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.

What Can Take Away Our Sins?

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh! Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus. For my pardon, this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Now by this, I’ll overcome—Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
Now by this, I’ll reach my home—Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Glory! Glory! This I sing—nothing but the blood of Jesus, All my praise for this I bring—
nothing but the blood of Jesus.

To be a follower of Jesus the Christ makes me so proud and secure. I will be the first to tell anybody that I was saved by that precious blood of Jesus. I was lost and undone without God or His Son and God saved my soul. It was by The Blood that was shed on the old rugged cross that made the difference in my life. I said all that to say this, I recently read an article in a local newspaper in which a man wrote this; “Any person that teaches they have the exclusive path to God and all non-believers will suffer eternal damnation is wrong.” Any person that would make such a statement is a person who does not read and rightly divide the word of God if he reads it at all. Like so many other people he is lost and knows not God. Before I was saved I always tried to be good. I did what was right, I kept the Ten Commandments to the best of my ability, I went to church, and I did all the ordinance of the church, I was baptized in water, took communion, but all this did not save me even though we should do these things. My name was on the church books but it was not in the Book that my Lord kept. I was like thousands of other people who thought they were right but like them, I was not. I was lost without God or His Son! There are other people who believe their denomination will save them. Some believe their good works will save them, some believe that keeping the ordinances of the church will save them. But the sad fact is you can be baptized in water all you want, but that will not save you. It is a good testimony but it will not save you. Taking communion will not save you. Church ordinances will not save you. Praying to a dead person such as Mary, the mother of Jesus, or a dead saint will not save you because they were in need of a savior too. The fact is they are dead. There is only one mediator between God and man and that mediator is Christ Jesus. When I get to heaven I want to see Jesus and then I want to see these other people who were obedient to our God. But praying to these people is wrong and they cannot save you. Jesus said that no man comes to the father but by Him. How much more plainer can it get? Allah cannot save you. Buddha cannot save you. Mother Nature cannot save you, Mary, the mother of Jesus, cannot save you or any other dead saint. It is what Jesus did on the cross. What can take your sins away? It is nothing but the blood of Jesus. When a person searches the scriptures and rightly divides the word of God they will see: What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus! Oh precious is that flow that makes me white as snow!

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.

IT’S JESUS: All Other Is Sinking Sand!

Do you want to know what is wrong with America? The answer is simple. A blind man can see it easily! America has turned their collective backs on God. America has become a depraved nation and for the most part with depraved leaders. The people have become immoral, unjust, corrupt, evil, wicked, and degenerate in all their thinking and their actions. From my youth up there was one thing that I was always taught in the home, in the school, in church, and in the public in general America was a Christian nation. How far this nation has come down through the years of my life is almost unbelievable to me. It’s almost like anything goes.
The American people have become immoral and wrong in their thinking. What was a nation of “In God We Trust” is now a nation of “In the government we trust.” Some even go so far as to call our president the messiah. I’m talking about a government and a president who makes the killing of unborn babies legal and the government that gives homosexuals special rights, when in fact both are sins in God’s eyes. America has become a nation of calling bad good and good bad. When a nation has laws to protect the killing of whales and another law that allows the murder of millions of unborn babies something is wrong. The people are depraved in their thinking. Instead of depending on the one who created heaven and earth depend on the government for their daily needs.
When Christian churches in America which were once full of the spirit of God, allow the Muslims who worship Allah to worship beside them in church and have the Muslim Karan beside the Holy Bible in the pew racks this nation and her people are in trouble. Some churches are taking the cross down from their steeple and calling their church a campus instead of church. Why? Something is wrong when church leaders allow a rock group with all their seductive and suggestive songs to perform at God’s house thinking that is the way to get the youth in church when it used to be the preaching of the anointed word of God that did the work. We need to lift Jesus higher and the Holy Spirit will do the drawing. It is the preaching of the cross that is the answer. We have a man in the White House that makes fun of the Bible while quoting from the Koran and stops the national day of prayer but allows Muslims to pray on the White house lawn. He also made the statement that America is no longer a Christian nation. We have homosexuals in congress and some who see an unborn child as “just a blob of nothing”. What happen to the Godly leaders in this country? They say that they believe in God, but let me say this; the devil, according to the scriptures, also believes in God.
America as a nation is becoming so politically correct instead of becoming more biblical correct that our nation is being destroyed, lost without God or His Son. No longer do people say Merry Christmas but opt for saying happy holidays so certain people will not be offended and Christmas is no longer for the most part celebrated as Christ’s birthday but just a happy holiday.
When I was in school before the day even started the class had prayer and Bible reading. We each took turns reading scriptures when it was our day to it. There was always a Bible on the teacher's desk. So what has happened? We no longer have the Lamb of God or those other Godly things in our schools so what were they replaced by? They were replaced by sex education, condoms, birth control pills, and a doctrine that tells our children it is normal and okay for Adam to marry Steve. It is just a different lifestyle. In schools years ago the greatest bad thing was chewing gum in class or smoking in the bathrooms. Now there is violence with no end in our schools with police patrolling the halls to guarantee security for the children. People ask when violence happens in our school where God is. The answer to that is “The Lamb” is not allowed in school anymore. You will have chaos, darkness, evil, and sin without the Lamb of God.
What is the bottom line to all this? It is the family unit. How we raise our kids, what we teach them in the home. We do not need a village to raise our kids as some in the government say; we just need Godly mothers and fathers. If our children at an early age are not taught about Jesus Christ then they will know not him when they get older and that’s what is happening to our country right now. The American people are reaping what they have sown. We have people that are in our government who know not God because they were never taught about Him. We need fathers (a male) and mothers (a female) to start bringing up their children in the way they should go and when they get older and on their own they will use the wisdom that they received in the home when they were raised, The wisdom to govern this nation and to be right in God’s eyes. There was a reason why God said in his Word to; “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) and there is also a reason why God told the Israelites always repeat and tell the meaning of the judgments, testimonies, and statues to their children in (Exodus 6:20-25)
Just like the Hebrews told their children what great things God has done for them, Americans need to tell their children what great things the Lord has done for America over the past two hundred years. To bring all this about we need a move of God, a revival that starts with you and me, we need a revival in our churches and all across this great land. We might not have to sit in sackcloth and ashes, but it might be a good idea to bow on bended knees and plead with our God, with true tears of repentance, to save our nation and to forgive us of our many sins. Even come Lord Jesus!

America's Failing Standards

 
So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:1
We will always have struggles with satanic powers until Jesus comes. That has been the case since Adam and Eve (not Steve but EVE) Sin does exist in this world and it offends the Lord and sin separates us from our God. The sins of this nation (America) have separated us from God. God will not and cannot ignore or excuse sin as though it did not matter. Do not think for one minute that God has overlooked the long list of sins that plague America. I’m here to tell you he has not and the payday is coming. As it was in the days of Noah so it is now. That is the very reason why there is always a great importance for the people of any nation to live a Godly life. To me that is normal. Living a normal (Godly) life in a family Structure, in our church, in the community, or our country. By doing this one thing we are enabling the society which we live in to also be normal (Godly) and that is by each and every person sharing Godly standards, values, morals, and ethics. There must to be a standard that we all live by. All of us can have our own personal liberties (outside of sin) but for any group of people no matter how small or how large there must be a standard to live by. Lifting Jesus higher should be at the top of that standard. Following the standards found in the Bible is a high priority for any nation that wants to survive. The use of drugs, people not working because they want to live off the government (in other words living off you, me, and others, babies born out of wedlock, the single parent family’s are not what the normal standard should be. It was not and still is not a Biblical standard. By saying that I’m not putting down the great job that some single parents are doing, raising their kids because of circumstances out of their control, but that is not the standard which God wanted and it was not the standard, for the most part, years ago in America. When a person looks into the history of America, especially the past generation, anyone can plainly see by what is happening. We as a whole have been redefining what sin is in this country, and things that were once called bad, are now called good. The things that was once called sin are no longer sin. If you are a person who studies the Bible you know that is the wrong direction and it puts this country in the bulls eye for God’s judgments. The conduct of some people that was previously branded as wrong in America, is now okay, and because of that we, as a whole, have quietly been raising the ‘normal’ level in certain areas where it was not normal or even right by any earlier standards.” What was sin in the past is sin now and always will be a sin. The plain fact is this, SIN WILL ALWAYS BE SIN! America, as a whole, is getting use to a lot of behavior that is not good for us, and not the normal (Godly) thing to do. The American people worry about a lot of other things that go on in this country such as the economy, Muslim terrorist, corrupt people in the White House and government at all levels and that goes without saying, but the core issues and standards that our country was founded on are bypassed, put aside by an ever increasing evil leadership and the people who voted them into office. It is time for all Christians to stand up for Jesus! If America is ever going to recover her formal glory we (The American People) must take positive steps and react to the obvious, that looks us all straight in our face every day. SIN and the decline of the civic order and moral standard that plague us as a nation. We must go back to maintaining standards of behavior that are righter in God’s eyes, rather than letting them slip away with a shrug of the shoulders or a turning of the back like we do not see it happening. It is time for all decent, law abiding Americans who love the Lord Jesus Christ to stand up and say enough is enough. We as Christians will be held accountable one day if we do not stand up for what is right. A short time ago a decision was made by non elected, unaccountable judges that sit on the Supreme Court. They imposed upon the American people a new definition of marriage (their definition), I’m talking about an institution (marriage between a man and a woman) that is absolutely essential to a healthy society in any country. That is what starts the family unit and the family unit is the core of our nation. How the family unit goes, so goes the nation. The Supreme Court has defined and re-wrote the meaning of marriage. If the God fearing people of this country fail to resist this and other attacks on the Godly principles that guide our lives, the shared moral standards that are found in God’s Word, the ones that have brought America so many blessings will vanish, out of the people’s grasp and understanding. The typical response of the left in this country is to say that anyone who opposes or is against a redefinition of marriage hates homosexuals. There is no truth in that statement. We just hate the sin of homosexuals, not the person. A person can respect and hold in high esteem the tradition of marriage as it has stood for thousands of years and not hate homosexuals. In a free society, homosexuals can, even though it is a sin, chose how they want to live without forcing the rest of us to change our Christian beliefs on the institution of marriage. I cannot leave out the murder of the millions of unborn babies in this country and the government giving their approval. I cannot leave out a man that lives in the White House who pokes fun at the scriptures in the Bible on national TV and cancels the National Day Of Prayer while quoting from the Muslim Karan at the same time and allowing thousands of Muslims to pray on the White House lawn. Let me leave you with this thought; “We might not never have to face the decision to die for our faith as the three Hebrew Children did in the Book of Daniel or for what we, as Christians, believe in, but every day, without fail, we have to make a decision to live in our faith. I ask each and everyone who reads this post make a decision to stand up for Christ and for the Christian standards that made this country great. God Bless.

AMERICA: It Is Your Last Call!

The American people need to wake up from their sleep of eternal death and eternal damnation. It is, or soon will be, the last call for America. If you love your country then it is time to truly wake up from the sleep of death and shake off the wickedness that has overwhelmed this country. It is a time for much fasting and prayer. The American people have been so indifferent to the wickedness and sins in this country that these sins are multiplying the wickedness in the country. Some churches are now calling evil good. They have turned from Christ, the Cross, and the blood that was spilled there. They have put their faith in money, the government, and other things that were once called sin.
We have leaders (in the church as well as the government) that call bad good and good bad. What was once a sin is now the normal thing in our country. Homosexuals and lesbians are called a different life style. In most states they can now legally be married and are being married in churches who proclaim to be the Lord's servants. God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. The sad part about it is that natural itself tells a person that this is wrong. America is murdering unborn babies by the thousands and it is called birth control. God calls it murder! He knows who we are, even when we are in the womb. America’s president (Obama) states that some of the Bible is not for today, poking fun at some of the scriptures. Some people think or call him the messiah, which is pure blasphemy.  Wickedness is multiplying in America and God’s judgments are starting to fall on the country and most people do not even have a glue or even know what is happening. For them it is let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow they may die. So sad! The truth is, when you die (a physical death) your life is not over.
With hardly any protest at all Americans and the church have let all types of filth such as certain types of movies (ones that would never be permitted years ago), magazines, violent cartoons, and video games to be exposed to our children until such stuff degenerates their minds until many do not know right from wrong. All Americans can see the results of these things. We can see it on TV every night. As long as these things are permitted the will in the minds of our children and their parents against these things will be broken. As long as these things are permitted we will have thieves who steal, murders, mass killings, rapist, uncontrollable lust, infidels, traitors, sluggards (people who will not work), blasphemers, and people who are against the Word of God. Millions of Americans are being deceived by these things, as well as being deceived by the evil government that is in control of this country. leaders who would be god if they could get away with it. Our leaders have turned everything that is true, good, and holy, into something that is not for today. This stinks in the nostrils of our God.
America as a nation has become sick and depraved from top to bottom and needs to repent like Nineveh before it is too late. America’s cup of iniquity is full and judgments is coming to the home and the land of the once free. Are we going to let these sins and our depraved leaders destroy us and our country? Anybody who reads the Bible knows God’s word and know the ones who commit such things are worthy of death, and the ones who have pleasure in them, also. (Romans 1: 29-32). There is a day coming, soon, the judgments where every person must give an account for their deeds. Be not deceived America: You will reap what you sow” America needs a revival that starts with you and me!

The Falling Away Of America

 Now that the presidential election is now behind us and we are faced with another four years of Barrack Obama we are hearing all kinds of reasons why he was re-elected. We wonder why a known liar who has been the president for the last four years can be re-elected. People offer up all kinds of reasons and excuses for this but there is only one reason why. For decades the American people have turn their back on God more and more. There is a order in which this happened. It did not just happen over night. Many people did not like Richard Nixon because of Watergate, but he made a statement once that was true then and is still true today. Nixon said the family unit is what makes or breaks America. This is a statement that I agree with 100 %. The conduct and the behavior of the family unit filters down and made our society what it was then and is now.. Lets look at the facts which we cannot deny.

THE EARLY 1960's AND BEFORE: America was a Christian nation with families that attended church together, prayed together, had meals together around the dinning room table, parents taught their children right from wrong and kids were taught at a early age the value of work, faith, and what made this country strong. There was Bibles in the houses of most Americans and they were used. When most of us grew up we were taught respect for our elders and the public in general. Everyone in that family unit had a togetherness and a thankfulness for what the Lord provided. The roots were strong and the children in this generation became strong leaders for what was right. When families came together with the same purpose in mind they made a strong America. The schools were a place were kids could go and be safe. A place were they could become educated for the adult stages of their life. Here also they were taught the basic concepts of being a Conservative Christian. By this I mean every morning the school day was started with prayer, Bible reading, and pledge allegiance to the flag. They were taught in their studies what made this country great. They were taught about the founding fathers and the principals they handed down to us. There was no doubt in the students mind that America was a nation founded on God and His laws. These students had a sense of right and wrong. The hallways was a safe place as well as the school grounds. Because of all the correct teaching and love in the home and in our schools the students turned into a productive society and the process that was point out in the above comments should have started over again with their children. People looked out for each other and the church cared for the people in need. People worked for what they received. What the churches could not do the government had a well administered welfare program that took care of the basic needs for people until they could get back of their feet. Homosexual and Lesbian life styles were not recognized as legitimate life style and people did not come out in the open with this unnatural life style. Even though Gays were around they never “Came out of the closet” because of the shame.

The Year 1963: Prayer and Bible reading was ended in public school by the supreme court. The Bible and prayer was no longer allowed in our public school school system. The Year 1964 The federal government under the leadership of president Lyndon Johnson and the Democrat party decided that they wanted to make a great society. A different society than what was put forth by our founding fathers. Laws was past and put into place, paid for by the hard working tax payer. These new laws included government housing, food stamps, money allotted for other things such as to pay electric bills, telephone bills, doctor bills, and in some cases even cable TV Bills. Johnson and the democrat party made away for people to get on different programs mentioned above, but in all their planning they never made away for people to get off these programs. So at least two generations which are on these government programs do not know other way, Thus becoming the new family unit. This new family unit expect everything to be given to them by the government. As the 1960's move forward the family unit begins to come apart. The parents now send their kids to church instead of going with them. Family time becomes involved more and more with doing what each one wants to do, instead of doing things as a family. The Year 1973 The killing of unborn babies, called abortion, was made legal by the supreme court in a decision called Roe verses Wade. That decision has shape the political climate in this country ever since.

The Years 1975 thru Present: The federal government recognizes homosexuals as a excepted life style and gives them special rights. Homosexuals get married in our churches and preach behind the pulpit at the sacred desk. Babies are now being killed in the last month of pregnancy and in some cases as they are being born. The Great Society becomes the society of takers and expects the government to supply them with everything. The democrat party does not want God as a part of the political platform. The president calls the constitution outdated and also puts forth the idea all of the Bible is not for today. Same sex marriage is allowed in a lot of states. People who call their self Christians vote for a man that goes against God's laws. Drugs, violence, and police officers are now apart of the public school system. And there are a lot more things that could be named.

The blame for the American downfall stems from the family unit. When a child grows up he only knows what he is taught in the home and in school. The family as a unit left and forsook God over the years little by little. The seeds of right and wrong, that was planted in our children's heads are gone now and our nation, as we can see everyday, has turn into a depraved people and nothing is sacred anymore. America has become like Sodom,Gomorrah, and Nineveh. Every imagination of the human heart is okay with people. What will America's out come be? Will the nation repent and call on God like Nineveh or will she face destruction for her sins like Sodom and Gomorrah? The time clock is running out for America.

AMERICA - Has Left Her First Love

When America was first founded by men of faith there was a great love for our creator. When they first stepped on shore of this new land the first thing they did was to give thanks to the Lord. The Lord was recognized by these men as the great provider and the savior of their soul. He was the great “I AM”. Down through the years since the birth of this country the needs and the protection of the people was provided by the Lord. America was prosperous and she became strong and the people trusted in God as our currency so declares : "IN GOD WE TRUST" The people believed God and stood by His laws and statues. America was a Godly nation. God was found in our court rooms, in our schools, in our government buildings, and in most everything the people did God was there. Nothing of any importance was done without God being recognized for His kindness and grace. He was in all and was all.

Then slowly and steadily the evil one creep in and America slowly turned her back on God and His laws and statues. What was once evil in the eyes of the American people is no longer evil. The killing of millions of unborn babies was once a crime and against the law in the land, but now it is called pro- choice. In the past being a homosexual was regarded as sin, but now it is called “gay rights”. God have been removed from all our public buildings and public places. He is no longer wanted in the platform of one of our political parties and in some of our churches it is “God damn America” instead of “God bless America”. Our leader speaks of getting even and promotes ungodly acts and laws. God has been taken out of our schools and replaced by condoms, drugs, and police that guard the hallways. America has lost her first love and if she does not return and repent destruction will come. America has turned her back on God.

Years ago families went to church together, prayed together, and God was in the house holds of the people. Parents taught their children and put into practice the true and tried ways of our Lord. Now an ungodly government tries to dictate what parents can and cannot teach their kids. Ungodly things are being taught and practiced against the wishes of Godly parents, because now there is a generation that knows not God and sin abounds in this country. America will never rebound to her greatness or to her former glory unless her people repent and return to their first works and their love of God.

People think that we are in serious trouble now. Gas prices are high, people going hungry, loosing their homes, no jobs, crime and terrorism are getting worse everyday. We have leaders that scoff at God and His word. Our president said the some of the Bible is out of date and not for today. National day of prayer by him was canceled, crosses are coming off churches and they are now being called campuses.

As for this writer, I am a Christian and I will not call no one my president or leader that goes against God's laws, nor will I condone any law or action that is against my God or His word. I will follow an elected leader as long as he follows Christ and His teachings. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. God bless my fellow Americans, God bless America, and Even so come Lord Jesus!

Trusting Jesus

           "Without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is  (that God exists), and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." (Hebrew 11:6)

 

 

 

 

Relationships have to be based on trust, but in this life here on this earth, we face so many problems.  For some examples, we may have limited finance, the economy has taken a nose dive and we are in need because of it, some people  have lost their jobs, some have lost love ones, and there is a lot of broken marriages that were based on trust. We have saw ungodly change in our government, They have left Our Lord out,  and there are many other storms in this life. Through all these difficulties people say they love the Lord, but how many people really and truly trust Him to bring us out of the problems and storms of this life. Jesus is always there for us. No matter what the problem He was there all the time. 

In our life time we have many broken  relationships that were base on trust and they lead to hurt, fear, confusion, and sometimes anger. Those feelings are real and reasonable, and because of that  we are now cautious about trusting a close relationships, especially after have so many bad ones.  But when we remove all close, trusting relationships, we are also closing the door to great joy and a fullness of life God intended for us. While situations differ, one truth remains – we live in an imperfect, cruel, and sinful world. Living in this sinful world, people are capable of breaking a trust. In reality, they may not even trust their own decisions, actions, and thoughts.

In this world that we live in sometimes even your closest friends can sometimes be untrustworthy if they are not walking hand and hand with Jesus.  But there is someone else, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is always trust worthy. Even though we live in a imperfect world His love for us is overwhelming. He knows all our problems and our need for help. While we have broken our trust relationship with Him, He will never fail us. We can trust Him, His love, His forgiveness, and His help in every situation while we live in a hurting and sinful world. Put your trust in Jesus, the one who sticks closer than a brother. He has always been there for me through many trail, heart aches, and failures. I trust him with all my heart and I know that no mater how bad this world gets, no matter about past broken relationships, no matter about my finances, my health, or anything else I will see him face to face, someday, and I will be with the one who died for me, forever. Trust Jesus He will never let you down.

Will America Be Brought to her Knees By Ruin Or By Prayer

Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt,…..”  (Deut 8:10:14)

 

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often
that this great nation was founded, not by religionists but by
Christians, not on religions,  but on the gospel of Jesus
Christ." (Patrick Henry)

It is plain to see that America was founded upon the Bible and Christianity and has been blessed, by our Lord, more than any nation on this earth. He has surely blessed us with His bounty, His protection, and His Grace. The problem is: “AMERICA HAS FORGOT GOD” if we allow the liberals and people who do not believe in God  to remove Him from the public life of this nation and replace Him with atheism, socialism and every form of sexual perversion then what happened to Israel (As we can read in the Bible) will also happen to us. He is a very patient God, but His patience runs out in the end and His judgment will come suddenly. We who love and worship God in our lives have the duty and responsibility to defend our Godly heritage and to do all that we can do to restore and bring back the sure foundations that was put into place by our founding fathers. The founders of this great nation were not deists ( the form of theological rationalism that believes in God on the basis of reason without reference to revelation) or atheists (A person who does not believe in the existence of God). Our nation was found by (predominantly) Christians who lived by Biblical values and truths that are found in the scriptures.

During the Democrat’s convention the Democratic Party has, for the most part, acting as a group,turned their backs on God and Christianity, refusing to even mention His name in their party platform, until the opinion of most of the nation pushed them to a weak, half-hearted, and shameful reinstatement. When the vote was called for to reinstate and to include God in their platform there was a louder shout for no than it was for yes. Where is our nation, that was founded on God and the Christian religion, headed to?   “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalms 9:17)

The Democrats have embraced same-sex marriage and have made it a part of their party platform. For a political party of any nation to turn there back on God and turn a blinded eye to what the Scriptures say about homosexuals and justifies it as a excepted life style is in its finial stages of moral corruption.  A nation who turns it's back on its Creator is a nation that cannot and will not stand. The Democrat Party embraces the murder of unborn babies and partial birth babies.

It is time to turn America back to God and the rock that this country was founded on. This revival must start in the churches across our Country. It is time for preachers to stop preaching watered down, weak kneed sermons, stop tickling the ears of people and begin to teach what saith the Lord. The American people need to hear what Sin, hell, judgment, and accountability is. The sad thing is obedience to God’s word and removing sin from our lives and our nation are hardly, if ever, spoken today from the church pulpits. How many pastors ever preach about the sin of abortion, homosexuality or immorality in their pulpits. The majority don’t because it might offend someone and the big money and the large attendance would not be there. There would go the mega churches. Sin is offensive to God and should be to anyone who claim the name of Jesus Christ. If sinners are not told of their sin then how are they ever to see its devastating consequences on their lives and were they will spend eternity? The leaders of the flock  must preach the whole Bible, (WHAT THUS SAITH THE LORD) and not just bits and pieces that tickles the ears of their congregation.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Preachers need to put into practice in their  lives and in their congregations lives this verse as well as others. They must stop compromising with sin and stop avoiding different scriptures in the Bible in their sermons. They must tell it like it is! When the preachers and the church grow cold then the nation follows suit and falls into multitudes of sins that we see in America today. There is no authority, civil or religious – there can be no legitimate government  but  what  is  administered  by  this  Holy  Ghost. Our hopes of a future life in America are is founded upon the Gospel of Christ.

For years I have tried to stay out of politics of this country.  I am not a Democrat or a Republican.  I am a independent voter and have been for many years. I will always remain a independent voter. I now feel, so strong, in my heart that all the freedoms we  enjoy in this country today will be forever more taken from us if the present party continue to rule in Washington. To put it in simply terms, we  only have  just  a couple of months to fight for what we know is right.  The polices and regulations that have been set in place by Obama and most of the Democrats are in anti-Christ. The Bible is clear about murder.  (Millions of innocent babies are murdered in the United States every year.)  The Bible is clear about homosexuality.  Man is not to lay with man, or women with women.  Just these two issues, by their self,  should present a problem to any Christian when faced with a  decision as to who they should vote for.  If a person is for Gay rights that include same sex marriage, then that persons policies are against the Bible.  If they condones (Accept and allow behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive to continue) babies to be murdered in their mother’s wombs, then they are against the Bible and against Christ. In other words their agenda is against God, (ANTI-CHRIST)  Plain and simple. The color of a persons skin, their political party, or their church denomination, doesn’t make them brothers and sisters. It is becoming  a new creature in Christ Jesus. That is what makes us brothers and sisters.  We must realize and know that when we vote for a person, we are voting for what they stand for (their policies). I’m for the policies of our Lord and Savior that are set forth in His Holy Word.

Jesus Christ Is Lord!

 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”

When Jesus Christ was here on this earth He claimed to be the Son of God; a Savior for all people. The fact that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah is not the first time in history that someone has claimed to be God or someone sent by God. Many people have claimed to be sent by God throughout the history of this world. In the Book of Acts (Acts 5:36) we read of a man whose name was Theudas who claimed to be: "somebody" that people followed. Others include, Mohammed who is said to be a prophet of Ali, Buddha and many others. New ones pop up everyday. What so special about the coming of our Lord, Jesus The Christ is that it was predicted by Isaiah hundreds of years before Our Lord was ever born. There are many other references, in the scriptures to His coming birth before it happen. All others who claim to be God or come from God was after the fact (after they were born).  Our Lord Jesus fulfilled this prophecy and many others that were written before He was born. Jesus had many unique qualities that the others who claimed to be the messiah could not match; Jesus Christ overcame death on the cross and was resurrected. No others can claim this, let alone prove it. Further examples of why Jesus is Lord include, His ability to overcome temptation, living a sinless, and perfect life, along with His abilities to perform miracles that were well documented in the scriptures.  All this was done in the name of God our Heavenly Father.

Jesus performed more than twenty three recorded miracles while He was here on earth, but how many untold hundreds were not recorded? He overcame nature, and proved He was even Master of the sea, when He calmed the raging storm, He raised people from the dead, He multiplied food for thousands, He even rose from the dead, overcoming death. His powers of healing  have never been matched even to this day, because there are none. Many today still exercise their faith and they rise and are healed in His blessed and Holy name.  He had the ability to predict the future. And the future that our Lord Jesus predicted in the Bible has come to pass or is in the process of coming to past as I write this article. Jesus always honored God in everything through out His life on this earth. He was a humble and gentle picture of God's Spirit. If you seen Him, you seen the father.  There is no other faith in the world that can provide and show the same kind of proof. Today, Jesus is in heaven at the right hand of God. He lives in our heart. He is interceding for you and for me. Oh what a Savior! Although we cannot see Him, He is there and was there all the time. Other religions rely on hearsay and what is past down to them but we must rely on the truths and the well documented facts found in the Bible. On that Solid Rock we must stand! All other is sinking sand! Jesus Christ is Lord! Some day and very soon every knee shall bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Soon and very soon we are going to see the King!

MERCY: God’s Last Hour

America God has shed His mercy and grace on you. The mercy and love of our God has been extended to America for over two hundred years and to all of mankind for thousands of years. There is no way the human race (we humans) could service without His mercy and divine love. We see it over and over again in the lives of the people here on this earth. How could we survive without God’s Mercy? Who knows how much longer God’s mercy will be in this sinful world. Will His grace last forever, will it stop soon,will we see a spiritual awakening from our Lord in theses last days? If you look at world conditions and what the Bible has to say about it We all know that Jesus is coming soon and He will take His people home. Even so come Lord Jesus. The question is will God’s mercy still be here for those that are left behind? By God’s mercy America has been brought through many conflicts.  People turned to God in prayer and He answered their prayers, but when it was all said and done, when the conflict was over many turned their back on our God. There will be great sorrow in the hearts and souls of many people when they realize and come to the fact that they have been left behind.
I would not be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and I would be guilty in my duty as a Christian {as well as many other Christians} if I did not speak out as to what  is laid on my heart by our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a time when human society is more broken up and crying for peace than ever before. There are mores killings, more terror attacks, more suicide bombings , and more wars than ever before in the history of the world. Let me speak quiet frankly and openly about this. There has been many plans for world peace put into place, one after the other but none of them has worked and never will work. A lot of people will put their trust in the United Nations, but not God. Their plans  are all hopeless because they have left out the true peace maker. They have left Christ out of the picture. The only peace that this word will ever know or have will be when the prince of peace, Jesus Christ comes back to this earth to reign. The only one peace that is in today’s world is the peace in the hearts of Jesus’ followers. That is a peace which is by human standards passes all understanding. Oh what perfect peace when you live in the shelter of His arms. What peace when you know the Savior! Do you know Him! It is happening all around us and the evidence of this reality can be observed in the attitudes and actions of people everywhere. Our Maker has been forgotten! This is not a new problem and I am not the first ones to observe this troublesome reality
With the similarity and likeness of the pass world before us, the plain clear Word of God and His teachings are are plainly revealed to us and surely show us the warnings of all the prophecies found in the Holy Bible. People will not listen or believe. They are unfolding before our eyes, even as I write this article. It is so plain anybody can understand if they wanted to. The spirit of lawlessness and anarchy is not limited to any one country in general. This lawlessness is spreading all over the world. We can see the threatening and gloomy forecast for the future. We can listen to it everyday on the television, on the radio, or see it on the internet. In the past the people always feared the Lord. The messages and prophecies of His servants caused most people to tremble and take notice . When the streets of Nineveh heard Jonah’s cry: “forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown” {Jonah 3:4} On that day there was nobody there, including the king, that treated Jonah’s message with contempt or disbelief. Boy how this world has changed! The unbelief in the people of today has never been more insolent and defiant than it is now.
One of the big troubles is this: All over the world there is a overwhelming absence of faith in God and His government. A government that would satisfy the soul of any man. People have become cold and their hearing has become dull. The are millions on this earth that are atheist or they just do not believe in anything. God is not in their thoughts, deeds, or actions at all.  These kind of signs of apostasy is foreshadowed and predicted in Bible prophecies. But people still do not believe. As this world {as we know it} approaches its end people need to realize the real cause for all the problems. What has caused all this never ending conflict and trouble? The scriptures has the answer. “The Lord has a controversy with the nations” {Jeremiah 25:31} That one scripture has explained the history of this world, past, present, future and it can and will put a great light on the future of this earth and the events that are still to take place. For people to try to think out the mystery of the past condition and the future of this world without this truth is not possible. It just can not be done. The controversy is between right and wrong. It is the sin problem. Sin has been and always will be the cause of controversy between our creator and man.
“Light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light” {John 3:19} As a result of all this commotions that rocks this old world today time is running out. The world is really at war with God. It is at war with his truth, His Holiness. his justice, his purpose, His law, and his people on this earth. I want to leave you with this final thought. “WE ARE LIVING IN GOD’S FINIAL and last hour of mercy. The clock is running out and time will be no more. 

The Line In The Sand

Jesus said, “He that is not with Me, is against Me.” (Matthew 12:30).

When Jesus made the statement: “He that is not with Me, is against Me.” He drew a line in the sand and set it in cement forever more the importance the choice of loving Him and His teachings. All our life we have choices to make. What kind of automobile to drive, what kind of clothes to wear, what to watch on TV, where to live, to go here or to go there and the list could go on and on. But very soon the American people will have a greater choice to make. One that will make this country great again or turn it into “THE DARKEST HOUR” of its history.  Yes I’m talking about evil or good, right or wrong, To get to the point I’m talking about the upcoming elections. It is plain as day that the forces of good and evil are lining up to do battle.

Seldom does this writer talk about political issues and religious issues at the same time, but I would not being doing justice to the Christian faith and to the  millions of Christians that are about to take part in the upcoming elections. There is a line being drawn in the sand and choices will have to be made. Although it will be for who the America people want to guide us for the next four years, it goes way beyond that.  Many times, in the past, we have heard “America is at a cross roads”. Today, at this very hour, she is most surely at that crossroad. This year the American people will choose between the two parties (Republican or Democrat) to lead our country into the future. But there is a greater choice that will be made in this upcoming election. We must choice on that day, as we vote, who we, as Americans will serve. Will it be God or will it be Baal?  If you are a true born again Christian, who believes in the teachings found in the Holy Bible, there is but one way to vote. We must think about the word of God and how that “BOOK” stands on the issues that are facing the American people. It is our duty to vote for; “What saith God!” Not necessarily  for one party or the other party.

God’s people {The true believers} are no fence sitters. They are founded on that solid rock, “Christ Jesus” and will follow him. If we, as Christians follow the Bible and use it as a guide we can easily see how we must vote if we are to be true to our Savior. There is no half way, or sitting on the fence about His teaching and on that solid rock we must stand. All other is sinking sand. We will all give an account some day for what we did or did not do. So I ask my fellow Christians; “What are you prepared to do?” It is time to make our voices heard and be counted for His Glory. Just like the three Hebrew children we must make a stand. In their day it was making a choice to not serve a false God. They said; “…….we will not serve your Gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” {Daniel 3:12} We, as Christians, have a choice to make in this upcoming election. That choice is is to stand up for what is right in God’s eyes. The Bible does teach us to obey, honor and pray for those in authority over us {Romans 13:1-7} {1Timothy 2:1-2} {1Peter2:13-17} But our first duty is to God. We are to obey what our Lord called the greatest commandment - "to love the one true God with all our heart, soul,mind, and strength” {Matthew 22:37-38} {Deuteronomy 6:5} If you really stop and think what these verses are saying, not only does this mean we are not to honor or worship any false Gods it also means and includes giving priority to His teachings in our lives. There must be true obedience to God and His commandments. Obedience is better than sacrifice. People think that we live in a pick and choose world where they can pick what they want to believe in and what they do not want to believe in.If you serve God You will keep all His commandments and teachings.

We have one party that promotes homosexuals, same sex marriages, Gay rights {it will be part of their platform at their convention}, the killing of unborn babies on demand, and many other ungodly things. Their leader has made statements that go against God. For example their leader {Barrack Obama} said that parts of the Bible are not for today. He has stood publicly and made fun of certain scriptures in the Bible while at other times he has quoted from other non Christian books like the Karan. He has stated that the greatest sound in the morning is the sound you hear when Muslims are called to prayer. So what is he? A Christian or a Muslim. We have, also the fact this leader is the most anti-Israeli president we have ever had in elective office. None of these things are showing much love for God and teachings. Obama and his party are popular because of all the free handouts and empty promises that are based on lies. Some even think that he is the messiah and he is called by many; “THE BLACK MESSIAH”  It is a shame that some professing Christians, after reading and knowing what the Word of God says would align their self with this man or his party. “They will believe a lie and be damned” I pray for these people that they would come back to God and His teachings! Some professing Christians will vote for him because of the color of his skin. Where will that leave them when the Books are open on judgment day?

What do we have in the other party? The majority of this party has had a “WAKENING”. Most of them have turned from their slumber and want a turning around of our nation. Not only for the economy and other things, but for the renewing of our relationship with the creator and His laws and teaching. We have a man named Mitt Romney who wants to be the leader of our nation that professes Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. He might not be a Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Pentecostal, or some other religion that you belong to, but with his mouth he has confessed Christ as the Savior of the world! He and his party are pro Israel, against the killing of unborn babies. Their platform, at their convention does not include rights for homosexuals or gay rights. If we do not vote for him it is a vote for Obama and that “DARKEST HOUR”

Jesus Christ and His teachings is not one of many ways to God as some would have you to believe, nor is he the best of several ways. He is the only way.” Christ is the way unchanging; He is the truth infallible; He is the life everlasting. The Bible is not outdated. It is still a lamp to guide us and forever our Lord’s Word is settled in Heaven. Jesus is the way that you might be saved. He is the truth that you might be sure. He is the life that you might be satisfied. He is the Living Water! It is no political party or some phony great leader that promises you the world that will satisfy your soul.

Finally I’m not telling you to vote for the Democrats or the Republicans. This is how some will take this article. I’m telling you, straight up, if you are a follower of Jesus The Christ then you must vote for what thus says the Lord. The line in the sand, which side of it are you on?

REASONS TO LOVE JESUS

 

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) 

There Is A Cost!

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.