to Jesus Christ then you don’t have a Helper and Shield, but you could have if you would:  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 Battle From Within

The Battle From Within

 

 

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives.  Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.  The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants.  And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite of what the sinful nature desires.  These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.--------Galatians 5: 16-17,19-23

 

 

Whoever says that the Christian life is for wimps, really does not know the first thing about living a Christian life.  It is a battle from the day you invite Christ into your HEART, to the day your spirit departs your body and goes to meet its eternal destiny.  However, if you allow the Holy Spirit to guide your life you will have HELP in living the Christian life and you will be a VICTOR in the battle that rages inside the believer.

 

The battle is between the forces of GOOD and EVIL.  The sinful nature versus the Holy Spirit.  When we are born, we are born with a sinful nature.  Then when we are ‘born again’ we are born with the nature of the Holy Spirit of the Living God inside us and they are two different natures that are OPPOSITE of each other so they are CONSTANTLY battling each other.  But WE are the factor that will determine the outcome of the battle. 

 

If we give into our sinful nature then we will fall into the enemy’s hands and do his beckoning.  The results of which are living a life that is influenced by: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and other sins like these. These are ALL against the desires of the Holy Spirit that indwells us.

 

But when we live by the Holy Spirit, we live a life that is consumed by the ‘fruit of the Spirit,’ which is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Living by the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to have free reign in our lives, gives us the VICTORY we need to be able to do those things that God wants us to do.  And our lives are producing the kind of ‘fruit’ that we need to WIN the battle from within.  So let’s be VICTORIOUS and allow the Spirit to overcome the sinful nature.

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus, then you are not VICTORIOUS, but you are living a DEFEATED life that is controlled by the Ruler of Darkness, the Devil, himself is in control of your life and destiny, which is not a pleasant scenario.  You can, however, be VICTORIOUS in the ‘battle from within’ by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking 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!!!   

 

 

Enemies of the Cross of Christ or Citizens of Heaven?

Enemies of the Cross of Christ or Citizens of Heaven?

 

 

For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.  They are headed for destruction.  Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.  But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus lives.  And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.  He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under His control.--------Philippians 3:18-21

 

 

In these verses we see the COMPASSION of Christ being exemplified in the Apostle Paul concerning the lost state of those who have rejected the WORK of Christ on the cross for their SALVATION.  He says; “with tears in my eyes,” when was the last time you had tears in your eyes over a lost soul? 

 

Many of us seem to squelch our emotions and have become cynical and critical of the sinner, and therefore we feel NO compassion for them or for their destiny.  Paul tells us that they are “headed for destruction.”  Even though they are ENEMIES of the CROSS of CHRIST and live for themselves, bragging about their evil deeds, and focusing on THIS LIFE only, they are still PRECIOUS in the sight of God and He sent His Son to die for them as well as for you and me, and it SHOULD move us to tears to know that their destiny is spending an eternity in that place called HELL. A place that is VOID of anything good and VOID of the presence of Almighty God.  It is a place of torture, excruciating, unending pain and despair with NO RELIEF only their misery.  Our hearts should be burdened for their souls. 

 

But we who have given our HEARTS and LIVES to Jesus are citizens of Heaven, where the Lord Jesus lives.  And we wait with EAGERNESS for His return to catch us away and to escort us into all the glories of Heaven.  He will transform our WEAK, MORTAL bodies and change them into GLORIOUS bodies that are just like His own and are fit for the Kingdom of Heaven.  He will do this by using the SAME power with which He will one day bring EVERYTHING under His CONTROL.  Praise God for His PERFECT plan!!

 

Are you an enemy of the cross of Christ or are you a citizen of Heaven?  There is only ONE WAY that you can become a citizen of Heaven and that is when you:  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!!!

 

 

 

Beware!

Beware!

 

 

If we reject the Son, we reject the Father.  But if we say we accept the Son, we have the Father.  Keep thinking about the message you first heard, and you will always be one in your heart with the Son and with the Father.  The Son has promised us eternal life.--------1 John 2:23-25

 

One of the GREAT mysteries of the Holy Trinity is that; the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son and the Spirit is in the Father and the Father is in the Spirit and so therefore the Spirit is in the Father and the Son.  They are separate yet one entity. 

 

When a person accepts Christ as their personal Lord and Savior they are getting three SEPARATE yet WHOLE individuals that works in us to perfect our SALVATION.  We have the One who provides it: God, the one who performs it: Jesus and the one who protects it:  the Holy Spirit.  It’s a three in one gift.  You can’t have one part without the others. 

 

However if you reject any part of the gift you reject it ALL.  You can’t have one without the others.  So when we ACCEPT God’s gift of SALVATION and acknowledge the presence of the Holy Trinity, then we will ALWAYS be one in our heart with the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.  Praise God for the PROMISE of eternal life with the Holy Trinity in Heaven.

 

But we must be on guard, because we have an adversary, who would love nothing more than to lead God’s Children astray using FALSE TEACHINGS, which would definitely ruin our Christian witness.  If we stay in the Word of God, KNOW the Word of God, and allow the Holy Spirit to enlighten us with the Word of God, then we can and will be protected from the influence of FALSE TEACHERS.  As God’s Children we NEED to stay close to the Father and be in close fellowship with Him and His Son, for the protection of our hearts and minds.

 

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus, then you are living under the influence of Satan’s lies and you don’t know the TRUTH.  You are destined to spend ALL eternity in the place called Hell, the place of TORMENT, MISERY and DESPAIR, but you can change your destination by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking 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!!!

 

 

An Honest Judge

An Honest Judge

 

 

God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right.  God is an honest judge.  He is angry with the wicked every day.---------Psalm 7:10-11

 

 

God is a shield and protector of those who belong to Him.  Those who have given their heart and life to Him and have been adopted as His own.  Those whose heart is true and right. Those who are striving to live a life that is pleasing and acceptable to Him.

 

Our God Almighty is an honest and righteous God, and will judge the people of this earth with fairness and a mighty iron hand. He will bring judgment upon those whose lives have been and are today, riddled with sin and unspeakable evil.  Those who have brought heartache, torture, misery, despair and death upon His Children, those who have embraced the sinful acts of this world and who have rejected God time and time again they will face a fate that cannot be described with mere words.  Woe to them that participate in these ungodly acts against God’s own people and against Him.

 

The Psalmist says that:  “He is angry with the wicked every day.”  Those who have never given their heart and life to the Almighty God, should be really “thankful” for His mercy and grace.  That is the ONLY reason they are still alive and have the opportunity to REPENT of their ungodly lives.  He is a merciful and gracious God, but He is also an HONEST judge, who will judge with fairness and righteousness.  So be prepared, if you choose to continue to live in sin then you are at RISK of coming under the wrath of an ANGRY, Almighty God whose judgment will NOT be reversed at any time.  You will spend ALL eternity in that place called Hell, and you will be in torment, pain, misery and despair forever without any kind of relief.

 

The choice is up to YOU.  You can have the protection of Almighty God or face the judgment of an ANGRY, righteous judge.  God will be your Shield and Protector if you will:  CONFESS your sins to Him 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!!!

 

Growing to be Christ-like

Growing to be Christ-like

 

 

Then we will no longer be immature like children.  We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching.  We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.  Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church.--------Ephesians 4:14-15

 

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the believers in Ephesus,  Paul is telling them that Christ gave certain gifts to the church, of which are the gifts of; pastors and teachers and he goes on to say that their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ.  And that this will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the FULL and COMPLETE standard of Christ.

 

As Children of God, we NEED to GROW in our FAITH and not be content with having an IMMATURE FAITH.  We GROW by being taught the WORD of God and then to be equipped to do the WORK of God.  That is the MAIN work of the PASTORS/ TEACHERS, they are to equip the Saints to do the WORK of the Ministry.  In other words, God has placed in our churches Godly men, who are GIFTED and ANOINTED to train up the SAINTS of God for the WORK of the ministry.  Too many times the IMMATURE SAINTS want to tell the Man of God, the pastor what he should do or not do, they balk at being LED, TAUGHT or EQUIPPED.  This usually happens when the Pastor tries to lead them to do something that THEY don’t want to do, like a spoiled CHILD they throw temper tantrums and cause problems for the Man of God, and the MINISTRY, the WORK of God, suffers because the immature don’t want to be taught the WORD of God.

 

When this happens the immature are at RISK of being TOSSED and BLOWN about by EVERY wind of new teaching.  They will be INFLUENCED by people who will trick them with lies so clever that they sound like the TRUTH, and those who have balked at being taught the WORD of God, so they can be EQUIPPED to do the WORK of God, ends up following false teachings, and refusing to be LED, TAUGHT, and EQUIPPED to do the WORK of God, by following the TRUTH of the WORD of God.  And they are like a spoiled, stubborn, child, who is HAPPY to remain immature and not grow to be Christ-like, but end up being immature and unproductive in their Christian life.   

 

We, as God’s Children, need to TRUST in the LORD and LOVE Him enough to DESIRE the MEAT of the WORD and not remain in the MILK of the WORD.  We NEED to follow the leadership of the Pastor that God has put in our lives to LEAD, TEACH and EQUIP us to do God’s Work.

 

If you have NEVER given your life to the Lord, then you are NOT His Child, you are His creation, but not His Child and you can NOT be CHRIST-LIKE in your life.  And you will miss out on an eternity in Heaven, but you can make a BIG CHANGE in your life NOW, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking 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 Beginning of Wisdom

The Beginning of Wisdom

 

 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His instructions have good insight.  His praise endures forever.---------Psalm 111:10

 

 

The word “fear” here does not mean to be afraid, but it means to RESPECT.  In other words “The RESPECT of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; to RESPECT, HONOR, TRUST and have FAITH in the God of this Universe is DEFINITELY the beginning of wisdom.

 

When we RESPECT, HONOR, TRUST, and have FAITH in Him then we WILL follow His instructions or precepts and He will give us the wisdom and insight we need to follow Him.  However, if we FAIL in giving Him the RESPECT, HONOR, TRUST and FAITH then we lose out on the wisdom and insight NEEDED to FOLLOW His instructions and are at RISK of FAILING in our Christian walk and it is IMPOSSIBLE to ‘follow His instructions.’

 

As His Children, we MUST RESPECT His judgment, HONOR His wishes, TRUST His wisdom, and have FAITH in His guidance.  Then we will experience the beginning of wisdom and have good insight to follow His instructions. 

 

If you are NOT His Child, then you cannot possibly RESPECT, HONOR, TRUST or have FAITH in Him and you have yet to experience the ‘beginning of wisdom.’  You may have a lot of “book-knowledge,” which by worldly standards, makes you “wise,” but when it comes down to wisdom of the heart, soul and mind, you don’t have the wisdom or good insight to be able to FOLLOW God’s WISE instructions and you are headed for an ETERNITY full of HEAD-knowledge, but NO HEART- knowledge, an ETERNITY with nothing but DESPAIR, HEARTACHE, TORTURE, HATE, MISERY, and LOSTNESS.  So the question is: Do you want the wisdom that this world offers or do you want the wisdom of the Holy God of this Universe? Which, by the way FAR EXCEEDS the wisdom of the world.  If your choice is to have the godly wisdom, then you MUST:  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!!!

From Generation to Generation!

From Generation to Generation!

 

 

Let each generation tell its children of Your mighty acts; let them proclaim Your power.--------Psalm 145:4

 

This day and age our children are learning things in school that I NEVER learned, until I became an adult. They start learning the basics of technology at a very young age.  Many of them can teach you almost anything you want to know about using a cell phone to using an iPad.  Which isn’t really bad, since the world we live in is CONSUMED with technology.  In fact, it is a LARGE part of everyone’s life.

 

They are learning a new math concept, that I’m not too sure is a good thing.  To me it is very confusing and mind-boggling.  They are becoming bi-lingual and multi-cultural, in some schools they start this in Kindergarten.  The one thing that I have heard that does DISTURB me is that in some schools they are teaching Islam to the students and using the Koran as a textbook.  Yet they MOST DEFINITELY, won’t teach about Christianity and use the Bible as a textbook.  It kind of makes you wonder, “Just WHAT are they AFRAID of?”  In my opinion they should be AFRAID and MORE CONCERNED about the teachings of Islam then they are about Christianity.  Don’t get me wrong,  I think our children should be taught about other religions and cultures, but I DEEPLY BELIEVE that we are ROBBING our PRECIOUS children of their national heritage when we LEAVE OUT the teaching of Christianity. 

 

For hundreds of years we have taught each generation, Godly principles and historical facts that our forefathers brought into existence and even a lot of our laws today are laws that were established through the concepts of the Ten Commandments.  We as a nation have a GODLY heritage, like it or not.  When our schools were started they used the Bible as their textbook a lot if not all the time, and the conduct of the children was taught to them from the HOLY WORD of the LIVING GOD.  And through the years, each generation was taught to RESPECT their elders, to be kind to one another, to have good manners, to be OBEDIENT to their parents and so on. 

 

Each day started with Scripture and prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance to our GREAT nation.  We didn’t need metal detectors at every door or armed guards roaming the halls to keep our children safe and many little boys carried a small pocket knife in their pockets, they had cap pistols and played cowboys and Indians, at home and at school, yet they were never kicked out of school for using their finger as a gun.  I’m saying all of this to make a point.  When we WERE a God-honoring, God-fearing nation that taught each generation to RESPECT, HONOR, and OBEY the ALMIGHTY GOD of this Universe.  We could rest and be at peace knowing that GOD IS ALIVE and WELL and in CONTROL.  But we as a Nation, have turned our backs to Him and have booted Him out of our lives, our schools, our government, and our homes.  We as a Nation have REJECTED Him, and now we are TRULY REAPING what we have SOWN.  We are QUICKLY  becoming a God-less Nation, where things that have been WRONG to do  in the past, is now considered to be the RIGHT thing to do and the RIGHT things have become the WRONG things .  No wonder we are in the shape we are in, and it is our PRECIOUS CHILDREN, who will suffer the consequences, because WE, this generation have FAILED to TEACH them of God’s MIGHTY ACTS and PROCLAIM His AWESOME POWER.

 

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus, you are part of the problem, because you can’t TEACH or PROCLAIM God’s MIGHTY ACTS and AWESOME POWER to the next generation.  However, you can CHANGE and start being a part of the SOLUTION to the problems that are plaguing our nation, lives, and the Spiritual heritage of our children, you can do this by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking 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!!!

 

 

 

 

Search Me and Know Me

Search Me and Know Me

 

 

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.--------Psalm 139:23-24

 

This SHOULD be the prayer and contents of the HEART of EVERY Child of the Living God.  We SHOULD ALWAYS invite Him to SEARCH and KNOW our HEART.  If we are living a life that is PLEASING to Him, then we have NOTHING to be concerned about.  The Psalmist invites God to test him and to know his anxious thoughts.  In other words, he is asking God to take an inventory of his life and to test him and know his anxious thoughts.  Do you have any anxious thoughts?  I sure do, from time to time, but I know where to go to get PEACE and GUIDANCE through those ANXIOUS moments.  Do you?

 

Then the Psalmist asks God to point out ANYTHING in him that offends God.  Think about what this world would be like if just ALL the Christians would do that not to mention the lost people.  NOTICE:  He says ANYTHING that offends God.  We as God’s Children, really need to be concerned about SAYING, DOING or THINKING anything that would OFFEND our Heavenly Father because of the LOVE we have for Him.  Just think about what it cost Him to purchase our SALVATION, and then think about what you as His Child gains from His SACRIFICE. 

 

Lastly, the Psalmist asks God to LEAD him along the path of everlasting life.  He knows that he can’t make it on his own, and God NEVER intended him to try to make it on his own.  That’s why He sent the Holy Spirit to us.  He is our COMFORTER, GUIDE, the KEEPER of our HEART, TEACHER, and so much more.  He NEVER leaves us, so we are NEVER alone.  We really do need to be careful where we take Him and what we allow Him to see and hear.  Nevertheless, He LEADS us along the path of everlasting life.

 

Have you EVER lifted your HEART up to God and asked Him to SEARCH you?  To KNOW you?  To come into your HEART and LIFE?  To be your SAVIOR and LORD?  If NOT, why not do it NOW, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking 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 receive His Holy Spirit into your HEART to be your COMFORTER, GUIDE, the KEEPER of your HEART and TEACHER.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s waiting!!!

Be Careful, Follow, And Prosper!

Be Careful, Follow, And Prosper!

 

 

“Be Careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you are not to turn aside to the right or the left.  Follow the whole instruction the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, prosper and have a long life in the land you will possess.”--------Deuteronomy 5:32-33

 

These are the words of Moses to the Children of Israel concerning the Ten Commandments for the Covenant Community.  But I believe that they are applicable to ALL of God’s Children today, and since our salvation is not brought about by whether we keep the WHOLE laws, we are EXPECTED to strive to be OBEDIENT to ALL the commands of the Lord God. 

 

As God’s Children, those of us who have given our HEARTS and LIVES to Him, need to follow His instructions in EVERY detail.  The ONLY way we can do that, is to know what His instructions are and we can know that by READING and STUDYING the Word of God. 

 

Just as Moses instructed the Children of Israel to do, God’s Word instructs His Children to, “not turn aside to the right or the left,” but to stay STRAIGHT on the path that God has commanded us to FOLLOW.  We are to follow the WHOLE instruction the Lord has given us and to be able to do that we must first know what His instructions are.  Therefore, we need to know the Word of God and to KNOW the Word of God, we must STUDY the Word of God and then apply it to our lives.  In other words, we MUST BE OBEDIENT to His Word.

 

When we have been OBEDIENT to His Word and FOLLOWED His path, then we may LIVE, PROSPER, and have a LONG LIFE in the land we will possess.  The SECOND COMING of Christ, NOT the rapture, but AFTER the Tribulation period, when Christ returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom on earth, for a thousand years, We, His Children, will possess the land.

 

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus, then you are not OBEYING His commands and are living in DISOBEDIENCE to the Almighty God.  You are on the WRONG path.  You are on the path that leads to spiritual death and destruction, but you can change you path by:  CONFESSING your sins to God, and asking 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!!!

 

Hope in the Lord!

Hope in the Lord!

 

 

Put your hope in the Lord.  Travel steadily along His path.  He will honor you by giving you the land.  You will see the wicked destroyed.------Psalm 37:34

 

I believe that this is an EXCELLENT picture of the life of a TRUE Child of God.  From the time of our conversion on, we are to put our hope in the Lord and travel STEADILY along His path.  I see this as how we should live our lives as Christians.  We need to put our HOPE in the Lord, for He is in control of our being, and when we put our HOPE in Him we are ABLE to travel STEADILY along His path, because He will be our guide.  We will be able to stay the course and not deviate from His path. 

 

The reward to His faithful, steadfast followers for their hope in Him is the possession of the land, which I believe will take place at the Second Coming of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ.  When ALL the wicked of the earth will be destroyed, which will usher in the MILLINIUM REIGN of our KING of kings.  And the Christians will witness the destruction of ALL those who have rejected God’s Son and have tortured, tormented, and persecuted the Children of the Living God, because of their faith in Him.

 

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus, then you are NOT a Child of the Living God and you will come under condemnation from the God of this universe, and will be counted among those who will be DESTROYED. You will not inherit the land, but will be doomed to an ETERNITY in that HORRIBLE place called hell.  You, however, can change your destiny 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 Fragility of Mankind

The Fragility of Mankind

 

 

A voice was saying, “Cry out!”  Another said, “What should I cry out?”  “All humanity is grass, and all its goodness is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flowers fade when the breath of the Lord blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever.”--------Isaiah 40:6-8

 

Mankind and ALL its good deeds are dispensable. In other words, mankind and the works of man cannot and will NOT be able to stand the test of time.  This world and EVERYTHING in it will be destroyed, according to God’s ULTIMATE plan.

 

Man is a fragile being with limited capabilities and the Word of Almighty God says that from the dust of the earth man was formed and when his time has ended he will return to the earth from whence he came. The prophet Isaiah says that mankind and his goodness is liken to the grass and flower of the field.  The grass withers, and the flowers fade when the breath of the Lord blows on them.  Which is really an EXCELLENT picture of how FRAGILE man is and how POWERFUL God is.  Yet mankind has, through the ages, TRIED to usurp the POWER of ALMIGHTY GOD, only to fail miserably in their meager attempts.

 

God is God and there is NO COMPARISON!!  Mankind and ALL his goodness will wither and fade, but the Word of God will REMAIN FOREVER.  The goodness of God is and will be FOREVER exemplified by His mighty works and will last throughout ALL ETERNITY.

 

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to the Lord, then your destiny will be like that of the grass and flower of the field. You will WITHER and FADE away without the GOODNESS of Almighty God.  You will spend ALL eternity in torment, misery, and void of ANYTHING good.  However, YOU can change your destiny by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking 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!!!

 

Endurance and Encouragement

Endurance and Encouragement

 

 

For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.  Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement allow you to live in harmony with one another, according to the command of Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with a united mind and voice.--------Romans 15: 4-6

 

The Holy Scriptures were written to give God’s Children INSTRUCTION as to HOW we should live out our FAITH and to give us a HOPE that will STAND STRONG throughout the ages.  And that HOPE comes through ENDURANCE and ENCOURAGEMENT that we receive from God’s Holy Word. 

 

Living the Christian life is DEFINITELY not for those who want to CONTROL their own lives nor for the WEAK and FAINTHEARTED.  It is not a WIMPY lifestyle.  Many have attempted to try to live by their own STRENGTH and CONTROL only to end up separating themselves from God and His family, because it is a lifestyle that is a CONSTANT BATTLEFIELD of the forces of GOOD and EVIL, and a Child of God NEEDS the ENDURANCE and ENCOURAGEMENT that ONLY the Holy God of this Universe can give to keep us in the battle and to bring us through as VICTORS.

 

When we give our HEARTS and LIVES over to the LORDSHIP of Christ Jesus, we can live VICTORIOUSLY because we have His ENDURANCE and ENCOURAGEMENT to continue on to the goal that we are STRIVING to reach.  We are NOT alone on this battlefield, we have the work of the Holy Spirit to assist us and we have the SUPPORT and UNITY of other believers, who are also in the battle.  

 

It is the will of Holy God that His Children live in PEACE and HARMONY, so that we might glorify God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ with a mind and voice that is UNITED on the battlefield. 

 

If you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to Jesus Christ, then you are on the losing side of this battle.  The VICTORY will be the LORD’S!  But you can come over to the WINNING SIDE 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!!!

You Alone Are God!

You Alone Are God!

 

 

O Lord, You are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for Your help.  For You are great and perform wonderful deeds.  You alone are God.--------Psalm 86:5,10

 

Have you EVER stopped and thought ‘just how GREAT the God we serve REALLY is?’  Well, let me tell you, it is AMAZING, His LOVE, MERCY, AND GRACE goes above and beyond ALL that we can EVER imagine.  How could anyone do what He has done for those who have, time and again, REJECTED, CURSED, and have committed HORRENDOUS SINS against Him, YET His UNFAILING LOVE for them caused Him to SACRIFICE His ONE and ONLY SON to SUFFER, beyond belief, the SHAME and DISGRACE of a COMMON CRIMINAL’S death on an old rugged cross. 

 

The Creator of this Universe and ALL that is in it, the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS, who committed NO SINS or CRIMES, yet because of the HATRED that consumed the hearts of His own countrymen, He shed His PRECIOUS BLOOD to pay the penalty for their and our sins, to prepare a WAY, for ALL who CALL on His name for their FORGIVENESS and SALVATION, to have an ETERNITY with Him in Heaven.  That is UNFAILING LOVE in its TOTALITY.  Only God ALONE can do for the CROWN of His creation, what NO OTHER god can do.

 

Are YOU experiencing God’s UNFAILING LOVE?   Have you CALLED on His name for YOUR SALVATION?  If NOT you can by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking 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!!!