The First

The first thought I had this morning was "fruit!"

Then when I opened my Notes, I found these two quotes: 

   "They always love their sin; they always excuse it and they think there's no harm in doing so."

   "Don't imagine that you can be in a justified safe without the fruit of it - that is the key."

I am aware that many do not know what "fruit" is, yet most think they are saved, because their denomination told them they were, after they "made a decision!"

Here's what the Word of God says:

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew‬ ‭7:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

"Them" are those who follow Christ; who belong to Him!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:22-24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Did you catch that? "they that are Christ's" exhibit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance. Those are the qualities that are present, even when their lemon gets squeezed! 

And those that think they are, but are not Christ's, continue in the following;

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:19-21‬ ‭KJV‬

When you repent of your sins, you choose to turn from going your way - to going God's Way! 

It's surrendering your will to His will. You accept Jesus' sacrifice for your sins and become (on your own volition) His servant. Your life is no longer your own.

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” Ephesians‬ ‭4:22‬ ‭KJV

“And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

You don't even want to do the same things you used to do! 

(Read Ephesians 4:25-32)

""They always love their sin; they always excuse it and they think there's no harm in doing so."

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Loving the world and the things of the world is another key as to whom you belong. When you "belong" to Christ the world holds no attraction for you! You know that this is not your home and are repulsed by most things that the world desires.

"and they think there's no harm in doing so" factors big in determining whose you are! If you see nothing wrong in what is on TV, in magazines, or in the movies, then you do not belong to Christ. You may go to church, you may even teach Sunday School, but your attraction to the world is the evidence of who you belong to!

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8:44‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When you belong to Christ, you are different!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

You don't even resemble the person you once were. And the most obvious (to everyone who knows you) is your hunger and thirst for righteousness. You can't get enough of your Bible; reading every chance you have!

Do you ever remember being that way? But not so much any more?

Have you lost your first Love?

Here's what Jesus said to the church in Revelation:

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2:4-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Do not believe the lies of the enemy that says "you are okay!"  

If I stepped on your toes this morning, then that means you need to talk to Jesus! Ask Him to show you the sin hiding in your heart: unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, unbelief. Then when he does - repent! 

Repent for time is short! 

Even so - MARANATHA! 

It Is Well

It Is Well With My Soul

(Original lyrics)

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know^a
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul".

Even so - MARANATHA! 

I Begin

I begin this morning with:

“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And end with:

“And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭18:34‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And both continue to this day!

“Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭18:31-33‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus was born into this world to fulfill the prophecies of Savior! He met the requirements of a perfect sacrifice. He knew all along He would die and had to do so, for mankind to be saved! He knew He faced the cross and He went willingly! 

And we must too! 

And again most do not understand, for it is -

"hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken"

For the message of picking up your cross does not appeal to those who seek a "feel good" gospel!  (Matthew 16:24)

Most today worship "another Jesus"; one who does not require sacrifice to be a follower!

“For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And many do! 

If we want to know something about anything we study the subject! We will spend a lifetime investigating a topic to become an expert, yet when it comes to our salvation we will trust a man's theory or perception to make our decision! We believe without question a "man's" word; never checking out for ourselves what "God" says! The majority spend their entire life going to church and never reading their Bible! They trust in their traditions! My daddy . . . his daddy . . .  and his daddy before him were _______ (Methodist, Catholic, Baptist - you fill in the blank!)

It is imperative that we seek The Truth for ourselves, for deception is widespread! 

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭11:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

If your God does not require repentance of your sins; or forgiveness; or holiness, then you serve another god! If your God does not require obedience to His Word, the you are worshiping another god!

If you are seeking an "experience" or "signs and wonders" instead of "putting to death the deeds of the flesh", then you are deceived!

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

Romans‬ ‭8:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The narrow way is hard and few find it! Don't go with the crowds on the broad path! You, for yourself - seek Him! Pick up your Bible and read it, like you would any book! See for yourself! (Matt 7:14)

Only the world says, "if it feels good do it!"

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And it still is!

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke‬ ‭17:20-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Repent while there is still time!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 5/3/16

Who Gets

Who gets the glory?

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:1-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Does the above scripture describe most ministries? Sadly no.

Charitable deeds are shouted from the housetops and proclaimed on social media!

I was thinking the other day how successful so many "ministries" have become. They command arenas and charge high dollar ticket prices for concerts or conferences. The "show" is practically indistinguishable from those of the world! And the words "reach",  "numbers",  and "thousands responding"; catch phrases to denote success; all the while proclaiming "God gets the glory", while their name are the ones in lights!

Headliners! Opening acts! Pyrotechnics!

The music even sounds the same; just the words are changed! 

Don't get me wrong! 

I love contemporary Christian music! It's all I listen to and am often moved to tears by the way the message of some the songs touch my heart! 

However, when you can't tell the difference, between the songs, the glam, or the promotion then you should be questioning the spirit behind it all!

There is a spirit of mixture; a spirit of compromise that has saturated the church and was prophesied to happen by Jesus Himself! We are warned repeatedly to beware lest we be deceived! And yet we are! 

We are unaware! 

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Just in case you haven't noticed, we are in "the last days!" 

Reading The Bible, these days, is much more accurate than the newspaper.  The location and events occurring around the world, and especially here, are right on schedule, and if you want to know what tomorrow will bring, dust it off and start reading! 

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:1-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus HAS to be the headliner! 

He's supposed to get ALL the glory! 

We are supposed to lift HIM up, not ourselves! 

Yes, artists have families to support and the costs to put on an event is astronomical, however you have to look at WHOSE NAME is above ALL names?

Sadly, I see every name but Jesus!  

IF outwardly it's not Jesus, why would we expect it inwardly to be the case?

Just because you say "Lifting up the name of Jesus", doesn't mean too much if your name is the one in lights or your picture is all over the place! 

Jesus does not need to be promoted! He needs to be obeyed! 

The money that is being spent to take a show on the road; what impact will it have on the lives of the ones who are buying the tickets? "Changing Lives", is the catch phrase of today, but no lives are changed because repentance is not preached! There is no change of heart because no one knows what sin is and they believe they are heaven bound because they said a few words after walking the aisle with a few hundred people, but then went home ridiculing the homeless person the see on the corner, for not working; disobeying their parent; fighting with their spouse; lying to their employer; saying mean things on their Facebook page about the people sitting in front of them at the concert; or complaining because the waitress got their order wrong at McDonalds.

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:9-10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Nor will those who hold unforgiveness in their hearts!

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

All of you who are talking nonstop bout the moral failures of the world need to take a good long look at your own heart! 

Unforgiven people will not be in heaven!

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:1-5‬ ‭KJV

It's all about the heart! Your heart!

It's all about repentance! Repentance of sin! Of changing course and turning from the sins that have you bound!

HOWEVER -

"You will never be free of the things that you love!" (Andy Brink)

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

You have to hate your sin and know you can't do anything about it on your own!

To be saved, you must know you need a Savior!

Examine your heart!

Repent!

Cry out to God, while there is still time!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 6/11/15, 10/13/15

Neither With You

“Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day: (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭29:14-20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It was in reading this book that THE LORD opened my eyes many years ago! It was in reading The Curses that I was made aware of their existence in my life and the lives of those in the church around me! Reading this morning I weep in gratitude for His mercy and grace that called me out, instead of leaving me in darkness!

“Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭29:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I am amazed He gave me, a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear! 

Me! 

He showed me my sins!

And He showed me The Curse operating in my life! 

I had been told I was Blessed! 

I was lied to, by the church!

“Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭29:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

You can say all day long that we are no longer under that covenant and that the law was fulfilled and you would be right! 

We do have a better covenant! 

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:37-40‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Love! That's all we have to do!

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” Matthew‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It's a better or New Covenant! 

An easier covenant; or is it?

When was the last time you loved The Lord with all of your heart; having no one or thing above Him? Not your children? Not your spouse? Not your career? When was the last time you loved your neighbor (brother, sister, coworker, employer, ex) as you love yourself? When was the last time you put Jesus above your wants and desires? 

Yes, when we miss it, there is mercy and grace! If not we would already be dead! Instead we move out from under His hedge of protection (Blessings) and into the world which is cursed! ‬‬

““If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE Lord YOUR GOD, then the LORD will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭28:58-59‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

(Read all of Deuteronomy 28 and 29 and tell me you don't see it in all of the lives around you!)

The curse is supposed to be so uncomfortable that we don't want to stay there, but repent and move back under God's protection! 

Don't you see, "great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses" everywhere you look?

Oh, people it's past time to repent! It's time to stop following the dictates of your heart and obey the WORD of THE LORD!

“But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It stands to reason, however, conversely "if you are led by the "flesh", then you are back under the law!

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:19-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Not to mention - unforgiveness, gossip, grumbling and complaining, pride, bitterness, anger, fear, worry, and unbelief!

Church, we are running out of time! 

Examine your heart! Ask The LORD to reveal to you the sins you have hidden there and repent! Ask Him to open your eyes, ears and give you His heart, before it's too late for you and everyone you love! 

We must reach our world with The Truth and your family is your world!

Repent!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 8/4/16

So Then

“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭14:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So, how do you think you are doing?  Good?

Do you think that God would be happy with your walk, if you were to be called "Home" today?

“For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:37‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.” Romans‬ ‭14:10-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We are not to judge our brother but we are to judge ourselves. If we do so now, here, and confess and repent when we "miss it", then, when we stand before God our sins will be under The Blood!

The Blood of Jesus does indeed cover our sins, but only through daily obedience and walking in repentance of our sin! 

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Yes, Mercy and Grace are available until repentance is made, but they are not a license to continue in sin. His Word is quite plain what He considers sin. 

Ask God to show you your sins and then confess and repent when He does! (James 5:26)

When we first come to God and turn from our sins we feel clean. Then, as we continue in our daily walk we are faced with choices of walking in love or walking as the world does. Often times, we do "it" wrong and without repentance we start picking up some dust. In no time, we find we are a little dirty as the filth of the world begins to build again! If we ask God, He will reveal old sins in our heart that continue to attract the same old sins (anger, fear, worry, bitterness, lust). Those sins have to be dealt with or we again become crusty; our heart is hardened! (A backslidden state)

Repentance is the only way to be rid of the effects of the sins of the world! We've done things the same way for so long and really it's not that bad - right? 

Wrong! 

We are to be separate from the world!   “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”  1 John‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We are to obey God's Word!  “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John‬ ‭14:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He says forgive - we HAVE to forgive!   “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He says don't judge - we DONT judge! “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:1-2‬ ‭KJV

When we miss it - we REPENT!

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Being scrubbed clean is hard but oh, it feels so good to have the layers of filth we've carried for so long be removed! 

Repent while there is still time!

Get clean again! 

Sparkle!!!!!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 9/11/14, 6/15/15, 9/12/16

Let No Man

“Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It seems everywhere I turn I hear preachers and self-proclaimed prophets speaking vain or empty words! 

Their long, prayers and prophecies promising this and such are full of "vain words"! (empty words, worthless, having no substance) I have listened in amazement, thinking "this is gobbley gook" - it makes no sense, it has no substance, yet all around me people make a big deal over their proclamations! 

"Vain words" are void of life! They promise peace and prosperity, never speaking of obedience, conviction, repentance or dying to self! Their routes are devoid of sacrifice! Never will you be called to follow Christ to the cross! They are lying spirits!

“Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭22:23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke‬ ‭13:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭13:24-27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

If it feels good; if it requires nothing from you, but promises the world - it's a lie! 

We are called to live like Jesus! We are to take up our cross! We will be hated and persecuted! Our families and our friends will speak hurtful words about us! We are called to suffer for the gospel! 

I like the way Charles Spurgeon put it: "If you are called to endure hardness for the sake of the truth, then those are the sufferings of Christ. If you suffer for your ownsake, it may be a punishment for your own sins."

If you are promised (by someone laying hands on you) that things will be better and money and happiness is coming your way, you are being lied to! Our life is not meant to be easy. It is through the fire we are proved and made to be a reflection of the Master! Jesus promises peace through the storm, only if you keep your eyes on Him!

Guard your heart! Read your Bible! Know His word! The Holy Spirit will reveal to you The Truth and give you a check in your spirit when deception comes calling! Pray God opens your eyes and gives you discernment! Pray you will not be deceived!

“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

Matthew‬ ‭24:24‬ ‭KJV

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 12/16/15

There Is

There is a big difference in believing in The LORD and obeying The LORD. The is a big difference in believing and following.

Continuing my read in Jeremiah; I see time and time again, people inquiring of The LORD, through the prophet and then not obeying what The LORD spoke to them, through him. And God was very specific; if you do this - you will be saved. If you do that - you will die. 

They believed enough to inquire, but then didn't believe the message he gave, but followed the evil dictates of their heart, when what they heard did not go along with what they desired to do. 

“and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭43:2‬b ‭KJV‬‬

Isn't that what we do? 

We pray, or we ask people to pray to get our own way. We tell God what we want, or what we need, and then go on and do what we had intended to do all along. 

Then we try and claim His blessings in our disobedience.

We believe The Word, when it suits our desires, but when it goes against our wants we justify our sin by saying - "well that's OT; that doesn't count anymore."  "That was for them then; not for us now!" 

The only OT that applies for them is the "good stuff" - not the bad!

This is salad bar religion. 

I know, because that's the way I was too; before! 

BC - does mean "before Christ", in my life. I was as obedient as my church required me to be. 

Before God got a hold of me, I did exactly what I wanted to do and it was okay, because that's what everyone else did, and besides, "God knew my heart!"

I had not read my Bible. I did not know what The Word said about the heart!  (Jeremiah 16:12, Jeremiah 18:12, Luke 6:45, Hebrews 3:12)

Then I began to read The Word!

I have always loved to read. I realized I had never read The Bible from cover to cover; like I read every other book. Oh, I carried it every Sunday. I would highlight the passages the preacher would mention. And if I happened across a Scripture that was a lyric from a song I knew, I would get so excited.

But to sit and read - No. 

Then God put it on my heart to read His Word; and I began - "In the beginning. . . " and I haven't stopped. That was 6 years ago. 

Did you know - it doesn't take a year to read The Bible?  All it takes is a hunger and thirst for Him; for Him to speak to you; to know Him, like He knows you! The Word is life! ‬‬

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” ‭John‬ ‭1:1-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Do you believe that?‬‬

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Most don't believe or comprehend it! Most believe it has been corrupted by men. ‬‬

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”

‭‭John‬ ‭10:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Being a Christian is not about going to church. It's not about believing. ‬‬

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

‭‭James‬ ‭2:19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It's about Following.

It's about obedience! ‬‬

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Examine your heart.

Ask God to show you where you have missed it, and He will! 

Then repent. 

This time of year; when everyone is saying "put Christ back in Christmas" -

Make Him LORD!

Become a Follower!

Put Christ back in "Christian!"

He has to be THE Principal Purpose of your life - or He is not your LORD!

Repent while there is still time!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 12/2/16

Beware Brethren

"Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”" (‭Hebrews‬ ‭3‬:‭12-15‬ NKJV)

Did you catch that?

"If we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end" we will become partakers of Christ!

And 

"lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." 

Did you know that the sin of unbelief can attack you at any point in your walk? It is one of the darts the enemy will fire at you and entertaining it is sin! The devil's whole intent is to take you out of the war and unbelief is extremely effective ammunition! 

It starts out as unbelief in yourself then spreads to unbelief in God! It is so subtle and many a believer has quit the race by not repenting of associating with it. 

Flirting with sin is always disastrous and repentance is the only solution!

A couple of weeks ago a friend gave me an old copy of a David Wilkerson publication entitled "The Ultimate Test Of Faith". I shoved it in my bag to read later, and promptly forgot it, until 2 days ago. It was a God Thing! He knew, exactly, I would need it right then! 

Excerpt:

     "All are guilty of such unbelief at times. Often when we face yet another struggle we let the enemy discourage us. We're overcome by unexplainable loneliness and feel a sense of total in adequacy. We become convinced The Lord doesn't hear us. And a cry erupts in our hearts "God where are you? I pray, I fast, I study your Word. All  I want is a closer walk with you. Why won't you deliver me from this?

    We keep going to the secret closet of prayer but we don't feel like praying.  Our souls are dry, empty, exhausted from our struggles.  Yet we don't dare accuse the Lord of neglecting us in our condition.  So we approach him with our heads down, discouraged and weak. We pray 'Lord, I don't blame you.  You're  good and kind to me and I know the problem is in me. I've failed you so much.'"

[Okay here it is!!!!!!]

     "All God hears from us in such times is how unprofitable we are in His sight. Yet, that isn't humility. On the contrary it is and outright insult to a Father who adopted us with a covenant promise to love and support us throughout our life time. When we tell him how bad we are - how weak, empty and useless we are to Him, we despise all He has accomplished in us!"

Oh!

 Praise God for His mercy!!!

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."(‭I Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭13‬ NKJV)

He knew I would go through this test! He made a way to show me my sin! He had a friend give me a paper Wilkerson published in 2004, that addressed EXACTLY what I was going through. He sent so many to encourage me.

God knew!!!!!!

I have repented of my sin of unbelief in Him and my peace and joy have been restored and I praise His Holy Name!!!!

Hope this helps you today! 

We have to hold steadfast till the end and stay pliable all the way!

Walk in repentance!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 9/8/14

Be Ye Angry

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” Ephesians‬ ‭4:26-27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Do you see here that sin gives place to the devil?

It doesn't matter if it is anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, covetousness, adultery, fear or any other sin! 

Sin opens the door and allows the devil to do his thing; i.e. kill, steal, and destroy! Oh, and throw in there torment! ‬‬

Since my conversion, I have purposed my heart to seek Him; walk with Him; serve Him! 

And about the time I think I'm getting the hang of this servanthood, He exposes another sin! One that may have been hidden or one that may have crept in under my radar!

“If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.” Psalms‬ ‭44:20-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Sometimes it takes a while for me to recognize I'm being chastised! Sometimes it quickly slaps me in the face! Those "aha" moments are thrilling and humbling at the same time! 

When faced with my sin I have the opportunity to do one or two things! Justify or repent! 

Justifying is what the devil does! He makes excuses and refuses to obey because he has a right! But the right way is to lay down your "right"! Give up your "right"! Not be right for the sake of being obedient to His Word! 

“For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:19-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Laying down my pride, humbling myself in repentance, admitting that I'm wrong, confessing my sin to another is so hard, because my flesh, my old man does not want to die! Oh, I get victory in an area and then another spot demands attention! And all the while the battle continues, then the skirmish is over and the enemy retreats to fight yet another day! 

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I'm bloodied, and bruised but the victory is mine, because I do not war alone, when I choose to enter in the fight and obey, instead of refusing to engage! 

All the while I know I am being perfected! 

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

All of the promises of God are true and ours when we are obedient! But we don't obey for the promises! We obey because of our love for Him! That is how we show our devotion! We obey because He obeyed, even unto death on a cross! 

“Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” Mark‬ ‭10:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

How can we say, "No, I won't"?

Even so - MARANATHA! I'm 

From 2/22/15, 5/4/15, 5/22/16

Everyone Loves

Everyone loves a good love story! Probably because loves stories do not play out like real life! The fairy tales we were read do not exist, and even knowing that, we still read them to our children. The fabrications of rescue and life lived happily ever after, set us up for a sure fail, and the enemy points the finger to our shortcomings as to why we never obtain the prize! 

But there is one love story that is true and attainable, and the only requirement for us to receive it, is acceptance!

“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.” ‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Yes, He loves us! He loves you and He loves me! He IS indeed love! It's His love that sets us apart from the rest of the world! And the best part, we can't earn His love, it is freely given!

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:38-39‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And when we realize (truly fathom) how He loves us, we reciprocate!

“We love him, because he first loved us.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He shows us His love in so many ways; too numerous to count! So how do we show our love for Him?

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” 

John‬ ‭14:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,” Deuteronomy‬ ‭10:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

But do we? To our shame, don't we actually love everything in the world more than we love God? We put everything above Him! We make time for the things we want/have to do, and even have time for entertainment, but hardly have time to spend reading His Word! But the biggest competition for God's love is the love for another! (boyfriend, spouse, children, grandchildren) 

When we love someone or something more than God it is called an idol! Many think idols to be stone or wood, but most often they are our flesh and blood!  Those we love we pursue and cling to, with everything in us! 

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We show God everyday who/what we love above Him! We never consider the pain we cause Him, like a lover scorned! We turn our back on Him pursuing that which will never satisfy or endure! 

“For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭34:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The further away we move from His love and our relationship with Him, the more difficult our life becomes! His hedge of protection from the evils in this world is gone because we have left it; we've walked away looking for something other than Him! So He tries to bring us back into relationship!

“For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Discipline is hard! It hurts! And the more we resist, the more it hurts!

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

But because of His great love for us; when we come to our senses and turn in repentance, He is there with open arms to receive us back!

We are all adulteresses! We all are harlots for we have bestowed our love on everything and everybody to the exclusion of God! Yet, He is merciful and forgiving when we confess our sin and repent! 

“Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” Luke‬ ‭7:47‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I am "her"; for I was forgiven much and  because of it, oh - how much I love Him! 

You who have grown up in church and never done anything "wrong", yet love the world more than God are actually is worse shape than we who came off of a barstool! We knew we were sinners! Do you see your sins?

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (I John‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Examine yourself! 

Is He the principal purpose of your life? 

Do you love Him with your whole heart, or is that place reserved for your children or grandchildren; or your pets?

Is He or has He ever been your First Love?

Do you remember the first time you fell in love? All you thought about was them! You doodled their name! You called, wrote love notes, made dates! You craved their attention; sought it; set everything else on hold for them; determined to spend your life with them!

God wants to be your First Love!

‬‬

Jesus even calls us on it!

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

You have just be caught in adultery! Do you feel the shame in your heart? What are you going to do? 

Repent! Turn back to The One Who loves you and thinks you're to die for!

Fall back in love today, with Jesus The Lover of your soul, for you are not promised tomorrow!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 8/2/16

Cause Me

“Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”  Psalms‬ ‭143:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Oh, how I have been where David was, here in Psalm 143!

“For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭143:3-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So many times, thorough out my life, my feelings were like David's! A spirit of Depression had its talons in me; tightly held in despondency; no light, no hope, no joy! I was captured! Therapy, counseling and pills prescribed for 16 years did not set me free! 

Obedience to The Word of God, procured my freedom!

David knew the only help he had was in The Lord! 

Why do we, believers, look to the world to solve a spiritual problem? Because our flesh wants our problems "fixed" with no pain on our part! 

In our "microwave", "drive-thru" society, if the results are not instantaneous, then it's a "fail"! We are spoiled rotten, and because of our rebellious ways, we are destined for the same unrelenting torment throughout eternity without repentance!

The world's way will manage our problem until we seek God for the fix; like a life preserver being thrown to a drowning man. The preserver is not the answer, but will do until he's pulled upon a ship!

David knew God and he knew how to get the answers he needed from God! He humbled himself and turned!

When I humbled myself and obeyed The Word, God set me free! It was all Him! The only thing I brought to the table was my will; I gave it up!

At the advice of a friend, I met with a brother and sister and (according to James 5:16) confessed my sins! I made a list of the people who had hurt me, and the people I had hurt, I chose to repent of the judgments I had made and chose to forgive them, and I was healed! Just as He promised! I figured I had tried everything else, what had I to lose? 

God was faithful because I obeyed! I was willing to endure the pain of humiliation, to be set free of the pain of guilt, hopelessness and rejection! I received forgiveness that night! The Blood of Jesus was irrefutably applied and I have never been the same!

The painful tragic events that had me so bound, I now have trouble even remembering! And there is no pain associated with the events! No pain! 

Then in subsequent meetings, over the past 3 years, (because I had jammed 60 years worth of sin behind the walls, I had erected to protect myself) I have been set free from a spirit of fear, a spirit of rejection, and a spirit of anger! God is cleaning out the refuse I've hidden in my heart, as my desire is for Him and a pure heart!

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” Psalms‬ ‭143:1-2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah. Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.” Psalms‬ ‭143:5-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David, not only sought The Lord, but he reminded himself of all of the miracles God had done in his life! He took his mind off of his problems and put his mind on God and His faithfulness! 

When the enemy is telling you what God is NOT going to do, tell him what God has already done!

Now, when the tormentor tries to attack me, I remind myself of what God has already done!  I throw the miracles God has done in me, right back in the devil's face! 

“Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭143:8-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

That's why I say,  "my mornings with God are the best part of my day!" 'I hear His loving kindness in the mornings!' I purpose to be with Him! I seek Him! 

And when the darkness tries to come back on me, I ask God where I have missed it (so as not to give the devil a foothold) and He reveals my sin, so I may repent! He 'brings my soul out of trouble' for His 'righteousness sake'!  It's a daily walk for His 'servant'!

Please, please, please - humble yourself and repent while there is still time!

Seek God with your whole heart! Make Him the principal purpose of your life, for He is faithful and will never leave you or forsake you! Trust Him for He is trustworthy.

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 3/11/15, 5/28/16

For There Is

“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”

‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

My reading this morning reminded me of a conversation I had yesterday with one of my 92-year-old clients. We were discussing the sin of fear and worry, as she worries a great deal. She made the statement, "I'm not perfect, but I am a good person!"

The following scripture came to mind:

“And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Here Jesus is saying that only God is good! 

Matthew also relates the story.

“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Notice the young man wants to do good for the reward of eternity.

“And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus tells him, but yet again the young man wants to make sure he's got it right. He believes himself to be good but is checking to see if he has dotted all his "i"s and crossed all of his "t"s.

“He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:18-20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:21-22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

At this point the young man considered the cost and was unwilling to surrender. He was happy to be "good", but unwilling to be perfect. He wanted eternity but also wanted the world. In other words he loved the world more than God!

You can keep the commandments without loving God, but can't love God without keeping His commandments! 

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” 

John‬ ‭14:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭7:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

If we were able to "do" good to gain eternity we would not need Jesus. We can't. But it's Him working in us, perfecting us when we empty ourselves of self. It's His work, not ours. (Philippians 1:6) He gets the glory!

What our part is - is surrender; our will for His will. Loving Him more than this world - our life. Desiring His pleasure more than ours. It's not about us; it's ALL about Him!

It's giving up our rights. 

I can also tell you what it's not!

It's not asking Jesus into your heart and then going about your business unchanged. Your church may have told you, you were saved, but if you did not make Him LORD, and turn from your wicked ways (doing whatever you want to do) you are going to hell - plain and simple. You cannot love the world more than God and go to heaven.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew‬ ‭7:13-15‬ ‭

Will you, today, give up your right to be right?

Will you surrender your will for Him to use you as He wishes for His Kingdom?

Will you repent?

Time is short - Salvation not a decision it's an act of submission; and it's for a lifetime; for eternity.

Even so - MARANATHA! 

Did You Know

Did you know that not every thought in your head is your own? 

Let me explain:

There are three voices we hear in our heads: 

1). the one that never shuts up - the devil; 

2)  God - the still small voice - you have to listen very hard for;

3) and your own voice.

It's our choice who we listen to and with whom we agree.

In our mind is where we battle the devil and learning to recognize his voice and his tactics is half of the battle.

 

The key to recognizing the devil's voice is his tone. He is always accusing, belittling, demeaning, instigating, just to name a few. But above all he is a liar. That realization is imperative for a successful walk. His main purpose is destroy you and everything you have. He hates you. He hates your children. He wants you all dead.

But God is there too and He IS life. Again, you have a choice as to whom you listen.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

John‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8:44‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When you are in a trial, I promise you the devil is there beating you up - in your head! He will say things like: "give up - it's hopeless"; "you've never succeeded before"; "why try?"; and the list of his lies goes on and on! His favorite: "Hath God said?" His voice of doubt is unceasing. 

When we open our mouth and say what he whispered in our head, it becomes our thought. For example: we say: "I can not" - we at that point own it, and we can't!

Even some of the most seemingly innocent thoughts can have great tragedy at the devils direction. Our words give him power.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

That is why the Word of God admonishes us to take every thought captive.

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 

2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The devil puts thoughts of worry and fear in our minds, all of the time. Thoughts of "what if?" and all sorts of horrible possibilities create havoc in our minds, and that that is the devils intent. That is torment and in the extreme can be paralyzing. 

Worry and fear is sin and sin separates us from God, so when we entertain those thoughts we are playing right into the devil's hands. Worry and sin are unbelief in God; that He is capable and must be repented of, to reestablish relationship.

So what are we supposed to think about? I'm glad you asked!

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is why is it crucial to read your Bible; to know it; get it in your heart! Meditate on it day and night!

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Learn this and put it into practice. Know your enemy! Get in this war! There are no conscientious objectors! This is serious stuff!

“For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:37‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Repent while there is still time.

Even so - MARANATHA! 

For The Time

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”  1 Peter‬ ‭4:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

‭‭James‬ ‭2:19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭2:11-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“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. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:1-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:1-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Enough said!

Repent while there is still time!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 2/14/17

I Begin

I begin this morning with:

“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And end with:‬‬

“And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭18:34‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And both continue to this day!

“Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.”  Luke‬ ‭18:31-33‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus was born into this world to fulfill the prophecies of a Savior! He met the requirements of a perfect sacrifice. He knew all along He would die and had to do so, for mankind to be saved! He knew He faced the cross and went willingly! 

And we must too! 

And again most do not understand, for it is -

"hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken"

For the message of picking up your cross does not appeal to those who seek a "feel good" gospel! Most today worship a different Jesus; one who does not require sacrifice to be a follower!

“For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And many do! 

If we want to know something about anything we study the subject! We spend lifetimes investigating a topic to become an expert, yet when it comes to our salvation we trust a human's theory or perception to make our decision! We believe without investing at a "man's" word; never checking out for ourselves what "God" says! The majority spend their entire life going to church and never reading their Bible! They trust in their traditions! My daddy . . . his daddy . . .  and his daddy before him were _______ (Methodist, Catholic, Baptist - you fill in the blank!)

It is imperative that we seek The Truth for ourselves, for deception is widespread! 

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭11:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

If your God does not require repentance of your sins; or forgiveness; or holiness, then you serve another god! If your God does not require obedience to His Word, the you are worshiping another god!

If you are seeking an "experience" or "signs and wonders" instead of "putting to death the deeds of the flesh", then you are deceived!

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The narrow way is hard and few find it! Don't go with the crowds on the broad path! You, for yourself - seek Him! Pick up your Bible and read it, like you would any book! See for yourself! (Matt 7:14)

Only the world says, "if it feels good do it!"

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And it still is!

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”  Luke‬ ‭17:20-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Repent while there is still time!

Even so - MARANATHA! 

From 5/3/16

The Spirit

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:1-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:17-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And He did all of that for me! 

He opened my eyes! He set me free! He gave me beauty for ashes! He healed my broken heart and gave me joy! Everything He said He would do, He did! 

And He used someone, for which He had done the same! 

Now, I too, can't help but proclaim the Good News that He will do it, also for you! 

So, if you have tried everything else and found no comfort, no remedy, no future; there is One on whom, of which you can set your hope! He is waiting for you to say, I surrender! 

When we come to the end of ourselves THAT is when we find Him! 

Give up!

Repent from your sin and make Him LORD! 

Even so - MARANATHA! 

4/8/15