"The Night is Ending, the Day is Coming

“The Night is Ending, the Day is Coming!”

 

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.  So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.  Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.        Romans 13:12-14

 

Carousing, drunkenness, sexual immorality, debauchery, dissension and jealousy are some of the activities that are carried on in the darkness of a person’s HEART and LIFE.  These are all activities that are rampant in our dark world, today. 

 

We are living in the NIGHT, which is the period of time when Jesus Christ is absent from the world and Satan is hard at work.  All of the activities mentioned in our Scripture, are very prevalent in society today. And some that are not mentioned, but are as bad, if not worse.  We are living in the DARKNESS of the NIGHT.  But the DAY is coming, when the LIGHT will pierce the DARKNESS.

 

The Apostle Paul is encouraging us to BEHAVE DECENTLY as though we were already living in the DAYTIME, which is when Jesus Christ returns to the earth.  We should put off the DEEDS of DARKNESS and put on the ARMOR OF LIGHT.  We as TRUE BELIEVERS, are in warfare for the souls of mankind, who are living in the DARKNESS and carrying out the DEEDS of DARKNESS.  We are to be a LIGHT in the NIGHT.   But we MUST NOT be participating in ANY of the DEEDS of DARKNESS, if we expect to LIGHT the way for others to be able to come OUT of the DARKNESS and into the LIGHT.

 

In order to be that LIGHT we MUST be CLOTHED with the Lord Jesus Christ, when we are TRULY SAVED, we are CLOTHED with the Lord Jesus Christ, by the POWER of His Holy Spirit, which indwells us.  This means that we have COME OUT of the DARKNESS of the NIGHT, having put OFF the DEEDS of DARKNESS, we have become a LIGHT in the DARKNESS of the NIGHT, GUIDING others to the DAY, when our SALVATION will be complete.   

 

The DAY, the RETURN of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the earth, is at hand, are you READY?  Or are you still living in the DARKNESS of the NIGHT, and participating in the DEEDS of DARKNESS?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God then you are living in the DARKNESS of the NIGHT, and you are on your way to an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING DARKNESS, torment, torture, pain, agony heartache and despair, with NO WAY of ESCAPE.  You have the opportunity NOW, to come out of the DARKNESS and into the LIGHT, by coming to God with a TRUE 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 become a LIGHT in the DARKNESS of the NIGHT, for others to be able to become LIGHTS too.  Do it NOW, while you STILL can.  He waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Night as Light as Day"

“Night as Light as Day”

 

Where can I go to get away from your Spirit?  Where can I run from you?

I could say, “The darkness will hide me.  Let the light around me turn into night.”

But even the darkness is not dark to you.  The night is as light as the day; darkness and light are the same to you.        Psalm 139:7, 11, 12

 

There are probably many people in this world, who at some point in time, have expressed the same thought as the Psalmist, “Where can I go to get away from your Spirit?”  Those who are living SINFUL lifestyles, and may be under CONVICTION, may be asking the same questions. “Where can I go?”  “Where can I run to?”

 

When a person is under the CONVICTING HAND of the ALMIGHTY God, they DESPERATELY want to escape.  But where can one ESCAPE to?  God is OMNIPRESENT, EVERYWHERE at the same time.  If you go up to the heavens, He’s there, if you go down to the lowest part of the earth, He’s there.   There NO PLACE to go, where God is not there.

 

Some people think that if they carry out their SINFUL deeds in the darkness, God cannot see what they are doing.  But as the Psalmist says, “The darkness will hide me.  Let the light around me turn into night.”  But even the darkness is not dark to You.  The NIGHT is as LIGHT as the DAY; DARKNESS and LIGHT are the SAME to You.”  YOU CANNOT RUN and YOU CANNOT HIDE.  He’s EVERYWHERE, even in the DARKNESS. 

 

So you might as well TURN AWAY from your sins and TURN TO Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESS your sins to Him and ASK Him to FORGIVE you for your SINS, and 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 and STOP trying to RUN and HIDE in the DARK.  Come to Him and RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"Keeping a Clear Conscience"

“Keeping a Clear Conscience “

 

Keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.      1 Peter 3:16

So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.       Acts 24:16

 

When we become a TRUE BELIEVER of Jesus Christ, we are to put off our old, sinful self and put on the NEW and MUCH IMPROVED self.  Which means we are NOT to act or talk the way we did before we became a TRUE BELIEVER.

 

We are to KEEP a CLEAR CONSCIENCE, so that we won’t give anyone who speaks maliciously against our good behavior, fuel for their fire, and if they do maliciously speak against our good behavior in Christ, they will be put to shame for their slander.

 

When we LIVE out what we BELIEVE, we can then proclaim our FAITH with a CLEAR CONSCIENCE. Knowing that we are living a RIGHTEOUS life before God.  Sure, we will be tempted and may even fall to temptation, but when we do sin, we NEED to CONFESS it to God, and we will be free from a GUILTY CONSCIENCE and will regain a CLEAR CONSCIENCE, because God is FAITHFUL and will FORGIVE our transgressions. 

 

The Apostle Paul says: “I strive ALWAYS to keep my CONSCIENCE CLEAR before God and man.”  We too need to STRIVE ALWAYS in KEEPING a CLEAR CONSCIENCE before God and man.  When we do this we are STRIVING to LIVE a LIFE that is ACCEPTABLE to God.  But we can’t LIVE that LIFE without the HELP of the Holy Spirit, which indwells EVERY TRUE BELIEVER. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God then you are NOT a TRUE BELIEVER, and you are probably living with a GUILTY CONSCIENCE continually, and not only that, but you are headed for an ETERNITY in Hell, unless you come to God with a TRUE 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 become a TRUE BELIEVER, STRIVING to KEEP a CLEAR CONSCIENCE, and with the HOPE of Heaven.   Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"ALL"

“ALL”

 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”         Mark 12:30

 

This is the GREATEST commandment of ALL, the second GREATEST is, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’   One of the teachers of the law came and asked Jesus; “Of ALL the commandments, which is the most important?”  Jesus answered him by saying, that to, “Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind and with ALL your strength.” was the GREATEST and MOST IMPORTANT of ALL the commandments.

 

The word “ALL” can change the WHOLE concept of any statement.  “ALL” means, the WHOLE of something. The ENTIRE thing.  NOT a PART but the WHOLE.  This is the GREATEST COMMANDMENT, that we LOVE the Lord God with ALL of our HEART, not just a little space, but with the WHOLE HEART, SOUL, MIND, and STRENGTH, with ALL that we are and EVER HOPE to be. 

 

God, the Creator of ALL things to include mankind, DEMANDS that the Crown of His Creation LOVE Him with ALL their HEART, SOUL, MIND and STRENGTH.  Can you imagine what this would do to this HATE-FILLED world, in which we live?  To LOVE God with ALL our, HEART, MIND, SOUL and STRENGTH, would CHANGE the world, DRASTICALLY.  LOVING the Lord God with ALL of our HEART, MIND, SOUL, and STRENGTH, CHANGES our RELATIONSHIP with others that is how it would CHANGE the world. 

 

Because God is LOVE, He expects us to LOVE. Jesus told the teacher of the law that the SECOND GREATEST COMMANDMENT was to, “LOVE your neighbor as yourself,”  the word NEIGHBOR, means your FELLOW MAN, the person near you is your NEIGHBOR.  When we LOVE them as we LOVE ourselves, it means that we LOVE them enough to tell them about the LOVE that God has for them, and the fact that He LOVED them so much that He sent His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, Jesus to die for them, in order for them to have the HOPE of HEAVEN. 

 

However, in order for you to LOVE them as you LOVE yourself, you MUST LOVE God with ALL your HEART, MIND, SOUL, and STRENGTH.  Do you?  If you are a TRUE BELIEVER, you SHOULD LOVE Him with ALL your HEART, MIND, SOUL and STRENGTH.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, then you have NOT experienced the LOVE that God has for you, and can NOT LOVE Him with ALL your HEART, MIND, SOUL and STRENGTH, and you can NOT LOVE your neighbor as yourself, nor do you possess the HOPE of HEAVEN, but are headed for an ETERNITY in Hell.  But God is giving you the opportunity NOW, to come to Him 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 SALVATION, and LOVE Him with ALL your HEART, MIND, SOUL and STRENGTH, and LOVE your neighbor as do yourself, and receive the HOPE of HEAVEN.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Cursed Removed=The Blessing Promised"

“The Cursed Removed=The Blessing Promised”

 

Christ took away the curse the law put on us.  He changed places with us and put himself under that curse.  It is written in the Scriptures, “Anyone whose body is displayed on a tree is cursed.”  Christ did this so that God’s blessing promised to Abraham might come through Jesus Christ to those who are not Jews.  Jesus died so that by our believing we could receive the Spirit that God promised.         Galatians 3:13-14

 

Mankind is NOT justified by the “keeping of the law”.   No one can be made right with God by following the law.   The law ONLY shows us our sin.  The law was given to show mankind how they should live and it is impossible to keep ALL of the laws.  The purpose of the laws was to give the people rules to live by.  If justification could be obtained by keeping the law, then our SALVATION and SANCTIFICATION would be accomplished by our “good works.” And the Apostle Paul tells us that we have been SAVED by GRACE and NOT by our OWN WORKS.  It is the gift from God.  NOT a result of our OWN efforts, therefore we cannot boast on our OWN merits. (Eph. 2:8, 9). 

 

Since keeping the law is NOT the answer for mankind’s sin, God sent His ONLY BEGOTTEN Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to take away the curse that the law put on us, because of the IMPOSSIBILITY of keeping ALL the law, mankind could not be justified by the law, and was cursed by the law.  So Jesus came and changed places with ALL mankind, and put Himself under the curse.  He took OUR place and He who KNEW NO SIN, became sin, by taking on ALL the SINS of ALL mankind, and was hung on the cross.  The Scripture says:  “Anyone whose body is displayed on a tree is cursed.”  What AGONY He must have endured, for the SALVATION of the souls of sinful mankind. 

 

Christ did this so that God’s BLESSING PROMISED to Abraham could come through Him to ALL mankind, even to those who are NOT Jews.  Jesus suffered and died in order for the TRUE BELIEVER to be able to RECEIVE the PROMISED Spirit of God.  Without Him we could not live a RIGHTEOUS LIFE.   We MUST live by the Spirit, and NOT the flesh in order to be made RIGHT with God, and this can ONLY be done by YIELDING to Him, and FOLLOWING His LEADERSHIP in our lives.  He is our PROMISED BLESSING.  Do you possess it?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God or you believe that if you KEEP the law, you will make it to Heaven, you are living a lie, straight from the devil, who will lead you to an ETERNITY in the place of UNENDING AGONY.  You must come to God with a TRUE 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 receive His BLESSED PROMISE of His Spirit.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming  SOON!!!  

 

 

"Real Love"

“Real Love”

 

Dear friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has become God’s child and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed His love to us:  He sent His one and only Son into the world so that we could have life through Him.  This is what real love is:  It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us in sending His Son to be the way to take away our sins.                        1 John 4:7-10

 

“God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him may not be lost, but have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)  This is REAL LOVE!  A love that is SACRIFICAL. God, in His INFINITE MERCY and AMAZING GRACE exemplified REAL LOVE.  Even though He knew the world was EVIL, CORRUPT, WICKED, and DEPRAVED, He STILL LOVED the Crown of His Creation, mankind, so much that He was willing to send His OWN Son into this world to be TORMENTED, TORTURED, BEATEN UNMERCIFULLY, and to DIE a shameful death on an old rugged cross, in order for mankind to be SAVED from their SINS, and to experience REAL LOVE.  

 

“…Love each other.  You must love each other as I have loved you.  All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”  (John 13:34)  This is REAL LOVE!  A love that is SHARED among each other.  Can you imagine how this world would be if everyone LOVED each other.  Just think about that for a while.  If you are a TRUE BELIEVER this is a definite MANDATE from the Lord, himself, that we would love each other as He loves us in order for ALL people to know who we are, because of the REAL LOVE we possess.

 

REAL LOVE, is not our love for God; it is God’s LOVE for us in sending His Son to be OUR SACRIFICE for OUR SINS.  God’s LOVE, is so RICH, and PURE, MEASURELESS, and STRONG, and it will ENDURE throughout the ages.  Regardless of what we do, His LOVE for us will not change.  This is REAL LOVE. 

 

Have you experienced REAL LOVE, the LOVE of God?  God’s LOVE is like no other kind of LOVE, It is UNIQUE, because GOD is LOVE, and He wants you to experience His LOVE, but before you can do that you MUST come to Him 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 SALVATION, and experience REAL LOVE, the LOVE of God.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Great Intercessors"

“The Great Intercessors”

 

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.         Romans 8:27

 

There are times when a TRUE BELIEVER is burdened about something or someone and they seem to not be able to voice their concerns to God, when we are faced with these times, we can have the assurance that the Holy Spirit that indwells us is there to help us in our weakness, and will make INTERCESSION for us with groanings that cannot be uttered.  

 

The Holy Spirit is NOT the ONLY one who INTERCEDES for the TRUE BELIEVER.  Jesus Christ, also INTERCEDES for us.  He is at the RIGHT hand of God INTERCEDING for us. So we can take heart, we are CONTINUALLY being INTERCEDED for by the GREAT INTERCESSORS, who KNOWS the will of God and makes INTERCESSION for us according to that will. 

 

The One who searches the HEARTS, is God and He definitely KNOWS the mind of His Spirit.  Therefore God KNOWS beforehand what we NEED or what we are trying to PRAY for.  So we do NOT need to think that we have failed in our PRAYER LIFE, when we can’t seem to get the RIGHT words out, or when we don’t know how to voice our prayers, because we have the GREAT INTERESSORS praying on our behalf. 

 

But this is not the only time the Spirit works for the TRUE BELIEVER, He is CONTINUALLY working for us and in us to accomplish the PERFECT WILL of God. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then your prayers are NOT even heard by Him, unless your prayer is a prayer of REPENTANCE and CONFESSION.  After you become a TRUE BELIEVER, then the Holy Spirit comes and lives in you and will work CONTINUALLY on your behalf, and you too can have the assurance that God hears your prayers, because you have the INTERCEDING of the GREAT INTERCESSORS.  But in order for that to come about, you MUST come to God with a TRUE 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 become a TRUE BELIEVER with the ASSURANCE of the work of the GREAT INTERCESSORS in and for you.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Greater and the Less"

“The Greater and the Less”

 

“He must become greater; I must become less.”       John 3:30

 

Before John the Baptist was put into prison, he and Jesus were in the same area ministering. Jesus’ popularity and influence was growing, which filled the heart of John the Baptist, with JOY.  His disciples seemed to forget John’s teaching that he was NOT the Messiah, but only the forerunner of the promised Messiah.    John’s prophecy of Jesus’ being the PROMISED MESSIAH was being fulfilled before John’s very eyes, and this filled John’s heart with GREAT JOY.  I think John’s disciples were harboring a little jealousy in their hearts.  But John set them straight.

 

He told them that “the friend of the bridegroom, who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for the groom, and is full of JOY when he hears the groom’s voice. “  The attendant or friend, is NOT GREATER than the groom, but becomes LESS in their positions.  John told his disciples that Jesus MUST become GREATER, he MUST become LESS.  That brought JOY to John’s heart.

 

When a person comes to God for the SALVATION of their soul, they SHOULD know that they are NOT GREATER than Jesus Christ, but they are at His bidding.  He is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords.  The TRUE BELIEVERS are SINNERS saved by GRACE.  Had it not been for Jesus coming to earth to SAVE mankind from their WRETCHED, UNRIGHTEOUS, SINFUL lives, their righteousness would still be like FILTHY, PUTRED RAGS before the Holy Righteous God of this Universe.  And they would be DOOMED to an ETERNITY in HELL.  But because of GOD’s AMAZING GRACE and ABUNDANT MERCY they are SAVED from Hell.  They should therefore, like John the Baptist; let Jesus be the GREATER and them the LESS.  He SHOULD SHINE in EVERY TRUE BELIEVER’S Life that others would be drawn to Him for their SALVATION.  HE is the GREATER and we are the LESS. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are LOST and headed to HELL for ALL of ETERNITY, with NO WAY of ESCAPE, UNLESS you come to God with a TRUE 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 allow Him to be the GREATER and you are the LESS.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Flattering Lips and a Deceptive Heart"

“Flattering Lips and a Deceptive Heart”

 

Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.   Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts.   May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue---those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us--- who is lord over us?”      Psalm 12:1-4

 

From the workplace to the worship-place, there are people who have FLATTERING LIPS and a DECEPTIVE HEART.  They lie, flatter, gossip, slander, in order to get what they desire, regardless of the damage it might do to others. 

 

In essence they are living a DOUBLE LIFE, they FLATTER with their lips, while harboring DECEPTION in their hearts.  They are not FAITHFUL nor are they TRUSTWORTHY.  The WORD of God tells us that: “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues DECEIVE themselves and their religion is WORTHLESS.”  (James 1:26).   “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are TRUSTWORTHY.”  (Proverbs 12:22).  

 

It seems as though this is the arena that Satan enjoys more, because it is the biggest problem in churches today.  FLATTERING LIPS and DECEPTIVE HEARTS are what will destroy the ministry of the church.  It will DIVIDE and WEAKEN the church and its MAIN OBJECTIVE, to WIN the LOST for Christ.  The Psalmist, cries out to God seeking HELP and PUTTING a STOP to ALL FLATTERING LIPS and EVERY BOASTFUL TONGUE---those who say in their heart and mind, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us---who is lord over US?”  They BOAST about the deception that dwells in their hearts and will lie to cover up their wicked schemes, then they believe that there is NOBODY who will confront them or have any control over them, but themselves.  Are you a part of such UNGODLY actions?  If your answer is YES, then you NEED to turn away from it, SEPARATE yourself from it, and CONFESS it to God, and ask for His FORGIVENESS.  So that you might be used to help BUILD-UP the body of Christ, the Church, and not to DESTROY IT. 

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are working for the devil and may be used to help him DESTROY the work of the Church.  You are headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, unless you TURN AWAY from your sinful life and TURN to Him, with a TRUE 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 help BUILD-UP the BODY of Christ, and NOT DESTROY IT.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Whose Body is It Anyway?"

“Whose Body is It Anyway?”

 

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your bodies.        1 Corinthians 6:19, 20

 

When a person comes to God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, seeking FORGIVENESS of their sins, they receive NOT only the FORGIVENESS of their sins, but they receive the Holy Spirit of God, which comes to indwell them.  They have been REDEEMED or BOUGHT with a PRICE.  That PRICE is the PRECIOUS shed BLOOD and LIFE of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He gave His body as a PERFECT, ONCE FOR ALL, SACRIFICE for the SALVATION of a LOST and DYING world.  He did that because it was the ONLY way for MANKIND to be SAVED from an ETERNITY in HELL, the place of UNENDING torture, torment, pain, heartache, agony and despair. 

 

Because of mankind’s sin they could NOT come to God on their own, because they are UNRIGHTEOUS and God is RIGHTEOUS.  Therefore, they needed to be made RIGHTEOUS, which is /was accomplished through the LIFE, DEATH, and RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ. 

 

Then the bodies of the TRUE BELIEVERS becomes the TEMPLES of the Holy Spirit of the RIGHTEOUS God, who is living in them.  They have been PURCHASED or BOUGHT with a PRICE.  They are NOT their own.  Therefore their bodies belong to GOD, and they SHOULD honor God with their bodies.  They NEED to TURN AWAY from their SINS and TURN TO God, daily.

 

The world in which we live is LOST, SINFUL, and DEPRAVED, and sadly influencing MANY poor wretched souls to live according to the desires of the FLESH.  Their bodies are NOT their own, but they are SLAVES to their sins, and to the will of the devil.  They are LOST and DESTINED to an ETERNITY in HELL, unless they TURN AWAY from their SINFUL life, and TURN to God for the SALVATION of their souls, to be REDEEMED or BOUGHT with a price, realizing that their bodies are TEMPLES of the Holy Spirit.  And to HONOR GOD with their BODIES. 

 

To do that you must come to God with a TRUE 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, the ACCEPT His gift of Salvation, and be REDEEMED with a PRICE, and become a TEMPLE for the Holy Spirit.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

 

"Forsaken"

“Forsaken”

 

At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?”  Which is translated, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?’       Mark 15:34

 

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.        2 Corinthians 5:21

 

FORSAKEN:  ABANDONMENT, to LEAVE, GIVE UP, or to DESERT. 

 

In this country, people FORSAKE each other daily.  Spouses FORSAKE each other, parents FORSAKE their children, and children FORSAKE their parents, and friends FORSAKE each other, for all kinds of reasons, and while this may be painful emotionally, it cannot compare to what our Lord Jesus went through on the cross, when God the Father had FORSAKEN God the Son.

 

The PAIN and ANGUISH of the soul is much deeper and painful than anything a person will endure.  When the TRUE BELIEVER goes through trials and tests or when they harbor unconfessed sins, they get a taste of the PAIN and ANGUISH of the soul, while they are NOT FORSAKEN by God, because of their relationship with Him, which is made possible, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, they can and will experience a SEPARATION of their relationship with Him, until they confess their sins to Him.  Some trials and testing may put them through the fire to strengthen their faith, and they will experience the PAIN and ANGUISH of the soul.

 

In order for God and mankind to have a right relationship with each other, there had to be a WAY from SINFUL MANKIND to the RIGHTEOUS GOD.  That WAY was provided by God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, who was SINLESS, He was without SIN, NEVER knew SIN, He was SPOTLESS, and for the FORGIVENESS of mankind’s sins, God made Jesus, who knew NO sin to become SIN on our behalf, in order for us to become the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.  God being a HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD, could not bear to look on His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, who had never been FORSAKEN by God, from ETERNITY PAST to ETERNITY FUTURE. But at that moment on the cross, when He took on the sins of ALL mankind, PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE, He was FORSAKEN by His Heavenly Father, and He KNEW and EXPERIENCED the PAIN and ANGUISH of the soul. 

 

If you have never given your HEART and LIFE to God then you are living a SINFUL life-style and are doomed for an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, anguish, heartache and despair, even if you think you are living a “GOOD” life.  If you have NOT come to God 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, and ACCEPTING His gift of SALVATION, then you WILL NOT make it to Heaven, but you WILL be FORSAKEN, because of YOUR sins.  So do the above things, NOW, while you still can because He is waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"The Healthy, Thriving Church"

“The Healthy, Thriving Church”

 

The church everywhere in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had a time of peace and became stronger.  Respecting the Lord by the way they lived, and being encouraged by the Holy Spirit, the group of believers continued to grow.        Acts 9:31

 

What is a HEALTHY, THRIVING church?  And how did it get that way?  The church is made up of a body of people, who profess to be BELIEVERS in the Lord Jesus Christ.  They SHOULD be ALL in one ACCORD with the teachings of the Holy Scriptures, and SHOULD LOVE each other UNCONDITIONALLY as God LOVES us.  They SHOULD have a HEART of FORGIVENESS and COMPASSION for EVERYBODY, not just their little click or group, but for ALL PEOPLE, even the downcast, and unlovable. 

 

The HEALTHY, THRIVING church is a church that WORKS together and NOT against each other.  It’s a church that shows RESPECT for the Lord by the way they conduct themselves.  In other words they LIVE by the WORD of GOD.  LEARNING and OBEYING His commands, even if it goes against what THEY may want or think.   They SHOULD be SUBMISSIVE to God, DYING to their fleshly desires, and being brought into the NEWNESS of LIFE in Christ Jesus through the WORK of God’s Holy Spirit.

 

The HEALTHY, THRIVING church is a church that is being ENCOURAGED by the HOLY SPIRIT.  Whenever people are ENCOURAGED they are more apt to WORK harder and be more FAITHFUL to the cause of Christ.  The Holy Spirit sets the example for the TRUE BELIEVER, who SHOULD ENCOURAGE other TRUE BELIEVERS in their walk with the Lord, they should NOT, be envious or jealous of each other.  They SHOULD NOT gossip, back-bite, or slander others, but should ENCOURAGE them and be willing to mentor or disciple them. 

 

The devil is ALIVE and is HARD at WORK, trying to destroy the Church, the body of Christ.  The body is only as STRONG as the different parts of it is STRONG.  The devil knows where he can attack and be victorious in a person’s life to bring them down to his level.  Using them to DESTROY the WORK God is doing.  They become a THREAT to the HEALTH of the Church.  And could possibly be the DEATH of the local church they are a part of.  BEWARE THE DEVIL IS LIKE A ROARING LION SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR!!

 

Check out your own WALK with God.  Are you LOVING, COMPASSIONATE, FORGIVING, and ENCOURAGING?  Are you WORKING HARD and FAITHFUL to keep the Church HEALTHY and THRIVING?  Or are you, ENVIOUS, JEALOUS, GOSSIPING, BACKBITING and SLANDERING others? Tearing down and working AGAINST God’s Church, making it WEAK and SICK.  If you are doing these things you NEED FORGIVENESS.  Maybe you have NOT TRULY given your HEART and Life to God, then you are doing the work of the devil and are headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, unless you come to God with a TRUE 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 be a part of the HEALTHY, THRIVING Church.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"The Spirit without Measure"

“The Spirit without Measure”

 

For God sent Him, and He speaks God’s words, since He gives the Spirit without measure.      John 3:34

When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message with boldness.        Acts 4:31

 

When God sent Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son, into the world to save the world from its sins.  He was endowed with the FULLNESS of the Holy Spirit, without measure.  When a person TRULY accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they are given the gift of the Holy Spirit.  They are to be FILLED with the Spirit, this does NOT mean that they only receive a small portion of the Spirit, at that time, and a little more later on, until they are all FILLED UP with the Holy Spirit.  To be FILLED by the Spirit, is to be LED or CONTROLLED by the Spirit of God.  This is why the Apostle Paul instructs the TRUE BELIEVER NOT to QUENCH the Spirit, (1Thess. 5:19).

 

Peter and John had a prayer meeting with some other believers, and they prayed that the Lord would give them the privilege to speak the message of God with COMPLETE BOLDNESS.  When they had finished their prayer, the place where they were gathered, SHOOK, and they were ALL FILLED, or LED, or CONTROLLED by the HOLY SPIRIT and began to speak God’s message with boldness.  They did NOT QUENCH His Spirit but they ALLOWED the Spirit to speak BOLDILY through them. 

 

As TRUE BELIEVERS, we have the POWER and CAPABILITY of doing WHATEVER God calls us to do, because of the FULLNESS of His Spirit that ABIDES within us.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are NOT a TRUE BELIEVER, but you are LOST and headed for a place called HELL, the place of UNENDING torment, torture, pain, heartache, agony and despair, with NO WAY of ESCAPE.  However, you are NOW being given the opportunity to TURN AWAY from your sins and TURN TO GOD, 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 SALVATION, and be FILLED, (LED or CONTROLLED), with God’s Holy Spirit, without measure.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

"Where is Your God?"

“Where is Your God?”

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God?  My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”      Psalm 42 1-3

We all, at some time, or another, have faced, or had faced, or ARE facing precarious situations. Situations that are sometimes a REAL CHALLENGE to our FAITH.  The Psalmist, here is talking of such a PRECARIOUS TIME.  A time when he was being bombarded with OPPRESSION and TORMENT from his enemies.  However he knew where his HELP would come from.  And like a deer pants for streams of water, so his soul panted for God. 

His DRY, OPPRESSED, TORMENTED soul thirsted for the LIVING GOD.  And in his NEED, he CRIES out to God, “When can I go and meet with God?”  Those of us who have a designated time and place for our “Quiet Time” with our Heavenly Father, knows how important it is to KEEP that SAME time and place EVERYDAY, we NEED to make it a PRIORITY in our busy, fast-paced life.  And evidently so did the Psalmist.

When we go for our time with Father God, we must go with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, a HEART that is BROKEN and CONTRITE before the LIVING GOD, even to tears.  The ENEMIES of the Psalmist tormented and oppressed him, ALL DAY LONG with, “Where is your God?”  They could see that he was suffering and longing for God, but it seemed as though he was ABANDONDED.

However, they were NOT successful with their taunting and oppressive rhetoric of; “Where is your God?”  Instead it caused him to reflect on his past worship experiences, and he said:  “Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your HOPE in God, for I will yet PRAISE Him, my Savior and my God.”  (v5), and he KNEW full well WHERE HIS GOD WAS.

IF you are a TRUE CHILD of God, and you are dealing with those PRECARIOUS situations, you can have that ASSURANCE of knowing WHERE YOUR GOD IS, too.  Because He dwells within the HEART of EVERY TRUE BELIEVER, in form of the HOLY SPIRIT.  He is ALWAYS with you, and KNOWS your EVERY SITUATION.  Just like the Psalmist, you MUST THIRST after the LIVING GOD, and He will direct His love to you by day and His song will be with you during the night.

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are NOT His TRUE CHILD, and are in NEED of His LOVE to bring you through the PRECARIOUS SITUATIONS of your LIFE.  And for the SALVATION of your SOUL.  In order to do that, you MUST come to God with a TRUE 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 escape HELL and the CONTINUAL TAUNTING of:  “Where is your God?”  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"They Hated Me for No Reason"

“They Hated Me for No Reason”

 

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.

But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law:  “They hated Me without reason.”                           John 15:18, 19, 25

 

There was once a cliché: “Feel the LOVE.”  Now we seem to be in an environment with a cliché of:  “Feel the HATE”, because we seem to live in a world where we see very little expressions of LOVE and a LOT more expressions of HATE.  Mainly among our YOUNG people in our UNIVERSITIES and our COLLEGES, those who are ENCOURAGED to express their HATE-FILLED rhetoric, which a lot of times ends up in VIOLENT clashes among the OPPOSING sides, and not only destruction of properties, but even the murder of innocent people.  What a horrible environment to raise our families in.

 

Jesus was talking to His disciples (followers), about the environment that they were living in, and He told them this:  “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.”  Jesus did NOT “feel the LOVE.” Instead He felt the HATE, of the very ones that should have SHOWERED Him with their AFFECTIONS, however, the Religious Leaders, felt the HATE in their HEARTS, instead, and STIRRED up the people to “Feel the HATE in their HEARTS for the Son of the Living God, Jesus Christ.   Even to putting Him to DEATH on an old rugged cross.  “They HATED Him for NO reason!”  Other than their OWN sinful HEARTS. 

 

This HATE-FILLED environment put Jesus’ disciples at risk, because of their CLOSE RELATIONSHIP with Him.  This same HATE-FILLED environment puts the TRUE BELIEVERS of today, at risk also.  Many have been PERSECUTED and put to DEATH because of their CLOSE RELATIONSHIP to the Lord.   If they would have compromised with the world, and given-up their FAITH in Jesus Christ, then their lives might have been spared.   Some TRUE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS are scorned, slandered, belittled and done even worse by family members and friends for being so FANATICAL about their FAITH.   In my opinion, if someone DIES to SAVE you from an ETERNITY of TORMENT and TORTURE, HEARTACHE and PAIN, you need to be FANATICAL about your RELATIONSHIP with them.  But many are shunned and “feel the HATE, NOT the LOVE.  And they are HATED for NO reason, other than their RELATIONSHIP with Jesus.

 

Are you living in a HATE-FILLED environment, one of your OWN making?  Have you given your HEART and LIFE to God?  If NOT, then you are headed for a VERY HATE-FILLED, environment, called Hell, the place of UNENDING, torment, torture, pain, heartache, agony, and despair.  A place where you will NOT “feel the LOVE” ever, you will only “feel the HATE” FOREVER, unless you come to God with a TRUE 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 “FEEL THE LOVE!!”  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"A Doomed Generation"

“A Doomed Generation”

 

“That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”  

And to whom did God swear that they would never enter His rest if not to those who disobeyed?  So we see that they were not able to enter because of their unbelief.

Hebrews 3:10, 11, 18, 19

 

The Author of this letter, was possibly talking to a group of Jews, or a community of mixed races, Jews being the majority, warning them against UNBELIEF.  The Author, indicated a lot of things, which the Jews would have been more familiar with, therefore I think they were addressing the Jews. 

 

However, the IMPORTANT thing is the WARNING.  God through His Holy Spirit talks to the group about the REBELLION of the Israelites during the time of testing in the wilderness.  God warns them of HARDENING their HEARTS as their ancestors did in the wilderness.  He said:  “That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, “Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.”   The retribution for their WAYWARD HEARTS was given in an oath God declared in His anger, they would NEVER enter His REST.  No HOPE of HEAVEN.

 

This message was NOT only given for those to whom the letter was written, but it applies to ANYONE who LIVES a DISOBEDIENT LIFE, in UNBELIEF of God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  When we look at the NEXT GENERATION and their LIFE-STYLE for most of them, we NEED to ask ourselves the question:  “What have we taught them or what are we PRESENTLY teaching them about their RELATIONSHIP with God?”  What kind of an EXAMPLE are we showing them? 

 

They are our CHILDREN and GRANDCHILDREN!  Can we in ALL HONESTY, say we want the VERY BEST for them, yet we aren’t CONCERNED enough to tell them about God and His LOVE for THEM?  They, just like ALL PEOPLE will face ETERNITY, where will they SPEND ETERNITY?  Will their blood be on our hands, because we did not bring them up and nurture them in the Lord?  Have we FAILED to SHARE JESUS with them?  Maybe, you can’t because you don’t have a RELATIONSHIP with Him.  That is where it STARTS. 

 

You MUST have a RELATIONSHIP with God and His Son, Jesus, before you can lead anyone else to them.  You MUST come to God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING 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 RELATIONSHIP with Him, so you can lead OTHERS to Him for their SALVATION.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!