"Be STRONG!"

“Be STRONG!”

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.      1 Corinthians 16:13



If there was anything that the Apostle Paul, wanted the TRUE BELIEVER of the Lord Jesus Christ to KNOTW, was that they NEEDED  to personify their FAITH in Christ Jesus with COURAGE and STRENGTH, and they SHOULD NOT let their GUARD down, but to be able to STAND FIRM in what they BELIEVED, which was their FAITH in Him.



Being a Christian, in those days, was NOT popular nor sought after.  The Christians of Paul’s time were persecuted and even put to death for their beliefs.  Yet Paul encouraged them to BE STRONG, and face their fears with COURAGE.  And to STAND FIRM in their FAITH.



And after they GUARDED and STOOD FIRM in their FAITH, and had COURAGE and STRENGTH. The God of ALL grace, who called them to His ETERNAL GLORY in Christ, after they had suffered a little while, would Himself RESTORE them and make them STRONG, FIRM and STEADFAST in their FAITH. (1 Peter 5:10) In Paul’s letter to the TRUE BELIEVERS in Ephesus, he tells them:  “Finally, be STRONG in the Lord and in His MIGHTY POWER.” (Ephesians 6:10) Paul is encouraging them to be on GUARD, to STAND FIRM in their FAITH, HAVE COURAGE, and BE STRONG in the Lord and TRUST His MIGHTY POWER. 



We NEED this ENCOURAGEMENT now.  We NEED to KNOW that our God is ALMIGHTY, He KNOWS ALL things and wants us to be STRONG in our FAITH in Him.  He LOVES us MORE than we COULD EVER know.  And when we are STRONG in our FAITH, He will be our STRONG and MIGHTY TOWER, our REDEEMER, DELIVER, and our COMFORTER.  Is He all of that to YOU?



He can be, if you are 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.  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 BE STRONG in your FAITH.  And spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS, and ESCAPE HELL, with ALL its HORRORS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Self-Controlled Under God's Grace"

“Self-Controlled Under God’s Grace”

For the Grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope---the appearing of the glory of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.       Titus 2:11-13



God’s Grace makes us what we SHOULD be.  The Apostle Paul says: “But by the GRACE OF God, I am what I am, and His Grace to me was not without effect.  No, I worked harder than all of them---yet not I, but the GRACE of God that was with me.”  (1 Corinthians 15:10)   In 1 Thessalonians 4:4, Paul tells us that we SHOULD LEARN to control our own body in a way that is HOLY and HONORABLE.  Not caught up in our own FLESHLY DESIRES and therefore prone to ungodliness.



The Apostle Peter says that:  We SHOULD make EVERY effort to add to our FAITH, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, SELF-CONTROL; and to SELF-CONTROL, perseverance; and to perseverance, GODLINESS.  (2 Peter 1:5-6) Therefore, when we accept God’s gift of SALVATION, by His GRACE, it is that GRACE that teaches us, and gives us the KNOWLEDGE to be able to say “NO” to UNGODLINESS and WORLDLY PASSIONS.  And to be able to live a SELF-CONTROLLED, UPRIGHT and GODLY life in this present age.



 2 Timothy 3:1-5, tells us that in the last days, people will be lovers of themselves, without love for others, unforgiving, slanderous, without SELF-CONTROL, brutal, not lovers of the good, nor lovers of God.  They will FOLLOW after UNGODLINESS and WORLDLY PASSIONS, and will end up spending their ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE. 



So, let us, the TRUE BELIEVERS, those who have given their HEART and LIFE to GOD, live a SELF-CONTROLLED life under the GRACE of our AMAZING GOD, while we wait for the BLESSED HOPE, the APPEARING of the GLORY of our GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who gave Himself to REDEEM us from ALL WICKEDNESS and to provide for the TRUE BELIEVER an ETERNITY in Heaven, with ALL its BLESSINGS. 



If you have not given your HEART and LIFE to the ALMIGHTY GOD, then your ETERNAL DESTINY is Hell, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, unless you are 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.  Then BELIEVE 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 live a SELF-CONTROLLED life, under God’s GRACE, and receive HEAVEN as your ETERNAL HOME.  Do this NOW, while we WAIT for His RETURN, because He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Waiting"

“Waiting”

We wait in hope for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.  In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His Holy name.  May Your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in You.     Psalm 33:20-22



In this passage of Scripture, we see three different ways the TRUE BELIEVER should be WAITING for God’s intervention, when they are facing difficult times.  It is mankind’s nature to be impatient, so when this happens, a lot of the time, God teaches us to WAIT on Him!



The first way of WAITING on the LORD; is to WAIT in HOPE for God’s divine intervention, to HOPE for His DELIVERANCE, because He is our HELP and our SHIELD.  When we have this KNOWLEDGE of ALL that He is, we then can have ASSURANCE and FAITH that He will DELIVER us.  It might be a HARD LESSON, that we NEED to LEARN, but He WILL DELIVER US, because of our HOPE in Him.  So, we MUST WAIT IN HOPE.



The second way of WAITING on the LORD; is to WAIT with REJOICING in our HEARTS, because we TRUST in His HOLY NAME.  The POWERFUL name of JESUS CHRIST, the ONE and ONLY Son of the LIVING GOD.  Acts 3:16, tells us how POWERFUL the Name of Jesus is: “By FAITH in the Name of JESUS, this man whom you see and know was made STRONG…”  It takes FAITH on the part of the TRUE BELIEVER to TRUST in His HOLY NAME, and it is ACCORDING to the PERFECT WILL of ALMIGHTY GOD, that we can REJOICE and TRUST in Him and His Name, because He is FAITHFUL to His own.



The third way of WAITING on the LORD is to WAIT, PRAYING for His UNFAILING LOVE to be with us in EVERY SITUATION, because we put our HOPE in HIM.  If you are a TRUE BELIEVER, my question is:  Do you WAIT on the LORD’S DEVINE INTERVENTION, by following these three ways?  If you don’t, you NEED to start TODAY. 



If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God.  Then it would not do you any good to even PRAY for your situation, until you become a part of GOD’S FAMILY.  David, in Psalm 66:18, tells us this: “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would NOT have listened.”  Which tells us that in order for God to HEAR our prayers, our HEARTS NEED to be CLEAN, and to do that you MUST come to God for the SALVATION of your soul. 

You MUST be 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.  BELIEVE, 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 WAIT on the LORD  with HOPE, REJOCING, and PRAYING for His UNFAILING LOVE to rest on you. And TRUSTING in His POWERFUL and HOLY NAME.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Fear"

“Fear”

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.     2 Tim. 1:7

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love.    Psalm 33:18



To FEAR or not to FEAR?  That is the question.  Some think that the only meaning for the word FEAR means to be AFRAID.  However, that is NOT the case.   The word FEAR has MORE than ONE meaning.  It may mean:  The condition of being AFRAID, or, to have a reverential awe of, or a feeling of apprehensiveness or uneasiness and usually followed by the word “for”. 



Our first Scripture, taken from 2 Timothy 1:7, is one of the Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy.  Paul wanted Timothy and ALL TRUE BELIEVERS to KNOW that God did NOT give us a spirit of FEAR (being afraid), but He gave us a spirit of POWER, and LOVE and SELF-CONTROL.  POWER, to overcome our feelings of FEAR, being afraid.  We can have that POWER, when we ACCEPT Jesus Christ, God’s Son, as our SAVIOR and LORD.  We can EXPERIENCE God’s UNFAILING LOVE, and have the ASSURANCE as King David did, when He penned: “The LORD is my LIGHT and my SALVATION; whom shall I FEAR?  The LORD is the STRONGHOLD of my life of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps. 27:1) When our HEARTS and MINDS are on the ALMIGHTY GOD, we can have a SOUND MIND, and SELF-CONTROL.



Our Second verse, is from Psalm 33:18, this Scripture tells us that:  “The Eye of the LORD is on those who FEAR Him, on those who HOPE in His STEADFAST LOVE.”  The word FEAR here is NOT talking about being AFRAID, but it is talking about having REVERENCE and RESPECT for God and His Son.  Being OBEDIENT to His LAWS, and FOLLOWING His Spirit’s Leadership in our LIVES.  Those whose HOPE is in the LORD and relying on His STEADFAST LOVE, to see them through their darkest hours.  Do you possess that HOPE? 



If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God.  Then you should be experiencing FEAR, being AFRAID, of your ETERNAL DESTINY.   Because, you are headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  But, because of God’s UNFAILING LOVE, He has provided a way for you to change your ETERNAL DESTINY.  You MUST BE 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.  Then BELIEVE with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and have a FEAR (reverence, respect) for the ALMIGHTY GOD and His SON, Jesus Christ.  And change your ETERNAL DESTINY from HELL to HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!    

"The Overcomer"

“The Overcomer”

“I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.”    John 16:33



These are the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples, just prior to His crucifixion.  His message to them and to the TRUE BELIEVER, today, is:  that we can have PEACE, amidst a world of TRIBULATION.  TRIBULATION a word used to describe severe suffering or trouble.  Which we ALL, right now, know a little about. 



But in this WORLD of TRIBULATON, we NEED to TAKE HEART or have COURAGE, because JESUS CHRIST has OVERCOME the world.  So, how can we be COURAGEOUS and become an OVERCOMER also?  1 John 5:4 tells us: For everyone who has been born of God OVERCOMES the world.  And this is the VICTORY that has OVERCOME the world---OUR FAITH. Verse five tells us that the one who OVERCOMES the world is the one who BELIEVES that JESUS is the Son of God.   Those who BELIEVE and ACCEPTS JESUS into their HEARTS and LIVES, through the HOLY SPIRIT, which indwells them, will have living in them, the ONE who is GREATER than the one who is in the world.  And they can become OVERCOMERS by their FAITH in Him. 



If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are living a DEFEATED life.  A life that is destined for an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  However, God in His GREAT LOVE and ABUNDANT MERCY, and His AMAZING GRACE, has a plan for you to be DELIVERED from that DESTINY.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN 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 put your FAITH and TRUST in Him, and you can become an OVERCOMER too.  And you can have the ASSURANCE of an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  So, do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"No Greater Love"

“No Greater Love”

“This is My command:  Love one another as I have loved you.  No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.”      John 15:12&13



This message of our Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples, when He was preparing them for what was about to happen.  The trials, the beating, the cross, they were the things that Jesus was facing.  This was a STRESSFUL time for the men, who followed Him.  They fussed with each other, because their anxiety level was high.  This was NOT the attitude that the Lord wanted from His followers.  So, He proceeded to TEACH them the meaning of the word LOVE.



He URGED them to OBEY His command to LOVE one another, and to LOVE like He LOVED them.  They should be WILLING to lay down their life for each other.  They MUST UNDERSTAND why He MUST DIE.  He went on to say that “No one has GREATER LOVE than to be WILLING to die for their friends.  Jesus was OBEYING the will of His Heavenly Father, the ALMIGHTY GOD, who so LOVED the world that He took on flesh and gave HIMSELF as a SACRIFICE for ALL the SINS of ALL mankind, THINK ABOUT IT!  God gave His LIFE to SAVE yours, and that is the GREATEST LOVE of ALL.



When I think about what the world is experiencing NOW with the COVID-19 Virus, and ALL the NURSES, DOCTORS, LAW-ENFORCEMENT, and FIRST-RESPONDERS, those PRECIOUS SOULS who are on the FRONT LINE, risking their OWN LIVES to SAVE others, who are MOSTLY strangers, I THANK GOD for EACH ONE and their DEDICATION and WILLINGNESS to exemplify the LOVE of GOD.  THANK YOU ALL!!! NOW, I know why the NURSES, especially are called: “Angels of Mercy!” 



While they are concerned with SAVING LIVES, God is CONCERNED with SAVING SOULS.  This life is TEMPORARY.  We ALL have an appointment with DEATH, and that is one appointment you WILL MAKE.  When your time comes, you will NOT be given a choice of whether you want to keep the appointment, but it is INEVITABLE, you WILL make that appointment.  GOD is in CONTROL!  Now, if you are NOT a TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD, you have a lot to be concerned about, because your destiny will be an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY TO ESCAPE.  However, you can CHANGE your DESTINY by TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURNING TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. CONFESSING you sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and EXPERIENCE the GREATEST LOVE that WAS, IS, and EVER will be. And spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!

"The Awesomeness of Mercy and Grace"

“The Awesomeness of Mercy and Grace”

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses.  You are saved by grace!             Ephesians 2:4-5



“BUT GOD,” two words that are INSPIRING.  They indicate a very STUPENDOUS transition that is taking place, a change of sorts, which changes DESPAIR to HOPE, and DEATH to LIFE.  I am NOT speaking of this TEMPORARY LIFE, but of ETERNAL LIFE.  These two words determines mankind’s destiny. We all are born with a SINFUL NATURE, one that is prone to be at enmity with God.  And as we grew up, we lived by the inclinations of our flesh, which by nature made us children under wrath.  “BUT GOD” had other plans.



Because of God’s RICH MERCY, which is the act of NOT giving us what we deserve, and His GREAT LOVE that He has for mankind, the Crown of His Creation, He sent His One and Only Son to die in our place, and for those who ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, He has made us ALIVE with Jesus Christ, through His RESURRECTION, even though we were yet DEAD in our sins. 



Because of God’s AMAZING GRACE, getting what we don’t deserve, the REDEMPTION of our wretched souls. Those who will ACCEPT God’s gift of SALVATION, will be made ALIVE with Jesus Christ, even though we were yet DEAD in our sins.  He has provided for the TRUE BELIEVER, ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven, with ALL its BLESSINGS and the ability to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE.



So, if you have NOT given your HEART and SOUL to God, why not do it NOW?  You MUST be 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.  BELIEVE 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 become a recipient of His MERCY and GRACE.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Promise"

“The Promise”

Words of Jesus: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.  He is the Spirit of Truth.  The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him.  But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you.”    John 14:16-17

While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me.       Acts 1:4



On the Day of Pentecost, as the Disciples of Jesus were gathered together in Jerusalem, in an upper room, they heard what sounded like a mighty, rushing wind from Heaven, and it filled the whole house.  Then tongues, like flames of fire appeared to them and rested on them. Then they were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit, God’s PROMISE.



In my opinion, I believe that the GREATEST PROMISE, that God has given mankind, other than their SALVATION, is the GIFT of His HOLY SPIRIT.  I shudder to think what trying to live a CHRISTIAN LIFE in such wicked surroundings, would be like, if it would even be POSSIBLE. 



The PROMISE of God’s Holy Spirit, which indwells EVERY TRUE BELIEVER, is their LIFE-LINE to their Heavenly Father.  It is through the WORK of the Spirit that mankind is drawn to the SAVIOR for the SALVATION of their souls.  And it is the Holy Spirit that brings CONVICTION to the HEART of the Believer.  It is the Holy Spirit that makes it possible for them to be able to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the RIGHTEOUS, HOLY GOD of this Universe.



He guides the Believer through a Jungle of Wickedness, Depravation, Rebellion, and Despair, with PROTECTION, CORRECTION, LOVE, COMPASSION and ASSURANCE, all at their beckon call.  Jesus KNEW what it would be like for the TRUE BELIEVER, and PROMISED He would NOT LEAVE them ALONE to try to LIVE in and under such HARSH, and UNBEARABLE circumstances. 



Because of God’s IMMENSE LOVE for His Children, those who have TRULY GIVEN their HEARTS and LIVES to Him, by ACCEPTING His Son, Jesus, as their LORD and SAVIOR, they have UNENDING access to His Holy Spirit.  If you are STRUGGLING with your lifestyle, because you have REJECTED Jesus Christ, and in all actuality, are NOT God’s Child, the Child of God is one who has given their HEART and LIFE to Him, and has been adopted into His Family.   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. 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 receive His PROMISE of His HOLY SPIRIT.  And start LIVING by the SPIRIT and NOT by the FLESH. And receive HEAVEN as your ETERNAL HOME. Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Strength in Troubled Times"

“Strength in Troubled Times”

But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble.  And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.      Psalm 37:39-40



Most people who are TRUE CHILDREN of the LIVING GOD, can and do face adversities, which comes their way, with PEACE in their HEARTS.  This is POSSIBLE because of their relationship with the ALMIGHTY GOD, and they BELIEVE that HE IS ABLE to DELIVER them.  Whether, He removes the problem or takes them through to a SAFE-PLACE. They TRUST in His WISDOM and LEADERSHIP to see them through.



Whenever a TRUE BELIEVER goes through an ordeal, it not only STRENGTHENS their FAITH, but it ENHANCES their TRUST in the ONLY ONE who can CHANGE their circumstances.  They KNOW that God will DELIVER them from their dilemma, because of their FAITH and TRUST.



It is a GREAT thing to be a TRUE BELIEVER, because we KNOW how it is ALL going to end.  And when our FAITH and TRUST in God is STRONG, we KNOW that one way or the other HE WILL DELIVER His Children, those who have given their HEARTS and LIVES to Him, and who have a CLOSE RELATIONSHIP with Him.



They are the ones who will have PEACE and a STEADFAST FAITH in the One who IS IN CONTROL.  Is He in CONTROL of YOU and your situations?  Or, are you a part of the WICKED and SINFUL people, who continuously REJECT God’s Only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who GAVE His life so that mankind might have ETERNAL LIFE in Heaven, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and to be able to ESCAPE HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE?



No one is given a guarantee, which states that they will not face death, at some point in time.  In other words, we ALL have an appointment with death, and we WILL MAKE that appointment.  For the TRUE BELIEVER, this should not be something to WORRY about, because of our FAITH and TRUST in God, we KNOW what is waiting for us.  But for those, who have NOT ACCEPTED the Lord Jesus as their SAVIOR and LORD, they need to realize that their ETERNAL DESTINY is HELL.  However, they NOW have the opportunity to TURN AWAY FROM their sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. And CONFESS their sins, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL their HEARTS, that JESUS died for them, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for them, before God.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and put their FAITH and TRUST in Him, because He will DELIVER them!  So, do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Faithfulness of God"

“The Faithfulness of God”

Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.     Psalm 37:3

King David knew how to TRUST in the LORD.  David had a DEEP and ABIDING TRUST in his LORD.  He says to us, that we should NOT FRET or WORRY about EVILDOERS.  They are DOOMED, unless they TURN AWAY FROM their EVIL-MINDED BEHAVIOR and LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, and LIVE a RIGHTEOUS LIFESTYLE.  If they do that, they can TRUST in the very One who created them.



God has promised to PUNISH the UNGODLY, because of their EVIL nature and REBELLIOUS ATTITUDE towards Him and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  And He has promised to REWARD the RIGHTEOUS in HEART, and this means they have a PROMISE of an ETERNITY in Heaven with ALL its BLESSINGS. And they will TRULY DWELL in that LAND! 



They can be SAFE and SECURE, because they belong to the ALMIGHTY GOD who can and will protect His Precious Children, for ALL ETERNITY.  And they will dwell in the PERFECT DWELLING PLACE, which is GUARANTEED to ALL who belong to Him and TRUSTS in His Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Those who are feeding on God’s FAITHFULNESS, MERCY and GRACE will receive SALVATION in its FULLEST.



If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are in REBELLION towards Him and His Son, who shed His PRECIOUS BLOOD on an OLD RUGGED CROSS, for you to be able to FEED on the FAITHFULNESS of God, and to spend ALL ETERNITY in Heaven.  The way for you to do that is:  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.  Then 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 start FEEDING on His FAITHFULNESS, by TRUSTING in Him, with ALL your HEART.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Great is Our Lord!"

“Great is Our Lord!”

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.      Psalm 147:5



Isn’t WONDERFUL to KNOW that our God is GREAT and POWERFUL, and He UNDERSTANDS EVERYTHING that is happening to His Creation?  He is NEVER caught off guard, or surprised about a single thing, even the coronavirus. 



He even knows all about our weaknesses and our LACK of UNDERSTANDING.  King David tells us to: “Be STRONG and let your HEART take COURAGE, ALL you who wait for the Lord!”  This can only be applicable to those who are God’s TRUE CHILDREN, those who have given their HEART and LIFE to Him.



In times like these, we who are the TRUE BELIEVERS of Jesus Christ, and have TRUSTED Him, not only with our HEART and LIFE, but our ETERNITY as well, can have that PEACE that passes ALL UNDERSTANDING.  REALIZING that we are His Children, and that He LOVES and CARES for us.  He is ABLE to see us through ANYTHING we face, if we will TRUST HIM and SEEK His Face DAILY. 



Even though we don’t UNDERSTAND His Ways, He UNDERSTANDS ALL we are going through, and will see us through to the end.  TRUST in HIM and lean NOT on your OWN UNDERSTANDING, but ACKNOWLEDGE Him in ALL your WAYS and He will DIRECT your PATHS. (Proverbs 3:5-6).  Remember, His Name is a STRONG and MIGHTY TOWER, the RIGHTEOUS man runs into it and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10)



If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you are putting your ETERNITY at GREAT RISK. In other words, you are in danger of spending an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE. You may be thinking that you have a lot of time, and can put it off, but look at the situation we are in today.  You are NOT guaranteed your next breath.  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.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS CHRIST, died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT God’s gift of SALVATION, and TRUST our GREAT and POWERFUL, LORD, who UNDERSTANDS and LOVES YOU, even when you are WEAK, remember, HE IS STRONG!!  Do this NOW while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Benefits of God's Grace"

“The Benefits of God’s Grace”

“Now I commit you to God and to the Word of His Grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”      Acts 20:32



GRACE:  Receiving blessings we DON’T deserve.



Mankind does NOT deserve God’s gift of SALVATION, on their OWN merits, because mankind is born with a SINFUL NATURE, and is UNRIGHTEOUS before the ALMIGHTY, RIGHTEOUS GOD of the Universe.  The ONLY WAY, that mankind can receive God’s AMAZING GRACE, is through His REDEEMING WORK, which was carried out, through the LORD JESUS CHRIST, God’s Only Son, who gave His life to SAVE the souls of mankind from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE.



Through the REDEEMING WORK of the Lord Jesus Christ, mankind can RECEIVE what they don’t DESERVE, by ACCEPTING what Jesus has done for them.  And by TURNING AWAY FROM their sinful lifestyle, and TURNING TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. And CONFESSING their sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS. BELIEVEING, with ALL their HEART, that Jesus died for them, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for them, before God.  Then they can become a RECIPIENT of GOD’S AMAZING GRACE. 



The Apostle Paul brings out some of the BENEFITS of GOD’S GRACE.   First, we can be BUILT UP in our FAITH, ENCOURAGED, and given an INHERITANCE along with others who have been SAVED and SANCTIFIED (set apart).  That INHERITANCE is an ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS, and being able to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL. 



Receiving God’s GRACE, will DELIVER you from the DOMAIN of DARKNESS and into the GLORIOUS LIGHT of His Son, through which we have REDEMPTION, the FORGIVENESS of sins, through Him. (Col. 1:12-14) Those who have RECEIVED GOD’S GRACE, will be enlightened and able to KNOW the HOPE of HIS CALLING, the GLORIOUS RICHES of His INHERITANCE and the IMMEASURABLE GREATNESS of HIS POWER to those who BELIEVE, according to His VAST STRENGTH.  (Ephes. 1:18-19) These are the BENEFITS of GOD’S GRACE.



If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, why not do so NOW?  And become a RECIPIENT of His AMAZING GRACE, and spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, instead of an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS. Do it NOW by FOLLOWING the contents in this message.  Because, Jesus is waiting and coming SOON!!!

"What is Expected of a True Believer"

“What is Expected of a True Believer”

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.  For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him.  The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.        Romans 6:8-11



A person is led to Jesus Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit, and as an act of REPENTANCE, for the SALVATION of their soul.  And through their REPENTANCE, they are SAVED, and are BAPTIZED into Christ Jesus, in the fact that they identify with Christ and His DEATH and RESURRECTION, which is portrayed through their WATER BAPTISM.

With this BAPTISM they CONFESS that their OLD SINFUL MAN is crucified with Christ.  So, they DIE to their OLD SELF, and are RAISED to a NEWNESS of LIFE.  A life, in which the OLD SINFUL WAYS might be DONE AWAY with. In which, they SHOULD NO LONGER be slaves to their sin---because anyone who has died has been SET FREE from sin.   (VV6-7)



So, if they DIE to SIN, then they SHOULD LIVE with Christ.  And their OLD SINFUL LIFESTYLE no longer has RULE OVER them, because they have DIED to SIN and LIVE to RIGHTEOUSNESS.  Jesus Christ DIED to SIN, this is the SIN of ALL MANKIND, which He took with Him on the cross when He died, and so SIN’S wages, claims, demands and the penalty that was due, was SETTLED and PAID IN FULL.  And NOW He LIVES to God, as the SAVIOR and LORD of ALL. 



We can consider ourselves to be VICTORS over SIN, DEATH and the GRAVE, when we become a TRUE BELIEVER, because we are a NEW CREATURE.  One who CAN and SHOULD TURN AWAY FROM their OLD SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  One that will RUN AWAY FROM the SIN, instead of RUNNING TO the SIN.  We can do this by the POWER of GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT.  IF we will CONFESS our sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS, and PRAY for the STRENGTH to OVERCOME our WEAKNESS.  Then BELIEVE, with ALL our HEART that HE IS ABLE to DELIVER US.  And that JESUS DIED for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be WILLING TO DIE to your SINS, and to LIVE to RIGHTEOUSNESS, and an ETERNAL HOME in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY TO ESCAPE.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"True Love"

“True Love”

This is how God showed His love among us:  He sent His One and Only Son into the world that we might live through Him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.     1 John 4:9-10



Jesus said: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  This is TRULY the GREATEST and TRUEST love that mankind can ever know.   God’s LOVE is not given to us because we loved Him first, but it is given because HE FIRST LOVED US.  He LOVED us so much, that He came in the personhood of a man, and gave His LIFE to SAVE ours.  He PAID in FULL the price we could not pay.  So that we might become CLEAN and RIGHTEOUS and be able to spend ALL of ETERNITY in Heaven with Him and His Son. 



If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so, we KNOW and RELY on the PURE, TRUE LOVE God has for us. (v 15-16) We can KNOW this LOVE if we will declare with our mouth, “JESUS IS LORD,” and BELIEVE with ALL our HEART that God raised Him from the dead.  We will be SAVED.  Because it is with your HEART that you BELIEVE and are JUSTIFIED, and it is with your MOUTH that you PROFESS your FAITH and are SAVED.  (Rom. 10:9-10) We can receive this TRUE LOVE all because of God’s ABUNDANT MERCY and AMAZING GRACE.



If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are not experiencing His TRUE, ABIDING, UNFAILING, UNENDING LOVE.  And you do not have the ASSURANCE of an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS. Instead you are facing an ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  But, because of God’s TRUE LOVE, He has provided a way to be able to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in Hell.  You MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You NEED to 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 BELIEVE and PROFESS that JESUS CHRIST is your SAVIOR and LORD, and all because of God’s TRUE LOVE.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Clean the Inside of the Cup!"

“Clean the Inside of the Cup!”

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence!  Blind Pharisee!  First clean the inside of the cup, so the outside of it may also become clean.”         Matthew 23:25-26



These are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, spoken to those whose talk doesn’t match their walk.   In other words, they say things that they want others to follow, but they, themselves do whatever their HEART wants them to do, He called them HYPOCRITES.  So, He uses the analogy of a dirty cup and dish, to prove a point concerning the condition of their HEART.



Jesus said, “You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence!”  The Pharisees were very stringent on the laws concerning CLEANLINESS.  Yet Jesus, having the ability to KNOW their HEARTS and their MOTIVES, called them out on their HYPOCRISIES.  Jeremiah 17:9, tells us that:  The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?  Jesus sure can. 



And so, He tells them about CLEANLINESS, using the example of the CUP and DISH.  He tells them that the inside of the CUP and DISH is full of GREED and SELF-INDULGENCE, of which they must have been guilty of.  And the first thing that needed to be CLEANED was the inside, then the OUTSIDE would be CLEAN. 



Now, let’s apply this to the BELIEVER.  Sometimes, the BELIEVER, will have INIQUITY or SIN inside, like the dirty CUP and DISH, and yet they try to HIDE it from others and from God.  They make sure that their OUTER APPEARANCE looks like GENUINE RIGHTEOUSNESS, when in ALL ACTUALLITY it is FAKE.  You can NOT have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God and harbor sins in your HEART.  Proverbs 19:3 says: “A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages AGAINST the LORD.”  They NEED TO CLEAN the INSIDE of their CUP. 



To CLEAN the INSIDE of their CUP, they should pray as King David did: “Create IN me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Ps. 51:10, 12)



If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, your CUP and DISH are FILTHY inside and out, in the eyes of the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD, who holds your DESTINY in His hands.  If you continue to REJECT His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and CONTINUE in your SIN, your DESTINY will be an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  You can have a CLEAN CUP and DISH, (inside and outside) and ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, and GAIN an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, by:  TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURNING TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then 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 ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and let Him CLEAN YOU, inside and outside.  Do it NOW, while you still can, He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Awake or Asleep"

“Awake or Asleep”

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.                     1 Thessalonians 5:9-10



The Apostle Paul is talking to the Thessalonians about the Day of the Lord, and about their PREPAREDNESS for that time.  He encourages them, and us with the fact that God did NOT appoint us to WRATH, this WRATH clearly refers to the TRIBULATION period, when God pours out His WRATH upon SINFUL, UNREPENTANT, mankind.  Those who were LEFT BEHIND, at the RAPTURE of God’s Children, His Church. 



In order to escape this HORRIBLE WRATH, one MUST receive SALVATION through the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the One who shed His blood and DIED on an old rugged cross, and was RESURRECTED from the dead, so that mankind might be SAVED from their sins, and to be able to spend ALL of ETERNITY in Heaven, with ALL its BLESSINGS. 



Paul, then makes the statement: “Whether we are AWAKE or ASLEEP, we will live together with Him.”  Meaning that whether we are SPIRITUALLY ALERT or LETHARGIC, (SLUGGISH) we will live together with Him.  The Greek word for AWAKE is gregoromen, and ASLEEP is katheudomen.  If he was talking about being ALIVE or DEAD, he would have used koimao for DEATH.  But this clearly refers to being SPIRITUALLY ALERT, or WATCHFUL, or SPIRITUALLY LETHARGIC.  If you are a TRUE CHILD of God, then you will ESCAPE God’s WRATH, both the TEMPORAL WRATH, the TRIBULATION period, and the ETERNAL WRATH, of spending and ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE. 



If you have given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you will, ESCAPE His WRATH, even if you are NOT ALERT or WATCHFUL, but are LETHARGIC, and maybe even APATHETIC concerning the Day of the Lord.  What matters MOST is that you have received, Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.  To do that 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.  And BELIEVE, 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 ESCAPE God’s WRATH, whether you are AWAKE (alert) or ASLEEP (lethargic), you will live an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  So, do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Sanctified Completely"

“Sanctified Completely”

Now may the God of Peace Himself sanctify you completely.  And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.      1 Thessalonians 5 :23-24



To SANCTIFY is to “set apart”



The Church at Thessalonica was enjoying PEACE at the time Paul penned this letter.  So, they could be encouraged, Paul brought out God’s ability to provide them with PEACE.  He prayed that God would SANCTIFY them, or SET them APART to Himself, in EVERY PART of their being. 



Paul did NOT mean, in any way, that they would receive COMPLETE SANCTIFICATION, while they were here on earth, but that their COMPLETE, WHOLE BEING would be SANCTIFIED, meaning their; SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY. And that God would KEEP them blameless in their relationships with Him and with other people, as well.



This same God of Peace, the One who calls a person to SALVATION, will perform this SANCTIFICATION process, by the Work of His HOLY SPIRIT, who indwells the BELIEVER.  And He is FAITHFUL to bring to COMPLETION the WORK that He first begun in that BELIEVER.  God not only JUSTIFIES by GRACE, but He SANCTIFIES by GRACE too.  Have you been JUSTIFIED and SANCTIFIED by the GRACE of the GOD of PEACE?



If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then your answer is NO.  And if your answer is NO, then, you are LOST and headed for an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  In order for you to CHANGE your DESTINY, you MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to 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 you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be JUSTIFIED and SANCTIFIED in EVERY PART of your being, SPIRIT, SOUL, and BODY, and will be found BLAMELESS for the COMING of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Two Acts, Two Destinies"

“Two Acts, Two Destinies”

For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners so also through the one Man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.      Romans 5:19



In the beginning of time, God created a man, and called him Adam, He also created a woman, and her name was Eve.  Adam and Eve, WERE, at one time, SINLESS, and OBEDIENT to their Creator, God.  Then the great deceiver, Satan came on scene, and through his DECEPTIVE WAYS, he lured Eve and then Adam to DISOBEY God, by ONE ACT of DISOBEDIENCE, in doing what God told them NOT to do.  This ACT, not only brought CONDEMNATION upon them, but it brought a SIN NATURE to ALL of MANKIND, which would be born after Adam and Eve. 



This ACT DISOBEDIENCE, made ALL MANKIND, SINNERS, and with that SINFUL NATURE, they stand under CONDEMNATION and are DISOBEDIENT and UNRIGHTEOUS before God, and if they REFUSE to ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, they will face a DESTINY of an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  This is ONE ACT and ONE DESTINY.



However, the SECOND ACT, CHANGES EVERYTHING!  Because of One Man’s ACT, the ACT of MERCY and GRACE, SALVATION, JUSTIFICATION, and RIGHTEOUSNESS, will provide for those who will ACCEPT God’s gift, which is provided through the DEATH and RESURRECTION of His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, the Lord Jesus Christ, who DIED for the FORGIVENESS of ALL SINS, PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE.  His BLOOD SACRIFICE is SUFFICIENT to COVER or BLOT OUT the sins of ALL MANKIND.  And it will CHANGE their DESTINY from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS to an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  They MUST TURN AWAY FROM their SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. They need to CONFESS their sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And BELIEVE, with ALL their HEART, that JESUS died for them, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for them before God.  Then they MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be OBEDIENT to Him, and become RIGHTEOUS in His sight.



These are the TWO ACTS and TWO DESTINIES.  Choose this day, which one you will FOLLOW.  REMEMBER:  Your ETERNAL DESTINY depends on your CHOICE.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!