"REAL Peace, GOD'S Peace!"

 

“REAL Peace, GOD’S Peace!”

 

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, PRAY about EVERYTHING.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience GOD’S PEACE, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His Peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”    Philippians 4:6-7

 

We live in VERY UNCERTAIN times that causes STRIFE and DESPERATION, and many times we wring our hands in despair, wondering what will happen to us, and then the WORRY begins to creep into our hearts and minds, and we tend to put our TRUST in MANKIND instead of putting our TRUST in the ALMIGHTY GOD.  These ENCOURAGING words of the Apostle Paul, can benefit us if we will put them into practice, and put our FULL TRUST in the ONLY ONE who can DELIVER us from our GLOOM and DOOM perspective on LIFE as it is now. 

 

The Apostle Paul gives us the antidote for WORRYING, which by the way, is a SIN.  He tells us:  DON’T WORRY about ANYTHING; instead, PRAY about EVERYTHING!  It must THRILL the very HEART of the LIVING GOD, when His CHILDREN come to Him, TRUSTING in Him for their well- being.  Because it shows that we are putting ALL of our TRUST in Him.  Because we BELIEVE that HE IS ABLE to DELIVER us from ALL our problems. And TRUSTING in Him to get us through those that are used to STRENGTHEN our FAITH in Him.  Some difficulties we face, God uses as TEACHING opportunities to help His Children to GROW and MATURE in their FAITH. 

 

So, PRAYER is an ANTIDOTE for WORRY, but we MUST have the RIGHT attitude with our PRAYERS, and that attitude is the attitude of THANKSGIVING.  We need to start our PRAYERS, FIRST, ACKNOWLEDGING who God is and REMEMBERING ALL that He has done for us, and what He is GOING to DO, with a THANKFUL HEART.  And when we do this, we will EXPERIENCE REAL PEACE, GOD’S PEACE.  This PEACE EXCEEDS ANYTHING we can UNDERSTAND.  It is BEYOND what the WORLD offers. It is DEEPER, PURER, STRONGER and EVERLASTING.  His PEACE will GUARD our HEARTS and MINDS as we LIVE in CHRIST JESUS.  Do you FULLY TRUST GOD?  Are you EXPERIENCING REAL PEACE, HIS PEACE?

 

If NOT, you can, by starting with GIVING your HEART and LIFE to Him. Because, with out giving your HEART and LIFE to Him, your PRAYERS will NOT be answered.  The FIRST PRAYER, that GOD hears from an UNBELIEVER is the PRAYER OF REPENTANCE, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, they ask Him to FORGIVE them of their sins and to become the LORD and SAVIOR of their life.  In order to have that REAL PEACE they MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM their SINFUL life-style, and TURN TO GOD.  They MUST acknowledge that they are a SINNER in NEED of a SAVIOR.  And BELIEVE, with ALL their HEART, that JESUS, God’s ONLY SON, gave His LIFE so that they might have EVERLASTING LIFE.  They MUST CONFESS their sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And they MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION, and then they can EXPERIENCE REAL PEACE, GOD’S PEACE!!  So, do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!

 

 

"The Joy of God's Presence"

 

“The Joy of God’s Presence”

 

“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your Presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.”    Psalm 16:11

 

In verses 8-11 in Psalm 16, we see that King David was NOT referring to himself, because David DIED and was BURIED, was NOT resurrected.   In verse ten, David was saying that God would NOT let LEAVE his soul among the dead---Sheol, which is the abode of the dead.  Those whose were wicked went to the SUFFERING side of Sheol and those who were RIGHTEOUS went to Paradise, where those Old Testament saints’ spirits went when they died.  They were there until Jesus Christ, God’s ONLY SON, DIED and was RESURRECTED by God Almighty, for the REDEMPTION of their souls and when CHRIST was RESURRECTED, they went to Heaven along with Him, and PARADISE was CLOSED.  So, King David’s prophetic statement that God would NOT leave his soul in Sheol, or allow God’s HOLY ONE to rot in the grave, was a reference to the RESURRECTION of the LORD JESUS CHRIST and His VICTORY over DEATH and the GRAVE.

 

We, who are God’s TRUE CHILDREN, have that SAME ASSURANCE, and we can say. as King David proclaimed: “No wonder my HEART is GLAD, and I REJOICE. I KNOW that the LORD is ALWAYS with me.  I will NOT be SHAKEN, for He is right beside me.”  And in verse eleven, we can say along with David: “You, will show me the way of life, (this is the work of the HOLY SPIRIT) granting me the JOY of YOUR Presence, (through the Holy Spirit), and the PLEASURES of LIVING with YOU, LORD JESUS, in HEAVEN FOREVER.”  This is the HOPE of EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.  Is it YOUR HOPE?

 

If you have NOT TRULY given your HEART and LIFE to God, through the SACRIFICIAL WORK of His Son, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who gave His LIFE so that MANKIND might have ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and ESCAPE an ETERNAL LIFE in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS. Your destiny is an ETERNITY in HELL.  But you can change that DESTINY, and become a TRUE CHILD of the LIVING GOD by:  ADMITTING that you are a SINNER in NEED of a SAVIOR.  And BELIEVE, with ALL of your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that HE is ALIVE in Heaven. Then CONFESS your sins to Him, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD.  And ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION and ALLOW His HOLY SPIRIT to SHOW you the WAY of LIFE and EXPERIENCE the JOY of GOD’S PRESENCE!  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!

"Please, Lord, Send Anyone Else

 

“Please, Lord, Send Anyone Else!”

 

…Moses replied to the LORD, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent---either in the past or recently or since You have been speaking to Your Servant---because I am slow and hesitant in speech.”   “Please, Lord, send anyone else.”    Exodus 4:10 & 13

 

Well, I can TRUTHFULLY say that Moses was/is NOT the only one who has NOT wanted to do something that God has asked them to do. Moses, evidently had a speech problem, it was possible that he might have gotten tongue-tied, and his words would become tangled or jumbled up, maybe even stuttered some.  But the point is; Moses didn’t have a STRONG enough FAITH, that God would be with him and have COMPLETE CONTROL over his MOUTH.  Whenever, God has something for the TRUE BELIEVER to do, He does not ask for your ABILITY, but He does DESIRE your AVAILABILITY.  Just make yourself AVAILABLE and He will EQUIP you to do whatever it is He wants you to do.  We just NEED to be SUBMISSIVE and TRUST HIM.

 

The Prophet Jeremiah, also had a similar problem, he said: “O Sovereign LORD, I can’t speak for YOU!  I’m too young!”  The LORD replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,” for you must go wherever I send you and SAY whatever I tell you.  And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you.  I, the LORD, have spoken!”  (Jeremiah 1:6-8).   Again, this is a prime example of a LACK of FAITH and TRUST in the POWER and ABILITY of the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. 

 

Yet, God still used MOSES and JEREMIAH in POWERFUL ways.  With MOSES, God provided Aaron to SPEAK for MOSES.  And He promised Jeremiah that HE would be with him and would take care of him.  And God’s ULTIMATE WILL was done!  If you are a TRUE BELIEVER, are you like MOSES and JEREMIAH, saying to God: “Lord, please! Send ANYONE else.” Whenever He calls on you to do something that is NOT what you want to do?  As TRUE BELIEVERS, we NEED to be AVAILABLE to do WHATEVER God asks of US, and TRUST Him to be with US ALL the WAY.  It may not be EASY, but it will make your FAITH STRONGER and GOD HAPPIER! 

 

If you are NOT a TRUE BELIEVER, then you are being DISOBEDIENT to the MOST IMPORTANT thing you will ever do.  And that is to COME to Him, for the SALVATION of your SOUL, which, without JESUS CHRIST, as your SAVIOR and LORD, is DOOMED for an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you’re there.  In order to be OBEDIENT to God and to ESCAPE HELL, you MUST first ADMIT that you are a SINNER, in NEED of a SAVIOR, and then BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that HE is ALIVE in HEAVEN. And CONFESS Your SINS to Him, and with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART ask Him for His FORGIVENESSS. You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, by ACCEPTING His SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST as your SAVIOR and LORD.  And when He calls you to do something for Him, do as the Prophet Isaiah did, say: “Here am I, LORD, send ME.” TRUST and OBEY!!  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!

"From Darkness into His Wonderful Light!"

 

“From Darkness into His Wonderful Light!”

 

…For you are a Chosen People.  You are royal priests, a Holy Nation, God’s very own possession.  As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness and into His Wonderful Light.    1 Peter 2:9

 

The difference between the UNBELIEVER and the TRUE BELIEVER is the UNBELIEVER, does NOT OBEY God’s Word and they STUMBLE and FALL, and they MEET the FATE that is planned for them: A DOOMED ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once they are there.  But the TRUE BELIEVER is NOT like that.  They are CALLED to be GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, they are the CHURCH, the BODY of JESUS CHRIST, God’s Son, who died for the SALVATION of ALL mankind.  But the SAD part of this is, NOT ALL will ACCEPT His SALVATION.

 

However, for those who DO ACCEPT it and BELIEVE in the LORD JESUS CHRIST, they will become God’s OWN people, and will RECEIVE an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  They are CHOSEN to DECLARE God’s PRAISES before others, in other words, to be a WITNESS to others of GOD’S MERCY and GRACE, which awaits those who will come to the CROSS of CHRIST, and be brought from the DARKNESS into GOD’S GLORIOUS LIGHT.  They MUST practice HOLINESS, because they SERVE Him as a HOLY and ROYAL PRIESTHOOD as they EXALT His EXCELLENCIES, which is the PROPER thing to do, in light of having RECEIVED His MERCY and His Gift of SALVATION. 

 

If you are an UNBELIEVER, you NEED to COME to the CROSS of CHRIST, for your DELIVERANCE from the DARKNESS and be brought into God’s WONDERFUL LIGHT.  And to be DELIVERED from an ETERNITY in HELL.  To do that you must FIRST ADMIT that you are a SINNER, in NEED of a SAVIOR.  And BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY from your SINFUL life-style, and TURN TO GOD.  And ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and be brought OUT of the DARKNESS and into His WONDERFUL LIGHT, and become ONE of His CHOSEN PEOPLE, who will spend their ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!

 

 

"A Nation's Sins"

 

“A Nation’s Sins”

 

For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us.  Yes, we know what sinners we are.  We have turned our backs on our God.  We know we have rebelled and have denied the LORD.   Isaiah 59:12-13

 

The sins of a nation are actually the sins of the people who make up the nation.  To ADMIT that we are SINNERS who have SINNED against the HOLY GOD of ALL mankind, means that we have “MISSED the MARK” of God’s HOLY RIGHTEOUS STANDARDS.  These sins of a nation can cause the societal virtues, such as JUSTICE, RIGHTEOUSNESS, TRUTH, and UP-RIGHTNESS to disappear.  And we are left with; WICKEDNESS, CORRUPTNESS, DEPRAVITY, and DESPAIR because they have turned their backs on God.

 

They know how UNFAIR and OPPRESSIVE they have been, carefully PLANNING their DECEITFUL LIES. And WALLOWING in the CESS-POOL of their DEPRAVITY.  The courts oppose those who are RIGHTEOUS in their ways, and JUSTICE is nowhere to be found.  TRUTH stumbles in the streets, and HONESTY has been OUTLAWED.  TRUTH no longer remains, and ANYONE who RENOUNCES EVIL is attacked.  Those who stand for RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTICE, find themselves in DANGER from the rest of a CORRUPT SOCIETY. (v 15a)

 

However, this CORRUPT situation will NOT stand, because the Lord’s displeasure WILL ultimately REVERSE it.  He will repay His enemies for their EVIL DEEDS.  His fury will fall on His foes.  He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth. (v 18) And people everywhere will ACKNOWLEDGE His GLORY, MAJESTY and STRENGTH.  God will supply SALVATION and RIGHTEOUSNESS to those who will SEEK HIS FORGIVENESS and REPENT of their EVIL DEEDS.

 

Are you part of your nation’s sinful condition?  Do you SUPPORT and PARTICIPATE in the SINS of your NATION?  Are you REBELLING against God’s RIGHTEOUS STANDARDS?  IF your answer is YES to these questions then YOU are part of the PROBLEM.   And you, being a part of the NATION, NEEDS to RECOGNIZE your SINFUL behavior, that is preventing others from EXPERIENCING God’s LIGHT of SALVATION.  You NEED to CONFESS your SINS to God and SEEK, with ALL your HEART His FORGIVENESS and REDEMPTION. And TURN AWAY FROM your sinful life-style and TURN TO GOD.  BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS, God’s Son, died for YOU and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN.  And allow Him to be your REDEEMER and LORD of your LIFE. You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and STOP being a part of your NATION’S SINS. God will NOT BLESS nor will He HONOR a SINFUL NATION.  So, do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!

"Being Cut Off from God!"

 

“Being Cut Off from God!”

 

Listen!  The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is His ear too deaf to hear you call.  It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.  Because of your sins, He has turned away and will not listen anymore.    Isaiah 59:1-2

 

This was a message from God to the prophet Isaiah, concerning the DEPRAVITY of the Nation of Israel, The LORD spoke about the PEOPLE’S sins and HIS provision of SALVATION.  The ABILITY of God to SAVE the NATION was depending on the PEOPLE’S willingness to TURN AWAY FROM THEIR SINS and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  God’s ALMIGHTY POWER is the SAME as it has ALWAYS been.  His Arm is NOT too WEAK to SAVE, MANKIND or a NATION, which is in DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.  It is NOT God who is too WEAK, but it is the PEOPLE that are living SINFUL LIFE-STYLES, with NO REMORSE for their SINFUL, DECEPTIVE, DEPRAVED, SELFISH, HARD-HEARTED WAYS.  They are the ONES who make-up the NATIONS and they are the CULPRITS that are destroying the very FIBER of a nation. 

 

Isaiah, reminded the Nation of Israel, that GOD was POWERFUL and COMPASSIONATE enough to SAVE them.  God was NOT DEAF, and could HEAR them, if they would CALL TO HIM.  All they had to do is CALL OUT to HIM with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, and He WOULD come to their RESCUE.  This is a MESSAGE for ALL NATIONS. 

 

The SPIRITUAL DEPRAVITY of a NATION, the willingness to PROMOTE and CONDONE SIN will WEAKEN that nation, MORALLY, SPIRITUALLY and DESTROY the very LIFE of a once, GODLY, MORAL, PROSPEROUS, HEALTHY NATION, all because of PULLING AWAY from GOD and following the devil’s lead.  This is a very DANGEROUS thing.  And my question to you is:  Are YOU a part of the SPIRITUAL DEPRAVITY, are you LIVING, and SUPPORTING a SINFUL, DECEPTIVE, and DEPRAVED, LIFE-STYLE? 

 

Well, if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, and are PARTICIPATING in things you KNOW are NOT PLEASING to Him, then you are a part of DESTROYING the LAND you have LOVED.  And you are in DANGER of spending an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  In order to NOT be a part of what is DESTROYING your NATION, and putting your ETERNAL SECURITY at a HUGE RISK, you MUST do the FOLLOWING: You MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER, in NEED of a SAVIOR.  And BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS, God’s ONLY SON, died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven.  With a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESS your SINS to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then you MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY from your SINFUL life-style, and TURN TO GOD.  CALL OUT to HIM and HE will SAVE YOU and give you an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and be a part of the HEALING of your NATION.  So, do this NOW, while you still can. And DON’T be CUT OFF from GOD, because He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!

 

"Not By Works, But by FAITH"

 

“Not By Works, But by FAITH”

 

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.    Galatians 2:16

 

MANKIND is not SAVED or JUSTIFIED, (being declared righteous) by keeping the law.  If that were a possibility, then SALVATION and JUSTIFICATION would be available by the WORKS of the law, and then there would NOT have to be the shedding of blood or a sacrifice being made to bring MANKIND into a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD of the Universe.  In other words, Jesus God’s ONLY SON, and our SACRIFICE, would NOT have had to SUFFER, BLEED and DIE a HORRIBLE DEATH, and there would have NOT BEEN a RESURRECTION, which was the VICTORY over DEATH and the GRAVE. He could have stayed in Heaven.

 

God SAVES us by His GRACE when we first BELIEVE.  And WE can NOT take credit for it, by doing the WORKS of the LAW.  SALVATION and JUSTIFICATION, is NOT rewards for the “good things” we do.  It comes through the SACRIFICIAL GIFT of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who SUFFERED, BLED, and DIED in OUR place, for the REDEMPTION of MANKIND.  He was RESURRECTED from the DEAD, to give us VICTORY over DEATH and the GRAVE.  This is something that MANKIND could NEVER DO for THEMSELVES, no matter how hard and diligent they would be trying to KEEP the LAW, at some point of time, they would FAIL, they cannot KEEP the WHOLE LAW, and SAVE themselves from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once they are there, ONLY through FAITH in JESUS CHRIST and His SAVING POWER, is it POSSIBLE for MANKIND to have SALVATION and JUSTIFICATION, which will bring them an ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS. 

 

If you believe that you can get to HEAVEN because of the “good things” you do, you are BELIEVING a LIE of SATAN, and you will find yourself with an ETERNITY in HELL.  No matter how HARD you WORK at doing “good things,” it will NOT bring you SALVATION or JUSTIFICATION.  You MUST come by the CROSS of CHRIST, and ADMIT that you are a SINNER, in NEED of a SAVIOR.  BELIEVE with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven.  CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And TURN AWAY FROM your sinful life-style, and TURN TO GOD.  And ACCEPT His Gifts of SALVATION and JUSTIFICATION (to be declared RIGHTEOUS).  And have PEACE knowing that you are NOT saved by your WORKS, but you are SAVED by GOD’S AMAZING GRACE.  So, do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!