MY PASSION – Writing For The Lord

In Palms 119 the person who wrote this Psalm talks about an affliction. What the affliction was I do not know. We all have or have had afflictions in our life. Mine was not from sinning but straying from what God wanted me to do in my life. This caused many of things in my life, divorce, financial loss, heath problems, as well as other things. All this because I served my own interest and did what I wanted to do. Without actually sinning I strayed from God and His perfect will for me. It is sort of like sowing and reaping.

When a person gets to this point in their life they must realize they have two choices, two ways to go. A person can either continue doing what we want to do, which we can see real fast is not working or you can do as I did take stock in what is wrong and then fix it. I choose to fix my problem.

We might not sin, we can go to church every time the door is open, but we can still be taking the wrong path. For years and I mean years I knew that there was a calling on my life and I would not listen I preferred the other road because I felt that no one would listen to me because of being divorced. I once taught Sunday school, taught Bible study, and I loved it. I was doing the Lord’s work but after divorce some Christians look at you a different way. They see you in a different light. And that light can be devastating.

Paul wrote many letters to the church (The Epistles’’) and they had (and still do) a great effect on man’s life today. He had a thorn in the flesh, an affliction, but he still kept writing, expressing himself and sharing God’s love to a lost world of sinners. He was a great man of God. There are all sorts of afflictions in this world. They can be hardships, suffering, pain, misfortune, burdens, difficulties, and many other things. We can allow those afflictions to either break us or to lift us up. The choice is ours to make. If we let it our afflictions can bring us closer to God. My prayer is; Draw me nearer to thee oh Lord.

Since I have stopped teaching Sunday school and Bible study I decided to start a blog and write for the Lord. Writing for me is a way to express and show my love for God and to share with others the road that I walk with the Lord. It can be a lonesome road at times when there are no comments to my post just like they are ignored. I just have to realize that I’m doing what I can for the Lord and it is His will that counts.

One Day At A Time Sweet Jesus

As I was lying in my hospital bed, after having a heart attack, I started to take stock in myself, what was happening to me, and what direction I was headed to in this life. Sometimes we as Christians must take stock in our lives and see where we are at in our daily walk. We must put God in control and not ourselves.

The most important thing I had face up to in my spiritual life is thanking God for this day and rejoicing in the fact that God has given me another day to live for Him and Do His blessed will. We all have human frailties. I do, you do, and so does everyone else. I have come to realize after my last hospital and being coded (dying three times) I or no one else on this earth has a guarantee that tomorrow will ever come. Emotionally, however, because I’m human I have fears and anxieties that arise within me and I am tempted to look for tomorrow to be a better day. Relief will come tomorrow. But does it? Our only help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and earth. We are sustained by the Lord.

I have come to the conclusion when I think that help comes tomorrow I am yielding to an unhealthy way spiritually speaking. When a person fails to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and they forfeit the peace they have in Christ and the joy that always comes from abiding in Christ one day at a time. As Christians we cannot rightly think that tomorrow or the next day will take care of our needs. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy our needs for He is the one whole holds our hand and knows the future for we know who holds our hand.

When I turn everything over to God at the beginning of everyday, immersing myself in God’s love I have the strength to enjoy the day because the Lord’s love is hidden in my heart. He gives me strength. Only a Christian can understand that. Every day is a new opportunity to experience fullness of life, to draw ourselves closer to our maker and the one who cares for us. We must fix our eyes not on what we can see, but what we cannot see what we cannot see. For what we see is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor. 4:18) When we look past our visible circumstances, we See God's Eternal Kingdom for we know who holds tomorrow.

He Touched Me!

After the events of the past week there is no doubt in my mind who holds my future in the palms of His hand. I say that because truly this week God has had me in the palm of his hand. I went to the hospital for a breathing treatment (I have Asthma) and was not there but a few minutes when I had a heart attack and coded three times (Died three times in a row) and was brought back. When I awoke from my sleep the doctor was standing over me and said welcome back. The doctor said it was a miracle that you are here with us because you have coded three times. The doctor said it right, it was a miracle. A miracle that I was in the right place at the right time and with the right people, but behind all this was the fact that the Lord I serve was in the room with me and he also guided me to the hospital. He guided the doctors and nurses as they tried to keep me alive.

While I was at the hospital one of my many visitors was a man who was filled with the Holy Ghost and I could feel his presents as he entered the room and as he prayed for me I felt a healing touch go through my body and I instantly felt better and they let me go home the next day. I’m not saying that the nurses and doctors did not help because if I said that I would be lying. What I am saying is this. The Lord sent this man and when he prayed for me the Lord touched me and did a work in my body. Praise be to His wonderful name! I feel wonderful in my body.

For some time now (many years) I have felt like the devil and his demons has done everything in their power to come against me. My children, grand children, my dad, and other members of my family he has attacked because he knows they are close to my heart. I have faced financial loss, been through more than one divorce, and just about everything else the devil could through up against me. As I was in the hospital they took my dad to the hospital with heart failure, but my dear friends I want you know the anchor holds! I once new a black pastor who was in a nursing home and I would see him walking down the hall and when I asked him how he was doing his answer was always the same. “Brother Patchett I’m going to keep on keeping on” and by God’s grace, my friends, that is exactly what I’m going to do; KEEP ON KEEPIMG ON!

When I See The Blood

 

And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye [are]: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy [you], when I smite the land of Egypt.

Without a doubt this has to be one of the most single over looked verses in the whole Bible, but one of the most important scripture in the whole Bible. It was not the self worthiness of the Hebrews, it was their faith in that blood. God did not say “when I see you, or, when I see your good works”, or “When I see how much money you have”, or when I see you being baptized in water or “When I see how important you are” nor did He say, “when I see where you go to church”, but He said “When I see the blood” 

Has the blood being applied to the door post of your heart? Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of the lamb? Applying the Blood of Christ to your life is a very important matter just as it was for the Hebrews when they were in Egypt. The blood applied to the door post meant that the Hebrew’s faith and their trust were in the blood of that Lamb. The blood that was applied then, was meant to be a token of the ONE to come, a symbol of the one who would redeem mankind by the shedding of His life Blood. The Hebrews in that day were facing many hardships (as we are today) by the hands of the Egyptians. You do not have to read between the lines to see the hunger, hardship, sickness, and the poor quality of life that the Hebrews (God’s Children) were facing, and just the plain brutality of their Egyptian masters. The Hebrews had a hard life. But deliverance came! It was when they applied the blood.

It did not matter if the house was new, old, large, or small. The blood had to be applied to the door post. It did not matter how far they could trace their lineage back or if it was perfect, or they went to the synagogue often, or what religious ceremonies they took part in. All that mattered was applying that blood. The Hebrews may have not known much or understood of what was taken place, but this one thing they did know, if they were to be safe that night, the blood had to applied and that was all that mattered. The Blood of the lamb and the word of the Lord formed the foundation of the Hebrews peace and safety that night. All that were under the cover of that blood were made safe, just as it is now for all that are saved and under the cover of the precious blood of Jesus.

This story takes us to the very heart and true meaning of Christianity. It is the story and true meaning of the cross. We, as Christians, must see our full redemption in the blood of Jesus because our full redemption rest in that precious Blood. Our simple forgiveness of sin rest on that. We either trust it or we do not trust it.

If our nation wants deliverance, from the evil that has come upon it, then it should take a page out of the history that is found here. We must look to Jesus. The one who died on Calvary, long ago, and shed His Blood that we might be saved. We must apply the blood of Christ to our hearts and to the door post all across America, in our homes, schools, government buildings, our churches, because it is nothing but the blood of Jesus that can save us. What can wash away the sins of this nation? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!
Here is how you, this nation, and I can be safe and secure with all that alarms us. We can read in Revelations 12:11 this: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” We overcome Satan by the blood of the lamb! The blood on the door post was evidence of the Hebrews faith in that they were commanded to do it and they did it without question. To most people this would be a laugh, a joke, a fairy tail, But to a servant of God it means everything. That is the mindset of most people today. We can read in 1 Cor. 1:18 This: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

There were nine other plagues that befell Egypt and yet the Hebrews were still held captive by the Egyptians . Why was the last plague any different? It was different because it struck at the very heart of the Egyptian empire. You might ask how does all this tie into our present day problems that we have in this country and our salvation? We have had, in the last few years great floods that killed thousands and destroyed thousands of homes. Remember the Gulf Coast? We have had terrorist attacks on our cities that have killed thousands, we are experiencing a great recession that some are even calling a depression, earthquakes on the west coast, and many other disasters that have never been as bad, there is a very high unemployment rate, no work, people going hungry, but yet this country is still rebellious and rejects God. This is in no way a “Dooms Day” thought, but it is a warning to be ready. Soon there will be things that will strike at the very heart of this country. Make sure that you have the Precious Blood of the Lamb applied to your heart.

What ever the plague may be it will come and it may not take the first born as in Moses time but it will be just as bad and devastating. The only remedy is the “shed blood of the lamb of God”, His Son. It is the only remedy for sin. It is that the shed blood of Christ that gives perfect peace, divine righteousness, purges the conscience, and gives us our right and our title to receive all the joys, and glories of heaven. What a great feeling. What a great God.

You can believe it or not, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. It was good enough for my mother and father, uncles and aunts and it is good enough for me. What can wash away my sins (and yours) nothing but the blood of Jesus.

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Bible Prophecy

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)

...'But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:37-39)

A person could ask what it was like in the days of Noah and all he would have to do is look around and see the same things are going on in the world today. Just look around and see for yourself. Wickedness is everywhere! Any true follower of Jesus Christ can truly see we are living in the time which our Lord talked and prophesied about. A time when the world would be in the same state as it was in the time of Noah. Soon the true followers Of Christ will be taken up out of this world and we will be saved from what is to come. Just as Noah found grace in the eyes of God so shall true believers find grace in the eyes of God.

The world for the most part has turned their backs on God and soon will reap the benefits of that decision. God will give everyone a chance to turn to Him with all their hearts, but if they choose to ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit and the warnings found in God's Word, then His spirit will be withdrawn and how true will the verse become that says ... 'He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.' (Revelation 22:11) People need to know that once the door to God’s mercy is closed, they who are holy will remain holy, and they who are filthy will remain filthy. How a tree falls so shall it lay.

Today, we find the majority of people in the world choosing the 'broad way' that leads to destruction, because the way to eternal life is too narrow for them. They say that you don't need to keep God's Commandments. The president of the United States said in a speech we are no longer a Christian nation and also in the same speech said some of the Bible is not for today. That is the first mistake because God changes not and forever His word is settled in Heaven. What was good for America room her beginning suddenly is no longer wanted. God have mercy on the people in America and turn them from their sinful ways.

Some leaders will tell you that we can worship God any way we like. They say that it is ok to like the things of this world. They will tell you that we need to include people from different faiths. We have Christians and Muslims worshiping in the same church and say they are worshipping the same god. Not So ! They will tell you that it is ok for homosexuals to take part in and lead church worship. Abortion (murder) has run ramped with millions of unborn babies being killed in the mother’s womb every year. Government leaders and many preachers from behind the pulpit say many things that are clearly contrary to the Word of God. Why is this? It is because these people walk after the flesh rather than the Spirit. Most people in today’s world have closed their hearts to the pleading and guiding of the Holy Spirit and they are heading for destruction. The continual indulgence in sin that existed in Noah's day exists today and even worse. Most people in the United States depend on their government to provide everything for them and some people even call the president “The messiah”. They have believed a lie and will be damned if there is no repentance. We need to look to God from whom our help comes from.

People who lived in Noah’s day disregarded the warnings from Noah and went on in their sinful lives as if nothing was going to happen. This is the same condition that we find in this world today. God's true people (the followers of Jesus Christ) around the world are forewarning and telling the rest of this world that the Day of Judgment is coming, and that all people should turn to God, repent and obey God by keeping His commandments. The majority of people are ignoring the warning signs, just like in the days of Noah. Most people are too blinded by the pleasures of this world to be able to read the signs of the time and to take heed God’s warning.

Are the professing Christians in this world studying Bible prophecy? Are the ministers behind the pulpits teaching prophecy? The answer is for the most part is no. Very few Christians are interested in Bible prophecy, and very few are searching the scriptures daily to find out the truth. Many are deceived into thinking that God's grace covers their living in sin. They will be in for a surprise.

Let us remember this, only 8 people were saved in the days of Noah, and Jesus said that only few will be saved in the end ......'Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.' Matthew 7:14

Oh I want to see Him, to look upon His face, There to live to live forever with the one who saved me by His grace!

I Was Young And Now I’m Old But The Anchor Holds

I have journeyed through the long, dark night out on the open sea By faith alone Sight unknown And yet His eyes were watching me The anchor holds Though the ship is battered The anchor holds Though the sails are torn I have fallen on my knees As I faced the raging seas The anchor holds In spite of the storm I’ve had visions I’ve had dreams I’ve even held them in my hand But I never knew They would slip right through Like they were only grains of sand I have been young But I am older now And there has been beauty That these eyes have seen But it was in the night Through the storms of my life Oh, that's where God proved His love to me

I was sitting here thinking about my life in the past feeling sad, blue, and down in the dumps when I heard Jimmy Swaggard sing “The Anchor Holds” and what a blessing that was for me to hear that song. It gave me much comfort.
I was born in the year 1946. The old ship that I have been sailing on, upon the seas of life, is by the grace of God still sailing. The Lord has never faltered or failed me. I give God all the Glory for that. During my life time I have gone through many trails, heart aches, dangers, toils, and snares. During my journey I have realized that I was not alone. And all I can do is just sail on until my journey comes to its end. When that journey is over I will see Jesus and I will step onto that Heavenly shore to receive my eternal reward. Until that happens the Anchor still holds! I never knew where that old ship would take me and I still don’t know where the old ship will take me, but I know where that ship will end up in the end because the anchor still holds!
All through my life I have been tossed around on the sea of life. I have always had hardships and at times not a very pleasant life. One minute the seas of my life would be as smooth as a glass and the very next minute, the waves of this life would roll, the winds of adversity, hardships, and difficulty would blow, and it always seemed that I would lose control. Some people may say that they are the master of their own destiny but just like me they are not. Jesus is the Master of the sea. We do not have control over the storms that come our way in this life. During my life time I have come to realize that completely, but I have also come to realize that the Anchor still holds.
I have been sick many times in my life, I have had a heart attack, I have a stent in my heart, I have been in car accidents, I have lost two loving grandmothers, a mother, and face the fact that my 87 year old father might not be here on this earth much longer, but the anchor still holds. I have been through many heart aches and disappointments in my life, but the anchor still holds. I have been through marriages that were in God’s eyes to last till death do us part but ended in hurtful disappointment. I have always wanted a home, but only had a house, but the Anchor still holds.
It took me years to finally realize that no matter what I do on this earth it will not keep me from facing the storms of life that will surely come my way. Nothing in this world is certain except for the uncertainty of what is coming next. Only God knows what is coming next.
I’m glad that I have found an anchor for my ship called life. It is an Anchor that I can place all of my trust in, and one that I can rely upon, to keep me safe in the stormy seas of my life. That anchor is none other than Jesus Christ, the Rock of all ages. I know that anchor will always hold.
Through my life my anchor has not been in the soft sand, the easy life, or the things of this world, nor has it been attached to a false hope of security or any earthly person. My Anchor is steadfast; it is fixed firmly and securely in the Rock of Ages, the Lord Jesus Christ, who never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. My life is anchored on the end and attached to something that will never move, never change and never let go. He is always there with his hand out stretched, because the Anchor still holds.
I know that even as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ I will encounter the storms of life. It is not a question of if they will come, but rather when they come. That is a given fact. I have lost jobs, faced a divorce more than once, and many of my love ones have died leaving me hurt. One day there will be no more stormy seas for me to sail because the Anchor still holds.

THE CHRISTIAN – Under Pressure

a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you. While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you." While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you. While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you. Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. (Job 1:14-20)

I recently read an article about being under pressure and as I read that article I began to wonder how many things in this world that has the warning, “WARNING UNDER PRESSURE” Those three words caught my attention and stayed with me, in my mind, for the past few days. Those words started me to thinking because they pretty much, for me, sum up, the condition and circumstances that is going on in so many lives of Christian people in this world today. Some of God’s people in the Bible, like Job, are living under extreme pressure and are just about to explode. They do not know if they should turn to the left or right. Satan has them to the point of losing control of their very being and mind. I have seen it so many times.

The pressures, and the tragedies of life in this present sin tossed world’s environment are very damaging and they are destroying God’s people. They are living under pressure, wondering just how much more they can take. We all have been there. It just seems sometimes that life is one big problem after another. It has happened to us all one time or the other, being under extreme pressure. One problem, after another problem and it goes on and on. And the truly sad part about the whole thing is people are trying to figure out, how to handle what they just cannot handle without God’s help. They need to put their problems in God’s hands. The one who controls heaven and the earth.

If you read and study God’s Word then sooner or later you will come across the book of Job and read about the problems of Job. What a truly amazing story full of meaning for today’s Christian. Now there was a man who had major problems. Job had more come against him in just one day than most people could handle in a lifetime, no matter how righteously and Godly he tried to live. This was because Satan came against him. Not only did Satan want to destroy all that Job had he would have killed him if God would have allowed it. Although Job was a righteous man Satan tried to destroy him and to rip apart his life just like he tries to do to you and me, because the devil walks among us the same as he did in Job’s day.

The word of the Lord tells us, that Satan goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He did it in Job’s day and he is doing it now. This present world and the people in it are under a lot of pressure. There is strife, struggles, and violence, no morals, no rules, and there sure is no accountability anymore. What will the Christian do, when trouble comes their way? What will they do, when trouble, distress, and suffering comes out of nowhere for no obvious or clear reason.
The Word of God tells us, that Job was a perfect and an upright man. He was a man that feared God and he had no part whatsoever with evil,
but trouble still came his way. The scripture tells us, that Job believed in God and he prayed everyday but trouble still came to his house. He lost his flocks, he lost his servants, and he lost his children. All this happened in just one day. His wife told him to curse God and die. What would happen if your day or my day started like that.
How would we handle the things it is impossible for us to handle?
What will you do, when Satan and his demons comes looking for you and with him and his demons comes trouble, misery, and disappointment, or even death. What will you do when he comes looking for you? In most cases people will try to take care of things on their own when they should be looking for God for help.

We need to know where the trouble comes from; it comes from the devil, [Battles are always fought and won in the spiritual realm] but help come the Lord Jesus Christ. Persecution comes from the devil, but victory comes from our Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

In just one day Job went from prosperity to poverty, from riches to rags, from popularity to obscurity. In one day, he lost his fortune, and he lost his fame. Not in a lifetime, but in one day. Job did not blame anyone else for his problems; instead he fell down on his knees and worshipped the one who created heaven and earth. He said the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

Whatever situations that is in your life. Whatever the battle is whatever you are fighting against remember this, Jesus paid the price for you on Calvary’s Cross. Do not let the problems of this world get you down. Stay anchored in Jesus.

The Will Of God For The Christian

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ( Romans 12:1,2)

So many people (including me) have so many times wondered what is God's perfect will for their lives. I recently came across this article that I think answers the question for all of us. It is short and to the point and I would like to share it with you. We could keep adding to this, but I think John Wesley for the most part has it right.

John Wesley was a Godly man who seemed to be quite confident that He was already walking in the perfect will of God! A woman once asked John Wesley what he would do if he knew that he would die at midnight the next day. "Why, Madam," he replied, "just as I intend to spend it now. I would preach this evening at Gloucester, and again at five tomorrow morning, after that I would ride to Tewkesbury, preach in the afternoon, and meet the societies in the evening. I would then go to Martin's house...talk and pray with the family as usual, retire myself to my room at 10 o'clock, commend myself to my Heavenly Father, lay down to rest, and wake up in glory."

We all (Just like John Wesley) need to work on offering our bodies as Living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God and no longer con-forming to the pattern and the makeup of this world, but we should be transformed (changed) by the renewing of our minds. Before anything else, this is God's will for our lives! The Word of God says, we will be able to test and approve what His good pleasing and perfect will for our lives is!

Each of us should offer our bodies, minds and hearts once again to the Lord and let all of us commit ourselves to one hundred percent and wholeheartedly to God's perfect plan that He has for our lives.

Standing On The Promises That Cannot Fail!

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

For those people that truly love God every step of their lives is a journey of faith. It is a step upon the promises of God. The promises that can never fail. The promises of our God are, in truth, stepping-stones in the Christians walk that make it possible for God’s people to move forward in this life with all its struggles and ups and downs, We as Christians live a life of faith. We stand on the promises of God. Men of faith always stand on the promises of God. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Abraham lived by the promises of God. In the Book of Genesis it was the promises of God in the first three verses of chapter twelve that enabled Abram to take a step of faith towards the Promised Land. A land that he had never seen before. By faith he obeyed God and went there. He stood on the promises of God. As this old world grows darker with sin and rebellion if you are a child of God we must stand on the promises of God. It was the promises of God that gave Abram the victory over the four kings in Genesis chapter fourteen and it is the promises of God that will give the Christian the victory over all the evil that comes against them. It was the faith of the promises of God that Abraham made his journey and we must have that same faith as we go through life's journey. Abraham had the faith that he knew God would do what he said. It was those promises that kept Abraham going in the right direction and it is that same faith we as Christians must believe in.

The promises, from God, that Abraham was able to stand on are truly promises that all true believers that journey through this life can, by FAITH, stand on. We must stand on those promises! Our Lord has given us great and precious promises. We must accept them by faith and stand on those promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape this world’s pollution and corruption. . For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope [Jeremiah 29:11] I believe that with all my heart!

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:37-39] Even so come Lord Jesus!

When a Christian has faith they have confidence in things to come as they trust in an unknown future. They, like Abraham, believe God. Faith is the basis of pleasing God and if we are standing on the promises of God we have faith that He is going to do (in His Time) what He said He was going to do.

FORGIVEN

Not far from Home, in a cemetery lone,

Close guarding its grave, stands a simple headstone

And all the inscription is one word alone,

“Forgiven”

 

No sculptor’s fine art hath embellished its form,

But constantly there, through the calm and the storm,

Its bearth this word from a poor fallen worm,

“Forgiven”

 

It shews not the date of the silent one’s birth,

Reveals not his frailties, nor lies of his worth,

But speaks out the tale from his few feet of earth,

“Forgiven”

 

The death is unmentioned, the name is untold,

Beneath lies the body, corrupted and cold,

Above rest his spirit, at home in the fold

“Forgiven”

 

And when from the heavens the Lord shall descend,

This stranger shall rise, and to glory ascend,

Well known and befriended, to sing without end,

“Forgiven”

 

HAVE YOU HEARD HIS PARDONING VOICE?

Victory In Jesus

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. [1 John 5:4]

In this world today Christians are persecuted and put down by the political correctness that is going around as being right. We are called, by some, every name in the book. It is easy for a Christian to become crippled in his walk with the Lord because of all the political correctness that is going around if they listen to all the negative talk that goes around from the enemy. As I thought about this I was reminded about the story in the Bible about Mephibosheth.

In the second book of Samuel Chapter 9 there is a interesting story of David and Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of the very first king of Israel, King Saul. After Jonathan's death on the battlefield, David wanted to show compassion and kindness to Saul's household. Mephibosheth was a grandchild and he had been lame since he was five. Mephibosheth lived just about his whole life as a cripple. When David calls him out and told him that he ( Mephibosheth) would eat at his table and be taken care of by him , Mephibosheth asked "What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" Mephibosheth’s character and his identity was entirely based on his disability,is lameness. But the real facts facts of this story is this, he was the grandson of a king! He was royalty, but he had forgotten his royal lineage and his roots. He was living in his world of self pity and misfortune. But King David looked beyond his disability and seeing who he really was, gave him a place at the King's table.

In today's world I wonder how much time do we, as God’s children spend living in our own self pity, like Mephibosheth, crying about things that we struggle with everyday so much so that it becomes who we are! Satan would love nothing more than to keep us paying attention and focused on our disabilities so that we are preoccupied from the calling of God on our lives. Our Lord does not want us to have a "victim mentality". But instead let's not lose focus of the reality of who we are. In Jesus we are a chosen generation, part of a royal priesthood, and the King has offered us a place at His table! We are heirs of His great throne! He is coming for us and we will feast at His table. In Jesus Christ, we should have a victor’s frame of mind! If you are a child of the king take your rightful seat at the King's Table. What a day that will be when our Jesus we shall see!

Under The Shadow Of His Wings

All of us want to get to that point in our lives of trusting God completely for all our needs of this life just as Job did, who trusted God to the point that he said; “Though He (God) would slay me, yet shall I trust in Him”; or Abraham, who trusted God’s Word to the point of not doubting what God told Him to do; or Jesus Christ, who trusted His Father to the point of saying; “Not as I will, but as thou will”.
As the storms of life rage about us life sometimes gets so hard and no matter what direction we turn to it seems as if all the doors are shut in our lives and and as hard as we try we cannot open them. And the days grow longer and we keep sinking into a point of no return. Because we have exhausted all our worldly solutions and nothing seems to be the right answer. I have been there so many times! Every time I always tried to solve the problem myself it never worked or never lasted. It was only when I got down on my knees and surrendered all the answer came. The answer is we need the right key. It is only by Jesus that we can have the answers that satisfy our soul. Sometimes, because of different circumstances, our life seems to be hopeless, but we must remember and know that we are not alone. We must recognize and understand that God is with us. We must know in our hearts and believe that our way out of all the problems in this life is in Him and Him alone. When we remember that all things will change in our life! Weeping, grief, and worry may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalms 30: 5)
Who can help us when no one seems to even know what we are struggling with? Who can look into our innermost soul? Most people would rather condemn and laugh behind your back at the troubles facing you. That is the way most of the world is. Only a true friend will be there for you and there is a few of them, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Who can help us with our innermost problems? No one but God and God alone. It may be money problems, work related problems, marriage problems, family problems and you name it, but God can take that burden from you and solve the problem. He is the way maker. Why do people go through all the situations they do today and never call on the Great Problem Solver is beyond me.
Trusting in God requires us to have faith in Him and His Word, to have that assurance that He loves us. Our answer for a victorious relationship with God is by totally trusting in Him and our ability to believe that no matter what happens God will help us survive. Trusting in God will make those locked doors open. Our trust in God will change our life fully.
May We Live for Him and not for ourselves and may we always embrace the cross of our Savior Jesus The Christ. It is through the cross of Calvary and the perilous Blood that was spilled there that we can live that life of victory! He is still the master of the sea!

Who But The Ruler Of The Winds

It always fascinates me To read what the founding fathers and the people of old have to say about our country. Nearly every article that I read has always given God the Glory for the greatness of America. As I was reading this morning I found this article that was written by Ezra Stiles  He was the president of Yale College from 1778 to 1795. The article is a speech that was delivered to the governor and the general assembly of Connecticut in May 1783

 

In our lowest and most dangerous state, in 1776 and 1777, we sustained ourselves against the British Army of sixty thousand troops, commanded by the ablest generals Britain could procure throughout all Europe, with a naval force of twenty two thousand seamen in above eighty men of war.

Who but a Washington, inspired by Heaven, could have conceived the surprise move upon the enemy at Princeton, that Christmas eve when Washington and his army crossed the Delaware.

Who but the ruler of the winds could have delayed the British reinforcements by three months of contrary ocean winds at a critical point of the war.

Or what but “a providential miracle” at the last minute detected the treacherous scheme of the traitor Benedict Arnold, which would have delivered the American army including George Washington himself,, into the hands of the enemy.

Or the French role in the revolution, it is God who so ordered the balancing interests of nations as to produce an irresistible motive in the European maritime powers to take our part.

The United States are under peculiar obligations to become a holy people unto the Lord our God.

Finding Grace In The Eyes Of God

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:5-8) NKJV

Noah Found Grace In The Eyes Of The Lord

During Noah’s time on this earth God had him build the ark for his safely and the safety of his family. Why? Because God was getting ready to withdraw his mercy from the earth, because the cup of evil was full to the rim and running over. The earth was filled with violence and corruption. Men would not believe God. Still the world in that day rejoiced in its pleasures and sins all the while the ark was growing larger as a witness to the coming judgement of our Lord. The people refused to believe in God. Perhaps the people thought of Noah as a narrow minded bigot or religious nut, because he would not give into the pleasures of sin with the rest of the people. Noah was a party of one. He believed and obeyed God. The flood came and destroyed everybody except Noah and the ones who went into the ark with him. Whoever was not shut in the ark, by the Lord, was shut out.

It was too late for those people just like it will soon be too late for the unsaved people of today, “they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterwards came also the other virgins saying. Lord, Lord, open to us” But it was too late. Today people reject God’s word just as bad as they did in Noah’s time. The violence and sin was really bad at Noah’s time but what is it now? What will it be? Soon and very soon the anti-christ will come on the scene and reveal his self. The news media no sooner report one act of violence, when they are on the scene reporting another act of violence.  Peace will soon be taken from this world. God’s grace has been extended to the world for thousands of years and people could not live in this world without it. How much longer will God’s mercy and grace last no one knows, but it will soon stop and be no more.

God by His grace and mercy has brought America through many conflicts, world wars and dangers. We have a group of people who wants to destroy us and they have killed many and are still plotting and killing, but most of the American people still turn their back on God and refuse the truth of His word. They refuse to have any part of God’s love or His salvation plan. They are lost without God or His Son. There is going to be a lot of sorrow when people realize that Jesus has come for His own and they are left behind. People need to face the facts that they are living in God’s last hour of Mercy.

America is seen by the rest of the world as a Christian nation, but that is hardly the case. The truth is America is far from being a Christian nation. There are so few Christians in this nation anymore. But the few Christians that are left in this country can exert such a great influence on our Lord. If only ten people were found in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha those cities would have been spared. The leaders of this country want the people to believe that a well informed democracy is the way to solve all the problems of this country. America’s leaders will tell you democracy is the foundation this country was founded on and it is what made this country great. This is far from the truth for two reasons. This country is not a democracy. It is a Republic that is governed by a rule of law. The foundation this country was founded on was, and still is, Jesus Christ. Now that foundation is eroding from our republic and sin is becoming more and more prominent. Are you one of the ones anchored in Jesus. Who, today, will find find grace in the eyes of the Lord. Lord count me worthy to go back with you when you come.

Thoughts About The Election

With much thought about the election I talked to several people today for their input, most of them are disheartened with the election results on Tuesday, others, had a “who care attitude”. Most Christians people that I talked to did not see the nation as choosing Biblical values with the continuation of the present Obama administration, and are deeply concerned about the direction America is heading. They are right in their thinking and have a right to be disheartened. I was just as upset as anybody else and perhaps even a little mad to think that our deceiver president got re-elected. I was even more upset with the people who re-elected him.
I even found my self asking God how it could have happened. But then I realized that the Scriptures found in God's Word do not hold out for any kind of a political hope for our country or for the world either. Jesus is the only hope! The political vision and the views of the president and other leaders will become more and more consolidated and drawn together by the evil powers to be. Things will  become much worse as our leader has a free hand in what he wants, which will in my opinion moves this country toward a system ruled by the anti-christ as we read in Revelation Chapter 13. We must remember it is not democrat against republican, liberal against conservative, or one race against another. It is good verses evil. Some people may not want to hear that, but it is the truth. Bible prophecy is getting ready to come to past.
Since our Lord gave us the great commission we are told to direct our attention at individuals. He said to go make disciples of all the nations, we should continue to focus on the individual lives which we can help to save before it is to late. Do not think that we are losing the battle because evil will still going to be in the White House. It was evil that voted him into the White House the first time and it was evil that voted him in the second time. I'm beginning to think these things must be, to fulfill scripture. The gates of Hell will not prevail against the Christian and what we do for Christ. His kingdom will most certainly come, as thousands and thousands have pray for. I read this story in an email I received and I believe it would be a good story to tell to make a point.
“A young man once went to the beach. There, he saw miles and miles of starfish washed up on the sand. “If these starfish stay out here during the heat of the day,” he thought, “they'll die.” So he began picking up one starfish at a time as he walked, and threw them one by one back into the ocean. An elderly man also walking along the shore approached him and said, “Do you mind if I ask young man, what are you doing?” “I'm throwing these poor starfish back into the ocean so they don't die in the hot sun,” the youth replied. “But what difference can you really make,” said the old man, “Look at this beach -- there are thousands, maybe millions, of starfish here!” The young man smiled as he threw yet another starfish into the sea. “Well -- it made a difference to that one!”
The Word of God says. It is faithfulness in the little things that the Lord rewards. Every person on this earth is precious and valuable to God. It is just a waste of time to cry over the political scene in Washington because we can do nothing about it. But it is not a waste of time to address the spiritual, emotional, or physical needs of the ones who suffer and need help. We need to keep being faithful in the small things and God will do the rest. He will do what He wants to this country. We can never stop the sins of our leaders and the people who voted for them by ourselves. It is time for every true Christian to put on the whole Amour of God. It is not the leaders in Washington that we are doing battle with. It is who controls them. It is with Satan himself that we do battle with.

Living By Faith In Jesus Above!

  Though the fig tree do not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail, and the fields yield no food, the flock 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. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like hinds' feet, he makes me tread upon my high places. [Habakkuk 3:17–19]

Who would ever think that America could be in such shape as it is in today? No jobs, more people on food stamps and government help everyday, health care has gone through the roof, people loosing their homes to foreclosures, our Christian faith is being put to the test. We have people that want to kill you for being a Christian and our government appeases them by apologizing to them. Sin prevails in America. People are calling good bad and bad good. To top this all off we have a government that does not recognize God. They allow abortion on demand, recognize homosexuals as an excepted life style, and put demands on our churches and on our faith that go against our beliefs and the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. Any Christian that studies the word of God and is close to their maker can plainly see that we are in the last days of this world as we know it.  God will come to the rescue of His people.

Judgment is coming to America if there is no repentance. How  should we face the judgment of God that is coming on America? These judgments are coming against America for sure. How should the godly prepare for these tribulations (not the Great Tribulation) and calamity that is coming on us so fast? Every Christian should be asking this same question. Tribulations are coming upon this country that will be really bad. Christians may not be here doing the great tribulation but look out for other tribulations before then. Do not be fooled America can not continue down the path it is going and not expect God’s wrath. When that great city of Nineveh heard  Jonah’s warning they repented. What will America do?

How should we prepare for the coming troubles to America and How shall we endure it as Christians?  First of all, we need to take a page from Habakkuk’s book when he prays; "O Lord, I have heard the report of thee, and thy work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years renew it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy." Habakkuk has a sober and healthy fear of the judgment of God, but in the mist of it all he knew the mercies of God.  So should all Christians. He prays that in the midst of wrath God will have mercy on him. We all know that God will have mercy on His own today just as He did in the past. His promises to us are true.

In other words, no matter how severe the tribulations that come our way we must never stop trusting God. Even though God himself is about to judge America for all her rebellion and sin His people can be confident that in wrath God will show mercy to those who trust him and rejoice in him alone when all else fails. In thee Oh Lord do we put our trust.

When a man and a woman marry, they pledge their love and faithfulness to each other "for better or for worse, whether rich or poor, in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part." Just like that's true between husband and wife, how much more is it true between our Creature and His people?

On that solid rock (Jesus Christ) we must Stand, all other (government and leaders) is truly nothing but sinking sand. If you are not a saved soul you need to get down on your knees and repent and ask God’s forgiveness.

Standing On The Promises

  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.  [Revelation 21: 3-4] KJV

 The Bible, for those of us that read it, records the world from the beginning of time and gives us details about the end of time. It is the story of man and his journey from his fall into sin, to his redemption and the Lord's victory, in the end, over all evil. It is all there in God's Word for all to read. 

There are a lot of great mysteries found in God’s Word. One of the great mysteries found there is how God has placed the prophetic time clock around the Hebrew calendar. To give you an idea of how God is working according to the Hebrew calendar, check these three dates out. [1] When Jesus was crucified, and became the Lamb of God for the world, it was on Passover. [2] When He rose from the dead, it was exactly on the feast of first fruits. [3] After He went to heaven, and 50 days after Passover was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost or the Hebrew feast of Shevuot. The feast of Sukkot is a harvest feast, which is also known as the feast of the gathering people in. This indicated the beginning of the harvest season. Just like this harvest feast there has been a great harvest of souls for the past 2000 years by God's workers. This prophetic feast is one of the few  that has not yet been fulfilled prophetically yet.

Yes there has been a great harvest for the past 2000 years.The harvest for souls by God’s workers.  But for the people of  the world, the focus on  life has been and is,  on youth, beauty, health, money, worldly wealth, and ability to get what they want. In the autumn or latter years of life, for the people of this world there's less celebration, less happiness, less joy, because according to the worldly people, life goes downhill. But they are so wrong because with God, it's completely opposite than unsaved people of this world  think! God always saves the best for His people for last! While things of the world get worse, war becomes more violent, things become old and slowly fade away, but as all born again Christians knows the things of God only get better! We can look toward, with great rejoicing to the day when there is no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain because in Him all these things will pass away. They will be gone. Let us throw away all our worldly cares, and look toward Heaven because our Redemption draws nigh. The greatest celebration of all time awaits all followers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must remember God has wrote the finial chapter and it is about the eternal joy that awaits all true believers who love and follow Him. Eternity with God will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine or visualize. Although word events are troubling they will soon be no more. what a day that will be!

IS IT CIRCUMSTANCES OR FAITH: In These Troubled Times?

We are living in a time of trouble and a troubled world. For some it is hard to keep going. Our faith is being tested and now more than ever we need to trust and obey, for there is no other way. As I think about how tough times are now I think of two books of the Bible that can help us make it through these times. They are the books of Job and Habakkuk.

When we read and study the book of Habakkuk we can see it is all about faith in God. In fact we saw that the key verse of the whole book is “The just shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4) The righteous man must not trust in himself, but in God, the creator of Heaven and earth. His faith is directed upward toward Heaven to the throne of the most High, not inward to his worries and problems that are here on the earth. Faith is the ability of the believing Christian to accept what one cannot fully understand. The one who trusts in God is not troubled by something that he can not understand about this life. Man  lives by his faithfulness in God. He will trust and obey, even if he does not understand or comprehend all of God's ways. There is no other way for the Child of God, in this troubling world of today, but to trust and obey.

Most of us have are experiencing hardships now. The whole world is in a bad recession. The unemployment is high and there is no work. Many people have no jobs.  A lot of people have bills that are due and they cannot pay them because there is not enough money or better yet there is no money, In a lot of homes there's not enough food to feed the family or maybe the utilities are just about  to be turned off. People are asking,  “what else could possibly go wrong“. When a person gets to that point they have two options. They can do as Job's wife said  “curse God and die” or be like Job. He lost everything, his kids, his fortune, and his heath but he demonstrated his faith and said’ “…For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25-26) I’m so thankful, because I’m just like Job, I know my Redeemer lives!

There is another option  we can be like Habakkuk when he said, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (Habakkuk 3:17-18)  We can keep our eyes fixed on our Great Provider and choose to rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of our salvation. It may be a hard decision for some people, but it is a decision that we all have to make.

Too many of God’s people are looking at the circumstances around them and have said, “they can't take any more or they don't see a way out of their circumstances.” The truth is what they're not seeing is the fact that God is our only way out. Our temporary circumstances have absolutely nothing (zero) to do with who our God is. In that one statement, we can rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of our salvation. He is Lord whether we see Him working in our situations and problems or not. He is Lord whether we feel it or not. The fact is He is Lord, period. There is none other and He is all we need! Jesus is all we need! He made the earth and all it’s fullness. Our God can do anything!

When it looks like the storms of  this life are overtaking you,  remember He is LORD. Remember that. He knows our circumstances, He knows our weaknesses and our strengths; He knows you and me. Rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of your salvation. He is worthy of ALL our praise. We need to keep our eyes fixed on our Lord God and not our circumstances.

Sounding The Alarm

 

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)

In Israel this Sunday night it is the beginning of the feast of Yom Teruah better known as The Feast of Trumpets. For centuries at the end of the summer the Hebrews are commanded to blow the trumpet (the ram’s horn, also called The Shofar), all day long. The sound of the ram’s horn, in Bible days, was a warning and a sound of alarm -- it told the people to be prepared and to get ready for what lies ahead, it was time to stand in the presence God.

The next major world event is the sound of the trumpet just before we see the coming of the Lord. The blowing of trumpets, in Israel holds a personal message for us. It’s God’s wake up call for the Christian and also to the rest of the world: We don’t have forever to get ready, to be prepared for our Lord’s coming! We only go through this life once. How are you walking through this life? Soon our life will be over and we will stand before The Lord. If we are going to do work for Christ -- now is the time, now is the day! If we need to repent for anything, if we have anything to do for The Lord, now is the time. The trumpet is sounding, the summer harvest is just about over, and the day of the Lord is so near.

We are living in the end time, as we now know it,  and in the twinkling of an eye time will be no more. Now is the time for all true Christians to cry aloud and spare not. We must take a stand against the evil and wrong that is facing us.

America Has Walked Away From The Old Paths

Thus saith the Lord, 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 for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. (Jeremiah:6:16-17)

As a Christian  I cannot understand why ;

The American people do not want to walk in the "good way" and find that "rest for their souls"? Why wouldn't they listen and why don’t they want to hear what God has to say? It is because they are so far from doing things God's way and they are so blind by their doings that they cannot relate to the "old paths." Those true and tried ways. That is because, their idea of "good" is not God's idea of good, and the "rest" they seek after is  not the God’s rest. People in this country has been doing their own thing, not what God wants. For years and years they have pushed God's way beyond their interests or what they want to do and how they want to live. This condition can even be seen in our churches. And it is not just something that has happen in our time and in our churches. Just read about Israel in the scriptures and you will see that it is not unique to the United States. Israel was the same way in Bible days.

 When I was growing up people walked in the true and tried ways. They found rest for their souls. People obeyed God’s law, They went to church, as a family, on Sundays (morning and night), The preacher who pastured the flock keep them on that narrow road. He preached Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The soul of  his  sheep were far more important than anything else. He made house calls to their home, anointed the sick and prayed for them, preached what says the Lord, He called sin just what it is “Sin”.  It was sin if you murdered an unborn baby (there was laws against it), if a person was a homosexual  they hid in the closet because it was an abomination. To join most  churches back then a person confessed Christ and come clean with the sin problem and followed Christ. You lived by the teachings that were found in the word of God. Now we find in some church denominations homosexuals are members, some churches have homosexual preachers behind the pulpit and are allowing anybody to join just for the numbers and the money. Homosexuals, now, want their own Bible as well as their own life style inside the churches of our Lord Jesus Christ. Church denominations that were once on fire for the Lord and followed the old paths are now lowering their standards and are leading people on that broad road of destruction. Some churches are taking the cross down and are now calling their churches campuses.

What really shocked me (but I guess it Didn’t) was the democrats left God out of their platform. First time since there was a Democrat convention. When they were called on about this it was put back on their platform for a vote and half the people voted “NO” they did not want God on the platform and did not want to recognize Him. Anything that reflects Christ in our school, our court rooms, and government buildings is being removed. Our president has the pictures of Christ covered up when ever he speaks. This is a sad day for our country. We have a leader that jokes about the scriptures found in God’s Holy Word, but quotes the Koran as if means something to him. The family unit, most of our churches and preachers, as well as the government are all on that broad road to destruction. What ever happen to “In God We Trust”. It is a time for all true born again believers to stay close to God and seek Him.