Be Strong And Courageous - God Will Make A Way (With Videos by Don Moen)

There will be more words of encouragement in this article.  We all need encouragement even in "normal" times, and especially now when things such as the lock down have drastically altered our lives.

Our main encouragement should be from the good Lord and from His Holy Word, the Bible.  And do not forget to spend much time in prayer.  As stated many times previously on this blog, God and Jesus want to fellowship with us!  We do that, of course, by prayer and Bible reading.  The Bible is God's Love Letter to us, as well as His Instruction Manual.  From spending time in God's Word, we learn of His love for us as well as His many attributes and character, which in turn makes us love Him and Jesus even more.  The more we fellowship with Him, the more we will develop a strong, living and vibrant, and close relationship with Him - a relationship that will grow and blossom into something beautiful and lasting for all eternity!

Jesus tells us at Mark 12:30-31 : "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  And the second is like, namely, this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  There is none other commandment greater than these."

Yesterday I discovered that the singer Don Moen has his own you  tube channel.  My favorite song by him is "God will make a way."  Most of you are no doubt familiar with it.  Here it is for you :

Search for Don's you tube channel by entering there:  Don Moen tv

Here is a wonderful 8 minute sample of one of his devotions at his channel.

It is titled:  "Promises from God's Word  -  Be strong and take courage"

"Faith is not to get you out of a hard place but to change your heart IN the hard place."  -  Pastor David Wilkerson

"Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked."   -    Psalm 97:10

"Trust in Him at all times; ye people; pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us." -  Psalm 62:8

"He only is my rock and my salvation.  He is my defence; I shall not be moved."  -   Psalm 62:2

Following is an encouraging devotion from Charles Spurgeon, based on the Scripture at Isaiah 51:5 which says, "On My arm shall they trust."

Spurgeon tells us: " In seasons of severe trial, the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust to, and is therefore compelled to cast himself on his God alone.  When his vessel is on its beam-ends and no human deliverance can avail, he must simply and entirely trust himself to the providence and care of God.  Happy storm that wrecks a man on such a Rock as this!  O blessed hurricane that drives the soul to God and God alone!  There is no getting at our God sometimes because of the multitude of our friends,  but when a man is so poor, so friendless, so helpless that he has nowhere else to turn, he flies into his Father's arms, and is blessedly clasped therein !  When he is burdened with troubles so pressing and so peculiar, that he cannot tell them to any but his God, he may be thankful for them; for he will learn more of his LORD than at any other time.  Oh, tempest-tossed believer, it is a happy trouble that drives thee to thy Father !  Now that thou hast only God to trust to, see that thou puttest thy full confidence in Him.  Dishonor not thy LORD and Master by unworthy doubts and fears, but be strong in faith, giving glory to God.  Show the world that thy God is worth ten thousand worlds to thee.  Show rich men how rich thou art in thy poverty when the Lord God is thy helper.  Show the strong man how strong thou art in thy weakness when underneath thee are the Everlasting Arms.  Now is the time for feats of faith and valiant exploits.  Be strong and very courageous, and the Lord thy God shall certainly, as He built the heavens and the earth, glorify Himself in thy weakness, and magnify His might in the midst of thy distress.  The grandeur of the arch of heaven would be spoiled if the sky were supported by a single visible column, and your faith would lose its glory if it rested on anything discernible by the carnal eye.  May the Holy Spirit give you to rest in Jesus ....."

Very heartening and hopeful words above from this "Prince of Preachers", as Spurgeon has been called.  Hopefully his devotion and some Scriptures in this post will encourage you to keep on keeping on in today's troubled world.

"Don't let your focus move from God to your circumstances.  God always keeps His promise."   -  Dr. Charles Stanley

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."    -   Jesus at John 14:27

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.  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.  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."  -   Jesus at John 14:1-4

Jesus' words above at John 14:1-4 gives us hope and helps us to endure until He returns to take us home to be with Him in heaven.  Which may be very very soon, the way His signs of the end times are now playing out -  found at Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

Luke 21:28 is where Jesus has been referring to the signs of the end times (which we are now living in)  and then gives us hope by saying "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

If you are not a true believer in the Savior, Jesus Christ, it is urgent that you consider that your eternity will be in hell, unless you repent and turn to Jesus in faith, and believe that His shed blood at Calvary can wash you clean.... wipe the slate clean, so to speak.  Your sins will be forgiven.  Salvation is not difficult.  We simply need to become as little children, who are trusting and humble and obedient to their parents.

"... 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 at Matthew 18:3-4

"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."    Jesus at John 3:16

"Is This The End Of The World?" (Video by Pastor J D Farag and an Interview with Dr. Charles Stanley) - Inspirational Weekend

The title of this article "Is this the end of the world?" is a quote from one of the following videos.  Pastor J.D. Farag says that many unsaved people are asking that question right now.  If more people would read their Bibles, they would know the answer to that soul stirring question.  But actually, it takes the Holy Spirit living inside a person to give them understanding of Scriptures and the Spirit only indwells persons who have been saved; in those who believe with all their heart and soul and all their very being that Jesus is the Savior, and that His death at Calvary paved the way for all who believe in Him to be washed clean from their sins, as Jesus paid our sin debt in full when He died.

The world as we know it will end; meaning this age of grace is about to end.  Do some research and you will find that after the 7 year Tribulation, Jesus will return and set up His 1000 year kingdom on earth. And after that, eternity with the Lord.  

The following  32 minute video by Pastor Farag touches on the coronavirus and how it is an excellent subject for believers to witness to others about Jesus.  The Pastor also encourages believers by telling us that God will provide us with what we need.

There will be another video by Pastor Farag live-streamed tomorrow, 3-29-20, Sunday, at 9 a.m. Hawaii time.  I will not be posting it here on this blog, so I hope that you will tune in to it on your own initiative on You Tube.  Just enter "J D Farag " there and it will appear.

"But the Lord is faithful, Who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil."  -  2 Thessalonians 3:3

Charles Spurgeon wrote a devotional centered around the verse above in 2 Thessalonians.   I will only quote a portion of it below:

".... We are allowed to shelter ourselves in the Lord Jesus. 'Who is in truest sympathy with us.'  There is one true Heart, one Faithful Mind, one never changing Love;  there let us repose.  The Lord will fulfill the purpose of His grace to us, His servants, and we need  not allow a shadow of a fear to fatal upon our spirits.  Not all that men or devils can do can hinder us of the divine protection and provision .  This day let us pray the Lord to stablish and keep us."

In the past, before I knew better, every video sermon by Dr. Charles Stanley that I posted on this blog was deleted.   Following is a 25 minute recent audio interview with him which is focused on the coronavirus.   It is an encouraging message and I pray that it also does not get deleted (since it is an interview). If it does, then go to You Tube and enter intouchministries.org and look for it there.  Actually, it might be best to go to You Tube and enter:   Coronavirus: an interview with Dr. Charles Stanley.

Another sign of the approaching 7 year Tribulation period is found in a very recent article found here: https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/147691/ex-british-prime-minister-calls-on-world-leaders-to-form-one-world-government/

As many Bible scholars, pastors, and devout students of the Bible know, this One World Government occurs during the Tribulation period.   If the information in the article above is correct in saying that this call right now is "temporary"     ................ time will tell.

At any rate, we should realize that the Rapture of the true believers will occur soon, because it happens before the Tribulation.

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

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

Romans 5:9 above is referring to those who are saved by belief in Jesus as the Savior.  They will not suffer the wrath poured out by God during the Tribulation because Jesus would have raptured them to heaven prior to that.

"Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation [affliction]; continuing instant in prayer: "  -   Romans 12:12

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 tells us: (1) "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein ye stand:  (2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; (4) And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:"

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

"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

"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."

Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend -  and life !!

"In The Shadow of God's Wings" (With Video Sermon By Adrian Rogers) - Inspirational Weekend

[South African Starling]

We are all aware of the many catastrophic occurrences in these the last days the Bible prophesied about; we will not go into any depth about that in this weekend post.  Instead, let us be encouraged by Scriptures from the Bible, and by quotes from various Christian authors and pastors, and the like.  (Much has been written on this blog about Bible prophecy and end times signs; you may go to the search box at the upper right hand side of this page and type in things like: "last days", "Mark of the Beast" , "7 year Tribulation, " "The Rapture" , and other such topics and it will bring up several posts  - some with videos - which you may view.)

Today, Psalm 57 seemed to cry out to me to comment on it.   It was written by ancient King David while hiding in a cave when King Saul pursued him in an attempt to kill him.  Following are 4 verses from Psalm 57, but we will go into more depth concerning verse 1.

" (1)  Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me.  For my soul trusteth in Thee:  Yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.  (2) I will cry unto God most high; Unto God that performeth all things for me. (3) He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up.  Selah. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.  (4) My soul is among lions."

Many of you can relate to the above words of Psalm 57.  Today's world is full of chaos, and it affects all of us in some way.

In verse 1 above, let us concentrate on when David said: "In the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be over past."

This is obviously a metaphor taken from the brood of a hen (or other bird) whose young ones take shelter under the mother bird's wings when they see danger, such as from a bird of prey; and there they continue to hide themselves until the enemy disappears.  Also, in a storm or intense rain, the mother covers them with her wings to give them shelter.  David the psalmist has this particularly in view, as when he wrote:  "Until these calamities be over past."

One commentator has said, "David believed that these calamities would pass away, or would cease; that a time would come when he would not thus be driven from place to place.  At present he knew he was in danger and he desired the divine protection, for under that protection he would be safe."

[Mandarin Duck]

"Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: Hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over past." -    Isaiah 26:20

"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."  -   Psalm 27:13

The above verses do not necessarily mean to be so fearful in your heart that you do not go about daily routines -  we cannot just stay in bed all day and pull the covers over our heads, so to speak.  The main thing is to trust in the good Lord and wait for his guidance and direction.

Romans 15:13 tells us: " Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit."

"Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means.  The Lord be with you all."  -   2 Thessalonians 3:16

[Nene goose -  Hawaii's State Bird]

"Daily take some time to set your eyes on God's overwhelming presence of love instead of the circumstances of life.  Meditate on the truth that God's presence not only follows you, but is with you and offers rest to your overwhelmed soul."  -  Proverbs 31 ministries

"Being at peace with yourself is a direct result of finding peace with God."  -  Olin Miller

"Socrates used to say ' Philosophers can be happy without music'; and Christians can be happier than philosophers, when all outward causes of rejoicing are withdrawn.  In Thee, my God, my heart shall triumph come what may of ills without!  By Thy power, O blessed Spirit, my heart shall be exceeding glad, though all things should fail me here below."   -  Charles Spurgeon

"With the power of God within us, we need never fear the powers around us."  -  Woodrow Kroll

Jesus is the answer to all of our fears !   When you have Him by your side and the Holy Spirit living within you, He will help you and guide you and give you peace.  Really, even if someone kills us, our spirit lives on and we will join the good Lord in heaven at death.

The apostle Paul put it beautifully when he said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  -  Philippians 1:21

"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

"If ye love Me, keep my commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."  -    Jesus at John 14:15

It all boils down to having faith in Jesus and believing that He is the Savior; that His shed blood at Calvary washes away all of your sins when you believe with all your very being that His death, His redemptive work at the cross, paid your sin debt in full.  He was our substitute and died in our place, taking  the sins of the world upon Him at the cross.  He is the only way to heaven; and only He can save a sinner from the darkness and death; and bring him into His saving Light and life.

"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."   -   Jesus at John 3:16

When you have Jesus with you, you can face anything!

Following is an excellent 39 minute sermon by Adrian Rogers on ways to draw closer to Jesus.

Time is running out!

Jesus will return soon to Rapture true followers of Christ to heaven to be with Him.

Are you Rapture ready?

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


Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend -  and life  !!

"Knowledge Helps In Many Spiritual Ways" (With Christian Quotes And A Video On The Rapture) - Inspirational Weekend

"The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."  -   Daniel 11:32b

I often stress that we need to draw close to God, by prayer and by reading His Holy Word -  spending much time in His presence.  Many professing Christians never read their Bibles, except for the times they attend Church services.  God wants to fellowship with us !!  We are able to fellowship with Him by much prayer and much Bible reading and studying.  When we read the Bible, we can see the characteristics of God, the attributes that verify that God is love and that He loves you beyond all that you can imagine.  He even sent His beloved Son to bleed and die in your place, so that all who believe in Jesus may have eternal life.   But back to having a relationship with God - a close, personal, intimate, love relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ - in order to draw close to God so that He will draw close to you, you need to be always in prayer and always in His Holy Word.  It means life itself - and life eternal in Heaven.    As Charles Spurgeon says, "to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge."

Following is a lengthy devotion by Charles Spurgeon, of which I will quote the majority of it.

"Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian.  It strengthens his faith.  ....... It is the Spirit's peculiar office to lead them [Christians] into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith.  

Knowledge strengthens love.......  Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Savior.  Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love Him; we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree.   If we know but little of the excellencies of Jesus, what He has done for us, and what He is doing now, we cannot love Him much; but the more we know Him, the more we shall love Him."

Spurgeon goes on to tell us that "knowledge also strengthens hope......knowledge supplies us reasons for patience.  How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us?  Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge.  How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

"He who prays as he ought will endeavor to live as he prays." - Owens 

"One is given strength to bear what happens to one, but not the one hundred and one different things that "might" happen."  - C.S. Lewis

"The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer."  -  F.B. Meyer

"Jesus was God spelling Himself out in language humanity could understand."  -  S.D. Gordon

"IF you have a Bible that's falling apart, you'll have a life that's not."   -   Adrian Rogers

"Jesus gives us real eyes so we can realize where the real lies."     -   Michael McInerny

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."  -  Romans 15:13 , ESV 

"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, "  -   Ephesians 3:20, KJV 

"And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."   -   Galatians 6:9. KJV

I hope you enjoyed and were uplifted and inspired by the above Christian quotes and Scriptures.  Especially the Scriptures, which should be our main source of inspiration.  There is nothing more soothing and encouraging than to read the Bible daily.  But that also applies to being on your knees in prayer to the good Lord.

Following is a 29 minute video on the Rapture of true believers by Prophecy Watchers with host Gary Stearman interviewing author and scholar Ken Johnson.   Mr. Johnson goes deep into ancient sources for his books, and informs us in this recent video that the ancient prophets believed in the Rapture.   

If the rapture happens today, will you be ready?

To be ready you need to be a born again believer in the Savior Jesus Christ. 

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

"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 said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.  Believest thou this?"   -  John 11:25-26

"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."      -  Jesus at John 3:16

Jesus loves you !

He will welcome you with open arms of love and forgiveness!

Believe on Him !

Surrender your life to Him!

Life is full of choices.  Don't make the wrong choice by denying Jesus.  He died a horrible, cruel death, and took on the sins of the world-  and of you -  so that He took your place on the cross so that you may have eternal life if you but believe in Him.

What love !


Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend.... and life !

"From Darkness To Light" - Inspirational Weekend

My previous post concerned itself with the darkness of a pagan holiday.  This weekend let us consider what is good, and pure, and holy; what can bring happiness and give one a sense of peace.

"Then spake Jesus 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 8:12  (KJV)

Christ is truly and aptly compared to and most fittingly represented by light. One commentator has said, "The great end and errand of Christ's coming into the world, was to give light unto poor souls that sat in darkness."

All true believers remember how they were in darkness and sin and misery before they came to a saving faith in Jesus.  To know Jesus loves us and how He died a sacrificial death out of love for mankind, and that our sins are forgiven once we come to faith and belief in Him as our Savior who can wash away all of our sins,  then... and only then... can we find true happiness now and can look forward to an eternity of living in bliss with the good Lord.

No true disciple shall walk in the darkness.  Instead, he shall have as his own the Light of Life.  Light implies knowledge, guidance, safety, and holy purity.  So those who closely, humbly and steadily follow Christ shall have the Divine Light continually shining upon them.  Remember also, when you become a true follower of Jesus Christ and you are born again, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).  The Holy Spirit will guide you and keep you on the right path... the path of righteousness.   

"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever;  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."  -  John 14:16, 17

It takes faith in Jesus to be saved, to be born again from above.  Charles Spurgeon had it correct when he said,  "Would you be comfortable and happy?  Would you enjoy religion?  Would you have the religion of cheerfulness and not that of gloom? Then have faith in God.  If you love darkness and are satisfied to dwell in gloom and misery, then be content with little faith; but if you love the sunshine, and would sing songs of rejoicing, covet earnestly this best gift, Great faith."

"In Him was life; and the life was the light of men."  -  John 1:4

God is declared to be Life or the Living God because He is the source or fountain of life.  This is also true of Jesus Christ, of course.  The Messiah was predicted as the Light of the world:  Isaiah 9:2, Isaiah 60:1.

Psalm 89:15 tells us, "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of Thy countenance."

One commentator explains Psalm 89:15 by saying, "Being blessed with the light of truth, and being enabled to walk therein, they shall live under the comfortable influences of Thy love and favor."

"For Thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness."  -  Psalm 18:28

"For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see Light."  -  Psalm 36:9

Be happy !

Be blessed !  

But what if you are an unbeliever?

Can you see from all the above quoted Scriptures how much the good Lord loves you?!  That He longs to welcome you to the family of God as one of His beloved children?

Turn from sin and darkness !  Be free from the devil's evil plot to keep you in his grasp which suffocates you and renders you helpless to be free and full of joy.  Turn to the good Lord in faith and belief and break free from the devil's hold on you. 

Jesus is waiting with open arms, ready to embrace you in love and forgiveness.

If you have not been born again, turn to Him in true repentance and pray for forgiveness.  Believe Jesus is the Savior whose shed blood at Calvary can wash your sins away, if you have faith in Him.  Also, the Scriptures tell us to believe in Christ's resurrection.

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

"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

"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

"Forget Me Not" - Inspirational Weekend

The title of my oil painting shown above is "Forget Me Not".  I have posted it here previously, but felt it appropriate to use it again as this writing will be about how we should not forget the good Lord.   In this painting, there is much symbolism.  The blue flowers on the cup and saucer are forget-me-not blossoms;  the yellow peace rose symbolizes the peace that comes from the Lord, and it is sitting in a vase containing living water from Him;  the eyeglasses are a reminder to read God's Holy Word; and the red rose symbolizes Jesus' shed blood at Calvary.  

"Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day:"  -  Deuteronomy 8:11

Moses gave the above warning to the Jewish people, for he knew there was a very real danger that when they became prosperous they would forget God who had given them so many blessings and would rather begin to commend themselves.   Not that they would forget God altogether, but they would forget their covenant responsibility.  Their forgetfulness would show up when they did not keep the Lord's commandments and His ordinances and statutes.  

What about us today?  Sure, we enjoy our attendance at worship, but how genuine are we?  We show our faith and that we still remember the Lord by living a godly, surrendered life to Christ, full of faith and joy and hope.  By living our lives in obedience to Him, we demonstrate that we have not forgotten Him.

"And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish."              -  Deuteronomy 8:19

It is in man's nature to always worship something, and it was no different back in Moses' day.  It was apparent to Moses that if they forgot the good Lord, they would soon turn to other gods.  "They would find the easy going gods of the land preferable.  Man loves to worship something, but he prefers it not be too demanding."

Today - especially in the Western world - men are wealthy compared to most of the rest of the world.  This prosperity has made many to succumb to greed and always wanting more, more, more.   They display no gratitude to God for His many blessings.  So we have our idols as well:  musicians, money, movie stars, materialism and on and on.  Many are thereby destroying their souls and the souls of others, because all of this idolatry leads them into behavior which displeases God; and it is also harmful to themselves.  The very prosperity which is the gift of God is too often the reason for the heart to become lifted up where one forgets the Giver.  

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."  -  Psalm 103:2

This past week, I was reading a Charles Spurgeon devotion and felt the desire to post some of what he said; so here it is:

"It seems then, that Christians may forget Christ!   ..... It appears almost impossible that those who have been redeemed by the blood of the dying Lamb, and loved with an everlasting love by the eternal Son of God, should forget that gracious Savior....... Forget Him who never forgot us!  Forget Him who poured His blood forth for our sins!  Forget Him who loved us even to the death!  Can it be possible?  .........  Let us charge ourselves to bind a heavenly forget-me-not about our hearts  for Jesus our Beloved, and, whatever else we let slip, let us hold fast to HIM."

If Christians have a difficult time following and remembering the good Lord, where does that leave the lost and unbelieving?  They are just that - lost and doomed unless they turn to Jesus and repent and believe in Christ as their Savior, and become redeemed by His shed blood at Calvary.

God is full of tender mercies and the Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8).  Jesus is full of love for mankind - He died for us!  He is waiting for unbelievers to repent and to believe He is the Savior and to turn to Him in full surrender and He will forgive their sins and wipe the slate clean.  No more burden of guilt and no more living in sin and darkness.  You will be free from the devil's control over you! You will experience a true peace from the Lord and you will have a hope and a purpose.   It frees the soul to live for the good Lord !

"I will remember the works of the LORD:  Surely I will remember Thy wonders of old."  -  Psalm 77:11

"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

"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

"It Is Finished !" - Inspirational Weekend

Resurrection Day is this coming Sunday, as all Christians know.  They will hear sermons and Scriptures concerning Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  He suffered a cruel and painful death; but He did it out of love for us - us undeserving humans that can be so stubborn and self-willed.  Oh how He loves us !!  We should thank Him everyday for His sacrifice because we who believe in Him will have everlasting life !  

For believers, therefore, death is not the end, but the beginning.  The beginning of life in eternity with our blessed Lord Jesus Christ; and in a new resurrected body.  

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.  Believest thou this?"   -  John 11:25-26

We have all sinned and deserve death, God's punishment.  ( Romans 3:23).  But God in His great love and mercy, sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins; to die in our place, taking the punishment that we deserved, so that those who believe in Him and in His resurrection may have eternal life. (Romans 10:9,10,13).  

Charles Spurgeon has said, "This love of Christ is indeed measureless and fathomless; none can attain unto it" ......"Herein is love! and truly it is love that "passeth knowledge".  O let this love fill our hearts with adoring gratitude, and lead us to practical manifestations of its power."

Jesus' resurrection is the foundation of the Christian faith.  I urge you to read 1 Corinthians chapter 15.  Also study Isaiah 53 which prophesied about Jesus, and was written during the prophet Isaiah's  later years and he lived till around 681 BC. 

"When Jesus therefore had received  the vinegar, He said, "It is finished": and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost."     -  John 19:30

John is the only Gospel that mentions that Jesus said this.  It is no doubt the cry mentioned at Matthew 27:50 and Mark 15:37.  

The fact that Jesus said "it is finished" signifies several things:

(1)  The work of man's redemption was completed.

(2)  Every obstacle was removed, symbolized by the tearing of the veil.

(3)  The way of mercy was opened.

(4)  Jesus had met man's desperate need as a transgressor.

(5)  He had satisfied the law's demand in God's government.

(6)  He had answered every Scriptural type with an antitype. 

(7)  He had fulfilled every ancient prophecy concerning Himself.

(8)  Thus, in one word, Christ exhaustively discharged that entire 

       former dispensation in a new one.

Christ triumphed over the devil and his cohorts (evil angels) and must have sent unimaginable alarm into hades itself.  (Colossians 2:15).

In ancient times, telelestai  (finished) would be written across invoices to indicate "paid in full".  It is the same word used in John 19:28.  All was finished. Jesus had given His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).  God's will had been done.  The means of the world's salvation had now been provided.

How could we ever become self-important and self-righteous, knowing that we, as sinners, deserve death and punishment except for the love and mercy of the Lord,   We should be very humbled and very grateful for all Jesus did for us, by dying in our place.

Let us sing praises to Him, and in true gratitude worship Him as our Master and Savior !

Following is a worship song you are probably familiar with:

"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."   -  Mark 10:45

"And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple."          -         Luke 14:27

"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

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

If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, I urge you to make the choice today to repent of your sins, and pray to the Lord for forgiveness.  Believe with all your being that Jesus is the Savior, and that He is waiting to pardon you if you will turn to Him in faith and repentance.  

Jesus loves you !!   

Choose Him !  Choose Life Eternal !

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

"The Joy Of The Lord - Even In A Chaotic World" - Inspirational Weekend

Let us not even talk about the mess the world is in;  let's just focus on the good Lord and His blessings and His Holy Word, and how He gives believers His Holy Spirit to enable them to endure any trials and hardships that come their way.  We need to be strong in these troublesome times, these last days we find ourselves living in now. 

One Scripture that comes to mind is Nehemiah 8:10, quoted here:

"Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared:  for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

How do we get this "joy of the Lord" ?  We will hasten this joy in our hearts by looking more to Jesus and less to ourselves.  We must learn not to be so self-centered and self-absorbed, and instead focus on the good Lord and on serving others.  If we  have more thanksgiving in our hearts and minds when we come to the Lord in prayer, this joy will manifest itself.  Keep in mind that we need to learn to rejoice in God/Jesus in order to be strong.  Having pity-parties just will not produce strength or joy.  

We need to simply pray and ask our heavenly Father for more joy.  God will certainly answer that prayer as it is definitely a request that is within His will.   Joy is a fruit of the Spirit  (Galatians 5:22).  If you are a true believer in the Lord, the Holy Spirit exists within you and will enable you to feel and express joy.   You must be strong in your faith, because the devil and his demons will try to tear

you down and rip you apart and get you all depressed......negative thoughts are from the evil one.   Positive and joyful thoughts are from the Lord.  This reminds me of Philippians 4:8 which follows:

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

Your thought life has a tremendous influence on your life itself.  Verse 9 of Philippians 4 tells us:  "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do and the God of peace shall be with you."  The combination of virtues listed in Philippians 4:8-9 is sure to produce a wholesome thought pattern, which in turn will result in a life of moral and spiritual excellence.  It just stands to reason that if you are always thinking healthy, positive, and especially spiritual thoughts, that you will be more joyful and thereby reflect the spirit of our Lord.

Obviously, this means taking in much spiritual food - God's Holy Word - which will renew your mind (Romans 12:2).   When you know the Lord intimately and realize that He loves you forever and will never forsake you (Hebrews 13:5) that will definitely cause you to sing a happy tune in your heart.  To get to know God/Jesus in a close, personal, and love relationship, you need to read the Bible and pray without ceasing.  No relationship can exist without communication.  

When you think about it, rejoicing in the Lord is our Christian duty.  How can one be gloomy and depressed all the time and still be a good witness for the Lord?  Impossible !   We need to reflect the joy and love of our Lord and Savior.  After all, followers of Jesus should endeavor to imitate Him at all times.  

So, rejoicing in the Lord is a source of strength.  For strength there must be hope; for strength there must be joy.  If you are sad and beaten down in your thought life, you will not be strong at anything.   Sure, we all get sad at times and grieve at times, but if we have the Holy Spirit in us as true believers in Jesus Christ our Savior, we will not stay sad for long; it will not be a lifestyle for us.

All of the above applies to Christians.  For only true believers in Jesus Christ have joy as a fruit of the Spirit;  the Holy Spirit from above that indwells us when we become a follower of Jesus:  the Holy Spirit which empowers us to serve the Lord with much love and joy.  As I said earlier, joy is a fruit of the Spirit.  To have the Holy Spirit within you and to thereby experience and express joy, a person needs to be born-again; to become a sincere believer in Jesus our Savior and to have faith in Him which leads to totally surrendering your will and your life to Him whereby you serve Him and obey Him. 

Do not delay !  Your eternity is at stake ! Total surrender to the Lord, which comes after you repent and pray for forgiveness, will lead to you being full of the joy of the Lord, for you will then be filled with the Holy Spirit.

"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

God loves us and wants the best for us.  His Word is our Instruction Manual for life; it is our Love Letter from Him as well.   Scripture's great theme is Jesus.

"Fellowship with Christ is the fountain of joy."  Charles Spurgeon.   

Charles Spurgeon has also said, "Holy activity is the mother of Holy joy. .......Joy is to search the Scriptures diligently.........Jesus is a Christian's life, joy, and peace."

Have a joyful and Christ-centered weekend !

"But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: Let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest them:  Let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee."  -  Psalm 5:11

"Are You Salt and Light?" - Inspirational Weekend

Sometimes what I write on this blog may sound all "doom and gloom" to some people since I write about Bible Prophecy and how we are living in the last days....the very end of the end times.  But to born-again believers in Jesus Christ, these are exciting times ! From Bible prophecy we know Christ will rapture believers soon to be in heaven with Him.  That is a glorious and happy hope ! (Titus 2:13)

As followers of Jesus, we need to be living godly lives and witnessing to lost souls about how Jesus can give them eternal life if they surrender to Him and believe in Him.  

A big part of living a holy life is to be "Salt and Light" while we reside on this earth.   Jesus has this to say at Matthew 5:13-16, 

" Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted?  It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Not only preachers, but all who profess to follow Jesus should be the salt of the earth and save the world from decay and destruction. Actually, only the Lord can save, of course, but we can do our part to share the Gospel with others.

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus mentions if the salt has lost its savor it is good for nothing.  This was possible in the land of Judea, in particular the Valley of Salt, where some salt exposed to the elements, was good for nothing.... it had lost its savor.  But the inner part which was connected to the rock, kept its savor.  

As Christians, we do not want to be like the exposed salt to the wind and rain and sun - the elements - (the lusts and temptations of this wicked world) and no longer have the life of Christ within us or we have lost our first love for Him and the witness of His Spirit.  Instead we need to stay connected with the Rock; if we are close to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we can preserve our savor and be of help to others...to do some good in this life.

Let us now consider verse 16 of Matthew 5,  "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

In essence, in all you do in your life, let it be seen that you are a real Christian.  This means to manifest light in your wholesome conversation, in your holy life, in all of your actions and where you spend your time.  Let it all be to the glory of God.  

Don't be like the Pharisees of Jesus' day who acted to be seen of men.  Instead, we should seek to glorify our heavenly Father.   Don't concern yourself with what other people may think of you. You just do the will of God, and by your conduct other people may be brought to glorify God.  By observing your godly life and the power and the purity of the Gospel, others may be won to become Christians also.

Keep in mind that if you are a true Christian, then your identity with Christ cannot be concealed.  You will be different from the world, and you will stand out as being in another realm or mindset than ungodly men and women.  

There are some "Christians" that profess religion and Jesus, but they live just like other people (people of the world), and give no evidence that they were truly converted and born-again.   We can only conclude that they are "baby Christians" and have not yet matured, or that they were never truly saved in the first place.  

To genuinely "let your light shine",  you need a close, personal, and intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   This is accomplished by daily and intense prayer, and by daily saturating your mind with the holy Word of God.   Your soul will thrive and be full of light if you follow this advice of the Bible.  And your light will shine and radiate upon those with whom you come in contact with.

Some of you might be very poor and feel as if you can contribute little to improving and guiding lost souls.  Some may feel very weak and unlearned and unknown.   No matter.  If your heart is right with the Lord, He can use you!  If only by living a pure and godly life, by being humble and sincere, our Christian lives are not in vain.   People will take note of your godly life and attitude and realize that you are a child of God.

As a "bonus", your endeavoring to be like Jesus will give you great joy and a peace within your soul....even in chaotic times like we are experiencing right now.


"The greatest joy of a Christian is to give joy to Christ."        -    Charles Spurgeon

Jesus wants His disciples' joy to be complete.

"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."   -  John 15:11

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."   -  John 16:33

"How To Have Your Prayers Answered" - Inspirational Weekend

"Prayer is simply faith....faith and prayer move God."  -  E.M. Bounds

First of all, to have your prayers answered by God, you need to be a born-again believer in Jesus Christ.   The only prayer God hears by a deliberate sinner is one where the sinner comes to God in true repentance and sincerely asks for forgiveness and for Jesus to come into his heart and transform him and his life.  Needless to say, when believers commit unintentional sin, we too should confess it and ask the Lord for forgiveness.  We cannot be deliberately sinning and expect God to grant our every request.  Indeed, you should question whether you are truly a believer if you deliberately and willfully sin.   But I am reminded of King David where he committed adultery and had the woman's husband killed.  When he felt remorse and repented, the Lord forgave him, but there were consequences.  David had severe trials and family relationships went sour; one of his sons wanted to overthrow him and become king instead, and David had to flee for his life. (2 Samuel 11, 12, and 15).

The LORD God had said of David that he was "a man after Mine own heart."                                             (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22)

So even godly David fell into gross sin, but when he showed true repentance, God forgave him.  My point is, when you sin , immediately repent and ask God's forgiveness so that He can heal you and restore you to a right relationship with Him once again.   Then He will continue to answer your future prayers.

That brings me to the thought that you need to have a close, personal, intimate relationship with God through Christ Jesus so that your prayers will more likely be answered by Him.  If you have this close relationship and are reading your Bible daily, you will have a better idea of what God's will is, and you will pray accordingly.  If a prayer goes against God's will He, of course, will not answer that prayer.  

1 John 5:14-15 informs us:  (14) "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:  (15) And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."

Someone has said there are no unanswered prayers.  That your prayer is answered even when God says "no".  And how often have you prayed and then waited and waited for what seemed like forever before your prayer was answered?   We dare not question the Lord's timing.  He knows best.

For our prayers to be answered, we need to be definite and specific in our requests to God.  We should not be vague in our prayers, nor should we have some sort of abstract belief that God "might" answer our requests.  Faith and prayer go hand in hand.

Remember the parable of the importunate widow?  (Luke 18:1-8)  She continually persisted in her plea to an unjust judge, who got so tired of her pestering him that he finally granted her request.  This widow is a wonderful example of what insistent prayer  can do.  "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."  -  James 5:16b

We need to pray with importunity, insistence, earnestness, faith;  heaven respects and God hears and answers such prayers.   Importunity in prayer consists of "insistence, intensity, persistence, perseverance, and patience. " 

Sometimes we pray in a ho-hum manner and/or out of habit and do not pray fervent, heartfelt prayers,  not prayers with importunity, as we should be doing.  Prayers with no soul, if you will; or "prayerless prayers", as E. M. Bounds calls it.  If you are so disinterested in your manner of prayer and your prayer is not heartfelt, why should the Lord be interested in paying attention to and answering your dull prayers?

"It is because of the hasty and superficial conversation with God that the sense of sin is so weak and that no motives have power to help you to hate and flee from sin as you should."  -  A.W. Tozer

"Prayer is not monologue, but dialog.  God's voice in response to mine is its most essential part."        - Andrew Murray

It has been said, "Prayer moves the arm which moves the universe." Also,  "When our prayers are answered it is the evidence of our abiding in Christ. To pray and receive clear answers, not once or twice, but daily, this is the sure test, and is the gracious point of our vital connection with  Jesus Christ."  -  E.M. Bounds   

"If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."  -   Jesus speaking at John 15:7

Just a thought: the fact that God answers prayer is proof that He does exist.  The fact that a life can be transformed through faith in Jesus Christ is proof of our Lord's redeeming power. Therefore, God and Jesus care about us, are interested in us, and listen to us.  And, if we have a pure heart, will also answer our prayers.   Don't be a Christian in name only; let it be true and totally surrendered devotion to the Lord and not to the world. 

Also, when God answers our prayers, it brings glory to Him.  We are always to give God the glory !

Answered prayer gives us the assurance that God is near, that He loves us, and is watching over us.  Answered prayer also builds our faith.  It encourages us to come even more frequently to the Lord with our requests, and with great faith that He will answer in due time.   

I have also written about reasons to pray as well as the power of prayer  .   The main thing is not to just read about prayer, but to actually get down on your knees and pray fervent and heartfelt prayers to the good Lord.   The time is short.  The Rapture could occur at any time.   We are now living in the end of the end times.  Now is the time to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  If you are not sure how to pray, stop and ask the Lord for the wisdom to pray in His will.  

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;  and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."  -  James 1:5-7

The above verses give another way to have your prayers answered:  to ask in faith, not doubting.

"....(the) power of prayer can never be overrated.  They who cannot serve God by preaching need not regret.  If a man can but pray he can do anything.  He who knows how to overcome with God in prayer has heaven and earth at his disposal."  -  Charles Spurgeon  

"Prayer - secret, fervent, believing prayer - lies at the root of all personal godliness."   

William Carey

More could be written about how to have your prayers answered, but I have touched upon the vital points to consider.   For a long time, I did not pray at all, but I was not truly born again then.  It took awhile for me to get into the habit of praying frequently once I actually knew the Lord.   It really does make a difference in your relationship with the Lord when you are often in fellowship with Him, and it surely builds your faith and love for God when He answers your prayers.  

Have a blessed and Christ-filled weekend!

"I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God:  Incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech."  -  Psalm 17:6

"The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles."

Psalm 34:17