Saturday, August 5, 2017

"Emergency Number for Peace and Rest" - Inspirational Weekend


These twisting and crooked vines with the beautiful salmon or peach colored blossoms are found on the large Cannonball Tree.  It rather reminds me of life itself, with its ugliness intertwined among the various beautiful moments and memories.   A lot depends on your point of view about life; a positive attitude and a strong faith in the good Lord will help you to focus on the good and not the bad.  Life can be wonderful and a joy, even though we recognize there is also evil in this world.   Our job is to stay away from the evil and to draw close to God instead. 

"Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."  -  James 4:7-8

One day I ran across the following "Emergency Numbers" while surfing the Web and I saved it with the intention of using it in a blog post one day.    So that day is here!


Today I would like to focus on emergency number 7: When you want peace and rest : Matthew 11:25-30.  In this chaotic and war torn world we find ourselves in, we all could use peace and rest.  And true peace and rest is found only in Jesus Christ.   Let us just zero in on verses 28-30 of Matthew 11, which follows:

(28) "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  (30) For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

How lovingly Jesus spoke here to comfort those listening.  In His day, the Jews were heavily pressed by the laws and traditions of the Pharisees and Sadducee rulers.  But Jesus spoke primarily to the poor, the lost, and the ruined sinner.   People can be "burdened" by the consciousness of their sins and trembling at their danger and hoping for deliverance.  If they would just turn to Jesus and believe in Him for their salvation, He would give them rest.  If they will trust their souls and concerns to Him, He will carry not only them but also their load.

Of all the yokes ever put upon people, that of the Redeemer is the lightest.  Jesus' laws were reasonable and tender, and it would be a joy to obey Him.  When Jesus said, "For I am meek...", He was giving them a reason why they should follow Him.  He was not harsh and oppressive, like the Pharisees, but instead He was mild, and gentle, and meek , and following Him would be an act of joy and of love.   

It is the love with the "yoke" that takes away the hardness because Jesus walks by our side.  

Sin causes a burden upon our souls.  We need to confess and repent of our sins.  Any other burdens as well will be taken care of by Jesus, the Burden-bearer; the Sin-bearer.  Do not forget Who is carrying your burden with you,  for you, and in you.  Jesus will thereby give us rest....rest from our sins, from the nagging guilt of our conscience, and from the fears of hell.

Following is a moving song by Dennis Jernigan titled "My Yoke Is Easy".  It is 5 minutes in length.




"Christianity is not consistency to conscience or to convictions;  Christianity is being true to Jesus Christ."  -  Oswald Chambers

"We are here guaranteed that obedient-hearted man shall be sustained in every step that he takes.  ........Holy action is always the most prudent, though it may not at the time seem to be so.   ......The Word of God has never misled a single soul yet its plain directions to walk humbly, justly, lovingly, and in the fear of the LORD are as much words of wisdom to make our way prosperous as rules of holiness to keep our garments clean.  He walks surely who walks righteously."  -  Charles Spurgeon  

The following video is not a song, but instead has words of encouragement concerning Matthew 11:28-30.   It is well worth reading and is only 2 minutes long.



I hope this information has blessed you and that you have a Christ-filled weekend !


(ps,   I have no idea why my computer insisted on typing red ink for so much of this post.  I have no idea how to change it -- I did try to  --and I don't want to type it all again.   Pardon the error.)





Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Could Artificial Intelligence Be A Threat To The Survival Of The Human Race?


"When inventors fear their own inventions, look out!" says Gary Stearman.  Artificial Intelligence seems like it is cropping up everywhere nowadays:  everywhere from Watson to Apps on your smartphones. Recently two computers were left alone to talk to each other - successfully.  They even developed their own type of shorthand speech.   

In the following video by www.prophecywatchers.com, Gary Stearman shares some frightening concerns about AI possibly turning on their creators.   He also asks the question, "Can a machine (AI) become inhabited by a devil?"  My opinion on that is, if possible, demon possession of an AI or robot would explain their ability to reason and to turn against man. Mr. Stearman takes us to the Bible book of Daniel and discusses the antichrist, among other end time events.   Please watch this thought provoking 12 minute video:


As Christians, what are we to think about such things as Artificial Intelligence and a possible true-life "Skynet" where they take over?

First of all, everything seems to be out of control today on many fronts, not just AI.   It is all a sign of the end times in which we live: the threat of nuclear war, terrorism, violence, unnatural affection, human - animal chimeras, increase in natural disasters such as earthquakes and signs in the heavens, and the list could go on and on.   The Bible prophesied all of that and much much more as a sign of the end times. 

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."   -  Daniel 12:4

2 Timothy 3:1-5 tells us,  (1)" This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers  of those that are good, (4) Traitors, heady; high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring."  -  Luke 21:25

You can easily discern that the above verses can be applied to the time in which we live....the last days.   

It is a time to be very afraid and full of doubts ... that is, for those who do not know Jesus as their Savior, Lord, and Master.  True believers have a blessed hope (Titus 2:13) and will soon be raptured to heaven and away from this dying and decaying and wicked world, and will therefore be spared any robotic or AI takeover, if  such a takeover by machines is even possible.  Such a thing is not even hinted at in the Bible, except in Daniel 12:4 where it says that knowledge will be increased, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything about an AI takeover.  Quite frankly, I personally do not believe the good Lord will allow such a thing to transpire.

Also,  followers of Christ will not have to endure the wrath of God which He pours out during the seven year tribulation period upon all the ungodly people left on earth during that time.  We should concentrate on what the Bible says and prophesies, and not believe every speculation that comes along.

The Bible is very clear that things will be "business as usual" when the Rapture of the Church occurs.  In other words, there will be no artificial intelligence "takeover" before the Rapture.

"But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark,"  -  Jesus speaking at Matthew 24:37-38.  In other words, life was going on pretty much as usual in the time of the flood before it came; therefore, it will be life as usual when Jesus returns to rapture the Church.   

All this points to the fact that, in light of end time events now occurring, the Rapture cannot be too far in the future.  

Now is the time to make sure that you are right with the Lord. Confess your sins to Him, ask for forgiveness, show your sincerity by repenting and not continuing a life of sin,  believe in Jesus and His resurrection.   If you do this, you have the hope of eternal life with the Lord forever. (Romans 10:9 ;  John 3:16)

If you do not repent, you will spend all eternity in hell.

"And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire."    - Jesus at Matthew 18:9


Turn to the Lord now.

The time is short.

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."   -  2 Peter 3:9

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."  -  John 3:36

"For God so loved the world, that  He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. "   -  John 3:16




  


Thursday, July 27, 2017

"Casting All Your Care Upon Him" (With Sermon By A.W. Tozer) - Inspirational Weekend


"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."  -  1 Peter 5:7

The above Scripture is very comforting and a reminder that the good Lord cares for all of His children.    When it says "Casting all your care", it means to take all of your "anxieties" to the Lord, "cast" them to Him, which takes effort and is not easy to do.  And then do not take all your cares right back upon yourself once again and bear the burden alone.  Leave them with the Lord, and have faith that He will take care of them for you -  All of them.

It should be mentioned that before you can cast all of your anxieties on God, you must first have confessed all known sin and been repentant and thereby have a clear conscience in order to cast your cares on the Lord and then to expect Him to help you; to take the burden off of you and onto Himself.   First you must feel Him to be a reconciled and loving Father.  If there is any unconfessed sin in your life, you will probably not even cast your anxieties and burdens upon Him.

God never told us that we shall never have anxieties; they are a part of this fallen world in which we live.   And this fallen world is a cause for anxieties in itself.   Right now we have the threat of nuclear war looming over us, and many other fears as well in this evil and lawless and cold world.   We need to take all of our concerns to the Lord in prayer.  Prayer has a way of putting things in their proper perspective and thereby giving you a peace and the sense that, in the end, everything will be alright.
 
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."   -  Philippians 4:6-7    

Here is a song about casting all your cares upon the Lord:


God loves His children, and constantly thinks about them and wants them to come to Him with all their cares.

"But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me:  Thou art my help and my deliverer; Make no tarrying, O my God."  -  Psalm  40:17

Family, friends, and neighbors may abandon you or neglect you, but God never will !!  "If we are what we should be, we shall never be without a friend as long as there is a God."   This is true if you are a genuine believer in Jesus Christ as your Savior, Lord, and Master.  To all unbelievers, God is waiting to hear from you and for you to give your heart and soul to Jesus in sincere belief in the redemptive power of His shed blood, and to believe that He rose again from the dead.   (Romans 10:9)

Believers, stop and recall how many times God has shown you that He was thinking of you.....in answered prayers, in protecting you from harm, in all His blessings that He has bestowed upon you, and in so many other ways.  And He does this even when we do not think of Him as often as we should.  God's care for His people is always true and always unchanging.  He is always there for us.

Many people who do not trust in the Lord and who do not cast their cares upon Him, go around all glum and fretful, often complaining and being very dissatisfied with life.  They are also fearful of many things. Don't let that be you.   Cast your burdens on the Lord.  (Psalm 55:22).

Believers in Christ have a blessed hope that sustains them and gives them solace (Titus 2:13).  They have the promise of eternal life and of being with the Lord forever.  Their faith in God gives them strength and endurance to face obstacles and to surrender all to the Lord.  Consequently, they do not let anxieties get control over them and make them all fretful and filled with dread.   They have the love of Christ in their hearts, and His many promises of better things to transpire in the future, all of which gives them hope and encourages them to pray about their concerns and to draw ever nearer to the Lord.


Following is a 26 minute sermon by A.W. Tozer on "Casting All Your Cares Upon Him" :


A. W. Tozer became a Christian as a teenager.  He was born in 1897 and passed away in 1963.  He was an American pastor and author.

Have a blessed and Christ-filled weekend !



"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."    -  Romans 10:9

"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."  -  Psalm 55:22

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;"  -  Titus 2:13

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."                                          Jesus at Matthew 11:28



Monday, July 24, 2017

Discussion On End Time Events (With Video)


"What higher consolation can man desire than the assurance that He [Almighty God] is with him to protect him"; so says Albert Barnes in his commentary on Isaiah 41:10, which reads:

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

The above verse was the topic for my Bible Study for this morning.  I have written several posts about fear.  Go to the search box on the above right of this page and type in the word "fear" and click on "Search" and the articles will appear for you if you wish to pursue this topic further.   We do live in fearful times now, as these are the prophesied last days which are full of chaos, lawlessness, sin, violence, depravity, war, and general apathy where Jesus and God are concerned.   It means a lot to know that God is "on our side" (if we are true born-again believers in Jesus Christ) and that He will love and protect us and soothe our troubled minds where these perilous times are concerned.

Remember, however, that chronic fear that never goes away shows a lack of faith in the good Lord.  We need to turn to the Lord with all of our cares and be continually in prayer and in the Holy Word.

Following is a video by www.skywatchtv.com featuring Dr. Michael Lake who has been preaching since he was 13 years old. He is also an author and speaks at various conferences frequently. In the video he touches on various end-times topics of interest, and I learned some new things from watching it.  


In the video they discuss the Armor Of God and how many Christians (as well as unbelievers) are clueless as to the "Big Picture". They mention that in Charles Spurgeon's time any sermon less than 2 hours long was considered an insult to the congregation.  My how things have changed !  Watch this 28 minute video and it will enlighten you where current events are concerned.


"The world has an expiration date."  -  Jan Markell

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  -  2 Corinthians 4:18

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."  -  Ephesians 6:10-11




Thursday, July 20, 2017

"You Are Going To Be Okay" - Inspirational Weekend


These beautiful red blossoms on the Cannonball tree are the only appealing thing on this large tree with its ugly "cannons" (fruit) and twisting vines.  It is rather like some people, as well as similar to how our circumstances can appear at times.   Things can get really ugly and burdensome in our lives sometimes, and if we continue to look at the "knots" and "twists" and trials, we will find ourselves depressed and even at times to feel like all is hopeless.   We cannot stay like this !   We should look at "blossoms of beauty" amidst the various trials and upheavals.  

The good and beautiful can uplift us and keep us from giving up.  And what is more good than our Lord, who loves us and  who is there to encourage us when things get us down.   And Jesus is all-beautiful in the sense that His beauty is moral perfection in His life and character.   

"Nothing but encouragement can come to us as we dwell upon the faithful dealing of our Heavenly Father in centuries gone by.  Faith in God has not saved people from hardships and trials, but it has enabled them to bear tribulations courageously and to emerge victoriously."  -  Lee Robertson  

We all have heard that saying, "If God seems far away, guess who moved?"  Yep, we did.  Maybe we don't pray as often as we used to, or maybe we have been too busy to read our Bibles, and before we realize it, we have moved far from the Lord.  That is why we can get so depressed and even fearful about frightful events in our lives or in the world situation right now.   We need to pray for our Heavenly Father to give us an extra portion of His Holy Spirit so we may feel His presence.  Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a one time thing: we are leaky vessels and need to constantly be replenished. "Pray without ceasing"   (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  And while I am thinking about it, 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, "Rejoice evermore."   If we endeavor to pray at all times and to see the good and rejoice over what good there is instead of dwelling on the bad things in our lives, then we will be okay.  

"When it seems like God is far away, remind yourself that He is near.  Nearness is not a matter of geography.  God is everywhere.  Nearness is likeness.  The more we become like the Lord, the nearer He is to us."  -  Warren Wiersbe  

How do we become like the Lord?  By building a relationship with Him through prayer and coming to know His attributes by reading the Bible.   God speaks to us by His Holy Word, and by answering our prayers.  By saturating our minds with His Word, by prayer, and by dwelling on spiritual matters, focusing on the Lord instead of the world and its distractions, we will - over time -  become more like Jesus.   Of course, we need to aim for moral perfection as well in order to become Christ-like. 

What gave me the idea to write on this subject is the song below, titled "You're Gonna Be Okay" :


It is a good song, but I tend to emphasize it is not so much what we do to make things better, but what the good Lord does to help us.  We need to petition Him frequently for strength and guidance and endurance and for so much more.   Of course, our Heavenly Father expects action on our part as well, but we need faith in Him first.  

Faith keeps you grounded in our Heavenly Father.    

"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee:  He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."  -  Psalm 55:22

We need to watch what we think about, what we take into our minds via the TV or the Internet, or even from our associations -- friends who may be worldly and/or not true believers.   We need to be filling our minds with spiritual things:  God's Holy Word, sermons, and to spend time with other Christians.  When a person first becomes a new believer, he needs his mind transformed by the power of God's Word.  Actually, renewing our minds is an on-going and never-ending process.

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

If  you do what the above verses in Romans say, you will be okay.  


But what if you are not a Christian? Not a born-again believer in Jesus Christ as your Savior?   

Then you will not be okay.  

You will not be taken to heaven in the soon to occur Rapture with Jesus, and you will be left behind to face the worst tribulation the world has ever known when God unleashes His wrath upon the world and the ungodly people left on the earth.  You will face all eternity in torment .... away from the God that loved you and wanted to draw you to Him, but for some reason you never gave your life to Jesus.

"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:"  -  Revelation 14:10

The above  verse in Revelation 14 is speaking specifically of those who, during the 7-year Tribulation, take the mark of the beast (antichrist) and who also worship the beast .   But the same punishment applies to all those who die without knowing Jesus as their Savior....... all who do not become true believers and who do not follow the Lord.  

"Almost persuaded to be a Christian is like the man who was almost pardoned, but he was hanged; like the man who was almost rescued, but he was burned in the house.  A man that is almost saved is damned."  -  Charles Spurgeon

Surrender your life to Jesus now, before it is too late.   He is waiting with open arms to embrace you as His very own.  He will forgive you and set you on the right path, if you repent and sincerely ask for forgiveness and turn your life around to follow Him and obey Him.

God loves you.

Surrender your will and your life to the Lord.

Your decision will affect and determine your eternal future.

Choose life.

Choose Jesus.


"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

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."   -  John 14:6









Monday, July 17, 2017

The Antichrist's Technology (With Video)


"And he [the false prophet] had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed."   - Revelation 13:15  (read also Revelation 13:11-18).   

The above Scripture is referring to the false prophet, and the "beast" is referring to the antichrist, which you may read about at Revelation 13:1-10.

Satan, secular power, and religious compromise (or, satan, the antichrist and the false prophet) make up the unholy trinity;  and they join against the cause of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Tom Horn and Josh Peck and Gary Stearman discuss how the image of the beast might be a form of artificial intelligence in the following fifteen minute video by www.prophecywatchers.com 


Although true born-again believers will be raptured to heaven before the antichrist comes on the scene , it is interesting to contemplate on various aspects of that seven-year tribulation period.   

They are now in the process of producing brain chips to connect humans to a computer system, an AI .    In the above video they touch on several topics, including how a robot or artificial intelligence could possibly become inhabited by a demon and do some real damage.   

These are dangerous and evil times in which we live.  We need to be living godly lives and to be "looking up" and watching for Jesus' return, which is imminent.   

Are you ready?


"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."  -  Titus 2:13-14


Friday, July 14, 2017

"Do You Know The Secret Of The Lord?" - Inspirational Weekend


These graceful palm trees are above Makapu'u Beach on Oahu, Hawaii.  Trees have always seemed to me to have character, especially old oak trees and the like, with their twisting and turning branches.  People can learn a lot from nature; I should say, learn a lot from the Creator of all things.   We need to stop and take the time to learn lessons from His creation and from the very heart of God Himself.

Also important is to take the time to read the Holy Word and to spend time in prayer with the Lord.  That is how we get to know Him intimately and become friends with Him.   Once we are truly born-again believers in Jesus Christ, He will give us more understanding of Him and His Word.  He will share His secrets.

"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant."  -  Psalm 25:14

The word "secret" in Hebrew means the cushions of a divan on which counselors and friends in the East usually sit.  Another way of expressing it is "Wast thou a listener in the secret council of God?"              (Job 15:8)

God's servants are admitted to God's secrets.  But notice, it is to those "that fear Him."  This is speaking of filial fear, like the fear which a loving child has of grieving its father, or causing him pain. God will have fellowship with those whose hearts are true and in right standing with Him, thereby finding favor with Him.   They who do not fear God cannot hear the secret.   

"Christ should be found written on your heart.  This is the secret of the Lord."  -  W. Logan  

Also, the secret of the Lord means that which cannot be known unless the Lord reveals it.  There is much that can be called the secret of the Lord.  

Natural or carnal man cannot know or understand these secrets; their eyes of understanding are blinded by the cares and pleasures and lusts of this old dying world.   They are blinded also by the devil.

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him:  neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."   -  1 Corinthians 2:14


Back to the fear of the Lord, which enables you to, by God's grace, to know the secret of the Lord.   The fear of the Lord is clean; it cleanses.  In every heart filled with the fear of God there is a communication of a secret.  God opens His mind and His heart to them.

There is also the secret witness of the Spirit, which testifies to them being a child of God.  There are secret whispers of His love, which assures their soul that He has loved them with an everlasting love, and is preparing them for their heavenly home.

There is the secret concerning how, when one is born-again, he becomes a new creation.  2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us,  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away; behold, all things are become new."

Another secret is the Gospel of Christ, which is a mystery.  Carnal man cannot comprehend it as it is not  attainable without supernatural revelation.

The latter part of Psalm 25:14 tells us that God will show them His covenant.   "He will show them, will teach them, more and more therein, the nature of it, the duration of it, its comprehensiveness, its security, its terms and conditions, its blessings and promises, all in Christ, and Christ in all."  -  A. Hewlett

To sum it all up, God reveals His secrets to those who love, obey, and fear Him.   The Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, is a secret or a mystery to the lost.   If you are a child of God, He will reveal his secrets to you and bless you with a better understanding of Him and His Word; He will clear your mind and bless you with a joy and peace that only His love and a clear conscience can give you.

If you have not yet surrendered your life to the Lord, in full faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Savior, I urge you to do so now.   Confess your sins to Him, ask for forgiveness, repent and give your life to Jesus to be used by Him in His work.

Bible prophecy is being fulfilled daily in these last days; the Lord will return soon to rapture His own to heaven to be with Him.  Are you ready ?



"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.........For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  -  Romans 10:9,13

"Hast thou heard the secret of God?"   -  Job 15:8a

"Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."          -         Jesus at  John 15:15