Brush Arbor Manna

THE NEXT GREAT EVENT: Are You Ready?

2012-02-07T13:30:00.001-05:00

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also [John 14: 2-3]

No it is not about the coming of the circus or carnival, not some great sporting event, but it is the great event that is next on God’s time clock. What is this great event? It is the coming of the lord Jesus Christ for His people. These are the people who have placed their trust, faith, and hope in His death burial and resurrection. These are the people that are looking for the promise. God cannot and will not lie. He promised that He will return and what He has promised He will surely do. It will be a unexpected and sudden event. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [1 Corinthians 15: 51-52] People will get up to go to work like they always do. Kids will go to school, people will be coming and going and then the Lord will come suddenly and take His people home with Him. Will you be one of those people?

Only those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior will be taken when Jesus comes in the air for the rapture of the church. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. [1 Thess. 4: 14] Can you imagine the chaos that will take place when Jesus comes and takes His people out of this world, in a moment, in the twinkling of the eye? There will be panic and turmoil like this world has never seen. People will wonder where all the other people went. People from all walks of life and from every nation, will be gone. It will be a very sobering time, but the big question still remains: Will you be ready, FOR THE NEXT GREAT EVENT?

Upside Down Values

2012-02-07T06:55:00.002-05:00

And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Hostility and hate have a way of turning some, kind and compassionate, people into vicious and vindictive people. That is one of the reasons why the Scriptures caution us against allowing bitterness and hatred in our hearts. Sometimes just like Jonah some Christians can fall into the same line of thinking that Jonah did. Why preach to these people because they are our enemies. They hate us. Why try to say anything, about the Lord, to these evil people? The people of Nineveh hated the Israeli people the same as most Muslim people hate Christians and Jews today. The problem today is the same today as it was in Jonah’s time. We, as God’s people, are to take the Word of God to these people, just like Jonah had to take it to the people of Nineveh. Only after a near death experience did Jonah do what the Lord wanted. What will it take in today’s world for Christian people to do what the Lord wants?

This story reveals the worldwide interest of God, even in Bible times. Though God was working, for the most part, through the Hebrew nation as an means for the sending of the promised Seed (Genesis 22:18), nevertheless, his compassion for all the people of the earth was abundantly visible. And the sending of the “missionary,” Jonah, to the city of Nineveh was a clear demonstration of it. This Bible story points out a truth so frequently suggested in the Old Testament, and that is, the Lord, not man, is in control of the destiny of nations. God rules and looks over the kingdoms made by men and disposes of them according to his heavenly standard (Psalm 22:28; Proverbs 14:34; Daniel 2:21; 4:17). Those who think that nations stand or fall because of a “strong national defense” are sadly ignorant and unaware of biblical principles. Our trust must be in God!

It is true that we have a people that want to take over our country as well as the world. We must never forget that. We have people that want to behead us, kill us, and who knows what else because we will not convert to their religion. It is also true, as Christians, we must stand up to these people and say: I shall not be moved, Just like a tree planted by the water I shall not be moved. If it take war to maintain our beliefs then so be it. But as we go to war let us not be like our enemy. They promote their religion by invading, killing, beheading, road side bombings and many other ways. We, as Christians must promote Jesus to them by love. The kind of love that our Savior had and wants us to have. We might have to go to war and there might be lives that are lost, but hate must not be in our hearts as we go to war. We must go with the victory in our hearts and our God will do the rest.

Our values must not be upside down when some of these people convert, repent, and except the Lord like Jonah’s values was when Nineveh repented. We must not be like Jonah and have a distorted view of an entire people that God wants to be saved. Our values toward our enemies must be right before the Lord, not of one that is upside down. A lot of Christians should step back and take a long hard look at what matters to God. This world as we know it is here today and gone tomorrow. But a man’s soul lives for eternity.

THE OLD PATHS: That Is What America Needs!

2012-02-02T18:50:00.002-05:00

“Thus saith Jehovah, stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest

 unto your souls: but they said, We will not walk therein (Jeremiah 6:16).

The prophet Jeremiah had one of the more difficult tasks in the history of Israel. His divine task was to give a warning to the citizens of ancient Judah to return to the Lord, from whom they had wandered. The nation was decaying under the danger of coming punishment (the Babylonian captivity), and repentance was its only hope. The Old Testament is filled with many lessons for God’s people. It was written for us to learn from. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4). It was written to warn us. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. (1 Corinthians 10:5) One such lesson is found in the days of Jeremiah time. There was religious and social turmoil, unrest, and disorder. The nation of Israel was being pulled in many directions. Sin was everywhere.
The Lord wanted to offer them rest for their souls. The Lord tells the nation of Israel to seek the old paths, the tried and true way, but they would not. It is the same way today, we fail to seek and ask for the old paths when we know from history that it is the tried and true way. America is following in the same path that the Jews in Jeremiah time took. The words of Jesus are pretty "old" by today's standards or that what people think. But are they? What happened to Israel appears to be the case of America today. America needs to wake up. Just as Israel forgot God, America has done the same thing. The Lord created a highway of holiness for His people to travel on and they decided to go by the wayside.
Jesus established a "highway" for us to follow, so what happen? We went from being a holy people, ones that went to church on Sundays, Bible study, and prayer meetings, to being a people who does not go to church, a people who does not seek God, and sin abounds in the lives of the people. For us as a nation to survive we must turn to the Lord and travel that highway of holiness, we must seek and cry out for the old paths, and walk in them, because they are good.

How strange this seems to those of our present “pluralistic” society who have so much contempt  for the concept of a

solitary “way” of truth in which all members of the human family are required to walk. The path to such rest is an old path                                                                                                                               Found only in Him who lived and died for our sins nearly 2000 years ago. Whose doctrine has been faithfully preserved in the Holy Bible. There will ever be the need to speak to disobedient and rebellious brethren, urging them to come back and reunite with their God. There are numerous passages in the New Testament that stress this concept and belief. Some of us who are older can remember our own history in the church. In those days, controversies in the church were mostly matters of disagreement as to what the Scriptures teach, all parties equally reverencing the Bible as a divine production. Now, numerous professing disciples could not care less about scriptural authority. There was a by-gone era when one could travel the country and have little concern about when he would stop for worship; nowadays he is likely to encounter anything in the church. Many of our preachers know little, if anything, about restoration history. Those who ignore history are destined to repeat its mistakes.

A second reason for returning to the “old paths” is the end result of not doing so. Jeremiah warned: “Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts”. The term “evil” has to do with a judgment from the Lord, not moral evil.
Jeremiah thus turns from the past to the future. In a word: “If you don’t reflect upon the lessons of the past, you can, in the future, reap the reward of trusting your own thoughts.” This reference obviously is to the impending captivity. This horror was to come because the people said: “We will not walk therein” This is the same words that America is saying today, We will not walk there in.
Time is running out fast for most people in America and the judgment will soon be on us. There will be no turning back then. I can tell you this, when the call goes out: WHO IS ON THE LORD”S SIDE how many will answer the call? It is time for every American to say, AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!

AMERICA: The Nation That Needs To Repent

2012-01-31T12:40:00.000-05:00

No matter if we are talking about a person or a nation, forgiveness always follows repentance, regretting what has happened, showing sorrow and remorse for things that we as a nation and also personally have done that was not right. True repentance means turning away from the sins that so easily beset and over whelm us, from thoughts and acts that are wrong and are displeasing to God. For our Nation to survive we must turn toward a life that reflects the Godly ways of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must have leaders in Washington and behind the pulpits of our churches that will call sin just what it is, ‘SIN’. As people of this nation we must condemn the murder of unborn babies, the pass that is given to homosexuals and their open life style. It is not a different life style as our leaders would have us to believe. It is sin. Any nation that condones this is in its last stages of moral corruption.

God has reminded His people of this relationship between forgiveness and repentance by giving his promise to heal their land as a condition. God will do nothing for a country, as a whole that will not condemn the killing of unborn babies or the lewd act of homosexuals. We must realize that God is a Holy God and He cannot, and never will, bless sin or evil. He will not reward that type of behavior. It just will not happen. If He did that He would be violating His very nature. It is time for the people of this nation to wake up, to repent, and seek forgiveness. It is time for us to get rid of any leader in Washington that condones these sins and elect God fearing leaders. It is time for the Nicolaitans of this country to stop promoting godless leaders because of their skin color or what they can do for them. I do not care what color the color of your skin is, if you are a called out people you will obey His words and His voice. If you are a Christian you will do what the word of God says. You will obey His voice.

If we, as a nation, want the Lord’s blessings and protection we must, by all means pursue His ways. And this country as a whole is not doing that. We must become a Holy people, because He is Holy! (Lev. 11:44) (1 Peter 1: 15-16) Can this nation do that? We must rebuild our churches, our camp meeting sites, and those old brush arbors by the side of the road. And most important we need to build a everlasting relationship with our God.

Is the promise that God made in (2 Chr. 7:14) something that we can believe and depend on today? Yes it is! It is important for us to notice and remember that God was speaking to Israel, who had a special relationship with the Lord that no other nation ever had, but when we look at (Lev. 26 and Deut 29) we can also see that it was really a restatement of that promise. Can that statement be applied to the United States or other nations today? I think that it can. The same principal applies that when we as believers humble, ourselves, by praying and calling out to God, confessing our sins and the sins of our nation as a whole God will hear us, forgive our sins, and bring healing to this nation. Yes He will!

REASONS TO LOVE JESUS

2012-01-27T07:55:00.001-05:00

Jesus said “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you.” - (John 14:15-16)

[1]. CAN YOU FIND A MORE EXCELLENT OBJECT FOR YOUR LOVE THAN JESUS? If you search through the whole creation, could you find any like him? Are riches, honors, pleasures, or other relationships comparable to Jesus, whom you ought to love supremely? Should not the highest good be the best object of your love? Can you love lesser things, and not the greatest good? Is not all the goodness in the creature but as a drop to the sea, as a candle to the sun, as a speck of sand to a mountain- when compared to the goodness that is in Jesus? If David were worth ten thousand other men, is not Jesus, David's Lord, better than all the world?

[2]. IS NOT JESUS THE MOST SUITABLE GOOD FOR YOU? Is liberty so suitable to a captive man, or bread to a hungry man, or health to a sick man, or ease to a suffering man, as Jesus is to a sinful man? Were you not lost, undone and in danger to be damned? Jesus was your saviour, your keeper and your redeemer. "The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost," (Luke 19:10). "Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him..." (Heb. 7:25). Jesus is "Mighty to save!"
Were you not ignorant, dark, and blind, not knowing the way to heaven and eternal happiness? Didn't you weary yourself trying to find the gate of life, and yet missed it when you had done all you could? Jesus became your Teacher and your Guide, to infallibly direct you to heaven. He anointed your eyes with his eye-salve, even though you were born blind, and then he gave you spiritual sight. Now you are able to see your lost estate, the beauty of Jesus, and the way of salvation.
Were you not sick, and full of spiritual diseases? abounding with soul-ailments? even sick unto death? near to eternal death? Jesus was your able and skillful Physician. None whom he has undertaken to cure has ever yet died under his hands. For rather than you justly die of your soul's disease, he made a potion for you, out of his own blood, which, when you drank it, you were made totally well. Therefore he came to be your soul-physician, that he might cure desperate sinners like yourself.
Were you not indebted to God? Didn't you owe millions to him, yet did not have a penny to pay? If God were to demand payment from you, would it not have proven your damnation? If his justice were to pursue you, and death arrest you, would not the demons have seized your soul, and thrown it into the prison of hell, from where you should never have been delivered, until you had paid the last penny you owe, which would never be? But now that Jesus has loved you, he has become your Surety, made payment for your debt, and given you freedom.
Were you not spiritually polluted and unclean? Had not the leprosy of sin spread over your understanding, your will, your conscience, your memory and all your affections? So that you were defiled all over, and lay wallowing in your blood, cast out because you were so loathsome to God? And in this filthy state, you could never enter into the holy kingdom of God. But Jesus loved you, took away your filthy rags, and gave you a change of clothing made of his righteousness. You said to him, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." He in love said to you, "I will, be clean". He bathed you in his own blood, and cleansed you from all your sins (1 John 1:7). Yes, though your sins were as scarlet, they became as white as snow; though they were red like crimson, they became as white as wool.
Were you not a captive to Satan and to sin? Drudging elbow deep in the loathsome service of sin? Was not your bondage worse than that of the Israelites in Egypt? And were not Satan and sin as cruel and tyrannical as Pharaoh and his task-masters? Didn't you love your chains of sin? Weren't you at ease in your shackles? Do you remember how Jesus released you from your fetters? Jesus became your Redeemer, and made you free- and then you were free indeed!
Were you not an enemy to God? You were born his enemy, and then continued to live as his adversary. Had you died in this condition, your soul would have been alienated from God forever. But now Jesus has become your blessed peacemaker, and by the blood of his cross he reconciled you to God. Were you not spiritually dead? Had you not lost the holy image of God? Though you were dead, Jesus gave you spiritual life and eternal glory.
Now, if this was your desperate condition, and Jesus helped you in every respect- then how suitable is he to you? Is not his suitableness to you a foundation for love, and a motive to love him? What an argument is this to win your heart to Jesus! You were lost, but Jesus saved you! You were ignorant, but Jesus taught you! You were sick, but Jesus healed you! You were polluted, but Jesus cleansed you! You were a captive to sin and Satan, and Jesus freed you! You were an enemy of God, and Jesus reconciled you! You were dead, and Jesus gave you spiritual life! Oh, you never found one so suitable for you! Now, even now, he should be loved by you. O, Jesus is the most excellent object for your love, and you should no longer withhold your devotion from him.

[3]. IS NOT JESUS THE MOST SATISFYING GOOD TO YOU? You were destitute, and he supplied you. You were empty, and he filled you. You were poor, and he enriched you. O to love such a Saviour!

[4]. IS NOT JESUS THE MOST DURABLE GOOD TO YOU? When your riches, pleasures, honors and friends shall fail you- Jesus will never fail you.

[5]. IS NOT JESUS A SPECIAL GOOD TO YOU? He was given by special love, to a particular people, and brings with him incredible privileges! All other things you might love are as common to lost people, as well as to the saved. Though a worldly man, whose heart and hands and house, are full of the world, might say, 'Riches are mine'- yet he cannot truly say, 'Jesus is mine'. Let Jesus have the best of your love, because you are the object of his special, electing, redemptive love!

[6]. IS NOT JESUS THE MOST NECESSARY GOOD TO YOU? Do you need food so much when you are hungry, or liberty so much when you are in prison, or medicine so much when you are sick-- as much as Jesus when you are a sinner? You could never have been truly happy, pardoned, reconciled, and forever saved without Jesus. Jesus is needful, because without him, your sin-sick soul would have no cure. He gave you the choicest and the richest cordial. And when you die, he will secure your departing soul. And after death, he will be your forever friend. When all worldly things shall leave you at your grave, Jesus will be yours forever.

[7]. IS NOT JESUS THE MOST PROFITABLE GOOD TO YOU? For when you have him, you have all. Then God is yours, and the Spirit is yours, and the promises are yours, and all the privileges of the bible are yours, and heaven itself shall be forever yours.

[8]. IS NOT JESUS THE MOST DELIGHTFUL GOOD? Some people delight in what they see, some in what they hear, some in what they taste, and some in recreation or amusements. But the delight of knowing Jesus surpasses them all! He is altogether and supremely delightful.

[9]. IS NOT JESUS A SURE GOOD? Other things God may give, and afterwards call for them back again- "Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens, and my new wine when it is ready. I will take back my wool and my linen..." Hosea 2:9. But God never said, 'I gave such a man my Jesus, but I will take him away.' God may take riches out of your hand, but if you once receive the Lord Jesus, God will never take Jesus out of your heart.

[10]. HAS NOT JESUS DESERVED YOUR LOVE, BY WHAT HE HAS SUFFERED, DONE, GIVEN, PURCHASED, PROMISED AND PREPARED FOR YOU? Behold the wounds which he has endured for you! Behold the crown of thorns on his head, that there may be a crown of glory upon your head! Behold him dying, that you might live! Behold him suffering, that you may be saved! Behold him poor, that you may be made rich with the best, surest and most durable of riches. Behold him condemned, that you may be absolved! Behold him in an agony, that you might have rest and ease in glory. Behold him bearing the cross, and the cross bearing him, that you might not bear the curse! Behold him bearing the Father's wrath, that you might be made the subject of his grace, and the object of his love.
And now tell me-- does not this Jesus deserve your love? Should you love any other like him, when none other has done so much for you like he has done? Does the small kindness of a fellow creature draw out your love, and shall not all these great things that Jesus has done for you, kindle a fire of love towards him? How can you bear not to love him?

[11]. IS NOT THE LOVE OF JESUS THE BEST LOVE YOU CAN ATTAIN? It is a pity, that any other object should have your greatest love.

[12]. LOVE TO JESUS IS THE SWEETEST LOVE. The one that loves other things, instead of Jesus, loves nothing but vanity-- and to love vanity will prove troublesome. He that loves riches has disturbing sorrow with this love, fretting fears, and perplexing, anxious cares.
So without love to Jesus, love to other things will always be a bitter love. Oh now, how sorry I am that ever I loved the world as I have done- my pleasures, my sin as I have done. But you will never have cause to say, I am sorry that ever I loved Jesus. Never was such a word ever heard. Those who never repent of their love to the world and sin- their worldly love will certainly end in sorrow, and with bitterness of soul be sadly lamented in hell. But what contentment, satisfaction, delight, comfort and joy is there in the loving of Jesus! None can tell so well as you who love him.

[13]. LOVE TO JESUS IS THE SAFEST LOVE. You cannot sin in loving Jesus, except it be in the smallness of it, and not loving him more. You might have fear and trembling in loving other things, and say, 'Do not I sin in this?' But you can never love Jesus too much.

[14]. LOVE TO JESUS IS THE SUREST LOVE. Love to other things is often turned into hatred- love today, and hate tomorrow. But love to Jesus remains firm. Jesus is the surest object of your love- neither men, nor death, nor demons, can take him away from you. Though others might keep us from reading his word, none can keep us from loving Jesus.

[15]. LOVE TO JESUS IS THE NOBLEST LOVE. Love to pleasures, to the world and to sin are base and polluted loves. Love to Jesus is most sublime and lofty. Jesus is the most noble object for your love.

[16]. LOVE TO JESUS IS THE MOST ENDURING LOVE. It is a love that shall never end. Before long, everyone will be done loving this world, even those who love it most and have their hearts most set upon it. Those who now have their hearts full of earth, shall soon have their mouths full of earth, when their bodies lie rotting in the earth- then they will be done loving it. Death, which ends their life in this world, shall end their love to this world.
But you, the true lover of Jesus, shall never be done loving him. It is sweet to love Jesus, but this makes it even more sweet-- to think you shall ALWAYS love him- love him in life, love him in death and love him after death. Oh blessed love, that shall never be lost, but last forever!
While I was contemplating this, it came into my mind to consider, what those who never love Jesus in this world can love in the next world-- and I could not imagine anything which damned souls in hell can love. I thought, can they love God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, angels or believers? No, their hatred to all these is, and shall be, more deeply rooted in them, than it ever was while upon earth. Can they love their 'location' in hell? No, they will wish they never had come there. Can they love the 'pains' of hell? No, they grieve and groan under these torments, and are weary to bear them. Can they love the 'devils' in hell? No, they curse them for tempting them to the sin which brought them to their place in hell. Can they love their 'companions' in hell? No, they are an aggravation of one another's misery. Can they love their 'sin' in hell? Alas! all that was pleasurable in sin is gone, and only the pain and sting of sin remain. Can they love their 'being' in hell? They had rather die than live, and cease to be at all, than to continue to be in hell. I do not know what it is that they can love in hell. Oh loathsome place, where there is, and can be, no love!
But Oh how lovely is heaven to us! Where love reigns and where love lives! Our life shall be forever a life of love! Dear Lord! save me from hell, because in hell there is no love to you, nor to anything that is good. Sweet Saviour! lead me in the way to heaven, and bring me there, where love to you shall live and last forever.

[17]. ISN'T IT THE WISEST CHOICE TO LOVE JESUS, AND NOT THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD? Everyone loves something. And do those act as rational creatures, as men endued with reason, who do not love Jesus, but give their affections to the world and sin? They love that which cannot love them back, nor satisfy them, and which they must soon part with. "He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loves abundance with increase. This is also meaningless," (Eccles. 5:10). "Naked a man comes from his mother's womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand." (Eccl. 5:15). "We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out".
Might you not be rich today, and poor tomorrow? Healthy today, and sick tomorrow? In honor today, and in disgrace tomorrow? Was it not so with Haman? When you have riches and love them, you are not sure to keep them- Will you set your eyes, your heart and your love, "upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings, and fly away as an eagle towards heaven" (Prov. 23:5). Death carries the lovers of this world far away from the things they love. The pleasures of sin, and also the profits of the world, are but for a season, (Heb. 11:25); and when the season is over, they are gone. But Jesus will never leave you, nor forsake you.

[18]. CAN YOU DO ANYTHING LESS THAN LOVE JESUS, AND CAN YOU DO ANYTHING MORE? Jesus has done such great things for you, is it not a small thing that Jesus should have your love in return? If Jesus had asked you to lay down your life for him, had he called you to give your bodies to be burned for him, should you not have done it? How much more when he says, "just let your hearts but burn in love unto me" -when that burning will not be painful, but delightful! When Naaman came to the prophet to be cleansed of his leprosy, being directed to go and wash in the Jordan, that he should be clean, in anger he went away. But his servant came to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much rather, then, when he says unto you- wash, and be clean?" (2 Kings 5:13). If Jesus had required some great thing, that you might escape great torments, and be partaker of his great salvation, would you not have gladly done it? How much rather, then, when he says, 'Love me, and be saved?'
When you have received a great kindness from a friend whom you cannot repay, don't you say, 'I cannot do less than love him'. Yet this small thing of loving Jesus is of greater value to him than all else. You pray to him, but to love him is better. A heart full of love means more to Jesus than a thousand prayers, full of the most eloquent expressions, without love. You hear his word, but to love him is better. You might suffer for him, but to love to him is better. Should you give all your goods to the poor, and your body to the fire for him- yet to give your heart and to love him is still better. And, indeed, except all the former things proceed from love, and are accompanied with love, they are not pleasing to Jesus.

[19]. WILL YOU LOVE WORLDLY THINGS, WHICH YOU MIGHT EASILY LOVE TOO MUCH, AND NOT JESUS WHOM YOU CAN NEVER LOVE TOO MUCH? You might love your riches, your relations, your pleasures, yourself, your liberty and your life too much. In these things your love might easily be too much, and transgress the lawful bounds. And indeed, so much love as you give to these things, more than to Jesus, is too much love. But if you were able to bear it, and could you love Jesus with as much love as all the angels in heaven love him, it would not be too much love for him. Many have complained they loved Christ too little, but no one ever said that Jesus had too much of their love. God blames you, and your conscience accuses you, for your inordinate love to things on earth. But neither God nor conscience will condemn you for the highest degrees of love to Jesus, and things that are above.

[20]. TO TRULY LOVE YOURSELVES, YOU MUST LOVE JESUS SUPREMELY. Does that man truly love himself, who does not regard the salvation of his soul? who ruins himself, and damns himself, and shuts himself out of heaven? Does that man truly love himself, who exposes himself to the wrath of God, to the damnation of hell, and to banishment from the glorious presence of the blessed God? All these things a man brings upon himself for lack of love to Jesus. If then you desire to truly love yourself, you must love Jesus supremely.

[21]. ARE NOT ALL THE DUTIES OF RELIGION SOMETIMES TEDIOUS TO YOU, FOR LACK OF LOVE TO JESUS? Do you find it a burden to pray? a burden to hear or read the word of God? Is it a burden to you to meditate upon God and Christ, and things above? It is all because of smallness of love to Jesus. For love makes hard things easy, and heavy labor to be light.

[22]. DOES NOT JESUS DESERVE YOUR LOVE? Do you not owe it to him? Is it not due to him by virtue of creation? Did not he give your being to you?
By virtue of preservation, has not Jesus kept you out of the grave and hell until this day? Justice would have hewn you down, and wrath would have condemned you long ago. And who has procured a pardon for you but Christ? That you are on this side the torments of the damned, not beyond praying, and hearing, and hoping, is all through Christ's securing for you longer time. Except by virtue of Jesus' provision for you, you would not have had a rag for your back, nor a morsel for your mouth, nor sleep for your eyes. By virtue of redemption, when you were worse than nothing, did not he lay down his soul, his life, his blood, as a ransom price for you?
If your love is due to him in so many ways, what injustice will it be for you to deny Jesus that which is his due? Are you not careful to give to everyone what you owe them? And does it not ease your mind, that though you are not rich, yet you have given every one his due? Do you not work, and care, and save to give to all what you owe them, and shall Jesus be the only one to whom you will be unjust? If you have not enough to satisfy all your creditors, yet if there is one, whom you love and bear more respect unto- how sure you will be to repay that one first. You should say, 'Though I cannot do as much as I would like, yet Jesus shall not be a loser by me. He shall have my heart and love.'

[23]. IS IT NOT GREAT CONDESCENSION IN JESUS, THAT HE WILL SO KINDLY ACCEPT YOUR LOVE? One so great, accept of the love of one so inferior? One so holy, accept the love of one that is so sinful? One so glorious, accept the love of one so vile? Do great men value the love of beggars? Do princes value the love of peasants? Would a man of noble birth and wealth allow one clothed in rags to love and marry him? Or would he not scorn and reject her love? I think, considering what Jesus is, and what you are-- that you should say, 'If Jesus will allow me, I will love him.' Allow you! Not only so, but he gives you a command to love him, and that upon pain and peril of everlasting damnation. He does not allow you to live without love to him, though for your long refusal he might have justly left you to live without love to him.

[24]. YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE ANY CAUSE OR REASON TO BE ASHAMED TO LOVE JESUS. Is not the time coming, and the day hastening, when covetous men shall be ashamed of loving the world, and voluptuous men ashamed of loving their pleasures, and ambitious men ashamed of loving their honors? For is it not a horrid shame, that a rational creature should be such a sot as to love sin which is most loathsome, and not to love Jesus who is most lovely? to love deformity, and not beauty?
Oh shame, shame! It is a shame that sin should have such esteem, and Jesus such great contempt put upon him. But shame shall before long confound these now shameless wretches, when they shall cry out, "We are ashamed that we loved profits, and not Jesus- houses, lands, lusts, and not Jesus. This is the confusion of our faces, and shame covers us-- that we should be so foolish, and so blind, that we had not sense, nor reason, to distinguish between sin, which is the greatest and most odious evil, and Jesus who is the greatest and most lovely good." But the time will never come, the day will never be, that a gracious soul shall be ashamed of his sincere love to Jesus Christ.

[25]. IS THERE ANY LOVE SO PROFITABLE AS LOVE TO JESUS? "What is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26). By loving Jesus you shall have such a gain that no man can value, that no mind can estimate, that no mathematician, by all his numbers and figures, can compute-- even pardon of innumerable sins, the favor of an infinite and holy God, deliverance from inconceivable torments, possession of endless bliss, and more than I, or any man, can describe or comprehend.

[26]. IS THERE ANY LOVE SO UNIVERSALLY NECESSARY AS LOVE TO JESUS? One man loves one thing, and a second another, and a third another. But there is no necessity that all men should love any one thing except for Jesus, and things pertaining to our having and enjoying him. Love to Jesus is absolutely necessary for poor and rich, for great and small, for noble and lowborn, for learned and unlearned, for slave and free.

[27]. LOVE TO JESUS IS THE ONE GREAT HELP AGAINST THE TEMPTATIONS OF SATAN. Is not Satan your enemy? Is not your heart sometimes anxious to yield to him? But love to Jesus would garrison your hearts, fortify your souls, and make you courageous and resolute against all the batteries of Satan and the assaults of sin. It would make you watchful against the allurements and amusements of the world, so that you would say, 'Shall I offend my dearest Lord? Shall I displease him who has done me such good, such everlasting good? Oh! how can I do this great evil, and sin against him whom I love!' Do you not find that love forbids, and exceedingly restrains, from grieving, offending or wronging the one whom you entirely love?

[28]. LOVE TO JESUS WILL HELP US TO PERSEVERE IN THE CHRISTIAN RACE. When trials, suffering and persecution come, only those who truly love Jesus will be able to endure.

CONCLUSION: What shall I say to advance Jesus in your esteem, that you might love him? Is he not a 'comprehensive' good? Eminently all? There is no goodness in the creature, but it is formally, or virtually, in Jesus. Is there wisdom in the creature? -there is more in Jesus. Is there beauty or power in the creature? -there is much more in Jesus. "For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell" (Col. 5:19). Jesus is "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). This is the One whom I beg you to love. This is he who is altogether lovely and desirable. Consider now, I plead with you-- can you ever imagine a better offer than Jesus? Can you find a better match for your soul? Can you say all this, the one half of this, any one of all these things, concerning the objects you have loved previous to Jesus? Oh then say, 'I never understood the loveliness of Christ before this!' How has sin fooled me! How has the world bewitched me! And how has my foolish wicked heart deceived me, that I have lavished my love upon the creature, and sin, when there was a Christ to love! Such a Christ to love! Such a good as is not to be found in all the world! Now he alone shall have my love, my heart-- my all.-------------- by Thomas Doolittle (1630-1707)

The Earth Is Filled With God's Glory!

2012-01-24T18:15:00.001-05:00

Paul wrote that God's invisible attributes are clearly seen through His Creation, so that means everyone including you and me are with out excuse if we refuse to give glory to God. [Romans 1: 20-21] Hundreds of years before Paul the prophet, Isaiah, was told just about the same truth in his vision of God's throne room. He said "His Glory fills the whole earth". [Isaiah 6:3] God has revealed Himself to the whole world through what He has made. [Psalms 19: 1-4] The creation shows not only that we serve a real and living god, but it also shows that He exist. He is a just, righteous, and Holy God.

Some of the church world today thinks and will tell you that God is only in their church, just as the Jews in bible days said that God was confined to their land and no place else. But we see in Isaiah Chapter Six that our Lord's glory fills the whole earth.

When Isaiah saw God sitting on His throne and heard the praises of the Heavenly creatures, he cried out in humility before God, confessing that he was a sinner, a unclean person who had no right to stand in the presence of the living God. Isaiah threw himself on the mercy of God. The joy of all this is that God cleansed Isaiah of his sins. God has not allowed everyone to see him through the same kind of vision that Isaiah was given, but everyday He reveals himself through what He has made. Let us respond the same way that Isaiah did, with sincere and heart felt repentance the same way Isaiah did. The kind of repentance that leads to hope and healing. Remember one day we will see our Lord face to face. What a day that will be!

BECOMING FAMOUS: The Right Way.

2012-01-22T21:25:00.002-05:00

Some famous leaders in today’s church world need to stop and think how Jesus became famous among the people in His time on earth. His fame came from the power of His preaching and from those who He healed. It did not come from any mega church, any prosperity messages, or from Him promising any pie in the sky if you gave a certain amount of money. His gatherings came from the word being preached under the anointing and the miracles He performed.

Jesus became famous among His own people, but Our Lord did not handle it like our leaders do today. He showed a very different style for His acclaim that was made among the people. He was not, and never would be like some of the leaders in our churches and the government in today’s world. Instead of a parade of trumpets and chariots or a well planned ceremony down to the last, Jesus rode into town on a donkey, a common beast of burden and a poor mades ride. There was no magnificent war horse. Today most mega preachers have enough cars to drive a different one everyday of the week and some as many airplanes as well. I believe that every man or woman of God should have a nice home, a nice car, and decent clothes, but to many of them, today, are going way beyond that.

Instead of Jesus walking arm in arm with the all powerful, the city officials, and the celebrates of His time he was with a small band of fishermen, a formal tax collector, and some Galileans. That was His parade. [Matthew 21: 12-13]. When Jesus got to the end of the parade route He did not go into the buildings of the rich and famous, or to the rich and powerful. Instead He went into a place of worship. While He was there he overthrew the tables of the money changers, the unjust business owners that used the poor and the temple as a place to make money. Jesus’ eyes were on the blind, the sick, the lame, and the little children. [Matt. 21:14-16] And at the end of His days work He spent the night at a modest house in Bethany [Matt. 21:17] Jesus talked to and focused His time on, mostly, the people outside of the system of power and privilege [Luke 4:18] How does a lot of Gods ministers measure up to that?

The Hug

2012-01-18T06:29:00.000-05:00

THIS IS A EMAIL THAT WAS SENT TO ME AND IT IS A VERY GOOD LESSON TO BE LEARNED BY ALL

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment.
I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed.. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map.

We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled.. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists.. 'Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,' the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks,
'What do we do?'

Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.'
Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.'

Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk.
My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.
We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man.
Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time.
I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this baby.'
Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that contained a stone.

He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.'
I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive me.'
I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not.. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing to share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity. How did God feel when he put his baby in our arms 2000 years ago.
The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter the Kingdom of God , we must become as little children.'

If this has blessed you, please bless others by sending it on. Sometimes, it takes a child to remind us of what is really important. We must always remember who we are, where we came from and, most importantly, how we feel about others. The clothes on your back or the car that you drive or the house that you live in does not define you at all; it is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you are.

TIM TEBOW: Pam’s Story

2012-01-17T07:02:00.004-05:00

In a recent email, I read about a woman named Pam, who knows the

pain of considering abortion. More than 24 years ago, she and her

husband Bob were serving as missionaries to the Philippines and

praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an

infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated

food or drink.

She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they

discovered she was pregnant. Doctors urged her to abort the baby for

her own safety and told her that the medicines had caused irreversible

damage to her baby. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith

as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating

disabilities physicians predicted. Pam said the doctors didn't think of it as a

life, they thought of it as a mass of fetal tissue.

While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times but refused to

consider abortion. She recalled making a pledge to God with her

husband: If you will give us a son, we’ll name him Timothy and we’ll make him a

preacher. Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and

eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy August 14, 1987. Pam’s youngest son

is indeed a preacher. He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves

with his father’s ministry in the Philippines. He also plays football. Pam’s son is

Tim Tebow.

The University of Florida’s star quarterback became the first

sophomore in history to win college football’s highest award, the

Heisman Trophy. His current role as quarterback of the Denver

Broncos has provided an incredible platform for Christian witness.

Tim’s notability and the family’s inspiring story have given Pam

numerous opportunities to speak on behalf of women’s centers across

the country. Pam Tebow believes that every little baby you save matters.

I pray her tribe will increase! May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be

with you always!

THE STING: Being Loyal to God!

2012-01-14T16:43:00.001-05:00

Remember the movie called "THE STING" were the corrupt banker was set up? That was a pretty slick operation in that movie. In today's world these string operations ( the real ones) that our government does always generate plenty of publicity about what the sting was about. After the news they put the news out for all to here. In Bible times the Babylonian officials conducted their own sting that caught the three Hebrew children who were provincial governors in a clear violation of Nebuchadnezzar's command and his law. So what was was the crime that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego committed? It was failing to bow down to the ninety foot image that was gold Plated. [Daniel 3: 8-12] Their crime was they would only serve the living God who made Heaven and earth.

Their disobedience outraged Nebuchadnezzar so much that he did not wait around, sentence was passed and they were put unto the fiery furnace. [Daniel 3: 19-23] The three Hebrew children committed a act of disloyalty to the king, but it was a courageous act of loyalty to their God. Years later something similar happened when Darius was king. Informers exposed Daniel for not obeying a degree against praying to any god or ruler but Darius. Daniels was thrown into the lions den for punishment. [Daniel 6:16] Both times we can see that the Lord delivered his people from death, although not from the threat of death. Their bold stand for the truth and their God influenced others to fear God, and also helped remove the trouble makers. [Daniel 3:26] and [Daniel 6: 21-27].

In this day and time we must ask ourselves what it would be like if our government used stings to expose Christian Believers for worshiping and practicing there faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Just think what would it be like for the government to catch you in a sting for doing just that. BEING LOYAL TO THE LORD! Some who read this might laugh or say that this writer is going to far. But is He? It is already being reported, (that this very thing is happening, in some countries in the middle eat. Christians in this country (The USA) today are being discriminated against more and more everyday by a government that wants to reject the living God and replace it with a form of religion that is called "Political Correctness" God is being rejected in our schools, in our court rooms, and in our very government that was found on the laws of the Bible and their belief of Jesus The Christ.

I must tell you that there is coming (and it is upon us now) a evil spirit that will cause the government to do today the same thing that the Babylonian government did in Bible times. Things are lining up fast for this very thing to happen and then I believe that is when the Lord our God will say "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH" and we (His followers) will be out of here. Even a fool can see what is happening right now, even though in his heart the fool will not bow down to the One who can save him. Even now there are demon powers lining up to take over this country. We (all true believers) must pray: "EVEN COME LORD JESUS" That is my prayer" What is yours my brothers and sisters?

There Is A Cost!

2012-01-13T07:02:00.002-05:00

As followers of Jesus The Christ we must be prepared to be hated by by some people because of our commitment and love for Jesus. That is a fact of life. All of us, as his followers, expect to be, misunderstood or misrepresented, every once in a while because we follow the Lord. even to the point that some of our friends or people that we associate with think that we go overboard with our love for the Savior or what they would call religion. The fact is, because you are a Christian, most people will hate you, look at the strong words Jesus used in [John 15: 18-25] He said "they will hate you" and "they will do wrong to you". He made it very clear that when our true feeling, our true desires, and our true commitment are made clear that is when our commitment to Christ will began to cost us something.

What has your faith cost you as a follower of Jesus The Christ. A chance at a big career, a marriage, a job, or a friendship? Have you ever been ostracized, criticized, faced legal action, or shunned by your co workers or even by your family? Or have you not experienced anything at all? I'm here to tell you that following Jesus has a cost and if anybody thinks that they can get by without paying it they are mistaken and are misguided in their thinking. In fact Jesus tells us Himself, if there is no cost there is no genuine commitment.

Sometimes it is possible for a Christian, by word or action to cause offence, because what is said or done are inappropriate. In that case, the hostility we receive is not persecution. There are some Christians like that and we are not to be like that. How are we to be? Just like Jesus [John 1-14] we are called to be people of grace and truth. That means we are not to be obnoxious and rude to anyone. You can not win the lost that way. True persecution involves unmerited hostility for doing good works the same way Jesus did. We must be like Jesus, His hand extended to a lost and evil world.

DOUBLE STANDARDS: Just Saying!

2012-01-12T17:34:00.001-05:00

The woman who was caught in the very act of adultery and was dragged before Jesus had to have been just plain out humiliated and embarrassed as she was brought to the temple by self-righteous men who were only using her, to begin with, to try to trick Jesus who they hated. According to the law, at that time, adultery was punished by death of both parities. (Lev 20-10). So my question is this: WHAT HAPPEN TO THE MAN IN THIS STORY? Or was there a double standard here?

What is so great about this story Jesus did not challenge the hypocrisy of these men.. But what he did do was set a new standard for judgement. Let someone who was perfect decide the case. (John 8: 7-11) (Matt 5: 48) And in that group of people He was the only one who could really do it. And he did decide the case, because he would not condemn the woman, but instead told her "Go and sin no more". I'm so glad that when I was a sinner it was Jesus who found me not guilty and not some of the condemning church world. Oh what a Savior!

The sad thing is just like in those days, most, people today have a double standard in their moral judgment of other people. Most people are so eager to point out and make a big to do over the speck in someone eye when in their own eye there is a mud pie and they ignore that. Like the woman in this Bible story there are those that have experienced the grace of God and His forgiveness for sins that they have committed. If God has forgiven us, let us all live in his Almighty Grace and sin no more. We were all lost and undone at one time, without God or His Son when He Reached down his hand for us. God Bless!

My Eyes Have Seen The Glory Of The Coming Of The Lord

2012-01-10T07:04:00.001-05:00

"And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)

As I was researching material for a new article to post I came across different images of the “Battle Hymn of The Republic” and in those pictures was a picture of President Obama and when you follow the link it is all about him. It just about proclaimed him God. What a shame to not really know the true meaning of that song. Throughout the history of the United States no man did it all and whatever man did, it was by the Grace of God. From the very beginning of this country to the present we exist by the Grace of God and not by no man’s hand or doing. I’m sorry to say for some of you that read this, it also includes Obama.

I remember when I was growing up hearing the song “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and the words to that song always stuck with me during all the years of my life, but I did not have a complete understanding what the words were referring to until the later years of my life. The song was written during the United States Civil War, but most of the words have nothing to do with the battles that were happening during that time. Since I become a Christian I have become to know the meaning of those precious words in that song. The words that always will bring a tear to my eye and a feeling of His Almighty Presence. Seeing the coming of the Lord is also a prophetic and a visionary reference to the New Testament, which says that when Jesus returns in glory all eyes, yours and mine, everybody will see Him. I think that means, to me, that it will be somewhat spectacular, breathtaking, and amazing. All true believers are always waiting and watching for the coming of our Lord.

The next verse says, "He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored," The reference is actually another reference to the second coming of Jesus in judgment: So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. (Revelation 14:19) The third verse says, "He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword." Once again, the mention and quotation is to the Bible's book of Revelation. Lightning is mentioned twice in Revelation, associated with God's wrath and judgment. Likewise, "His terrible swift sword" is a reference to the Lord's judgment using a two-edged sword. The Old Testament also mentions the Lord's judgment using a sword.

The truth is an important part of Christianity. In fact, the truth is so important that Jesus described himself as being the truth: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6) The Lord is the source of all truth and we must never forget that. "His truth is marching on" is symbolic and emblematic of the preaching of the gospel of truth (Galatians 2:5, 14, Ephesians 1:13, Colossians 1:5). We must, as Christians hold our banner high and march on to Zion.

As you read each and every stanza to the song you will see and if you are like me you will feel the very presents of the Lord. Such a beautiful song. I am honored to be called a Christian and an American. God bless America as “His truth marches on!

The Battle Hymn of The Republic

My Faith Is In My Saviour.

2012-01-09T06:07:00.003-05:00

As we steps forward through time, fewer and fewer people are still faithfully awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. The skeptics, the disbelievers, and the doubting Thomas keep telling us we, the believers, are foolish. After all, it has been over two thousand years since Jesus promised to return, and he still has not come back yet. However, it is important to remember that there were prophecies of Christ's first coming dating all the way back to the book of Genesis. By the time Jesus was finally born, very few people were still waiting for him to arrive, but yet Jesus came just as the scriptures said He would. Perhaps this is the reason Jesus asked in Luke 18:8, "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" My faith is in my Saviour. I will keep looking up because I know that my redemption draws nigh!

Yes, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is going to return, and I believe, with all my heart, it will be very soon. Soon and very soon we are going to see the King. The signs are all around us and the conditions of the end times which Jesus spoke of are coming to pass before our very eyes. As we watch and pray and see the circumstances of this world grow worse by the day, the cry of God's people is "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

WAKE UP PEOPLE: Jesus Will Come Again

2012-01-03T17:52:00.001-05:00

Jesus first came to earth over two thousand years ago. After his death and resurrection He returned to heaven. The angels said, at that time, to the people that watched Jesus ascend into Heaven, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven (Acts 1:11) I read once that there are more than three hundred references to Christ coming back to earth (His second coming) in the New Testament. There are reasons why the Lord Jesus must come again. The first reason is to fulfill all prophecies. (Isaiah 9: 6-7). Another reason is that He might triumph over death. (1 Corinthians 15: 51-57) Another reason is Christ will be Lord over all. (Philippians 2: 9-11) The fourth reason is that Jesus will come again to receive His faithful people unto Himself just like He promised all believers. (John 14: 1-6) Another reason why He must come back to earth is that the Holy vengeance of our God must be shown. God is a Holy God and cannot and will not tolerate sin. (2 Thessalonians 1: 6-7) There are many more reasons why He is coming again and people today if they are not saved will just not listen. But He will come again just as the Holy Bible said and then where will these people be? We must be ready saints for that blessed coming of out Lord.

We can read of many signs of the Lords second coming. Matthew 24 gives a list of definite signs of that will precede our Lords return and His coming back. There will be wars and rumors of wars, famines and pestilences will abound and be many, Earthquakes will be many and occur in different places. These things get worse and worse everyday. But here is a definite sign that we see described in the Bible: "As the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the son of man be." The days of Noah were characterized by extensive drinking and irregularities concerning the marriage relationship. In the book of Daniel chapter 12 verse 4 tells us another sign of the end of time: "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge will increase" Just in our generation we have seen an increase in travel (supersonic jets, and interstate highways), extensive eating and drinking (more and more eating places along the highways, a big increase in the divorce rate and just look how the illicit sex activity has run out of control. Anything goes. And our government (American Government) backs it. Never have we seen so much evil or turning from god.He is coming and soon. If we are not in the very last days my friends we never will be. Jesus could come any minute. It may be night or noon, but one thing for sure He is coming soon.

We as Christians have a duty until Jesus Christ comes again. Some people would tell you to run to the mountain tops and wait until the Lord comes, or go to the desert, but the Bible tells us that we should be patient and wait with courage, until the Lord comes. I tell you brothers and sisters the coming of the Lord is near. (James 5:8) Let us hold each other up in prayer as that day draws nearer. We need to be on guard like a good soldier, watching for his return. We need to arm our self with the armor of faith and love, and wearing as out helmet, the happy hope of salvation. Our labors should be those of pleasing an almighty God, so we will be excepted by Him. For myself I want to be what He wants me to be.

Along with the gift of eternal life there comes the understanding that God wants us to turn from sinful pleasures and godless living that will bring damnation to our souls. All people need to turn to a good, God fearing life that is "looking for that Blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:11-15) All of us want to go to Heaven, But there is only one way. a person cannot live just any old way and expect to go to heaven when the Lord returns. A person can go to heaven without wealth or money (The trip has been paid for by the precious Blood of Jesus), without being famous, or a great name, with no education, without beauty, without friends, or without thousands of other things. but no one will ever go to heaven with out Jesus Christ. Even So come Lord Jesus!

THE STORY BEHIND THE PICTURE OF THE PRAYING HANDS

2011-12-20T13:13:00.003-05:00

Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived
a family with eighteen children. Eighteen! In order merely to keep food
on the table for this mob, the father and head of the household, a
goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade
and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood.

Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of the elder children,
Albrecht and Albert, had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their
talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be
financially able to send either of them

to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.

After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two
boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would
go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his
brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won
the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the
other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or,
if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.

They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer
won the toss and went off to Nuremberg.

Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four
years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an
immediate sensation. Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils
were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he
graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his
commissioned works.

When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held
a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant
homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and
laughter, Albrecht rose from his honored position at the head of the
table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice
that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His closing words
were, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn.
Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream,

and I will take care of you."

All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where
Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head
from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over,

"No ...no....no ..no."

Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced
down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands
close to his right cheek, he said softly, "No, brother. I cannot go to
Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look ... look what four years in the
mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed
at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly
in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast,
much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush.

No, brother ....for me it is too late."

More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer's hundreds of
masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches, water colors,
charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great
museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people,
are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer's works. More than merely
being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in
your home or office.

One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed,
Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's abused hands with palms
together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful
drawing simply "Hands," but the entire world almost immediately opened
their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love
"The Praying Hands."
The next time you see a copy of that touching creation,

take a second look.

Let it be your reminder,

that no one - no one - ever makes it alone!

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."

Climbing Jacob's Ladder

2011-12-18T14:53:00.000-05:00

Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (Genesis 28: 12)

And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (John 1:51)\

Jacob must have thought a great deal about his sin and his life as he traveled to his mother’s family country. His sin brought him separation from his family. He felt alone and discouraged, for even his relationship with God was affected by his sin. I wonder how many people in the world today are the same way? Jacob wanted and his heart longed for peace and forgiveness. He desired and wanted the fellowship of his God, who was in heaven, but he could not find a way to achieve it. He did not know how to go about it. His sin was ever before him, separating him from the Lord. As night approached, he laid down to sleep and a dream was given to him from God. In the dream he saw a ladder that touched the earth on one end and reached to the gates of heaven on the other end. Then the LORD spoke to Jacob and promised to be with him and that the nations of the earth would be blessed through him. ( Genesis 28:11-15.)

Jesus is the fulfillment of this dream and its promises. Because Jesus is the only link between heaven and earth. As we grab hold of the ladder to climb, we must remember that every step up that ladder is a truth on our way in our passage to heaven. Truth is a belief, an very effective and valuable force. It is a working principle, a standard of belief, that molds and shapes our hearts and lives. Every step, that we take and every truth, that we say amen to and abide by will have a transforming impact upon our life so that the life of Jesus is reflected in us as we continue to climb that ladder. Each step that we take as a Christian we are letting Jesus mold and make us into a vessel of his choosing. We must keep climbing that ladder.

What we are talking about here is by no means salvation by works, because we are saved by our faith in Jesus. He is our reason for wanting to climb that ladder. As I write this article I recall what Paul said in Philippians 3: 13-14. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” We are to continue in our spiritual growth every day. We must picture it just like climbing Jacobs’s ladder.

The representation of the ladder should, by all means, bring hope to all, because, that ladder reaches all the way from Heaven to earth. It reaches down and touches man when he lives in his fallen state. Climbing a tall ladder requires painstaking and diligent effort. Every step on that ladder is important and not one rung of that ladder is to be missed or meant to be skipped. We must take hold of Jesus and never let go. The journey may look like it is long and hard at different times but the reward, in the end, will be worth it all.

“The angels of God ascending and descending on it” makes known all the resources of God which was at the disposal of Jacob and is now at the believers disposal. It is the same for every modern day believer, if we put our trust in Him and properly understand Jesus Christ and look to Him solely and according to what He did on the cross in the Sacrifice of Himself on the cross. Some of us may be tired and weary, but we got to keep on keeping on because Heaven is there not far from our view!

God Is Always There

2011-12-16T05:09:00.003-05:00

Hello God, I called tonight To talk a little while
I need a friend who’ll listen To my anxiety and trial.

You see, I can’t quite make it Through a day just on my own…

I need your love to guide me, So I’ll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep, My family safe and sound.
Come and fill their lives with confidence For whatever fate they’re bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face Each hour throughout the day,
And not to worry over things I can’t change in any way.

I thank you God, for being home And listening to my call,
For giving me such good advice When I stumble and fall.

Your number, God, is the only one That answers every single time.
I never get a busy signal, Never have to pay a dime.

So thank you, God, for listening To my troubles and my sorrow.
Good night, God, I love You, too, And I’ll call again tomorrow!

- Author Unknown

The Best Gift

2011-12-14T06:51:00.001-05:00

It will soon be Christmas and once again it is the season for the giving of gifts. There is an atmosphere of secrecy, love, kindness, thoughtfulness, and caring, all combined together to plan surprises of delight, joy, and happiness to the ones we love. There is a feeling that we have at Christmas that is not like no other time of the year. The home is warm, radiant, and aglow with eager anticipation, waiting for something that is most wanted, something needed, that is carefully selected, wrapped and hidden away until the day (Christmas) arrives. In all of this there is, with all Christians, a new and fresh reminder to us of God's eternal plan of love to meet the dire need of man's soul and provide the best gift to totally satisfy and bring happiness to our heart. This is the gift of unspeakable worth and it goes beyond words or description. This is God's gift of eternal life.

A gift offered to a person does not become theirs until they receive it. It is the same way with salvation. Faith is the empty hand that reaches out to receive God's gift of life. It is the personal appropriation of his offer. It is believing in our hearts that Christ's sufferings and death were for your sins and mine: that His resurrection among the dead was for our justification. That is making the best gift yours. So when we sit in our house during the Christmas holiday let us remember the “ BEST GIFT OF ALL”.

The Sins Of The Modern Church

2011-12-08T12:00:00.001-05:00

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ( 1 Corinthians 2:2) NKJV

A large majority of the mega churches profess to know Jesus Christ, but they still would deny the Cross and the precious blood that was spilled there. I say that because of the so many different doctrines they offer the people to promote their church and to increase church attendance and the church coffers.

Every since I can remember and it is still to the best of my knowledge the same way today if you did not belong to a certain denomination then you would never get to make heaven your home. This is so untrue, but look at how some church denominations fight each other. The fact is all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should: “Fight The Good Fight” and not each other.

Today we have churches, with what I call schemes, like The Purpose Driven Life, The Government of Twelve, The Twelve Steps, and many others that point to everything but to Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is not Jesus and the purpose driven life, It is not Jesus and the government of twelve, or any other combination. It is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. If a person believes any of them they believe in another Jesus. It is Jesus Christ and Him crucified that is the real answer for this old sinful world. It is by the precious blood of Jesus that the battle has been won and can be won in your life.

Many people, in today’s churches view God’s standards of holiness and truth as legalistic restrictions to their life, their personal freedom, their happiness, and their self fulfillment. The problem here is when people set their self's up that way, to be the authority over their own lives by such things as the purpose driven life, the government of twelve, and others, they are turning from the true teachings of the Bible and they have become slaves to their own corrupt nature and desires.

We now have some churches, today, where the people sit side by side with Muslims in the church, with the Koran next to the Bible and the people worship Christ and Allah. Anybody that reads the Word of God Knows this is wrong. What is happening to the Churches of our Lord Jesus Christ Today?

I was always taught, and hold to a firm belief, that all religions of this world are insufficient to meet the needs of the people in this world. It may be Islam, Buddhism, Shintoism, and Confucianism. These newer doctrines that I mentioned earlier are also the same. FALSE! They are all corrupt and do not measure up to Bible Doctrine. It is by the precious Blood of our Savior (and no other way) that the battle is won!

Slaying Giants

2011-12-01T06:59:00.001-05:00

Our victory over the giants that rule this country and the ones in our life, just like David’s victory over Goliath, must be because of our faith in our Creator. We must have a deep heartfelt passion for our Lord and a desire for the Lord’s presence and His power in our life and His presence in our government. We must recognize same as David did, that it was not the armies of Israel that Goliath was coming up against but it was the fact he was defying the Lord God. Our government and most of its leaders has, for some time, defied the Lord. You just do not do that and get away with it for very long. We reap what we have sown. When a government and its leaders promote ungodly acts such as abortions (the act of killing unborn babies), Homosexuality (one of the deadly sins of the Bible), and allowing many other things that defy God they will be defeated.

It was not the kings armour, his shield and sword that won the battle for David. It was his faith in God that gave him victory over the giant. It will not be what any candidate has to say in the upcoming election, how much one party has or what tactics they use. It is not by might or power, or anything else that we will win the victory over the giant that is in our government, but it is by HIS SPIRIT that the victory will come. So let us all be in one accord like they were on the day in that upper room and we will see the Lord move on our behalf.

In this upcoming election we must not trust in the poles, votes, and what man has to say. It is God where all our trust has to be placed. That is where our faith must lie. Whenever we, as the Lord’s Children, face what appears to be a impossible problem, that seem like ‘Giants’, in our lives (and that also includes our personal lives also) we must remember this we can be over comers if we place our faith in God the same as David did. We must follow David’s godly example.

MAKING BELIEVE: Nicolaitans

2011-11-29T07:32:00.001-05:00

“For the nation and kingdom that shall not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” ( Isaiah 60:12.)

For the people who live in this country you need to know this: there is an Almighty, Everlasting, Omniscient, God. He has complete and unlimited knowledge, awareness, understanding; He perceives all things. God is, and always has been active in the affairs of men, of the leaders of this nation, and events of the whole world. The rights of every human being, including our right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness come from Him. He is the one who framed the universe.

The problem is this: We must first have leaders that will recognize this and base their decisions on what says the Lord God. Today in Washington we do not have that.

It is the responsibility and obligation of our government to make safe, look after, keep, and preserve these God given rights, to recognize and accept our Creator, to glorify Him and make Him known to everybody in this country and around the world; and when this does not take place, when civil government that takes this country in a direction that becomes destructive and are not of God given purposes, it is our duty to alter, change, or put an end to such Godless government. We need to, with much prayer, vote them out of office. That is If we are a Christian nation and claim to be servants of Jesus Christ.

We (this includes our government leaders) need to serve Christ in all areas of our life, in our very thoughts and our actions, and nothing less. This means destroying arguments that are against the knowledge of God and what thus says the Lord. We must be seriously concerned about the fact that far too many of today’s [but not all] Christian leaders, government leaders, and others are a sinful embarrassment and are to blame for most of the sins in this country, but they still call their self Christians and doing nothing but mock the Christian religion and our Savior. They have dishonored our Lord and sold their Christian birthright for no less than a mess of political pottage.

They are like Esau, who sold his birthright for a bowel of stew and gave up his inheritance. People and groups have taken sides for every reason in the book except the ones outlined in ‘THE BOOK’ which is the Word of God. Christian people will take sides because of skin color, their political party, or what they can get out of voting for a certain person. Those folks and groups are Christian in name only. They Have a form of godliness, but they deny the very guild lines that Christians are to follow. Sad to say these people have a name: ‘NICOLAITANS’ and in the Book of Revelation we are told God hates the Nicolaitans.

The Nicolaitans had given into compromise with the pagan, ungodly society, around them. The same thing is happening today in our country and it is sad. Let us be over comers for the Lord and live by his word. Only over comers will be with the Lord forever and ever!

Thoughts Of Christmas

2011-11-23T07:33:00.001-05:00

I still can remember those days, of years gone past, when I was a youngster and Christmas had such a special meaning. In public school, the most of us would put up pictures of the Baby Jesus in the class room. We would pick up the Bible (Which was on the teachers desk in plain view) and read the Christmas story from it, during the morning devotions, before class was started. The loudspeaker to the public address system would come on, with a word from the principle, “Merry Christmas Students” he would say. And just before the school closed for Christmas vacation the whole school, including the teachers, the staff from principal, to the janitor, all assembled in the school gym to sing Christmas carols, such as Silent Night, Away in a Manger and any others. We would listen to one of the local ministers read the Christmas story from the Bible. It was a very special time for me and most of the other kids. Even at that early age I could feel the Spirit of The Most High in that gym. It was more than just the excitement of Christmas. Christmas had a special meaning to me when I was young and it still does to this day! It was (and still is) time to celebrate Jesus’ Birthday.

In the local stores, on the streets, and everywhere that a person would go we heard the words, “MERRY CHRISTMAS”. I always looked forward for my mom and dad to put my sisters and me in the family car and look at all the naivety scenes in the neighborhood. There was a feeling there that goes beyond all explaining.

But in today’s “political correct world” we see less and less of these things that I have made mention of. More and more, every Christmas, anti-Christian groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, sue some city for erecting a nativity scene on public property or singing Christmas carols on the public street, and at the same time, fearing they may be perceived as not being politically incorrect, more and more retailers replace the word "Christmas" with "Holiday" in their marketing advertisements and sale signs. Christmas has now become a commercial event We need to put the true spirit of Christmas back where it belongs.

To most people It may seem like a small issue to expound on, but not to me, because I’m a child of the King. The things, that I’m saying here, are important and noteworthy because they reduce and make smaller the importance of the Christian foundations and roots of this once great nation. The United States of America. The very ideas of justice, mercy, liberty and love for our fellow man are deeply rooted in the Bible, and particularly in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus The Christ. That's why America, in years gone past) has been a shining light among the nations in the world.

Like the angel who appeared to the shepherds saying: “I bring you good news of great joy,” we as Christians have a story to tell about the blessings of honoring the true God, not Buddha, Not Allah, or any other false god. Telling that story can start with all who read this article say amen to the truth and let your community know that It's Okay to Say Merry Christmas. Make a effort to say Merry Christmas when doing your Christmas shopping. Let people know that you are not and never will be politically correct, because you are a child of the King!

In closing I want to say how I miss my mom, even more during the Christmas Season. She would always sing her favorite Christmas song, which also has become mind, Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem. And Friends that is what we must do at this Christmas Season and every day, “SHINE ON FOR CHRIST”

LORD: You Know I Love You

2011-11-19T10:08:00.001-05:00

So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?' He said to Him, 'Yes Lord; You know that I love You.' He said to him, 'Tend My lambs.' He said to him again a second time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love Me?' He said to Him, 'Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.' He said to him, 'Shepherd My sheep.' He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love Me?' Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, 'Do you love Me?' And he said to Him, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said to him, 'Tend My sheep.'" (John 21:15-17, NASB).

All of the followers of Christ are faced with the same question. It is not: are you willing to do anything for God, or do you love others, The primary question that He wants of all His followers is this: Do you truly love me. A deep and heartfelt love for God is the only effective means and motivation for serving Him. As the Lord’s disciples, our primary calling is to be with Him. Out of that love relationship comes the motivation and power to to fulfill our God given purpose in life, no matter what we have to endure along the way.

The Bible often uses earthly examples as a form of explaining spiritual things. A flock of sheep with its shepherds used throughout both the Bible. The flock of sheep is a type, and a figure used, of God's people and the shepherds are figures, or types, of those whom God appoints to feed those sheep, in other words, to take care for the spiritual needs of God's people. Jesus instructed Peter and the other disciples to take over the feeding and shepherding of His sheep. The disciples were called upon to serve under Him on this earth, as shepherds too. Shepherds of His flock.

The discussion Jesus had with Peter just before He ascended up into Heaven, was the result of three and a half years of teaching by Jesus to His disciples, especially the twelve who had lived very close with Jesus during His time on earth. This teaching showed the disciples what to do, what The Lord wanted them to turn out to be after e ascended and went back into Heaven. During Jesus’ life on this earth with His disciples Jesus taught this teaching to them over and over again in different scriptures and parables. [Matthew 14:13-21]: He wanted them, like us, to carry on what He wanted us to.

Matthew told of the time when the disciples, who were under the headship and guidance of Jesus, fed over five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus, saw a great multitude and felt compassion for them, and healed their sick." We can see in these scriptures the Great Shepherd  looked after and cared for the people’s needs. The lord’s  disciples were there with Him and he wanted them to be able to do the same.

The lesson here is like a text book, laid out in simple steps. First, the disciples saw a need of the people and Jesus told them to go ahead and do what was necessary to fulfill that need. But the disciples didn't know how to carry out what they considered to be a very impractical request of Jesus because they did not have the means to do it. They said to Jesus, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." Reading between the lines, we know pretty well what the disciples were thinking: this thing which Jesus has told us to do is impossible. These people are hungry and need to eat now. We can't feed this entire multitude with these hardly nothing. All we have is, five loaves of bread and two fish. Look what Jesus said next. He said, 'Bring them here to Me.'" After the disciples had gathered together all the resources which they could, and had determined it was not enough, the next step called for by Jesus was, "Bring them to Me!" Remember this was done in answer to the request of Jesus, "You give them something to eat." We always have to take the first step.

The Lord's view took in many things which the disciples could not see. The Lord spoke from the standpoint of the creator of all things The disciples were as yet limited by their thinking to the physical realm and scarcely aware that they also were part of the vast invisible spiritual realm. The Lord was teaching His disciples a step at a time who He was, who they were, and the complete spiritual meaning of "Feed My sheep."

Remember this, It was by the hands of the disciples that the food was given out. The Lord had commanded the disciples to "feed the people," it was the disciples who gave out the food. But it was at the hands of the Lord that the food was multiplied, It was the Lord who caused the miracle. But The Lord  did not give out the food, and in that sense, ( in other words to grasp the true meaning) He did not "feed the people." The disciples, with Jesus' help and guidance, fed the people. Make no mistake it could have not been done without Jesus! If they had not acted in response and obedience to His  command, Bring them here to Me, The disciples would have not been able to feed the people.  Because  it was, in fact, Jesus who fed the multitudes by His divine power! He was the only one who knew how to increase the bread and fish to make them enough for all the people. It was by His power it was done!

When Jesus left from this world. His disciples of that day were to remain on earth a little while longer to "feed His sheep," and they needed to be taught how to do it. And the future disciples of Jesus throughout the entire Christian Age needed to be taught through them. Christian disciples, even today, can never expect to "feed His sheep" without the help of Jesus to multiply their resources. The lesson was taught. The people have a need. We  Christians, are to fill that need." We are to gather all the means we can. They might look like they are not enough. But when we take them to Jesus He will increase the means and give it back to us so that you can do what Jesus commanded us to do. Then, as His willing vessel, we need do it.

The Lord spoke to every Christian when He said:  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the Age." (Matthew 28:19-20). Here in the great commission we have all the essentials  and basics of the mission that Jesus was teaching His disciples to carry out. The commission is addressed to the shepherd servants, the Christians of the Age. The Lord Himself, will be with the Christian always, even to the end of the Age. In this case the spiritual food, the gospel, is provided by the Lord, and it is more than sufficient to feed all the people of the earth. What is missing that prevents the multitudes of the earth from having access to the gospel message today?

Aren't there enough Christians willing to accept the challenge of the Lord's great commission? In New Testament days it took only a relatively few disciples to proclaim the gospel "in all creation under heaven." (Colossians 1:23). Could it be that the available resources are insufficient to reach the swelling multitudes, the billions of people in the far reaches of today's world? But even as the population of the spiritually hungry world has multiplied many times since the New Testament days, so have the means of travel and communication have also been also multiplied. The various types of today's mass media allow communication into homes in every nation of the world. In many respects today's world is effectively "smaller" than the world in Bible Days. The means of communicating are more available than ever before in the past history of this world.

So the question is this: Is the Lord's plan, which He taught to His twelve disciples, believed to be impracticable and not effective today? Is the Lord unable to multiply insufficient and inadequate means as He did when He walked this earth? Or could it be that Christians just haven't tried the Lord’s instructions and plan lately? Read the text book (our Bible) Get together all the means that you have. You might think that it isn't enough. But, just, take it to the Lord. Put it in His hands. And whatever He gives back to you, start giving it out to the hungry people and the Lord will do the rest!

Onward Christian Soldier!

2011-11-17T07:12:00.001-05:00

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12).

I read this article recently and thought that it was well worth sharing. Please read it and let it bless your soul.

"A young man enlisted, and was sent to his regiment. The first night he was in the barracks with about fifteen other young men, who passed the time playing cards and gambling. Before retiring, he fell on his knees and prayed, and they began to curse him and jeer at him and throw boots at him. So it went on the next night and the next, and finally the young man went and told the chaplain what had taken place, and asked what he should do. 'Well,' said the chaplain, 'you are not at home now, and the other men have just as much right to the barracks as you have. It makes them mad to hear you pray, and the Lord will hear you just as well if you say your prayers in bed and don't provoke them.'

For weeks after the chaplain did not see the young man again, but one day he met him, and asked - 'By the way, did you take my advice?' 'I did, for two or three nights,' [the soldier answered.] 'How did it work?' 'Well,' said the young man, 'I felt like a whipped hound and the third night I got out of bed, knelt down and prayed.' 'Well,' asked the chaplain, 'How did that work?' The young soldier answered: 'We have a prayer meeting there now every night, three have been converted, and we are praying for the rest.'

Oh, friends, I am so tired of weak Christianity. Let us be out and out for Christ; let us give no uncertain sound. If the world wants to call us fools, let them to it. It is only a little while; the crowning day is coming. Thank God for the privilege we have of confessing Christ."

Friends do we need to say more? Let's ask the Lord to touch our lives with power today. That we may be released from our stresses, our problems and even our own desires -- that we may become focused on being available for the task at hand. There's so much work to be done!

What Then?

2011-11-06T05:38:00.000-05:00

When the great plants of our cities
Have turned out their last finished work.
When the merchants have sold their last yard of silk,
And dismissed their last tired clerk,
When the banks have ranked in their last dollar,
and payed their last dividend.
And the Judge of earth says, "Close for the night,"
And asks for a balance ----- WHAT THEN?

When the people have heard their last sermon,
And the preacher has made his last prayer
When the choir has sung its last prayer
And the sound has died out of the air
When the Bible lies closed on the alter
And the pews are empty of men
And each one stands facing his record
and the GREAT BOOK is open --- WHAT THEN?

When the actor has played his last drama
And the mimic has made his last fun
When the film (and TV) has flashed its last picture
And the billboard displays its last run
When the crowds seeking pleasure have vanished
And gone into darkness again
And the trumpet of ages is sounded
And we stand before Him ------ WHAT THEN?

When the bugle's call sinks into silence
And the long marching columns stand still
When the captain has given his last orders
And they have captured the last fort and hill
When the flag has been hauled from the masthead
And the wounded afield check in
And a world that's rejected its Saviour
Is asked for a reason ---------- WHAT THEN?

When life, friend, has run to a finish
And the the last thing you can do is done
When your work here on earth has ended
and eternity has begun
As you think of how long God has pleaded
Of how Christ bore your sins on the tree
And your soul stands there naked before Him
And the Father denies you ---- WHAT THEN?

WHAT THEN ------ The Bible Says:

"It is appointed to man once to die, but AFTER THIS the judgement."
"He that believeth on Him is not condemned : but he that believeth
not is condemned already"

Occupy Till He Comes!

2011-11-02T08:48:00.001-04:00

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4: 17,18) NASB

Because we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and His promises, All of us are called to change the world in which we live in. C.S. Lewis gave a helpful point of view on a Christian remaining heavenly minded while continuing to make an influence in this present world. Lewis said this:, “In mere Christianity, hope means a continual looking forward to the eternal world. What it does not mean is this: “We are to leave the present world as it is”. The devil and his imps never stop working and as God’s redeemed we should not either. When we read history we can will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were the ones who thought most of the next world. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world (Our Eternal Home) that they have become so ineffective in this present world. Let us set our sights on Heaven and we will get what we need on this earth thrown in. Set sights on just at the earth and you will not get neither one.

Being heavenly minded is not natural or normal to the carnal people of this old world. To be heavenly minded happens when our focal point and meditation is on the realism and the blessed hope of the world to come. When we do this, we can bring a taste of heaven to the world around us. So let's not become complacent and content on how this present world is. We need to stay focused on our Heavenly home, so we can be effective here on this world we live in. We must occupy until our lord comes.

While we cry out against the injustice in this world, we must never lose or misplace our hope in our Heavenly home. We are not to strive for things in this world that we see because they are not worthy of the pursuit of a immoral soul. We are to look for the things not seen that are eternal and everlasting. These are the important things of this life. I have said all that to say this:

Christians are not, for the rest of their lives, to sit down and stare off into space. We still live in a world of practical reality. We must still occupy till our Lord comes for us. We must carry on, cry out against evil, injustice, sin, tell the world that Jesus saves and what that truly means. We must speak out about anything or anybody that opposes God and His laws. Not doing nothing is just like the people in the world (during WW2) letting Hitler kill just about every Jew in the world and do nothing about it, not even by speaking up. Now the Muslim terrorist are doing the same thing while our government does nothing. It is wrong and we must cry out against it!

We, as God’s Children, have been bought with a price and What a privilege it will be to be in the presence and close to Jesus forever and ever. It will be a privilege of living in a environment free from want, care, poverty, pain, loneliness, death, dying, sickness, hunger, disease, aging, murder, racism, terrorist, perverse and wicked leaders, a place free from sin. It will be forever and ever! One day will be as a thousand years and a thousand years will be as a day. But here on this earth we must occupy (live in) till He Comes.

We should never take a position that I read so much on Face Book and other sites by some Christians and that is this; “IT IS WHAT IT IS”. I love these people with all my heart! They are my brothers and sisters, but, Who knows if you have come into the world for such a time as this. Till the Lord takes me home I will not only tell the World about our Savior’s love, but what He is also saving us from and I will cry out against ungodly leaders in government and the church that are not governing by God’s Holy standards. I’m not perfect but I want to hear my Jesus say to me on that glorious reunion day, “Well done my true and faithful servant”

Soon and very soon we are going to see the King, but occupy till he comes!

On A Positive Note!

2011-10-31T09:10:00.000-04:00

On a positive note I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by theway he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life."I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch-holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. Note: People will forget what you said; people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel......

In A Time Such As This!

2011-10-26T07:51:00.002-04:00

There is most certainly a war 0n the horizon in the Middle East because the Muslim countries are determined and bent to destroy Israel, We, as Christians, know this. because we are in-tune with the word of God. It will be a war that will be very serious and the effects of this war will be felt all over the world. This war will be about, the future existence of the state of Israel and in the end the free world. It will involve all of the Muslim countries, the same as in the past, the Muslims will attack Israel to try, as they say, to drive the Jews into the sea. So much for that peaceful religion called Islam. Whenever this war starts, do not think that it is restricted to that area. Americans everywhere must do everything we can to put a stop to the enemies of Israel and freedom everywhere by letting these people think they have an opportunity to destroy Israel and freedom around the world. What do I mean? It means simply this, standing as one with Israel.

The challenge (The fight) with the Islamist is this, they seek to impose their religion on everybody, This is what most people do not understand. It is time for freedom loving people around the world to wake up and smell the coffee. It is not only Israel but it is all the world that does not go along with their agenda. We are approaching the end of the age fast and people are numb as to what is happening in this world. If they would only read their Bible they would see what is clearly happening. Yes the Bible, because you can never believe what a newspaper or the news on TV will tell you. They lie, but God’s word is true! Amen!

“The problem is that, because in the end the Muslims must (according to sharia law), and according to what they believe is God’s will, make everyone feel subdued in order to achieve their purpose, These people will not stay restrained or moderate. They will not be satisfied with anything less than the final domination of sharia law and they certainly will not resist the use of violence when it becomes the means and method to get their way.” Not only is Israel in danger, the whole world is. There is a rising tide of Islamist governments growing throughout Middle East and North Africa and spreading even further. They have all but taken over Europe. Just look at the news from there. They are taking over.

“We’re witnessing not just the violent kind of jihad that these Islamist believe God compels them to engage in, but also, where they must for premeditated reasons, use a more sneaky kind, or civilized jihad known as the Muslim Brotherhood. If you take time to look you can see that playing out, not only in the Middle East but also in Europe, in Australia, in Canada and here in the United States. We must wake up! The spread of Sharia, is the most pressing and serious challenge we face as Christians and a free people. Yes not only Israel but the free world.

Through craftiness and just being plain sneaky, they have lucratively made a way into important parts of the free world including our own government and civil institutions.” We now even have Muslims worshiping in our Christian churches. These people are working overtime to accomplish their purpose of a Muslim world. The fiddler plays as Rome burns! By his own actions Obama embraces the Muslim Brotherhood. By doing this he is legitimating our enemies. He is giving them the go ahead. He helps their influence, their action, and their saturation into our very way of life and it greatly increases the prospect that they will be successful at what the Muslim Brotherhood’s own documents indicate is their desire, which is to destroy western civilization from within.” Wake up Mr. Barrack Hussein Obama. Democracy is okay, with Muslims, if all you want is one-man-one-vote one-time. That is precisely what the Muslim Brotherhood and its like-minded Islamist friends want.” People all over the world are being fooled or they think that it is nothing that they have to worry about. Boy are these people wrong!

“The president (if that is what you want to call him, I have a better name for him) and his administration are not trying to stop them. It is more like they are helping them. What we are going to wind up with in the end, not just in Tunisia, not just in Libya, not just in Egypt, but probably also in Syria, as we have in Lebanon, as we have in Gaza and probably will have down the road in Yemen, Bahrain, maybe Saudi Arabia is the takeover through the ballot box and terrorism of all people. They will never allow others freedom, they will impose Sharia law and they will use whatever means they can gather, not only to suppress and hold back their own people, but to endanger us as well!”

As The followers of Jesus Christ we need to be on our knees seeking God's help in turning this dangerous tide of Muslim terrorist who want to impose their way of life on God's people and a free world. Who knows if you or I might be here in this world for such a time as this. I will always speak out about this enemy of God's children and Israel. God bless the USA and the nation of Israel! Even so come Lord Jesus is my prayer.

This Little Light of Mine!

2011-10-24T11:27:00.006-04:00

He divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. He said to them, “Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. “When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the camp and say, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’” So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. {Judges 7: 16-19} NASB

When The Lord called Gideon to lead Israel against their enemies, He wanted to show the Israelite s that a small army sanctioned and authorize by God was more efficient and successful than huge armies. But look how they came to battle– with weapons that an army would as a rule would not use. They fought with the shofar (A trumpet made of a ram's horn, blown by the ancient Hebrews during religious ceremonies and as a signal in battle, ) and lamps! They fought with weapons that the world would consider ineffective, yet the Israelite s overcame and prevailed mightily over their enemies. They shouted as loud as they could, sounded the shofar, and broke the vessels that held the fire so that their lamps erupted all the way through with brightness and intensity. The trumpet was and still is symbolic of the word of our God. We as Christians must put forth that certain and sure sound. The sound of that mighty rushing wind! We must keep our lamps all trimmed and burning!

This Bible story is a powerful symbol and image for us. If we look at ourselves as "earthen vessels" holding the fire of God, in other words, the Spirit of God within us, then a "breaking" of the outer man is needed and is essential for His inner light to come through. Victory, Triumph, and achievement can come out of brokenness. Do not ever forget that. The old life, often called the "old man", (self) when it is actually and beyond doubt crucified and broken, will give way to the release of the Lord's Spirit that will and can come into our lives. God cannot and will not fill that which is already filled with self-will, The death of Christ has broken the power of our self-will, because we were crucified with Him. When we remember and become aware to that very statement we will see the bright light and the victory that awaits us as his followers. Remember, we are the light of the world and we can be that light only as long as we are full of the Word of God.

We must, as followers of the Lord let the love, peace, joy, and all the Fruits of the Spirit breakthrough in our lives. Our old life of Self has been and is continually being broken, as the Lord’s triumphant and victorious light shines through our earthen vessel. Just like Gideon and his men won a great victory that day, we can too! This little light of mine I’m going to let it shine!

The Two Horses

2011-10-16T08:42:00.002-04:00

The Following was sent to me in a email and I thought that it would be worth passing on to the readers of this blog. Lot of truths are in the story!

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.

From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing....

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends, You'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, And that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk To where the other horse is, Trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns To the shelter of the barn each evening, It stops occasionally and looks back, Making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives To help us when we are in need..

Sometimes we are the blind horse Being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way....Good friends are like that... You may not always see them, but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours. And remember...Be kinder than necessary- Everyone you meet is fighting Some kind of battle..Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly......

Being In The Faith

2011-10-06T19:34:00.000-04:00

Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate. (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Deception and trickery is one of the Devils greatest tools. He uses it as a weapon against Christians. Deception was the weapon that he used to trick Adam and Eve in the garden and both of them to fall. Since deception was the primary weapon used by Satan in his effort to trick Adam and Eve we can rest assured that he will do the same to all people. The human race is plagued with deception and for this very reason many are deceived, including Christians.

The church is no longer what it used to be. It (in most cases) is not no longer a refuge, a hospital for the sick, a place to give honor to Christ. In fact most churches are everything but that. During my lifetime I have seen the church steady go down. Sad, but the truth! Most churches today are no more than a glorified social club. The crosses are coming down from more churches every day. Most signs, in front of the churches, say nothing about Jesus, but rather everything else from chicken dinner sales, to fashion shows, garage sales, soup sales, bingo, and you name it.

We now have in some churches the removal of song books, the Koran is being placed next to the Bible in the pew. What fellowship does light have with darkness. People come to church with problems and the preacher sends them to a psychologist. This should never be. The church of our God should be a house of deliverance and not what it has become. This is a very alarming thing. People do not need the 12 step program, the prosperity gospel, or the purpose driven life. These things should be a warning sign. In either of these there is no cross, or a crucified Savior. What we do need is Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Every believer needs to do the same thing that our brother Paul did and said; “Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith” Our belief system must revolve around Jesus Christ and Him crucified. If it does not we need to get rid of it and deny the false ways and take up the cross and follow Jesus, because He is the way.

Blow Ye The Trumpet In Zion

2011-09-28T08:57:00.003-04:00

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is near at hand; (Joel 2:1)

As this day comes to a close it starts the feast of Rosh Ha Shannah, or Yom Teruah, (The Feast of Trumpets). At the end of the summer the Hebrews are commanded to blow, the ram’s horn (The Shofar), all day long. The sound of the Shofar was also a sound of alarm. The Shofar told the people to get prepared, be ready. The Shofar was used to signal and warn of any approaching danger. It also marked and pointed to (in the calendar) that the summer harvest was over and the day of atonement was near and it was time to stand before God. We, as Christians, can take note of the Shofar and apply it in today’s world.

The feast of Trumpets is remarkably prophetic. Right now all of us are in the middle of a great harvest and the next coming event is the sound of the trumpet, Just before the great day of the Lord. The feast of trumpets contains a special message for us. What is it? It’s God’s wakeup call: Listen saints of God we don’t have forever! We only walk through this life once, and as quickly as the steam rises from hot water coming out of the faucet and rapidly vanishes, so it is with our lives. We are like a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. Soon it will be past and when this life is over, we will stand before our Creator. If we are going to work for Him and do great things for Him then now is the time! If we need to repent for anything, now is the time. The Lord not only tells us, He also commands us to stand up and let our light shine all over the world! The shofar is sounding, the summer harvest is nearing completion, and the day of the Lord is near.

Let us, as God’s people become His shofar, Let us sound His warning of judgment and show the love He’s given us, because of and through His Son, that those around us will be able to stand unpolluted, clean, and chaste before God! Even so come Lord Jesus!

The Coming Famine!

2011-09-26T13:38:00.000-04:00

Though the fig tree may not blossom,
      Nor fruit be on the vines;
      Though the labor of the olive may fail,
      And the fields yield no food;
      Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
      And there be no herd in the stalls—
       Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
      I will joy in the God of my salvation.
       The LORD God is my strength;
      He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.

(Habakkuk 3: 17-19)

As I road down the street in the small town I live close to I noticed at one of the churches there was a long line of people waiting to get in. I thought what is going on because it is not a night that this church had a service and it was also to early. Then I saw what was happening! People were coming out of the church with bags of groceries. It reminded me of old movies that I seen on TV about the great depression. In the area that I grew up in people were standing in line for food! In America people were standing in line for food! Not in some other country, but in America! Never has this happen before in my memory.

I was telling my dad about what I saw. He is 86 years old and still preaching the Gospel of our Lord. These were his words to me and they kind of hung on me. “I have lived a long life and seen a lot. I have lived through the great depression, I have seen good times and bad times, but look out for what is coming. In the great depression people knew how to take care of their self. They knew how to kill a chicken and dress it out, they knew how to keep warm, they knew how to mend clothes and shoes, they knew how to grow a garden and can food. They knew what to do with leftover food. Now we live in a throw away world. If it does not come from McDonald’s , the super market, or Wal Mart the people are lost. They do not know what to do.“ Most of the people, in this country, have turned their back on God and if they do not repent destruction will come. This, my son, is the state that our country is in! Everyday at 86 years of age, he still goes out to the malls and streets and passes out tracts and witnesses to a lost and dying world.

As I sat and thought about what he said I knew that he was right. The people in this country are lost. Most of the people are without God or His Son. They have turned their back on the Lord. We have gone from a nation that believed in God and His Word to a heathen nation that knows not God. The minds of our government leaders, as well as most of our church leaders have become seared. We arrest people for killing whales, but unborn babies, kill them if you want. Homosexuals parade our streets, have special rights, stand behind our pulpits, get married in our churches, and now they want their own Bible. One that will not cry out against their sin.

We have people sitting in our churches that claim to be saved and from what, they know not! They think if they go to church, hear about God’s love, give money, eat the chicken dinners made by the church, take communion, and be a good person then everything is okay. I’m here to tell you that love will cover a multitude of sin, but you got to know what sin is. You never hear that anymore. Give me that old time religion! It was good enough for my mother and father and it is good enough for me. It is time for America and the luke warm Christian to wake up!

The Lord God puts food on my table and shoes on my feet. He has given me the ability to earn a good living, enjoy a good life, have my own little acre, and he has given me 65 years of life. He has protected me from many evils, and brought me through many battles. My eyes is on Jesus, my soon coming King. He is my protector, comforter, and keeper. I’m standing on that solid rock. My eye is not on any government leader or their promises.

Sad to say most Christians are not. They are relying on the government for everything. I know many dear saints who voted for Obama because he promised them a free ride, free everything. The man kept saying; ‘change’ and what has that brought us? How do you like the change? The only person that can make a change for the good of man is Jesus Christ. It is sad when Christian people vote for a man because of his skin color and for no other reason. It is sad when a person votes for someone who goes against God’s word. I know that I will get a lot of flak for that statement, but it is the truth! I’m no racist! It is the truth!

We must remember as God’s people we are to rely on Him for our needs. He has supplied mine all the years of my life. Maybe not my wants, but my needs He has supplied.

There is a famine coming and is about ready to sweep across this land, not only a famine of food, but a spiritual famine. It is already upon us and we must keep the word of God in our hearts. You might get hungry for food, but wait until you get hungry for the word of God and it is not there. The ten commandments and other scriptures are being removed from our court rooms, schools, and other government buildings. Soon it will be our Bibles and churches. Only what we have hid in our heart will we have to meditate on. God Bless all who read this and God Bless America!

On A Hill Far Away!

2011-09-25T09:32:00.001-04:00

There is no doctrine, instructions, facts, or set of guidelines in Christianity so important as the principle and belief of Jesus Christ crucified. There is no other doctrine or creed which the devil tries to tear down so hard. What does it mean: “Jesus Christ crucified,” It mean this; Christ suffered death on the cross to make atonement for our sins. By His death He made a complete, perfect, atonement to God for the wicked, sinful, immoral people in this world and through the death of Jesus Christ all who believe in Him are forgiven all their sins, no matter how great or how many.

The doctrine of Christ crucified is the base and ground zero for the Christian religion. Other religions have laws and moral precepts, forms and ceremonies, rewards and punishments; but other religions cannot tell us of a dying Saviour: they cannot show us the cross. This is the glory of the Gospel; this is that special comfort which belongs to the Christian alone. Without a doubt it is pitiful that religious teaching and religious leaders which calls their self Christian, have their church services, their songs, their preaching and yet in all this there is nothing about the cross. A preacher or teacher who preaches or teaches in this way are like a person that tries to explain the solar system, and yet tell the ones listening nothing about the sun. It does not make sense! It is Jesus Christ and Him crucified!

A Christian without the full knowledge of the cross is like a soldier without weapons, like an artist without his pencil, like an plane without a pilot, like workman without their his tools. Let others, if they want to, preach the Prosperity doctrine, the be good doctrine, and the newest fade: Muslims and Christians can worship together. Since when does love and hate go together? What fellowship do we have with Baal? It is time for the church world to wake up! It is time for all who profess to be Christians to stand up and preach: “Jesus Christ and Him Crucified!” It is the blood that stained the old rugged cross and nothing else!

All the preachers of old preached messages that always pointed to Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Everything pointed to the cross.They turn the world upside down. People forsook their sins and turned to God! Not only did the church prosper, our country did also! The person who wins souls will speak always of Jesus The Christ and Him crucified. God will honor those who honor the cross of Christ! All roads do not lead to Rome, but rather to the cross and Jesus Christ Crucified!

The doctrine of Christ crucified should be the very foundation of every Church. No Church will ever be honored, by God, in which Jesus Christ crucified is not constantly lifted up. Nothing, what so ever, can make up for the cross of Christ? Without it all things may be done decently and in order; without it there may be splendid ceremonies, beautiful music, stunning and beautiful churches, educated ministers, packed out communion tables, enormous collections for the poor; but without the cross no good will be come out of any of them.

If a church does not preach Jesus Christ Crucified, dismal, hearts will not be made clear, hearts that are swollen with pride will not be humbled and meek, grief hearts will not be comforted and reassured, fainting hearts will not be revived. Sermons about the church, sermons about baptism and the Lord’s supper, sermons about unity and divisions, sermons about communions and love, all these kinds of sermons will never make up for the lack of sermons about the cross of Christ. Those kind of sermons may entertain some, but they will feed none, spiritually. When the cross is preached everything else falls into place!

A beautiful dining room, and fine China plates on the table, will never help for the want of food to a starving person. When a church does not preach Jesus Christ crucified, and puts anything else in its place then that is a Church which ceases to be useful. Without Christ crucified in her pulpits, a Church is little better than, a well without water, a fruit tree that does not bring forth fruit, a watchman who sleeps on the job, a stumbling-block to weak believers, a comforting and soothing place for infidels, a place for formalism, a stumbling block and it sure angers our God.

Do you, with all your heart, glory in the cross of Christ? That is the question. If you do, you are my brother and my sister: we are travelling on the same road and going in the same direction and everything else is just religion. For us that precious blood was shed! For us those hands and feet were penetrated with nails, It was for us Jesus hung in anguish, pain, and suffered, on that old rugged cross! You and I are the ones who Jesus loved, and died for!

Touching Jesus in Today's World

2011-09-04T14:03:00.001-04:00

In today's world, as children of God, we can still say "Touching Jesus is all that really matters, But there is only one way to really touch Him, just believe when you call on His name." As Christians we are always waiting for God to touch us; but a lot of Christians have failed to realize Jesus has come already and just like the woman with an issue of blood who desperately needed a healing, we can, just like she did, reach out and touch Him anytime. When we pray and call upon His name in a desperate situation, just believe on his name, just believe He has heard our prayer. Have that faith as a grain of mustard seed. When you do that you have touched His heart, and everything becomes well, peace comes to our soul, and deliverance follows. Faith is very simple if you are a Christian, it is embedded in our daily life. Too simple for most people to believe, But for the Christian who believes, it is the power of God.

Today, in this modern world, we are so much more informed about the causes of most illness, but we still, over and over again allow our bodies and minds to be influenced and changed by the world that we live in, a world that does not believe like Christians do, and because of this we, sometimes, allow ourselves to become influenced by this dis-ease ridden world. The world we live in is a difficult, challenging, trying, unkind , stressful, and a self-centered world. It is easy to fall away from the person we should be. It is times like this that we too need the cleansing touch of Jesus, to have our minds and bodies touched by His omnipotent and supreme power. What a great God we serve.

There are times when the anxiety, tension, anxiety, and pressure of living makes our lives almost unbearable. Our own understanding and center of attention becomes almost fruitless and doomed to failure. You can thank Satan for that. Our minds are constantly active, and rest seems like it just is not possible most of the time. It is at times like this when we need the Quieting touch, that only Jesus can give. The kind of touch that takes away the indifference and intensity that plagues our lives and brings peace, from above, in its place. That touch takes away the cares of this old world and gives a person peace beyond all understanding.

For a Christian the right kind of faith is a wonderful thing, because the more faith we have, the closer to God we are. The more faith that we have in the Lord, the stronger we will grow in Him. We knowing our journey with the Lord is a nonstop. It is not, as some people think, a once in a lifetime experience, but it is a series of experiences of Him touching our lives, where we all of a sudden become conscious to the fact, that we are in the presence of the one who died for us. Oh how great is our God!

When Jesus was seen, by some of His disciples, in the presence of Moses and Elijah, At the Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples fell onto the ground in total and complete horror. But we, also, read Jesus touched them and said. 'Get up, don't be afraid.' How many times in our daily lives do we need that same comforting and encouraging touch from Jesus. There are so many problems in this life. How often do we need to hear the words 'Don't be afraid.' spoken with the same certainty and reassurance that the disciples heard on that day. Jesus can bring the same touch to our lives in the very same way! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

For so many people who seek the Lord, they looked-for healing of the body and of the mind. There is far more to healing than the extraordinary and marvelous return of sight or hearing, or the healing of leprosy. Jesus touches every part of our lives, both physically and spiritually. For too many people, the healing comes as wrecked and out of order lives are made whole again; to others the healing is a real and tangible liberation with freedom from suffering; to other people it is an inner healing, a return to the spiritual bond between Our Lord and, you, His creation. The touch of Jesus means different things to different people, and different things at different times in a person's life.

The important thing to remember is that when the need is great, Jesus is always there to touch and make you whole. He said that he would never leave us or forsake us. All we need is the faith like that of the leper, of the blind and dumb man, and the many other people who were humble enough to confess that they were in need, and accepted, in their heart that Jesus was the only one who could satisfy their need. For Jesus to touch us, we must be willing to reach out and touch him as He passes by. If we will do that, if we will recognize that here stands the one who can bring cleansing, quieting, reassurance, liberation and healing then Jesus will reach out and touch our most inter being, and with that touch bring wholeness to our physical bodies, as well as our mind, soul, and spirit. Reach out and touch the Lord as He passes by today!

God Bless You!

2011-09-04T03:30:00.000-04:00

They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing ... and the traditional caps, they looked almost .. as grown up as they felt.

Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears. This class would NOT pray during the commencements----not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.

The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling... They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families. The speeches were nice, but they were routine.....until the final speech received a standing ovation.

A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then, it happened. All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED !!!! The student on stage.. simply looked at the audience and said, 'GOD BLESS YOU He walked off stage...

The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval. GOD BLESS YOU, and by he way :

THIS IS A TRUE STORY; it happened at the University of Maryland

The Great Loss

2011-08-31T20:20:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Solomon said, "Train." (Coach, Teach , Educate, Instruct, Guide, Prepare) He did not say Raise. We raise vegetables, but we train children. Feeding a child wholesome meals, providing warm clothing, giving them their own bedroom, and kissing them good night is not training. Most every species of animals on this earth does these things for their young. Training a child is planned instruction and discipline to form a everlasting character and wisdom in the fear of the Lord and knowledge of Scripture. That is training a child. "Two families from the state of New York were studied very carefully by J. Oswald Sanders. He wrote about them in his book called: “A Spiritual Clinic”. Below are the facts from that study.
Max Jukes was an not a believing man and he married a woman of the same moral fiber. Of the offspring and descendants of these two people, one thousand two hundred were studied. Three hundred and ten, of these descendants became skilled vagrants, hobos, homeless people, or beggars; four hundred forty actually wrecked their lives by wicked and depraved lifestyle; one hundred thirty were incarcerated for an average of thirteen years each, seven of them for murder. There were over one hundred who became alcoholics; sixty became thieves over and over again; one hundred twenty became known prostitutes. Of the twenty who learned a trade, ten of them learned the trade in a state prison. It cost the state about $1,500,000 and the descendants made no contribution to society whatsoever.

About the same time the family of Jonathan Edwards as also studied. He was believer of God, who married a woman of the same character. The study should the following about Jonathan Edward's descendants: Three hundred, of them, became clergymen, missionaries, and theological professors; over one hundred became college professors; over one hundred became attorneys; thirty of them judges; sixty of them became medical doctors; sixty became authors of good quality classics; fourteen became presidents of universities. There were a lot of giants in American industry that came from this family. Three became United States congressmen and one became the vice president of the United States."

We must never forget the impact our life decisions will make...in our self, our marriage, and on our children. In ways you will never know in this life, When we raise a family we are, in fact, building a legacy that will last for generations! Most children (not all) of this generation are a mess. They are arrogant, haughty, foolish, ignorant, immature, lazy, profane, rebellious, selfish, and wasteful. There is an clear and understandable cause for their personal and social dysfunction. Their parents were too busy, selfish, and lazy to train them. The consequences and cost of this are a generation of fools, which will bring about and produce more fools. Our nation's future is bleak, not only because of Washington, but because of some thoughtless parents.

If parents would train their children in Biblical ways there would be no abortion issue, a lot less children with no fathers or even knowing who they are, a lot less homosexuals parading the streets, a lot less church doors closing, and a stronger Christian nation. The sins that are running ramped across our nation would not be. We have a generation of kids that have grown up not knowing who God is and most of the Blame must be laid at the parents feet.

We are told by some of our leaders that it takes a community to raise a child. Not so, it takes a Godly mother and father who will do their duty and train their children in the way of our Lord, show them the skills they need to be winners in this life. I’m not talking about all parents, just the biggest percentage of them. In closing remember this: IT IS THE FAMILY UNIT, AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THAT WILL MAKE OR BREAK THIS COUNTRY!

God Still Answers Prayer!

2011-08-28T21:18:00.001-04:00

"He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him." [Psalms 91:15]

As the monstrous storm, better known as Irene, approached my house I knew that it would take a miracle from God not to have any damage because I live in a woods and surround by large trees. The high winds and rain was coming and I had to get prepared. There was not much I can do about big tree falling on buildings.

So I come to the conclusion that I needed to call on the Lord. It was His divine help that I needed. I prayed and asked my Lord for His protection for my pets, my property, and myself. I knew that I needed His help if I was going to get out of this with no damage. So I prayed a simple prayer asking for Him to intervene for me. I know that God answers prayer because He has answered many of mine. As the storm got closer the rain came down like someone was dumping it from buckets. The wind was so bad one would think that the house, garage and everything would be gone. It was pitch black, dark, and you just could not see what was happening. Things were just bad.

The next morning I got up and looked out side and I must tell you: "God delivered me with a great deliverance" As I looked out across my acre of property I saw not one tree down, not one tree on my house or garage. Only leaves and small branches were on the ground. The property to my right and to the left had trees down. There were trees down on the road in the front of my house and all up and down the road, but not a tree was down at my house or on my property! It was like the Lord parted the wind to the left and the right. What a mighty God we serve!

In Him is my trust. Thank you Lord for your deliverance in the time of my trouble! I give you all honor and Glory for your intervention on my behalf!

The Master Of The Sea

2011-08-27T07:46:00.002-04:00

Now when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold! A severe storm arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves; but he himself was sleeping. Then they went and woke him by saying, “Lord! Save us! We are perishing!” So he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” After he got up, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became absolutely calm. Then the men were astonished, saying, “What kind of a man is this One, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” [Matthew 8:23-27]

As I sit here waiting for this hurricane to come upon us and then pass, I started to think what last minute things that could be done. Do I have water, extra candles, oil for my lamps, does my charger work for my cell phone if the electric goes out. Am I prepared! When it comes to bad storms, hurricanes, and such, as we are having right now, we sometimes take our chances with the weather conditions. During my many years on this earth I have seen many violent storms. Severe thunder storms in large numbers, more times than I would care to count. Thunder storms that flooded large areas and destroyed homes, roadways, bridges and a lot of other things. Storms are just a fact of life.
We need to know how to stick out and survive these kinds of storms. Where to go for safety, what to get from the store, how to survive with no electric, no water, or what to do if we get hurt. There is always a lot of preparation. But what about the storms of this life? Serious illness. disease. accidents. tragedies, unemployment, lost retirement savings, death, loneliness, hardships, or all types of personal problems, and there are many more, just to mention a few. How do you weather the storms of life? We can see in the scriptures from Jesus our Lord and His twelve disciples how we can learn to weather the storms of life through prayer and faith.
A good number of Jesus’ disciples had been fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. They knew by experience that the Sea of Galilee was famous for its sudden storms. The storms suddenly, without warning, would sweep down over the water from the higher elevations of the nearby mountains and cliffs. The storm this time was remarkably furious. The high winds whipped up the sea into violent waves. The waves came over the side of the disciples’ boat, dumping huge amounts of water into the boat, almost swamping the boat, and throwing the disciples into the sea. The disciples were frightened and frantic.
While all this was happening Jesus was sleeping calmly in the back of the boat. A person might wonder how he could sleep so peacefully through such a storm while his disciples were so frightened. Here we see the faith of the man called Jesus. He got tired, in the flesh, and needed sleep, just like we do. He slept so calmly because he knew his heavenly Father was with him and watching over him. He just put himself into His Father’s hands, undaunted of whatever storm of life might sweep over him. If only we could remained so calm and trusting in our heavenly Father’s loving care through our storms of life.
Just like the disciples we can learn to turn to Jesus in our storms of life. What troubles or hardships or dangers have come upon us? How are we weathering them? Are they pleasant? Easy to cope with? No! When the storms of life are crashing down around our ears, they could be sorrowful, dreadful and agonizing. What do we do then to batten down the hatches? To bail out our sinking boat? To fight off the wind and the waves of the adversity, hardship, and dangers? We need to do what the disciples did called on the name of the Lord; “Lord, save us from the storm. We are about to perish!”
Just like Jesus was with his disciples in the storms in their life, he is also, with us in our storms of life. He does not forsake us or leave us, to struggle in the storm alone. He is with us and He hear our calls for His help. He is always there to answer our prayers and our calls, in the midst of our troubles. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”” [Psalm 50:15] In the our storms of our life we must rely on Jesus, our Lord, to help us get through them.
This reliance must come from our faith in Him. Jesus will rebuke the storms in our life just like He did for His disciples. Just like them we had nothing to fear. Jesus was with them. He would not allow them to perish. Because of our Lord we can have no fear about the storms of this life. His almighty, powerful word is more than enough for calming any storm in our life. His word was commanding and authoritative. Jesus’ word was able to do what he said and commanded. The One who, during the six days of creation, said, “Let there be,” and it was done, commanded the wind and waves he had created to be still and they were still.
How is our faith during the storms in our life? In the face of hardships and troubles and dangers is our faith strong and as solid as a rock? Or, is our faith no better than the faith of the disciples was in that boat? Would Jesus rebuke us also for our little faith?” Would he say to us, “O you of little faith, why are you so afraid?” How confident are we when we must undergo surgery? How strong are we when we have lost our job, have no income, and bills are piling up on us? How sturdy are we when the one we love so much is dying and change and loneliness are intimidating us? Do we have that kind of faith that will see us through the storm?
What can give us a faith that is positive, sure, strong, firm with no doubt, in our Lord’s word? We must believe that His word is authoritative, reliable, dependable, and trustworthy. His word accomplishes what he commands and promises. He can say the word and still our storm of life. He can deliver us from danger with the power of His word. On that solid Rock we, as His follows, must stand!
Jesus has delivered His people (born again believers that are cover by the Blood) from the most vicious storm that could threaten us, death and hell. We know that He will deliver us from the minor storms of life that come upon us. Whatever the storm of life may be We must remember that Jesus is the Master of the sea.

CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Sure You Can!

2011-08-26T11:41:00.001-04:00

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many .” [Mark 10: 35-45]

A wise Christian should know that true greatness is not a matter of great leadership, power, authority, or our high personal achievement or accomplishment. True greatness comes from our mind set and the attitude of our heart that desires and wishes to serve God’s purposes. Christians must be so committed to the Lord that we pursue His plans and His purposes on this earth without desiring any kind of glory, a great position, or material rewards. If we are truly Christians the greatest reward is to please our Lord!

How many of you can remember the Merv Griffin Show that came on TV years ago? There was guest on that show that was a body builder. During the interview, Merv Griffin asked the body builder this: “Why do you develop those particular muscles?” The body builder did not answer but simply stepped forward and flexed a lot of muscles from his chest to his calf. The crowd in the audience applauded. “What do you use all those muscles for?” Merv Griffin asked again. Once again, the body builder flexed his biceps and triceps and made them grow to impressive proportions. Merv Griffin asked once again “What do you use those muscles for?”. The body builder was uncomfortable, embarrassed and in confusion he sat down. He could not answer the question Merv Griffin asked him.

Have you ever asked yourself ; What is the value of you being a Christian? The answer to that is very simple! You’ve been created in Christ to make a difference. God has giving you talents; For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. [Ephesians 2:10] So how do you make a difference? How do you, the Christian, use the muscles (talents) God has given you? Jesus answered that question for His disciples. They wanted to be important, and they wanted to be valuable, but sad to say but they misunderstood what that meant. The disciples felt that making a difference or being valuable to Christ was all about who they were and how great they were. Here is what they thought:

·        If only they could be important.

·        If only they could have a position of power.

·        If only they could have a specially talent.

As far God is concerned, being His servant is more important than being a superstar and so, when Jesus chose His disciples - they were not the pick of the litter or the cream of crop. They were simply men He knew could be used to establish His kingdom. BUT THE PROBLEM FOR THEM was they didn’t think Jesus would want them as simple fishermen and laborers. They thought He would want men in positions of power and prominence. They were wrong!

Jesus taught the disciples that it isn’t who you are, or how powerful you are. It’s how open you are to servant hood. IN FACT, God deliberately doesn’t choose the powerful to do His will. What type of people does Jesus want? People He can count on to be there. Just Look at some of the people that God did choose and used:

ü Moses: He stuttered.

ü David: His armor did not fit.

ü Hosea: His wife was a prostitute.

ü Jacob: He was a liar.

ü David: Had an affair with a married women.

ü Solomon: Was too rich.

ü Abraham: Was too old.

ü David: Was too young.

ü Timothy: He had ulcers.

ü Peter: He was afraid of death.

ü John: was self-righteous.

ü Naomi: was a widow.

ü John Mark: He was rejected by Paul

ü Paul: was the same as a hired gun, to help round up Christains.

ü Jonah: ran from God.

ü Miriam: was a gossip

ü Thomas: doubted.

ü Jeremiah: was depressed and suicidal.

ü Elijah: was burned out.

ü Martha: was a worrywart.

ü Samson: had long hair.

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. [1 Corinthians 1: 27-29]

The Lord does not choose on the basis of greatness, but on the basis of what He (The Lord) can do through us. Nothing in this world that is called great can be or will be used by the Lord. This does not mean that our Lord will not use a person with talent, a education, and a their ability. It means that we must surrender all to be used by the Lord. It is His way and not our way. He is the potter and we are the clay. Gods standards and values are different from those excepted by the world. God chooses the people who will humble their self and submit to him. Are you one of them!

LORD PROP US UP...

2011-08-24T07:19:00.000-04:00

Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old fellow who always prayed, 'Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side.' After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently.

He answered, 'Well sir, you see, it's like this.... I got an old barn out back. It's been there a long time; it's withstood a lot of weather r; it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years.

It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit.
So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn't fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn.. I've been around a long time..

I've withstood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, and I'm still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning! side, ' cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times.

Sometimes we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred, leaning toward cussing, leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn't . So we need to pray, 'Lord, prop us up on our leaning side, so we will stand straight and tall again, to glorify the Lord.' '

If you stare at this barn for a second you will see who will help us stand straight and tall again...Do You See HIM?

THROWINGS STONES: While Living In A Glass House

2011-08-23T14:45:00.000-04:00

John 8:3-5, 10-11 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

In these scriptures we have a woman caught in the right in the act of adultery, and brought into the very presence of the Lord. The Scribes and the Pharisees immediately exposed the woman's sin and her conviction was unquestionable. The ones that were her accusers wanted to stone her, to take her life, and use the law to condemn Jesus, because of their jealousy and their hatred of Him. But the Lord, in His kind and low keyed way, calmly and quietly wrote in the sand, and turned their hatred and extreme dislike into profound and deep conviction. The sin of adultery was condemned, but not the woman. The Lord knows the very heart of every person. Makes no difference if it is man, woman, or child. Jesus did not come to this earth with a spirit of condemnation, putting the blame or his disproval on no one. Our Lord came with a spirit of grace and truth.

The whole world, just like the scribes and Pharisees, is convicted of sin in Jesus’ presence, But only the ones who really are thankful for His grace are filled with admiration and appreciation. Can you imagine how this woman must have felt? All she heard was voices of blame, accusation, and a guilty verdict. There was a lot of finger pointing and it all was at her. Jesus didn’t help the turmoil along, but calmly watched what was happening. Then He said: "He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone." When no one cast that first stone, the Lord gave the convicted woman her liberty and freed her and restored her life to her, and said: "Go and sin no more."

When other people accuse you of sin, when you hear voices of rejection, when you are being condemned for the sin that may be in your life confess your sin (if there is any) and let Jesus expose the hearts and the sin in the life of your accusers. Remember we all are sinners saved by His grace!

One of the problems in the church world today is there are to many stone throwers. People who think that they are above everybody else and because of their holier than thou attitude they try to condemn every little thing. They try to pull the moat out of some ones eye when they have a beam in theirs. These kinds of Christians run more people away from church than they do getting people into church.

Let me give you a up to date version of these Bible verses that really happen. My father who is now 86 years old told me the story of a young teenage girl who went to a church that was part of a large denomination. This girl became pregnant and was not married while she attended that church. Because of this the leading members put her out of the church. The women is now 75 years old or older and she never went into another church. How she now stands with the Lord I do not know. (I know this woman very well). The people, that put her out of the church are just as guilty as the “want to be stone throwers” in Jesus’ time. I wonder how many of them had sex outside of marriage or had thoughts about it before they gave their heart to the Lord? They forgot the beam that was in their eye!

THERE IS A RIVER

2011-08-23T07:10:00.001-04:00

All through the history of the Bible and from cover to cover we see very plainly without no mistakes that our God always used a willing vessel that He could pour Himself into. That is a fact. When we or the church are in a place that we can be used of the Lord, He will always supply the river of blessings which God promises. The Christian needs not only to talk the talk, but he needs to walk the walk and have close fellowship with the Lord. A Christian needs to be full of the power and the presence of the Almighty God. When The Holy Ghost was poured out on the Day of Pentecost it was not poured out on everybody. It was, in fact, only poured out on 120 people and The Holy Ghost went from a small flow or stream ( The 120 people ) to a great river ( thousands and thousands upon thousands of people being saved and filled with the Holy Ghost), and The Word spread like a fire. There is a river my friends and that river shall never run dry! We as Christians must regain and take back what the canker worm has taken away. You can only use what anointing that you have and right now with most Christians, in most churches there is very little anointing or power. They can no longer say, "Silver and gold have I done, but such as I have I give unto thee. In the name of Jesus rise up and walk. There is no Holy Ghost power in most churches and all kinds of false doctrines, money yes, Holy Ghost Power no.

I'm going to now make a statement that I know that some of you will not agree with, but my friend it is the truth. The Devil can teach the Bible and as a angel of light he can twist the scriptures around to his benefit. This is the reason for all the false doctrines in the church. That is the reason why we must read our Bible daily and get into a good Bible believing church that teaches the true and correct Word of God. We need to return to the foundation and the corner stone of the Pentecostal movement and that is "JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED". It is that precious blood of Jesus which we need that He shed on Calvary's Cross for you and me. How precious is that flow that makes me white as snow. That is what the saints where about on the day of Pentecost. The 120 people, that day, were praising God and giving Him the Glory for the cross, which was for their salvation and their sanctification. They were not praising God for any other reason. They were all in unity. We cannot get three or four Christians in unity anymore , let alone the whole church. If we want to fight Satan and all his evil there must be a coming together in unity.

Those early Christians were not praying for a program where they could climb steps to reach a goal or for Him to help them get rich, because none of that will work. Our salvation and sanctification was paid at the cross and what a shame it is for preachers today to preach some other way. They are in fact are preaching another gospel and another Jesus. As long as this happens the Holy Ghost cannot work or flow like a river. As long as the carnal mind is at work in the church its members are powerless to detect, false teaching, the devil or his demons. The plain and simple fact my friend is that the church is by passing the cross and this is causing problems such as false teachers, false doctrine, and no anointing, and no power. So all we have is a weak church that the evil one, Satan, looks at and says, " Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you?" We need to wake up and go back to that cross and get a blood bath in that precious blood of Jesus. We need to cry out, " OH LORD SEND THE POWER DOWN! It is the Holy Ghost power that makes us over comers.

How many, that are reading this article, can remember the old time Camp Meetings and the Brush Arbors? It was at those meetings that many of us seen and can testify of how the power of the Holy Ghost came down to save, set free, heal, and baptize people. The power came down! The Lord visited His people. The biggest part of the churches, today, do not want this anymore. The Holy Ghost never stays where He is not wanted and let me say this, "The church today is grieving the Holy Ghost. It is time for the real church to stand up and pray for the Lord to send the power down now.

The Hand Of Providence: In A Troubled World

2011-08-19T13:21:00.002-04:00

Who among us knows if we have come into the world for such a time as this. As Christians living on this earth we must realize that we are God’s people to carry out His will. We are living in a world today that brings many troubles and woes. High unemployment, corruption in our government, high food prices, people wanting to kill you because you are a follower of Jesus Christ. In such a time as this we must be ready to do the Lord’s will if we are called on to do so. We may say that we are unable to be of serve for many reasons. This is because of the lack of faith. Let us look at some true life Bible Stories that show God’s people doing God’s will when they were called on to do so. Just as some of us are today, they lived in very difficult times during their day

Who knows whether you come into the kingdom for such a time as this. (Esther 4:14) NKJV In The Book of Esther we read of a young Jewess girl who was called on to save her people. She went from a person that had no mother or father and was living with her uncle, to being the Queen of Persia. One who had great influence over the king. The Book of Esther clearly shows the hand of providence, which would not allow the Jewish people to be destroyed. We can clearly see throughout the book of Esther . Esther was willing to give her life in an attempt to save her people. She made up her mind to do what is right and leave the outcome to God. What great faith she had when she said, “If I perish, I perish” In this day and age we face many people are against you just because you are a follower of Jesus The Christ. We now are living in just as dangerous world as Esther did in her day. We have a religion that is now trying to take over the world. A religion that hates all Christians and Jews. They are doing a pretty good job of it. We must all stand up for our Lord because who knows which one of us have come into the world for such a time as this. Who knows the one among us that might be called on by the Lord to lead His people to victory just like it was in Esther’s day!

Let us not forget Mordecai in this story of Esther. He was the person that God used to groom Esther for her position as queen. He was a Godly man, loyal to the king, but would not bow to evil. He took his stand and God honored him for it. Haman wanted to hang him and built a gallows to do that very thing, but the providence of God would not allow that. Today we have people (better known as terrorist) that would wipe Israel and other Christian countries right of the face of the earth. In the past in The USA, we have been blessed with presidents that helped to protect Israel, with one of those presidents, Harry Truman, being the leader who stood behind the Jewish people for them to have their own country. He said he wanted to be remembered for that one thing. Now we have a president that would, if he had the chance, reverse all that. Once again we can see the providence of God at work keeping Israel safe. Likewise we, as Christians, need to realize that it is the hand of God, His providence that is keeping us safe today. Even though most all Christians are loyal to their country (just like Mordecai was loyal to the king), we still have, for the most part, a leader and a congress that, that is made up of ungodly people. It is because of praying people that we are still found in the Hollow of His hand.

In The Book of Genesis we read about a young man whose name was Joseph who went from being the younger son of Jacob, to being disowned by his brothers, to becoming a slave and then imprisoned in Egypt, to becoming the second highest official in the land of Egypt. In this position he saved his family from the famine in the land. Once again we can see the hand of providence as God takes care of His People. His divine guidance is always there for His people. The Lord worked through Joseph to save His people. There are times when we all feels like life, the world, and the things in it are out of control. A shooting is reported on the news. One more person has cancer. Someone we love is diagnosed with debilitating disease. A long term relationship crumbles. Someone we love dies suddenly. We lose a job. We face financial turnaround. We are falsely accused. Or we have one of those periods where nothing seems to go as planned. At these times life seems unpredictable just like Joseph felt in his day until he realized the truth behind what was happening to him. God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your life by a great deliverance ( Genesis 45: 5,7 ) NKJV

Let ‘s not forget about Moses, Samuel, Saul, David, John the Baptist, and the many others in the Bible that were (as some people saw them in that day) no bodies. They came into the world for a purpose designed by God. We will never know what we might be called on to do in our frail bodies for the Lord. We must remember that our power comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Are you one of those people in the world today that God has called : For such a time as this” Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty. They are higher than Heaven – what can you do? (Job 11:7-8) NKJV

Sowing Seeds

2011-08-18T19:06:00.001-04:00

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. [Galatians 6: 1-10]

No matter how far someone believes a brother or sister has gone astray and off course from the Lord, that brother or sister can always be restored and brought back to the Lord! It takes a earnest desire by the believer, help from other brothers and sisters in the Lord, and God’s forgiving Grace. The word “restore” in this scripture is used a lot in the New Testament for mending fishing nets. [Matthew 4:21] But in reference to people it means developing and perfecting the human character. Christians, today, must help their wayward brother or sister to mend and spiritually heal by helping them in their effort or attempt to turn from their disobedient ways, to surrender all to the Lord’s control. We must help our fallen brothers and sisters to repair and restore their devotion to the Lord. We must bear and share the burdens of our brothers and sisters. As Christians we need to understand (at least from my studying of the scriptures) that it is the actual concrete, and existing situations, not the emotional highs that are in one life, where the Holy spirit is demonstrated the most.

To go on further with this; we also need to help our brothers and sisters in the Lord {if we can} whenever they have stress from a financial burden, whenever there is sickness, sorrow, or despair. Not only are we to pray for this people, but we are to take care of their needs in tangible and practicable ways. If we are Godly people we will carry the burdens of other brothers and sisters in the Lord. We must do good to others for the Lord's sake and remember this, it is a given factor, in due time we will reap what we sow not only in this life, but the life to come!

If a Christian would walk in the Spirit and by the Spirit we would love one another more and more. We would bear one another’s burdens, by not lessening our task to restore a brother who has fallen back into sin. Also let me add this; if we would follow the scriptures, as we should, a lot of unkind gossip, hearsay, and tittle-tattle tales would be stayed away from, most backsliding prevented, the good of the Church advanced higher, and the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, would be glorified. What gripes me more than anything else is when a person goes to church and there are people in the back of the church talking about some other brother or sister in the Lord, when they should be in the church’s prayer room praying for the needs of their brothers and sisters in the Lord.

When I was a sinner, I was lost and undone, without God or His Son until somebody prayed for me, they had me on their mind. Thank God for those kind of people in the church of the Living God today That will pour in the oil and the wine. The kind that restores the soul. There was many a preacher who passed me by the other way, many church goers that passed me by and gave me up for lost, but I thank God for the Christian that stopped by and poured in the oil and the wine that restored my soul!

We must remember this one fact; Whenever we hear negative talk about a brother or sister in the lord we are, in fact, hearing gossip. It could either be a half truth with more added on to it, every time the tale is told to another person. We may be close to the situation or the person but we may not know of the spiritual warfare going on there. Always keep the mind of Christ and always remember this; “consider thyself”.

Spiritual Warfare: Or The Flesh

2011-08-16T11:37:00.000-04:00

Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. [1 Sam. 13:19-22]

This scripture from the Bible tells of a time when the tiny nation of Israel had no blacksmiths to make weapons or armaments to make war or to defend themselves with. The enemy had succeeded to disarm Israel by taking away their weapons, and those who forged them! The Devil is trying the same method or approach today. A blacksmith is someone who works with raw material and fire, and who knows how to form and shape liquid metal into powerful weapons. Anyone who works skillfully and accurately with the Word of God is a spiritual "blacksmith". The enemy, who is constantly attacking the Word of God (The Sword of The Spirit), also seeks to silence or remove the spiritual blacksmiths from this present world. If Satan could get rid of the spiritual blacksmiths, of this world we would live in spiritual darkness!

The Devil is always after the Spiritual Black Smiths of this world, The ones who will speak The Word, the ones who will warn the wicked, and those who will stand in the gap. The spiritual blacksmiths, with the fire and the anointing of the Holy Spirit forge the raw and untreated materials of God’s Word into influential and strong weapons which shape and mold God's people into His image and likeness, equipping them for spiritual warfare and success. We, as God’s Children, are all called to be strong in the Word of God, and to make it our main and foremost weapon in fighting the evils of this world. Just like the blacksmiths of old, as well as the blacksmiths in the world today, a spiritual blacksmith also started out as raw material which was shaped and formed by the fire of God to fight in the battle with Satan.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; [Ephesians 6: 10-17] NKJV

As Christians we must realize that are primary source of conflict is not with the circumstances in this life or other people who would make us mad and upset, but it is Satan and his evil spirits that truly are the main reason and cause of this worlds conflicts. Satan and his imps are the ones who influence, invigorate, and energize ungodly leaders. These demons are highly organized. They have had since Adam and Eve {or before} to get organized. We cannot fight ungodly leaders in our own strength, our own plans, or strategies, or tactics. Our help must come from the Lord. We must put on the whole Armor of God!

This is not to say that we are not to stand up for what is right. If the government is evil, our leaders are evil, or if we are living under an evil system, then just like the prophets of old did we need to speak out against it. But it is the Lord that fights the battles and we must remember that we are not fighting against a country, government, leader, or evil world system. We are fighting against evils forces in the spiritual world. To be over comers we are to have the Whole Armor of God on or we will be beat every time.

In closing I want to remind all Christians everywhere all the resources we need, to defeat the enemy, come from Our Lord, who died for us. It is the same mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead that we need in our lives. Evil times are upon us and it is how you as the Christian deal with it as to the outcome! Spiritual armor or the blacksmith’s weapons. The choice is yours!

The Other Cross

2011-08-15T08:49:00.001-04:00

The day that Jesus was crucified, there was two other men with him, one on each side of Him. Three men died that day. One was a righteous man and the other two were thieves. On one cross was the Son of God. On the other two crosses were men (sinners) guilty of death, as charged. On one cross was the man (God in the flesh) who was there to pay for the sins of others, the other two where there as a result of their sins.

The question to be asked is: Which one of the two thieves are you? On that very day as our Lord and Savior died on the old rugged cross one of the other two went to Heaven and the other went to Hell. Something happen when the one thief was hanging there on the cross. From his cross he could see the face of Jesus. He saw that Jesus was holy and innocent of the charges against Him. Then as he looked at the face of the other thief and saw he was a sinner and worthy of death. He stood for all the people who refused to believe in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. The one thief said to the other thief :

"Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou are in the same condemnation? And we justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss" (Luke 23:40-41)

As the one thief hung there on the cross he realized and confessed that he was a sinner and deserved to die. He knew that he should go to hell. Conviction was heavy on his heart.

"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Jesus said to him: Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23:42-43)

The thief put all his faith and trust in Jesus. He believed in the Lord and that is were he put his trust. Two sinners died that day. Each made their own choice. Near the cross, that day was, Mary, the mother of Jesus, the apostle John, and many others, but of the saints of God, that were there that day, he did not call on or turn to them for help. The sinner on that cross turned to Jesus, with nothing between his sin stained soul and the saving grace of Jesus. Also he did not cry out: "Oh, Holy mother of God, refuge of sinners, pray for me, I put my whole trust and confidence in the power of thy intercession." She was their at the foot of the cross, but the thief did not appeal to her or to no one but the Lord.

In this hour that we live in let us put our faith at the foot of the cross knowing that Jesus died there and shed His blood for us. We need to put our faith in Him today and not mother Mary, not a church or a preacher, not our country (we can all see how that is going), our jobs, or any other thing else. It is Jesus and Him crucified. On that solid Rock we must stand because all else is sinking sand! It was a finished work when Jesus died on the cross for us. The best thing that I ever did is when I gave my heart to the Lord!

We Are His Masterpiece

2011-08-12T12:43:00.000-04:00

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. [Ephesians 2:10]

Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it." (Jeremiah 18:3-4)

All over this world, people spend millions of dollars on all kinds of art work.What makes a piece of art work a masterpiece, or something that people would pay millions on dollars for? It's takes a master to make a masterpiece. The best in, what ever is being made, has to be made by someone who takes loving care in their work. That is how our Lord is with us as He molds us and makes us in what we ought to be! Did you ever stop to think how, as Christians, we are in the Master's hand? He is the potter and we are the clay. He molds us and makes us into what He wants us to be. We are priceless in His hands. We can trust his Craftsmanship to mold us into a masterpiece for the who world to see! Remember the old hymn of the church: Have Thy Own Way Lord.

In most of all the churches today we have leaders of denominations and preachers who try to mold or form The Lord in what they want him to be. The problem with all that is the Lord is the potter and He does the molding. We are molded and made after His divine will and not that of any religious origination. When we look at the church world today, we can see were many people just do not want to be made to feel uncomfortable or told about the sins in their live. They only go to church to be entertained and not to hear about sin or what is wrong in their life. The preachers in these churches preach a luke warm, feel-good, do not offend the people type of messages that really does not help the people in the church. They are still clay that has never met the potter. Clay that has never been molded for the Master's use!

Sermons are preached that have almost no mention at all of God’s pending judgment on this world, our sinful nature, punishment for sin, repentance, the old rugged cross, end time prophecy, or the clear message of salvation. The messages that are preached, are for the most part, watered down and easy to swallow. Most of the music, in the church today consists of music that sounds like it is coming from a rock and roll band. How is that worship? Along with name changes, symbols of the church such as crosses, hymnals and good Bible translations are beginning to disappear from our churches or we have a Koran next to them. Many churches today have become mega churches and big businesses. Today when we look at some of the churches it seems, almost like, that there is so much of the world in the church and so much of the church in the world that, many times, it’s difficult to tell the difference. Churches today will do anything to fill the seats. They all want the mega church status and the money that goes with it. No sinner will ever be molded after the Lord's will in these types of churches.

In today's majority of church services, the sinner will be in church for about an hour and then leave without a clue as to the reason why they were there or why they need to be saved. The whole gospel message must be clearly preached at every chance. It must be preached under the Anointing, because it is the anointing that breaks the yoke of bondage! That is the only thing that really matters. How can a sinner and a person in need of the Lord ever be molded by the Lord if they never hear the whole truth? The sinner not only needs to hear he can be saved, but also what he is being saved from. They must except Him as their Savior and let Him be the potter and them be the clay!

But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.

If A Man Die, Shall He Live Again?

2011-08-10T22:01:00.005-04:00

More than three thousand years ago, there was a man by the name of Job who asked a pretty important question and that same question is still asked by man today: If a man die, shall he live again? This all important question has been asked in every generation with all kinds of different statements given, by the religious leaders of this world. Not one person has ever got a acceptable or persuasive answer to the question unless they are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. That answer is real for we can feel it in our soul!

The one answer to that question is Jesus The Christ. He is the only exception. Of all the religions in the world and their leaders {Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, and untold others} are all dead. Not one of them ever rose from the grave. Many people will say man is a mortal being and nothing else. Some people will tell you that our life ends forever more in death and the hope of resurrection is a dream, a fairy tail, or a misguided truth. We Christians know, affirm, and believe there is a resurrection and the only reality is death, but our Lord conquered death, hell, and the grave.

As Christians, we believe in the resurrection and should never listen to people's futile view of life. They are the blind leading the blind and know not the resurrection power of our Lord Jesus Christ. As believers of the Bible we know that:

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. [1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18]

When our love ones die and are placed in the ground we know that we shall see them again! We can see beyond that grave to a grand reunion day were we will forever be with our saved loved ones and the One who died for us. There will be a resurrection day! We shall see our love ones again and what a day that will be. People may ask how we can make such a claim as this. Oh we have the answer for them, because there is an answer to those people who have ears to hear and eyes to see. We {the believers in Christ} shall live again because His body was raised incorruptible. That is a fact that all Christians have faith in.

Here is a thought that I will carry the rest of my life. In 1995 my mother was terminally ill with cancer and as she laid in her bedroom she constantly looked out the window into the sky. She told her grand kids, when they were in her room crying, "Do not cry for me because I'm going to a better place" and to me she said these words, "I will see you again someday". My mother grasped a truth that has eluded people all over the world for centuries. The stone has been moved away! The tomb is empty and the angel said: "He is not here, He is risen!" Oh Hallelujah for that resurrection power!