“Who Really Understands the Human Heart?”

“Who Really Understands the Human Heart?”

 

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked.  Who really knows how bad it is?  “But I, the LORD search ALL HEARTS and examine secret motives.  I give ALL people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”   Jeremiah 17:9-10

 

 

In verses five through eight, the Prophet Jeremiah, has laid out the contrast of the way of the wicked with the way of the righteous.  The WICKED person is CURSED, and the RIGHTEOUS person is BLESSED.  The WICKED person TRUSTS in their self or in other human beings, and NOT in God, but the RIGHTEOUS person places their CONFIDENCE or TRUST TOTALLY in God.

 

So, if the ways  of BLESSING and CURSING are so CLEAR, why would people want to CONTINUE in their transgressions?  The answer for that is, the HEART.  The Prophet Jeremiah, tells us that the HEART is the MOST DECEITFUL of ALL things, and DESPERATELY WICKED. This means that the wickedness of a person comes from the desire of the HEART.  When a person comes to the Lord Jesus Christ, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, they are FORGIVEN of their sins, because their HEART has been cleansed by the BLOOD of JESUS.  Now, keep in mind that this CLEANSING is a continual process, in which ALL our sins are FORGIVEN. 

 

God says: “I, the LORD, search ALL HEARTS and examine SECRET MOTIVES.  I give ALL people their due or just rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”  God is ALL KNOWING, He knows our INNERMOST THOUGHTS and MOTIVES, which some people might  try to HIDE from others, BUT you cannot HIDE anything from the ALMIGHTY GOD.  He SEES and KNOWS EVERYTHING we THINK, or DO.  And so, He gives EACH person what He deems their ACTIONS DESERVE.  For the WICKED, those who have NOT GIVEN their HEARTS  and LIVES to GOD their plight will be an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once they are there. For the RIGHTEOUS, those who HAVE GIVEN their HEARTS AND LIVES to GOD, and are His TRUE CHILDREN, they will receive an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.

 

In order to have an ETERNITY in Heaven, you MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, the Lord Jesus Christ, and His CLEANSING PROCESS of your HEART.   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, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and receive your JUST REWARDS, an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.   Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING AND COMING SOON!!!

 

  

“A Sinful and Rebellious People”

“A Sinful and Rebellious People”

 

But in spite of this, the people kept sinning.  Despite His wonders, they refused to trust Him.  So He ended their lives in failure, their years in terror.  When God began killing them, they finally sought Him.  They repented and took God seriously.  Then they remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.  Psalm 78:32-35

 

The Psalmist, Asaph, explains how the Most High God, took care of His people in the wilderness. And ALL the wonders that He performed in taking care of their needs, but the people GRUMBLED, and COMPLAINED.  And they continued to SIN and REBEL against God.  They stubbornly tested Him in their hearts.  They didn’t TRUST or BELIEVE that He could take care of their needs, really more like their wants.

 

So, God’s anger rose against Israel, for they did NOT BELIEVE God nor did they TRUST HIM to take care of them.  And God killed their strongest men.  And in spite of this, the people KEPT ON with their SINNING and REBELLIOUS WAYS.  Despite His wonders, they refused to TRUST Him.  And when the killing began, than they TURNED to God, and took Him SERIOUSLY.  They REMEMBERED God was their ROCK, and their REDEEMER.  And even though their HEARTS weren’t RIGHT, God FORGAVE them, and He RESTRAINED His Anger, because He remembered they were just HUMANS with MOMENTARY LIVES.   

 

PRAYERFULLY, you are not like the Israelites were, You cannot SIN and REBEL against God, and put Him to the TEST, and NOT TRUST or BELIEVE in Him, and NOT come under His ANGER and JUDGMENT.  He is the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD, and you are but a MERE HUMAN BEING that was CREATED by Him and for His GOOD PLEASURE.  TIME is SHORT, we TRULY are LIVING in the LAST DAYS, and if you have NOT GIVEN your heart and life to God, then you are at RISK of spending your ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  In order to ESCAPE this DESTINY, you MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, God’s ONLY SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who died, on a CROSS, so YOU might have ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  You MUST BELIEVE that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and DON’T be a SINFUL and REBELLIOUS person, but become a TRUE RIGHTEOUS CHILD of the LIVING GOD.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!! 

“Why Give Thanks?”

 “Why Give Thanks?”

 

May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints inheritance in the light.  He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.    Colossians 1:11-14

 

This time of year, many begin to think about all the BLESSINGS they have received. There are some, who may not think of the things, they have received as BLESSINGS, they may look at them as GOOD LUCK.  But for the TRUE BELIEVER, the Apostle Paul has given us the BEST REASONS to be THANKFUL to our HEAVENLY FATHER.

 

God gives us STRENGTH and POWER, to live in this world, with ALL its TROUBLES, WICKEDNESS and CORRUPTION that prevails.  Through PRAYER and the STUDY of His Word, we can survive with ALL ENDURANCE and PATIENCE.  And we can do this with JOY and THANKSGIVING.  Because we KNOW that He has given us the right to share in the INHERITANCE of the Saints in His Kingdom of LIGHT.  HE has RESCUED us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His BELOVED Son, JESUS CHRIST, in whom we have REDEMPTION, the FORGIVENESS of ALL our SINS.  Which means, that we have ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS, and can ESCAPE an ETERNAL LIFE in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  And that is WHY we GIVE THANKS, to the ALMIGHTY GOD.  Are you able to give Him THANKS for the same reasons?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you cannot offer THANKS to Him for an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, because that’s NOT where you are HEADED.  In order to have ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN and to ESCAPE an ETERNAL LIFE in HELL, you MUST FIRST 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, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS. Then you MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and be RESCUED from HELL, the domain of darkness, and RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, the Kingdom of Light.  And be able to offer up your THANKSGIVING to GOD, with JOY UNSPEAKABLE and FULL of GLORY!!  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!! 

“A TRUE Confession of Faith”

“A  TRUE Confession of Faith”

 

Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go?  You have the words that give eternal Life.  We believe, and we know You are the Holy One of God.”   John 6:68-69

 

The spontaneity of the Apostle Peter wasn’t always a bad thing, as was the case here.  The Lord Jesus was teaching His disciples, not only the Twelve, but all those who followed Him, and sat under His teachings. Some may have been TRUE BELIEVERS, but MANY were NOT, and the MANY LEFT, because they could NOT UNDERSTAND His teaching, on Him being the Bread of Life.  They grumbled, and said:  “This teaching is too hard.  Who can accept it?”  And they walked away from the TRUE BREAD of LIFE, and their opportunity to receive Eternal Life in Heaven, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  

 

When they had left, Jesus turned to the Twelve Apostles, and He asked:  “Are you also going to leave?”   And Peter, spontaneously answered for the Twelve, with this CONFESSION of FAITH.  He replied:  “Lord, to whom would we go?”  Peter KNEW that JESUS was the ONLY WAY to OBTAIN ETERNAL LIFE. He continues with this affirmation:  “You have the words that give ETERNAL LIFE.” Peter, realized that CHRIST ALONE, was the ONLY WAY, and HOPE for that ETERNAL LIFE.  But, to me, the BEST part of his CONFESSION is: “We BELIEVE, and KNOW You are the HOLY ONE of GOD!” Yet, there was one in the group that did NOT BELIEVE, and that is Judas Iscariot, who BETRAYED Jesus, and because of the GUILT of his BETRAYAL, he dies by his own hands, and he did NOT die as a TRUE BELIEVER, with an ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.

 

Do you have a TRUE CONFESSION of FAITH, like Peter had?  If you do, then you will have ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS. But, if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are headed for an ETERNAL LIFE in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.  However, God is giving you the opportunity to CHANGE your DESTINY by:  ADMITTING that you are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who gave His LIFE for YOUR SALVATION. 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, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS. And ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION with a TRUE CONFESSION of FAITH.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!! 

“An Overflow of Thanksgiving”

 “An Overflow of Thanksgiving”

 

Because we know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence.  All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.        2 Corinthians 4:14-15

 

Even though Thanksgiving is a few weeks away, we can still experience an OVERFLOW of THANKSGIVING to the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.  This experience can happen EVERY DAY.  The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Believers in Corinth, gave them something to cause them to be able to bask in the OVERFLOW of THANKSGIVING to Father God.  

 

That SOMETHING is the fact that the GRACE of GOD is reaching MORE and MORE people with the GOOD NEWS that JESUS, God’s Son DIED for the SALVATION of ALL of mankind.  And that the One who RAISED the LORD JESUS from the DEAD will also RAISE us with JESUS and present us to Himself. 

 

Our THANKSGIVING for God’s GLORIOUS GRACE, and His ABUNDANT MERCY, should OVERFLOW from our HEARTS to His Ears, and it should be an EVERY DAY action.  It is a MANDATE for EVERY TRUE BELIEVER, to REACH others by SHARING the GOOD NEWS that JESUS SAVES, and that ONLY through HIM can you obtain 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. So, GET OUT THERE and BE a LIGHT to SOMEONES DARKNESS.

 

However, if you have not given your HEART and LIFE to God, through Jesus Christ, then you cannot be a LIGHT, and EXPERIENCE an OVERFLOW of THANKSGIVING to Him, and your ETERNAL DESTINY will be an ETERNITY in HELL.  In order to CHANGE that DESTINY, 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.  Then, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS. You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and let your THANKSGIVING OVERFLOW to the Throne Room of the ALMIGHTY GOD.  And be able to spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN.  Do this NOW, while you still can.   He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!

 

“The Confession”

 “The Confession”

 

Against You, and You alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in Your sight.  You will be proved right in what You say, and Your Judgment against me is just.   Psalm 51:4

 

This is King David’s CONFESSION to the Almighty God, for His transgressions with Beth-sheba.  The King appealed to God’s UNFAILING LOVE, and His COMPASSION, and pleaded that the LORD would have MERCY on him and FORGIVE and CLEANSE him from his transgressions.  In verse three, David CONFESSES that he RECOGNIZED his REBELLION, and that it HAUNTED him DAY and NIGHT. In verse two, David pleaded with God to WASH him CLEAN from his GUILT, and to PURIFY him from his SIN.  

 

David’s CONFESSION did NOT take place until a year after his transgression, and then it was after the Prophet Nathan had approached David concerning his sin.  It’s possible that David had JUSTIFIED his transgressions so long and so much that he could not feel the GUILT for his actions.  And David admitted to God that ANYTHING that God decided about him would be JUST.  If you read further down to verse seven, David asked GOD TO purify HIM from his sins, and to WASH him, that he might be CLEAN.  And in verse ten, David, asked God to CREATE in him a CLEAN heart, and to RENEW a LOYAL SPIRIT in him.  

 

Are you like King David, in the aspect of being REBELLIOUS to God and His Ways, and in JUSTIFYING your actions to the point that you do NOT FEEL GUILTY for your sins.  If you do NOT feel the GUILT, your sins, will at some point have a HAUNTING affect on you.  And it might be TOO LATE to REPENT.  The BIBLE tells us that NOW is the DAY of SALVATION, and that GOD will NOT ALWAYS strive with MANKIND.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you may end up with an ETERNAL LIFE in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE, once you are there.   

 

You are NOW given ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, and to RECEIVE an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  To do that you MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who DIED and was RESURRECTED to give you that ETERNITY in HEAVEN.  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.  And with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and CONFESS that JESUS CHRIST is your SAVIOR and LORD!!  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!

“Be Strong and Courageous!”

 “Be Strong and Courageous!”

 

This is My Command—be STRONG and COURAGEOUS!  Do NOT be afraid or discouraged.  For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”    Joshua 1:9

 

You may be wondering, what I am doing in the Book of Joshua.  Well, I take my cues from God,  and this is where He led me.  So, let’s look and see what message the ALMIGHTY God has for us, today. 

 

This is part of a command that God had for Joshua, who was about to replace Moses in leading the Israelites to the Promised Land.  God encouraged Joshua, a number of times with the command to be, STRONG and COURAGEOUS!  He was to NOT be AFRAID or DISCOURAGED, because the LORD GOD would be with him WHEREVER he would go.  This command has been a DRIVING FORCE for God’s servants, throughout the centuries.  It should bolster God’s Children to be diligent in their service for their Heavenly Father.  They should TRUST in His POWER to do whatever He promises to do, just as Joshua did, and by the way Joshua was SUCCESSFUL in LEADING the Israelites to their PROMISED LAND.

 

The Apostle Paul, tells us to STAND FIRM and KEEP a STRONG GRIP on what we have been taught.  We are GREATLY ENCOURAGED to REMAIN STRONG in our FAITH in the midst of our troubles and sufferings also.  We can do this when we put our TRUST and FAITH in God’s SUSTAINING POWER.  Paul also says:  “May God,  as a result, make your hearts STRONG, BLAMELESS, and HOLY, as we stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with ALL His holy people.”  (1 Thessalonians 3:13).   

 

If you have NOT given your heart and life to God, through the REDEMPTIVE WORK, of His Son, JESUS CHRIST, who was VERY STRONG and COURAGEOUS, in His SERVICE to the ALMIGHTY GOD, and He was OBEDIENT to God’s Plan, for the SALVATION of ALL mankind.  Then you are DOOMED to an ETERNITY in HELL, with all its HORRORS, and no way to ESCAPE once you are there.  But God in His ABUNDANT MERCY and His AMAZING GRACE, is giving you the OPPORTUNITY to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL and to GAIN an ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  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 is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And ACCEPT His Gift of SALVATION, and be STRONG and COURAGEOUS in your FAITH and SERVICE to the ALMIGHTY GOD.  Do this NOW while you still can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!