Words From My Heart Daily Devotions

JANUARY 1

God With Us

In the beginning GOD created the heaven and the earth.

Simple enough! God made it all! What utter nonsense people have invented to get rid of God! Some eternal particles clashed together and out of this Bang came life forms. Then the living particles turned into birds and fish and reptiles and amphibians and mammals. Some evolved into human beings with intelligence and a conscience. Oh yeah, that makes sense! Out of chaos came order! What faith it takes to believe this! Actually, this is the faith of atheists. Anyone who believes this, no matter what church or faith they belong to, is an atheist. 

 

JANUARY 2

God IS the I AM

Numbers 23:19  God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, . . .

1 Samuel 15:29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he (God)  is not a man, that he should repent.

Hosea 11:9 . . . . . for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst,. . . .

While it is true that God is not a man, there truly is a union of Jesus Christ’s divine and human natures. We cannot fully comprehend this. Jesus proclaimed that he and the Father were one God. I and my Father are one (John 10:30).

John 10:33 says that the people clearly understood that Jesus claimed to be God. The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 

John 8:58 is another example where Jesus declared himself as God. "I tell you the truth … before Abraham was born, I am!”

God does not change. He specifically has never been a man. The Father and the Son are  distinct Persons, and yet are one God. GOD does not have a mother, and He alone is the Infinite Sovereign!

Jesus lived before Abraham! Abraham lived hundreds of years before Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.  Read John 1:1through 1:18. The Word is clear that God wasn't born that day. God already existed in eternity. God is the Alpha and Omega, not the son of Mary. It's not for our finite minds to understand all the deep things of God.

To say, "God is not a man,” is not to say, "God can never exist in the flesh." God did fully dwell in Jesus, as a man! Colossians 2:9 says, "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

"Immanuel" (God With Us) came into the world in human form. He existed in the flesh to represent God to mankind, however, Jesus already existed in the beginning with God, and IS God!! (John 1:1)

God has no mother! Mary is not the Mother of GOD. She was the human mother of the human Jesus, not the mother of God's essence, nature, or deity! Her son existed before her and created all things, even her.

“Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also” 1 John 2:23.

The Son is "the Word" - the eternal Jesus!  You can't believe in a false Christ and  have the true God.  A false gospel won't save you.

 

JANUARY 3

Don't Be Someones Excuse

Luke 12:2  For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

Hypocrisy is alive and well. People may fool us about their life or character, but God is never fooled. 

There are two things that are repulsive about a hypocrite - and that's his face. Hypocrites often hurt people without even realizing it. They are not honest. They deceive. Their walk and talk don't match.  They can smile at your face and stab you in the back. They like you as much as they can use you.  Their loyalty ends where their benefits stop. Hypocrites might complain about all the sex and violence on the cable TV programs they subscribe to.  Their lips and their lives preach two different messages. No one really likes a hypocrite. 

Many people have testified about their reasons for walking away from the Church and God. So very often, they will mention a hypocrite. How sad. Don't be the hypocrite someone uses as an excuse to turn away from a life of faith in God. Either be hot or cold, but never fake.  Nothing is hid from God.

 

 

 JANUARY 4

The True Kingdom

1 Corinthians 4:20  For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

The kingdom of God spoken of in this passage is not the same as the kingdom of heaven, the ultimate kingdom being prepared by God for the redeemed. Colossians 1:13 says that this kingdom translates believers (right now) into a place of light and understanding, totally delivered from the power of darkness. This darkness has the power of blindness and misery over all unbelievers.

The Kingdom of God is not attained by a simple profession of faith, nor by  gaining knowledge of spiritual things.  It's not attained by doing good deeds nor by being religious. Actually, suffering is a necessary component, as well as evidence, that one has been called into this kingdom! 2 Thes.4-5  and Acts 14:22.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).

In this kingdom, there is power!

There is power in prayer. There is power in love. There is power in faith. There is power in godliness. This is an eternal kingdom!  

1 Cor. 6:9-10 clearly tells who won’t inherit this kingdom.

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.

If you are in that description in 1 Cor., confess your sin to God and be made clean! 1 John 1:9 says that if you confess your sin to God, he will forgive you and cleanse you! That's the best news ever! Do it today! You only have two choices. Keep your sin and shun God's offer of forgiveness, or cast your sin and its penalty away and ask for forgiveness. There is no way I would shun heaven and choose sin and hell for all eternity! 
So what if its hard to walk the narrow road! The benefits are out of this world and eternal!

 

 

JANUARY 5

Get to Know the Author

2 Timothy 2:15   Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Peter 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

Notice that scripture is to be approached as a student, not as an expert. Truth is always in the words of scripture, not in the interpretation. Some people hunt for deeper meaning in the plain and simple words, in order to begin their debates. The prophets of old stopped semantic debate  by saying, "Thus sayeth the LORD . . . "  When people approach scripture as an expert, they tend to believe that their interpretations are better than the actual words of scripture. They seek to improve the Perfect Communicator's choice of words, engaging in debates with, "I really don't believe that . . . . " and then they follow-up with their feelings and not the actual plain words of scripture.  

The mysteries of God are only made available by the Spirit of God. The bible is not a book of human genius! One must be spiritually alive, or 'born again' to understand this sacred text (1 Cor. 2:14). God's Word is alive. It speaks to each of us. It can read our thoughts. and confront us with God's standards. God's Word is even able to judge our intentions. When we study God's holy Word, we are seeking truth, and God is truth. This is pleasing to God, who desires a personal relationship with each one of us.

 

JANUARY 6

Sudden Destruction Comes

Matthew 24:38  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark.

Getting married, getting divorced, eating and drinking, just like back then. In other words, just living ordinary lives, but lives without considering what God says. That’s the problem. That’s why sin dominates, both then and now.

While camp-hosting at Cloudland Canyon in North Georgia, my husband and I observed that there were many gopher turtles in the state park. They dug holes in the side of hills and then rested inside of them. One of our jobs was to gather unsightly, burnable debris from empty camping sites and bring it to the fire pit to be burned in a weekly bonfire. We also brought broken furniture from cabins to this pit.

On one trip to the fire pit, we noticed that several gopher turtles had dug holes in the walls of the ashy fire pit, unaware that a terrible day of destruction was coming soon. They comfortably sat in the walls of this large ash bowl living ordinary lives. If only we could rescue them! In two more days they would be in an inferno!

God’s word says that the earth is going to burn up one day. God’s faithful followers will be rescued before that fire and destruction. But many people are living as blind and unaware as these turtles were. They are not God’s faithful followers, but they can be! A rescue is available for them, unlike these turtles!  

Romans  10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Like these turtles, many people are building their 'house' on the sand.  They trust everything temporal and  nothing eternal. Scripture says that whatever is not built on Christ, the Rock, will one day be lost. Set your affections on things above! That security plan is out of this world!

 

JANUARY 7

Listen to Jesus!

John 2:5  His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever HE SAITH unto you, do it.

Take some advice from Mary! Open up the Bible and do what Jesus says to do. Ask the Lord to give you clear eyes so that you can read the Bible without any man-made distortions and traditions which you may have been taught. Don't look to "Marian apparitions,"  traditions,  or new revelations/additions to the written word of God! Whatsover he saith is what we are supposed to do!

It is our privilege to live in a free and affluent country where we can own a personal bible. Many of us own several. So read the one you own and see if there is something you need to do. 

Where do you start if you are a new Bible reader? The New Testament for sure. The book of John . . . Keep going! It's all good!

 

JANUARY 8

The Best Insurance

Ecclesiastes 5:10  He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes we just don’t seem to know when we have enough? We want more, more, more! We fill spaces; we pack; we stack; we crunch and crowd closets and shelves and drawers.  We also live with mind clutter because we have so much awareness of the “stuff” we collect. “Stuff” clutters the mind! We really know that we need to let go of so much of it or it may become someone elses  job one day when we pass on.

I was once a big time  “prepper” until we decided to let go of almost everything we owned and go full-time RVing! I had lots of survival foods stashed in all the nooks and crannies in my house. I think I could have fed my neighborhood for awhile. I identified with “Joseph” in the Bible,who stored food and saved his family during a famine in Egypt. When living in the RV I had to remember that my heavenly Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He knows all my needs. I decided  to rest in God's reputation and His Word, and I had nowhere to store all of it, so I let it go.

Don’t treasure your stuff. God has enough to go around and He will supply all our needs. While food storage can serve as an  "insurance policy," never forget who underwrites the policy! We have faith in our Provider, God.  We do continue to insure our homes, vehicles, and our health, but that is not because we lack faith. It is wisdom. I'm also quite certain that in today's climate of uncertain food supplies, a little wisdom is again necessary in the food storage rhelm. Insurance , but not obsession. God is still our true provider and he has an unlimited supply.

JANUARY 9

True Faith is Evidence

James 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Believing that there is one God, or believing that Jesus is real, cannot save, nor profit a man in any way. Even devils are not atheists! They do not deny the existence of  God! They KNOW and believe that Jesus is the holy one of God, the very One who they will face at the Judgement, to receive  just sentences for their rebellion, and for living as enemies of God.

Oh yes! Demons have belief or faith. They are quite sure that Jesus is God, and always has been God, even before the creation, yet  their knowledge and belief is NOT saving faith!

Matt. 8:29  And, behold, they (demons) cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?  (See! Demons know who Jesus is!)

Any "faith,"  be it of human or demon, that allows one to continue in an unbroken pattern of sin and rebellion after knowledge of who Jesus Christ is, is nothing more than the "faith" of the damned.  It's useless! True faith involves life change! 

Notice that demons shudder at their future judgment, yet many professing believers and religious people today don't even do that much when they live in open sin and rebellion to God! 

If you don't believe that the faith you possess is "saving faith," then come to Jesus and give Him the glory due to his holy name. Ask him to forgive you for any and all sin in your life, now and in the past! Jesus is "God With Us." He is a merciful God! One day the door of His grace and mercy will be closed! What if that day is tomorrow? Heaven and hell are permanent. Come to Him now!

 

 

 

JANUARY 10

Prayer is Praiseworthy

Nehemiah 1:11  O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer. 

I like the way Nehemiah prays for God's servants who desire to fear God's  name. He's pretty realistic. Just like us today, Nehimiah often disired to fear God more than he actually did, and at the end of every day he probably wished he would have done something more to be about his Heavenly Father's business.

While Nehemiah accomplished some praiseworthy and very notable tasks in his position as the he king's cupbearer., more importantly he helped to preserve God’s people. Nehemiah prayed to God on behalf of his friends. He came to God for days, weeping and fasting and praying for the children of Israel. 

If you ever think that you don't have a ministry or aren't doing enough, think of this, Nehemiah accomplished much with his prayer. Praying is what you and I can always do.  In chapter 2 of Nehemiah, it says that the king granted Nehemiah's request according to the good hand of God. Praying is ministry! 

 

 

JANUARY 11

The Living Dead

Proverbs 21:16  The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

1 Timothy 5:6  But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

Wow! Those verses put me in mind of a zombie apocalypse! A wandering dead man and a dead woman who is living a pleasure-filled life! But I do get what these two verses are communicating! 

There are only two types, or groups, of people in the world.  Every human being is currently in only one of each of these two groups. There are lots of different names for these two groups, but there are still only two groups! Every living person is either Lost or Found, Dead or Alive, Saved or Unsaved, a Child of God or a Child of Satan,  Righteous or Unrighteous,  Forgiven or Unrepentant, Redeemed or Condemned,  Rescued or Doomed. 

God's Word declares that some among us are the living dead. We can look at their lives and see breath, and movement, and sometimes we might even feel a bit envious of their 'high living,' and for all their pleasures and apparent success, yet God sees their 'hearts' and they are really dead! 

Anyone who is not repentant, is unforgiven, and therefore in the dead group! They may be alive in the flesh, but they cannot get out of the living-dead group unless they choose to live under the Lordship of Christ. Choose to live in Christ and he will transform you, release you, cleanse you, forgive you, and make you alive! 

It's a good deal! It's also beyond the coffin and the grave. Live, my brother, live!

 

 

JANUARY 12

Just Wait!

Proverbs 20:22  Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.

Proverbs 24:29  Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

1 Peter 3:9  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Romans 12:17-19

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Man! Why did he have to say this so many times!? There are people I would love to 'pay back' for things they did to me or someone I love. I'm not going to though, because one day, God is going to do a better job than I ever could have done. (Although I could dream up some good revenge, - but I won't!)

Don't get me wrong, I want everyone to receive God's grace and mercy just like I did for my own sins. I really do want their faults, sins, and actions to be covered by the blood of Jesus. 

But if they never accept his mercy, I'm going to just sit back and watch to see how God makes all wrongs right when judgment comes! Remember all those times at work, or in a social circle, or in a family setting, or in a church, or somewhere else, that someone may have mistreated you, slandered you, harmed your reputation, robbed you, or physically injured you? Well even if you forgot all those incidents, God hasn't. He will avenge them all, in unrepentant sinners. So wait on God !! And while you wait for 'pay-day' to arrive, pray for those ‘who know not God,’ to accept his pardon!!

 

 

JANUARY 13

Safe Treasures 

2 Cor. 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are NOT seen are eternal.

Most of the world, myself included, spend an awful lot of time focusing the majority of our time and energy trying to acquire and maintain temporal things. Stuff! The 'good life!' 

It's OK to have nice things, but what God wants us to understand is, there will be no U-Haul behind our hearse. We are not taking any temporal things with us when we die.

Nevertheless, we can have a storehouse of treasures awaiting us in Heaven! That’s where our treasures need to be. But how can we deposit treasures there? We can walk in truth by searching the Word, and share God's love and His eternal, immutable Word with others. We love God and obey Him and love our fellow man. We give to the work of God, as He leads us to give. 

Keep your eyes on that invisible prize!  Those around you might be rich in worldly treasures, but your heavenly bank account is always secure, and no account in this world can match the interest you gain with this account! That's where our treasures need to be!

 

 

 

JANUARY 14

Eyes of Faith

Habakkuk 1:3-4  Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

By all appearances, things are out of control. Habakkuk's faith has been limited because he is so focused on what he sees and beholds with his natural eyes. What we can see with our eyes has nothing to do with faith.  Then in verses 12-13 he questions God as if God is somehow slipping in His job! 

In chapter 2 verse 4 Habakkuk is reminded that the just shall live by faith. 

In the end, Habakkuk 3:17, he gets it right. He uses his 'eyes of faith,' and he gets the right perspective, despite what he sees with his natural eyes.  He concluded:

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk 3:17-18

Wow! He just got done saying no matter how it looks, I see your provisions, God!  

Look at the unseen through the eyes of faith! Work on your perspective!  Faith is the evidence of things not seen! God is at work! Pray and then rest in Him!

 

 

JANUARY 15

He Knows What We Need

Ephesians 3:20-21  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

While God is never miserly toward his servants, he has not promised to provide everything we want for every dream and project we have. We may even face shortfalls and be tempted to think that God is not adequately sustaining us in our times of need. God has ample supply and lacks no resources. His grace is adequate to sustain us and keep us, even when we don't understand what appears to be lack. God gives adequate provisions day by day. Walk with him closely!

 

 

JANUARY 16

Reputations 

Luke 6:31  And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Everyday, our actions and words have the potential to have a lasting impact on those around us. Some people earn a bad reputation for themselves when their actions are wrong, and they might also ruin other's reputations as well. It goes the other way too. Other people's bad reputations can harm ours if we hang out with them.

The Bible says, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."  Those who are your close companions and confidants will affect your perceived character and reputation!

For this this reason, parents raising their children to be good citizens and of a high moral character, are constantly screening their children's friends.  

One time when my son was a teen, he had a friend over and they did a little prank on an elderly lady in our neighborhood. They put a little bit of dog poop in a paper lunch bag and set it on fire at her front door. Then they rang  the doorbell and ran to hide behind a bush, waiting to see her stamp it out. I don't remember the details, but they did get caught, and I think the lady even called the police. They got a good lecture from him. Their idea had come from a movie they saw, but it was a bad idea. Consequently, the other boys parents never let him come to our house again. Wrong actions can affect reputations.

What one person or group does, may be a reflection on an entire profession, or race, or family, or school. We must always consider how our choices impact the world around us. 

2 Cor. 5:20 says, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ . . . ."

Ambassadors represent someone else! We represent Christ, so we need to talk like it, dress like it, act like it, and love like Christ! 

Here is an example of how some bad reputations affected a whole profession:

A man was sitting quietly in a bar when someone shouted, "All lawyers are jerks!" The man jumped to his feet and said, "I resent that!"  

"So, you are a lawyer, are you?" the barman asked. "No," the man replied, "I'm a jerk!"

See what the bad lawyers did for the reputation of them all?  

Now that's just a funny joke, but it fits what I'm saying. 

 

JANUARY 17

Stay Away from the Edge

Psalm 35:26  Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

I know I'm not the only one who ever worked with people who rose up against them for one reason or another. I did encounter some "haters" along the way in my 37 years of teaching! Most often, it was a conflict of personalities or a conflict of natures or worldviews. 

Sometimes I even had supervisors who knew I wasn't a typical "sheeple," and they tried to 'break' me into some new way of thinking and doing, that went against my grain. Any time I faced unwarranted opposition at work, I was lifted up by one or two or a few Christian co-workers who reminded me that "Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate." (Ps 34:21) or "....Greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world."  (1 John 4:4) or  Psalm 27:1: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

God was always with me in any times of stress. I had mostly great days in my long career, but whenever necessary, I dug in my heels and stood for my convictions.  

For instance, I kept on successfully teaching beginning Reading with phonics when it was totally unpopular and discouraged by the system. Also, I didn't in jump with two feet, on the 'inclusion' bandwagon either! The system was putting exceptional students with full-time, one-on-one needs, in general education classrooms, causing major disruptions for all the other students. It wasn't the solution for every exceptional student like they were trying to make it! 

There were a lot of 'movements' going on in education that hindered our brightest students and teachers from achieving their potential. Even the use of paper became very unpopular in our classrooms, and God-forbid any sort of 'worksheets!' 

I just didn't agree with all the trends! I had researched quite a bit about Communist tactics and I did know that we had a "Trojan Horse" in our educational system! I had an internal saying that I often leaned on when I perceived a miscreant supervisor was trying to force me to change:  Right makes might and wrong's not strong! I did feel strong inside  when I lived by my convictions, unwavering! 

But my confidence was always in God. That's where I got my strength! I was no pushover! "Newthink" never got me in its net!

If you are certain that your convictions are virtuous and praiseworthy, then be firm in your convictions, and be willing to walk your talk. Don't throw away your convictions for the sake of peace and quiet! If God is for you, then you are standing on a firm foundation! Never be a weak, middle of the road, yellow striped, dead animal that never made it to either side! 

God has called us to a way of life that is often described as 'narrow' and 'difficult.' The pathway of our life is necessarily narrow according to  Matthew 7:13. "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" 

God  gave us the Holy Spirit to equip us and to lead us in this life. And like a loving parent, the Holy Spirit leads God's children away from straying off of this narrow path and getting too close to the edge, or the 'broad way.' (Hmmm, I wonder if that's where Broadway got its name???)

Whenever I see someone too close to the edge of a cliff, I get the weebeejeebees!  I sense danger! In the Bible, Israel often seemed to be in some kind of danger because they strayed from the narrow path that God instructed them to stay on. The Bible also says that all the calamity that happened to Israel was for us, to serve as advice, or as an example, or a warning, to lead us away from danger!

1 Cor. 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Next, we are warned to stay alert to the danger and possibility of slipping - and to consider our foundation, lest we fall! On what foundation are you standing?

1 Cor. 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall! 

Matt. 7:24-25 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 

Would you choose a foundation of loose sand?

 

Here is a picture of something that was "too close to the edge" and fell over the edge and was totally destroyed! This is one of the two pools that were once enjoyed at Crooked River State Park, in northwest Georgia, where we served as camp hosts. 

 

Both pools, once enjoyed by many, eventually went over the cliff through the process of erosion!  Like those pools, if we get too comfortable with "the world" and all of its godless ways, then we can be in danger of going too close to 'the edge,' and destruction may very well follow!

Remember how our mamas and daddies told us if we played with fire we'd get burned? We'll, here's how our Heavenly Father warns with the same message:

Proverbs 4:14-15  Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

One more note, this is how I set my coffee cup on the table in a restaurant when the waitress never comes back to refill my coffee! The site of something right on the edge is quite frightening, and should be, and for this reason I usually get service real quick! 

 

 

JANUARY 18

 God Has Plans for You!

Jeremiah 1:5  Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

I'll bet it's not too hard for you to believe that God knew you, also, before you were born. But do you think He then said, "Man, I wish I had some special plans for (insert YOUR name)"? No!  In Jeremiah 29:11, God said he had "plans" for Jeremiah's life, so why not yours too? 

Ester 4:14  For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

God has you here, right now, for this time!!

Maybe God made your mission to go to ONE person - just ONE! He made you for "such a time as this" - for that day, or this month, to go to that ONE person that He put on your heart! Maybe you already went to them and witnessed to them, and they shunned you and rebuffed your witness! Did you fail? No! A thousand times NO!!! 

God will complete His "mission" that you carried out in His name, and in His will, and through your faith! Keep praying and thanking God for actually letting you have an assigned role in His eternal plan. He created you, with your family - your  surroundings! He knows your weaknesses and fears. Rise above any circumstances you could possibly use for an excuse to have no mission for your King Eternal! 

Do something for the building up of God's kingdom. There is a payday coming. That is as certain as there are taxes and bills to pay. Well, even more certain than that! We are told to  "Lay up treasures in Heaven," so I know there will be those who have laid up more than others, because they loved God and did what they believed would please God. Just do it! This life is very short in the scope of eternity. 

JANUARY 19

Rescued By Mercy

Genesis 19:29  And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

The NLT says it this way:  “But God had listened to Abraham’s request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain.”

Wow! I read that verse and did a double take on it! Say what? God remembered  ABRAHAM and so He rescued his nephew, Lot, and Lot’s family when he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah!  Lot's family was not rescued for their own righteousness! They were the recipients of God’s mercy and were  beneficiaries of Abraham’s prayers to God.  God saved them because He is merciful! 

Actually, it’s likely that Lot and his family were somewhat enjoying their position and possessions in Sodom.  They had the good life! They moved to Sodom with an abundance of wealth, and lived in the midst of very wicked and vile people, notorious for sexual sins, chiefly homosexuality. But they stayed there in a cesspool of sin!

The Lord spoke to Abraham and told him that Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin was very grievous and they were doomed for destruction!!  Abraham prayed to God, interceding for any who might be righteous among the wicked. As a result of Abraham’s faith and prayers, God sent two angels to warn Lot, to get himself and his family out quickly, before He rained fire on these cities. Lot is said to have “lingered” even after ANGELS came to warn him! 

Hello! What’s wrong with Lot?! He lingered! We had a tornado warning when we were camp hosts at an RV park in St. Mary's, Georgia one day. A fellow in charge at the State Park Office called my cell phone and asked if Bill and I would quickly go to all the RV’s and warn them to take shelter. We went out in pouring rain, as fast as we could, and went from door to door until our job was done. I was frantic. There was no lingering here! We understood the warning!

Gen. 19:16    “But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.”

What’s up with that!? Lot lolly-gagged around after a pair of angels showed up at his door and said, “Run for your life! God is fixing to nuke this town!” Shocking! 

That’s shocker number one!

Lot’s wife was also given clear instructions to ‘Get out of town quickly!’  Gen. 19:17  “Escape for thy life: look not behind thee!”  

But along comes shocker number two! 

She dragged her feet, gazing back at all the “stuff” she was going to lose! She didn’t want to leave her way of life with all the comforts and possessions!  She hesitated until the sulfur of fire and brimstone covered her body and she turned to a pillar of salt!

Lot's wife was rescued, but she ended up being  destroyed because she didn't take the warning seriously from God's messengers, and she lingered where the judgment was already falling! She was properly warned! The rescue came!  

Delayed obedience is disobedience! It cost her everything!

Now shocker number three! 

No sooner than Lot and his two daughters were safely dwelling in a new place, Lot’s two daughters get him drunk, and both had sex with him! They wanted to “preserve the seed” of their father.  How very soon mankind is apt to forget the seriousness and consequences of sin!  

OK, so you see, this family wasn’t rescued because they were running around with halos on their heads! They were rescued because God loves our families and our faith!  God won’t desert the family you are interceding for!  This story has mercy written all over it! Abraham prayed for his loved ones. Pray for your family! God loves you and your family! Intercede for them daily! 

It may be your prayers that will put them in a position to be rescued, even if they aren’t seemingly such righteous characters!

 

 

JANUARY 20

Payday Comes to God's Enemies

2 Chronicles 32:10  Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, "On what are you trusting that you are remaining in Jerusalem under siege?"

Sennacherib continued: ....."No God of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?"

Sennacherib and his armies tried to bring doubt and fear to Hezekiah and God's people, through lies, propaganda, and rhetoric, and fear-mongering.

They underestimated the true God and mistook Him as "a god!" The true God isn't "a god!" He is the only God! He is not the God of people who don't want him as their God! He is not the God of rebels against truth. God is truth. He is God to those who will receive him.

2 Chronicles 32:18-19  And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, in order that they might take the city. 

19 And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands.

That's was a big miscalculation! 

2 Chronicles 32:22 says: "So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies, and he provided for them on every side."

Don't ever think that heaven isn't moved by the things going on in the earth! Sometimes deliverance comes immediately, and sometimes not, - but it's a coming for sure! All evil deeds will be compensated for one soon day.

God is aware of what is happening in our country and around the world. Don't you believe he's missing one thing! You just wait and see what he will do to all the unrepentant evil doers! Psalm 2 has a little preview of the showdown.

Psalm 2:2-5

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,

3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall LAUGH: the Lord shall have them in derision.

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

There will be no standing opposition left when that day arrives! Every last rebel will bow their knees to the King of Kings! 

Even so, Come Lord Jesus!

 

JANUARY 21

What's the Proof?

Everyone lives their life, based on their faith. They really do! Just think about it.

People with a strong faith that Jesus Christ is God, the Creator, the sole redeemer of mankind, and the superintendent of the universe, will attempt to live by their founder's mission and 'code of conduct,' the Ten Commandments found in the Holy Bible. 

People who don't care if there is a God, or who believe there is no God, nor an afterlife, may be somewhat less concerned about the Ten Commandments, or not concerned about them at all! They use 'scales that tip in their favor' (ei: cheating others), or "winning" by whatever  means it takes to get ahead of the rest. They don't care too much about who or what they trample on to achieve their goals and desires for personal gain. They ascribe to the words of  secular evangelists, and draw from their philosophies instead of God's wisdom. Books like, Power, a multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller, intrigue them, even while the book's description is that the contents are amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive.

Luke 11:23  Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

The  fruitless non-gatherers and and unbelievers are against God! They might not even be aware that God considers them to be enemies! 

People who genuinely believe that Jesus is coming to the Earth a final time, to gather up the redeemed and bring justice to all the unrepentant and unready, will be living ready! People who aren't ready, don't genuinely believe this, no matter what they say! 

A man's faith is proved by what he does, not by what he says. A genuine faith is not of human in origin. There is no trial that can shake it away and no power that can take it away from us, but God himself! But.... once you are truly a child of God - joined to the body of Christ: He will never leave you! 

2 Timothy 2:13   If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.

Hebrews 13:5  Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

You might know that God is preparing a better place for you, but, do you ever sense that God is preparing you for a better place? Are you ready to go there? 

 

 

JANUARY 22

A Place Called Heaven

Are you even curious about Heaven? How much have you ever tried to learn about it? Have you searched the scriptures or read anything written about it by Bible scholars? It's  kind of weird if we strive our whole lives to go to a place that we're hardly even curious about!

The best book I've ever read about Heaven, is simply called, Heaven,  by Randy Alcon. Sales of this book have surpassed one million. Heaven is the most comprehensive and definitive book on Heaven ever written, in my opinion. 

I plan on going to Heaven when I die and I hope you do too! No one ever goes there by accident! You have to make preparations for this change of address!

 

JANUARY 23

Treasure for Giving

Nehemiah 13:10  And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.

The minister of the Gospel is to be paid enough so that he can concentrate on ministry and not another job! Nehemiah was not happy that the house of God was “forsaken” (v 11) so he spoke up to the rulers and the people, and then Judah brought the tithes in. 

The topic of giving of our substance - or our hard earned money, whenever it comes up in church can make us uneasy. There are so many pastoral “opinions” about the “tithe.” Some would attach it to your salvation if they could! Others would say it’s an outdated concept. 

What is true is that the church bills can’t be paid without finances!  Churches are benevolent. They improve our communities, help real people, and they stand against evil and teach us to draw near to our God. (At least that is what they are supposed to do.)

If you go to a church that is teaching the truth, help where you can, give as you are blessed to give, and don’t begrudge it. You get the blessing for giving. Every penny you give to build the kingdom of God is blessed. Just because there are some crooks in the religious community, and some “pastors” who live in huge mansions and wear flashy gold and diamonds and drive fancy cars around like they’re superstars, doesn’t give us a pass to judge all the true ministries as money-grubbers and hucksters. Don’t withhold your sacrificial giving. When you give, you are laying up treasure in Heaven for yourself. Give as you are able and then some. 

If you don’t have a home church at the time, give to a good mission or missionary. Bless someone you love, and tell them it’s because you love Jesus. Jesus is the King of Glory - the Lord of Hosts.  He doesn't need your money. He wants your faith. He wants you to believe that he loves you and provides for you. You can't out give him. 

JANUARY 24

Don't Be a Closet Christian

Revelation 18:4  Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, 'Come out from her, my people, so that you may not share in her sins, neither participate in her plagues.  

If you haven't noticed, the unrighteous in our current day, are boldly unrighteous. Jesus wants us to be boldly righteous, and unashamed of it too, because this is a wicked and perverse generation we live in!

So go ahead and thank God for your food when you eat out in a restaurant. Don't be ashamed to be seen acknowledging the One who hung the stars and the planets in the sky, and who also knows the billions of stars by their names! He knows how many hairs are on our heads. He knew in advance how many times we were going to 'blow it,' but He still loved us enough to die for us! Don't be embarrassed to love Him back and thank Him for your meal, just because some God-haters might not 'approve' of you bowing your head, or saying a prayer!  If you are, be embarrassed no more!  Pray for the scorners too! 

We often ask our waitress if s/he has a prayer request that we can pray for. Sometimes waitresses even bow their heads and join us in prayer. We've had waitresses so touched that they teared up. And there was even one occasion where a waitresses prayed right in the restaurant to receive Jesus Christ as her Savior!

If you're not strong in your faith, make a 'coming out' resolution and then go for it! Be brave, but humble, loving, and sensitive.

 

 JANUARY 25

Out with the Old and In With the New!

John 1:16  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 

Following the Old Testament times, or the times of the 'law and prophets,' came a New Testament, or New Covenant, by Jesus Christ. John the Baptist's Ministry pointed to Jesus Christ as fulfilling the law 'given by Moses' under the Old Covenant, and announced that Jesus came to bring grace and truth. 

This proclamation, in those days, would be comparable, in our day, to a proclamation that, "There is now a new world order! The 'old order' is now insignificant!" 

Some people would love a "New World Order" announcement today, especially if it was aligned with their own secular worldview. They would embrace it and welcome it. Others would tolerate it and become 'fence-sitters' or maybe hypocrites, or 'closet' resistors. And finally, some would  resist it openly, even if it was to their own peril!

When Jesus died and rose again, a 'new world order' did begin! Everything changed. God's mercy and grace became available to all people. No one would have to attempt to gain God's acceptance by their own righteousness and animal sacrifices. 

Nevertheless, there were, and still are,  people who only tolerate what we call Christianity. They would prefer for even the thought of it to go away. Some would prefer the old system of 'the law' (under their control of course). Some want a little of Jesus, but mostly their religion, with all the rituals, sacraments, traditions, and obligations, and under a human leader.

A minority of people, even today, embrace the New Covenant with faith and gusto! The supreme leader of this minority is Jesus Christ alone! 

Which group are you in? 

 

JANUARY 26

Jesus is the Word of God

Isaiah 6:9  And he said, Go, and tell this people, "Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not." 

In other words, he was saying: go tell them, "You people hear and see clearly, but you have closed your ears to truth. It’s inconvenient and contradicts the life you want to live!"      

God knows that even witnessing miracles will not convince a man's will that is opposed to the truth. 

John 12:37  But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

Luke 16:31  Abraham said, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, then they will not believe, even if a man were raised from death." 

You know what that verse tells me? It tells me that the Word is more powerful than any miracle, in reaching the lost! The Word of God is who God is in words! The Word of God is powerful! 

Psalm 138:2   I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

My friends, we have been so blessed to have in our possession a copy of God's written Word. The Psalmist David says God's Word is esteemed above all the high and holy names of our triune God! Amazing! 

Learn what this Word says! Speak the words of scripture. Recite them for yourself. Recite them to the lost. Recite them to your family. Recite them in your prayers. Recite them in your petitions. Recite them in your songs. Keep them in your heart!

Isaiah 42:8   I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

John 1:14   And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

"The Word" is none other than the Son of God.  The humanity of Jesus Christ did not diminish his role as the second person of the trinity,  The Son is  ONE with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  All of the manifestations of the triune God share the Glory of God equally.

The Revelation of Jesus, in Revelation 19:13 reveals that indeed "The Word" is Jesus Christ.

Rev. 19:13   And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Rev. 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords

Jesus has ALL the glory of God! Again, they are one God! He is the only mediator between man and God, He is full of grace and truth. He is the good Shepherd, the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb of God! He is able to pardon sin, and adopt repentant, mercy-seekers into the family of God.  He sanctifies, and gives grace, and strength, and light. He IS the Light of the world. He comforts, and gives joy, and  peace. He is the faithful witness. He is; He was; and He is to come! Jesus, the Lamb of God!

John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:19  Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. 

John 8:24   Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

Revelation 5:11-12  And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

That's Jesus!

 

JANUARY 27

On the Winning Team

Psalm 143:5  I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands

Look around at all the beauty God has made, the work of his hands! Mountains, rain, snow, blue skies and green grass, thousands of beautiful flowers, plants and trees of every sort, all the interesting animals and insects, lakes, rivers, oceans, planets, stars, and new born babies. What miracles! When you ponder what God has already done, you will surely know that He is not limited in what He can do for you.  In times of distress, we so often think our help is limited to our human resources. 

When the world is facing political, socio-economic and spiritual stresses, we are to meditate on how God has dealt with these same issues in days of old! We are to meditate on all of God's great acts and the works of His hands! We are to meditate on His Word and know that we are on the winning team if we belong to Him! Just you wait and see! Well, we'll see for sure, when we rise to be with Him! Hang tight! Don't stress!

 

JANUARY 28

Personalized Love

James 1:1  "James, a servant of God ….." James was the earthly brother of Jesus, yet he  did not use this  claim  to give him his primary status in addressing the people. Instead, he first claimed to be a servant of GOD. He esteemed servanthood to God a higher honor than any genetic or blood connection to the Son of God, his own half brother, Jesus. James also identified himself as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. He spoke of God and Jesus Christ in the same sentence, claiming his servanthood equally to both. 

Though both James and Jesus grew up in the same earthly family, James didn’t really believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah until late in Jesus’ public ministry (John 7:5). After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to hundreds, and then afterwards, he personally appeared to his half brother, James (1 Cor. 15:7). 

My eyes well up in tears every time I think of this private moment of Jesus with James. I just know there were awe-filled eyes, blurred with tears spilling down James’ face. His heart was doubtful no more! Though he had witnessed miracle after miracle in Jesus‘s ministry he still needed a personal touch, and God gave it to him! How merciful and loving God is to the worst of sinners. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Jesus goes all the way with our needs, if we will just receive. 

Let me tell you how far our Father God reaches out to offer His undeserved mercy for our eternal needs.

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils (Mark 16:9). 

Did you hear that? He first appeared to a woman that he had cast devils out of, even before his own half-brother, James! He loves the vilest of sinners who seek his mercy. Ask and you will receive! Seek and you will find! Knock and the door will be opened! God relates himself to mankind through one means: faith in who he is and faith that receives what he offers. 

The only begotten of God came in human flesh to give us a tangible picture of God’s character and love. All those who have received this Lamb of God will one day live in his spectacular, eternal, new heaven and earth, dwelling with Jesus and all the other faithful followers. I sure am looking forward to this new home he’s preparing for us! I wouldn’t miss it for anything in this world. How about you? Do you have any devils to cast out? Do you have anything you’re holding onto that hinders you from following Jesus? Is Jesus the Lord of your life? 

Mercy’s great and grace is free! When you ask for a pardon, you will see! 

 

JANUARY 29

He Wants to Share it All

God knew when he created man to live in this world, that Lucifer was the god of this planet. Earth is where God assigned, or allowed, Lucifer to live when he cast him out of Heaven. God wasn’t unaware of the future. He knew that there would be an  incremental upsurge of evil for a millennium of time. He knew that evil would escalate rather rapidly as the Day of the Lord grew near, at the time of the end. 

God perfectly created Lucifer and all of the angelic beings, but they were found to have iniquity in them.  God alone is perfect, and he does not create clones of himself.  That part of every created being that is not begotten of God, as Jesus is, - or that did not come out of God's very essence and being, is where iniquity is found. Sin  is found in the difference between the Creator and His creation!

God has a perfect right to create beings for his pleasure. He lacked nothing, yet he wanted free-will beings to spend eternity with - beings who were created in His moral image, that could freely chose him and return love to him. He desires to  generously share his eternal kingdom with all who will believe his only begotten Son, Jesus, and his written Word. He desires for his creation to accept his free gift of grace and eternal life. God is only good, and he loves you, so why hold back? Love him above everything!

 

JANUARY 30

Contrasts

Turn on a light and shadows will be created.  If there was never a light, darkness would never exist. Darkness is the absence of light. It is only found in the contrast. 

Spiritual darkness is the contrast of holy. All that is less than holy is where sin is discovered. God sent Jesus to pay the full price for our spiritual darkness. He is the light of the world. He covers us in his light when we come to him. He even opens our eyes to let his light show us the way, and illuminate our understanding.  Satan is the darkness created by the contrast. God is love and light. 

 

 

JANUARY 31

Give it to God

Nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself, and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband. Ephesians 5:33.

Ouch! Sometimes this just isn’t easy! Have you ever been in this predicament, where one of you tells the other one their 'Christian duty,' (as related to the passage above) only to be told of your own failure to fulfill your end? 

"You don’t show me respect!" 

"Well, you don’t love me as you love yourself!” 

You've probably  engaged in a version of this conflict at one time or another. Are  both parties guilty? Will another person’s failure excuse your own disobedience? No it won’t. Let’s get our act together and love with humility, and withhold some of our tit for tats. God hears all and sees all. If you are struggling with a lot of little conflicts, turn some of these situations over to God. Ask Him to take some of the burdens you carry. God made men and women different, and even knowing the differences, he said to love and respect one another. Try harder. We all need to.

FEBRUARY 1

God is the Avenger of His People

God used Elisha to deal with some rebels,  in the account of a bear who mauled 42 young men, who taunted and insulted him as God's prophet. The story is found in 2 Kings 2:23-24. Elisha  did not ignore their words. He saw their rebellious condition and their hardened hearts. His 'cursed' them, by turning them over to God, who then removed his wall of protection. Elisha didn't call the bears to maul them. God did.

 

 FEBRUARY 2

Allegience to God Alone

One day we will face an ultimatum with both an earthly and an eternal consequence attatched. Saying no to the coercive agent of this ultimatum will mean we will be unable to transact business in the marketplace. That will mean we will not be able to go into stores to purchase the things we need to provide for ourselves and our families. That's the earthly consequence.

We are being groomed for this day. As Christians we must determine that we will not sell our birthright for porridge! We must know what God says about trusting him in the last days and not bowing the knee to agents of Satan. We must let go of our grip on the things of this world. We must be ready to be those who are vagabonds in the earth. We cannot submit to any entity that demands allegiance and obedience over our freedoms which don’t come from a human entity. God wants us to trust him alone. If you cannot keep your family fed and protected where you live because your leaders are wicked, let go of the things you have and put your family in a position where you can provide for them. Again  I say let go of stuff! What profits a man if he gains the whole world and lose his own soul?

 

 

 FEBRUARY 3

God’s children are not to lord over other believers in judgment of their spiritual scruples and conscience. All true believers live for God and belong to Him. God is the Master and Judge of His own children. We who are saved are HIS servants. Who are we to judge the servant of another? And who has authority to usurp God’s role as YOUR  judge? No one.
Tread lightly toward other believers in your judgments. God alone knows hearts, motives, a man’s conscience, and the unsaid things not worth discussing with Pharisees or the self righteous.

FEBRUARY 4

Daniel 6:16 -18 is a picture of the world truly seeing and believing that there is a God who rules from heaven. The Bible does say that the world knows there is a God and is without excuse because the things of God are clearly seen. A plot of evil men created laws and statutes to entrap Daniel because they found no fault in him for them to go after. So they made a rule to do their victim in. They could relieve their guilt because the law did it! But the king had been noticing the integrity in Daniel and his excellent character. He did not want to cast Daniel in the Lions den but he had to by the laws and statutes made. We see in these verses that the king passed the night away fasting for Daniel. He proclaimed that Daniel’s God would deliver.

 

FEBRUARY 5

Then and now on earth:
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. (Gen.6)
Result: The Great Flood

Now:
The earth is corrupt before God, and filled with violence.

Today, mankind is openly, publicly, flagrantly, and presumptuously engaging in:
Idolatry
Carnality
Sexual Perversion
Depraving the worship of God Licentiousness and lawlessness
Cruel dealings toward godly men
Infant murder
Rapes
Robberies
Violence
Hatred
Unforgiveness
Human sacrifice
Sex Trafficking
Deceitfulness
Adultery/Fornication
Self Indulgence
Cursing God
Drug abuse
Drunkenness
Sorcery
Witchcraft

Result: What would YOU do?

 

FEBRUARY 6

Paul describes the true people of God three ways in Philippians 3:3. 1.) They are those who worship God in the spirit, as prompted, directed and enabled by the Holy Spirit.
2.) They rejoice in Christ. Their pleasure and pride is in their Savior, not in themselves, nor in their accomplishments and acquisitions. 3.)They place,  all their confidence, faith, and trust in Christ, refusing to depend on man’s promises, and cower at man’s threats. They seek to obtain the favor of God through faith alone, in God alone, and in His holy Word.
Understanding Paul’s definition of “the circumcision,” (the true people of God) comes by knowing what God‘s word says. We know what God’s word says through reading and studying His word.  This knowledge will prevent God’s children from wavering, and questioning whether we should rely on the promises and threats of any man or earthly voice who makes promises for our provisions or the withholding of the same, based on obedience to their demands. Our access to societal benevolence, and the products of commerce, including food and medical care to survive, comes from our Provider, God. It is imperative that God’s children reject the credentials and mandates of any human being, or human organization, which would seek to prevent us from accessing the tools and goods of life, apart from obedience to them and their mandates.

 

FEBRUARY 7

Romans 4
1 Cor. 2:14

I believe that all sin is on the “same footing” with God (a sin is a sin) ONLY in the sense that any and all sin separates mankind from God if it is not forgiven. Separation from God at death is eternal. So in that sense, it seems that stealing a stapler at work is an equally grievous sin as slashing throats in the name of a false God. Sin cannot and will not enter Heaven. But all who miss God’s eternal heaven with unconfessed sin will not share the same degree of punishment. A stapler thief who dies without God’s pardon cannot proceed into God’s perfect kingdom without repentance.    S/he must repent and must be born-again in Christ with the intent to be obedient to him as LORD.  Even the throat slasher can repent and be born-again in Christ. Every sin is forgivable except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of God. And likewise every unforgiven sin is damnable. But the Bible is clear that there are different degrees of punishment in Hell. 

 

FEBRUARY 8

Whose Kingdom Are You Building?

I took notes while the pastor was speaking in church this Sunday. My ears perked up when he made the statement that perhaps the main reason it is so difficult to win the lost to Christ today is because of WHO they see representing Him!
He then led into the biblical text, Ephesians 4:2-6, which his sermon was built around.
The Pastor stated, “Jesus instructs us to be gentle and humble, long-suffering, and bear one another’s burdens in love.  He reminded us that nothing is more important in our horizontal relationships than whether our fellow man is going to Heaven.
I was sitting there thinking, “This is a great reminder, to always keep the most important things the most important!
Then after church, I was driving down the road in my car and a sermon was on the radio. The preacher said something to the effect of: “In everything we do, we are either building the kingdom of man or the kingdom of God!”  He said that the priority of Christians should be in building the kingdom of God.
I started thinking about this profound statement.  Every Christian must bloom where they are planted, so for me, that is, to a great degree, in my own neighborhood. Is there a “mission field” in my sphere of influence and surroundings? Will I take the risk and present the lost to my Savior, Jesus Christ? 
Well, I live by the philosophy that all true believers are evangelists or missionaries. You can’t truly believe and yet ‘hold back’ from letting Christ’s light shine through you. What kind of ‘believer” is that?   
For example: Let’s say that you, your spouse, and 5 day old baby were new owners of a condo in NYC. You had a neighbor, who also happened to be the property manager, and he came by to collect a debt from you, soon after you moved in. He welcomed you to the condo community. He said that the previous tenant had gotten behind in his rent, so he was there to collect it from you, with hefty penalties and interest.  Let’s say that some legal loophole allowed him to do that, but he also could ‘forgive’ most of the debt if he chose to.
Let’s also say that this property manager was informed the day before, of a very serious chemical spill in the condo next door to you. He was aware that the fumes from this chemical spill could do serious neurological damage and ruin your family’s health, or even kill all of you if you didn’t get out of the danger. Instead of thinking of the danger you are in, he goes to your condo and simply demands the previous tenant’s rent with fines, penalties, and interest. He begins to threaten you and even hires an attorney.  (Not so nice, huh?) Let’s also say that this property manager was a church-going man, and he lived a life of outward holiness.
As an outsider looking in, would you say that this man’s profession of faith exhibited love, gentleness, humility, and long-suffering? Would you say that he should have cared about the danger to his tenant’s health, before collection the Condo Corporation’s rent money?
If he was more concerned about the rent money than loving his neighbor, whose kingdom would you suspect that he was building, man’s or God’s?
In Luke 2, Jesus said, “ . . . I must be about my Father’s business.” As children of God, we too must be about our Father’s business. We must concern ourselves with who we can touch with our own influence and the light we have. We must think about eternal souls whenever we engage in actions that impact other’s lives. Do our actions ever steer people away from coming to the One we profess to serve? Probably, at times, all of ours have!
We cannot make alliances or join hands together with those who do not take seriously the great commission of our risen Lord, which is to take the gospel to every person throughout the world and to make disciples in all nations. That commission should be in the back of our mind at all times. We can’t carelessly ruin the reputation of the “church” by our own actions, while wearing our crosses, and sitting in our favorite pews on Sunday morning. We can’t forget about eternal souls while operating a business in such a way that the recipients of our business practices will never listen to our testimony of a great and loving God who wants to save them!
Lord, keep us from the pride of building man’s empires over Yours!  Forgive us for going astray! We are here for ONE reason, and that is to build YOUR kingdom – your future kingdom, that we wait anxiously for! Help us to always be aware of whose kingdom we are building by what we do – and always bring us back to the right path!  Amen!

We are created to build GOD’S kingdom.
What kind of Christian are YOU?
A.  Evangelist
B.  Missionary
C.  Imposter
D.  A and B

 

 

FEBRUARY 9

There is a plague of evil and death sweeping the whole world today! We are not off-limits! What the bible calls "a rebellious people" are growing in numbers and are now swarming in our communities! They desire to do only what is right in their own eyes. Are we the lazy church who cannot find the time to earnestly pray - as a daily habit? Let's WORK at making time to pray!!!

President Obama removed all ethical restraints and now good is being called evil and evil is being called good!

God was willing to spare Sodom for 10 godly people because Abraham interceded.  Are you willing to intercede for your loved ones, for your community - (schools, pastors/churches, businesses, law-enforcement, government, judges . . .) Are you willing to intercede for the persecuted church and all the Christians and innocent people across the world who are being persecuted, tortured, and exterminated? Will you pray for our leaders?
Habit!! It's got to be a daily habit! Pray in the shower. Pray when you drive. Pray when you lie down to rest and before you get up from rest. Pray when you have free-time. Make time to pray when you don't. Just pray!

John 15:7 - If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.

1 John 5:14-15 - And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything
according to His will, He hears us.

15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which
we have asked from Him.

James 4:3 - You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may
spend it on your pleasures.

Matt. 18:18-20 - Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
 19 Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall
be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.
 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.

That's my two-cents!!! I have to work on my prayer life too!!!

 

The Symbolic Right Hand in Revelation
The book of Revelation is given to John in visions and signs. Throughout the Bible, and certainly in the book of Revelation, the right hand is symbolic. The mark of the beast will not necessarily be in the right hand. Again, that is symbolic. The forehead is symbolic of the mind when the sin occurs through agreement. Just like adultery is a sin that can occur in the mind without the actual act. When one has agreed with taking man’s mark for acceptance, protection, and provision, he is trusting man as his ‘provider’ to approve him and allow him to participate in society and commerce. The mark cannot be taken ‘innocently,’ because every man is responsible to God to know His word and seek to know him. The Bible says, “Ye do err” for not knowing God’s word. It will SEEM that some people might take the Mark innocently, but it was their choice to NOT know God and serve him! That is the danger of ignoring God in daily life.
Many will buy the lie and ‘drink the Kool-Aid’ ... and that will be because they didn’t ever care enough to know God’s Word, or they didn’t believe the stern warning in the Bible against taking man’s ‘Mark’ to be able to participate in commerce. Are you noticing the creeping cashless society with no cash/coins being accepted in many places? Complete control is coming! Do not trust any man and his mark/implant/vaccine with conditions and mandates! We have to be people of faith! Faith in God alone! Faithful to the day of the rapture, the last day of the tribulation, The Day of the Lord and his vengeance! The Day of the dead in Christ rising to meet him in the air with us. We have to be willing to lay down our lives for Christ. Be faithful!

Listen to me clearly. This morning I was thinking about what a traitor Mitch McConnell is. He played his role really well, even posing as a conservative until the time was right for him to work against Trump and conservatives. Now he urges other senators to turn their backs on Trump in the electoral vote count. Evil traitor!
God spoke to my heart and said to be not deceived. He said that ALL who ever came before Him, except those with their proper garments on, (Jesus’s blood covering,) are thieves and robbers! No one except God is good! Jesus Christ, God incarnate, is the only perfect man who ever walked this earth. We cannot see other people’s invisible garments! Only God knows who are “the called” and faithful servants, who will follow Him wherever He leads! Our FAVORITE politician, one day, will appear to be FINISHED, dead!- but will rise back up as a HERO to solve world problems! The church will cheer for this hero. The very elect of God would be fooled by this man except God will have mercy on His people and remind that GOD ALONE is who we should put our faith in!
Stay in God’s word daily! We really need to study truth to recognize counterfeit. Don’t keep your eyes only on the political scene. Study prophecy!

Truth Brings Opposition
God know the difference between habitual, repetitive prayers and persistent, fervent, heartfelt prayers.

Acts 7:54 The truth remains that God is God and rejecting him, no matter how religious you are, will still put you in hell. This opposition was not just against Stephen but the TRUTH of God. What Stephen said came between them and their rituals, even if it was God. If we take the Lord out of Our religion, it’s all a waste of time. We must have a personal relationship with  the true Jesus. The Jews were intolerant of this interference. We can be faced with this same violence in response to the truth. Name it, and it’s out there. There is still only one way.  They got mad at Stephen to the point of railing against him. It was all because he had found the truth and wanted to share it with them. If we identify with the truth, we’ll find opposition.

 

I look forward to the coming of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I want to see him and be with him. I would like to escape from the trouble of tribulation. Who wouldn’t?  But, is that what God wants? Jesus prayed, ‘I pray not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them (spiritually) in the world.’ 

As I watch the rapidly changing world during the coronavirus pandemic, I am filled with anticipation that the Lord’s story is coming to a conclusion. I am reminded that we are not to become God’s enemy by placing all our faith and hope in people and in the world’s ‘systems.’

The word of God says that when we become friends with the world we become enemies with God. You cannot serve two masters. As long as you wholly depend on people and earthly systems to supply all your needs, you are not trusting your heavenly master. When your supplies run out and your earthly resources dry up, (myself included!) it is then that your faith will be tested as to who your master really is.  Will you rail at God or get on your knees and worship him? 

Are we in a time of tribulation? Yes, we are. Is this, “THE” tribulation? In part, yes. All tribulation is a part of God‘s redemptive plan to conquer evil in every age. No man would  have any hope of dwelling in Union with God, in God’s eternal kingdom, unless he came through the true ‘door,’ Jesus Christ. It’s not just about our profession of Jesus Christ. All true followers must obey him!

Many people are going to be caught up in the approaching judgment designed for rebels against God, because they aren’t hearing and heeding the long-shared truth that everyone who hopes in God must repent of ALL sin in their life, and turn to Jesus Christ. Turn to him and obey God!

Is there sin in your life? Get rid of it! Call your sin what it is! You can’t fool God!

Some try to deceive themselves by renaming their sin! 

Dishonoring your parent/s is a sin against God’s fifth commandment. Watching acts of immorality on television or in movies is not “acceptable” just because  it’s a cultural norm and you know it’s “make believe” on a stage! It is a sin against God’s seventh commandment.

True believers cannot accept God’s grace while withholding grace to those who offend them! When someone’s professed forgiveness of an offender is attached to a desire and action to punish, ostracize, cut off, smear, and hurt the one whom they have professed to forgive, that is NOT forgiveness!! In fact, it is NOTHING like the forgiveness of GOD! That sin would fall under the sixth commandment, thou shalt not kill. Perhaps it also includes breaking the ninth commandment, Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor. To tell an incomplete, inaccurate, and biased story (tale-bearing) knowing your ‘tale’ will influence someone else’s opinion against the other, is a sin! 

When you don’t forgive another person, YOU retain their sins! That’s right! You cannot keep them from being forgiven by God if they repent, but the Bible says YOU can retain their sins that YOU fail to forgive! 

John Wesley stated, ”In these words our Lord clearly declares both on what condition, and in what degree or manner, we may look to be forgiven of God. All our trespasses and sins are forgiven us, if we forgive, and as we forgive, others. This is a point of the utmost importance.

The church must be tried in the end time of tribulation. Everyone in the body of Christ is not just going to fly away with all of their hidden animosities, ‘petty’ sins, and self deceit. God does not think we are more special than all the generations in the past! We ALL must pick up the cross God gives us, to follow Him, just like all men have had to in every age!

Many among us look like they are right with God, but their hearts are full of malignancy, and they are self-deceived. There has not been one generation since creation that has been exempt from trials, tribulations, and the corrective redemption of God, for the purposes of refining and purification of the saints! The time of purification and refining is better than landing in the devils hell, self deceived!

Our Lord is coming again!!

God’s redemptive work in Jesus Christ is connected to the complete coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus came into the world as a baby. He rose again bodily, following his death on the cross, and he is coming again at the last day of this age, The Great Day of the Lord.  Be ready!

Luke 6:46

John 14:15 

Repentance is proven by deeds.

Acts 26:20

If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. John 20:23

Don’t misunderstand the scripture. No human person can stand between a man and God. Another person’s unforgiveness of your transgression does not retain YOUR sin, it retains THEIR unforgiveness of your sin!

It is a sin to NOT forgive others who have offended you. It is obvious that no true forgiveness has taken place, when the words say “I forgive you, but ....,” and then the person in some way, very UNLIKE Jesus, keeps you suffering, paying the price, on the outside, disconnected from their presence, life, and love. They see their harsh treatment as necessary to remind you that they didn’t like something about you. Yes, the hold/remit your sins, but not on you, on them, as they play unmerciful God!

We can trust God even while preparing for a potential severe recession/depression. Sometimes fear is a good thing. It prompts people to take protective actions. Don’t fear, based on the media frenzy, but be very alert to decisions that the world government leaders are making. It is these decisions that have caused the alarm. Observe the decisions of world leaders. Serious decisions are being made that are newsworthy and huge! They should alarm every thinking person! There is no sense and pretending like soft fluffy things will make this go all away and make us feel better.  we are in unprecedented times and people need to feel alarm to take protective actions. If you don’t feel that you need to, that’s okay too. As for me, I appreciate when people share information that I don’t naturally come across which help me to make critical decisions for my family‘s well-being.

Are you afraid of being labeled a fear-monger if you post something that asks people to engage in critical thinking about what is happening? don’t be! God gives everyone the ability to think for themselves. Information that helps people to think outside of the box is a good thing! Each man can choose whether to fear or exercise faith. The information is not the problem. Your response is between you and God.

There is a named MYSTERY in the Bible. The Word of God reveals it in Ephesians. The MYSTERY is that through the gospel the Gentiles are coheirs of God’s promises, with The redeemed Jews. ALL of the saved are ONE body, and sharers together in the promises in Christ Jesus. Eph 3:6

So here you have it!

THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE CHURCH, ONE FLOCK, ONE SALVATION, ONE SHEPHERD!  ONE, NOT TWO!!

THE JEWS DO NOT HAVE A SEPARATE SALVATION, DIFFERENT FROM THE GENTILES! There is ONE family of God, ONE body!

 

Eph.3:3-6 

1.   How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,  

2.   Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)   

3.   Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;  . . . . . 

4.   That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of THE SAME BODY, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

 

So what does this have to do with me?

A LOT, if you are in God’s family as a saved ‘Gentile!’ (Non Jew) 

 

The entire book of Revelation is written to the entire body of Christ. There is ONE body of Christ! The seven churches of Asia are not a distinct group of believers separate from the complete body of Christ. Seven is a symbolic number, meaning complete. 

 

Just like the 10 Commandments represent every possible sin to be avoided, the seven churches represent every church in the complete body of Christ. Symbolic numbers are use throughout Scripture. Seven is always a symbolic number in revelation.

 

All those who are NOT saved are referred to, in the book of Revelation, as, them or they “which dwell on the earth.”  I will shorten their description to EARTH DWELLERS. Every time you see a reference to people that dwell on the earth in the book of Revelation, it is referring to the UNSAVED. 

 

ALL the other people on the earth are the redeemed, the saints, the body of Christ, the church, God’s witnesses - both Jew and Gentile witnesses! ALL people are either saved or lost. There is NOT a third category!  

 

So.... if ANY of the Body of Christ, the ‘saints,’ are on Earth during the Tribulation period, then no subgroup has been previously removed in an early harvest! We all go up together on the Day of the Lord at the END of tribulation, the day of the resurrection of the dead in Christ! God’s eternal plan has been to create ONE family for Himself to dwell among. 

 

Now many of you, steeped in the MODERN PREtribulation belief (first introduced around the early 1800’s) will not want to believe that ALL the living ‘saints’ are here on Earth during the tribulation, and that includes the Christian church! Rapture WILL happen, but it will be an event that is loud, glorious, at the last trumpet, spectacular, accompanied by the resurrection of the dead in Christ, and on the LAST DAY! It will be immediately followed by the wrath of God on the earth dwellers, the wicked unrepentant sinners and God-rejectors. 

 

I have been working for many weeks on writing a book on the book of Revelation. I am not finished yet, but I am quite a ways into it! Please let me know if you would be interested in a free copy when I am finished. It is a fresh perspective and wholly leans on Scripture. In this book, you will see why the early harvest of Christians is a false gospel. We are going through the tribulation, folks! God will NOT put his wrath on us, but WE WILL be tried, and must remain faithful till the end- the LAST day!

We all want to believe that we, as Christians, forgive 70 x 7, when offenses come our way or when someone upsets us or behaves badly towards us. BUT......Do we ever say we have forgiven an offense and  then later use that information in future conflicts or relations with them?  

You say, “Yes?”  Oh, so you DIDN’T forgive them!

Here’s an example. Do we ever say things like, “You NEVER apologize!” (While we smugly withhold an apology we owe!) Have you ever thought about how cutting that statement can be to another person, especially to a child of God who strives daily to let the Holy Spirit work in them? But we choose to insist on their identity being attached to past offenses!? 

For instance, when you accuse another and say, “You never apologize!” are you saying that 30 years ago and 20 years ago and 10 years ago and 5 years ago and 1 year ago, you felt you were owed an apology and didn’t get it? So you held a grudge for ALL those perceived or real offenses all those years and now you pull out your, “YOU NEVER . . .” weapon to make sure you can inflict a deep cut to that person with such little effort! Is it true that they NEVER apologize? I doubt it!

Forgiveness is a lifestyle! It is practiced towards persons who have hurt us, brought pain to us, disappointed us, and wronged us.

When we forgive, we are turning over to God, who is our just judge, all of our frustrations, disappointments,  anger, resentments, and painful feelings associated with an offense.  When we forgive others, the forgiveness we extend should be like God’s mercy. Once He forgives us, He looks past our imperfections and is not vengeful.  He let’s go of our past offenses, never to hold them against us again! He restores us and communes with us.

When forgiveness isn’t genuine or isn’t present,  relationships suffer, morale suffers, and prayers are hindered. 

Go ahead and apologize when you wrong another, even when you believe you are right. Even when you know they caused the riff and offense. You can say, “I apologize for any of my contributions to our falling out.” 

In some circumstances, before you ever consider forming the humbling words to apologize, the other person asks for, or demands an apology.. Don’t you withhold that apology from the person who asks! That means they felt offended or hurt! Apologies promote forgiveness! 

Reflect on how you’ve used forgiveness or withheld it, maybe even unknowingly, in the past and presently. Leave the outcomes to God. He’s pretty good at His job!

THE END OF HEAVEN’S RESCUE - SALVATION:
Once everyone has had a chance to make an informed decision about their belief in Jesus Christ as their personal Messiah - the ONLY WAY to GOD, (or their refusal to believe,) then the “door of mercy” will close forever, just as the door was closed by God, to  Noah’s ark before the flood.
Every human being will either be “righteous” and “holy,” or “filthy” and “unjust.”
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (Rev.22:11)
There will be no more changing sides. There is no promise of a tomorrow for any man! Today is the day of salvation!

The Word is God gives a solemn warning against one particular sin that is called the “unpardonable sin.” This sin is depicted as ultimate resistance to the Word of God, against any light received. If one dies in this sin, these would be some signs of the deceased person having committed this sin: no fear of God, no sense of the danger of hell, no repentance of sin, no sense of the need of grace, no conviction, visible distain against true preaching that reveals sin, and persistent refusal of God's mercy.
If anyone finds himself in this state now, remember, you can be here today and gone tomorrow! God’s mercy will pay the debt for every sin except this one! Every sin! Paid in full!
Death is a step into either heaven or hell. Both are eternal. Go to God for forgiveness!

I think a lot of people have this Christianity thing all wrong! Christianity is not a self-help program powered by God to serve our self interests and give us a happy life! Christians are people, who buy faith, have received God’s redemption at the cost of his own son, Jesus Christ, to serve God’s purposes, to advance God’s kingdom, and to honor God! Eternal treasures await those who live to honor and glorify God.

God keeps records of our thoughts toward him! Those that fear God will think of him often. (Malachi 4:16) A lack of godly fear leads one to primarily self-serving interests over God’s interests, and to forgetting the holiness of God, who hates sin, and the enormous consequences of sin in the end!

It’s not too hard, folks! The ‘payday’ will be well worth living THIS life for God!

 

Fetus is only an age category for a human being with human DNA! A pre born child in the fetus stage is indeed a real human being with an inalienable right to LIFE! A pre-born HUMAN is not less valuable than a mother’s so called ‘human right’ to happiness!! Anyone using the Declaration of Independence to defend abortion must be saying that they think a woman’s happiness is above the life of another human being. “Kill the baby so mom can be happy!”

God says this of the pre-born: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.

In the end, God will let everyone know who was wise and who was foolish in this issue! God forgives, so if you have been foolish, come to the Lord for his cleansing and he will wash away your sins!

And don’t forget those who are vocally defending abortions are as guilty as the ones who are having the abortions!

So many people have struggled in their faith because they felt let down by God in some way. It seems that certain bible verses promise that God will keep his people from trials, temptations, tragedies, and harm. Then along comes trials, temptations, tragedies, and harm!!
Then these thoughts can creep up in: “Wow, thanks, God! I thought you loved me!”
We question, “Is God really faithful to keep his word?” “Is every word of the Bible true?” “Does God really know what’s going on in my life, and also behind every closed door in the whole wide world?” “Why would God allow the devil have access to harm me if it wasn’t God who did this?”
“Doesn’t it count for anything that I read the word, pray to God regularly, give to missions, and attend church weekly?”

Death is a challenge. It tells us not to waste time… It tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other. (Leo Buscaglia)

Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal. Thomas Moore

In life, we know sorrow and we know love. When we take our first breath at birth, we begin the process of dying. The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life. No thank you! Thank God Mom lived! Mom and Dad are the trunk of our tree! Birth and death are and will be, represented on every branch coming off this trunk! None of us will escape death’s reach. It is natural to be born and not at all unnatural to die. Life is just a transition between our birth and our inevitable death. And death is always the end of our story on Earth!
So we mourn at death for what is gone, but we have to remember to not let that mourning overpower what has been left behind! Our lives are forever touched by the living who we have loved!

These things were all written for us, for admonition
Who are we like in the Bible? Is there any character that you can see yourself in? Sometimes it’s said that we are either a Mary or a Martha, or a Cain or Abel, or a Joshua or Caleb. Maybe at one time we were like the prodigal son who left all the benefits of a family that was well able to provide for us, so we could go out into the world and sow our ‘wild oats.’ Or maybe we were more like the brother who stayed in his family and resentfully did all his duties, not realizing any of the benefits the family gave him.

This is my post and I will speak! I love Catholic people. I despise abominations, high crimes, smokescreens, and coverups!

1 Tim 5:20  As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

Love without truth is simply whoredom! It is better to be divided by truth then united  in error.  Ephesians 5:11 says, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” The Catholic church has deeply betrayed her people! She has been exposed, and her congregants have seen what has been done. But most will still sit in their favorite pews and carry on as usual!! Come out from among them!

Yes, my words may cause division but they will not cause division between true brothers in in Christ!  Those who hold the true gospel will separate themselves from institutional ‘religion’ with grievous error and rampant sin, and they will also know that they are only saved by grace through faith.

Division, when caused by words of truth, especially against anything that takes away from the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary, are words that Christians must speak, as followers of Christ. Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth, I came not to send peace but a sword.”  It is never good to compromise with error, as that is nothing less than a rejection of truth.

Good fruit cannot be produced in a church that does not believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross. So whether it’s a Catholic church or any other church, if they don’t teach the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, they are not a Christian church.

No church can administer grace! And no membership in any church or organization has anything to do with anyone’s salvation! The true gospel is......”Saved by GRACE through faith, and not of works lest any man should boast.” Period!! Why do people hate the simplicity of the true gospel!?

God Makes Arrangements!   

1 Corinthians 2:9 

My thoughts are still sort of reeling at the divine appointment God arranged last night. I wasn’t planning on leaving the house all day, as my eye had become infected from a recent surgery and was red and puffy. Bill was heading out to a biker club in the evening, which we had an invite to. He returned home and said that he had just gotten a text that the others couldn’t make it, and he decided that he shouldn’t go alone. I jumped up and said, “We can’t lose our ‘in’ with this group. I’m going with you! I cleaned off my sunglasses that weren’t too dark, threw on my vest and said, “Let’s go!” We rode a few miles and got separated at a light that Bill made it through and not me. Bill stopped down the road and waited. A car pulled up while he was pulled over and the driver asked if he needed any help. He said, “No, I’m waiting for my wife who didn’t make it through the light.” Five minutes later we arrived at the clubhouse.  

We noticed that there were NO bikes, and thought, “What’s going on?” So Bill walked across the street to talk to two people in bandanas, who were more than likely a part of this group. They ended up being the same couple that had stopped when he was on the side of the road. They said that the group all went to a certain restaurant to eat, and then were coming back. These two were actually from out of town, so we gave them directions, and they left. We headed for the restaurant. When we walked in, they were at the table with the president of the group and others. We shook hands and stayed and talked for awhile and then decided to go on home. The out of town couple had gotten up and went outside for a smoke. They were sitting on a bench near the door and they stopped us and wanted to talk. They asked us about our group and said they liked some of our patches. They confessed that sometimes they feel misplaced in this group. They both cringe whenever they hear “GD.” They don’t want to hear God’s name taken in vain.  

The man is a US citizen, but not natural born in the USA and he said one Christian group in the past wouldn’t let him in their group because he wasn’t born here. After we talked and explained stuff, they ASKED for prayer.  They are moving out of state and might even look up CMA where they are going. We all hugged. The man kissed Bill on the cheek and said it was their custom. They went back inside and we went home, amazed at what God had just done! 

What a privilege it is to share God’s love and hope with people who do not yet know Christ. The nations are full of souls crying out for hope. Let's bring it to the world, whenever and wherever we are able. We each go to different places and minister at different times, but we all strive to be obedient, as God empowers us! Everyone who gets right with God, also escapes the Devil’s eternal hell and gains God’s eternal Heaven, and is adopted by our Lord, Jesus Christ!  

If not in this life, one day in eternity, we will meet the redeemed again!  We have a wide open mission field in our back yard! Keep on ‘going’ into the world. Plant, plant, plant! God will bring the increase! 

God designed valleys as well as mountain peaks for all believers. In the spiritual realm, there are high and low experiences that we will all go through. The low ‘valley’ experiences can be most uncomfortable and trying of our faith. 

While we are in the valleys of life, God is right there with us, although we may feel abandoned at times. The valleys in our lives don’t take God by surprise, as He allows us to exercise our own free will, complete with the consequences that may follow. He is our provision, our DAILY bread; He is there with us to sustain us. Jesus is the bread of life. Valleys are only temporary experiences. (Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death….” Ps. 23) Shadows only come where there is a source of light. Keep going in the direction of light, and you’ll come out of the valley! There is always light beyond our trials. Aren’t you glad for that? Nothing can touch our lives that God doesn’t allow. When we are in valleys, we must pray for God’s divine perception. (How? you ask.)….The only way I know of, is to read and study the Word, and commune with God in prayer, daily.) 

We need to expect God to answer our prayers on a daily basis! He said to pray . . . . . Give us this day, our DAILY bread. God wants to answer our daily prayers. So often, we pray when we are asked to help take on one another’s burden. Pray expecting  God’s best response. When Peter was in prison, the ‘church’ was praying WITHOUT expecting God to answer. They wouldn’t even believe their prayers were answered when they saw it and heard it! Read Acts 12:13-16. They were ASTONISHED when Peter showed up! Let’s not pray with unbelief. We know from scripture reading, that faith comes by hearing the Word of God, and without faith it is impossible to please God. If you understand inferences, this will tell you that if you are not spending time hearing/reading the Word of God, and giving God some quality time in your busy schedule, to commune with Him, you cannot please Him, period! 

Let’s not fool ourselves that we can get out there in the flesh and in our own ability, and draw men to our God. If we do not take quality time to become familiar with our God, who spoke this universe into existence, how can we be enthusiastic for another person to do this? When we spend time in the presence of God, we WILL naturally lift Him up, and men WILL be drawn to Him. It’s not all about our HUMAN efforts to evangelize the lost. Let’s concentrate on HIM and forget about ourselves. HE will do His part. We have yet to get out of His way and see what He can do! Our part is to seek him. His part is to impart faith to genuine seekers. Wow! With faith, God said mountains would move! I want the most and the best that God has for me. I want God to use me for His purposes. Ponder what I’m saying. 

 

How many of you have ever described a part of your life as "my BC days?" That means, "my Before Christ days." Well, I clearly remember those days. Like many of you, at one time I was on a self-destructive path of partying, binge drinking, living for fun and pleasure, and without much thought about eternity. I thought church was boring, and for “goody two-shoes” who didn't have a life. Church wouldn't work with my late Saturday nights anyway. I enjoyed the drinking and dancing, and partying. Sometimes we really had a blast. The Bible  says that there is pleasure in sin - for a season. (It does end!) There was no shortage of party friends in our life in those days.   

But you know, God keeps a place reserved in everyone's heart that only He can satisfy. That 'God void' was in my heart. I knew I had to change, but I just didn't know why, or how. I didn't even really necessarily want to! I just knew I wasn't living right. I knew in my “heart of hearts,” that I wasn't  bound for heaven. I really thought that my “good” outweighed my “bad,” and therefore God would not send me to hell for that reason alone. No one had ever told me that it wasn't based on my good behavior, or lack of it, that determined my eternal citizenship.  

Thank the Good Lord, that there was a Christian lady who cared about my eternal soul. She reached out to me even though my lifestyle and interests were different than hers. She made an opportunity to witness, when an experience happened that shook my world a bit. (It involved a truly possesses child in my class!) She shared the gospel, as well as her personal testimony. She spoke in my ear, but God spoke in my heart.

Wow! Instantly, I was drawn to the truth of the Word, and I also wanted the peace and strength that this lady possessed. It wasn't long and I became a whole new Cathy Howe. I was born again, spiritually, in 1979. I once was alive in my body, but dead in my spirit at the same time. It felt so good to now be alive in both body and spirit. This is what God does for you when you have a new spiritual birth!  

Thank God that His Word could penetrate my sinful soul, search my heart, show me a true reflection of myself, instill faith, draw me to righteousness, and remake me in God's image. Because I know what God did for this sinner girl, I know He'll do the same for every seeker out there, even if they are living hard and ignoring that 'God void' in their heart. God is ready to fill the void, and His love feels so good on the inside. God is love. God made me into someone much better than what I was making myself into. And He gave me eternal life too! 

There is a lot of misery in this world. A child of God endures suffering too, because we don't cease to be human when God saves us. Nevertheless, we do have Gods' promise that He'll care for us, and give us strength and comfort to go through every trial. Once we are saved, we want to persuade others to be reconciled to God, and  warn them of the consequence of a life void of God! Hell is the end result! 

Someone may bet just waiting and watching you, their  Christian example of the faith, to see if it's real. Will you be there when s/he needs your love, your help, or your testimony? We can’t forget where we once were. Always be ready to share your testimony and give an answer from the gospel to everyone that asks or seeks. Let God’s love reach others through you!

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  

God will thoroughly equip us for every task He has called us to do. God's Word is the key to this equipping.  God's Word and His grace will teach and correct us, guide and help us through each and every day - but sometimes we just get lazy, or busy, or apathetic about reading our Bibles, which is like closing a door for Him to do His divine work. If we will only but allow it, God's Word meets all the needs we are experiencing. Psalms 119 is a great chapter to show the value of Scripture for our daily lives.  

Once God's Word is thoroughly planted and nurtured in our hearts, the Holy Spirit will help us in all the weak areas of our flesh. All of us have human weaknesses! Don’t  we sometimes face struggles with SIN such as an easily triggered temper, laziness, impatience, revengefulness, repaying evildoers, backbiting, complaining, or neglecting Bible study or prayer time?  Psalms 119:11 has the answer for this problem. 

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalms 119:11). 

God's Word is a counselor to us for every difficult area of our lives. "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors" (Psalms 119:24).  

We all face afflictions, so we need God's antidote and armor to help us. This would come through His Word.  "This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me" (Psalms 119:50). 

We can learn to be wise and make good decisions. If we study to show ourselves approved unto God,  we will strive to really grasp God’s holy and inspired Word like a drowning man would grasp and cling to a life preserver.  It’s a life preserver! "Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments" (Psalms 119:66). "Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts" (Psalms 119:98-100). 

God’s Word offers us comfort – even when none is found from earthly companions.  "Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight" (Psalms 119:76-77). 

We need God’s Word to make it through some of our trials.  "Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction" (Psalms 119:92). 

Ever need a flashlight in the dark? God’s word helps us when we need direction, just like a flashlight helps steer us away from unexpected injury and dangers in the dark. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalms 119:105). 

I need rest and protection in this lost and quickly dying world! How about you?  "Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word (Psalms 119:114). "Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God" (Psalms 119:115). 

Are you convinced yet that time spent each day with the Lord Jesus, in Bible reading and prayer is beneficial to your life?  If Bible reading and prayer is truly important to us, we will find time for it and then be disciplined to keep it.

It’s understandable that the busier we are, the more we struggle with making time to read our Bibles and pray. But it is in these busy times that we are surely needy for our time with God. Let’s determine, with God's help, that we will each commit to making Bible reading and prayer a high a priority in our daily lives. One minister said his rule was never breakfast until time with the Lord was spent in reading from his Bible and in prayer. Maybe we should esteem spiritual food as high as we do earthly food! The benefits are out of this world! 

Life is complicated. If we are alive and breathing, we are experiencing dilemmas, trials, and even tribulations. They’re no fun! Instead of stewing over, or fretting over our difficulties, it is far better glorify Jesus, our hope, and cure for all that is wrong. I don’t know how people go through life without the Lord Jesus. All of our challenges are nothing to our God, who spoke this whole vast universe into existence! As long as we are busy about His business, it is His responsibility to provide solutions to our problems.  That’s an mighty good reason to be sure we are actually doing His will and work,  and not following our own paths. In the book of Romans, Paul said that “…we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience.”  

I don’t like problems, but I see that they are wonderful opportunities to rest and trust in Jesus. They grow my patience as I look to my Lord for His direction. As I encounter daily dilemmas and problems for which I often have no solutions, acquaintances, family, and friends get to see how faith operates. People watch us, ya’ know! Do I fret about the struggles, or do I flee to my Lord? If my responses are godly, my observers get the benefit of seeing how Jesus responds to the cries of His children. God will rescue His children in times of need. Wouldn’t a natural father rescue his earthly child? God loves His own children! We are his family! 

We need to pray each day that our hearts would be upright and clean before the Lord and that we would obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  Like the father with a son with a serious problem in the book of Mark (Chapter 9) I pray… “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”  

I want to exercise all the faith available to me! Romans 12:3b says, God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.   (He used the same measuring cup for you and me, and Abraham! 

Jesus said……. for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matt 17 

We’re all somewhat tired and weary from life’s struggles, but we know that we have it great, compared to those without hope! Our God meets all of our needs! Covenant Riders wants to get out there and make a difference in lives, so that others who are walking in darkness can have this same hope that is within us. It is awesome to have such a gift, purchased by our Lord, to offer to others!  

I believe God wants Christians to be prepared for the days that are coming upon us. Besides physical preparation, everyone should have the Word of God planted firmly in their hearts. We are to be watchful and have listening hearts for the voice of our Great Shepherd. We are to beware of false profits. We are to act in faith when the Holy Spirit prompts us. We are not to fear. We are to be faithful in proclaiming the Gospel, for the days are short. We are to reach out to bikers, and reach out to our neighbors.  We must quiet ourselves before the Lord and seek Him like never before. There is no room for complacency. Like I said, time is short. 

There are dark clouds on the horizon. The prophesized days of judgment are indeed coming on the world. Christians will get through the days ahead by helping each other and by being our brother’s keeper. God will preserve all who live by faith and trust in Him.  

Remember, it is not a sin to plan for tomorrow, neither is it a sin to store up against the evil day that is coming. It is imperative that we prepare for what is ahead. Listen for what the Spirit would have you to do.  

2 Peter 3:13 

Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.