"My Hiding Place"

“My Hiding Place”

 

You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble.  You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.      Psalm 32:7

 

King David faced MANY adversities in his life and his family.  He fought battles of his beloved country, and he fought battles of his own making.  But David KNEW in his HEART that he could run to God, and be safe from his enemies. 

 

Oh, there were times when David had to face troubles, but he KNEW that the ALMIGHTY GOD was with him, and would eventually provide DELIVERANCE for him.  Even though David sinned grievously against God, he was still a man after God’s own heart.  And whenever he would CONFESS his sins and short-comings before God.  God would DELIVER David from the GUILT of his transgressions.

 

And He, the Lord God, will do the same for those, who are His TRUE CHILDREN.  When we fall short of God’s Will and have a DISOBEDIENT attitude towards Him and His Word, we like David, try to HIDE our transgressions, but it is IMPOSSIBLE, because God is ALL-KNOWING, He knows EVERYTHING we think, say or do, even BEFORE we THINK, SAY or DO it.  And yet He waits, with OPEN ARMS, for us to come to Him and CONFESS our DISOBEDIENCE.  Then He provides DELIVERANCE for us.  Yet, we MUST FACE the CONSEQUENCES of our transgressions. 

 

And like King David, we can CONFESS that the ALMIGHTY, EVERLASTING GOD is our HIDING PLACE, the PLACE we can run to and find SHELTER in the midst of the RAGING STORMS of LIFE. And we can JOYFULLY PROCLAIM the BLESSED ASSURANCE of His DELIVERANCE.  “Let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever.  May You shelter them, and may those who love Your name boast about You.”   (Psalm 5:11)  Do you need a Hiding Place?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you DEFINITELY NEED this Hiding Place, because you are headed for an ETERNITY in Hell with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  In order to ESCAPE such a DESTINY, you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS, GOD’S ONLY SON, died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and let Him be YOUR HIDING PLACE.  And receive DELIVERANCE from your present DESTINY.  And JOYFULLY PROCLAIM that:  “God is your HIDING PLACE.”    Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Thanks from the Heart"

“Thanks from the Heart”

 

I thank You from my heart and I will never stop singing Your praises, my LORD and my God.      Psalm 30:12

 

This Scripture is a part of King David’s prayer of THANKS to the Lord God, who had saved David from his death, by the hands of his enemies.  David’s HEART is FULL of THANKSGIVING to God because of His deliverance, which He had so GRACIOUSLY and MERCIFULLY provided for David.

 

ALL TRUE BELIEVERS should have the same attitude as the King.   We SHOULD have an ABUNDANCE of THANKS to the Lord for ALL He has done, for ALL He is DOING, and for ALL He is going to DO.   He has DELIVERED each one of us from our BONDAGE of SIN, and SET us FREE from our GUILT and SHAME.  He has PROVIDED for US an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, and a WAY to ESCAPE HELL with ALL its HORRORS.  He has PROVIDED a GUIDE, COMFORTOR, and TEACHER to be with us, UNTIL Jesus RETURNS to take His TRUE CHILDREN to their ETERNAL HOME, HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.

 

As you can see, WE, who are God’s TRUE CHILDREN, have not only the things we possess here on earth, things that will one day be GONE.  But we have SO MUCH MORE, which SHOULD prompt:  THANKS FROM THE HEART, and ETERNAL PRAISES to the ONLY ONE, who is WORTHY.  We have an ETERNAL HOME, with GOD our HEAVENLY FATHER, and His SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  A PLACE, where there is NO MORE CRYING, SICKNESS OR SORROW.  NO MORE DEATH, HEARTACHE, PAIN or DESPAIR.  NO MORE FEAR, ANXIETY, OR HOSTILITY. NO MORE LIES, DECEPTIONS, OR CORRUPTION.  ONLY JOY UNSPEAKABLE, PEACE, LOVE, AND WELL-BEING.  So let US, who are the TRUE CHILDREN of GOD express our THANKS FROM THE HEART, to the ONLY ONE, WHO is WORTHY. 

 

If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, then your THANKS FROM THE HEART is SUPERFICIAL, and only directed at things that will PASS AWAY.  Your future is an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  In order to POSSESS HEAVEN as your ETERNAL HOME, you MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and EXPERIENCE a REAL THANKS FROM THE HEART!  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

"Thanks Be To God!"

“Thanks Be To God!”

 

But thanks be to God!  For though at one time you were slaves to sin, you have obeyed with all your heart the truths found in the teaching you received.  You were set free from sin and became the slaves of righteousness.      Romans 6:17, 18

 

THANKSGIVING, a special time to gather with friends and family and to REFLECT on ALL the things and times we are THANKFUL for.  For the TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD, EVERYDAY should be THANKSGIVING DAY.  Because, we are CONTINUALLY being BLESSED. 

 

Just REFLECTING on what the LORD JESUS CHRIST has done for each TRUE BELIEVER, and ALL that He SUFFERED, in order for mankind to be SET FREE from the grips of sin and to receive ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and to be able to ESCAPE HELL, with ALL its HORRORS.  This ALONE, should cause us to fall on our knees and cry out:  “THANKS BE TO GOD!” 

 

EVERY DAY, we SHOULD remember WHO we were, and WHERE we were headed, BEFORE we received God’s ABUNDANT MERCY and His AMAZING GRACE. And be THANKFUL, with ALL our HEARTS, for WHAT our futures hold.  We are joint-heirs with JESUS CHRIST, to ALL the GLORIES of HEAVEN.  And my dear friends, there is NOTHING that can compare to a future like that.  “THANKS BE TO GOD!”  

 

We can DEPEND on Him, for He will NEVER LEAVE nor FORSAKE His CHILDREN.  He BLESSES us when we are OBEDIENT to His WORD and His WILL.  His LOVE is TRUSTWORTHY, and UNFAILING.  He is AVAILABLE at any time to HEAR your HEART, and to GUIDE you down the RIGHT PATH.  He will see you through EVERY situation. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, and are still being held CAPTIVE to your sinful lifestyle, and an ETERNITY in HELL, is your future, God wants to SET YOU FREE from your sins and to make you RIGHTEOUS before Him, and to give you an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, as your future.  He wants you to share in the BLESSINGS of Heaven, along with others who are His TRUE CHILDREN.  In order to become a TRUE CHILD of God, you must be WILLING TO 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.  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 able to PROCLAIM:  “THANKS BE TO GOD!”  for your future inheritance of an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  So do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

"Causes for Giving Thanks"

“Causes for Giving Thanks”

 

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever.  Let the Redeemed of the LORD say so.  Let them thank the LORD for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man!  For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.     Psalm 107:1,2a, 8, 9

 

This Psalm is a CALL to GIVE THANKS, it is addressed to the REDEEMED of the Lord God Almighty, and the GIVING of THANKS, is to be directed to Him.  It is because of His MERCY, which is Him NOT GIVING us what we deserve, but instead, through His Hand of MERCY, He GIVES us His AMAZING GRACE, which is our RECEIVING what we DO NOT deserve, His STEADFAST, UNFAILING, EVERLASTING LOVE, which was brought about through the SACRIFICIAL WORK of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, on the Cross of Calvary. And the RESURRECTION and ASCENSION of CHRIST was the HOPE of MANKIND for ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.

 

Therefore, let us see some of the CAUSES for GIVING THANKS.  First:  DELIVERANCE:  Because of God’s LOVE for mankind, we CAN BE DELIVERED from the DARK, WORLDLY, WICKED lifestyle of SIN, and brought into the GLORIOUS LIGHT of the LOVING LORD.  Jesus proclaims:  “I have come into the world as LIGHT, so that whoever believes in Me may NOT remain in darkness.”  (John 12:46)

 

Second cause:  FREEDOM:  For FREEDOM Christ has set us FREE; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.  (Galatians 5:1)  Jesus Christ came to SET FREE ALL who were, are and will be in BONDAGE or SLAVERY to a SINFUL NATURE.  He suffered and died to set ALL of MANKIND FREE from their SINS and from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPING.  All they have to do is ACCEPT God’s terms for SALVATION.

 

Third cause:  RESTORATION:  Because of Jesus’ DEATH, RESURRECTION, and ASCENSION, mankind’s relationship with God can be RESTORED.  Because of Adam’s DISOBEDIENCE, mankind is born with a sinful nature, and is at enmity with God.  So God sent His Son to be a SACRIFICE for MANKIND.  And for them to be able to receive SALVATION, and to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God.

 

Fourth cause:  POWER:  God has the POWER to SAVE, KEEP and PROVIDE for those who are WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM their sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO HIM, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  CONFESSING their SINS to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL their HEART that, Jesus died for them, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for them, before God. Then they MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and receive DELIVERANCE, FREEDOM, RESTORATION, and an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  So do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"Be Thankful!"

“Be Thankful!”

 

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.        Colossians 3:16-17

 

True Believers really have SO MUCH to be THANKFUL for.  And I think that is why the Apostle Paul wrote three consecutive times for the Believers in Colossae to “BE THANKFUL!”  The first time is at the end of verse fifteen, he said, “And be thankful.” Then in verse sixteen, he tells them to; “Let the Word of Christ DWELL in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in ALL wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with THANKFULNESS in your HEARTS to God.”  The Word of God is to DWELL or LIVE in the TRUE BELIEVER, which is done through STUDYING, MEDITATING and APPLYING the Word.  Then through this process, the Word becomes a PERMANENT part of the BELIEVER’S LIFE.  And there is GRATIFICATION in LIVING according to God’s Word and KNOWING and being OBEDIENT to His Will.  All of which should be carried out with a THANKFUL HEART.

 

In verse sixteen, Paul tell the Believers, that WHATEVER they do, in WORD or DEED, to do EVERYTHING in the NAME of the LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS to GOD the FATHER through Him.  For the TRUE BELIEVER, BEING THANKFUL is pretty easy, especially KNOWING that we are God’s Children, with an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with all its BLESSINGS.  And having the ASSURANCE that He is ALWAYS with us, in the BAD as well as the GOOD times.  He will see us through until we GO HOME to be with Him FOREVER.  Do you have that ASSURANCE?  Can you BE THANKFUL about where you will spend your ETERNITY?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you are NOT His Child, nor do you have HEAVEN as your ETERNAL HOME.  How can you BE THANKFUL, when you are headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE?  However, you can CHANGE your DESTINY by:  WILLINGLY 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.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and REALLY have something to BE THANKFUL for.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"A Voice of Thanksgiving"

“A Voice of Thanksgiving”

 

Those who cling to worthless idols forsake faithful love, but as for me, I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving.  I will fulfill what I have vowed.  Salvation is from the LORD!             Jonah 2:8-9

 

Jonah, a prophet of the One TRUE God, knew what it was like to CLING to a WORTHLESS idol.  An idol is ANYTHING that you put BEFORE GOD, and that ROBS Him of the OBEDIENCE, AFFECTION, and WORSHIP, which RIGHTFULLY BELONGS to Him.  For Jonah it was his INTENSE LOVE for his country, or his INTENSE PATRIOTISM.  Jonah was so CONCERNED about the WELFARE of his OWN country, that he REBELLED AGAINST God’s Will for him to be God’s MESSENGER to his country’s enemy, the ASSYRIANS.  Jonah REFUSED God’s order for him to go to Nineveh, to bring them to God for the SALVATION of their souls.  Jonah was chastised by God, for his DISOBEDIENCE, for one thing, and for his idol (intense patriotism) for another. Jonah was SWALLOWED by a VERY LARGE fish.  And it appeared that he was DOOMED to DIE in the belly of that VERY LARGE FISH. 

 

This Scripture, is a part of Jonah’s PRAYER to the Almighty God, while he was sitting, and concentrating on his situation.  He came to the point of REALIZING that he had GREVIOUSLY SINNED against God, by being DISOBEDIENT to the Will of God.  Jonah had made some SOLEMN VOWS to God and he intended to KEEP them.  He ACKNOWLEDGED that he was GUILTY of IDOL WORSHIP, and VOWED to SACRIFICE to God, and to God ALONE.  He did that with a VOICE of THANKSGIVING.  And he PROMISED that he would FULFILL that VOW.  Then he proclaimed:  SALVATION or DELIVERANCE is from the LORD!  And God commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

 

Many have had to face TROUBLESOME TIMES, because they have NEGELECTED God and His WILL for their lives, due to the fact, that they have made idols from things they have put before the Lord, and CLUNG TO, and WORSHIPED, instead of being OBEDIENT to God, and His Will for them.  They, LIKE JONAH, have REBELLED AGAINST God and is Will for their lives.  But some of them have ACKNOWLEDGED their DISOBEDIENCE and like JONAH, have CONFESSED their transgressions, and have had their RELATIONSHIP with God RESTORED.  And with a VOICE of THANKSGIVING, God has become their SALVATION.   Is He YOUR SALVATION?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you are being DISOBEDIENT to His Will, and you are facing an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  If you, like Jonah, will ACKNOWLEDGE and CONFESS your SINS to Him, and are WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN AWAY FROM IDOLS of your OWN making.  And ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that, Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God. And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, you can, with a VOICE of THANKSGIVING, GO and TELL what God has done for YOU!  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Give Thanks"

“Give Thanks”

 

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me trustworthy, appointing me to His service.      1 Timothy 1:12

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.        1 Timothy 1:14

 

This is part of the Apostle Paul’s testimony, and like the Apostle, I THANK Christ Jesus, who gives me the STRENGTH, INSIGHT and the CONSIDERATION of being TRUSTWORTHY with the PRECIOUS, WONDERFUL WORD of the LIVING GOD. To disperse the WORD, in LOVE and COMPASSION to those, whom He SHED His PRECIOUS, CLEANSING, LIFE-GIVING BLOOD FOR.

 

The Apostle Paul was in the last part of his ministry, and he started to reminisce and write to Timothy, about his conversion.  His thoughts took him back to the way he WAS, before Christ confronted him.  He was a BLASPHEMER, a PERSECUTOR and a VIOLENT MAN.  BUT because of GOD’S ABUNDANT MERCY, Paul was MIRACULOUSLY CHANGED into the man, God WANTED him to be.  Therefore, Paul could pen his TRUE, HEARTFELT, FEELINGS, from His HEART of GRATITUDE, when he said:  “The GRACE of our LORD was poured out on me ABUNDANTLY, along with the FAITH and LOVE that are in CHRIST JESUS.”  God had to CHANGE Paul in order to USE Paul in His Service. 

 

And the SAME is TRUE of BELIEVERS, today.  We MUST COME to GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, and be WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM our sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD.  And CONFESS our sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL our HEART, that JESUS DIED for US, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for us, before God.  Then we MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and let God CHANGE US into what He WANTS us to be.  And to be able to spend ALL ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and GIVE THANKS!!  DO this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"His Protection and Deliverance"

“His Protection and Deliverance”

 

The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life.  The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.       Psalm 121:7-8

 

I believe we are living in the onset of PERILOUS times.  Yet these verses in Psalm 121 gives us the ASSURANCE of our LOVING, HEAVENLY FATHER’S GUARANTEE to be the KEEPER of our life. (v5) In verse seven, we are told that:  “The Lord will KEEP us from ALL evil,” meaning that we need NOT fear what today, tomorrow, or eternity, holds, because we KNOW WHO holds our FUTURE; that is; IF WE ARE HIS CHILD.  And as Joseph told his brothers, who MEANT EVIL upon him, we can say too; “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for GOOD.” (Gen. 50:20)  Keep in mind; “He will KEEP your life.”

 

God CARES about EVERYTHING we encounter, even the small, insignificant things.  That’s why the Psalmist could say with ASSURANCE, that; “The Lord will KEEP your GOING OUT and your COMING IN from this time forth and FOREVERMORE.”  (Eternity).  Sometimes it is the will of God that we go through the fire, in order to STRENGTHEN our FAITH and TRUST in Him.  But we NEVER have to face ANY KIND of ADVERSITY on our OWN.  He has PROMISED NEVER TO LEAVE nor FORSAKE us.  And He DOES KEEP His promises.  What a BLESSING to KNOW that God has PROMISED His PROTECTION and DELIVERANCE in WHATEVER WE MIGHT FACE in our DAILY LIVES.   We can have that ASSURANCE of casting ALL our cares on Him because He cares about us.  (1 Peter 5:7)  Do you have that ASSURANCE?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you DO NOT possess that ASSURANCE.  But God wants you to have the GUARANTEE of His PROTECTION and DELIVERANCE from ALL EVIL.  In order to do that, you MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING 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 ASSURED of His Hand of PROTECTION and DELIVERANCE.  Do this NOW, while you still can.   He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"The Unveiling of an Unrevealed Mystery"

“The Unveiling of an Unrevealed Mystery”

 

For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the Trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.  Therefore encourage one another with these words.          1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

 

How the UNVEILING of this UNREVEALED MYSTERY, came to the Apostle Paul, we are not told, but I believe it was a DIRECT REVELATION from God.  One important factor is to clarify the word “SLEEP” this word is used to identify those who “DIED.”  There were some people with real grievous thoughts concerning their loved ones who were DEAD, they thought that they would miss the RAPTURE.  So Paul explained to them the FACTS concerning the RESURRECTION of the saints who had fallen ASLEEP or had DIED. 

 

Paul, said:  “The Lord Himself will descend from Heaven,”  meaning that at the very moment that God gives the command, Jesus, who is now seated at the RIGHT HAND of God, in Heaven, will leave His position and descend into earth’s atmosphere.   Paul emphasized that it was the SAME JESUS who was RESURRECTED from the GRAVE, and had ASCENDED through the clouds and into Heaven. 

 

Then the CRY of COMMAND, with the VOICE of the ARCHANGEL, and with the TRUMPET of God, are all the means that will be used by the ALMIGHTY God to ANNOUNCE the ADVENT of His Son, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  And the DEAD in CHRIST will be RESURRECTED, FIRST, from their GRAVES.   The really neat part of this is that NO MATTER the condition of their bodies. God will create, for them PERFECT, NEW, GLORIFIED BODIES.  Then those who are ALIVE in CHRIST, will be CAUGHT UP or SNATCHED AWAY, and will meet the others and the Lord Jesus in the air. This is what is known as the RAPTURE.  And it ALL will happen, in the “TWINKLING of an EYE!” And we will FOREVER be with the Lord Jesus, who with the Angels, will escort us ALL into HEAVEN, our ETERNAL HOME!!   WELL, GLORY!!!

 

What a DAY that will be, I am READY TO GO!  What about you?  Are you READY?  Have you given your HEART and LIFE to God?  If you haven’t done that, you NEED to do it NOW, while you still can.  Because, if you don’t, you will be LEFT BEHIND, and will face SEVEN YEARS of HARD TRIBULATION, and the JUDGMENT SEAT of God, where you will be CONDEMNED and SENTENCED to an ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY of ESCAPE, and all because you have REJECTED JESUS CHRIST, and God’s MERCY and GRACE.  God is giving you the opportunity NOW to:  TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and to TURN TO HIM, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you should CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING with ALL your HEART that, JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and get READY TO GO in the RAPTURE, to your NEW ETERNAL HOME, HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  DO THIS NOW, while you STILL CAN!!  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!  And ENCOURAGE OTHERS with this GOOD NEWS!

"A Sinner by Choice"

“A Sinner by Choice”

 

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.   Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.       Psalm 51:1-3

 

This is another of King David’s Psalms.  It is part of a prayer that he offered up to God, and it was when the prophet Nathan confronted David about his sinful actions towards Bathsheba and her husband Uriah.  David was GUILTY of ADULTERY and MURDER.  He was DELIBERATELY LYING to himself, the nation and to the ALMIGHTY GOD.  David, not only felt GUILTY, but he felt DEFILED, like a PUTRID, FILTHY RAG. And he tried to deal with these feelings for almost a year.  David tried to COVER-UP his sins, but the TRUTH is you cannot HIDE or COVER-UP your SINS.  God KNOWS ALL THINGS. 

 

David KNEW and LOVED the Word of God, but he let his SINFUL FEELINGS over-ride his better judgment, and he fell to his temptation. One sin led to another, and another.  David sinned by CHOICE. All of MANKIND are SINNERS by CHOICE.  But the TRUTH is:  God does NOT ALLOW His Children to SIN SUCCESSFULLY!  There is a PRICE to PAY.  David had BROKEN GOD’S LAWS.  He had COMMITTED TRANSGRESSIONS, and he prayed for God to BLOT OUT his TRANSGRESSIONS, according to God’s STEADFAST LOVE and His ABUNDANT MERCY.  David had MISSED the MARK that God had set before him, by sinning AGAINST GOD.  And because of his SINFUL, WICKED, NATURE, his INIQUITY, he NEEDED to be FORGIVEN, WASHED and CLEANSED (purified) from his SINS, of which were ALWAYS BEFORE HIM. 

 

This is TRUE of ALL of MANKIND, we SIN by our OWN CHOICE, and we, PERSONALLY, must FACE the consequences of those SINS.   However, God has a plan, and that PLAN is to FREE mankind from the BONDAGE of SIN, and to bring them to CHRIST for the SALVATION of their DOOMED SOULS.  Like King David, You MUST ACKNOWLEDGE your TRANSGRESSIONS and CONFESS your INIQUITIES, (SINS) to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE that JESUS CHRIST died for YOU and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be WASHED, CLEANSED, and FORGIVEN, then become a RIGHTEOUS CHILD of the LIVING GOD, with HEAVEN and ALL its BLESSINGS, as your ETERNAL HOME, by CHOICE.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

"Praise, Boast, and Exalt"

“Praise, Boast, and Exalt”

 

I will praise the Lord at all times.  I will constantly speak His praises.  I will boast only in the Lord: let all who are helpless take heart.  Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt His name together.         Psalm 34:1-3

 

This Psalm was penned by King David, and it was at a critical time in David’s life.  It was a time when David had a disastrous encounter with the Philistines.  He RESPECTED and TRUSTED in God’s goodness to DELIVER him from his troubles.  And that is what God did for His king, David.

 

So David speaks from his HEART, saying, “I will PRAISE the Lord at ALL times.  I will CONSTANTLY speak of His PRAISES.”  David KNEW first-hand about God’s goodness.  And could OPENLY and UNASHAMEDLY proclaim PRAISES and ADORATION to the LORD GOD, ALMIGHTY.  David KNEW that ANY VICTORY he had WON was due to GOD’S GOODNESS, and therefore David would BOAST about GOD’S VICTORY and NOT his own.  It was ALL because of God’s GREATNESS and POWER that David was DELIVERED from his enemies.  And David could ENCOURAGE others to join him in EXALTING the NAME of the LORD.  This is TRUE, PURE WORSHIP!

 

We should take a lesson from this Psalm and the one who penned it.  Only the LORD GOD, ALMIGHTY, is WORTHY of PRAISE, BOASTING, and EXALTATION.   Mankind in themselves are NOTHING, and apart from God we are NOT WORTHY of SUCH ACCLAMATIONS.  However, when we see ourselves as WHO we are in God, we see we are His RIGHTEOUS ONES, because of what He has done, through the REDEMPTIVE WORK of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and NOT by ANYTHING we have done. 

 

Our SALVATION, alone warrants our PRAISE to the One who GAVE His ALL in order for MANKIND to be ABLE to have a RELATIONSHIP with God.  As God’s Children, we should CONSTANTLY PRAISE, BOAST an EXALT the Lord God Almighty, and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, for their GREATNESS, and EXALT the PRECIOUS NAME of our LORD.  And we SHOULD do this DAILY.  For THEY are WORTHY.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you have NO PRAISE, BOASTING, or EXALTATION, to offer, because you have NOT experienced GOD’S GREATNESS that is EXEMPLIFIED through His AMAZING GRACE and ABUNDANT MERCY.  You do NOT have a RELATIONSHIP with Him, and you are DESTINED for an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY OF ESCAPE.  You can change your DESTINY, if you are WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that, JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and experience GOD’S GREATNESS, and start PRAISING, BOASTING, and EXALTING DAILY, the ONE who is WORTHY.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"He Knows"

“He Knows”

 

God, You know my foolishness, and my guilty acts are not hidden from You.      Psalm 69:5

 

The Almighty God of ALL CREATION, KNOWS ALL the THOUGHTS and DEEDS of ALL of MANKIND, from the VERY BEGINNING of time till the VERY END of time.  HE KNOWS!

 

Therefore, it is utterly IMPOSSIBLE to try and HIDE ANY THOUGHT or DEED from God.  King David knew this first hand, and that is why he states:  “God, You KNOW my foolishness, and my guilty acts are NOT HIDDEN from You.”  He KNOWS EVERY thought before we think it.  And He KNOWS EVERY DEED, good or bad, before we even have the desire in our heart to do it.  HE KNOWS! 

 

David penned these words in Psalm 139:7-8:  “Where can I go to escape YOUR Spirit?  Where can I flee from YOUR presence?   If I go up to Heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.”  God is EVERYWHERE and HE KNOWS EVERYTHING.  No matter, WHERE you attempt to HIDE, or WHAT you attempt to do.  He KNOWS.  You CANNOT HIDE from His Spirit. 

 

And if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to Him, you will be JUDGED by Him for ALL the WICKED ACTS and PLANS that you have EVER been a part of.  You CANNOT HIDE a SINGLE thing from Him because HE KNOWS ALL THINGS!!!  So, in order to ESCAPE His CONDEMNATION, and an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, you MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM YOUR sinful lifestyle and to TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Because He KNOWS and you will stand in JUDGMENT and CONDEMNATION before Him.  So, do this NOW, while you still can, in order to ESCAPE His JUDGMENT and CONDEMNATION.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Hiding Place"

“The Hiding Place”

 

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.       Psalm 32:7

 

King David had committed the sin of adultery with Bathsheba, and from that sin came many other horrible sins.  David tried to HIDE his sins by covering up one sin with another.  And it was taking a toll on the Man after God’s Own Heart.  He penned:  “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.  Then I ACKNOWLEDGED my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, ‘I will CONFESS my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you FORGAVE the GUILT of my sin.”  (VV 3-5)

 

God did not act as David’s Judge, but David ACKNOWLEDGED God as his HIDING PLACE.  A QUIET place of REFUGE from the RAGING STORMS of DAVID’S own making.  Why?  Because, David finally came to GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, ACKNOWLEDGING that he had SINNED against GOD and GOD alone.  He was GUILTY, and that GUILT was EATING AWAY at DAVID’S sanity. When David ACKNOWLEDGED his sin to God, and no longer tried to COVER it up, and CONFESSED his TRANSGRESSIONS to God, God FORGAVE the GUILT of DAVID’S sin. 

 

But David still faced the CONSEQUENCES of those sins and paid a HUGE PRICE for his transgressions.  (2 Sam. 11-15)  Yet David’s FAITH in God, brought him to God, and God became David’s HIDING PLACE or PLACE of REFUGE in the STORMY WATERS of LIFE.  God did not make all the TROUBLES disappear, but He was there with David, to see him through, because David SOUGHT God’s FORGIVENESS, and did so with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  So David was able to SURROUND himself with SONGS of PRAISE and DELIVERANCE to the ALMIGHTY GOD, the ONE who is ABLE to DELIVER.   Is God your HIDING PLACE?

 

He can be, if you will come to Him, WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM YOUR sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that, Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then ACKNOWLEDGE and CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and let God be your HIDING PLACE, when the STORMS of life are RAGING, He will stand by you.  And like David, you will be able to SURROUND yourself with SONGS of PRAISE and DELIVERANCE.  So do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Who Are the Wicked?"

“Who Are the Wicked?”

 

I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:  There is no fear of God before their eyes.  In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.   The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good.  Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.         Psalm 36:1-4

 

The Psalmist, David, received a message from God, in his heart.  This message was concerning the TRUE NATURE of a WICKED person.  First, David says that:  “There is NO FEAR, (the word “fear” here means “dread”), of God before their eyes.  In other words they SAY or DO whatever is in their HEART, without regard for the precepts of the ALMIGHTY GOD.

 

Having NO FEAR or DREAD of God, the WICKED person lives in sin or practices it continually.  They FLATTER themselves, soothing their own guilty conscience, in order to HIDE their iniquities, because if they saw their lifestyle from God’s point of view, they would absolutely HATE it. 

 

And because of their WICKED, UNGODLY ways, their life has become WORTHLESS.  Their words are WICKED and DECEITFUL; they FAIL to act WISELY or to do GOOD.  And they REFUSE to REJECT EVIL.  They even PLOT EVIL DEEDS, while on their bed going to sleep.  They REJECT any SPIRITUAL DEALINGS, especially concerning their SALVATION, through the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  They are CONTENT with living in their SINFUL, WICKED WAYS, headed to an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  Are you one of the WICKED?

 

You are, if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God.  In order to become a TRUE BELIEVER in CHRIST, one, who has an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and being able to ESCAPE HELL, you MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be CHANGED from being WICKED to being RIGHTEOUS before God, and ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"God's Grace and Mankind's Faith"

“God’s Grace and Mankind’s Faith”

 

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.       Gen. 15:6

Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness.  Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, but also for us.  It will be credited to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.  He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.       Romans 4:22-25

 

God’s GRACE is giving to mankind BLESSINGS that they don’t deserve, such as, SALVATION and ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven.   In Genesis 15:6, we are told how God bestowed His GRACE on Abraham.  It says:  “Abraham BELIEVED God and it was CREDITED to him for RIGHTEOUSNESS.”  Abraham did NOT receive God’s AMAZING GRACE because he kept the LAW.  But ABRAHAM received it because of his FAITH.  And Abraham then had a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God, which provided RIGHTEOUSNESS for Abraham.

 

This same GRACE is offered to mankind, IF they will, like Abraham, BELIEVE and have the FAITH that GOD WILL DO what He promises He will do.  If we have that kind of FAITH, RIGHTEOUSNESS will be CREDITED to us, also. 

 

God’s GRACE was provided for ALL of mankind, if they will BELIEVE in Him, the One who RAISED Jesus from the dead, and ACCEPT the fact that Jesus was DELIVERED UP for our sins and RAISED for our JUSTIFICATION.  This is what GOD’S GRACE and MANKIND’S FAITH is all about.  Do you possess GOD’S AMAZING GRACE, and do you have the SAME kind of FAITH that Abraham had?

 

In order to receive RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTIFICATION, from God, you MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, by FAITH, and receive RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTIFICATION from Him, which will provide you with an ETERNAL HOME in Heaven, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"What To Do"

“What to Do”

 

But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the Love of God, expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life.              Jude 1:20-23

 

Jude, the brother of James, and half-brother to the Lord Jesus Christ, gives us instructions on what a TRUE BELIEVER in the Lord Jesus Christ should do until the Lord returns.  The FIRST instruction is to BUILD UP one’s FAITH, this is done by STUDYING the Word of God, and LIVING in OBEDIENCE to the Word of God.  Which will PRESERVE and STRENGTHEN the TRUE BELIEVER’S FAITH in Christ and will give them the benefit of experiencing the LOVE of God as contrasted to the WRATH of God, which is poured out on those who are LIVING in DISOBEDIENCE to God’s Word.

 

The SECOND instruction is PRAYING in the HOLY SPIRIT, this does NOT refer to speaking in an UNKNOWN tongue, but it means to PRAY consistently through the WILL and POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD, which indwells you.  And who will PRAY for you, when you don’t have the words to PRAY.  And PRAYING in the NAME of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The THIRD instruction is to KEEP yourself in the LOVE of GOD, this indicates that the TRUE BELIEVER should LIVE by FAITH and in OBEDIENCE to God, in order to receive the FULL EXTENT of GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE, His ABUNDANT MERCY and His AMAZING GRACE.  As opposed to His WRATH and CONDEMNATION, which is the END RESULT of those who LIVE in DISOBEDIENCE to Him and His Word.  Those who CONTINUALLY REJECT SALVATION through His SON, Jesus Christ.

 

The FOURTH instruction is to EXPECT the MERCY of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, which will LEAD us to the consummation of our SALVATION at His RETURN, and we SHOULD do this with EAGER ANTICIPATION, because this will be what ushers in our ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Are you WAITING with EAGER ANTICIPATION for His RETURN?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, then you should be TREMBLING with FEAR at the thought of His RETURN.  Your destiny will be an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  However, God is giving you the opportunity NOW, to TURN AWAY FROM YOUR sinful lifestyle and to TURN TO HIM, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that, Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and LIVE in OBEDIENCE to Him and His Word, and spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

 

 

"God's Heart of Redemption"

“God’s Heart of Redemption”

 

He has sent redemption to His people.   He has ordained His covenant forever.  His name is holy and awe-inspiring.       Psalm 111:9

 

REDEMPTION:  the act of REDEEMING, which is to RESCUE from sin and from being punished for one’s sins.  

ORDAINED:  To ESTABLISH

 

It all started in the Garden of Eden, when MANKIND (Adam and Eve) DISOBEYED God.  The Crown of God’s Creation, DISOBEYED their Creator, and because of their DISOBEDIENCE they were PUNISHED for their sins.  So this has been the plight of mankind throughout the ages.

 

I believe that God’s Heart was broken, sure He knew this would happen.  And He gave mankind the ability to make their own choices.  Adam and Eve, chose to do what God told them NOT to do, they were DISOBEDIENT.  And God from ETERNITY PAST, in His INFINITE KNOWLEDGE, KNEW that MANKIND would NEED REDEMPTION. 

 

This Psalm was specifically written for the Nation of Israel, at the time of their EXODUS from Babylon back to Jerusalem.  But I believe that God has shown me that this Scripture is applicable for ALL of mankind.  WE ALL NEED to be REDEEMED from our SINS, in order to ESCAPE ETERNAL PUNISHMENT, which would be spending an ETERNITY in HELL.

 

However, because of GOD’S HEART of REDEMPTION, mankind has the opportunity to be REDEEMED through the ORDAINED, NEW COVENANT, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and His REDEMPTIVE, SACRIFICIAL DEATH on the Cross of Calvary, and His GLORIOUS RESURRECTION from DEATH and the GRAVE.  He is the VICTOR, the REDEEMER of ALL MANKIND, those who will BELIEVE and ACCEPT GOD’S SALVATION which comes from His HEART of REDEMPTION.

 

Will you make the RIGHT CHOICE?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, then you are living in DISOBEDIENCE to Him.  And your ETERNAL DESTINATION is HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  But because of GOD’S HEART of REDEMPTION, you have the opportunity NOW, to change that DESTINY by:  WILLINGLY TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURNING TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, as your ETERNAL HOME.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!