"Jesus, the Permanent Priest"

“Jesus, the Permanent Priest”

 

…Because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood.  Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.       Hebrews 7:24-25

 

 

God the Father, made a promise to Jesus His Son, that Jesus would be a priest FOREVER!  Which means that Jesus guarantees us a BETTER covenant with God. 

 

Because Jesus lives FOREVER, He has a PERMANENT priesthood.  In Old Testament times there were MANY priests, because death prevented them from having a PERMANENT priesthood.  But Jesus provided the perfect sacrifice, that being Himself, and was able to COMPLETE the plan of SALVATION for ALL mankind. 

 

It was a FINAL act, which did not require the sacrificing of a perfect lamb continually, for the FORGIVENESS of sins.  When Jesus DIED on the cross, and was RESURRECTED from the dead, He COMPLETED the ceremonial provision for the plan of SALVATION with His atoning death.  He sealed the deal, and in doing so, He became the PERMANENT priest, the ONLY one who was able to save completely those who come to God through Him. 

 

We, TRUE believers, have a much better ACCESS to God because of our FOREVER ADVOCATE, the Lord Jesus Christ, who lives to intercede on our behalf.  We have the ASSURANCE that His interceding for us is what is needed to SECURE our RIGHTEOUSNESS with the Almighty God.  He is TRULY our PERMANENT PRIEST, who will NEVER leave nor forsake us.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God then you do not have a RIGHT relationship with Him and cannot have a RIGHT relationship with Him, unless you come to Jesus, the PERMANENT PRIEST, the ONLY ONE, who can COMPLETELY save you and INTERCEDE DAILY on your behalf, in order for you to have that RIGHT relationship with Him.  You must come to Jesus with a TRULY REPENTANT heart, CONFESSING your sins to Him 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 have the ASSURANCE and HOPE of your SALVATION, through the PERMANENT PRIEST, Jesus Christ.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Ultimate Healing of Sin-Sick Souls!"

“The Ultimate Healing of Sin-Sick Souls!”

 

 

Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.   But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.        Isaiah 53:4-5

 

Isaiah, chapter fifty-three, is dealing with the HEALING of mankind’s soul, not their physical body, although Jesus Christ did HEAL the physical body of illnesses, and still does today.  And those HEALINGS pointed to a GREATER work, that of HEALING the soul of ALL mankind from a fate that holds a much worse outcome than the temporary suffering inflicted by physical illnesses.  When a person had an illness or infirmity and received a MIRACULOUS HEALING of that illness or infirmity, they still faced a physical death at some point in time, and if their soul remained sin-sick they would die a SPIRITUAL DEATH, without the SALVATION of their soul.  Jesus, when performing a physical HEALING, would always indicate the condition of the soul, by saying, “your faith has made you whole!”  or “go and sin no more!”  The greater HEALING MIRACLE is TRULY the ULTIMATE HEALING of the SIN-SICK SOUL.

 

Our transgressions and iniquities pierced and crushed, the Lord Jesus Christ, punishment for the procurement of our PEACE was on Him.  Because of His OBEDIENCE to God, we, who are the TRUE BELIEVERS, are able to experience the INNER PEACE that is lasting and helps us maintain a HEALTHY SPIRITUAL SOUL.   All of His wounds from the beating He received from the Roman soldiers, and the agony of the cross provides SPIRITUAL HEALING for the SIN-SICK SOUL.

 

The death of Christ Jesus satisfied the wrath of Almighty God against the sins of mankind.  “Jesus paid it ALL, and ALL to Him I owe, sin had left a CRIMSON STAIN, He washed it white as snow!”  THANK YOU, JESUS!! 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God then you are nursing your SIN-SICK soul.  And your diagnosis is SPIRITUALLY FATAL.  You are facing an ETERNITY separated from God, and ANYTHING that is GOOD, you will suffer with pain, agony, heartache and despair.  However, you NOW have the opportunity to come to the GREAT PHYSICIAN for a SPIRITUAL HEALING that will turn your life around and give you the HOPE of HEAVEN.  ALL you have to do is:  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 experience the INNER PEACE that ONLY He can give you.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"Disobedience=Disaster, Obedience=Blessings!"

“Disobedience=Disaster, Obedience=Blessings!”

 

 

Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not appeased the Lord our God by turning from our iniquities and paying attention to Your truth.  So the Lord kept the disaster in mind and brought it on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all He has done.  But we have not obeyed Him.           Daniel 9:13-14

 

 

I believe that God led me to this passage of Scripture in Daniel, which is Daniel’s Prayer for his beloved nation of Israel.  It concerns the disasters that have, and were plaguing his nation, God’s chosen people.  As I was reading, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and asked:  “Is this what lies in store for your beloved nation?” 

 

I believe with ALL my HEART that seeing what is presently taking place in our nation, today, we NEED to contemplate on what MIGHT be the future for our nation and for our children and grand-children.  Israel had become a REBELLIOUS nation, with a DISOBEDIENT heart.  They were REBELLIOUS and DISOBEDIENT towards God, and did not attempt to BEND a knee, SEEK God’s face nor ASK for His FORGIVENESS for all of the sin they were practicing.  They refused to pay attention to His TRUTH.    This was a heavy burden on Daniel, and he took it on as his OWN sin, which provoked him to do what the WHOLE nation should have done, ACKNOWLEDGE their REBELLION and DISOBEDIENCE towards the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS God and to have SOUGHT His FORGIVENESS, with ALL of their HEARTS, and TURNED AWAY from their REBELLIOUS and DISOBEDIENT natures, and to TURN TOWARDS their HOLY, RIGHTEOUS God and become HOLY and RIGHTEOUS as He is HOLY and RIGHTEOUS.  But they did not, and they were the recipients of so great a disaster that nothing like what had been done to Jerusalem had ever been done under ALL of Heaven, all because of their DISOBEDIENCE.

 

We too, are a nation that is becoming REBELLIOUS and DISOBEDIENT towards the HOLY RIGHTEOUS God, and IF we do NOT BEND our knees, SEEK God’s face, and ASK for His FORGIVENESS, and TURN AWAY from our REBELLIOUS, DISOBEDIENT natures, we too could face the same fate as Israel did, and be facing a great disaster.  Could this be why the United States is not mentioned in Bible Prophecy?? 

 

We as TRUE believers, need to be in MUCH prayer for our BELOVED AMERICA, and for REVIVAL to break loose and spread ALL across this land.  If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are living in REBELLION and DISOBEDIENCE to Him, and you could be facing disaster in your own personal life.  But God in His infinite MERCY and LOVE is extending to YOU the opportunity to come to Him, NOW, and CONFESS your sins to Him, 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 TURN AWAY from your REBELLIOUS and DISOBEDIENT nature and TURN to GOD.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Momentous Effects of the Crucifixion of Christ Jesus!"

“The Momentous Effects of the Crucifixion of Christ Jesus!”

 

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit.  At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.  The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.  They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.  

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely He was the Son of God!”          Matthew 27:50-54

 

There were three MOMENTOUS events that took place at the very moment that Jesus gave up His life.  And I did say; “that Jesus GAVE UP His life.”  NO man TOOK it, but He WILLINGLY GAVE it as a SACRIFICE for ALL mankind.   

 

Those three events were:  The torn curtain in the temple, the earthquake, and the resurrection of the Saints. 

 

The torn curtain in the temple was an act of the ALMIGHTY GOD.  It was a very thick curtain and it was torn from the TOP to the BOTTOM, which indicates that it was torn by God, and NOT by man.  This curtain separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies, the place where ONLY the high priests could go.  The ripping of the curtain indicates the FREE access of mankind into the presence of the ALMIGHTY GOD.   

The earthquake was the result of the earthshaking occurrence of the death of Jesus, and indicates the POWER of God over ALL His creation. 

The resurrection of the Saints of God is an indication of Christ’s triumph in death over sin. The bodies of those Saints were NOT raised until the body of Jesus was raised, as He was to be the FIRST of the resurrected into Heaven.    This resurrection was a token of the RESURRECTION to come when ALL the Saints will be raised from their graves. 

 

All of these MOMENTOUS events struck AWE and FEAR in the hearts of the Centurion and those who were with him guarding Jesus.  These events had NEVER taken place at any of the other crucifixions.  They were ASTOUNDED at the POWER that was displayed that day at the foot of the cross.  It terrified their very souls and caused them to CONFESS that, “Surely He was the Son of God! 

 

What will it take for you to come to the realization that Jesus is TRULY the SON of GOD, and that He died for the SALVATION of your soul?  Will it take something catastrophic, like an earthshaking event?  If you have not given your heart and life to Him, you have the opportunity to do so NOW, by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him 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 be one the those Saints that will be caught up with Jesus in the air, when He comes again.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"What' is Truth?"

“What is Truth?”

 

“You are a king then?”  Pilate asked.  “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied.  “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”   “What is truth?”  Said Pilate.         John 18:37-38

 

Jesus had been betrayed by Judas and arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He ended up before Pilate.  Pilate questions Jesus, by asking if He was a king.  And Jesus answers saying:  “You say that I’m a king, I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this:  to testify to the TRUTH.  Everyone who is of the TRUTH listens to My voice.”  Then Pilate replies with:  “What is TRUTH?”

 

This is TRUTH:  God is RIGHTEOUS, mankind is UNRIGHTEOUS                                                                                                

                           God is HOLY, mankind is UNHOLY

                           God is LOVE, mankind is UNLOVING

                           God is MERCIFUL, mankind is UNMERCIFUL

                           God is SINLESS, mankind is SINFUL

 

Mankind is in DESPERATE NEED of SALVATION.  God put into place, before the beginning of time, the ONLY plan for the REDEMPTION of mankind.  That is why Jesus said that He “was born for this,” meaning that His present situation was all part of God’s REDEMPTIVE PLAN for the SALVATION of mankind.  Jesus Christ was God’s plan.  He was born to die for the PLAN of SALVATION to be carried out. 

 

He came to testify to the TRUTH.  God is ALL that mankind isn’t.  He is RIGHTEOUS, HOLY, LOVE, MERCY, and WITHOUT SIN.  HE IS TRUTH!  And Jesus was the manifestation of TRUTH.  He came WILLINGLY to be the sacrificial lamb, to shed His blood for the REMISSION of the sins of ALL mankind, He who knew NO sin became sin, while hanging on an old rugged cross, in shame and dishonor for the SALVATION of UNRIGHTEOUS, UNHOLY, UNLOVING, UNMERCIFUL and SINFUL mankind.  In order to give us the HOPE of HEAVEN for ALL eternity.

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you CANNOT possess the HOPE OF HEAVEN, until you come to Christ for the SALVATION of your soul, and you can do that by:  CONFESSING your sins to God, 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 KNOW the TRUTH, because ONLY the TRUTH can set you FREE.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"The Denial"

“The Denial”

 

Peter:  “Lord,” he told Him, “I’m ready to go with You both to prison and to death!”

Jesus:  “I tell you, Peter,” He said, “the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know Me!”      Luke 22:33-34

After Jesus was arrested in the Garden, they took Him to the high priest’s house.  And Peter was following at a distance.

When a servant saw him sitting in the firelight, and looked closely at him, she said, “This man was with Him too.”  But he denied it:  “Woman, I don’t know Him!”  After a little while, someone else saw him and said, “You’re one of them too!”  “Man, I am not!” Peter said.  About an hour later, another kept insisting, “This man was certainly with Him since he’s also a Galilean.”  But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”   Immediately, while he was still speaking a rooster crowed.  Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter.  So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”  And he went outside and wept bitterly.         Luke 22:56-62

 

How could one of Jesus’ most trusted, and beloved disciples deny His Master?  DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF SATAN!  Jesus had warned Peter that Satan wanted to, “sift him like wheat.  But Peter, with his IMPETUOUS personality, DENIED that he would let that happen, when he avowed to Jesus that “he would go with Him both to prison and to death!”

 

Now, that was an HONORABLE thought, but that was ALL it was.  Then Jesus told Peter, that he would DENY Him, not once but THREE times, before the rooster crowed.  And that was EXACTLY what happened. 

 

When Peter was confronted with the accusations of being connected to Jesus, he did just as Jesus said he would.  It’s easy for us to sit back and point a finger at Peter and shame him for his actions, but what about those of us who claim to be Christians, yet when confronted with the affiliation we get EMBARRASSED or SHY AWAY from the connection.  We want to be a Christian, but we don’t want anyone to KNOW it, because we might be ridiculed, shunned, or the brunt of sacrilegious jokes.  Small price to pay in comparison to what Jesus did for us.  

 

So like Peter, we DENY our relationship with Him, until it benefits us, and yet, we expect Him to ACKNOWLEDGE our relationship.  I believe that when Jesus’ eyes met Peter’s eyes, they pierced to the very HEART of Peter, and Peter KNEW what he had done and with REMORSE and REPENTANCE, he wept bitterly, uncontrollably from the inner most part of his being.  So should those who try to DENY their relationship with Christ, but want to reap the rewards of that relationship.  CHECK YOUR SALVATION, is it a TRUE, HEARTFELT relationship? 

 

If NOT, or if you have NEVER given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you DENY Him DAILY, because of your SINFUL, UNREPENTFUL NATURE, and you are on your way to a place called HELL, a place that is void of ANYTHING good, and full of EVERYTHING that is painful, full of agony, torment, torture and despair.  However, God is giving you the opportunity to turn your destination around and head towards Heaven, you can do that by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him 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 STOP DENYING HIM!! EMBRACE your relationship with Him and receive the HOPE of HEAVEN.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Plot Unfolds!"

“The Plot Unfolds!”

 

Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.  And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.  They were delighted and agreed to give him money.  He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.          Luke 22:3-6

 

Judas, a man who was one of the Twelve Disciples, who walked and talked with Jesus, who shared many meals with Him, yet when all the other disciples came to love and cherish their relationship with Jesus, Judas’ heart was on his OWN selfish desires, mainly the desire for MONEY.  Judas was the treasurer of the group, he was the ‘keeper of the purse,’ and some believe that the only reason that Judas became a part of the Twelve Disciples was for his OWN, SELFISH reasons.  It is believed that Judas thought that Jesus would overthrow the Roman government and set up His kingdom, so Judas was conniving enough to try and secure a high position in that kingdom, but when he found out that that was NOT the case, he became angry and felt BETRAYED.  So Judas wanted ‘payback.’  And that’s when the PLOT begins to unfold.

 

Judas’ heart was desperately wicked and opened for Satan to enter in, and so he did.  Judas, knowing that the religious leaders had a deep hatred for Jesus, began carrying out his dastardly plans, he did so by first of all, going to the religious leaders and discussing how he might bring about this betrayal.   Judas is NO different from the sinner today, a sinner’s heart today, is just as desperately wicked and opened for Satan to enter in, as was Judas’ heart.  And just as evil-minded as Judas was, the sinner today, is equally as evil-minded. 

 

The sinner today, betrays Christ and rejects Him and ALL that He stands for.  And it is ALL for their OWN SELFISH desires.  Some like Judas, live a LIE, by trying to portray something they REALLY are not, they may be church members, who have NEVER TRULY given their hearts to Christ, but want all the other church members think that they have.  They will suffer in Hell the same as a sinner who is NOT a part of the church. 

 

There is so MUCH that can be said about this matter, but I think you get the point.  We might point a finger at Judas and come down really hard for his acts of betrayal, when many around us are doing the very same thing.  They are betraying the very Son of the Living God, and allowing Satan to work in their hearts and lives, and ALL to appease their SINFUL desires.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to Christ, then you too are living a lie and allowing Satan to work in you.  You are destined for that place of torment, torture, suffering and pain that place called HELL.  However, God is giving you the opportunity NOW to change your destination by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him, 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 STOP betraying Him and allowing Satan to live in you.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!! 

"The Truth about Easter!"

“The Truth about Easter!”

 

We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.          Isaiah 53:6

 

 

What does Easter mean to you?  Is it all about colored eggs, chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, and Easter egg hunts?  Maybe it is new clothes for the whole family, or visiting with the extended family.  It might even be going to church that ONE time a year that you have always made it a point to do.  Some may even look at Easter as the opportunity to get new clothes, dress up and go to church to show off your new duds.  Whichever category or categories that you might be a part of.  It is the WRONG assumption of Easter.  The devil has duped you with a BIG, FAT LIE.

 

You are not doing God a favor by showing up ONE time a year, to show off your new clothes.  He’s NOT impressed.  Easter is MUCH MORE than Easter baskets and new clothes.  The truth about Easter is something that the devil doesn’t want you to even think about.  The Prophet Isaiah says:  We all are like sheep, we stray away from the Shepherd, going our own way, and finding nothing but, troubles, heartaches, and pain.   We are LOST and in NEED of a Shepherd to come and SAVE us from ETERNAL DISASTER. 

 

The TRUTH about Easter is that God punished His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON by sending Him to the Cross of Calvary, and taking on ALL the sin, (iniquity) of ALL MANKIND, from Adam and Eve to the very LAST person that will be born.  Jesus Christ, who knew NO sin became sin, in order for the Crown of God’s Creation, mankind to be SAVED from that ETERNAL DISASTER. 

 

God, in His INFINITE MERCY, AMAZING GRACE, and EVERLASTING LOVE for ALL MANKIND, has provided a WAY for us to have the HOPE of Heaven, and an ETERNITY with Him and our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, through the sacrifice of Jesus on an old, cruel, rugged cross, we have been shown the WAY, we know the TRUTH, and we have been offered eternal LIFE with Him.   This IS the TRUTH about EASTER!!

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are living a LIE, and are headed for an ETERNITY in that place called HELL.  The devil would love nothing more than to keep you in the dark about the TRUTH of EASTER.  The fact that it is GOD’S PLAN for the SALVATION of mankind is definitely NOT what the devil wants you to believe.  But you can come out of the dark and into the light of the Word, and escape Hell and ALL its torments.  You can come to the TRUE realization of Easter and receive God’s gift of SALVATION, by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him 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 attend church REGULARLY, because of the TRUTH of Easter.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"Learn and Trust!"

“Learn and Trust!”

 

Each morning let me learn more about your love because I trust you.  I come to you in prayer, asking for your guidance.          Psalm 143:8

 

As TRUE Children of God, we should have a burning desire inside of us to LEARN more and more of His UNENDING, ABIDING, AMAZING LOVE that He has for us.  We should SEEK Him EACH morning and implore Him to TEACH us of His LOVE, that we might KNOW more and more about our HEAVENLY FATHER.

 

Why should we desire to LEARN of His GREAT AND AMAZING LOVE?  Because we, as His Children, TRUST in Him.  We TRUST Him because we KNOW in our very being that He is our SALVATION, and in Him ALONE can we put our TRUST for not only the SALVATION of our souls, but for our very livelihood, while we are on earth.  He is our COMFORTER, COUNSELOR, CONFIDENT, FRIEND, EVERLASTING FATHER, PROTECTOR, PROVIDER AND GUIDE.  He will NEVER LEAVE us nor FORSAKE us, even when we can’t see or feel Him at work for our benefit, we MUST TRUST His HEART.  He ALONE is ABLE and will do what He PROMISES to do.

 

The Psalmist King David, says:  “EACH MORNING…I come to you in prayer, asking for your guidance.”  What kind of relationship do you have with your HEAVENLY FATHER?  Do you START your day with Him, asking that He TEACHES you about His LOVE, in order for you to LEARN MORE and MORE about His LOVE, because you TRUST in HIM for your GUIDANCE, EACH DAY?  Or do you depend on your own wisdom to get you through EACH DAY?  I opt for TRUSTING in GOD’S wisdom. 

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to Him, then you are NOT HIS CHILD, you are is creation, but you have NOT yet been adopted into His Family.  He is offering you the invitation to come into His Family, by adoption, NOW!  To do that you MUST:  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 EACH morning LEARN about His LOVE, and TRUST Him for your GUIDANCE EACH day.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Two Things That Can Never Be Changed"

“Two Things That Can Never Be Changed”

 

For men swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute.  Because God wanted to show His unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.          Hebrews 6:16-18

 

 

When God made His PROMISE to Abraham He made it in His own name since there is NO ONE greater than He.  This action SECURED the promise that was made.   After Abraham was very patient, he was given what God had PROMISED.

 

Whenever there was an argument that needed to be settled, the people would make an OATH or VOW by using the name of someone or something greater than themselves.   So when God wanted to prove to the people that His PROMISE to them could NOT be broken, He made an OATH.  

 

One thing that God cannot do is tell lies.  So His PROMISES and OATHS can NEVER be CHANGED!  What is the implication for God’s Children, the TRUE BELIEVERS, today?  Whenever we run to Him for refuge, His PROMISES should provide STRONG encouragement to take hold of the HOPE that is right in front of us.

 

The PROMISE in His Word, which is TRUTH, says: “My sheep know my voice, and I know them.  They follow me, and I give them eternal life, so that they will NEVER be lost.  No one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father gave them to me, and He is GREATER than all others.  No one can snatch them from His hands, and I am one with the Father.”   (John 10:27-30)   What an AWESOME promise that can NEVER be CHANGED!  That should cause EVERY TRUE BELIEVER to HOLD FAST to the HOPE that is ever before us.  It should produce in us STRONG encouragement to embrace the HOPE that God has PROMISED and SEALED with His OATH. 

 

Are you a TRUE BELIEVER?  Have you given your HEART and LIFE to God?  If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to Him, then you have NO HOPE.  You are lost and on your way to spending an eternity in Hell, the place of TORMENT.  But God, in His loving MERCY and GRACE is extending to YOU, the invitation to change your destination, and to come to Him for REFUGE, and HOPE for an eternity in HEAVEN, you do that by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him 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 experience His UNCHANGING PROMISES, and take HOLD of the HOPE that is right in front of you.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"God's Word: Alive and Powerful!"

“God’s Word: Alive and Powerful!”

 

God’s word is alive and powerful!  It is sharper than any double-edged sword.  His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts.  Nothing is hidden from God!  He sees through everything, and we will have to tell Him the truth.          Hebrews 4:12-13

 

I have conducted quite a few Bible studies, and every time we research and study the Word of the Living God, some will say:  “I’ve never HEARD of that before” or “I never KNEW that.”  

 

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, gives us a very vivid and accurate assumption of the Word of the Living God, as it pertains to us today.  He says that it is ALIVE and POWERFUL, because it is a guide to ANY and ALL of mankind’s situations.  It teaches, admonishes, enlightens, encourages and inspires us.  It gives us a picture of God’s character and His INTENSE love for His creation.  A love that is so encompassing that it engulfs ALL that God created.

 

His Word is “sharper than any double-edged sword.  His Word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts.”  Its penetrating power is so great that it reaches the innermost part of the heart, exposing the desires, thoughts, and attitudes of our heart.  This is sometimes a painful, but much needed procedure, and most people are very sensitive and defensive of their desires, thoughts and attitudes, and highly insulted to think that the Word of God would be so harsh or short-sighted, when in all actuality it is the heart of mankind that is harsh and short-sighted.  We think we can do, say or think things and claim that we are doing what God’s Word instructs us to do, but a lot of times it is something that will satisfy our own selfish souls.  God’s Word does say that “the HEART is more deceitful than all else, and desperately sick,” (Jer. 17:9).  So every now and then we are in need of a little “constructive surgery” to get us in line with the truth of God’s Word.

 

One day we, the TRUE BELIEVERS, will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, to be judged for the works we have done. Our lives will be an OPEN book.  We will be accountable for our deeds whether they were carried out under the leadership of the Holy Spirit or because of our own desires.  NOTHING is HIDDEN from God!  Even to the contents of our HEARTS. 

 

What is in your HEART?  Have you given your HEART and LIFE to God?  If not, you will not face the Judgment Seat of Christ, to have your works judged, but you will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment, and be judged for your sins and sentenced to an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of TORMENT.  Unless you get your HEART and LIFE right with God, and you have that opportunity 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 be OPEN to His HOLY WORD and let His Holy Spirit speak the TRUTH of the Word to your Heart.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Whether At Home or Away"

“Whether At Home or Away”

 

So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.         2Corinthians 5:9-10

 

The goal in the earthly life of EVERY BELIEVER is to PLEASE CHRIST, whether we are here in our bodies or when we are away.  There is coming a time when Christ will be given the nod by the Almighty God, and Christ will step out of Heaven and into the clouds to call ALL of God’s Children, those who belong to Him, HOME to Heaven.

 

Paul is referring to the RAPTURE of ALL TRUE BELIEVERS.  Following the RAPTURE, we will appear before the judgment seat of Christ NOT for the determination of ETERNAL DESTINY, but for the testing of ALL our works, whether GOOD or BAD, they will be tried by fire.  Those that are BAD will be burned up, but those that are GOOD will survive. 

 

If the BAD works are destroyed by the fire, you will lose ALL those works that were not done by the leadership of God’s Holy Spirit, which indwells the TRUE BELIEVER.  Yet you will be saved, it’s like someone that escapes from the flames. 

 

So as TRUE BELIEVERS, we need to be SENSITIVE and SUBMISSIVE to God’s Holy Spirit, as He works in us.  We MUST be OBEDIENT to Him and ALLOW Him to USE us to accomplish whatever God wants and expects us to do. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God then you will be LEFT BEHIND when Christ steps out onto the clouds to call HIS CHILDREN home.  And if you survive the RAPTURE, you will SUFFER through ALL the TURMOIL and HEARTACHE of the TRIBULATION period.  Then when Christ returns, at His SECOND COMING, you will be facing the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT SEAT of CHRIST, where ETERNAL DESTINY will be determined.  Those who have not given their HEART and LIFE to God will be condemned to an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of torment with NO WAY OUT.  You NOW have the opportunity to escape that part of 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, and become a TRUE BELIEVER, filled with God’s Holy Spirit to do His GOOD works.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"What a Revolting Situation!"

“What a Revolting Situation!”

 

I was almost drowned by the swirling waters that surrounded me.  Seaweed had wrapped around my head.  I had sunk down deep below the mountains beneath the sea.  I knew that forever, I would be a prisoner there.  But, You, LORD God, rescued me from that pit.            Jonah 2:5-6

 

Have you ever been so down and out that you could relate to Jonah, who was in the belly of the BIG fish.  These verses are an excerpt from his prayer to the ALMIGHTY God.   And I believe that they are applicable to some who may be like Jonah, with the deep waters of despair swirling around you, and like Jonah, you are about to drowned in your HOPELESSNESS. 

 

Your situations may seem BLEAK and IMPOSSIBLE.  Your mind is wrapped up with the SEAWEED of ANXIETIES and FRUSTRATIONS, as you contemplate your demise, and you are at wit’s end trying to figure it all out. Then you find yourself being pulled down to the DEPTHS of DESPAIR, sinking lower and lower, believing that you are FOREVER a PRISONER, caught and entangled with ALL the PROBLEMS of your life, with NO HOPE.

 

But like Jonah, the LORD God, is WAITING for you to CALL out to Him, and like Jonah, He WILL rescue you from that pit.  He may NOT make your problems go away, but He will PROVIDE a WAY, when there seems to ABSOLUTELY be NO way to get you through those entanglements of life and to bring you out of the DEPTHS of DESPAIR and to PLANT your feet on SOLID GROUND!

 

However, if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to Him, then you are NOT one of His own, and He will NOT HEAR your prayer, UNTIL you pray to Him for the SALVATION of your soul.  You do that by:  CONFESSING your sins to Him, asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be LIFTED UP out of the DEPTHS of DESPAIR, and RECEIVE HOPE for your soul.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"God's Gracious Choice"

“God’s Gracious Choice”

 

In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.  But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.      Romans 11:5-6

 

What is GRACE?  GRACE is UNMERITED FAVOR, FAVOR with the Almighty God, which we have not earned by our own abilities.  It is His gift of UNMERITED SALVATION through the Lord Jesus Christ.  God’s acceptance of us is not given by EARNING it, but coming to Him by FAITH, and ACCEPTING His UNMERITED gift of SALVATION through the Lord Jesus Christ’s atoning work on the cross.

 

The Apostle Paul states in his letter to the Ephesians, in chapter two, verses eight and nine, that it is by GRACE that we are SAVED, through FAITH; and NOT of ourselves, it is the GIFT of God; not as a result of WORKS, so that NO ONE may boast.   In other words, you CANNOT earn your way into Heaven.  You MUST come by FAITH in the ONLY ONE, who is ABLE to give you that UNMERITED FAVOR, known as GRACE.  The One, who was CHOSEN by God to prepare the way for others to find UNMERITED FAVOR with Him, that being the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him ALONE.  It is through God’s Only Begotten Son that God’s GRACE is brought to mankind.

 

GRACE is SALVATION, and ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven with the Father and the Son.   God’s AMAZING GRACE is open to ALL people, but to be able to experience God’s MARVELOUS GRACE is conditional upon the response of the people.  They have the CHOICE of either ACCEPTING or REJECTING His UNMERITED GRACE.  And that AMAZING, MARVELOUS, UNMERITED GRACE, abides in the Heart of EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.  All those who have experienced God’s UNMERITED GRACE have been given gifts of that GRACE for ministry.  God’s GRACE is the FULLEST source of JOY to the TRUE BELIEVER.

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, through FAITH in Him, you are NOT experiencing nor have you ever experienced His UNMERITED, AMAZING, MARVELOUS GRACE, and you do NOT POSSESS His gift of UNMERITED SALVATION, no matter how much you may PROFESS it.  It is a GIFT from Almighty God, and you cannot EARN it.  You MUST come to Him through FAITH and with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, 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 UNMERITED SALVATION, and experience His AMAZING GRACE and the source of JOY that it brings to EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.  Come to Him NOW, while you still can He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

  

 

 

 

 

"The Suffering and Glory of the Servant"

“The Suffering and Glory of the Servant”

 

See, my Servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.  Just as there were many who were appalled at Him--- His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being, and His form marred beyond human likeness---so He will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of Him.  For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.          Isaiah 52:13-15

 

These verses of Scripture refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.  In verse thirteen, we see Him in two very IMPORTANT ways.  (1) He was God’s Servant and acted WISELY by doing the will of God.  (2) He was RAISED and LIFTED UP and HIGHLY EXALTED, which speaks of His EXALTATION at the RIGHT hand of God.

 

The “MANY” who were appalled at Him, could possibly be the people of “MANY NATIONS” and their “kings.”  Jesus was ordinary in His appearance, but at the hands of the Roman guards, His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any human being, He was so beaten PHYSICALLY that His very form was beyond human likeness. 

 

Those who have REJECTED Him, because they thought of Him as being UNIMPORTANT, will be ASTOUNDED when they see Him at His SECOND COMING, then they will have a whole NEW perspective of Him, a little too late. 

 

In verse fifteen, we see Jesus as the GREAT HIGH PRIEST, taking on the work of the High Priest’s duties.  He will SPRINKLE the people of MANY nations, this is an act of the “cleansing of sins.”  The difference is He will use His OWN blood to do the act of cleansing them from their sins. The blood that was shed on an old, rugged cross for the REDEMPTION of mankind.  The one, that they thought to be UNIMPORTANT will provide the MOST IMPORTANT thing for the “many nations,” and their “kings,” the very act of CLEANSING them from their sins, and making them RIGHTEOUS before Almighty God. 

 

The kings will shut their mouths, because of their miscalculation of who He REALLY is.  Coming to the REALIZATION of their GREAT mistake, they will be SPEECHLESS.  Seeing Him EXALTED in ALL of His GLORY, at His Second Coming, they will FINALLY understand and see Him as He TRULY is. 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you have not been “sprinkled” by His precious, LIFE-GIVING blood, and you don’t FULLY and TRULY know who He REALLY is.  Your destiny is a place called HELL, void of ANYTHING good.  But you are given the opportunity to change your destination, NOW, by:  CONFESSING your sins to God and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that Jesus SUFFERED and DIED for the CLEANSING OF YOUR sins. And is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and come to the SAVING KNOWLEDGE of Jesus Christ.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!