"How To Be Blessed" - Inspirational Weekend

I felt blessed to capture this Mandarin Duck with my camera earlier this month at the Honolulu Zoo as I had always wanted to see one and take photographs of it.  

But this is not the sort of blessing I want to concentrate on in this post today.  Instead I want to talk about spiritual blessings.  One place to find out how to be blessed is to go to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12.  Jesus in these verses, begins His Sermon on the Mount.  In the Beatitudes He begins each one by saying, "Blessed are....."  and ends each one by showing a reward.  The Greek word for "blessed" means "happy or blissful."  It literally means "to be enlarged."  In the Beatitudes, blessed does not mean a superficial and shallow happiness but, rather, a state of spiritual well-being; a deep joy of the soul.

Let's just concentrate on only two of the Beatitudes right now.   The first one is found at Matthew 5:3 and says, 

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Although Jesus preached most frequently to the poor,  the above verse is not referring so much to monetary poverty as it is to spiritual poverty.  To realize you are a sinner and in need of a Savior; to realize we have no righteousness of our own.  Also to be willing to be in God's hands.  It is the opposite of pride and vanity and ambition.    And notice that the poor in spirit have as a reward the kingdom of heaven, which refers to salvation.  The kingdom of heaven is, of course, referring primarily to eternity in heaven with the Lord.  To sum it up, before we can enter heaven we need to recognize our inability to save ourselves by good works (Ephesians 2:8-9) and to recognize our own worthlessness and that only faith in Jesus can save us.

Let us now look at Matthew 5:8 which says, 

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

The Pharisees of Jesus' day were not pure in heart. Oh, they had an outward purity, but deep inside their hearts were full of corruption and wickedness and hypocrisy.  A big part of the Jewish religion was the strict  outward washings and cleansings , and this they believed would enable them to one day see God and to enjoy eternal glory.  But the Lord is here saying that what is needed is a purification of the heart from all things wicked in order to enter into the kingdom of God.  A person must be delivered from all sin by the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ in order to have Scriptural hope of ever being with God.   

And the reward for having a pure heart is that you will see God.  Granted, in a sense we (particularly unbelievers) will all see God as a Judge and not as a Friend.  (Revelation 1:7).  But in Matthew 5:8 to see God is spoken of as a special favor.   To see the face of someone, or to be in the presence of anyone, especially a king or a prince, was regarded by the Jews as a high favor and honor.  To the Hebrew, those that saw the face of a king were his favorites and his friends.   Therefore, in this verse, to see God means to be His friends and favorites, and to be with Him forever in His kingdom.

Since many Christians and others do not often read the Bible book of Revelation,  they may not be familiar with this verse below:

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."   -  Revelation 1:3

This is the only time in the Bible where it says you will be blessed by reading one of its books, meaning Revelation.   But not only just reading Revelation, but by keeping those things written therein.  

"We should keep in mind those things which relate to the future and obey those things which are required as truth and duty.  The blessing results from the fact that  the truth is properly regarded and exerts a strong and desirable influence over our lives."

The book of Revelation consists of prophecies of future events.  It tells us about the antichrist, the New World Order, the one world religion to come during the tribulation period, the one world government, and the one world economy.   All of which are in the beginning stages at the present time.  How close then is the 7 year tribulation !   And, therefore, closer still the Rapture of the Church which occurs prior to the tribulation.   The book of Revelation speaks of the new heavens and the new earth and of the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ on earth.   It covers all the plagues and woes to happen to the wicked who are left behind after the Rapture to face God's wrath and judgments. 

So the book of Revelation can bless you by making you aware of these judgments to come and to enable you to turn to Jesus in faith as your Savior.  It gives you hope to realize that soon this wicked and chaotic world mess will be gone forever, and that Jesus will reign in a paradise on earth and true believers have something to look forward to for all eternity. 

Notice that the end of Revelation 1:3 says that the time is at hand.  If that was true in the apostle John's day, how much nearer are these soon to occur events in our day and age !   We are living in the end times; the last days. 

Time is short.

Turn to Jesus as your Savior before it is too late !

Jesus loves you. 

He is waiting for you to come to Him in complete trust and faith.

Read the book of Revelation and you will comprehend just how terrible the 7 year tribulation will be with all of its woes and catastrophes and plagues.  You do not want to experience the great wrath of the Lord at that time. 

Yes, the reading of Revelation can save your soul and enlighten you to the point of accepting Jesus Christ as the Savior and surrendering your will and your life to Him. 

So to be blessed, you need to be saved and then live as godly a life as possible.  Read the Bible everyday and pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) in order to get to know the Lord better, and to have a close, intimate, and personal love relationship with Him. 

It is all about Jesus !!

Be blessed !!


Have a Christ centered weekend !


"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I seccoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)"   -  2 Corinthians 6:2

"Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book."   -  Revelation 22:7

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."  -  Revelation 21:4

"It's All About Him" - Inspirational Weekend

Beautiful scenery, the ocean, the mountains, and even the clouds themselves remind me of the Lord and of how awesome He is.  Jesus created all of this, and He created you and me.  

"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, Who created all things by Jesus Christ:"   -  Ephesians 3:9

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power:  for thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."  -  Revelation 4:11

For a long time (before I was truly converted and before I began reading the Bible daily) I believed God alone created everything, but the Scripture in Ephesians 3:9 states that Jesus had a hand in creation as well.   The verse at Revelation 4:11 is speaking of God Almighty being the Creator. according to most commentaries.  This is no contradiction, since God is at the same time Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: "God in three Persons, blessed Trinity."  Since Jesus created you and me, He is our possessor, our Master, and deserves  our worship and obedience.    He came to earth just for us and to restore our relationship to God the Father.  Everything about Jesus' reason to come to earth was about saving us from our sins.  Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  (John 14:6)

Jesus is everything !!

It is all about Jesus !!

Please listen to this beautiful song titled "It's All About You Jesus":

There is no one like Jesus !  He is God's Son and He is the Savior of the world.....to those that will believe in Him and have faith in Him and believe in His resurrection  (Romans 10:9-10,13).  

Think of His sacrificial and painful death at Calvary, so that by His shed blood that washes away our sins, we might have everlasting life if we truly believe in Him as the Savior.   Think of all He has done for you.  Then ask yourself, "What have I done for the Lord?"  He is your Creator, and therefore He has a claim upon you.  Think on some of the things Jesus does for us:  Jesus forgives sins (Luke 5:20; 7:48).  Jesus always lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).  Jesus resurrects (John 6:40,44; John 11:25-26). And Jesus has done and will do so much more for His true followers.  Surrender all to Him and obey Him and be grateful and do as He said at Matthew 28:19-20 :

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

The last part of verse 20 above where Jesus tells us that He is with us always is very comforting and encouraging.   It encourages us to always do His will and to obey Him as well as endeavor to draw closer to Him.

Thinking of all Jesus has done for us and how much He loves us, ought to fill us with gratitude and joy and with much reciprocal love.  Jesus is the best Friend anyone can have, and He says that we are His friends if we obey His commands.  (John 15:14)   Good friends spend much time together and enjoy each others company.  Is that true of you where Jesus is concerned?  He longs to fellowship with you.  Show your love by spending time with Him and by much prayer to the Lord and much Bible reading and studying.  Someone has said that the Bible is rather like Jesus' biography.  Jesus is the Word (John 1:1) and therefore when you read the Bible you begin to know Jesus better, and when you know Him even better, your love and relationship with Him will grow and blossom into something beautiful and enduring.  You will feel His Presence and obeying His commands will be easier. He will fill every need.  He is all you truly need. 

"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our abode with him."    -  John 14:23

Church activities can be a good thing, but for some they are so busy "doing" this and "doing" that that they forget to spend time just "being" with the Lord and worshiping Him; and a vital and personal and intimate loving relationship with the Lord is most important; more important that a dozen activities that keep you from actual fellowship with Jesus.

But I digress a bit.  This was to focus on how "It's All About Jesus !!"   Yet discussing our interaction with Him deserves attention as well.  Our first and foremost focus should be on the Lord, and then everything else will fall into place.  Take time to be holy !

Have a Christ-centered weekend !

"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world."                      -  1 John 4:14 

"Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."  -  Romans 5:9

"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

"For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."  -  John 3:17

"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

The Future Is Not What It Used To Be (Bible Prophecy And Current Events) With Videos

Whoever said, "The future is not what it used to be", was very discerning.  Never before have so many Bible prophecies occurred all at one time like they are at the present time....a strong convergence here in these last days.   Jesus said that when we see "ALL"  of these end times signs appearing we would know that the end was near (Matthew 24:33).  Please read the entire chapter of Matthew 24.   

Here is a link to today's article by Jan Markell of olivetreeviews.org in which she discusses events of 2017 and the prophetic significance behind them.  She gives links to Scriptures as well as to various articles pertaining to the end times.

There is also a short 8 minute video included in her article.  If you have been keeping up with Israel and Syria and all the news concerning them, you know that the prophecy at Isaiah 17:1 will be fulfilled soon.... the fact that Damascus will be completely destroyed.  Jan mentions that as well as how Turkey's Erdogan has threatened to "wipe out all Jews" after the recent announcement by President Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.  Jan Markell discusses various other events that happened in 2017 and gives many links you will want to take notice of.   

Following is a video update on Jerusalem and other topics by Amir Tsarfati, whom I often include in my posts.  He has a thriving ministry and is a Jewish believer in the Messiah and he lives in Israel and speaks informatively on Middle East events.  He is also very informed about American affairs as well.  

Remember that Israel is God's prophetic time clock.  He has not forgotten His chosen people.  In fact, the entire  seven year Tribulation is for bringing the Jews to recognize Jesus as their Messiah.   Of course, God will also be pouring out His wrath upon the earth and on ungodly people left behind after the Rapture of the Church.  

Amir says that after many, many years of silence we are the generation to see numerous prophecies begin to unfold.   "God is in full control", Amir assures us, and to "get ready for our exodus."

Following are words from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of all who will but believe in Him and have faith in Him.

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."  -  Luke 21:28

The following verses are also from Luke 21; verses 34 to 36:

"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.  For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

"Stop Beating Up On Yourself When Suffering Guilt Or Condemnation" - Inspirational Weekend

The Hawaiian Moorhen in my photograph above almost looks as if it is gathering sticks.   People sometimes beat themselves up with imaginary blows from "sticks" of self-condemnation and extreme guilt.  When you think about it, that sounds a lot like perverted pride.  A "How could I, cool and collected as I am and being so righteous, ever sin like that?" attitude.   That smacks of relying on self-effort instead of relying on the good Lord to help you.  Remember that God hates pride  (Proverbs 8:13; James 4:6).

When you feel guilty and condemned, you need to humble yourself and go to God and ask for forgiveness.  Only He can forgive and cast your sins away and wipe the slate clean.  

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

But the verse we will focus on primarily this time is Romans 8:1 which says,  

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

The term "in Christ Jesus" is unique to the New Testament.  It truly expresses well the condition of the Christian as soon as he believes in Jesus, the Savior.  The true believer surrenders all to Jesus, and desires to follow closely in His footsteps; to imitate Christ as much as he possibly can.   If he is a true follower of the Lord,  his life will bear much fruit.  He looks to God and Jesus with true faith and obedience.  Therefore, the person that is in Christ is one who can say,  "In the LORD have I righteousness and strength.........".  (Isaiah 45:24)

Self-conviction is very different from Holy Spirit-conviction.  When the Lord convicts, He is specific as He lets us know where we were wrong, and He will oftentimes remind us of Scriptures to set us straight again and back on the right path.  When coming from the good Lord, it is not a morbid in-the-pits type of doom and gloom, but one that turns us to Him in repentance and a sincere heart to confess the sin and then to not continue in that sin anymore.  If you truly are converted, you have the Holy Spirit to always keep you on track where God's will is concerned.   

Self-conviction can totally consume you in despair and guilt and feelings of not being good enough; you lose proper Christian perspective and, again, you need to turn to the Lord in prayer and confession.

Another thing to consider is the fact that these intense feelings of condemnation may be coming from the enemy: satan, or one of his demons.  Such negativity is not coming from Jesus. Evil spirits want to condemn you and deceive you; satan is a liar and a deceiver, and will stop at nothing to tear you down and make you feel guilty and as if there is no hope.  When you feel evil attacks on your mind, say the name of Jesus out loud.  Or also say out loud, "I plead the blood of Jesus."  Also, pray with fervor to the Lord for help. True, devout Christians cannot be demon possessed (remember Job was righteous and yet suffered terribly from the attacks of satan); so believers today may also suffer from the negativity of the demons. You need to remember that Jesus paid the price for your sin by His shed blood at Calvary; He took God's wrath for sin (your sin) upon Himself, and paved the way for you to gain eternal life if you but have faith and believe in Him.  He paid the price for your sins.  When you become a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ, there is no more condemnation for you.  (Romans 8:1)

Remember, the Holy Spirit will not let you wallow in despair and gloom, but will move you to confess your sins and depart from them.   

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  -  1 John 1:9

But what about the unbeliever?  Then, I am afraid, the unconverted will face God's wrath.  Jesus, at the judgment, will have to say, "I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity."  (Matthew 7:23;    read also Matthew 7:15-22).   This may apply primarily to the false prophets, but it also applies to unconverted and carnal persons.  

I urge you, if you have not yet accepted by faith Jesus Christ as your Savior, to do so now, while it is not too late.

We are living in the last days (Matthew 24).  Jesus will return soon to take all true believers to heaven to be with Him.  

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words."  -  1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Those words will be a comfort to the true believers and describe the Rapture of the Church.   It is not comfort to carnal, sinful men who never gave their life to Jesus.   Many will be left behind to face the seven year tribulation period when God pours out His wrath on all the ungodly persons left behind.   There will be plagues and catastrophes like the world has never seen before.   Much of the earth will be ruined, the water turned to blood, and much more as mentioned in the Bible in the book of Revelation.   I urge you to read all of Revelation.

The Lord does not wish to see any perish, but instead that all come to repentance.  (2 Peter 3:9).

Repent and turn to the Lord today, while there is still time.  Faith and belief in Jesus is your only hope.   

Confess and repent of all known sin and begin to live a godly life.

Jesus will welcome you with open arms of forgiveness and love.

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

"And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment."  -  1 John 3:23

"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

"You Must Be Holy To Enter Heaven" - Inspirational Weekend

Hamakua Marsh on Oahu, Hawaii,(shown in my photo above) is a bird lovers paradise and I enjoy visiting there and taking many photographs.  Again, the beauty of Hawaii is a small glimpse of a paradise on earth.  The paradise of God's heaven is too wonderful to even comprehend with our finite minds!  

Two previous posts on this blog have dealt with how to enter the Kingdom of God;  one is about repentance and being born again found here , and the other about how humility and being childlike is necessary to enter God's kingdom which is found here.  I urge you to read both posts, and meditate upon the Scriptures found there.

Today, we will focus on holiness.   I have dealt with this topic previously last year.  Now I will go into more depth about the meaning of holiness and how you need to be holy to enter heaven, God's Kingdom.

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."  -  Hebrews 12:14

A short note on being peaceable:  we are not to engage in or instigate litigation, strifes, or slander.  We are to make war with sin, but not with people; with bad passions and corrupt desires, but not with our fellowman.   Being peaceable is part of being holy.

"They who are expecting to be saved without holiness or religion, are destined for certain disappointment.  Heaven and earth will pass away but God will not admit one unrepenting and unpardoned sinner to enter heaven.  "   

Notice in Hebrews 12:14 that it says to "follow holiness."  You will not gain holiness by just sitting still and doing nothing.  It requires effort; you need to deliberately pursue holiness with a passion.  To be holy means to be a true follower of Jesus Christ.  Holiness requires cultivation.   "You must pursue it with determination; with eagerness, with long-continued perseverance, as a hunter pursues his prey."

Remember, there is no heaven without holiness.

  

"You cannot achieve holiness by your own effort.  But Christ can do it for you, and He can begin it now.  Believe on Him and He will begin with you; in fact, that believing will be the fruit of His having begun with you."  (Charles Spurgeon)

Pray for the Lord to help you to become holy.  Read and study your Bible and pray without ceasing  (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  All Scripture is inspired by God.  Therefore, God "speaks" to you through the reading of His Word.  The more you take in spiritual food, the more spiritual (and therefore holier) you will become.

Someone has said, "Holiness is the beauty and ornament of the soul."   Also, "It {holiness} is our brightest resemblance to God; our principle glory in this world, and our highest happiness in the next."

Holiness is the fruit of sovereign and effectual grace .  (Ezekiel 36:25-26)

"Now if our text {Hebrews 12:14} said that without perfection of holiness no man could have any communion with Christ, it would shut every one of us out, for no one, who knows his own heart, ever pretends to be perfectly conformed to God's will..  It does not say "perfection of holiness", mark: but "holiness".  This holiness is a thing of growth.  As the spirit of God waters it, it will grow till the mustard-seed shall become a tree."   -  Charles Spurgeon

I have shared the following sermon previously, but felt it needed to be shared again on this post.   It is a  45 minute sermon by Charles Spurgeon titled "Holiness Demanded".   

 "I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live holy to Him".      -  Charles Spurgeon

"The greatest test of whether the holiness we profess to seek or to attain is truth and life will be whether it produces an increasing humility in us.  In man, humility is the one thing needed to allow God's holiness to dwell in him and shine through him.  The chief mark of counterfeit holiness is lack of humility.  The holiest will be the humblest."   -  Andrew Murray

"Holiness consists of three things -  separation from sin, dedication to God, transformation into Christ's image.  It is in vain that we talk about the last, unless we know something experimentally about the first."  -  James H. Aughey

"If Christ has died for me - ungodly as I am, without strength as I am - then I can no longer live in sin, but must arouse myself to love and serve Him who has redeemed me.  I cannot trifle with the evil that killed my best Friend.  I must be holy for His sake.  How can I live in sin when He has died to save me from it?"  -  Charles Spurgeon  

True holiness is seated in the heart.  It is not just a name you or someone else gives you, but rather your inward nature.   It is a divine principle embedded deep within your heart and soul.  The only way one can become holy is by a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ; by fellow-shipping with Him; by knowing Him intimately and desiring His will above all else.   You must be born again (John 3:3) and renewed in your mind (Romans 12:1-2) in order to be holy.  But, of course, to begin with, you need to repent and turn from your sin and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior (John 3:16); to have faith in Him by grace and to believe His shed blood on the cross can wipe all your sins away; and believe also in His resurrection  (Romans 10:9,10,13).  

"Holiness is not a single grace, but an assemblage of all the graces. and extends to all the duties of the Christian life.  ..... It is not meekness, humility, faith, hope or charity; but all these united...."

True holiness in man is through the mediation of Christ.  Only as we begin to know Jesus can we grow in holiness as, at the same time, we increase in the knowledge of Him.  "Real saints are a living image of the invisible Savior."

Beware of self-love that may prompt us to love God for His goodness to us.  Many unregenerate men may have a selfish love towards God because of a selfish heart.  "But to love God because He is infinitely holy, is a disposition natural to a renewed soul only, and argues a conformity to His image."

Ponder these things, and may grace abound towards you as you enter this Christ-filled weekend.

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."       -  Romans 6:22

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."  -  2 Corinthians 7:1  

"And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."  -  Ephesians 4:24

"Be Child-like And Humble" - Inspirational Weekend

My photograph here is of a female peacock with her baby behind her.  The baby eventually snuggled under the mama's breast feathers for safety and comfort.  It reminds me of Matthew 23:37 where Jesus says,  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."

This shows how Jesus had wanted to display tenderness and compassion and love to Jerusalem even though He was pointing out its great sins. In the preceding verses He had condemned the Pharisees and scribes in very strong language.  

But the verses I would like to concentrate on in this post are found at Matthew 18:3-4 which follows:

"Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Jesus' disciples were overly concerned with who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, which prompted Jesus to say the above statement.

In the previous post last weekend, we talked about the kingdom of heaven and how, in order to be a part of it, you needed to repent and also be born again.   In the above verses, Jesus is telling us we need to become child-like and be humble in order to see the kingdom of heaven.   Children are trusting and unpretentious.  As believers in Christ, we should become as trusting and as humble as little children, having faith in the Lord and in His loving words to us which guide us in the Christian walk and in His footsteps.  There is simplicity and meekness in the helpless and inexperienced child.  We adult Christians should be meek as well, and simply trust in the Lord with all of our heart, mind, and soul.  It is as much a duty to trust God as it is to serve Him.

We must, like little children, be teachable; and open to truth and to conviction.   Also, it is a child's character to obey.  If you are a true believer, you will endeavor to always obey God.  Not self-willed and self-sufficient, but dependent on the Lord for guidance.  His will, not yours, be done.

The child also has undoubting faith in his parents and teachers.  We Christians should be the same toward God.   Remember,  "Without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."  (Hebrews 11:6).

"Pride makes faith impossible."  -  Andrew Murray

The proud will say, "I can handle this", and not turn to the Lord for guidance.   The proud will not be able to have true faith; that is why we need to be humble as little children.   We are God's children, after all.

"According to what we have of God will be our real humility, because humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all."   -  Andrew Murray

Remember, God hates pride.  

"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:  Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate."  -  Proverbs 8:13

To me, male peacocks are very prideful in their display and attitude.  It's as if they know they are beautiful and so they strut their stuff.   Christians should not be that way.

How do we cultivate the grace of humility?

The first root of humility is love.  

Realize yourself the object of great mercy.  Take all of your blessings as an act of an individual favor to you.  Be grateful.

Be more reverential.  If your health permits, get down on your knees in prayer to the Sovereign God of the universe, and realize every breath you take comes from Him.  He is the Almighty God and He is in control.   

Always try to keep yourself a little child, spiritually speaking.  You are God's child; rely on Him and trust in Him as you would if you were a child.   Your heavenly Father loves you and wants the best for you.  Read and study your Bible and pray continuously in order to develop a close, personal, intimate relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.  If you have such a close relationship with God, you will learn humility and obey Him as a child does its earthly Father.  You will reverence the Lord.  

Have a happy and a Christ centered weekend!

"Will You Be In The Kingdom Of God?" - Inspirational Weekend

Hawaii is often called "Paradise".  The above photo was taken at an overlook on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai and depicts the taro fields found there.   I thank the good Lord that I live in this "paradise" on earth.  It is an artist's dream and everyone's delight. But my true delight will be when I am with the Lord in heaven during the 7-year Tribulation period, and after that on earth during the 1000 year Millennial reign of Jesus Christ (Revelation 20). And after that to be with the Lord for all eternity.  I thank God and praise Him for His tender mercies in saving a sinner like me.  I thank Him for His love and His provisions and for the hope He gives to all believers.

The kingdom of God is the heart of Jesus' teachings.  It is also found in key places such as the preaching of John the Baptist, who proclaimed, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  (Matthew 3:2).   By the way, the "kingdom of God" and the "kingdom of heaven" are synonyms.....they mean the same thing.  Where Matthew uses "kingdom of heaven", Luke and Mark use the "kingdom of God."  However, Matthew does use  both of these two expressions in the same statement at Matthew 19:23-24.

In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the word "kingdom" refers primarily to the rule of a king, and not a territory.  So it would be better, in the majority of cases, to translate "kingdom of God" as the "rule of God."   A rule over all the universe by an eternal, sovereign God.  

But to narrow it down, the kingdom of God is a spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who willingly surrender to God's authority.  Since they submit to God's rule in their hearts, in a sense the kingdom of God is spiritual.  At John 18:36 Jesus Himself said that His kingdom was not part of this world.

How does one become a part of the kingdom of God?  Repentance is necessary.

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

"Repentance  is more than a change of mind or feeling sorry for one's sins.  It is a radical and deliberate change that affects one's  intellect, emotions, and will."  -  KJV Study Bible Notes

Your heart and your spirit must be "in tune" to spiritual matters; you must put the Lord first in your life.  You also need to be born again to see the kingdom of God.

"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

There are no exceptions.   You must repent, believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, have faith in Him and in His shed blood to wash away your sins, and believe in His resurrection.   You must forsake your wayward, evil, and sinful ways and become a new creation.  

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away; behold, all things are become new."   -  2 Corinthians 5:17

Works do not save you; it is faith and belief in Jesus as your Savior that will send you to heaven, and cause you to be in the kingdom of God.   But if you are a true believer, you will not practice sin willfully and in defiance of the Creator of the universe.  You will be a new creation, as previously stated.

In other words, you will seek first the kingdom of God.  You will make that a priority over the things of the world.  You will, out of love, willingly obey the Lord and share the good news of the kingdom with others.

Jesus had been talking about, in the Sermon on the Mount, to put God first and not to worry or be anxious about anything, when he said at Matthew 6:33,

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."   

If you put the heavenly Father first in your life, He will provide all of your needs.  There will be no reason to be anxious.  Philippians 4:19 assures us,  "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

If you do not put the Lord first and do not make His will the center of your life, and do not spend any time with Him in prayer and in reading His word; if all your time is spent on worldly pursuits and pleasures and you put people first instead of God, then you are probably not truly born again and you will not see the kingdom of God.  

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murder, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."                                 -  Galatians 5:19-21   

Those verses above put it very plainly.  See also 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11.  

Following is a commentary on Matthew 6:33 by Matthew Henry.  It is only 6 minutes in length and well worth your time to listen to it.

Friends, we are living in the final hours of the last days which Bible prophecy speaks so much about.  Time is short.  Faith and belief in Jesus Christ the Messiah is the only thing that will get you into the kingdom of God.   If you keep up with the news, you realize times are desperate and that something has to give soon.  

Jesus will return soon to take true believers to be with Him in heaven.

Don't be left behind.  

Jesus loves you.

He is waiting for that act of faith on your part and your total surrender to Him.  

Admit you are a sinner and repent.

Confess Jesus as your Savior and believe in His resurrection.  (Romans 10: 9, 10, 13)

The Lord will welcome you with open arms and with love and forgiveness.  

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

"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

"In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."  -  John 14:2-3

"An Attitude Of Gratitude Can Change Your Life" - Inspirational Weekend

We Americans tend to have an attitude of entitlement rather than an attitude of gratitude.  Part of that may be due to the fact that the younger generation has had everything handed to them and also the fact that materialism is the religion of most of us.   We are never satisfied and content with what we have; we want something newer like the latest IPhone  or whatever the latest fad is.  Maybe we go into debt to get a fancy car or buy a home out of our financial reach.  Always wanting more, and never truly satisfied.  

Friends, there is only one thing that can satisfy a hungry soul, and that is a relationship with Jesus, the Savior.  Only He can fill the void within our soul that is always searching for and craving for that elusive "something" .....that need to fill the void within our inner being that only Christ can truly fill and satisfy.  

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."                         -  Jesus at John 10:10b   

Jesus is not speaking here of material riches, although He may bless you with that as well, but, rather, He is speaking of having spiritual blessings and riches;  a relationship with Him and the Father.   Such a relationship will give you peace and comfort, although you may still have trials and sorrows to endure. 

We should be grateful for all the Lord has done and will do for us.  Think about it.... He gave His very life as a sacrifice on the cross for you and me.   He bled and died for us.   He redeemed us; He sets us free from sin and bondage if we will but accept Him as our Savior; by faith believe in Him and in His resurrection, and surrender our life to Him in obedience.   Yes, we have much to be grateful for !!

"Jesus is moved to happiness every time He sees that you appreciate what He has done for you."              -  Ole Hallesby

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul."   -  Henry Ward Beecher

"Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it."  -  A. W. Tozer

Did you know that by expressing gratitude you actually make yourself happier? It seems, so some experts say, that feeling and expressing gratitude gets those feel good chemicals in the brain to produce dopamine.  So go ahead and count your blessings daily and say "thank you" with heartfelt gratitude.  Some people actually keep a gratitude journal in which they daily (or every few days) write down things that happened that day that they are grateful for.  It seems this can even turn you into a nicer person, by being thankful for all of your blessings.

 As an adult, I tended to not be satisfied myself.  But when I turned to the Lord in faith and surrender, I realized that all I really needed was Him.  He took me out of the pits, out of the darkness, and into His glorious life-giving light and began to transform my thinking.  (Romans 12:1-2).  I am very grateful for all He has done in my life, my heart, my soul, and my mind.   

The Bible has much to say about thankfulness and gratitude.  

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever;"  -  1 Chronicles 16:34

"I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD."                  -  Psalm 116:17

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"  -  Ephesians 5:20

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."                             -  1 Thessalonians 5:18

From the preceding verses, we can clearly see that thankfulness and gratitude should be a way of life for us.   Think about it:  our very existence is dependent upon God! He gives us our every breath.  We should live to please Him in everything we do, and that includes being grateful for all of His blessings.  

"Thou who has given so much to me, give one thing more: a grateful heart."  -  George Herbert

Following is a moving song about thankfulness:

"Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever, Amen."   -  Revelation 7:12

Have a wonderful and blessed Christ-centered weekend!

A War On Christians - We Are In A Battle Against Satan (Video)

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."   -  Ephesians 6:10-13

In the above verses, it is plain the apostle Paul is speaking of the devil as well as wicked demons.  It can be a frightful thought to do battle with satan.  But you must remember,  that if you are a Christian you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you to help you and protect you.....you cannot be demon possessed.   You may suffer some oppression from the evil one, however.   That is why we need to pray daily as well as read the Bible, God's Holy Word.  Your faith as a born again Christian  - faith in Jesus - will see you through; or should I rather say,  the Lord Himself will see you through and protect you.   

This spiritual warfare with satan and his demons is not preached in most modern day churches.   In fact, even some pastors do not believe in the devil as being real.  This suits satan to a tee because he can better deceive people (Christians as well as unbelievers) if they don't believe that he exists.  But if you are a true Christian and read your Bible, you should know that the devil is real and is out to lure you away from the Lord's work.   

Following is an excellent discussion on this subject from prophecyinthenews.com in an interview with Pastor Billy Crone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZT7kU96U5g

Let us fill our hearts and minds with the Word of God and pray without ceasing ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17)  so that we may stand strong and are not deceived by the evil one.  The devil knows his time is short, and he is angry and is seeking to devour all whom he may.   

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"     - 1 Peter 5:8

So put on the "whole armor of God" to fight strong in this satanic war on Christians.                         (Ephesians 6:13-18).  

"Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you."  -  James 4:7

"Does Jesus Know You? - The Narrow Way" - Inspirational Weekend

Do you have an intimate relationship with the Lord?  Do you regularly fellowship with Jesus?  Is Jesus your friend?  Do you love Him?  If you can answer a heartfelt "yes" to those questions, then you are no doubt a true Christian.   

But what if you cannot answer yes to those questions above?  Maybe you regularly attend church and you may even serve in the church, but you have no intimate, personal, love relationship with the Lord.   Maybe, if that is true of you, then you never were truly saved or born again.  You have a form of religion, you practice religion, but you do not actually know the Lord.  Then you are in danger of hell fire.  Because, if you do not communicate with and have a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ, then Jesus does not know you !   

Jesus warns us at Matthew 7:21-23,  "(21) Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity."

The above refers to those who are not truly converted, who do not actually know Jesus.  There are many false prophets and teachers today who can preach up a storm, but they themselves are not true believers.   Many only "tickle people's ears",  telling those in the pews what they want to hear;  they do not tell the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."  -  2 Timothy 4:3-4  

Many of these false teachers want fame, or security, or money, or all three.   So they avoid "offending" by not teaching on hell, (when Jesus taught on hell more than He did on heaven), or they do not teach that there is only one way to heaven.  (John 14:6).   They want to keep the pews filled and keep everyone happy with sermonettes that have no depth.   At times they just preach on "how to have your best life now", instead of how to obtain life in heaven with the Lord.  Jesus is not in such churches.   If you find yourself in such a house of worship, run to a church that preaches all the Gospel:  Christ at Calvary and His resurrection and how His shed blood redeems us.  Find a church where the Holy Spirit is present.

Back again to whether or not Jesus knows you......  remember in Matthew 7:23 Jesus told those who did many works that "he never knew them."    Many churches today are filled with so-called "carnal Christians";  who live like the world, talk like the world, think like the world, and act like the world.   There is no such thing as a "carnal Christian."  If they are of the world, they are not true believers at all; they were never truly converted.   They need to wake up before it is too late and repent, confess their sins, and pray for forgiveness and turn to the Lord in faith and with love and zeal and do works that befit repentance.   You are not saved by works, but if you are truly born again good works will follow.   You are saved  by faith in Jesus and belief in His resurrection.   (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10,13).

Are you following the narrow way?  

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."  -  Jesus at Matthew 7:13,14   

Jesus has been called the "strait gate."   And after that gate there is a "narrow way."   The narrow way is to follow Jesus and live a godly, holy life as much as is possible.  The narrow way is to obey the Lord and endeavor to keep His commandments.   The narrow way is to share the Gospel with lost souls as we travel on the highway to heaven.  Trust and obey !!

If you are truly born again, your life will change to conform to God's will, because you have been transformed by the renewing of your mind.  (Romans 12:1-2).  You will want to obey and do the Heavenly Father's will, because the Holy Spirit empowers true believers.   You will focus on the Lord first, spiritual matters will be of main concern, and you will think less of yourself and more of Jesus.   You will not be so self-absorbed and self-centered and selfish.   If you occasionally have a battle with sin and are broken up about it, and realize you need the Lord and His Word and time in prayer, that is a sign you are born again.....God is doing a work of sanctification in your life.   

If you stay on the "narrow way" and focus on Jesus, you will not be in danger of ending up on "the broad way" which leads to destruction.  Our job is to warn others so that they do not end up on the road to destruction. 

The evidence that you have truly been saved is the fact that you continue to walk with Jesus and grow in the faith; becoming spiritually mature.  You put Jesus first and foremost.  Jesus is everything !   

Repentance and faith in Christ has never been "fashionable". We should not be discouraged if the religion we profess is not popular and few agree with us.   It is definitely better to enter life eternal with a few, than to go to destruction with a great company.   

Stay strong in the Lord.

Read your Bible daily in order to build your faith and to know the Lord's will......to know Him.

Pray without ceasing.  That will help you build a close relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.

Have a Christ centered weekend !

"And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent."  -  John 17:3

Special Update - Current Events In Light of Bible Prophecy (With Video)

Many mass shootings and other violence are happening all over the globe right now.  The Bible prophesied about an increase in violence and lawlessness in these end times we are now living in.

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come."   2 Timothy 3:1    (Also read verses 2 through 4 of 2 Timothy 3).

If a tragedy hits your home town, what is happening far away across the ocean in the Middle East does not seem nearly as important to you as your immediate experience.   And that is understandable and is as it should be.  But what happens in the Middle East now affects the entire globe.... and will do so even more as time goes on.   

Amir Tsarfati , in the recent video below, explains that war is about to break out between Saudi Arabia and Iran.  Amir goes into much detail, from a Biblical perspective, about current events and speaks of our blessed hope in the soon return of Jesus Christ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7bNSO9NM04

So what are we to do in the meantime ?   We should be about the Lord's business.  He gave us the Great Commission at Matthew 28:19-20 which says, 

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

So let us occupy until Jesus returns; be busy witnessing and sharing the Gospel with lost souls; live a life that is a good example of just what godly living involves if you are a true believer in the Lord.

Time is short, folks.   

"When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory."  -  Colossians 3:4

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."      Colossians 3:17

"Passport To Heaven" - Inspirational Weekend

The majority of Americans say that they are Christians and believe that they will go to heaven.   Many of these persons never attend Church, except perhaps on holidays.  And it is true many of them are good people that love their families and are law-abiding citizens.   However, it is sad but true that a good portion of these do not have a personal relationship with the Lord and have never been born again.   So how can we be assured that we will go to heaven, either when we die or when Jesus comes in the Rapture to take us alive to be with Him in glory?

"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

Jesus is our passport to heaven.   That is, we must by faith believe in Him as the Savior, and that He was resurrected.  (Romans 10:9-13).   We must repent of our sins - turn away from all wrongdoing and do not continue to live a life of sin.  Pray for forgiveness.  So forgiveness from God and Jesus is also part of that passport to heaven.    

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."  -  1 John 5:11-12

This belief in Jesus is not mere head knowledge.  Many years ago I myself believed in my head (but not deep in my heart) that Jesus was God's Son, yet at the same time I was living a worldly, carnal life and was not putting the Lord first in my life.  I had no relationship with Him.   At 16 years old I was baptized, yet I did not truly and totally understand what that meant, what that required of me.   The devil wasted no time in luring me astray.   Many years later, and in dire circumstances, the Lord really got my attention.  One hardship and catastrophe after another until there was nothing left to hang on to.   But God.   I turned to Him with all my heart and then began a relationship with Him and Jesus that filled the void in my heart and soul and life and He began to transform me and mold me.  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."  The way to transform your mind is by much prayer and reading of the Bible, God's Holy Word.   If you are truly saved and born again, you will become a new creation.  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away, behold, all things are become new."  (1 Corinthians 5:17).  As a new believer, and especially as you mature in your Christian walk, you will seek the things above and put spiritual things first.  (Colossians 3:1-2).  In particular, put the good Lord first in your life and seek His guidance in all of your ways and in your life.  The point is, you must have true repentance and from the very heart of your soul seek the Lord with all you've got and put Him first in your life.   It must be a true conversion.  If you are still living like the ungodly world,  you should not expect to go to heaven.

"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?  whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."  -  James 4:4

Some people believe they are too wicked to approach God, or that they must first "clean up their act" before they can come to Jesus.  

Remember the woman at the well (John 4:1-26) ?  She was living in sin, yet Jesus approached her and offered her salvation.   

Remember the woman caught in adultery, and Jesus told her "Go and sin no more."  (John 8:1-11)

God expects us to leave our sins,  but it is not a prerequisite to being saved.  He will cleanse us and wash us whiter than snow, if we will but come to Him first in true repentance.  And in faith in His Son Jesus.

This reminds me of that old hymn "Just As I Am" which I am sharing here now.   Pay close attention to the words.

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."   -  Jesus at John 6:37

There is hope, my friends !    God is love, and He is a God who gives us hope.   What more could we possibly want than to spend eternity with Jesus!    Did you realize that Jesus spoke more about hell than He did about heaven?  No doubt because it breaks His heart to see people go to hell and so He warned us of the doom and torment that awaits there.   Remember, God does not send people to hell; it is our choice to go there if we do not accept Jesus as our Savior and repent.

To summarize, the way to Heaven is by Jesus Christ, the Savior.  We must come to Him in faith.  We must admit that we are a sinner (Romans 3:23; 6:23).  We must confess our sins and repent of them.  To repent means to change your mind, to turn away from sin, to avoid sin and truly become a new person in Christ. 

"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 with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.    ......For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  -  Romans 10:9,10,13

Jesus loves you.

Jesus is giving you the invitation to eternal life.

Fall on your knees in repentance and pray for forgiveness.

Accept Jesus as your Savior.  

Jesus will return soon to take believers to be with Him at the Rapture of the church.

Don't be left behind !

Our citizenship is in heaven.   Don't forget the Passport to make the journey there!

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered......"   -  Joel 2:32a 

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:  though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."  -  Isaiah 1:18

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."  -  Colossians 3:1-2

"And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever."           -  1 John 2:17