Friday, August 31, 2018

"The Spirit of Truth"


“The Spirit of Truth”

 

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever---the Spirit of Truth.  The world cannot accept Him, because it does not see Him or know Him.  But you know Him, because He lives with you and He will be in you.         John 14:16-17

 

Jesus had told His disciples, a number of times that He was going to leave them.  But this time was shortly before His crucifixion.  He wanted to assure them that He was NOT going to leave them ALONE.  So He tells them that He will send them another HELPER. In the GREEK, HELPER is called a “parakleton”, meaning “one called alongside to HELP.” 

 

This Helper would be with them CONTINUALLY and would NEVER LEAVE them.  This Helper is the SPIRIT of TRUTH.   He is NOT RECOGNIZED nor is He ACCEPTED by the world, because the world does not SEE Him or KNOW Him.  But because He will take up residence inside the disciples, they WOULD KNOW Him.  He will take up where Jesus ended.  He will be NOT ONLY their Helper, but He will be their GUIDE, TEACHER, COMFORTER, COUNSELOR, INTERCESSOR, and CONSTANT COMPANION.

 

The TRUE BELIEVER, today, RECEIVES the Holy Spirit at the time of conversion, and He does NOT leave the TRUE BELIEVER.  REMEMBER, Jesus told them that the HELPER would be with them FOREVER, and so will He be with the TRUE BELIEVER.    He will be our GUIDE, TEACHER, COMFORTER, COUNSELOR, INTERCESSOR, and CONSTANT COMPANION.  We too have that ASSURANCE. 

 

Our problem, a lot of the time, is that we QUENCH the Spirit and are NOT FULLY SUBMISSIVE to His LEADERSHIP.  Some want to “blend in” with the world, and not be considered “different” but God’s word tells us that we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)  If you are a TRUE BELIEVER, you are DIFFERENT than this LOST and DYING world.  You are CHOSEN and HOLY, and you are God’s POSSESSION.   Have you been called out of the DARKNESS?  Do you POSSESS the Spirit of Truth?  

 

If your answer is “NO” to these questions, then you are DOOMED to spend ALL ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL of its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  The ONLY WAY for you to ESCAPE Hell, is for you to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, by TURNING TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and RECEIVE the SPIRIT of TRUTH, (HOLY SPIRIT), to work in you and to make you what God wants you to be.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

"Betrayed"


“Betrayed”

 

After He had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray Me.”     John 13:21

 

BETRAY means to; be UNFAITHFUL.  Jesus KNEW that He would be BETRAYED, and He knew who would BETRAY Him.  The scripture tells us that Jesus was TROUBLED in spirit.  Jesus was TROUBLED with the fact that Judas would BETRAY their FRIENDSHIP and the LOVE that Jesus had for him.  

 

He sensed the difference in Judas.  The SPIRITUAL INDIFFERENCE and SPIRITUAL HARDNESS, which sin had produced in the heart of Judas.  It was UNCONSCIENABLE to imagine that ANYBODY in this CLOSE-KNIT body of men could do such a thing to Jesus.  Judas was so good at hiding his BETRAYAL that NO ONE noticed.  Jesus KNEW and was waiting for Judas to make his move.  But the others were oblivious to his covert plans.

 

 BETRAYAL will KILL a HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP.  It is a DECEPTIVE, EVIL TOOL of Satan’s to wreak havoc in HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.  It is DESTRUCTIVE and DEVISIVE in the HEARTS and LIVES of those who participate in it.

 

We are quick to condemn Judas in his act of BETRAYAL, yet, I must ask this question:  “Do we not BETRAY our Lord, when we DISOBEY God’s laws?  Or when we participate in things that brings SHAME and DISHONOR to Him.  Remember to BETRAY is to be UNFAITHFUL.  Are we, at times UNFAITHFUL to our Lord Jesus Christ and our RELATIONSHIP with Him?  I’m sure we all must answer, yes, because we FAIL Him daily.  If we are TRUE BELIEVERS, then we will come under CONVICTION and we will CONFESS our sins to Him, seeking RESTORATION of our RELATIONSHIP, because this is the WORK of the HOLY SPIRIT, who indwells us.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you have NO RELATIONSHIP with Him. And because you have NO RELATIONSHIP with Him, you are headed for an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL of its HORRORS.  You can change your destiny by; TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURNING TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You must then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and work at ALWAYS being FAITHFUL to Him and NOT BETRAYING His LOVE for You.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

From Darkness Into the Light"


“From Darkness Into the Light”

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness.       John 12:46

This is the verdict:  Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.         John 3:19-21

 

From the fall of mankind, people have lived in SPIRITUAL DARKNESS, SEPARATED from God, and ALL that is RIGHTEOUS and HOLY.  Their nature is to SIN and to be REBELLIOUS against their Creator. 

 

So God provided a Light, Jesus Christ, to come into the DARK WORLD and to RESCUE those who are perishing in DARKNESS.  This Light, will DELIVER mankind from the DARKNESS for good.  They will NOT have to STAY in the DARKNESS, if they will BELIEVE in the Light, Jesus Christ.

 

However, it seems that the verdict is:  The Light has come into the world, but people loved the DARKNESS instead of the LIGHT, because their deeds were evil.  And most EVIL deeds are carried out in the cloak of DARKNESS.  It seems that EVERYONE who does evil hates the LIGHT, and will NOT come into the LIGHT for FEAR that their EVIL deeds will be exposed.  But those who LIVE by the TRUTH will come into the LIGHT, so that it may be PLAINLY SEEN that what they have done has been done in the SIGHT of GOD.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ sent the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles, to open their eyes and turn them from DARKNESS to LIGHT, and from the power of Satan to God, in order that they might receive FORGIVENESS of SINS, and a place among those who are sanctified by FAITH in CHRIST JESUS.  (Acts 26:18)

 

The Apostle Paul encourages us in his letter to the TRUE BELIEVERS in Ephesus.  He says:  For you were once DARKNESS, but NOW you are LIGHT in the Lord.  Live as Children of Light.  (Ephesians 5:8)

 

The Apostle Peter says:  You are a CHOSEN PEOPLE, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, a HOLY NATION, God’s SPECIAL POSSESSION, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of DARKNESS into His WONDERFUL LIGHT.  (1 Peter 2:9)  Are you STILL in the DARKNESS?

 

If you are then you are headed for an ETERNITY in Hell, the place of UNENDING HORRORS, and with NO WAY of ESCAPE.  You NEED to come OUT of the DARKNESS and INTO the GLORIOUS LIGHT of God’s LOVE, by TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURNING TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU.  And that He is in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be RELEASED from the DARKNESS and COME into the LIGHT.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

Monday, August 27, 2018

"Do You Believe?"


“Do You Believe?”

 

Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.  Those who believe in Me will have life even if they die.  And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die, Martha, do you believe this?”  Martha answered, “Yes, Lord.  I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the One coming to the world.”          John 11:25-27

 

Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, all of who were friends with Jesus, had died. When he was close to death, Mary and Martha sent for Jesus, but Jesus waited to go to them, because He was going to work an AWESOME MIRACLE, that would CONFIRM who He CLAIMED to be and who He ACTUALLY WAS/IS.

 

When Jesus arrived, He learned that Lazarus had already been dead and in the grave for four days.  Martha went out to meet Jesus, and said to Him.  “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would NOT have died.   Jesus told Martha, “Your brother will rise and live again.”  Martha said that she knew he would rise and live again in the RESURRECTION on the last day. 

 

But Jesus wanted Martha to KNOW that HE was the RESURRECTION and the LIFE.  Without Him there is NO HOPE for OUR RESURRECTION or ETERNAL LIFE.  We ALL would DIE a SPIRITUAL DEATH and be DOOMED to HELL.  But for those who BELIEVE in Christ Jesus, they will have LIFE, even if they DIE (physical death).  And everyone who LIVES and BELIEVES in Christ, will NEVER die.  Then Jesus asks Martha a very CRUCIAL question:  “Martha, do you BELIEVE this?”

 

Martha’s CONFESSION of her BELIEF, was three-fold, she answered.  “Yes, Lord I BELIEVE that You are: (1) the Christ, (2) the Son of God, (3) The Coming One.”  Martha had a STRONG FAITH and KNEW without any doubt that Jesus was EXACTLY who He CLAIMED to be.  Do you agree with Martha’s assumption of who Jesus REALLY IS?  DO YOU BELIEVE that He is who He CLAIMS to be?

 

If your answer is YES!  Then you will be a part of the COMING RESURRECTION of God’s Children, and will have ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven.  But should your answer be NO!  Then you will NOT be a part of His RESURRECTION and you will be SPIRITUALLY DEAD, in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS.  In order to CHANGE your destiny from HELL to HEAVEN there are some things you MUST DO.  First of all; you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle.  Then you MUST TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You then, MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and BELIEVE in the LORD JESUS CHRIST, with ALL your HEART.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON.

Saturday, August 25, 2018

"The GOOD, GOOD Shepherd"


“The Good, Good Shepherd”

 

“I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me---just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep.”      John 10:14-15

 

Jesus is the GOOD, GOOD SHEPHERD, and those who TRULY BELIEVE in Him, are His SHEEP.   It was Jesus’ way of stressing His relationship with His FLOCK, and with His FATHER.  A GOOD shepherd, will put the NEEDS of his SHEEP before his own needs.  He risks his life to PROTECT his sheep.  He would leave the FLOCK in the SHEEP FOLD, and go to LOOK for that ONE LOST sheep.  He WATCHES OVER his FLOCK with INTENSE SCRUTINY, making SURE that his sheep are SAFE and SECURE.  He KNOWS his sheep, and would NOT get them confused with the sheep from another FLOCK.  The sheep KNOW their shepherd’s voice.  When He calls them, they KNOW the sound of his FAMILIAR voice, and they COME and FOLLOW him.

 

Jesus is the GOOD, GOOD SHEPHERD to His FLOCK, He will NEVER LEAVE His SHEEP.  He will keep a CLOSE WATCH over each of the sheep.  He is a GREAT PROVIDER, and will take care of ALL their NEEDS.  Jesus GAVE His LIFE on their behalf, His DEATH gives them LIFE. 

 

The relationship of the GOOD, GOOD SHEPHERD to His sheep is likened to the RELATIONSHIP of Jesus and His Father.  It is a LOVING and TRUSTING relationship.  And this RELATIONSHIP is offered to ALL STRAY SHEEP, who will HEAR the VOICE of the GOOD, GOOD SHEPHERD, and will COME and FOLLOW HIM.  Have YOU heard this VOICE CALLING you?  Are you trying to IGNORE the VOICE?  If this is the case, you are in DANGER of a SPIRITUAL DEATH that will send you over the cliff and STRAIGHT into the DEPTHS of HELL, with ALL of its HORRORS, for ETERNITY, and there is NO WAY of ESCAPE. 

 

In order to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, you MUST COME and FOLLOW the GOOD, GOOD SHEPHERD when He CALLS.  You MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then you MUST BELIEVE that JESUS died for YOU and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become ONE of His FLOCK, and let Him be your GOOD, GOOD SHEPHERD.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, August 23, 2018

"Who is Jesus?"


“Who is Jesus?”

 

Then they asked Him, “Where is your Father?”   “You do not know Me or My Father,” Jesus replied.  “If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.”

…”You are from below; I am from above.  You are of this world; I am not of the world.   I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am He, you will indeed die in your sins.”           John 8:19, 23, 24

 

Jesus was teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put.   The Jews asked Him, “Who are you?”  Their inability to KNOW who Jesus was, is evidence that they REALLY didn’t KNOW who His Father was.  They were, more than likely, seeking information on His HUMAN FATHER.  And NOT ACKNOWLEDGING that GOD was His FATHER.                 

 

So Jesus enlightened them, a little bit more, with some “earth-shattering” information.  He stated that they were from below, indicating that they were of this WORLD.  And that He was from ABOVE, meaning He was from Heaven.  Jesus wanted them to KNOW the consequences of UNBELIEF.  So He told them that they were destined to DIE in their SINS.   If they did NOT BELIEVE in Him as God’s ONLY SON, they would die a SPIRITUAL DEATH and spend ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL of its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  They were DOOMED because of their UNBELIEF.  

 

Do you REALLY KNOW who Jesus is?  Do you BELIEVE that He TRULY EXIST?  Or are you LIVING in UNBELIEF, and headed for an ETERNITY in HELL?  In order to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, you MUST DO the following things.  First: You MUST TURN AWAY from your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that His is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and KNOW that you KNOW who JESUS IS, and where you will be spending ALL of ETERNITY.  So do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!                                                                                                                                                             

 

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

"The Seal of Approval"


“The Seal of Approval”

 

“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.  For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”

Then they asked Him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this:  to believe in the One He has sent.”                           John 6:27-29

 

Jesus was not promoting laziness, but encouraging the crowd to not put all their energy in working for food that SPOILS, which is PHYSICAL FOOD, which will SPOIL and ROT AWAY.  But they should WORK DILIGENTLY on what will LAST, which is SPIRITUAL FOOD.  We all know that the BODY needs nourishment in order to FUNCTION, and so does Jesus.  He KNOWS BETTER than we do.  The fact is that this body will not last, at least not here on earth.  But the SPIRITUAL FOOD will give ETERNAL LIFE to our SOULS.  It is that, which the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, will give us through His DEATH and RESURRECTION. 

 

He can do that because God has placed His SEAL of APPROVAL on Him.  This SEAL of APPROVAL, might be the HOLY SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD.  When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven:  “You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well PLEASED.” (Luke 3:22)  That sounds pretty much like a SEAL of APPROVAL to me. 

 

So the crowd asked Him, “What must we do to do the WORKS God requires?” These people’s thinking was that they must do GOOD WORKS to acquire SALVATION.  There is NO ONE who can receive SALVATION through doing GOOD WORKS.  Ephesians 2:8, 9, tells us:  “For it is by GRACE you have been SAVED, through FAITH--- and this is NOT from yourselves, it is the gift of GOD---NOT BY WORKS, so that NO ONE can boast.”   There is ONLY one thing that God REQUIRES that is for them to BELIEVE in the ONE He has sent, which is the LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

 

Do you have GOD’S SEAL of APPROVAL on YOU?  Have you given your HEART and LIFE to God for the SALVATION of your SOUL?  Do you BELIEVE in the ONE He has sent, in order to PROVIDE you with the SPIRITUAL FOOD that your soul is starving for, the FOOD that will bring you ETERNAL LIFE?  If you answer is NO, then you are SPIRITUALLY MALNOURISHED, and will die a SPIRITUAL DEATH, and you will spend ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL of its HORRORS and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  You MUST do the FOLLOWING if you want GOD’S SEAL OF APPROVAL, and an ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS.   You must TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and you MUST TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and RECEIVE His SEAL of APPROVAL.  Do this NOW, while you still can.   He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

"Do You Want to Get Well?"


“Do You Want to Get Well?”

 

Here a great number of disabled people used to lie---the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.  One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.   When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, He asked him,” Do you want to get well?” 

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up!  Pick up your mat and walk.”  At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.             John 5:3, 5, 6, 8

 

In Jerusalem, during the time of Jesus’ ministry, there was a pool which was surrounded by five covered colonnades.  This place was known as Bethesda, and there a great number of disabled people used to lie waiting for the “stirring of the water, they believed that the stirring was done by an angel, and the first to get into the pool would be cured.  Some were blind, lame or paralyzed, and some could not get into the pool without help from another person.  (This legend is NOT in the earliest manuscripts.)  Amongst them was a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.  When Jesus saw him lying on his mat, He perceived that the man had been this way for a long time.  He KNEW the situation and He KNEW the man.  He asked the man, “Do you want to get well?”  Jesus wanted to raise the man’s hopes and get him to FOCUS on Him.

 

In the spiritual sense, mankind’s biggest problem is that they either don’t realize they are SIN-SICK and need HEALING or they don’t want to be HEALED from their SIN-SICKNESS.  They may be perfectly happy in their SIN-SICK condition, which will lead to SPIRITUAL DEATH, and an ETERNITY in Hell.  

 

Note that Jesus gave the man instructions on what to do in order to be HEALED.  He told him to:  “Get up!  Pick up your mat and walk.”  When the Holy Spirit starts dealing with your HEART, and you come under CONVICTION, or feeling SORRY for your SINS, there are some things you MUST do to be HEALED from your SIN-SICKNESS, which can ONLY be cured by the BLOOD of JESUS CHRIST. 

 

First, you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO God with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be HEALED from your DEADLY SIN-SICKNESS. You MUST DO this NOW, in order to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, and to GAIN an ETERNITY in HEAVEN.  PLEASE DON’T REJECT SO GREAT A SALVATION!  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

Monday, August 20, 2018

"The Revival in Sychar"


“The Revival in Sychar”

 

Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.  Could this be the Messiah?”  They came out of the town and made their way toward Him.

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”   So when the Samaritans came to Him, they urged Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days.   And because of His words many more became believers.               John 4: 28-30, 39-41

 

One woman, had an ENCOUNTER with the ONE TRUE MESSIAH, Jesus Christ, at a well, in a town in Samaria.  Jesus told her things about herself, which in her mind, He should NOT have known, because He was a stranger to her.  But nevertheless He KNEW her and her PAST and PRESENT situations.  He shared with her the fact that He was the MESSIAH.

 

Then, leaving her water jar, at the well, she went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me EVERYTHING I EVER did.  Could this be the MESSIAH?”  When the people heard this news, they had to see for themselves so they made their way toward the well, where Jesus was.

 

Many came from the town and BELIEVED in Him.  Now, what would have happened if the woman would have left the well with her water jar and QUIETLY went back to the town and told NOBODY anything that she had ENCOUNTERED?   The Scriptures tell us that when she gave them her TESTIMONY, “He told me EVERYTHING I ever did,” that MANY CAME and BELIEVED.  Then there was a RIPPLE EFFECT.  You see that the people invited Jesus to STAY with them, and He stayed two more days.  And I believe they had a REVIVAL in the town of Sychar, because the scriptures tell us that because of His WORDS, MANY MORE became BELIEVERS.  And it ALL started with ONE woman’s TESTIMONY.  So DON’T UNDERESTIMATE your PERSONAL TESTIMONY.  

 

All TRUE BELIEVERS should be willing to SHARE their ENCOUNTER with the MESSIAH, Jesus Christ, especially to a LOST and DYING world.  You NEVER KNOW, it might be the SPARK that ignites a REVIVAL FIRE in your church, town and beyond.  It’s NOT IMPOSSIBLE, because with God ALL things are POSSIBLE!  So start SHARING your TESTIMONY.

If you do NOT have a TESTIMONY, because you have NOT had an ENCOUNTER with the MESSIAH, because you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you NEED to experience an ENCOUNTER with Him NOW.  If you don’t you will spend an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY OF ESCAPE.  However, if you will TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him.  And ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then 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 you will experience an ENCOUNTER with the MESSIAH, and have a TESTIMONY to SHARE.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

Saturday, August 18, 2018

"Not to Judge"


“Not to Judge”

 

“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person.  For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.   There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. “     John 12:47-48

 

To JUDGE or NOT to JUDGE, this was an important part of Jesus’ efforts in identifying Himself and His mission.  It was NOT His purpose to come to the world to JUDGE the world, but He came to SAVE the world. 

 

In chapter three of John, verses seventeen and eighteen, John tells us that God did NOT send His Son into the world to CONDEMN the world, but to SAVE the world through Him.  Whoever BELIEVES in Him is NOT CONDEMNED, but whoever does NOT BELIEVE stands CONDEMNED already because they have NOT BELIEVED in the name of God’s One and Only Son.  Our verses for today, tells us that, even though Jesus did NOT come to JUDGE the world, there is still a JUDGE for the one who rejects Him and does NOT ACCEPT His words.  That JUDGE is the VERY WORDS that Jesus spoke, and His words will CONDEMN them on the Last Day.  They will be sentenced to spend ALL ETERNITY in TORTURE, TORMENT, HEARTACHE, AGONY, PAIN and DESPAIR, in Hell.  And there will be NO WAY of ESCAPE.   Is this your destiny?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are LOST and DESTINED for Hell.  Because you are REJECTING the Lord Jesus Christ and His words.  In order to receive an ETERNITY in Heaven, with ALL its BLESSINGS, there are some things you NEED to do.  First, you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and ACCEPT Him and His words.  Let Him be your SAVIOR, don’t TURN Him AWAY.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

Friday, August 17, 2018

"The Act of Reconciliation"


“The Act of Reconciliation”

 

For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross---whether things on earth or things in heaven.     Colossians 1:19-20

 

God was pleased to have ALL His FULLNESS dwell in Jesus Christ, His Son.  This FULLNESS refers to the COMPLETENESS of God’s DIETY, which indwells Jesus Christ. Jesus is FULLY MAN and FULLY GOD.  The FULLNESS of God indwelling Jesus, is one of the most POWERFUL descriptions of the DIETY of Jesus, in the New Testament.  So God injected ALL of His FULLNESS into Jesus, and I think it’s safe to say that God, who in the form of a Man, Jesus, RECONCILED mankind to Himself.  The fact is God is a Spirit, and Spirits cannot die, and God’s Word tells us that WITHOUT the SHEDDING of BLOOD there is NO FORGIVENESS.  So it was NECESSARY for Christ’s physical body to die, in order for mankind to have SALVATION.  Oh what DEEP, DEEP LOVE God has for the Crown of His Creation, MANKIND.

 

Jesus, the RECONCILER, was OBEDIENT to DEATH, the horrible, despicable, cruel death on the CROSS.  Without the CROSS, there would NOT be the RECONCILIATION of SINFUL man with the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS God.  On the Cross, Jesus, who knew NO sin, became sin.  He took on ALL the sins of ALL mankind, even those who are not born yet.  So we can safely say, that the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD of the Universe, took on ALL the sins of ALL mankind, through His Only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to provide RECONCILIATION between mankind and Himself.

 

What LOVE, what a SACRIFICE!  And YET sinful mankind rejects Jesus Christ, and His ACT of RECONCILIATION.  They would rather REMAIN SEPARATED from God then be RECONCILED to Him.  Have you been RECONCILED to God by coming to the Cross of Christ Jesus, and giving your HEART and LIFE to Him?  If NOT you are LOST and headed for an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL of its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  The ONLY WAY you can ESCAPE Hell, is to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and His ACT of RECONCILIATION.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

Thursday, August 16, 2018

"The Obedient Child of God"


“The Obedient Child of God”

 

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy for I am holy.”        1 Peter 1:14-16

 

OBEDIENCE is a CONSCIOUS act of the will.   It requires a preparation of the mind for action.  When a Child of God is faced with conflicts, they MUST have a STRONG-MINDED HOLINESS that will be prepared for ACTION.

 

They MUST be SELF-CONTROLLED, which means that they should be CONTROLLED from with-in, and NOT CONTROLLED by OUTSIDE influences or circumstances.  They MUST be LED by the HOLY SPIRIT of God, who indwells EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.  When they are LED by the HOLY SPIRIT, they should conduct themselves in a HOLY MANNER. 

 

Because God is HOLY, His Child should be HOLY also.  And the first step in becoming HOLY is being an OBEDIENT CHILD.  When they FOLLOW the LEADERSHIP of the HOLY SPIRIT, and are OBEDIENT to the Word of God, they take on the attribute of HOLINESS, and they too become HOLY, just as God is HOLY.  Some may THINK they are a Child of God, but when it comes down to actually being OBEDIENT to the Word of the LIVING God, being SELF-CONTROLLED, and LED by God’s Holy Spirit, they fall short, and may come to the realization that they aren’t REALLY who they thought they were. 

 

This is where SELF-EXAMINATION of the HEART comes in.  It is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for you to KNOW that you KNOW for sure, whether or NOT you are TRULY a CHILD of GOD.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are NOT His Child.  And you are DISOBEDIENT, and UNHOLY to Him.  Your destiny is AN ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL of its HORRORS, and NO WAY OF ESCAPE.  In order to GAIN HEAVEN and ESCAPE HELL, you MUST TURN COMPLETELY AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become an OBEDIENT CHILD OF GOD, HOLY and RIGHTEOUS, as He is HOLY and RIGHTEOUS.   Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

"Unwavering Faith"


“Unwavering Faith”

 

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.   This was why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”                                                                                                                                            Romans 4:18, 20-22    

 

The reason the Apostle Paul says, “Against ALL hope,” was because Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead----since he was about a hundred years old---and Sarah’s womb was dead, in other words she was BEYOND child bearing years.  Therefore it would seem like a HOPELESS situation.  But Abraham, in HOPE, BELIEVED God’s promise to make him the Father of MANY nations.   God takes the IMPOSSIBLE and makes it POSSIBLE.  And He will KEEP His PROMISES.  He CANNOT FAIL.     

 

These things, Abraham was sure of, and it was what KEPT his FAITH from WAVERING through UNBELIEF regarding God’s promise.  Abraham was STRENGTHENED in his FAITH and he gave God ALL the glory.  He could do this, because he was FULLY PERSUADED that God had the POWER to do what He PROMISED.  This is why “it was credited to him as RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 

 

Are you facing a SEEMINGLY HOPELESS SITUATION?  WHATEVER it is God can give you the STRENGTH to get you THROUGH.  He won’t necessarily make it GO AWAY, but will provide a WAY to get you to the other-side.  And like Abraham, your FAITH can be UNWAVERING, and you can give God ALL the GLORY for what He has done, and what He will do.   ALL of this is POSSIBLE, if you are a TRUE BELIEVER.

 
However, if you are an UNBELIEVER, you are UNFAITHFUL to God and His ways.  And your destiny is an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL of its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  You MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TRUN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.   Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be STRENGTHENED with an UNWAVERING FAITH in God.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!                                                                                                                                       

Monday, August 13, 2018

"Guilty or Not Guilty?"


“Guilty or Not Guilty?”

 

For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God.   All His laws are before me; I have not turned away from His decrees.        Psalm 18:21

 

From the beginning of time, when Adam and Eve sinned against God and His decree, concerning NOT eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They were tempted by a serpent and FELL to the temptation.  Then their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked. That was when a sinful nature with a GUILTY conscience came upon ALL mankind.  (Genesis 3:7) 

 

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 3:23, “For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”  Throughout the ages, from the Old Testament times until the PRESENT times, mankind has sinned against God, and has broken His laws and REBELLED against His decrees.  They have REJECTED Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the ONLY WAY to be SAVED from a SINFUL LIFESTYLE and a GUILTY CONSCIENCE.

 

King David knew what to do.  He CONFESSED his sins to God and sought His FORGIVENESS.  He set his HEART and MIND on OBEYING the laws and DECREES of the Almighty God.  And he was relieved from a GUILTY CONSCIENCE, and went from being GUILTY to being NOT GUILTY. 

 

The last part of Romans 3:23, says; “and ALL are justified freely by His grace through the REDEMPTION that came by Christ Jesus.”   Jesus is the ONLY WAY for a person to be SAVED and pronounced “NOT GUILTY!”  If you are one who has never given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are GUILTY of SINNING against Him, BREAKING His Laws, and REBELLING AGAINST His Decrees.  And your destiny is an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL of its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  You MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be set FREE from a GUILTY judgment, and a sentence of an ETERNITY in Hell.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

Saturday, August 11, 2018

"The Everlasting Light"


“The Everlasting Light”

 

The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your Everlasting Light, and your God will be your glory.  Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your Everlasting Light, and your days of sorrow will end.        Isaiah 60:19-20

There will be no more night.  They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.  And they will reign for ever and ever.     Revelation 22:5

 

The Prophet Isaiah, is giving the nation of Israel a prophetic message concerning the different things that will happen during the Millennium reign of Jesus Christ.  And it is information that is relevant for the TRUE BELIEVER, today.  He tells them that there will be NO MORE sun to light the day, nor will there be the brightness of the moon by night, because the LORD will be the EVERLASTING LIGHT, and their GLORY.  And the days of sorrow will END.  What a time that will be!

 

Even the Apostle John, in the 22nd chapter of Revelation says: “There will be NO MORE night.”  And they will NOT NEED the LIGHT of a lamp or of the sun.  For God, Himself, will be their LIGHT.  And they will reign forever and ever.   This is the scenario for the TRUE BELIEVER of the Lord Jesus Christ.  But the scenario of the UNBELIEVER is spending an ETERNITY in the dominion of darkness. (Col. 1:13)  A place of BLACKEST darkness.  (2 Peter 2:17) It’s a place full of TORMENT, TORTURE, HEARTACHE, PAIN, AGONY and DESPAIR.  Is this your destiny?  Are you living in darkness and headed for an ETERNITY of the BLACKEST, DARKNESS you have ever experienced?  And there is NO WAY of ESCAPE. 

 

The ONLY HOPE is for you to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and LIVE your ETERNITY in the EVERLASTING LIGHT.   Do this NOW, while you still can.   He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

Friday, August 10, 2018

"The Eyes of the Lord"


“The Eyes of the Lord”

 

The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord is on His heavenly throne.  He observes everyone on earth; His eyes examine them.         Psalm 11:4

The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.              Proverbs 15:3

 

One thing I need to emphasize is that the Lord God is OMNIPRESENT, meaning that He is EVERYWHERE at the SAME TIME.  So that explains how God can have His eyes on EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE.  The Psalmist tells us that He OBSERVES EVERYONE on earth.  To OBSERVE means to pay SPECIAL ATTENTION to or to WATCH someone or something.  He also tells us that the EYES of God EXAMINES everyone, meaning He looks at them CLOSELY and CAREFULLY.  He doesn’t miss a thing. 

 

There is NO PLACE to HIDE.  EVERYWHERE you go, He’s there, and EVERYTHING you do He SEES. Proverbs 15:3 should be a WARNING to the WICKED people, and a COMFORT to the RIGHTEOUS.  He is NEVER taken by surprise.  We, who are TRUE BELIEVERS can TRUST His Hand, even in HARD, DIFFICULT times.  The times when He is silent and seems to be unconcerned.  We can TRUST that He SEES and KNOWS all things, good or bad.   There are times when we don’t UNDERSTAND WHAT or WHY God is allowing certain things to happen.  That is when STRONG FAITH will be needed to produce a DEEP TRUST in GOD’S plan.  Because He not only SEES the PRESENT but He SEES and KNOWS what the FUTURE holds.

 

As a TRUE BELIEVER, we have HOPE and FAITH in the ALMIGHTY GOD, but if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you are part of the WICKED people who need to be WARNED.  God SEES and KNOWS WHERE you are and WHAT you are doing. He knows that you NEED to be SAVED from your sinful lifestyle.  You NEED to TURN AWAY FROM that sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO Him, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you need to CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and KNOW He’s watching you, and TRUST His HAND.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!