In the Midst of Troubles

In The Midst of Troubles 

by David Brenneman 

Many years ago the Statler Brothers had been in search of a new 4th member to add to the group with the passing of Lew.

They had a hit song lead by new member Jimmie Fortune, "More Than a Name on a Wall".  It's a tribute to veterans everywhere to remember them as more than just a name to be read.  But in regards to today's message, remembering seems to be the key. 

Remembering who Jesus is, not who we or some in this world have made Him out to be or not be. 

Remembering the names of Jesus.  Remembering by way of prayer. 

Remembering...with thanksgiving.

We were told to really not believe the rank of my Dad on the place his name was engraved, that he was much more than what it says. 

Still others in what we shall call "special duty" in their military service are often hidden behind false reasons for their deaths in order to protect others. The most often used isn't necessarily the truth. 

Remembering.  We are often way too busy with self to stop and remember what we ought to. Our brains have overflowed into electronic technology to keep up with the intensity of things in this world. 

Remembering to consider the attributes of God.  Do we really ever?  

Do we remember to confess our sins? 

Is it a thought of yours at all?   Not being aware of anything isn't necessary a sign of innocence of sin. Read the early chapters of Job. Look at how he thought of the sins of himself and his children. 

Thanksgiving. Oh how easy it is to forget to be thankful to God.  It's one of the chief reasons that I like the song "What He's Done" by Passion Conferences. 

We get so wrapped up in ourselves and the pressures of life we forget much.

We get neglectful of our faith. 

Ouch.

The job, the family, the friends, are coming before our Lord and Savior.  

The hobby, the things done in our leisure time, sports, etc. mean more than our time with Jesus. 

Even the news and social media can take a higher place and priority than our walk with Jesus. 

Months ago we were challenged to look at our time after we get work, eating and sleeping out of the way. Your 42 hours.

Look at that 42 in light of what Jesus said was necessary to His Disciples. 

Notice the things that Jesus taught us that needed to be the highest priorities in life. 

In the midst of our troubled lives we neglect so much.  In the midst of his painful suffering Job spoke of remembering that his Redeemer lives. 

Do you remember this when life takes a turn that YOU weren't expecting?  Surely it wasn't unexpected to God.  

We often don't remember the truth in 1 Thessalonians 5. To rejoice always. Even in our pain and suffering?  Hmm. That passage DID say always.  Just like asking what all means. All means all and that's all all means. Always means always and that's what always means. 

We tend to get ingrown eyeballs when suffering or painful uncomfortable times come upon us.  We look in ourselves, the scope of our thinking tends to collapse to it being our immediate vicinity.  Makes us change our thinking on what's important in that moment.  Makes us consider prayer more.  Hmm.  Think about that. 

We don't realize that the glitzy world we live in is but a vapor.  As the Bible says, the grass grows, it withers, but the Word of God lasts forever. 

What the Bible teaches on what to do during suffering, be it self inflicted or world inflicted, is often what draws us into a better relationship with Jesus.  The Bible says He was a man of sorrows, well acquainted with grief.  He prayed often in order to regain His fellowship with His Father. 

We often regard one of the attributes of Jesus as being the promise keeper.  Do not miss that is an attribute of the Father too. In order for Jesus to bear the sins of this world alone, the Father had to turn His face away.  I think that too was in keeping with His promises concerning sin. Sin cannot be excused, condoned or dismissed because it's sin. Only the righteousness of God can wash it away. Only the obedience of Jesus, the Father’s holding back from helping His Son when sin stood in the way, are we able to have fellowship with God. Only by remembering our past, not living in it, do we move ahead in the midst of troubles.  

Be in prayer always, remembering to thank Jesus for each of these things.  Your life isn't wrapped up in worldly actions and activities.  

It's in your relationship with Jesus. Do you consider His grace, mercy, His forgiveness, His protection, His guidance? His friendship, His peace.  His unfailingly loving you. His being your Savior? 

No other religion in this world is wrapped in the love of God through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. No other is wrapped up in a right relationship with Jesus Christ. 

We are always going to have hard times in this life.  It's all about your perspective. 

We are told to set our minds on the things above and not on the things of this world.

In the midst of troubles it's interesting how they make us do that.  When our minds are at the Throne of God we tend to have fewer priorities.  We tend to experience the love of God more.  We tend to find more peace that we cannot explain.  

It's easy to read of Mary and Martha.  Of Martha's complaint.  We don't see that we can choose to be either.  We can choose the things of this world and take ourselves from the feet of Jesus.  We can and do then wonder at the troubles we find in this life.  

Jesus often got away to be with His Father.  How often did He? It says it was His practice.  His desire.  Is it your desire?

If what's important to God that's supposed to be important to you and I, is quality time with Jesus important to you?  Do you at all share what's on your mind and heart with Jesus when you pray?  Or are you only giving Jesus a to-do list instead?

Is there any intimacy in your conversation with your Savior, if indeed He is your Savior?

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet forfeit his soul?  What can a man give in exchange for his soul? 

In the midst of troubles what's really more important? 

One Thought to Be Unplanned Pregnancy Saved Us All

One Thought to Be Unplanned Pregnancy Saved Us All 

Although foretold centuries earlier, Mary and Joseph were not expecting what became of them or their life together in how it began. 

"Teenage girl, much too young

Unprepared for what's to come
A baby changes everything

Not a ring on her hand
All her dreams and all her plans
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

The man she loves she's never touched
How will she keep his trust?
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries!
Ooh, she cries
Ooh, oh

She has to leave, go far away
Heaven knows she can't stay
A baby changes everything

She can feel He's coming soon
There's no place, there's no room
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries!
And she cries!
Oh, she cries

gather 'round
(Up above the star shines down) star shines down
(A baby changes everything)

Choir of angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
Everything, everything, everything

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

My whole life has turned around
I was lost but now I'm found
A baby changes everything, yeah
A baby changes everything" Faith Hill

Temptation and Programming

Temptation and Programming 

by David Brenneman 

Interesting choice for me to be given to write about!  But, in a sense, it makes perfect sense to me.

It is written somewhere "know your enemy". The full text is from ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu. The full quote goes like this: "Know thy enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are sure to be defeated in every battle."

People these days do not recognize the enemy of God or the work of his minions, referred to in the Bible as demons.  They do not recognize them but do shift the blame to them often. 

Within each of us resides a sin nature that we are all born with. 

To bring along a movie quote "you won't know who to trust".  Simply put, the only truth to trust isn't within you or I, but in Christ Jesus alone.

Satan and his minions have no means, no way, to accurately predict the future. They can, however, use manipulation to bring about what been permitted by God. 

Satan's the Tempter. It's one of the things he does best.  Satan cannot do a great many things. Satan is, after all, a created being. He is not omnipotent, not omniscient, isn't all-knowing. He cannot be everywhere at once like God. Cannot know the thoughts of Christians because he cannot inhabit where the Spirit of God lives. 

So, you say, "What's this got to do with programming?  Isn't that what someone does with a computer?"  People can be conditioned. Essentially the same thing as programming. You can have your environment altered in such a way that in time you adapt to your new surroundings and your new situations. Perfect example is what millions of people do willingly.  They move to a new town, are in a new place they call home, be it a temporary visit or to permanently stay.  They get used to their new surroundings and learn the lay of the land. If there long enough, by talking to people, they know of things to try, things to avoid. 

It's been heavily in the news in one form or another but people often miss the intentionality of it.  News broadcasts are designed to manipulate your thinking. Public opinion is designed to manipulate your thoughts. As it is said of journalism "if it bleeds it leads".  News broadcasts are used to manipulate elections. Newspapers are used to manipulate much more. To sway public opinions.  People do not realize it or if they do its too late to turn back for some. 

What's all this got to do with God or God's Word?  Plainly put you are told to be alert. 

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13 NASB. "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:8-11 NASB. 

We are told in Ephesians 6 to put on the whole armor of God.  All these warnings and the equipment are to protect the heart, the mind and inevitably the soul.

You and I are at risk every single day we try to live life our way, in our wisdom in our strength.  Going up against the forces of darkness unarmed because we aren't aware of the dangers. We aren't prayed up. We aren't in God's Word. We aren't seeking His Will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. 

We have seen full scale manipulation in recent years not only of the United States but other countries. This world is heading towards a conditioned state that will have a one world government. You may laugh at that, but my Friend, realize what changed in your world in just the last 2 years that you never thought possible as well. 

This world WILL have a one world government heading into the 7 year Tribulation as written in the Bible. 

This world WILL be conditioned to actually worship the world leader who will be at its head.  If you haven't received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord before hand, so as to leave this world at the Rapture of the Church, you WILL be forced to make a choice to worship this Leader or die. 

People are conditioned today to accept what they never truly thought they would. Everything from sinful pleasures to sexual gender changes.  People are conditioned to wear masks or not to wear them.  People are watching rising costs alter their shopping and purchasing habits. 

There's only one constant to lay hold of in this world and that's a right relationship with Jesus Christ.  Temptation and Programming towards a worldly mindset will destroy a life. The way of the world leads to Hell's gates.  The way of life in Christ leads to life.  Leads to liberty in Jesus.  Leads to the truth about God the truth about how to live in this world.  

People are constantly lied to in this world and it's incredible to watch people just accept it.  Scientists trained a generation of monkeys to not go after bananas in the middle of a room by constantly using a water cannon every time they would go after them there.  Soon they wouldn't try. A new group was introduced of monkeys.  The first refused to let the new group try to get them even though the water cannon was left off.  The subsequent groups never knew why the bananas were to be avoided but learned to live with it. 

Satan's use of temptations is to try to both bring forth sin, but also to bring forth his own kingdom on Earth. He's wanting God's Throne. He's going to empower that Global Leader with himself.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Freedom is only found in living a life that is in Christ Jesus.  Anxiety comes from stressing out over the things of this world. Peace of God only comes from a right real relationship with Jesus. 

This world is trying to create life in the form of artificial intelligence. This too is of Satan.  This world is trying to rewrite sexual orientation. This too is of Satan. This world is hostile towards Jesus Christ for a reason, the Bible calls Satan "the god of this world". Satan got a major problem with any who put their faith and trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation. His preference is to obliterate all who call upon Him. 

Satan cannot truly predict how people will react or how they will behave, but, he does know how to craft temptations to try to trigger the sins that he's trying to bring about. 

If you haven't already noticed the pace of this world's changes is picking up.  The things that Jesus said about wars and rumors of wars, of earthquakes and famines in various places is more widespread today than ever before. 

We have a solid rock to hold onto in this world and it's nothing to do with this world.  It's only in a right real relationship with Jesus Christ.  

"The Solid Rock" by Edward Mote 1834

"

1. My hope is built on nothing less
   Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
   I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
   But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
   • Refrain:
     On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
     All other ground is sinking sand,
     All other ground is sinking sand.
2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
   I rest on His unchanging grace;
   In every high and stormy gale,
   My anchor holds within the veil.
3. His oath, His covenant, His blood
   Support me in the whelming flood;
   When all around my soul gives way,
   He then is all my hope and stay.
4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
   Oh, may I then in Him be found;
   Dressed in His righteousness alone,
   Faultless to stand before the throne.
5. My hope is built on nothing less
   Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
   I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
   But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
   • Refrain:
     On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
     All other ground is sinking sand,
     All other ground is sinking sand.
6. When darkness veils His lovely face,
   I rest on His unchanging grace;
   In every high and stormy gale,
   My anchor holds within the veil.
7. His oath, His covenant, His blood
   Support me in the whelming flood;
   When all around my soul gives way,
   He then is all my hope and stay.
8. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
   Oh, may I then in Him be found;
   Dressed in His righteousness alone,
   Faultless to stand before the throne.

The only way to see through the lies to see through the manipulation is to be in Christ Jesus. To be in God's Word daily to see if what we see, what we are taught is really the truth. 

Rightly said is that people are sheep. Jesus is the Shepherd of His sheep. If you don't know Him then you don't know His voice or His truth.  You will never have a right understanding of God or God's Word. All the Bible will be to you is words on a page.  It will be nothing more, it will not come alive in your life without the Spirit of God within you. 

So yes, temptation and programming, interesting words about today's world. 

Twisting and Distorting God's Word

Twisting and Distorting of God's Word 

by David Brenneman 

In our world today are a great many people who are twisting and distorting God's Word to try to make their arguments have merit.  That they would indeed have their eyes opened by the true Spirit of God!

The Bible plainly says that it is the unbelieving who do not and cannot understand the things of God.  "But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB.  By natural person it refers to those who are not saved.

Recently I read someone's post, laying claim to their own thoughts concerning Christianity and God's Word concerning abortion and a few other things. 

They quoted the Scriptures, but, out of context and incorrectly applied.  

This, my Dear Reader, is a tool of Satan. Both in the lives of the Believers and the Unbelieving in this world he does this.

He twists and he distorts God's Word in order to deceive the hearts of men and women away from God's true purpose.  

Jesus said of him that he is a liar and Father of lies. That he was a liar from the beginning.  That beginning isn't what you at first might think.  Satan's first lies were to other angels. Those who saw the face of God. Those who KNEW the glory of God. Those who understood more and saw more proof of the validity of the truth and true nature of this universe.

People easily can set up a soap box and claim to defend a life of sin from the Word of God.  They take God's Word out of context to ease their own seared conscience.  They don't want God's Word to be used against their own sin filled life so they try to twist and distort it to say what makes them feel better. 

Some, and I have seen this in supposed churches, do the same in the name of Jesus to their own detriment. 

Galatians 1:6-10 NASB " I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."

There's something in the book of Romans that is called "practiced sin".  It's the sins that people do that they KNOW aren't right or should be, but they willingly and willfully do them.  These people intentionally look for Scriptures to back up what they do and think they believe.  This person in that post is doing exactly that. 

We go to the Bible, God's Holy Word, to FIND HIS truth, not to rearrange the words to create our own truth.  Those who are truly in Christ Jesus seek Him to find truth.

You cannot succeed at interpreting God's Word without the Author of it present in you to explain it to you.  The Spirit is the promised One who would teach true and real Believer's all things. 

Proverbs says that even a fool, when silent is considered wise.  Proverbs also says much about fools when they do open their mouth.  

In this last week I had been researching what gnashing of teeth was. It's more or less grinding your teeth with a snarled look. Angry and bitter.  People who try to defend their sins and sin filled position are those who gnash their teeth at real Christians because of their own real rebellion against God.  Hell is filled with trillions of people gnashing their teeth at God's judgment concerning their being found guilty of sin and being sentenced to the torment they endure there. 

Nor all who twist and distort the Bible are unbelievers. Some, out of ignorance, just were never taught the Word of God the way that they should have been by others in the faith. That way lies doctrines and stipulations that aren't truly Biblically based.  In the book of Acts we read of people to whom the Apostles were sent to show them the Word of God correctly. 

When in doubt, pray for understanding!  Jesus is more than willing to show you a still better way.  He IS the Truth after all. 

The Spirit is ready to teach to all who would be taught.  The worst students are the ones who think they are to teach the Teacher. Especially when that Teacher is God. 

So to sort of make mention of that hot topic. Psalm 139, it's plainly written, no parables, no poetry, of God's view on the unborn children of the world.

Psalm 139:13-16 NASB "For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made;  Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You When I was made in secret, And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth;  Your eyes have seen my formless substance; And in Your book were written All the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them."

As another wrote, the value of human life is non-negotiable. To those who say otherwise, really read why Jesus came to Earth in the first place. He valued life of human beings that much to die for all mankind. 

Yes, indeed, God commanded the people of Israel to wipe out whole nations. They were His chosen instruments for His judgment in those cases. For quite a long time the Ten Commandments were miss-translated.  It is correctly interpreted as You shall not murder. That is in agreement with other Scriptures that refer to murder as the taking of an innocent life. By no means was the nation of Israel guilty of murder in wiping out the nations that the Lord commanded. Those nations were guilty of sins that reached Heaven's doors. 

Jesus easily showed the world His views concerning children. He rebuked His Disciples for hindering them coming to Him.  The New Testament speaks to defending the widow and the orphan. Standing up for those too weak to defend themselves.  That, by definition, includes the unborn.  It's an incredibly concerning thing when a soul of a human being is so self-righteous to believe that another, who hasn't had the same right to live as they, isn't worth living. 

To share something with you, by all worldly definitions, I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have been allowed to live because of the high risks of things that I could have been born with. God instilled the right beliefs in my parents to defend me when I was defenseless. I was born in this place and time for His purpose. 

Hell indeed has many levels. In at least the current time frame they exist.  There indeed is probably a specific place in Hell for those who aren't saved, who bring harm to children.  It doesn't take much to recognize when God enacts His judgment against criminals who have harmed children.  Jesus spoke specifically about this. Matthew 18:6 NASB "but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.".

Be careful of where you stand! You're either standing on the Rock of Christ Jesus or you are on sinking sand.  The Bible says those are the only two options. 

How any human being can look a newborn baby in the eyes and claim that they have the right to kill that child before they were born is beyond my comprehension.  

I grieve for the world in this. These self-centered, self-righteous people who think only of themselves yet disregard the sin that brought them to this point in their lives.  True salvation in Christ Jesus alone is the only solution, the only cure for such people.  Those who come to Christ for salvation are being transformed from what they used to be into what Christ is.  Romans 12. 

While people still have the breath of life there's still hope.  I pray for that individual and the others whom I know who believe that abortion is a viable solution. As a friend pointed out its only in this last century or two, out of the thousands of centuries had mankind fought so hard to defend their position of calling it a "right" to murder unborn children. 

Pray for not only those you know, pray for this world. Jesus is coming soon and He brings justice in His hands. He's going to call all who are truly His to come with Him, to escape the judgment to come upon all mankind for 7 years.  That judgment has to do with putting an end to sin. 

Pray, pray, pray. The healing of the nations only comes from a right real relationship with Jesus Christ. 

YOUR Here, YOUR Now

YOUR Here, YOUR Now

by David Brenneman 

Matthew 16:25 NASB "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

What are you doing?

WHAT are YOU doing?

What ARE YOU DOING?

So many ways to say that in the English language yet, in regards to emphasis, the depth of the question remains. 

I am by no means excusing myself in regards to my efforts to live this life as God intends for me to live. I often rest in excuses for not doing when, by all respects, I am capable of obedience. 

I can easily use one excuse or another. How about you?  We both lay hold of excuses to not do this or that and are creative enough to come up with excuses TO DO this or that.

We actually are incredibly creative in the lies we tell ourselves far more than the lies we tell others or even to God Himself. 

Come on and for once acknowledge what's really going on in your life. 

You are in this here, this now, this place and point in time because of a Godly reason, certainly not time through chance. 

Not some random act.  

Psalm 139:1-18 NASB "Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I get up; You understand my thought from far away. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, Lord, You know it all.  You have encircled me behind and in front,

And placed Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot comprehend it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take up the wings of the dawn,

If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will take hold of me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,

And the light around me will be night,” Even darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.

For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.  I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You When I was made in secret, And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my formless substance;

And in Your book were written

All the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand.

When I awake, I am still with You."

Really consider those words of King David's thoughts on how God thinks of you and I. 

Every life is something that God has joined together, and no man should separate. This is something deeper than what is perceived on the surface of marriage. When a couple comes together and a child is conceived, THIS TOO is part of that vow, of marriage. What happens in the union of a man and woman isn't just sexual, it's of God. God is the only One who can create life. God is the only One who causes each part of a man and woman to do what happens and thus bring forth a child.  God. 

This culture in which we find ourselves is in dire need of the reminder of Psalm 139. It's in need of Believer's living out their faith in such a way that they see the work of God in our lives and have no choice but to glorify God in Heaven.  

So many professing Christians are hiding their faith!  So many don't place the same importance on living out the Christian life in the way the Bible teaches.  They have listened, far too long, to the siren sounds of the ways of this world.  They listen and watch all of Satan's "how to create this world into your own image" video's.  

Happiness will never be found in living your life your way. 

Prosperity will never be found in living your life your way. 

You will fool yourself day after day, excuse after excuse, until maybe some day you wake up and realize you are now the Prodigal Son or Daughter crying out to God as you seek your way back home to God. 

You, my Dear Reader, are living in this exact place, this exact point, in human history for a very distinct, Godly purpose. 

You.

Read Psalm 139 one more time. You are uniquely qualified, through the Spirit's teaching and directing, to impact THIS here, THIS now, in human history for the Kingdom of God.  You! 

The things that God's done in my life, to bring me to this exact moment of typing this out on a cellular phone, to reach nearly 24.9% of all the nations of this world are more than I can fathom.  92k views in 47 nations and still going.  God's doing all that because of my desire to be an Isaiah. "Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 NASB. 

So many people claiming to be Christians aren't living out their faith.  They want health, wealth and prosperity but don't want what truly goes with a life of serving God.  They don't want to know why they go through what they do.  They don't like to hear the passage that says that all who seek to follow Jesus will be persecuted. They don't want to know about the Spiritual Surgeries that will inevitably take place to remove the sinful ways of their lives in order to bring sanctification to them. 

If you come to Christ, and if in reading this you haven't yet, do not let these words or things or the lives of people claiming to be Christians dissuade you from coming to Christ. Jesus has a love for you that's unparalleled. He has a life for you that's unimaginable. He has a place for you in His life that nothing else can replace. You! 

You may think you've gone too far, what you were raised to believe, is in the way. Jesus says just come to Me, you who are weak and heavy laden and He will give you rest. Romans 10 says it all. "But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13 NASB. 

For you have said that you have placed your faith and trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation...are you living it or hiding it? 

Are you more afraid of what man may do to you than you are in obeying the One who gave His life for You?  So many people these days are afraid of the persecutions that may in fact not happen. We should be prepared if they do, but, there no absolute guarantee you will be. If the person or people the Spirit places before you in this here, this now, are ready to hear the Gospel message then YOU CANNOT FAIL.  Let that sink in because Satan wants you to give in to fear over obedience. He cannot read or inhabit the mind or body of a Believer but he can attempt to influence it for his benefit. 

You, my Dear Reader, were created for a Godly Purpose.  You. You must not run away from it. You must not allow excuses to prevent you from it. You should not waste a moment of it. The Bible tells us to make the most of every opportunity. We are to give thanks in everything. That pretty much is summed up in the word: All.

All of you. All of your thoughts given towards a life in Godliness. All of you being thankful in All things. The perceived good, bad, and the ugly. 

I am beyond astounded by God's work in me and through me. I wanted to be a writer from long ago.  Reading planted the seeds of that desire. On my own, my writing went nowhere. In service to my Savior Jesus Christ, He has taken my desire and breathed life into it and taken what He's given me to write places that I have never dreamed possible. 

If you claim that Jesus is your Savior, do you at all say to God: "Here am I! Send me!"?  Or are you still seeking your own will on this Earth?  

Matthew 16:25 NASB "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

God's Answers Aren't Always What We Want

God's Answers Aren't Always What We Want 

by David Brenneman 

We don't always get what we want in praying because we are really probably looking for our will to be done on Earth.  It may not come about because it's not in God's plans for you or this world. 

At heart I am a troubleshooter and an inventor.  I have ideas that likely could change the world for the better. At least up this point in my life God's not allowing those ideas to come to life.  He's shown me proof that while yes they would work, they don't fit into His sovereign will for mankind. 

Fear is and will be the main tool of Satan as we get nearer to the return of Jesus Christ.  Satan's been pushing the boundaries of what he's been permitted to do by God.  Satan's been practicing yet within the scope of the word of God.  No matter what he wants or tries he has to obey God in what he is told.  In regards to individuals his work is limited concerning Believers and only to a certain extent with the Unbelieving. 

In our praying we often seek our will to be done or the will of those who are probably indeed asking in earnest because the need is great.

The thing to note is it's the perceived need.

In the lives of Believers we are to seek to live life in such a way that others see our good works and glorify God in Heaven. We are to, first and foremost, live life knowing and remembering, that we are to seek His Will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Secondly, we are to remember that we are not our own, we were bought with a price. The very blood of Jesus Christ. We are then His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them. All these things are written in the very Bible we are to find ourselves in daily. 

Satan's efforts include distractions. Every form and type.  From the utterly useless that consumes our time to the invasive that leaves scars.  Satan's work is to thwart the work of God in the life of Believers.  If Believers live and do what they are taught then he's failed.  Satan's not able to read the mind of a Believer. He can attempt to influence the thinking of Believers but he cannot enter in and see what's going on. The Unbelievers he has a lot more ability with.  With the Unbelieving he can twist and distort to the point they mutilate their bodies into something that God never intended. Everything from lifestyle changes to murder to sexual orientation changes.  

In our lives, both the Believers and the Unbelieving there's two forms of things happening in regards to prayer and praying.  That of the individual requests and that of those requests in regards to God's eternal plans for mankind. 

As I lead off in my depiction of myself, God's not going to grant me an answer to a prayer concerning his help in my desire to invent something that would alter his plans for mankind.  The best prayers to be prayed have to do with that of Spiritual growth for Believers and for the salvation of the Unbelieving.  Health, wealth and prosperity are never a guaranteed promise of God. If that were honestly the case the thief on the cross was gypped. Stephen who was stoned to death was gypped. Peter who was hung on a cross, purportedly upside down, was gypped. Where was this supposed health, wealth and prosperity for them?  But what does the Bible say? "Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2 Timothy 3:12 NASB. 

I have been taught and have indeed my Friend have come to know and understand something about praying and prayer. 

God, when He does answer a prayer, it's first passed the muster of its impact on His will for mankind, not just the individual.  Secondly, prayers that are prayed are answered in one of only a few ways. Yes, no, not right now, or wait-I have something better in mind.  

Something you must also consider is your obedience to God's Word and Will, impact your prayers.  You impact your prayer life in a seriously negative way when you live in disobedience. Why should you receive an answer if you're intentionally living in sin?  

A Believer is to be a follower of Christ Jesus. Just as the examples in the Gospels.  A Follower of Christ Jesus set aside their personal wants etc to learn to live as Jesus taught and was an example of. 

Satan loves to discourage Believers by use of his twisted lies about our perception to God’s response to our prayers. 

We visited the thought a short time ago about would Jesus find the faith in us when He returns.  That faith is our obedience to and our lives reflecting a life IN Christ Jesus.  

Look at your motivations behind what you are praying.  Are you remembering the teaching of Jesus concerning what prayer is to be?  

A - Adoration.  Remembering who God is. 

C - Confession. Ask Him to forgive your daily sins. 

T - Thanksgiving.  Be thankful for everything. Not just what we perceive as good in our lives but the bad stuff as well. 

S - Supplication. Here is where we ask God for anything.  The first 3 set the stage for a right mindset in our asking. 

One more thing to consider.  God's view on death isn't ours. Our views on someone or something facing death are not ours. Ours is veiled in selfishness. Our desire is that the person or even pet doesn't die. We want them to stay here in this world with us.  God views death as an answer to a healing not just as an end to either opportunity to be saved or as an end of service to Him.  

We get so distracted by various impulses and feelings that twist and distort our prayer life.  In line from a gospel song, it goes like this:  this highway leads to glory but it's no easy ride. You'll find all kinds of exits to throw you off your stride. Some will lead to fortune others lead to fame. Some will lead you so far gone that you won't return again.  Oh you just stay between the white lines

Obey all the right signs
Keep your eyes open all the time
Oh you just stay between the white lines
Never pass o're the yellow line
And you'll get to heaven right on time.

That song is concerning Believers. 

You and I can easily be so distracted and discouraged by perceived prayer not being answered.  Read the book of Daniel. Daniel prayed for days or maybe weeks until a personal answer came. Jesus taught us to persist in prayer.  We read in James the effects of the prayer of a righteous person.  Praying with the right priorities is paramount.  

Jesus didn't say He would grant miracles just because we asked for one. 

Jesus didn't say He would heal someone just because we asked Him to.  Even Paul wasn't able to heal all the time.  

We should easily stop with the thinking that we are going to live a life of ease here on Earth by praying for it. We should stop seeking our own Will and get back to wanting what God wants. His Will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. 

Truth is this...this world isn't getting better and will never be a utopia.  This world is preparing for the return of Jesus Christ. This world knows He is returning. It's the people of the world that are most important to Jesus. He came to seek and save the lost. Our treasure in Heaven isn't gold, that's the asphalt of Heaven. The treasure in Heaven is people. That which is most valuable to God. 

Let your prayer life reflect Jesus in you and see where you go in your thoughts and prayers. 

Would Jesus Say You Had the Faith?

Would Jesus Say You Had the Faith?

by David Brenneman 

Many people today really don't consider themselves bad people.  They don't because they do not place the same value on nor consider the offense of sin to be as great as God does. 

Within the Church quite often the effects of sin are watered down, relegated to "mistakes".  But what about what Jesus said about would He find the faith when He returns?

Read in their entirety the New Testament takes you from why and how to be saved to why and how to live a life WITH the faith that Jesus was wondering if He would find. 

Consider that statement when you look in the mirror. Conviction is about you and your relationship with Jesus, not the other person and Jesus.

The things you allow in your life speak volumes as to your views concerning sin. 

Where your passion shows itself speaks to what you are worshiping. What you excuse tells where your heart is at in regards to the faith.  

Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NASB "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body."  

Do you really consider those words?  That you are not your own? You handed Jesus everything in your life to live for Him because of all He did for you.  To ask the ridiculous question "How much is all?"

All means all and that's all all means. 

Was reading in Acts yesterday and Stephen was giving his defense. Mentioned that even through those two 40 year trips in the wilderness that the Jews had, they STILL thought they could sneak the idols they were to have left behind in Egypt with them.  

In our day and age idolatry is everywhere. It's everything to the business world.  Really let those words sink in. If you don't spend your money on memorabilia for television, movie or sports, they don't have the money to stay in business on the level they do.  Idolatry exists within the church, it's just candy-coated well to encourage more consumption.  Gobs of money is spent on taking advantage of your feelings in order to get you to spend money that doesn't do anything for the furtherance of the Gospel.  I am not referring to normal giving which ought to come from the heart to reach the four corners of the world for Christ.  We can spend hundreds of dollars on tickets within the Church and outside the Church on a few hours that only benefits ourselves in ways that do not help the furtherance of the Gospel.  

I was brought under conviction concerning much of this in what I was collecting and what I allowed myself to uselessly get upset about for no good reason. 

I saw how I was ruining my testimony by what parts of this world I insisted I wanted to be passionate about that had nothing to do with anyone getting saved in Christ Jesus. 

I would waste hours arguing over points of this or that concerning sports teams. I would waste hours if not days on science fiction books and movies.  

Movies and major sporting events as well as television do a great job of keeping you from living out the Christian life.  That's just calling a spade a spade.  Look at even Ebay and Facebook Marketplace. Look at what has to go when times get hard.  Useless collections of things that literally thousands of dollars were spent on going for literally pennies on the dollar. 

Idolatry can even include your own body.  Thinking you know better concerning it than God does and He’s the Creator!

We are indeed not our own.  We are to take off the old self and it's practices and put on the new in Christ Jesus.  Yes that's in the Scriptures too. Ephesians 4:17-24 NASB "So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their minds, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."

How much of your time is spent in renewing your mind in Christ Jesus? 

Is this even important to you?  Look at your home.  Do you really have a temple set up in what you have collected and don't recognize as idolatry?  Do you justify your tastes that do not edify or build up yourself or others in the faith?  Do you?

Look at your wardrobe.  Is it including things that showcase idolatry rather than pointing people to Jesus?  

When people hear you speak do they even know by your life that you are a believer?

You can't live this life trying to hold on to as much of this world as you can and not get burned by it. Yet many Christians try.

The justification is rampant. 

People thinking they can push the limits yet don't see how close they are to becoming a Prodigal Son or Daughter. 

Why are churches closing at an alarming rate?  Because there no difference between them in the so-called church and the world outside...so why bother with it. 

We are told to live life, we are commanded, in such a way that people see our good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.  

Matthew 5:16 "Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.".

Is your light a flame or a tiny bulb that flickers?  People in worship songs cry out for God to set their hearts on fire for Him. Would you be included in such a prayer for yourself?

Would it be that people would recognize the current state of themselves before God.  That conviction would come.  The great revivals of the past came because conviction by the Spirit hit life where it matters most.  Where revivals fail is where no conviction of sin has happened.  People really came to feel better about themselves rather than to hear of how far away from God they were. 

So how far away from God are you really?

How close to the world are you?

Are you at all convicted about any sin that you allow in your life because you want it in your life? 

Do you at all see the world through the eyes of the Spirit? Are you at all looking for Jesus to return or are you secretly hoping to live out your life your way first?

Does sin even bother you to the point of asking forgiveness for it?  Do you excuse sin in order to keep what you have? 

Do you? 

Would Jesus consider you to really be in the faith?

"“Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD." Jeremiah 23:24 NASB 

Objects in Your Mirror are Closer than They Appear

Objects in Your Mirror are Closer than They Appear 

By David Brenneman 

In life, we either don't realize how close the return of Jesus Christ is or we live like we do know.  

 Your either thinking this is true or you don't believe with enough seriousness and your world is actually really foggy in mirrors.  

What indeed you KNEW, I mean really KNEW that day was either today or was quickly approaching?  What would you see differently? What would you do differently? 

Please don't lie to yourself and say nothing.   I mean really, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is returning.  You know and you aren't remotely considering adjustments to your day, to the life you have?

Our thoughts on this should really shake us to our bones. So what does the Bible say? 

1 Corinthians 13:12 NASB "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known."

Jesus was wondering if He would find the faith when He returns. This ought to shake us up! This ought to stir us up to action, not lead to apathy.  Satan is ok with our apathy. 

"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2 Timothy 3:12 NASB. 

Is there no troubles in your life? No battles with temptation? Nothing?  Be concerned, be very concerned. 

It's incredibly sad to see misplaced passion.  People more on fire for their employers than for Jesus. 

People more passionate about a sport, sports team or something in the entertainment world than who it was who saved them.  They don't see nor realize the error of their ways. 

2 Corinthians 4:1-4 NASB "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,  but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor distorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God.  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 

I mean just what is your view of Jesus?  Is He closer than the breath you breathe to you? Is He off somewhere waiting around for THAT time? Is He distant to you? 

A Preacher named S. M. Lockridge gave a sermon possibly in Detroit in 1976, this is a large chunk of it. 

I wonder if you know Him?

Do you know my King?

The Bible says

He’s the King of the Jews

He’s the King of Israel

He’s the King of Righteousness

He’s the King of the Ages

He’s the King of Heaven

He’s the King of Glory

He’s the King of Kings

and He is the Lord of Lords

Now that’s my King!

No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing

No means of measure can define His limitless love

No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply

He’s enduringly strong

He’s eternally steadfast

He’s immortally graceful

He’s imperially powerful

He’s impartially merciful

That’s my King!

He’s God’s Son

He’s the sinners’ Saviour

He’s the centerpiece of civilization

He’s unparalleled

He’s unprecedented

He’s pre-eminent

He’s the loftiest idea in literature

He’s the fundamental doctrine in true theology

He’s the miracle of the age

He’s the superlative of everything good

He’s the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously

He supplies strength for the weak

He’s available for the tempted and the tried

He sympathizes and He saves

He heals the sick

He cleansed the lepers

He forgives sinners

He delivers the captives

He defends the feeble

He blesses the young

He serves the unfortunate

He regards the aged

He rewards the diligent

And He beautifies the meek

Do you know Him?

Do you know my King?

My King is the key of knowledge

He’s the wellspring of wisdom

He’s the doorway of deliverance

He’s the gateway of glory

He’s the pathway of peace

He’s the roadway of righteousness

He’s the highway of holiness

His promise is sure

His life is matchless

His goodness is limitless

His mercy is everlasting

His love never changes

His word is enough

His grace is sufficient

His reign is righteous

His yoke is easy

and His burden is light

Do you know Him?

He’s incomprehensible

He’s invincible

He’s irresistible

I’m trying to tell you

The heaven of heavens cannot contain Him

Let alone a man explain Him

You can’t get Him out of your mind

You can’t outlive Him

And you can’t live without Him

The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him

but they found out they couldn’t stop Him

Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him

The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree

And Herod couldn’t kill Him

Death couldn’t handle Him

And the grave couldn’t hold Him

That’s my King!

He always has been

And He always will be

I’m talking about

He had no predecessor

and He’ll have no successor

There was nobody before Him

and there’ll be nobody after Him

You can’t impeach Him

and He’s not going to resign

That’s my King!

Do you know Him?

He’s the Master of the Mighty

He’s the Captain of the Conquerors

He’s the Head of the Heroes

He’s the Leader of the Legislatures

He’s the Overseer of the Overcomers

He’s the Governor of the Governors

He’s the Prince of Princes

He’s the King of Kings

And He’s the Lord of Lords

That’s my KING!

Is your view of the coming King getting any clearer?  Scriptures say "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him." Revelation 1:7 NASB. 

The day of His return could even be today.  The Scriptures state that no man knows the day nor the hour in Matthew 24:36. Try Luke 16 where it says plainly that the coming will not be with signs to be observed.  1 Corinthians 15:52 mentions that it would happen in a moment, in the speed of the twinkling of an eye. 

Lastly let's look at 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 NASB "Now as to the periods and times, brothers and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing."

I have looked at myself, wondering if I indeed were "Rapture Ready". Am I really ready to stand before my Savior?  The parables of the workers in the field for the King. Isn't that the Believers in this world?  Are you a worker in His harvest or are you off doing your own thing, not considering the urgency of the hour in which you live?

The most sobering of thoughts for you to consider: If Jesus looked at you, would He see " the faith"?  Are you living as though at any moment you could be ushered into the presence of Christ Jesus?  Or upon His return would you be found doing something sinful? 

Get on your knees, pray concerning your faith, your vision and view of life, that it would mirror what the Spirit desires to teach you to be.  Behold the King IS coming!

No Defense...

No Defense...

by David Brenneman 

Many get angry when cornered concerning where they stand before Jesus Christ.  Jesus said that the Cross would be: "For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18 NASB. 

I was reading the in the book of Esther in recent days.  The mood in the middle east is much the same as was found while Haman was doing his evil campaign against the Jewish people.  All throughout history It can be seen that God has a special place in His heart for His chosen people.  

Now, not to spoil it, but in that book Haman found himself fighting against God.  Haman was hanged on the very  gallows that he intended to use for Mordechai, a God fearing Jew.  Later, his 10 sons were also hanged.  

People in Hell are not lounging around nor are they relaxing.  Sin is being atoned for by everyone who is waking up there.  By atoned for it means they are paying for it. In Romans 3:23 that everyone has sinned.  All are guilty as charged.  All are to get the same sentence of Hell.  We were born in sin. We got it from Adam and Eve.

Romans 6:23 says that the wages...what we get for it...concerning sin is death. Permanent eternal separation from God. Paying for each and every single sin. Nobody there has any defense in the Court of God in regards to sin.  

But wait, there's more. God saw this and didn't want to condemn all of humanity to that judgment. Jesus came to Earth as one of us, lived among us, was perfect in every way, every aspect of His life, and became the necessary perfect sacrifice necessary to erase that debt of sin. He stands ready to come in and take the place of any in the Court of God who call upon Him to be saved.  Salvation is through no other. There's no other sacrifice great enough to satisfy the judgment of God concerning sin.  He is the only Defense in the Court of God. 

As we read in Revelation, at the final judgment of God, everyone's life will be seen for what it is. All humanity that died without salvation in Christ Jesus will find that on God's perfect scales of good and bad, that without salvation ther lives were meaningless. Without salvation in Christ Jesus there's no way a person's name is written in the Book of Life. Trillions and trillions of people will see their great deeds on that day piling up versus their sins. They will then hear "guilty" because after their life's been seen for what it is...no name written means no entry into Heaven. 

In the here and now, even through the troubling times of the Great Tribulation and the thousand year reign of Jesus Christ on this Earth, people will be given the opportunity to realize their need to be saved.  There's coming a day, very soon, where the chapter of Human history will close at the return of Jesus Christ for those who have indeed come to Him to be saved prior to the events of the book of Revelation.  History must be completed as written by God's Word.  Mankind must go through the last of the prophecies of the Bible.  Jesus said it must be completed and it will be, down to the last jot and tittle. To the very last exclamation and period in modern day terms.  

The only viable Defense is not to defend yourself.  The statement is never more true than in the Court of God that any who defend themselves there has a fool for a client.  

Jesus paid for the sins of mankind. Every single sin by every single person in human history.  He died on a cross, arose 3 days later defeating death.  Making the way possible to escape that death sentence for all who believe in Him for salvation.  He made the gift free.  The process to obtain His free gift of salvation is so easy a child could understand it and receive it. It remains free today to all who would believe. 

A single sin is a guilty verdict.  Being born in sin guarantees a guilty verdict.  When we come to Christ for salvation in our turn in the Court of God, He steps up to take our place, to be our Defense.  When God the Father sees those who have Christ Jesus for salvation, He sees not the person but Jesus. Perfect and sinless. 

Further in Romans we read this: Romans 10:8-13 NASB "But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”".

Unbelief will be met with the judgment of God as well.  The Bible says that at the name of Jesus Christ every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  Only in this physical existence do people try to live lives in denial of that truth.  Every single person who has died finds that truth to be utterly true.  In Hell and obviously in Heaven there's no created being that doesn't understand that to be true.  

My Dear Reader please don't take what's being said lightly.  You seriously do not want to spend eternity paying for something that you do not have to. 

Life isn't about trying to get ahead or trying to create a utopia here on Earth. It isn't sports or entertainment. It isn't theme parks or sight seeing.  All of that is a distraction to move your mind away from the need to settle that matter of sin.

Life isn't guaranteed either.  I have seen many people in my life who thought they had more time. They thought they had a today. Who quite probably woke up in Hell.  I do not want that for you!  Granted some of those indeed woke up in Heaven.  That's what I want for you!  To know the love of God and Jesus Christ whom the Father sent to take your place. The only one who could satisfy the judgment of God concerning sin and death. 

There's no need to step into eternity to find pain and torment in Hell.  You still have a choice in the here and now. You have a choice to accept Jesus Christ as your Defense.  Not one single person has ever regretted the free gift of salvation. Every single person who said no and has died has regretted it, and they have no hope of a second chance. None.

Hell, as we read in the book of Revelation, isn't even the end. It's a temporary place of judgment until that final judgment. When even Hell will be cast into the lake of fire. All who have died will receive a perfect body. Both the saved and unsaved. The unsaved will receive one and be found guilty, and cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. A new kind of painful torment worse than Hell.  

This doesn't have to be you!  My Friend the opportunity is before you in the here and now.  The gift is free. You must choose, nobody can choose for you.  

Will life improve?  Possibly. You see God's Word includes what we all have actually seen in this life.  That those who come to Christ inherit the enemy of God.  Not to scare anyone, but by far he's no match for Jesus.  Satan is his name and he's got quite a few minions that help him. They oppose anything to do with salvation in Christ Jesus.  They really care not who goes to Hell, but do not want any to go to Heaven.  Jesus promised to all who come to Him for salvation that they would never be alone.  That His defense of them begins on day 1. He always keeps His promises and always keeps His eyes on those who came to Him to be saved. Always. 

Without Christ Jesus alone for salvation you have no Defense.  With Him, Satan has no Defense against Him. 

Your very future is in your own hands. 

You must choose.  You cannot afford to pass this up. What good would it do you to gain this world and yet lose your soul?  

There's no Defense possible in the Court of God if Jesus isn't the one doing the Defending. 

Read that most famous verse this way:

For God so loved you that He gave His only Son and if you believe in Him you will not perish but have everlasting life. 

 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him." John 3:16-17 NASB. 

This is Too Much!

This is Too Much!

by David Brenneman 

In this last week we have seen some extremely harsh weather hit this part of Ohio that did a great deal of damage.  The level of damage depended upon where you lived.  In weatherman's terms it was called a macroburst. 24 miles long 15 miles wide.  Essentially an F1 Tornado that was straight line winds.  Hundreds of power poles were out. The damage was so severe, people are still without power as of this morning.  Some, whom I know, got caught up in the magnitude of the rebuilding efforts and their street wasn't on the list of people who had no power until they complained.  What does this have to do with God or God's Word?  Read on.

Psalm 121:7-8 NASB "The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever."

In hearing the stories of people who lived through outages last week whom I work with, you can see who are those who put their faith and trust in Christ Jesus and who do not.  Faith is very evident during trials and tribulations.  It's incredibly easy to speak on and of Spiritual matters when life is going well.  The tires can't do a burnout if they don't find the asphalt. There's no stretching or growth without the things that I often refer to as "Spiritual Surgeries".  

Take a moment to watch a few videos of sculpting.  Find those that take days and weeks which are condensed for your viewing experience.  Quite often sections are sacrificed or temporarily removed and replaced in order to get a particular result. 

We often are going through anxious times and anxious thoughts because of the uncertainty and unknown parts of the lives we face.  We want to trust God and yet that fear tries to claim us.

I have often recommended people read a book called "90 Minutes in Heaven" by Don Piper and Cecil Murphey.  Essentially put this is a true story of a Pastor who went through a horrible accident and his journey back to health.  At the very beginning he details what can only be described as his arrival to the gates of Heaven. As he was about to enter he was brought back to his body.  The things he saw were of family and friends welcoming him. Why did he return?  Plainly put God wasn't done with him yet. People on Earth were praying for him at the scene of the accident. Jesus was still with him at the scene of the accident. You'll have to read it to know what that really means.  Suffice to say his recovery took his soul places he thought he could never go through.  At one point he was even trying to curse God and die. But God wasn't done with him yet.  It wasn't until he was "back to normal" that his ministry began to be realized. He now could reach some formerly unreachable people for Christ.

We indeed will face things in our lives that make absolutely no sense.  Why me? We ask. God's response to us is the same as it was to Paul. "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness".

More often than not I have felt like life took me through the proverbial wringer. That storm that I spoke of driving through to get back to my Wife at the end of last year.  Going through the accident that laid me up for weeks as my broken arm healed.  Still others too numerous to count.  Why?!? I often wanted to know.  The answer was still the same even if I hadn't learned exactly what it meant yet.  "My grace is sufficient, for My power is perfected in weakness."

Life often takes us places we certainly would rather no go or go through.  We often forget the enormity of what is really GOING to happen in the life of a Believer in Christ Jesus. 

We are quite often called upon to go through something because someone else isn't strong enough to handle it.  We are often called upon because we are not understanding what "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them" really means.  We are taught things in life through our troubles in order to also prepare us for what's to come.  We so easily forget that part of what coming to Christ is about is NOT leaving us as we were found by Jesus.  Romans 12 speaks toward a life transformed.  We read in Ephesians 2:10 of being His workmanship.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 where it says we were bought with a price, we are not our own. James 1:2-4 NASB "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.".

We aren't in this world for our personal enjoyment or gratification. We are on assignment.  We are on the job. We are called and commissioned.  Colossians 3:23-24. What we do, how we do, what we go through are all to be done as unto the Lord Jesus Christ whom we serve. 

Life's likely going to have more in it that doesn't make sense than it ever will have that does make sense. 

It isn't difficult to cry out to God asking "Why?!?".  The truth is you may not get an answer in this life, but you will later after you face Jesus.  Even the Disciples were told things that they were told upfront that after Jesus was crucified and arose from the dead, after the received the Holy Spirit, only then would they understand.  

In our lives we often don't think outside of our own box.  I indeed have an Engineers mindset, but I do not have their limitations. To go to school for anything you learn to think inside of that particular box of learning.  I don't think inside a box because God removed it.  People often don't look for God in things because of the box they are in. It doesn't fit their preconceived idea for how God works.  God works through the prayers of His people. If the response from God is unique and off the wall, run with it.  Just because it's not religious sounding enough, if God's behind it, there's no way it will fail. Even if it doesn't fit our ideas of worship or of drawing people to Jesus Christ.   If even 1 person of several hundred comes to Christ for salvation then consider this: God's mission was accomplished.  End of story.  Cost means nothing to Christ. He will spare no expense to reach whomever it is possible to save.  Even if it means uniting what His people go through to grow in Christ Jesus with pain and suffering in order to bring them to a new life in Christ Jesus. 

We often don't see the great result of our growth in Jesus.  We as yet cannot see our end from our beginning, but Jesus can and does.  

We may not understand why we go through the things we do, or worse, think we do understand and God laughs because we aren't even close. 

So you need to realize that what we go through in life is a multi-fold thing.  God does what He does for AT LEAST the following: 

* bring people to Christ for salvation 

* bring those He has saved to a transformed life in Christ 

* to remove things from our lives that won't help the first two things 

* to fulfill His written Word 

Notice that list doesn't include our every wish or desire.  Doesn't include a life of wealth, health, and prosperity as a promised part of the deal.  We are promised many things in Christ Jesus but those aren't among them.  For everyone who seeks to find their lives must first lose it in order to find it. What does it profit a man to gain the world and yet forfeit his soul? What can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Life's going to likely hurt along the way.  We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5 to rejoice in EVERYTHING.  Not just what we think is the good stuff.  That Pastor learned how to rejoice in his years of recovery and physical rehabilitation. Then God opened doors for him alone to reach the unreachable for Christ Jesus.  You too mighty be going through things that make absolutely no sense. Yet consider it well that it is and is not all about you. Jesus is wanting us to continue to do the Father’s business until we are called home to Heaven or He returns.  Jesus didn't say in the story of the 99 that He would only go so far.  He went out in search of that 1 and did whatever He had to do to reach them. 

Pray for your understanding of this because you can cause yourself a great deal of anxiety because of it. Trust God and keep moving forward. Even if it's not making any sense. Trust and Obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey. 

Jesus Who?

Jesus Who?

by David Brenneman 

So many in this world consider the name of Jesus Christ to be that of a swear word or possibly even that of a good friend or good buddy.  Some have some false idea that He was created and was equal to Satan. 

Many more in this world don't believe they are guilty enough for God to judge against them.  They "hope" He will take their good and bad together and cut them some slack.  

Do you know this exact scenario is written about in the Bible?  People from the centuries standing before King Jesus watching their good deeds and bad deeds being reviewed.  But then, when all is said and done. When there's no more to be seen.  THE book of Life is opened.  That book where the names of those who trusted in the name of Jesus Christ for salvation were written down by the Spirit of God. 

Is your name written there?  My Dear Reader, look at what's happening in our world. Indeed the world focus is shifting back towards Israel. Bible Prophecy is picking back up again. We are indeed heading for the Ezekiel 38 war.  In the news I read of a British Commander telling his troops to prepare. Soon they will probably meet Russia on the battlefield. 

Syria is a hotspot.  Damascus is in Syria.  There's a Bible Prophecy specific to Damascus that hasn't come true...yet. We could be on the precipice of that fulfillment.  The Ezekiel 38 war involves the key players who are unifying in this very hour of human history. Iran, Turkey and Russia.  Even the Palestinians are reporting that Israel is making plans to take the Temple Mount, wipe it clean and begin building the new Temple.  

I don't believe in coincidence, I do however, believe in Godinstances.  Jesus said plainly, no parable involved, that not one jot or tittle would pass away from the Word of God.  Every single prophecy will come true.  There's less than 500 left of the thousands in the Bible. 

Jesus Christ wasn't just a good guy. Jesus Christ wasn't some made up person. Jesus Christ came to save those who would come to Him for salvation.  There is salvation in no one else. Look at Jewish history.  THEY persecuted the early Church. THEY tried to stop what God the Father had started with 12 men and some women.  Satan cares not for people. He doesn't care who he manipulates and gets killed or who's lived he ruins.  He loves apathetic people.  Loves it when Christians say they are but don't live it.

He will go as far as he's permitted to destroy lives and people's. 

Jesus is indeed coming soon.  Me, personally, I feel that it's really really soon.   Soon He will stand up in. Heaven and all who are there will know why He is doing so.  

That part about the Book of Life.  Revelation 20:11-15 NASB "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them; and they were judged, each one of them according to their deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

God the Father has placed the absolute greatest respect and authority to only one Name.  That of Jesus Christ. 

"so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10-11 NASB 

There you have it.  

People even 5 years old refused to believe the direction of this world couldn't go where it is today.  5 years.  That's not long at all.  Look at this world.  It's not going through climate change. It's getting ready for the return of its Creator.  

People wondered for over 2,000 years at the part of Revelation where nobody could buy or sell without the mark of the beast on the back of their hand or on their forehead.  Mastercard is experimenting with such a method of transaction right now. 

There is no other name under heaven by which you must be saved.  The name of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus does return, several things will happen.  Those who have already died in Christ will get a perfected, glorified body that will reunite with their spirit and soul.  Those who are alive and remain will have their bodies transformed. All who are in Christ Jesus will leave for Heaven.  Then the horrific judgments of God will soon begin for the next 7 years.  

My Dear Reader time is coming to a close to leave here with Jesus before that happens.  The Bible says so.  I firmly believe it's when that last person in this present age says yes to salvation in Christ Jesus alone, that will be it.  It will be bookends with the thief on the cross.  That last person will not have time to do things for Jesus anymore than the thief did. 

Jesus must be more than your "good buddy".  He certainly is more than that. 

He must be more than your thoughts of being a good guy or someone else's prophet.  He certainly is not a created being.  He is the Lord Christ Jesus. King of Kings and Lord of Lords. There's salvation in no other name under Heaven. 

The books on human history are closing.  7 years of Tribulation are coming.  About 2/3rds of mankind will die in those 7 short years.  Jesus will then appear for all to see. He will establish His Kingdom here on Earth and will rule on Earth personally for a thousand years.  

That's what's coming.  That's the Jesus of the Bible. That's who's name so many are maligning today.  That's the name who so many treat as a curse word.  

Salvation through Jesus Christ alone is required for entry into Heaven.  Salvation is through no other name.  

My views are born of a life that's been changed by overwhelming evidence of God's love for me through my Savior Jesus Christ.  

Romans 10:8-13 NASB "But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; ¹³ for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”".

My Grandfather on my Mom's side had a favorite verse "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be." John 14:3 NASB.  He died reading his Bible.  Takes "I Can Only Imagine" to a new level.  Imagine reading the Word of God then meeting the Author face-to-face in a moment. 

Jesus is real. Jesus is coming soon.  Jesus is more than anything you can possibly imagine.  Without salvation in Christ Jesus Hell is your destination.  Painful torment paying for your sins.  Jesus took all that pain on Himself in your place if only you would come to Him, asking Him to save you, to remove your sin, and save your life.  To become the Lord of your life.  To be your Savior Himself.  Opinions don't mean anything. Salvation is available in only One Name under Heaven.  Jesus Christ said He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Him.  There's no other way.  Search YouTube for "What He's Done".  Listen to the words.  

Jesus

Christ 

is

coming 

soon.