“Living Stones”

 “Living Stones”

 

You are coming to Christ, who is the Living Cornerstone of God’s Temple.  He was rejected by people, but He was chosen by God for great honor.  And you are Living Stones that God is building into His Spiritual Temple. What’s more you are His Holy Priests.  Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that Please God.   1 Peter 2:4-5

 

Just WHO ARE YOU?  If you are coming to Jesus Christ for the SALVATION of your WRETCHED SOUL, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, then because of Jesus Christ, and Who He is, which is the LIVING CORNERSTONE of GOD’S SPIRITUAL TEMPLE.  And if you have given your HEART and LIFE to GOD through the BLOOD of His Son, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who is the CHIEF LIVING CORNERSTONE of GOD’S TEMPLE, YOU, and ALL the other TRUE BELIEVERS are the LIVING STONES, which are placed on the LIVING CORNERSTONE, which is the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  

 

We, the LIVING STONES, are to LIVE our LIVES in reference to JESUS.  We SHOULD be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM our SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  We SHOULD be STRONG and STEADFAST in our FAITH and RELATIONSHIP with GOD, which is MADE POSSIBLE through the SHED BLOOD of JESUS, who DIED and is NOW ALIVE in HEAVEN, seated at the RIGHT HAND of the ALMIGHTY GOD, and is FOREVER INTERCEDING for ALL GOD’S CHILDREN.  And this TRANSFORMATION PLEASES God.

 

We ONLY have TWO choices with the LORD JESUS: We can ACCEPT HIM and KNOW that He IS the CHIEF LIVING CORNERSTONE of God’s TEMPLE, upon which the LIVING STONES are PLACED.  OR We can REJECT JESUS, and then HE becomes a STONE to STUMBLE OVER or a STUMBLING STONE, ONE that will cause them to STUMBLE INTO JUDGMENT, and they will end up with an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY TO ESCAPE, once they are there.  Where does YOUR IDENTITY belong?  

 

If you have REJECTED JESUS CHRIST, as your SAVIOR and LORD, then YOU are NOT a LIVING STONE, and YOU WILL STAND in JUDGMENT of that REJECTION, which means that you will be SENTENCED to an ETERNITY in HELL.  But if you ACCEPT JESUS as your SAVIOR and LORD, then you will be KNOWN as a LIVING STONE, and will spend ALL of ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Here is what you MUST DO to ACCEPT HIM AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD. YOU MUST ADMIT THAT YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  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 MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS. YOU MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then YOU MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and become one of HIS LIVING STONES, which He will PLACE UPON His CHIEF LIVING CORNERSTONE of HIS SPIRITUAL TEMPLE.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

“Gracious Salvation”

 “Gracious Salvation”

 

This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.  They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when He told them in advance about Christ’s Suffering and His Great Glory afterward.   1 Peter 1:10-11

 

The SALVATION of mankind has been a MYSTERY of sorts, to a lot of people.  The Prophets of Old Prophesied about this GRACIOUS SALVATION, which caused them to want to KNOW MORE about it.  So, they SEARCHED and INVESTIGATED ALL that the Spirit of Christ, had told them, concerning the SUFFERING and His GREAT GLORY afterward.  

 

In verse 12, we see that the Prophets were told that their messages were NOT for themselves, but for US.  This GOOD NEWS has NOW BEEN PREACHED to even us, by those who preached in the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT of God.  And the reason the Prophets could NOT FULLY understand the mystery of this GRACIOUS SALVATION was because their PROPHECIES had NOT yet been fulfilled.   This GRACIOUS SALVATION is SO WONDERFUL that EVEN the ANGELS are EAGERLY WATCHING these things happen.

 

REMEMBER that GRACE means that we receive what we DO NOT DESERVE.  Mankind in their SINFUL FLESH does NOT DESERVE GOD’S AMAZING GRACE.  He is THE HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD, and MANKIND can do NOTHING to earn this GRACIOUS SALVATION, except to SINCERELY, and TRUTHFULLY come to the LORD JESUS CHRIST, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. And to ADMIT that they are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who SUFFERED, BLED and DIED, but in three days GOD RESURRECTED Him from DEATH and the GRAVE.  You MUST BELIEVE 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.   You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of His GRACIOUS SALVATION.  And be able to have an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE once you are there.  So, do this NOW, while you STILL can. He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“Eternal Comfort and a Wonderful Hope “

“Eternal Comfort and a Wonderful Hope”

 

With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, STAND FIRM and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His Grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.                   2 Thessalonians 2:15-17

 

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the BELIEVERS in Thessalonica, concerning the time after the RAPTURE takes place and before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This time is known as the time of tribulation, where the WRATH of the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD comes upon this WICKED, LAWLESS, and PERVERTED world.  Paul knew they needed some ENCOURAGEMENT, so he told them to STAND FIRM and KEEP A STRONG GRIP on the teaching that he, and Silas, and Timothy had brought to them, either in person or by letter.  

 

Being a TRUE BELIEVER, and LIVING the CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE is NOT an EASY task.  The Christian life is based on LONG-TERM PERSEVERANCE.  Christians, throughout the ages, have SUFFERED in MANY DIVERSE WAYS, but they have REMAINED STRONG and STEADFAST, being OBEDIENT to the HOLY WORD of the LIVING GOD.  They have REVERED, PROTECTED, and DEFENDED this HOLY MASTERPIECE.  Some have EVEN DIED to PROTECT its WELL BEING. 

 

We are living in very UNCERTAIN TIMES.  And it can be UN-NERVING when we THINK about LIVING in the LAST DAYS.  However, the Apostle Paul gives us SOME VERY ENCOURAGING WORDS in verses 16 & 17: “Now may our LORD JESUS CHRIST, Himself and GOD our HEAVENLY FATHER, who LOVED us and by His GRACE, He has given us ETERNAL COMFORT and a WONDERFUL HOPE to be ABLE to HANG ON TO, with a STRONG GRIP, and to STAND FIRM on the TEACHINGS that we have already had.  We are to FOLLOW GOD’S Word and to LIVE IT with ALL our MIGHT.  

 

Now, if you have NOT GIVEN your HEART and LIFE to GOD, then You MUST BEGIN with ADMITTING that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS, the ONLY Son of the LIVING God.  And you MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART, that JESUS SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was BROUGHT BACK to LIFE, or RESURRECTED, to bring US ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL ITS BLESSINGS, and to be ABLE to ESCAPE HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY TO ESCAPE, once you are there.  Then YOU MUST CONFESS your SINS to God and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM YOUR SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and EXPERIENCE ETERNAL COMFORT and a WONDERFUL HOPE.  Do this NOW, while you still can.   He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

“A LOVE or HATE Relationship?”

 “A LOVE or HATE Relationship?”

 

I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me.  Remain in My love.  When you obey MY Commandments, you remain in My love, just as I obey My Father’s Commandments and remain in His Love.   John 15:9-10

 

If the world hates you, remember that it hated Me first.  The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world.  I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.  John 15:18-19

 

First of all, let us LOOK into the LOVE RELATIONSHIP.  This LOVE should NOT be a HUMAN type of LOVE. The LOVE that humans have for each other is a SUPERFICIAL kind of LOVE. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, says this about the kind of LOVE that the LORD JESUS CHRIST wants us to have: “Love is PATIENT and KIND.  LOVE is NOT JEALOUS or BOASTFUL or PROUD or RUDE.  It does NOT DEMAND its OWN way.  It is NOT IRRITABLE, and it KEEPS NO record of BEING WRONGED.  It does NOT REJOICE about INJUSTICE but REJOICES whenever the TRUTH wins out.  LOVE NEVER GIVES UP, NEVER LOSES FAITH, is ALWAYS HOPEFUL, and ENDURES through EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

 

Whenever a person comes to CHRIST for their SALVATION, their ATTITUDE of LOVE should MEET all of the above criteria, and how can we LOVE like that?  We do that by REMAINING in the LOVE of JESUS.  And when you are OBEDIENT to His COMMANDS, then YOUR LOVE will take on the characteristics of the LIST (above) that Paul gave to the CORINTHIANS. And your LOVE will be a CHRISTLIKE LOVE, because we mirror the ATTRIBUTES of God, our HEAVENLY FATHER and His Son the LORD JESUS CHRIST, especially with other BELIEVERS.  

 

Now, let us look a little bit into the HATE RELATIONSHIP.   John says: “If the world HATES you, remember that it HATED Me (JESUS) FIRST.”  HATE, a little word with CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES.  It has HURT and has brought HEARTACHE to TOO MANY PEOPLE.  Wars have broken out, with NATION against NATION, because of HATRED and a HUNGER for POWER. RACIAL PROBLEMS have erupted.  And TOO MANY DEATHS happening ALL because SOME PEOPLE are allowing SATAN to RULE and RUIN their LIVES, to include their ETERNAL DESTINY.  Is this YOUR STORY?  

 

If you are in the above situation, and you are ALLOWING SATAN to LEAD you down the WRONG PATH, then you are headed for an ETERNAL LIFE spent in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE ONCE YOU ARE THERE.  It WILL be TOO LATE, unless the HOLY SPIRIT deals with your HEART and you are CONVICTED of the SINS in your life. Then it will be up to YOU to decide, whether you ACCEPT or REJECT God’s INVITATION to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN to GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You do that by first ADMITTING that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who GAVE His LIFE to SAVE your WRETCHED SOUL.  Then you MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is NOW ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for YOU before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him, and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and ACCEPT GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE and ALLOW it to RULE in YOUR HEART and be OBEDIENT to JESUS’ COMMANDS.  So, do this NOW, while you STILL can. He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!

“Make Ready!”

 “Make Ready!”

 

Therefore, be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.  But know this:  If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into.  This is why you also MUST be READY, because the Son of Man is COMING at an hour you do not expect.   Matthew 24:42-44

 

These Scriptures are the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He was leaving the Temple grounds, He made many statements concerning, what is known as “the RAPTURE” which means the CATCHING UP of ALL TRUE BELIEVERS, to meet Him in the AIR.  No one KNOWS the HOUR or the DAY when this will happen.  And it COULD HAPPEN ANY TIME NOW!!!

 

So, even back in that time, Jesus wanted His followers to be ALERT and READY to GO!  He gave them an illustration about a homeowner, and this is what He said, “If the homeowner had KNOWN what time the thief was COMING, he would have STAYED ALERT and NOT let HIS house be broken into.”  This is WHY you also MUST BE READY, because the SON of MAN is COMING SOON at an HOUR YOU DO NOT EXPECT.  ARE YOU READY?

 

In order to BE READY, you MUST DO some things that will MAKE you READY:  First, if you have NOT GIVEN your HEART and LIFE to GOD, through the SACRIFICIAL WORK that took place on the CROSS of CALVARY when JESUS CHRIST DIED for YOU, to SHED His BLOOD to SAVE your WRETCHED SOUL, from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that JESUS, GOD’S SON, SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for YOU, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFE-STYLE and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and SHARE THIS GOOD NEWS of the HOPE YOU HAVE of an ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS.  When you do this with a SINCERE, REPENTANT HEART, you will MAKE READY your SOUL for an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD, AND HIS LOVING SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  So, DO this NOW, while you STILL CAN.  HE’S WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

 

 

“God’s Calling Card”

 “God’s Calling Card”

 

LORD, You have searched me and known me.  You KNOW when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away.  You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of ALL my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue, You KNOW all about it, LORD.  You have encircled me; You have PLACED Your HAND on me.   Psalm 139:1-5

 

We are going to be in Psalm 139:1-5. The SAME Psalm that we were in yesterday. Yesterday we studied a little about God’s CREATIVE POWER concerning the HUMAN BODY as King David saw it.  

 

Today, we will be looking at God’s CALLING CARD, and that would be His HOLY SPIRIT. MANKIND cannot COME BEFORE the ALMIGHTY GOD, until they have been CALLED by the SPIRIT of the HOLY GOD, which will OPEN the DOOR for them to COME to JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S ONLY SON, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE, in order for mankind to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with GOD.  

 

This was NOT GOD’S CALLING CARD for David.  God KNEW ALL ABOUT David.  We see in our SCRIPTURE, today, that David was realizing the magnitude of GOD’S KNOWLEDGE.  God KNEW ALL about him, and David became AWARE of the fact that GOD IS EVERYWHERE at the SAME TIME.  So, no matter where he was GOD was there too. And God’s KNOWLEDGE was TOO much for DAVID.  So, David TRIED to HIDE from God, but GOD BEING OMNIPRESENT, (everywhere at the same time) was a little much for David. SO, he said to GOD, “You have ENCIRCLED ME; YOU have PLACED Your HAND on ME.”  I think David may have felt a little CONFINED.  David COULD NOT ESCAPE GOD’S PRESENCE.  And NEITHER CAN YOU!!!

 

So, when YOU feel a tugging at your HEART, and YOU feel very UNCOMFORTABLE, it’s GOD, CALLING YOU to COME to His SON, JESUS, for the SALVATION of your WRETCHED SOUL. And He is USING His CALLING CARD, His HOLY SPIRIT.  He is the ONE that has put YOU under CONVICTION.  And YOU have a CHOICE, you can either KEEP RUNNING FROM GOD, but REMEMBER: YOU CANNOT HIDE from His Presence.  He KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE and WHAT YOU are DOING.   OR you can SURRENDER YOURSELF to GOD and ANSWER HIS CALL for SALVATION.  

 

To do that this is what you MUST DO:  You MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S ONLY SON.  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 MUST CONFESS YOUR SINS to HIM and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFE-STYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION, and BE ABLE to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE once you are there.  And RECEIVE an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS and DO NOT TURN DOWN HIS CALLING CARD.  He MAY NOT offer it too MUCH LONGER.  So, do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON to get ALL those who have ACCEPTED GOD’S CALLING CARD, and BELONG to HIM.  DON’T BE LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

“Remarkably and Wonderfully Made!”

 “Remarkably and Wonderfully Made!”

 

For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.  Your works are wonderful, and I Know this very well.   Psalm 139:13-14

 

These are the words of King David, when he was acknowledging that he was CREATED by the ALMIGHTY GOD, who IS the CREATOR of EVERYTHING that has EVER been CREATED.  This INCLUDES the HUMAN BODY, NO MATTER what nationality, gender, (at BIRTH), or any other label that describes WHO you are.  YOU did NOT evolve from some animal species, but the ALMIGHTY GOD FORMED YOU inside your MOTHER’S WOMB.  

 

Have you ever, for a moment, STOPPED and thought about the HUMAN BODY?  As David said:  We are REMARKABLY and WONDERFULLY MADE!!!  Each part has its OWN FUNCTION, and each part is what causes this body to FUNCTION the way it was MADE to FUNCTION. When you STOP and THINK about how each PART WORKS then you will come to the SAME CONCLUSION that David came to and that is:  YOU have been REMARKABLY and WONDERFULLY made by the ALMIGHTY RIGHTEOUS GOD, whose works, every one of them, was REMARKABLY and WONDERFULLY MADE by the REMARKABLE and WONDERFUL CREATOR GOD.  

 

You are NOT a MISTAKE, for God does NOT make MISTAKES!! And YOU were CREATED in the IMAGE of GOD.  YOU were CREATED with MEANING and a PURPOSE, which GOD had already planned WAY BEFORE you were born.  And this is the reason that HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH.  He IS your HEAVENLY FATHER, and it is HIS desire that ALL His Children, would BE ABLE to spend their ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS!!!  But in order to do that there are some IMPORTANT things YOU MUST DO.

 

Whenever you become CONVICTED of your SINS, you MUST FIRST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, God’s ONLY SON, who has GIVEN His LIFE to BRING SALVATION to YOUR SINFUL SOUL.  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.  And YOU MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  YOU MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFE-STYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then YOU MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and THINK about HOW REMARKABLY and WONDERFULLY MADE you TRULY ARE.  And GIVE HIM an ABUNDANT amount of THANKS!! And LOOK FORWARD to an ETERNITY in HEAVEN and ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  Do this NOW, while you STILL CAN.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

“TRUST and PROSPER

 “TRUST and PROSPER”

 

Trust in the LORD and do good.  Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.  Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires.   Psalm 37:3-4

 

David is ENCOURAGING the RIGHTEOUS of the ALMIGHTY GOD and is instructing them to TRUST in the LORD and DO GOOD.  Now, most of us KNOW that SALVATION comes by FAITH and NOT by WORKS.  But David SURELY didn’t want them to WORRY about the WICKED or to ENVY those who seem to PROSPER even when they are doing WRONG. 

 

David tells them NOT to WORRY about the WICKED, because they were like the grass, they soon FADE away.  And like the Spring flowers, they SOON wither. (V2). But, if they, the RIGHTEOUS, will TRUST in the LORD and DO GOOD, and STAY AWAY from the WICKED and their FOLLY, they will be able to LIVE SAFELY in the land and PROSPER.  Now, this part of the scripture, about “DOING GOOD” is exemplified by your FAITH.  In James 2:17, we see that James says: “FAITH by itself isn’t enough.  Unless it PRODUCES GOOD DEEDS, it is DEAD and USELESS. 

 

David goes on to say, “if you take DELIGHT in the LORD, He will give you your HEART’S DESIRES.”  This does NOT mean that you can give Him a LONG LIST of YOUR DESIRES, like a BRAND-NEW CAR, all DECKED OUT, or a couple of MILLION DOLLARS would be GOOD.  The DESIRES that David is talking about is; when YOUR THINKING and DESIRES MATCH GOD’S THINKING and DESIRES.  Then He will start making THINGS HAPPEN in YOUR LIFE. He wants to BLESS you MORE than you want to be BLESSED.  

 

That is just the WAY He is.  He ALREADY has GIVEN US MORE than we DESERVE, when He GAVE us JESUS CHRIST, His ONE and ONLY SON, to GIVE HIS LIFE to SAVE our SOULS, that we might be able to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  And to be able to have an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  IF you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to JESUS, then your ETERNITY will be spent in HELL, UNLESS you are WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  To do that you MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS.  And you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that JESUS SUFFERED, BLED, and DIED for YOUR sins and has been RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE.  HE DIED in YOUR and MY PLACE.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then you MUST ACCEPT HIS Gift of SALVATION and TRUST IN HIM and PROSPER in the land.  DO this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  DON’T BE LEFT BEHIND!!!               

“Proof of Our Relationship with God”

 “Proof of Our Relationship with God”

 

And God has given us His Spirit as proof that we live in Him and He in us.  Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent His Son to be Savior of the world. All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.  We know how much God Loves us, and we have put our trust in His Love.  1 John 4:13-16a

 

When a person comes to JESUS for their SALVATION, they will say they are SORRY for their SINS.  This is what Christians call CONFESSION.  They CONFESS or tell Him ALL about the bad things they have done, and they ask for His FORGIVENESS.  And God’s word says that “He is FAITHFUL to FORGIVE us of ALL our SINS.  

 

When that person BELIEVES with ALL their HEART and CONFESSES that they are a sinner in NEED of the ONLY ONE, who can SAVE their SOUL, because He is the SON of the LIVING GOD and ONLY, He has the POWER to DELIVER them from the CURSE of an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY TO ESCAPE, AFTER they are THERE.  The moment they BELIEVE and ACCEPT JESUS as their SAVIOR and LORD, they receive the HOLY SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD.  The SPIRIT then LIVES in the HEART of that NEW BELIEVER, and they NOW belong to the FAMILY of GOD. 

 

All who DECLARE that JESUS is TRULY the SON of the LIVING GOD, NOW has God living in them, and they LIVE in GOD.   We have the KNOWLEDGE of HOW MUCH God actually LOVES SINFUL MANKIND because He GAVE His ONLY SON to SUFFER, BLEED and DIE, but THREE DAYS LATER, He was SET FREE from DEATH and the GRAVE.  He became the VICTOR over DEATH and the GRAVE.  And right NOW, He is SEATED at the RIGHT HAND of the ALMIGHTY GOD and He is FOREVER INTERCEDING for the TRUE BELIEVER, who has put their TRUST in GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE.  Have you been to JESUS for the SALVATION of your SOUL?  If your answer is “NO” then you NEED to ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, and BELIEVE with ALL your HEART, that JESUS DIED for YOU, and CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK for His FORGIVENESS.  Do it NOW, IN ORDER to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, you NEED to be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD.  And TRUST in His UNFAILING LOVE.  NOW is the TIME because, He is WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!

 

 

“The Promise of Rest”

“The Promise of Rest”

 

God’s Promise of entering His Rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.  For this Good News—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them.  But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.  For only we who believe can enter His Rest.  As for the others, God said, “In My Anger I took an oath; ‘They will never enter My Place of Rest,’ even though this rest has been ready since He Made the World.  Hebrews 4:1-3

 

The ALMIGHTY GOD’S PROMISE of being ABLE to ENTER His REST, is for the TRUE BELIEVERS ONLY!!  This means that those who have TRULY GIVEN their HEARTS and LIVES to the ONLY SON of the LIVING GOD will be able to ENJOY ALL the BLESSINGS of an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  However, we SHOULD TREMBLE with FEAR that some of us (BELIEVERS) might FAIL to experience this PROMISE to the FULLEST EXTENT. This PROMISE of REST is the PARTICIPATION in and the ENJOYMENT of the BLESSINGS God has planned.  When we are NOT as FAITHFUL as we SHOULD be, then we run the RISK of FALLING SHORT of our INHERITANCE.  All though you WON’T LOSE your SALVATION, you will LOSE the OPPORTUNITY to EXPERIENCE the FULL EXTENT of God’s Plans in His Kingdom.  Don’t waste your INHERITANCE.  

 

Living the Christian Life is NOT an EASY task.  If you are INTENT on LIVING the CHRISTIAN LIFE, you will find yourself with CHALLENGES and TRIALS, that will TRY your FAITH.  And the CLOSER you draw to God, you might find yourself with MORE DIFFICULTIES, and you MIGHT WANT to CAVE IN to some of your OLD ways. And this will CHANGE your RELATIONSHIP with CHRIST and the ALMIGHTY GOD.  So, you MUST STAND FIRM and PRAY for GOD’S HELP in these TRYING TIMES.  God, our Heavenly Father, will be with us through it ALL!  And the BLESSINGS that you will RECEIVE in God’s Kingdom will make ALL those DIFFICULTIES, and TRIALS seem TRIVIAL and INSIGNIFICANT.  

 

There are two things that will KEEP a person, from becoming a CHILD of GOD, and INHERITING ALL that GOD has PLANNED for HIS CHILDREN who are OBEDIENT and have OVERCOME the TESTING of our FAITH.  They are; UNBELIEF and DISOBEDIENCE, these two things will KILL a RELATIONSHIP with the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD.  When people REJECT God and His WILL for their life, and they REBEL against HAVING ANY relationship with Him, because of their UNBELIEF and DISOBEDIENCE, they are DESTINED to spend their ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY TO ESCAPE once they are there.  However, if they will ADMIT that THEY are SINNERS, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, the SON of GOD, the one who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE to bring SALVATION to their souls.  And if they will BELIEVE, with ALL their HEART, that JESUS DIED for THEM, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for them, before God. They MUST CONFESS their SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS. They MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY from their SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And they MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION then they will receive the PROMISE of God’s REST to the FULLEST EXTENT.  Do this NOW, while you still CAN.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!“

 

“One In Christ Jesus”

“One In Christ Jesus”

 

My old self has been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.  So, I live in this earthly body by trusting the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  I do not treat the Grace of God as meaningless.  For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.    Galatians 2:20-21

 

Many people think that walking an aisle and saying a few words of confession, and asking for FORGIVENESS, makes them have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the ALMIGHTY GOD.  But this, my dear friends, is NOT TRUE, IF, they are NOT doing these things with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  

 

Some BELIEVE that in order to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD one MUST be a GOOD PERSON, who doesn’t lie, doesn’t gossip, doesn’t intentionally hurt others, etc.  But God’s word tells us that “God SAVED us by His GRACE when we first BELIEVED.  And YOU CAN’T take credit for this; it IS a GIFT from God.  Salvation is NOT a REWARD for the GOOD THINGS we have done, so NONE of us can BOAST about it.   For we are God’s Masterpiece.  He has CREATED us anew in Christ Jesus, so we CAN DO the GOOD THINGS HE PLANNED for us long ago.  (Ephesians 2:8-10)

 

The Apostle Paul says: “My Old self has been CRUCIFIED with CHRIST.  It is NO LONGER I who LIVE, but CHRIST LIVES in ME.” But WAIT, I thought that JESUS was in HEAVEN with God?  He IS.  But He told His Disciples, that He would NOT leave them ALONE, that He would send them the HOLY SPIRIT, in His place.  And that the HOLY SPIRIT would take up residence within their hearts. And that He would be their COMFORTER and GUIDE through this life.  He would FILL-IN where JESUS left off.  

 

And JESUS has done the SAME THING for the BELIEVER, today.  We can LIVE in this EARTHLY BODY by TRUSTING in the SON of GOD, who LOVES us SO MUCH that He GAVE HIMSELF for US.  It is up to US to TRUST in JESUS CHRIST, and NOT DEMEAN the GRACE of GOD.  Because, if OBEYING the LAW, (God’s Law, the TEN COMMANDMENTS, which were GIVEN to SHOW us our SINS, and NOT to BRING us SALVATION.)  Then there was NO NEED for CHRIST to DIE. However, the Bible tells us that: “Without the SHEDDING of BLOOD, there is NO FORGIVENESS. (Hebrews 9:22)  

 

Therefore, the bottom line is this, NO ONE can receive FORGIVENESS, SALVATION, and an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS, unless they COME to JESUS CHRIST, first.  And when they do that, they MUST ADMIT that they are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who GAVE His LIFE to SAVE their SOUL from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once they are there.  In order to COME to CHRIST, they MUST COME with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART and be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM their SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN to GOD.  They MUST BELIEVE, 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 CONFESS their SINS and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  They MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and TURN AWAY FROM their OLD SELF and become ONE IN CHRIST.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can. He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!! 

“God’s Will for Every Christian”

 “God’s Will for Every Christian”

 

Always be joyful.  Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s Will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.  Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.  Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said.  Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.   1Thessalonians 5:16-22

 

The Apostle Paul had just finished speaking to the Thessalonians, about the LAST DAYS and the RETURN of JESUS CHRIST.  And now, in our verses for today, we see that he is talking about the TRUE BELIEVERS LIVING to PLEASE GOD.  The things that SHOULD be the NORM for the TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD.  

 

The first thing he instructs us to do, is to ALWAYS be JOYFUL.  God wants His Children to be JOYFUL, and there is EVERY REASON for them to ALWAYS BE JOYFUL.  Paul knew HUMAN NATURE VERY WELL and He knew that the PEOPLE NEEDED a REMINDER to REJOICE at ALL times.  JOY and HAPPINESS are NOT the SAME THING; JOY does not come from CIRCUMSTANCES that mankind experiences.  But it comes from the HEART, because of a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the LORD JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S ONLY SON, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE, to CONQUER DEATH and to GIVE those who will come to HIM for their SALVATION, ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and to be able to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS.  That, my dear people, are REASON ENOUGH to ALWAYS BE JOYFUL.  This JOYFULNESS is the WILL OF GOD for all who BELONG to HIM, because of what JESUS has done to give us a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the ALMIGHTY GOD.  

 

Paul instructs us to NEVER STOP PRAYING. I really don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t talk to my Heavenly Father, EVERY DAY!  What Paul did NOT MEAN was that PRAYER SHOULD BE CONTINUAL without interruption, but he meant that we should PRAY WHENEVER it is POSSIBLE.  In other words, we should have a PRAYERFUL ATTITUDE, one that would ENHANCE our RELATIONSHIP with Father God and Jesus, His Son.  We, who are TRUE BELIEVERS, should TALK to the FATHER EVERYDAY and BE THANKFUL for ALL the BLESSINGS that He is GIVING US, because of our RELATIONSHIP with His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

 

The Apostle Paul also goes on to say that the TRUE CHILD of GOD, is NOT to STIFLE the HOLY SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD.  The word STIFLE means to SUPPRESS or STOP the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD.  The EFFECTIVE WORK of the HOLY SPIRIT could be HINDERED by the believers, IF they RESISTED the HOLY SPIRIT so Paul WARNED AGAINST the RESISTANCE of the HOLY SPIRIT of God.  Paul also WARNS about SCOFFING or REJECTING the PROPHECIES, which were given to the people, mainly in the Old Testament times, by CERTAIN MEN who were GODLY in NATURE, and would COMMUNICATE with GOD, and they would RECEIVE REVELATIONS from God to give to the Nation of Israel.  It was the WORKING of the HOLY SPIRIT and to SCOFF or RIDICULE the PROPHECIES, WOULD be SCOFFING and RIDICULING the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD.  Instead of SCOFFING at the PROPHECIES, they were to TEST EVERYTHING that is SAID.  And to HOLD ON to what is GOOD.  And STAY AWAY FROM EVERY KIND of EVIL.  This is the WILL of GOD for His CHILDREN.  Do these exhortations concern YOU?  It does if you have given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, through His Son, JESUS, but if you have NOT done that then you are in a WHOLE DIFFERENT CATEGORY.  Your ETERNAL DESTINY will be spending an ETERNITY IN HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  But that is NOT what God wants for YOU.  He wants you to spend your ETERNITY with Him and His SON, in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  The way to do that, is to ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.   And 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 MUST CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  YOU must ACCEPT GOD’S Gift of SALVATION and ACCEPT GOD’S WILL for your LIFE.  Do this NOW, while you STILL CAN.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!   DON’T BE LEFT BEHIND!!!