People today believe science fiction before God

“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”

Matthew 24:8 (NASB)

When will Christ return? This question has been pondered much through the generations. The imminence of His coming provides the backdrop for everything the Christian does. Christ has not revealed exactly when He will come, but He has told us signs to watch for. The time of His coming is unclear; the fact of His coming is certain.

Jesus said that certain events would signal the nearness of His coming: There will be wars and rumors of wars; there will be famines and earthquakes; Christians will suffer persecution for the sake of Christ; false prophets will come and teach heresy, leading many astray; lawlessness will abound as people do what is right in their own eyes; the authorities will be unable to control crime. Because of lawlessness, people will become cynical and fearful, and their love for others will grow cold (Matt. 24:6–12).

Jesus said that the signs of the end times will be like birth pangs. The pain of childbirth increases in frequency, and it increases in intensity. Jesus said that the presence of war or famine or false teachers does not mean that His coming is upon us. These things, He said, are merely the beginning. He said that the frequency of wars, earthquakes, and crime will increase until finally Christ's return brings everything to a finish. The intensity of wars and famines and other human crises will also escalate.

Our day has seen everything Jesus spoke of reach unprecedented proportions. If there were ever a time Christians should be alert to Jesus’ coming, it is today.

- Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

In that Blackaby speaks of the return of Christ, it seems fitting to include what we see being believed upon in this world. 

Whereas God is mocked and seen with disdain, science, science fiction and the like are pretty much touted as religion to be unquestionably believed. 

You can find people who have created religions based on spaghetti. Based on Satan himself.  Based on even science fiction shows such as Star Trek.  Satan will endorse ANY religion other than that of a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Science is what politicians say will save mankind.  Science has the answers to this so-called pandemic.  This is no more a pandemic than H1N1 was years ago. It just that now this virus is politically motivated to be one. 

The aim isn't necessarily what you see it to be.  Look back to last year and you will see unprecedented attacks on Christians in the United States.  Multimillion dollar lawsuits to shut down businesses that espoused Christian principles.  It's no secret that politicians have a love-hate relationship with voters who are Christians.  They want their votes yet do not or are afraid to publicly endorse their stand for God. 

Wars and rumors of wars.  Famines and earthquakes in various places. Economic collapses. Really, if you look at all into your Bible you will find that God had written about all this coming.  

This world isn't on track to becoming a man made utopia.  We aren't going to rise up from the rubble of a collapsed society to build a society that thrives simply by the will of political powers. 

Read 2nd Peter. Look at the false prophets and false teachers within the professing Church.  Look at how this so-called pandemic has been tendered to shut down the activity of the Church.  The Church that doesn't condone sexual misconduct, that doesn't permit same-sex marriage. The Church that doesn't condone homosexuality in any form.  They are what this is meant to be attacked in the here and now. 

Oh, my friend, my dear reader, God is not going to allow this to stop His people.  No political party can stop the prayers of God's people.  

We indeed are seeing things only once read about in the Bible.  The reforming of the nation of Israel. The restoration of Jerusalem as her capital. The unexplained drawing of Jews back to Israel to populate it again.  They don't have any explanation other than a need to return home.  We are seeing an increase in earthquakes and famines. We are seeing everything that Jesus said to look for. 

Yet millions and millions of people refuse to believe it's happening and do not take living for Jesus seriously.  They will believe the nightly news or news throughout the day but will not stop to read their Bible.  Those in the news world are bold enough to angrily state its their job to tell you what to think and you let them! You let them!

You who claim to be Christians, are you looking for His appearing?

You who claim to be Christians, are you at all reading the truth of our times in the Bible?

Are you at all approaching the Throne of God in prayer as often as you breathe?

I woke up this morning to a line from a song. "Fear...he is a liar". Yes fear is a liar. It goads you into rash decisions.  So does anger.  We live in a world where those in power do not want people to stop and think.  They play on the reaction.

My friend, stop reacting, start praying. 

Stop listening to the so-called news. Realize we live in the midst of Spiritual battles.  Satan doesn't want to lose anyone to Jesus Christ.  Jesus refuses to lose anyone whom He knows will receive Him as their Savior.  Satan will use everything in this world to try to shut up and shut down the people of God. 

Look at how you have been reacting to today's world.  Are you reacting as a Christian or as someone who has no hope?

My hope is in Jesus Christ.  My life is in His hands.  No, I don't know the day nor the hour of His return.  Read your Bible, He says to be ready for it.  Be found by Him DOING the will of God.  Be found by Christ to be IN the fields working as you have been called to do.  When we came to Christ, life really ceased being about us. It became a journey towards becoming more like Christ. Less of us, more of Jesus in us. We are His workmanship.  

Are you living for Jesus?  A life that is true, striving to please Him in all that you do? 

Words from a song, a hymn, that should be on your heart and mind this hour. 

I am waiting for the shout to take us out!

The REAL story of Noah and Today's World

In his currently seemingly never ending campaign to water down the effects of the Bible, a look back at the reality of Noah and what it means today might open some eyes. 

First let's read it from Genesis as it happened...

Genesis 6.

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. So the Lord was sorry that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.  Then the Lord said, “I will wipe out mankind whom I have created from the face of the land; mankind, and animals as well, and crawling things, and the birds of the sky. For I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 

These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for humanity had corrupted its way upon the earth.

Then God said to Noah, “The end of humanity has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of people; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. ¹⁴ Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and put the door of the ark on the side; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. Now behold, I Myself am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which there is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kind, and of the animals according to their kind, of every crawling thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. As for you, take for yourself some of every food that is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and them.” So Noah did these things; according to everything that God had commanded him, so he did.

Genesis 7

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this generation. You shall take with you seven pairs of every clean animal, a male and his female; and two of the animals that are not clean, a male and his female; also of the birds of the sky, seven pairs, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and I will wipe out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made.” So Noah acted in accordance with everything that the Lord had commanded him.

Now Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of water came upon the earth. Then Noah and his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives with him entered the ark because of the waters of the flood. Of clean animals and animals that are not clean and birds and everything that crawls on the ground, they all went into the ark to Noah by twos, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. Now it came about after the seven days, that the waters of the flood came upon the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened. The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.

On this very same day Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark, they and every animal according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kind, and every crawling thing that crawls on the earth according to its kind, and every bird according to its kind, all sorts of birds. So they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the Lord closed the door behind him.

Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth. The water prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. And the water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered. So all creatures that moved on the earth perished: birds, livestock, animals, and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind; of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died. So He wiped out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from mankind to animals, to crawling things, and the birds of the sky, and they were wiped out from the earth; and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark. The water prevailed upon the earth for 150 days.

What we read is what really happened.  There's no happiness nor joy in those whom you are reading about.  Great sorry gripped the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  He was grieving over the degree of how lost mankind had become!   We don't see smiling animals nor do we read of any celebrations happening.  Satan has even hijacked the purpose of God in the rainbow.  The purpose in seeing it...by God...is to remember.  For us it tells us of God remembering not to destroy the Earth by flood again. 

Like we read this morning, mankind - apart from God - tends to water down sin in all of its ugliness.  In all that happened leading up to the flood sin was rampant. 

Men and women were marrying and being given in marriage.  Life was going on like the days, months and years before. Nobody believed Noah's preaching.  Nobody repented. Nobody.

Are you among the nobody's who do not believe in the return of Christ to bring home those who are saved in Christ Jesus? 

Read in between the lines of those 2 chapters.  When the rains came that Noah said for a hundred years were coming. When people saw the Lord close the door to the Ark, unbelief became belief. 

As the waters continued to rise, doubts erased, to be replaced all too late with belief.  Noah, and more importantly, the Lord were serious. 

The bowels of the Earth, namely Sheol Hades, were being gorged with the dead arriving minute by minute to everyone's astonishment.  In that place of weeping and gnashing of teeth people kept arriving. 

This isn't to be turned into some playful wallpaper or portrait to be hung in an infant's room. This isn't a joke. It's entirely provable by the study of geology and archaeology.  In small events God had shown just exactly what those people went through.  Yet Satan continues to blind the eyes of the world. 

Today. Fast forward to today.  Jesus said that His return would be just as it was in the days of Noah.  So let's look at that. What's happening today? Men and women are increasingly rejecting God. Same as it was in Noah's day. Men and women are marrying and being given in marriage. Same as it was in Noah's day.  Add to that Jesus said there would be wars and rumors of war. Earthquakes and famines in various places.  Read about all that in the world today? No it's not some weird coincidence.  It's playing out exactly as Jesus said.  There is no global warming. It's the world getting itself ready for the return of its Creator.  

When Christ returns...it most certainly will not be Hades getting gorged this time. Heaven will see trillions arriving to their real home.  There we will be with Jesus forever.  

Will you be one of those left behind to endure the horrors of 7 years of judgements?  As real as the Great Flood was, the 7 Year Tribulation will be even more real to those going through it. Many millions will wish for death but will be unable to die. Billions of others will die in an instant. 

Are you ready?  The return of Christ is always said to be imminent.  No man knows the day nor the hour. But Jesus also said you WILL see the signs and those with eyes open WILL know that hour is at hand when those things are happening. 

Every person who didn't enter the Ark ended up in Hell.  No exceptions. 

Every person until Jesus stands up to return has the opportunity to be saved. 

Once He calls us all to come, we will be gone. People will still be saved during the Tribulation but oh the horrors they will go through.  Please, my friend, choose now. Choose Jesus now.  Your past doesn't define you. Your sin is part of you until Christ saves you. In Christ you are a new creation. Old things have passed away behold new things have come.  Once Jesus forgives you and takes away your sin, you will indeed be free. You indeed will go when He calls. 

Satan is engaged in ground warfare against all believers.  He is trying to silence the Church.  He wants all the praise, honor and glory that rightfully belongs to God.  

The story of Noah doesn't look so joyous does it now? 

Your story might not have a happy beginning but you my friend can change how it ends by receiving the free gift of Salvation in Christ Jesus. 

To quote my Spiritual Dad "Get ready for the shout that will take us out!"

Are you redefining sin?

“Do not go about spreading slander among your people. . . . Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.” Leviticus 19:16–17 

Gossip and slander emit a threefold poison: they injure the teller, the hearer, and the person about whom a tale is told. Whether the report is true or false matters nothing—by this Scripture, we are forbidden to spread it. The reputation of the Lord’s people should be very precious in our sight, and we should be ashamed to help the devil dishonor the church and the name of the Lord. Some tongues need a bridle rather than a spur. Many people revel in pulling down their brothers and sisters, as if by doing so they are somehow raising themselves. Noah’s two wise sons placed a cloak over their father, but the foolish son who exposed Noah earned a fearful curse (see Genesis 9:18–27). One of these dark days, we ourselves may need restraint and silence from our fellows, so let us offer it cheerfully to those who require it now. Let this be both our family rule and our personal bond: speak evil of no one. The Holy Spirit, however, permits us to condemn sin, and prescribes the way in which we should. It must be done by rebuking fellow believers to their face, not by railing behind their backs. This course is courageous, loving, Christlike—and under God’s blessing it will be useful. Do we shrink back from such work? Then we must lay greater stress on our conscience, and hold ourselves to our obligations—otherwise, by allowing our friends to continue in sin, we ourselves become partakers in it. Countless people have been saved from gross sins by the timely, wise, affectionate warnings of faithful ministers and fellow church members. Our Lord Jesus set us a gracious example of dealing with erring friends in His warning to Peter, the prayer with which He preceded it, and the gentle way in which He bore with Peter’s boastful denial that he ever needed such caution. - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

My Friend, dear Reader, I must ask you to be truthful and honest with yourself.  

Look realistically at your life, not the glowing highlights, but all of it. 

Have you been living like the world? Have you redefined what sin is to suit your own way?  Are you doing things, saying things, thinking things that God, not you, says are sin or are sinful?

When we redefine sin, we are telling God that His definition was wrong.  When we say to ourselves and others "oh that's not that bad" or "it's just a joke" or "it's not hurting anybody" or even "there's nothing wrong with that".  As Spurgeon is saying about dealing with things, do we deal with them rightly, according to Scripture or, are we dealing with things the way the world does?

Are you the one trying to cover a multitude of sin in your life by convincing yourself that those things are not sin?

May these things never be!

People look the other way when the reality of idols and idolatry are mentioned.  First thoughts and words are that it isn't all that.   I'm sorry, in the last 2,000 years did God commission more Apostles to give a revised version of the Bible, saying that God's immovable, unchanging, truths, needed reworking?  If so, thousands of preacher's have certainly missed the memo!

We have no right to redefine sin. 

Satan redefines sin.  There's your first clue Sherlock.  There's your clue that you are not listening to the Spirit of God. 

If you murmur behind someone's back, that's sin. It isn't anything else. 

If you slander people out of your anger, that's sin, that isn't anything else. 

If you state that something is not sin, when God unequivocally has stated that it IS sin, that isn't the Spirit of God talking. 

If you claim that going to some earthly priest gets you forgiveness, you are listening to Satan and not God.  Only by having Salvation through Jesus Christ alone is forgiveness going to happen. By Jesus, through Jesus alone. He IS the Mediator between God and man.  Nobody else. 

If you claim that a lifestyle is ok, that it isn't going to keep anyone from Heaven, you are redefining sin.  The Scriptures state clearly who will NOT enter into Heaven.  Those who live a homosexual lifestyle will not enter into Heaven. 

If you are not saying anything to one who is falling or is about to fall into sin, why aren't you?  If someone was about to be hit by something or say a car or truck you certainly would speak up!

Are you redefining sin to make you feel better? 

Are you justifying your new definitions based on how you want life to be like?

These aren't heavy questions, but, they are questions you need to look at daily. 

Even Christians are duped into changing how life is looked at, in order to not deal with sin. There are no saved homosexuals. There are saved FORMER homosexuals. Those who used to live in sin, not those who insist that there's nothing wrong with their sin.

My friend, dear reader, God defines sin, it is so egregious that it REQUIRED Jesus to have every single sin piled upon Him on the cross to deal with it. It was so loathsome that His own Father couldn't bare to look at Him. It's not for you to say it's not that bad. 

It's not for you to say.  

We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

Don't compound your sin problem by excusing it.  Yes, your sin IS that bad. Yes, your sin DOES need forgiveness by Christ alone. Yes, you DO need to avoid things that God says shouldn't be said, done, seen, thought or anything else. 

Look at your life.  As Jesus said you will know them by their fruits.  What fruits are in your branches?  

A surefire way to know if you have idols in your life are what you think, say, do, when they are absent.  I saw people enraged because college football wasn't going to play.  They were livid.  These same Christians are silent about things of the Church or Christianity's troubles in modern times. That tells the world and Jesus what you really think about the suffering of the Saints and where your worship really is.

So what a sport isn't playing. In light of eternity it means nothing!  Take that same several hours and try praying instead!  Oh? You can't do that! You can't pray for that long!  So what you are really saying is you can devote your life to a sport but not to walking with Christ.  You can waste several hours being passionate about them but not about your Savior? You won't read your Bible but you will memorize useless statistics on players?

Look at your life.  Now is your opportunity to start fixing things.  Now is the time to ask Jesus to forgive you for your watering down sin to suit you. Now is the time to start reprioritizing your life. 

Now is the time to stop making yourself feel better by taking and redefining your sin into something you can stomach. 

The filth of sin within

The filth of sin within 

. . . the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace . . . Ephesians 1:7 

Could there be a sweeter word in any language than forgiveness? In a guilty sinner’s ear, it sounds like the silver notes of jubilee to a captive Israelite (see Leviticus 25:47–55). 

Forever blessed is that dear star of pardon that shines into the cell of the condemned, giving the perishing a gleam of hope amid the midnight of despair! Can it be possible that sin—sin like mine—can be forgiven, forgiven altogether, and forgiven forever? As a sinner, hell is my lot; there is no possibility of escaping it while my sin remains on me. Can my load of guilt be lifted, the crimson stain removed? Can the unyielding stones of my prison ever be loosened, or the doors lifted from their hinges? Jesus tells me that I may yet be free. Forever blessed is the revelation of atoning love that not only tells me that pardon is possible, but is secured to all who rest in Jesus. I have believed in the appointed atonement, the crucified Jesus, so my sins are forgiven—now and forever—by virtue of His substitutionary pain and death. What joy this is! What bliss to be a perfectly pardoned soul! My soul will dedicate all its powers to the One who, out of His free grace, became my guarantee and worked out my redemption through His blood. What riches of grace His free forgiveness exhibits! To forgive at all, to forgive fully, to forgive freely, to forgive forever! Here is a constellation of wonders; I am amazed and adoring when I think of how great my sins were, how precious were the blood drops that cleansed me, and how gracious was the method by which my pardon was sealed. I bow before the throne that absolves me, I clasp the cross that delivers me, I serve for all my coming days the Incarnate God through whom I am a pardoned soul.

- C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

Oh is there no truer statement "As a sinner, hell is my lot; there is no possibility of escaping it while my sin remains on me."

My friend, stop right where you are, stop, just stop.  Look within your own self. Is there any sign of the forgiveness of sins from Christ Jesus?  Are you at all counted among the Spiritually alive?  Has His Salvation come to you?  If you cannot answer yes to this, then, today is the day you need to make things right.  Now is the moment to begin to truly live.  Now is the time to ask for His forgiveness of your sins, to ask Jesus to save you.  

Do you have any idea how fast a twinkling of an eye is?  In all reality nobody does. Suffice to say it's faster than a flash of light.  Yes faster than your eye can perceive light. In the twinkling of an eye Jesus is going to return.  Life will be happening all over this world when that moment arrives.  Anyone who has been dead who was a believer in Jesus Christ for Salvation, will have their graves burst open to rejoin their Spirit and soul, their body renewed and perfected.  Wherever it may have been.  Then, those who are still alive who are believers will vanish.  We too will join Jesus in the air, bodies likewise glorified and perfected. Then we are leaving with Jesus to go to Heaven while the rest of humanity goes through 7 years of horrific judgement as described in the book of Revelation. 

Forgiveness now, turning to Christ now, asking to be forgiven now, brings Salvation now.  It seals you for all eternity, showing the Father that you are one of His Children.  The Holy Spirit comes to live in you. Forgiveness and a restored life are yours.  It matters not what you have thought or done.  Forgiveness is yours for the asking after you come to Christ.  You may possibly not escape the physical consequences of your actions but before Christ you are clean of sin.  

Are you still undecided? My friend, God loved YOU enough to come here, live a sinless life, die on a cross with every single sin of every single person including you, nailed to Him. He arose 3 days later having made the way that nobody could to be able to forgive and save people.  He made a way for even you to be saved.  Yes, you. No I don't know what kind of thoughts you have had. No I don't know what things you have done.  No I don't need to know either.  It doesn't matter, Jesus knows, and He STILL wants to save you. He STILL will forgive you but you still must ask for His free gift of Salvation first.  Get real, this world is honestly going to Hell in a handbasket.  Life isn't getting better it's getting worse.  Technology may be greater, knowledge is increasing, evil men and women are taking advantage of it and lived are being ruined by them.  Time is drawing ever so near for the return of Christ. The Holy Spirit will step aside from restraining the works of Satan.  We will leave and the judgment of God will come. 

Time is now for you to consider your life. 

Time is now for you to look at what is really important to your future. 

Time is now to acknowledge the filth of sin within and ask Jesus to save you and make you clean.

The filth of sin can be removed no other way than through Christ Jesus. 

We have not eyes that see as we need to truly see

We have not eyes that see as we need to truly see 

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD. Zechariah 3:1 ESV 

In Joshua the high priest we see a picture of each and every child of God. We have been brought close by the blood of Christ, taught to minister in holy things, and allowed to enter the holy place behind the veil. Jesus has made us priests and kings of God, and even here on earth we exercise the priesthood of consecrated living and holy service. But this high priest is said to be standing before the angel of the LORD—that is, standing to minister. This should be the perpetual position of every true believer. Every place is now God’s temple, and His people can as serve Him just as truly in their daily employment as in His house. They are always to be “ministering,” offering the spiritual sacrifice of prayer and praise, presenting themselves as a “living sacrifice” (Hebrews 12:1). But notice where it is that Joshua stands to minister: it is before the angel of the LORD. Only through a mediator can we poor, defiled people ever become priests of God. I present what I have before the messenger—the angel of the covenant, the Lord Jesus—and through Him my prayers find acceptance wrapped up in His prayers. My praises become sweet as they are bound up with bundles of myrrh and aloe and cassia from Christ’s own garden. If I can bring Him nothing but my tears, He will put them with His own tears in His own bottle—for He too has wept. If I can bring Him nothing but my groans and sighs, He will accept these as an acceptable sacrifice, for He too was heartbroken, sighing heavily in His spirit. I myself, standing in Him, am “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6 NKJV). All my polluted works, though in themselves the object of divine loathing, are received in such a way that God smells a pleasing aroma. He is content and I am blessed. Observe, then, the position of the Christian: a priest standing before the angel of the LORD.- C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

There's really only a few real reasons to see.  What impacts us, what impacts what is around us. 

We use aids to see ourselves. Mirrors. The opinions of others.  Lastly we choose to accept or reject what we receive. 

In Christ, in service to God, we are given responsibility.  Many live as Christians not thinking of that fact. When you come to Christ, several things happen and begin in you, and for you and to you. 

You are sealed by the Spirit. Marked property of God. 

You are cleansed, made clean, made right, before God. 

You are now aliens among others on this planet because our citizenship is of Heaven. 

You are now His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that He has prepared beforehand for you.  Salvation had come, from that moment on the sanctification of your life happens. The growing in Christ Jesus happens.

Your priorities need to change. What is important to God should be important to you.

There's going to be a Spiritual version of the television show 'Hoarders' happening in your heart. The Spirit is the host and removing things you have sinfully collected is what is going to happen. 

The results should show a changed life. 

People should know that you have been with God by your life and demeanor.  

My friend, dear reader, if you are not behaving in a more Godly manner after coming to Christ, please seek out a Godly man to talk to. You need help both confirming the Salvation you claim and need help learning how to live a Godly life. 

We are supposed to be renewed in the Spirit. Supposed to be Holy as He is Holy. 

Supposed to put off the old self and put on the whole armor of God. 

In our world a great many things cloud our vision.  Satan knows the Scriptures better than you do.  He knows of the road you are on. Knows our weaknesses.  Knows exactly what kind of signs to put up to draw you off that road to Heaven to tangle you up.  To twist your beliefs and practices.  To make you ineffective for Christ.  He cannot take away your Salvation but he can make you useless to God until God takes you home. 

We don't see what God does. 

Many years ago I had an experience unlike any other.  I was at a desk, working.  In my mind's eye I all the sudden was swept straight up away from it. In an instant I was miles away from it. I then looked up. I was in space. I could see the moon and stars. Could see the Earth. It was awesome and amazing. I could feel the warmth of the sun. Not the cold of space.  A moment later I was back to where I was.  I truly believe that was a gift from God.  I would never live out my dream of being an astronaut. 

He made it possible for my eyes to see what they never could on their own. 

With God all things are possible. 

In your life, with God all things are possible.  You must still choose to obey. 

You will still give an account of your life before Jesus.  You will and I will have much to explain.  My hope for me is not to add to the list of things to have to explain. 

God is able to open your eyes if you are willing to trust Him in that area of your life.  The servant of Elijah grew significantly in his life with Christ that day his were opened. 

Prayer changes the pray-er and the pray-ee. It will change you and the one whom you are praying for. 

We are given plenty of Godly things in the New Testament to focus on to grow in Christ.  Are you using them or are you clinging to the world's way of seeing life?

Are you asking Jesus for eyes that see? It's important to note that those whom Jesus healed of physical blindness had their Spiritual eyes opened too.  Some drew nearer to Him in worship others didn't but the result was the same. 

Ask seek knock. Not that hard. Children do it all the time.  Are you doing this with God?  Are you so close to the world that people have no idea you are a Christian? Shame upon you if this is the case.  You should be living a life striving to please God in all that you do.  Time is now to live for the one who gave everything to save you. 

Equality...true equality means we all have sinned

Equality...true equality means we all have sinned 

For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” Romans 9:15 NLT In these words, in the plainest manner, the Lord claims the right to give or withhold His mercy according to His own sovereign will. Just as the prerogative of life and death has been vested in earthly monarchs, so the Judge of all the earth has a right to spare or condemn the guilty, whichever seems best in His sight. Humans by their sin have forfeited all claim upon God; they deserve to perish for their sins, and if all of them do, they have no grounds for complaint. If the Lord steps in to save any of them, He can do so if the ends of justice are not thwarted. But if He deems it best to leave the condemned to suffer their righteous sentence, no one can accuse Him of wrong. All those discourses about people’s right to be completely equal are foolish and brazen. And the contention against discriminating grace, which is only the rebellion of proud human nature against the crown and scepter of Jehovah, is ignorant—or worse. When we are brought to see our own ruined nature and the justice of the divine verdict against sin, we no longer object to the truth that the Lord is not obligated to save us. We will not murmur if He chooses to save others, as if He were somehow injuring us, but we’ll feel that if He does choose to look on us, it will be His own act of free and undeserved goodness—for which we will forever bless His name. How can those of us who are the subjects of divine election properly appreciate the grace of God? We have no room for boasting, for God’s sovereignty most effectively excludes that. The Lord’s will alone is glorified, and the very notion of human merit is thrown out to everlasting contempt. There is no more humbling doctrine in Scripture than that of election—none that better promotes gratitude and, consequently, none more sanctifying. Believers should not be afraid of it, but rejoice in it with adoration toward God.

-C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

People decry the injustice! They rage against inequality!  God already settled that long ago. 

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

"I have my rights!" People exclaim.  

No you don't.  Not before the Holy God of the Universe. 

Born in sin we all are.  Nothing done by man can change that. We can't ignore God's truth, we cannot sidestep it. Cannot create a way around it. Cannot move or remove the judgment of God. We cannot reword it. We can't cover it, hide it, make it look better.  We are born in sin. We are born with a death sentence. The wages, what everyone gets, of sin in them is death. Romans 6:23. We are born, figuratively, dead. 

You have no rights before a Holy God. 

Your only hope is in Jesus Christ. Faith and trust in the finished work on the cross by Him and through Him are THE only way.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one can be saved under any of name, any other thing, any other method. 

There will be none who will enter Heavens gated of their own volition.  Nobody's going to invent a means of sanctification that enables them to stand in the presence of God. 

You cannot live your life, your way, and think it gives you the right to enter into Heaven. God says no. 

Hell is filled with arrogant people who believed they were good enough to be on the streets of Heaven. Hell is also filled with people who disregarded the words of Jesus and denied Him all their lives. Hell has people there who thought they were good enough. They didn't hurt anyone, they were kind to people, they helped people. They weren't robbing anyone, didn't steal or kill anyone.  

Fact is you could live away from everyone, never think a sinful thought, never do a single sinful act. Never do anything for a thousand years, even if you never MOVED, if it were possible to live that long...you would still be condemned to Hell. You are born in sin. It's in the very atoms of your being. 

Only the sanctification of Jesus Christ can do anything about sin. "Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  Romans 8:1.

Faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone is the cure for what makes us separated from God. You have to choose Salvation in Christ.  You have to ask Jesus into your life to save you.  Placing your life in His hands. Asking Him to forgive you.  To wash away the sin in you.  

Our world isn't getting more evil, it's revealing itself.  Revelation is going to bring out even more of the sinfulness of men.  Every form of evil will be exposed. Every single excuse revealed. 

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

You must choose. You.

You must admit you ARE in need of a Savior. 

You must acknowledge that Jesus is the only one who can save you. 

You must ask Him to save you. 

Know an undeniable thing?  

EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN HELL ACKNOWLEDGES THE TRUTH THAT GOD IS REAL. They may hate Him for them being there, but there is nobody in Hell who denies the existence of God.

Secondly EVERYONE in Hell can do nothing about the state they find themselves in.  NOTHING.  They cannot change the ruling of God against them. 

ONLY in this life is it possible to change your destination. 

ONLY in this life can you believe in Christ Jesus and determine your destination. 

ONLY in this life does the Plan of God concerning Salvation work.  Through Jesus Christ alone. 

ONLY by coming to Christ now, by turning your life, hope and future over to Him, NOW,  will you enter the gates of Heaven. 

Life is more than the sum of your experiences.  Life is only lived in obedience to God.  It isn't lived when God isn't the central part of it. 

All are equal in this life.  

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

All are in need of the free gift of Salvation. 

Have you asked for your free gift of Salvation from Christ? 

What we can do to hurt God's Plans

Do not quench the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:19

We cannot prevent God from accomplishing His work in the world around us, but we can quench His Spirit in our lives. God has given us the freedom to withstand the Holy Spirit's activity in our lives. When we ignore, disobey, or reject what the Spirit is telling us, we quench His activity in us. The prophet Isaiah described the result: “Hearing you will hear and not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them” (Isa. 6:9; Matt. 13:14–15).

When you sin, the Holy Spirit will convict you of your need for repentance. If you habitually ignore Him and do not repent, your heart will grow hardened to God's Word. If the Spirit speaks to you about God's will for you, and if you refuse to take action, a time will come when the Spirit's voice will be muted in your life. If you continually reject the Spirit's promptings, a day will come when you no longer hear a word from God. If you repeatedly stifle God's Word to you so that you are no longer sensitive to His voice, He will not give you a fresh word. Be wary of resisting the voice of the Spirit in your life. You may not always be comfortable with what the Spirit is saying to you, but His words will guide you to abundant life.

- Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

We who are in Christ have a liberty in Christ for sure that comes with Salvation. 

What we sometimes forget is we too can get in God's way and by both actions and inaction cause Him to look elsewhere for His will to be done. 

We can quench the Spirit by our desire to be successful, our words, our lack of desire to be successful.  By anything we think or do. We are to be diligent workers in the harvest.  Not idle, not off doing our own thing.  Christian people have but one road to retirement and that's when we are entering into His presence does it begin. 

We can get in God's way and slow or redirect His plans by maintaining our position in the world in a wrong way. Our penchant for selfishness always rears its head most often in times when we should be selfless. 

God's plans will not be thwarted. You may not step up when He calls on you and offers you the opportunity to participate, but, He does have others to go to if and when you don't. 

Your life is hidden in Christ your Salvation was bought with a price, the blood of Jesus.  We owe it to Him to live for Him at any opportunity He brings to us.

The world, family, friends, acquaintances and any other kind of person in your life may think you crazy or insane when you act when God says it's time to act. Look not at them as a gauge of your obedience. 

Look at your choices you have made, look at your decisions. Were you selfish and self-centered in any of them an an opportunity to serve was missed?

Are you doing your best for God or yourself?  Life reviewed in the presence of Jesus will show the truth.  Now is the time to get it right.

Have you forgotten Jesus too?

Among you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest, you have injured your neighbors by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares the Lord God. Ezekiel 22:12 NASB

I can remember this time last year of also being in Ezekiel.  I use a Bible reading Plan at www.biblegateway.com. 

In reading the charges that the Judge, the Lord Jesus Christ, brings against Jerusalem and Samaria, as well as Israel, catch what is added to the end. As if all the visual things that they and the world has seen weren't bad enough, look at the last charge. "And you have forgotten Me.".

In this country that places God in their national anthem, in other countries and places that claim to recognize God in the affairs of men, look at what has been both allowed and endorsed in those places that is the same as what Jesus brings against these 3. Not the least of which is "and you have forgotten Me."

This passage is but one of a great many that the Lord says that to them, that they have forgotten Him.  They lay all the burdens of what went wrong at His feet, decrying His handling of world affairs, yet will not obey His Word. They have forgotten Him. 

There are many in the world who have turned away from God, just as Ezekiel has written, all for the same reasons. There's nothing new under the sun. 

People will welcome idols into their lives, do the same as what happened in Israel. Purported Priests emptying rooms in the house of God for their own purposes, their own businesses.  Bringing in their idolatry and other sinful things into the House of God. 

People today do this.  They removed Jesus from areas of their lives and placed idols in those places in their heart.  It wasn't done overnight, it was done over time. 

Sooner or later they get to a point where they don't even acknowledge there was even a time Jesus was in their heart. Some don't even acknowledge that Christ was told to sit down and shut up by them, because they gave their zeal and attention to their things of the world. 

Stubbornness isn't exclusive to the people of Israel.  It's a trait from Adam and Eve. 

When you consider the truth of God, that every man will be without excuse before Him.  It means that of all the near infinite amounts of excuses that could be given, every single one will be exhausted when the day of Judgement comes. 

Will you be included in those who have forgotten Him?  

Is your own self interests more important than your own relationship with Jesus?

Is your zeal, your passion, been taken from Jesus and given to another? Another person, place or thing?  

Are you more zealous of a political party, a sport, sports team, movie, children's toys, than you are of your beliefs and truths in your relationship with Jesus?

Is there anything in this world that is so important to you that Jesus takes a back seat to it in your life?

Self examination is the thought of today.  With lies abounding from what was once trusted news sources, even lies spoken from the pulpit to people in the worldly interest of inclusion, the only place to return to is your relationship with Jesus. 

95 percent of worldwide news sources are under the influence of Satan.  That's truth. 

What can be near that percentage is the lies spoken from the pulpit in the name of Jesus towards the unsuspecting because they do not look it up to see what the Bible says on anything.  Those in powerful places in Medical, business and political circles are all under the influence of Satan.  

The one who restrains them is the Holy Spirit.  Satan wants total control of those in this Universe. Scripture says that Godly wisdom comes from above.  You will not find it in what you read or hear or see in the news. 

"And they have forgotten Me." 

In Revelation in one of the letters to the Churches Jesus brought that same accusation against a Church. They had forgotten their first love. In their zeal to get people and make a name for themselves, they forgot their relationship with Jesus. 

The world had influenced them so bad, so completely, they had forgotten where it all started. 

Have you allowed worldly opinions to pull you away from walking with Jesus as you used to?  King David cried out in Psalms about remembering when he was glad when he went to the house of God.  He was sad because he had allowed things to get between him and his God.  Eventually it lead to his problems with Bathsheba. 

You and I can hoard the world's point of view into our lives.  Hoard? Yes! You can accumulate thoughts and actions into your heart, pushing Jesus from room to room in your heart until He is barely standing in a corner, no room to sit and only being allowed to interact with you when problems strike.  Hoarding is a disease of the mind.  People convinced the things in their lives must be there. Fear overcomes them when they think about letting go.  They see more stuff and have to add it to their other stuff.  It doesn't end unless they get help. 

Have you hoarded thoughts in your heart that have made you forget your relationship with Jesus?  Have you forgotten what it was like when you first came to Christ?  Are you hoarding things in your life and heart that in all reality of the Bible are indeed idols?  Your work, your home, your car, your children, your relatives, your friends, family, acquaintances, things, can be idolized. If it exists in this world it can be an idol. It can take the place of God in your heart. 

Is Jesus begging you to return to your first love?  Have you allowed so much in your life and your heart that the things of God just aren't important anymore?  But I like that thing! I collect those because... 

Look at those things in light of eternity. You are taking none of those with you when you stand in front of Jesus. 

It's interesting that some of the projects people online are making are computerized mirrors that display information through the mirror that you see.  Mirrors don't lie when you use a non trick version.  They show you the truth. What does it show you about you?  If you could take pictures of what is in your heart and you put them in a photo album, what percentage of those would Jesus be in?

Have you forgotten Him?  Love not the world nor the things in the world.  Paul teaches of the soldier and his intentionally not being entangled in the affairs of the world so that he might serve the one whom he is a soldier for. 

Wow what a convicting train of thought. 

Have you forgotten Him?

Where sin is...you probably are

Where sin is...you probably are 

“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, 

sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Genesis 4:7

When temptation enters our hearts and minds, we either deal with it and gain mastery over it, or it eventually leads us to sinful actions. The time between the initial temptation and the chosen response is critical. Much hangs in the balance.

Cain knew that God was displeased with him but pleased with Abel. Feelings of jealous anger crept into Cain's heart, and thoughts of murder pervaded his mind. As Cain considered what to do, God's Word came to him. God warned him that sin was waiting at the door of his life, looking for an opportunity to enter. Now was not the time to treat temptation lightly, not the time to assume sin would never cause any harm. Now was the time to master the sin and renounce it before it overcame him. Tragically, Cain did not master his sin; instead, sin overtook him and destroyed his life.

Temptations come at unexpected moments. Sinful thoughts may cross your mind. Selfish feelings may begin to invade your heart. The promptings of the Holy Spirit will warn you that God is not pleased with the direction your thoughts and feelings are taking you. At that moment of conviction, you must master the sin that crouches at the door of your life. Sin destroys. Sin brings death. Sin is not something to toy with or take lightly. God's Word to you is the same warning He gave to Cain: master the sin at the door of your life before it brings its inevitable and disastrous consequences. Heed His caution, and you will avoid unnecessary hardship for yourself and others. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

Temptation abounds in our world.  As someone one stated about advanced technology...looking far enough ahead we can see things as indistinguishable from magic.  We have at our fingertips the ability to either learn great things or sink to the lowest forms of depravity. 

No human being is immune to the wiles of temptation.  Satan tried it with Jesus for 40 days.  What we do with temptation is what determines if sin follows. 

We are and always will have to deal with temptation.  Removing technology will not exempt you from experiencing it.  Even the world-considered 'savages' to the Amish all face the temptation to sin. 

But even if you should sit and ponder and scheme and design ways to avoid it. You will still face it.  You, like everyone since Adam and Eve, were born in sin.  It's like you trying to live without your reflection or shadow.  Where you go so that is there with you. 

Nobody is immune to the wiles of temptation.  It's what we do in response to it that matters.  I struggle every day with temptation.  If you are honest with yourself so do you.  If you say you are not, then, my friend, you are a liar.  You are as the Bible says "self-deceived". You are intentionally believing something that Scripture says isn't true.  

The temptation to believe false doctrines is always there.  It's at the crux of why so many Churches split. Creating new doctrines to appease those in the world so as to not offend them...to provide a sense of inclusion.  Hate to break it to you.  Sin offends God.  Sin was why He had to come to Earth to live a sinless life, to die on a cross, to raise again 3 days later, to pay the price for sin.  Sin cannot be where God is. 

Which is why in the New Testament it specifically says exactly who will not see Heaven.  

It doesn't matter what Church you were going to that was inclusive of homosexuality, there will be none in Heaven that were not born again AND had repented of that SIN and had turned to Salvation in Christ Jesus. 

It's important to note that all people face the temptation to sin, not just Christians. 

In Christ we can be forgiven...the direction being to turn such a one from that sin to freedom in Christ.  If you aren't a Christian you face all of the consequences of that life on your own.  Including the day you face Jesus to give an account of your life.  That day will tell you what you already know deep down within you. You are guilty before God.  Only in that day there will be nothing you can do about your problem of not receiving Christ as your Savior. Your next destination will be Hell, not Heaven. It matters not how purely you lived. Without Christ means your future is in Hell. 

Temptation is always before you.  It's analogous to ads on your phone or computer.  You have the choice to go farther or remove them far from you. 

You also have that choice in front of you in your time away from home. When you sit in front of a television.  You choose. 

You choose, I choose, we all choose what happens next. 

Consider well your decisions.  As I have said, I am not immune to temptation myself.  It's a daily thing that often knocks me to my knees.  I often have to ask for forgiveness and Jesus is still there to help me back on my feet.  Then we try to go back to walking together again. 

Denial is great in this world.  Refusing to believe in sin is at the top of the list. Refusing to believe that people in prominent positions would lie to us is up there on the list. Worldly people are influenced by Satan. They want and will entice us to join with them in their false beliefs.  As we are runners in the race to get to Heaven, we will see all kinds of things to try to break our stride, to get us to turn off that main road. To get us to believe things contrary to what God has already clearly shown us. 

Paul mentions in closing of at least one letter, that may the Lord guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  So that I pray for you. 

"I lost not one" - Jesus

I lost not one

Israel served for a spouse, and for a wife he tended sheep. Hosea 12:12 NKJV 

Jacob, while arguing with Laban, described his own work as follows: “These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes” (Genesis 31:38–40 NKJV). Even harder than this was our Savior’s life here on earth. He watched over all His sheep until He gave as His final accounting, “I did not lose a single one of those you have given me” (John 18:9 NLT). His hair was wet with dew, His locks with the drops of the night. Sleep departed from His eyes, since He was praying all night for His people. One night, He pleads for Peter; the next night, another disciple claims His tearful intercession. No shepherd, sitting beneath the cold sky and looking toward the stars, could ever complain about the difficulty of his job as Jesus Christ could have, if He had chosen to do so. There was a sternness in the service of securing His spouse: Cold mountains and the midnight air, Witnessed the fervor of His prayer; The desert His temptations knew, His conflict, and His victory too. “My Dear Redeemer and My Lord,” Isaac Watts (1707) It is sweet to contemplate the spiritual parallel of Laban’s demanding an accounting for all the sheep under Jacob’s care. If a sheep was torn by beasts, Jacob had to make it good; if any of them died, he was legally liable. Wasn’t the toil of Jesus for His church the work of One who was under a heavy obligation to bring every believer safely into the Father’s hand? Look at the hardworking Jacob and you will see a representation of the One of whom we read, “He will feed his flock like a shepherd” (Isaiah 40:11 NLT). - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

For to look at this world in its overabundance of information and disinformation, in its purported wisdom and for sure lack of it, knowing that Jesus lost not 1 of those entrusted to Him by the Father should stir us to be reminded that no matter what the world claims, says, lies about, the truth is Jesus will not lose even 1 who was and is to be saved. 

We live in a world of manipulation and lies when what you see is contrary to the Word of God.  

It's saddening when you see exactly what Paul did and in his case he said such people are accused and he would hope they would even go mutilate themselves for trying to preach a different Gospel than they first received.

Regardless of what is seen in your world there are facts about this life. 

Fact 1 is that it began in purity, fell due to sin of Adam and Eve. 

Fact 2 Satan wants God's Throne and His place in the Universe. 

Fact 3 for centuries Satan had been thwarted by God in his attempts to conquer the human race. 

Fact 4 you are in the midst of that still ongoing battle. 

Fact 5 only those whom are saved by the blood of Jesus are safe.

Fact 6 those who have not or refuse Salvation through Jesus Christ alone are condemned already. 

Jesus lost not 1 and He will likely say that again to the Father after everything written in the Scriptures is fulfilled.  

Imagine a chessboard. Now imagine a chessboard with trillions of parts to be moved on it.  Jesus knows every single piece.  Knows where each piece must be moved to, regardless of what move Satan makes, the scoreboard already says Jesus is the winner. 

The aim and goal, for centuries, by Satan is to figure out how to fully manipulate and control people. To also mimic God. Scripture says he appears as an angel of light.  He doesn't have horns nor is he red and have a tail with an arrow on the end. 

He aims to create life. He aims to be worshipped by men and women. He aims to rule this world his way. What had been happening for centuries is just that.  As someone once said "There are none so blind as those who do not see.  The most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know."

If you've been going back and forth over Salvation, it's time to decide.  Will you believe Satan, the Father of lies, or Jesus, the Way the Truth and the Life?  If you feel that tugging on your heart when you hear or read about getting saved, then now is the time to open that door. 

Satan doesn't want to lose another person.  He will fight you. Will use your own thoughts against you.  

Jesus isn't willing that any should perish but that all would be saved. The catch that you think you are looking for is that YOU must choose.  

Jesus indeed will not lose a single person in all history that was to be saved. 

Will you be one of them?

Do we bring sorrow to God?

Do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:30 NLT 

Everything that believers have must come from Christ, but what we have comes solely through the channel of the Spirit. And just as all blessings flow through the Holy Spirit, no good thing—holy thoughts or devout worship or gracious acts—can come out of us apart from the sanctifying operation of the same Spirit. Even if good seed has been sown in you, it lies dormant unless God “works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). Do you desire to speak for Jesus? How can you unless the Holy Spirit touches your tongue? Do you desire to pray? Oh, what dull work that is unless the Spirit intercedes for you. Do you desire to subdue sin? Do you want to be holy? Would you imitate your Master? Do you desire to rise to the greatest heights of spirituality? Do you want to be made like the angels of God, full of zeal for the Master’s cause? You cannot do any of this without the Spirit—“apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NLT). You branch of the vine, you can’t produce fruit without the sap! Oh, child of God, you have no life in you besides the life that God gives you through His Spirit! So let us never grieve Him or provoke Him to anger by our sin. Let us not quench any of His faintest movements in our souls—let us nurture every suggestion and be ready to obey every prompting. Since the Holy Spirit is indeed so mighty, let us attempt nothing without Him; let us begin no project, carry on no enterprise, and conclude no deal without first begging His blessing. Let us do Him the appropriate honor of recognizing how entirely weak we are apart from Him. Then, depending solely on Him, we should make this our prayer: “Open my heart and my whole being to your entrance, and uphold me when I have received you in my innermost soul.”

- C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

One thing that has been with me my whole life is a feeling of inadequacy concerning living for Jesus as the Scriptures say. 

One key request that I have added to my prayers on my way to work is that Jesus would guard and guide my mouth. That He would guide my hands so that I would not make mistakes.  I am more than 100 percent convinced that I am a fallible human being. The things that I do will impact possibly thousands of people or more. 

I don't want to grieve the Holy Spirit in my thoughts, conduct or actions.  

The thing about this world today is that it's so saturated in idolatry, and is taught at such a young age, people don't know what is or is not an idol.  Idolatry grieves the Holy Spirit.  

People don't realize that Satan thrives at making idols.  He wants people to cling to them and not see or hear the God of the Bible who is real.  He doesn't want you to believe the truth of the Bible.  His goal is distraction.  Waste your life on other things and die without hearing about Christ or die without doing anything for Christ.  He knows the Bible.  He knows what it says.  You would be a fool to think that he doesn't know how that book ends. 

He wants people to cling to idols of self and of things.  To grieve the Holy Spirit of God. 

The New Testament tells us, as believers, what to focus on.  Thankfulness towards God. Psalms, hymns and Spiritual songs. 

Focusing on the one whom saved us and gave up His life for us. 

We are all tempted by the things of this world.  To get our time, energy and talents spent on anything else but on service to God. 

Work we must do, that was the curse brought upon Adam after the fall, but it shouldn't take the place of God in our lives.  No sports, no person or thing should take God's rightful place in our hearts.  

Our world is under siege.  More discretely than you know.  To shut down churches and silence God's people.  Even before this virus the Church of God was under siege because of God's Word.  That a marriage is defined as being between a man and a woman. It was under siege because people refuse to accept that God does not accept homosexuality in any form.  It was called intolerant before this virus hit. Now many states are still trying to shut down Churches. Some states are fighting that.

God had been against abortion since before it was ever done.  It grieves the Holy Spirit that this nation accepts it. It grieves the Holy Spirit when a child is taught to accept untruths. When anyone is taught to believe anything contrary to the Word of God. 

Look at your life and see if there is anything you are doing that grieves the Holy Spirit.  You choose what you do. You aren't being forced to disobey the Holy Spirit. Scripture says that if anyone preaches a different Gospel than what we heard at first, that lead us to Salvation, they are to be accursed. 

HE sought YOU, YOU must choose Him

HE sought YOU, YOU must choose HIM 

O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life. Lamentations 3:58 NKJV 

Note how positively the prophet speaks here. He does not say, “I hope, I trust, I sometimes think, that God has pleaded the case for my soul.” No, he speaks of it as a matter of fact that cannot be disputed: O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul. Let us, by the aid of our gracious Comforter, shake off those doubts and fears that mar our peace and happiness. May this be our prayer: that we will be done with the harsh, croaking voice of conjecture and suspicion and be able to speak with the clear, melodious voice of full assurance. Notice, too, how gratefully Jeremiah speaks, ascribing all glory to God alone. You perceive that there is not a word here about the prophet himself or his own pleading. He does not attribute his deliverance in any measure to any human being, much less to his own merit, but to “You”—O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul. Christians should always cultivate a grateful spirit, and we should prepare a song for our God especially after deliverance. Earth should be a temple filled with the songs of grateful saints, and every day should be a censer smoking with the sweet incense of thanksgiving. How joyful Jeremiah seems to be while he records the Lord’s mercy. How triumphantly he lifts up the song! He has been in the lowest dungeon—even today he is known as “the weeping prophet.” Yet in a book entitled Lamentations we hear the voice of Jeremiah going up to heaven as clear as the song of Miriam when she played the tambourine, as pure as the notes of Deborah when she met Barak with shouts of victory: O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life. Children of God, seek a vital experience of the Lord’s lovingkindness—and when you have it, speak positively about it. Sing gratefully. Shout triumphantly! - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

I am a ponderer. I am an observer.  I look at things and people and try to understand.  Quite often I don't get it. Other times, when God chooses to, He shows me things that He doesn't to other people.  In all those cases it's beyond amazing.  

I look at my life and I can't see why my Savior chose me.  He chose to seek me, to find me. He chose.  I read in my Bible of various people the Lord sought out, and of His specific reasons for rejecting people's and nations. 

I look at how much I know that I have hurt my walk with Jesus and as He stands with me seeing what I see, He says "Forgiven and forgotten." 

Does Jesus stand with believers?  I believe that answer is "always". He stood with the men in the fiery furnace. He stood by Paul. He stands by His children.  

I remember reading the "Left Behind" series of books.  The last book has a depiction of them who survived in Heaven.  It's of all of the last of those on the world approaching Jesus.  One key character keeps crying out "Unworthy! Unworthy!" Yet he cannot stop moving towards Jesus. Finally he collapses in the arms of Jesus.  Jesus tells him that he has been forgiven.  It is alright.  He wipes away his tears. He was there when this happened in his life. He was there when that happened in his life. All is forgiven because he became a child of God. 

I see myself in that position someday before Jesus after the Rapture and I go to be with Jesus.  I see myself crying out "unworthy!".  

I haven't been blessed like some others in this world at being able to recall memories at a whim.  To think on a name and see a person, to remember things about people and places.  I can't do that.  Sometimes I wonder if that's a blessing or a curse.  Yet my sin nature seems to love to remind me of my failures before God.  TobyMac brought out a song a while ago called Move!".  They will never know how much that song helps me. 

My Lord sought me. He chose me from before time began.  He knew everything about me before Adam was born. Before Eve was thought of by Adam. 

He is still wanting those whom He has chosen to keep seeking those whom are left whom He has also chosen.  

The Rapture will only occur after the last person to be saved is saved in Christ Jesus.  Not a person before then.  It isn't necessarily a moment in time to trigger that event.  It's a person.  It was the thief on the cross who began everything.  I wouldn't be surprised if it's a thief that is the last person to be saved that triggers the Rapture. 

The offer to come to Christ is open to everyone.  But not everyone will say yes to it.  Yes God loves everyone and doesn't want anyone to go to Hell.  But, my dear reader, YOU are the one who chooses that destination or not. YOU.  Being chosen isn't just on Jesus. For God so loved the WORLD.  He chose to love the whole world.  From Adam to the last person ever to be born on the other end of time.  He chose, but STILL will be rejected.  People will still reject the terms of Salvation.  Thereby rejecting Christ and THEY will be the ones sending themselves to Hell. The offer is free to all. The ability to reject is upon everyone.  God says and so it is. He says you choose Jesus you will be alive in Christ. He says you reject Christ you choose Hell and eternal separation from God. 

He chose you...but have you chosen Him?

Don't let anything you are about to do next after reading this stop you from settling that question. 

To what are you thankful for?

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, 

and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face 

at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

Luke 17:15–16

Thankfulness is is a conscious response that comes from looking beyond our blessings to their source. As Christians, we have been forgiven, saved from death, and adopted as God's children. There could be no better reason for a grateful heart!

Lepers in Jesus’ day were social outcasts. Their contagious condition ostracized them from those they loved. When ten lepers encountered Jesus, they desperately implored Him to show them mercy. Jesus sent them to the priest. As they obeyed, they were healed! These ten men had been forbidden to enter their own villages, to live in their own homes, to work in their own jobs, or even to touch their own children. Imagine what unrestrained joy must have filled them as they ran home again!

One of the lepers, a Samaritan, stopped and ran back to thank Jesus. Samaritans were normally shunned by the Jews, but Jesus had healed him! Jesus asked, “Where are the others?” Ten lepers had been healed. Ten lepers were reveling in their newfound health, rushing to share the good news with those they loved. But only one considered the Source of that blessing and stopped to thank the One who had given him back his life.

We, too, have been healed and made whole by the Savior. We are free to enjoy the abundant life the Savior has graciously given us. Could we, like the nine lepers, rush off to glory in our blessings without stopping to thank our Redeemer? Our worship, prayers, service, and daily life ought to be saturated with thanksgiving to God (Phil. 4:6). - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

Are you at all thankful to God for any AND everything in your life?

It's so easy in a world of plenty to keep wanting the next bigger, better thing, or place.  To look elsewhere for happiness or pleasure when displeasure seems to be the run of the day. 

How often are you compiling lists of what you are thankful for to give to God vs your lists of your wants and needs?

Are you at all thankful?  Really and truly?

This isn't for me to know your heart. 

What you need to realize is Jesus knows your heart. 

He knows the truth of everyone.  

He knows our every thought and intention. 

He knows what you really meant by what you said or thought.

He knows when you are deceived or are deceiving yourself. 

Are you at all thankful?

The question isn't difficult.  The answer can be.  Yes, we are to approach the Throne of Grace with confidence.  But are you bringing your thanksgiving with you?

We all have lists, if we are truthful with ourselves, of every little thing that's not right with our lives.  Things we really wish God would change.  Things we wish He would supply. 

I am getting older every second.  Just as you are.  Every second there's reminders of things that are going wrong with this body of mine. The list of prayer requests from me to God often have included my frequent ailments and problems.  Sometimes I think I get the same answer as Paul concerning the thorn in his side.  That His grace is sufficient.  Keep moving. 

Many stop being thankful because they got a no answer from God.  So He said no. Keep moving and keep being thankful for that no and the other yes's and laters and not right now's.  

We really really never consider beyond our thinking when it comes to a no from God. 

We really can't conceive of why He would say no. To us it is a slam dunk and He should have approved.  So we fixate on that no and stop being thankful for what He said yes to. There's a significant difference between a no and a not yet because you're not praying earnestly enough.  Jesus eluded to that when the Disciples were not able to cast out a type of demon. He specifically said that kind comes out through prayer and fasting. 

Spiritual focus on that desire was crucial. 

I know of several people who are indeed demonically possessed.  I pray every day for their release.  Only Jesus can grant that. 

I am thankful for my Advocate. I am thankful for my Jesus.  I am thankful for the Wife He has brought me.  I am thankful for the roof over my head.  I am blown away when He grants me understanding in what I read.  Often times He has explained things to me that He hasn't to others.  His explanations are for me because others won't get it.  But I know they are from God.   God continues to bless this blog.  I am thankful and in awe of that. The places it's gone blow my mind. 

Are you thankful in the midst of your trials? Are you thankful in the midst of this election?  Are you embittered about life? Holding onto anger about His no answers to your requests?  Do yourself a favor.  Build a bridge and get over it.  Our lives are to be a reflection of Christ in us. Not a reflection of us in us.  Harboring anger and resentment towards God, in any form, puts a wall between you and God that YOU put there. Let go of it all.  Trust His work in your life and restore the joy of thanksgiving in your heart. 

Are you thankful in these dark times? Read the New Testament in light of the fact that what you read happened during persecution.  Read it in light of the fact that Jesus told you these kinds of things would indeed happen to you.  And He still says to be thankful, be grateful.  

This physical life means nothing in light of eternity. Even 120 years of age is nothing compared to eternity.  Learn to be thankful. 

We have but one time to be thankful and that is in each moment we draw a breath. 

Knowing what is right and Doing what is right

Knowing what is right isn't doing what is right 

When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax. Ecclesiastes 10:9 NLT 

Oppressors may get their way with poor and needy people as easily as they can split logs of wood. But they had better be careful—it is a dangerous business. The splintering of trees has often killed woodmen. Jesus is persecuted in every injured saint, and He is strong to avenge His loved ones. To be successful in trampling down the poor and needy is something to fear: even if persecutors find no danger here, there will be great danger hereafter. To cut and split wood is a common, everyday business, and yet it has its dangers. Dear reader, there are also dangers connected with your calling and daily life, things that you should be aware of. I don’t refer to the hazards of flood and field or disease and sudden death, but to perils of a spiritual sort. Your occupation may be as humble as log splitting, yet the devil can tempt you in it. You may be a house cleaner, a farm laborer, or a mechanic, generally protected from temptations to the greatest vices—and yet some secret sin may do you harm. Those who stay at home and avoid mingling with this rough world might still be endangered by their very seclusion. People who think they are safe aren’t safe anywhere. Pride may enter a poor person’s heart; greed may reign in the owner of a simple cottage; sin of all sorts may venture into the quietest homes; and anger, envy, and malice may be prominent in the most rural areas. We may sin even in speaking a few words to an employee; a little purchase at a shop may be the first link in a chain of temptations; merely looking out a window may be the beginning of evil for us. Oh, Lord, how exposed we are! How can we be protected? It is too hard for us to protect ourselves—only you are able to preserve us in such an evil world. Spread your wings over us, and we, like little chicks, will cower underneath and find ourselves safe!

- C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

There was a quote from a movie "You are going to have to learn the same lesson that I did. There's a difference between knowing the path and walking it."

It matters not, as Spurgeon aptly points out, where you are.  You are vulnerable to the silky ravages of sin.  Is that even a real description?  Yes it is. Silky in that the temptations are never immediately oppressive or aggressive.  They are, after all going to be as stones at the head of a river or anywhere downstream that are placed.  The point of them being that way is to change you before you know what's happening.  Ravages because by the time we know what is going on often it's on the brink of too much to handle. We cry out to God because of the foolishness of ourselves. 

We just get in over our heads that quickly. 

Taking every thought captive is a constant struggle.  There will be times when it is indeed too late.  Happens to me a lot.  You don't realize until a painful revelation of your mouth that something came out not as you expected. 

Busyness is the same thing.  As Blackaby says on this too: 

It is good to want to serve Christ as an expression of love for what He has done for you. Yet when your activity consumes your time and energies so that you have no time for Him, you have become too busy! You may think, as Martha did, that if you don’t do the work, it won’t get done. That may be true, but Jesus taught that your highest priority must be your relationship with Him. If anything detracts you from that relationship, that activity is not from God. God will not ask you to do something that hinders your relationship with Christ. At times, serving God and carrying out His mission is the best way to know and experience God. At other times, it is more important to sit quietly at His feet and listen to what He is saying. We are not called to continually sit at the feet of Jesus; otherwise our service for Him would cease. Neither are we called to serve Him incessantly, without taking time to find restoration in His presence. Have you been serving God so diligently that you have not had time to spend with Him?

But you don't know what to do? Yes, we all do.  We aren't so different from before we came to Christ.  Choice was the result of the Cross.  Mankind's ability to choose was granted.  But, you say those before the Cross couldn't choose!  Yes, they could.  We don't read of massively unbalanced people in the Old Testament.  Scripture says everyone will be without excuse when they stand before Christ.  That means they were born, and lived, in a time best suited to give them their choice concerning Jesus.  

We all will have excuses.  That began with Adam.  Ironically that apple didn't fall far from the tree for us as well as him and Eve.

Being careful of what we do is important. Being careful of what we think is even more important.  Reading in Ezekiel, chapters 8 to 10. Look at what Ezekiel is shown.  Jesus sees everything we do not think He's seeing. Scripture says that before we were born we were seen and known.  Scripture says that even in the womb He knew everything we would ever do.  Look at the first thing Ezekiel is shown, an idol of jealousy.  Then of idolatry.  Things that people think nobody else can see or know of what's going on inside the heart, mind and soul. 

There's a difference between knowing the path and walking it. There are poems about a road less traveled.  We always have roads, plural, in front of us. We choose. We choose the action, the reaction, the emotion, the logic, the reasoning, we choose.  

There is only one who can help us, and that is the Holy Spirit.  Only through being intentional in our path walking can things be as God intended in the life of the Believer.  

Look again at Ezekiel 8 then remember back to the beginning of the 10 Commandments.  In order of those Commandments is the order of the offense against Jesus. 

Look at your feet. Where are they going? Are they attached to someone who is calling themselves a believer but goes where they want and not where God wants? Are they attached to someone who isn't concerned about the things of God? Doing what's right in their own eyes? Are they attached to someone who is trying to please God? Are they waiting for His prompting for where to go and what to do, as it says in Proverbs? Are the things of the world that fantastic to you that excitement about the things of God take a back seat?  A game fires you up, your knowledge of it and the players is flawless, you are siked up at the approach of its start...and your anger kindled when delays happen.  Yet in no way are you that way about your relationship with Jesus?

Think about your why. Why do you do each thing that you do in your life. 

Now is the time to get your priorities in order.  Not after you die.  Get rid of the baggage in your life now.  Cultivate your relationship with Jesus now.  The path of God isn't hard. It's just that you have to be intentional about it.  All of us are easily distracted.  None of us is patient. Often we pick up the chains He broke because those wrong feelings and actions are at least familiar in a time when patience and silence seem overwhelming. 

Pray for me. Pray for yourselves. Paul prayed for you long before you were born or haf the chance to know of the God of the Bible.  Those in Heaven pray for us here. They want us to succeed in Christ. 

Life isn't going to get easier.  It's moving towards the fulfillment of Scripture.  As the number and type of excuses wanes we are drawing closer to whomever that last person will be whom will accept Jesus as their Savior.  The interesting thing about more and more of the world becoming as one against God it also reduces the number of variables in those people's excuses.  They begin sharing the same excuses.  Then all that remains is who will be the last one before the Father says "now it's time".

Pray, pray, pray. Get back on your feet when sin causes you to stumble and fall. 

Stop looking at the sins of others before you look at your own.  As Jesus taught of the splinter in the eye vs the log. So must we be.  

Yes it should bother you when you sin. Not you shouldn't wallow in self pity.  Get on your feet, ask for forgiveness, get moving. 

There's a path before you that leads to Jesus.  What are you waiting for?

A and The Day of the Lord

A and The Day of the Lord 

For you yourselves know that the day of 

the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

1 Thessalonians 5:2

In the Scriptures, the exhortation to prepare for the day of the Lord is usually given to God's people, rather than to unbelievers. Christians must be prepared for Christ's return, so that they can properly respond to Him. The most important thing about the day of the Lord is clear: it comes unexpectedly.

In Scripture, there are several references to the day of the Lord. Often this refers to Jesus’ first coming or His second coming, but it can also refer to any time God comes to His people, either in salvation or judgment (Isa. 13:6; Joel 2:11; Mal. 3:2). Amos had predicted that the day of the Lord would be far different from what the people expected (Amos 5:18). The people of his day thought it would come with joy and singing, yet Amos said there would be grieving and judgment of sin. When Jesus came the first time, His coming caught people by surprise. Because they were expecting the Messiah to come in a different way, many did not recognize Him.

The final day of the Lord will be at Christ's second coming. Meanwhile, there will be times when God will come to you, your family, and friends. You need to be watching for the signs of God's convicting work in your children, your friends, and your coworkers. You must take notice when God begins to do a special work in the lives of the people in your church. It may be that you have an unusual sense of God's presence in a worship service and you begin to intercede for those who are present. Prepare yourself now and pay attention to what is happening in the lives of those around you. You may discover that the day of the Lord is at hand.

- Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

Oh there is such a difference between A day and The day. 'A' can be all encompassing. Every variety, every flavor, of something. 'The' is special, it's specific in its description.  

As in a day like any other day.

As in the day of visitation. 

Are you ready, really ready for THE Day of the Lord?  Put aside your busy schedule. Stop looking up posts on social media or looking up the news. 

Read that question.  Stop dodging your response to it being asked.  Are you ready to face Jesus?  Are you a believer, awaiting your home-going?  Are you an unbeliever who, whether or not you fully believe in God, ready to stand before Christ to explain yourself?  Your explanations will not stand up in the Court of God.  It matters not how good you claim to be.  You could have lived an entire life in a bubble, away from all physical interactions with humans, and still you would end up in Hell from not receiving Christ as your Savior. That's what born in sin means.  You were born in sin just as you were born with limbs and organs.  

A day before God can be now for you or I.

The day before God is what's coming soon.  Interestingly enough so many today don't really know they are quoting Scripture when they go on about life. Saying where is the promise of His coming? Life goes on like it always has.  

A day and The day.  

As Blackaby says, and I have experienced this, a day with Jesus has happened to a great many people.  A day happened when He saved me.  Another A day event happened when He saved me from suicide. Yet another A day event was when I first met my Wife in person and He told me to marry her. Another A day was when He saved my life when a semi truck ran a red light and hit me.  Those are examples of A day.  You, if you are a believer or not, can see such A days in your life.  

The day is a special day of the Lord.  The Father has set a day that truly begins the end of things on this planet. 

You think this puny pandemic has disrupted life.  This is nothing at all compared to the days, weeks and months after The day of the Lord.  Millions dying, supposedly, from this coronavirus? Try millions vanishing in the blink of an eye when Christ returns.  Try billions dying due to the judgement of God found in Revelation.  Try 7 years of that.  Then Jesus returns physically to rule and reign here on Earth for 1,000 years.  Nothing in history compares to how Jesus will rule.

You, my dear reader, do not have as much time to get right with God as you think. 

YOUR day could be today.  Nobody has been promised a today.  Everyone who just died unexpectedly in the last 5 minutes thought they had a today. 

Are you ready for YOUR day?  

Your day is written in Scripture too.  Not just A day or The day. YOUR day is there

 Your day is when Jesus says it's time to go then it's your time to go.  What will you do when you stand before Christ? There are no second chances, no do overs. There is no purgatory. There's no being reborn to try it again.  Scripture says it is appointed unto man once to die then comes the judgment.  If you are in Christ you do not stand condemned, but you will give an account of your life.  If you are not in Christ, you will stand condemned already due to the blood of Jesus not covering your sins. 

Look at where you stand before you see what kind of day it is.