"Encouraging Scriptures and Christian Quotes to Help Us To Endure" - Inspirational Weekend

[Hamakua Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, Oahu, Hawaii]

I have spent many different days at the above marsh in Kailua, Oahu; taking numerous photographs of the wildlife and flowers in the area.  Several of those photos have been posted to this blog previously.   It is always a pleasant time spent there.  I am reminded of a quote by Martin Luther :  "I would not give one moment of heaven for all the joy and riches of the world."

Great attitude of Luther!  Actually, all true believers should feel this way, since we know the main focus of our life should be on Jesus and God.  

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."  -    Colossians 3:2

We believers know that this world is not our home.  What a better place awaits us in heaven!

"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

What wonderful words of hope and encouragement !!  As mentioned several times on this blog, we are living now in the end times!     The end of the age Grace and the end of the Church age........is almost  here !  

Read Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, for the signs of the season of Jesus' soon return in the air to take His Bride (the Church -  true, devout believers) to be with Him in heaven.  

[Lanikai Beach, Oahu, Hawaii]

"May the horrible trinity of the world, the flesh, and the devil never overcome us."  - Charles Spurgeon

And the world will not corrupt you if you are a true believer in the Savior, Jesus Christ.  Yes, we are all imperfect in this fallen world, and even Christians sometimes sin and fall short.  But true believers will repent and pray to God for forgiveness (in sincerity)!  Jesus' followers will not deliberately and willfully make a habitual practice of sin.  

"Prayer is a shield to the soul."  -   John Bunyan

"Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." -    Philippians 4:6

"But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word."  -   Acts 6:4

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

As stated numerous times on this blog, it is very important to pray often and, as well, to be reading the Bible daily.  Why?  Because that is the only way you can establish a relationship with the good Lord.  By reading God's Word, you will learn to see and appreciate His attributes, His love, His tender mercies, and much more!  It will thereby increase your love for God/Jesus, as you learn to appreciate all that has been done for you from the Lord.  And by prayer and trust in Him, you will draw closer to Him; and He will draw close to you.  You cannot build a relationship with anyone unless you communicate frequently with them; and it follows that the same is true of God.  When you establish (by the Lord's help) a living and loving relationship with God through His Son Jesus, it will blossom into something beautiful that will last for all eternity!

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

Although the verse directly above is referring specifically to the book of Revelation,  the same is also true of the rest of the Scriptures; in the sense that we  benefit from all of God's Holy Word.  It is important to immerse yourself in ALL of the Bible.  Revelation is special, and tells us much concerning the Tribulation period and the end of things.  God wins !! (Just especially so is the book of Revelation a blessing.  No other book in the Bible makes the claim of a special blessing as does Revelation.)

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

Following are some Scriptures for those of you who may not be saved by a heartfelt and soul-felt true belief in Jesus as the Savior; that only by belief in Him, and His redemptive work at Calvary... His shed blood... His paying our sin debt in full by dying in our place that we may obtain eternal life.

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

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

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

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

What You Need Every Moment - (Andrew Murray Sermon; Hymn Video)

"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day."  -   2 Timothy 1:12

Most Christ followers are familiar with the above Scripture.  It is a strong testimony to the faith of the apostle Paul. 

Following is a beautiful hymn based on the above verse:

You may be familiar with the writings of Andrew Murray, who was a South African preacher and author and lived from 1828 to 1917.  Following is a 36 minute audio sermon by Murray which discusses  2 Timothy 1:12 as well as many other spiritual gems that you will benefit from:

In the above sermon, Andrew Murray explains the importance of the Holy Spirit - how it is  essential to living effectively as a believer.  He tells us that "we need Christ every moment of everyday!"    Murray also discusses the apostle Paul and how Paul gave himself wholly to Jesus.   As Murray says, "We need Jesus to help us to keep on going, ....... and asks the question if we have given up everything we have into the keeping of Jesus ."   

Just a reminder,  God and Jesus... when they tell us something to do or not to do,  it is NOT advisory, as if we can pick and choose which to obey and which not to obey.  We should obey always !  Dr. Charles Stanley often says "Obey God, and leave all the consequences to Him."

No one can "have the Holy Spirit within them" unless they are truly born again (a spiritual rebirth from the Lord).  In other words, by believing with all of your very being that Jesus is the Savior, whose redemptive work on the cross .... His shed blood... His sacrifice to pay our sin debt in full.. all that can save us and wash our sins away... wipe the slate clean and save us for eternal life.  Just believe in Jesus as the Savior.   This is not intellectual knowledge; it is a true faith with all your heart and soul and your very being that Jesus is indeed the one known as the Christ, the Redeemer, the Son of God and, again, the Savior... the only way to heaven.

Concerning the Holy Spirit, following are some words of Jesus:

"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever."  -  John 14:16

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost  [ Holy Spirit]  Whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."    -  John 14:26

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you."  - John 16:7

As stated in previous posts here,  over and over again this blog has stressed the importance of being in God's Holy Word the Bible on a daily basis, as well as to pray without ceasing, (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  That is the only way a person will be able to develop a close, intimate, personal, and loving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  You cannot get to know anyone if you never communicate with them!  The same is true when it comes to the good Lord, of course.  God loves us and desires to fellowship with us.  

If you have never repented of your sins and asked God for forgiveness and turned to Jesus with a longing to know Him, the Savior -  then please do so now!  It is childlike simple:  simply believe in Christ and that He alone is the Savior and the way to the Father and to heaven.   You need to realize that you are indeed a sinner and in need of a Savior !   

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."  -     Romans 3:23

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  -  Romans 6:23

Following are some Scriptures for the unbeliever:

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

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

"Jesus said 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

Jesus will return soon to take true believers to heaven.  Will you be ready ?

"Help For When You Feel Alone Or Stressed" (With Sermon by Adrian Rogers) - Inspirational Weekend

[Lifeboat at Waimea Bay, Oahu, Hawaii]

Concerning what follows in this article, my photograph above is rather symbolic of the subject matter.  Our "lifeboat" is the good Lord and His Holy Word, which also follows that much prayer will strengthen us and help us to endure many trials and hardships.  The rescue surfboard in the photo is symbolic of our rescue by God and Jesus, when we turn to them in faith to help us in our time of need or spiritual battle; our rescue from troubled waters.

This lockdown we are experiencing due to the coronavirus has affected many with loneliness and, unfortunately, many suicides have occurred from the anxiety felt because of the virus.  

I live alone, except I do have a cat for a companion.  For those of you who are alone during this lockdown (although in most areas many restrictions have been lifted..... but watch what happens later in the fall when the flu season is in full force). Hopefully we true believers will have been taken up to heaven by then, when Jesus returns for the rapture of the Church, His Bride. If you are feeling very alone, here is a song to uplift you and to keep your eyes and heart focused on the Lord:

Stay focused on the good Lord and those things above, and you will find strength from Him to endure.  Spend much time in prayer and also in reading your Bible.  This blog mentions over and over how important it is to develop a close, intimate, personal, and loving relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior.  God wants to fellowship with us; He loves us and wants what is best for us.   And what is best for us is a strong faith in Him and a trust that never falters or doubts.  A living and vibrant faith that helps us to be strong.  

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."   -   Philippians 4:13

"But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible."  -  Matthew 19:26

Following is a 35 minute audio sermon by Pastor Adrian Rogers who has since gone to be with the Lord.  It is a powerful sermon and I encourage you to listen to it.  The title of the sermon is "Learning to Stand Alone."

In the above sermon, Pastor Rogers tells us that, "Courage is fear that has said its prayers." and  "If you kneel before God, you will have courage and power to stand alone for Christ."  There is much more insightful and encouraging words in the above sermon.

"Quiet your mind and God will speak to your spirit."  -- unknown

[Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii]

Deuteronomy 10:12 tells us:  "And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,"

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love."   -    1 John 4:18

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

Romans 10:9,10,13 says: (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."


Keep looking up!

Jesus will return soon for those who believe in Him as the Savior.

Are you rapture ready?


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

"Encouragement And Fellowship" (And Important Video by Pastor Jack Hibbs) - Inspirational Weekend

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[Makapu'u Lighthouse, Oahu, Hawaii]

The lighthouse is sometimes thought of by Christians as a symbol for our Savior, Jesus Christ, as most of you are very aware.  It has been mentioned on this blog previously.   The trail to this lighthouse is all uphill, but easy to hike for most.  It is about a 2 mile round trip.  

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

The way of Salvation by belief in Jesus as the Savior, and belief in His Resurrection, is not difficult.  A young child can understand salvation.   

What is difficult at times is the uphill climb to reach Jesus, so to speak. And once we go through trials, temptations, hardships, and suffering, we must remain on the trail and path to Him and with Him in order to follow Him in faith and follow in His footsteps. 

"Order my steps in thy word: And let not any iniquity have dominion over me."  -  Psalm 119:133

"Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not."   - Psalm 17:8

As mentioned in the above Psalm 119, God's Holy Word, the Bible, will help us to understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  The Bible is God's love letter to us, as well as His instruction manual for us.  He speaks to us as we read His written Word and we will appreciate and be grateful to Him and Jesus for their love and guidance and tender mercies. Jesus showed His great love for us by dying in our place and paying our sin debt so that we may gain eternal life by faith in Him.

Talk about encouragement and fellowship:  The most important fellowship ever is to be found with our heavenly Father and with Jesus when we read the Bible and pray without ceasing.  When we have a close, personal, intimate love relationship with God through Jesus Christ, His Son, He will always be near us to comfort us, encourage us, strengthen us, and we will experience a love like none other.  God loves it when we draw near to Him, and He will never abandon us.  (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6)

"He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me, and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."  -   Jesus speaking at John 14:21

What this article is leading up to now is the fact that we need to associate with and have fellowship with other believers. Most of us are familiar with Hebrews 10:24, 25 which follows:

(24) "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  (25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

The good Lord takes note of our trust and belief in Him , as well as our actions and our speech.

"Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened , and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name."  -  Malachi 3:16

When Malachi wrote the above, Israel, as usual, was in disobedience to God.  But there were these few that feared God who spoke often, no doubt, to each other about the Lord.  See how God treats such persons: He paid attention to their words and faith and their hearts and approved of their pure attitude and conversation and a book of remembrance was written.   

The good Lord must also be pleased when true believers gather together and speak of Him and Jesus in our church services today, as well as in other gatherings.

We were not meant to be an island, keeping to ourselves.  

Remember, when Jesus sent His disciples in His own lifetime to preach the gospel, He sent them out by twos.  What the apostles needed in their journeys as preachers, we need equally on our journey through life.  We today need the love and encouragement and spiritual support of other believers.  I thank the good Lord for my loving church family.

All true believers know all that is mentioned above, but there may be some reading this that never attend church, and need the encouragement to do so.  

It is urgent that we encourage one another today, as the world has gotten more evil and corrupt.   The good news is that soon Jesus will Rapture His Bride (the Church) to be in heaven with Him.

Most of you are familiar with signs of the end times in which we find ourselves today.  We do not know the day or the hour of the Lord's return, but Jesus gave us signs to watch for so that we would know the "season" of His return.   Read Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 for these signs.

I wanted to share with you a recent video concerning Bible prophecy by Pastor Jack Hibbs and Don Stewart.  They cover current events as it relates to the prophecies in the Bible, and Pastor Jack gives a wonderful concluding prayer at the end.  They tell us not to be scared by prophecies, but rather that they are to help you to be prepared.  They tell us that Russia just recently has moved super-bombers to South Africa;  there is much valuable information in this 1 hour and 29 minute video.  I hope you will be able to watch the entire discourse.

"While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light...."      -     Jesus at John 12:36 a

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." -    2 Corinthians 4:6

"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."  -     1 John 1:7

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 !

2019 Is Almost Here ! Are You Ready For What It Might Hold?

I ended 2018 with a big fall and a broken nose and lots of bruising.  Yep.  I go for surgery this coming week and could sure use some prayers that all goes well.   

Actually, I have faith that the good Lord will make sure things go well.   He has been so trustworthy and a true source of comfort to me in times past, as well as now.  

What in the world does 2019 hold?  Not only for me but for you and the world?  I have written extensively on this blog about how we are in the last hour of the last days and that Jesus could return at any time for the Rapture of the true believers to heaven.   Go to the Search Box at the top right hand side of this page and type in "Rapture", or "end times" (and so on) and several posts will pop up for you to view.

It would be wise to read all of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 in your Bible to ponder over the signs of the end times.  We are there now, friends!  We need to be living godly lives, wholly surrendered to the Lord.  Then when Jesus returns He will be able to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant....."   (Matthew 25:23a).  If the Lord can say that of you, you need not fear what the future holds, if you are a born again believer in the Savior, Jesus Christ.  

We should be living lives that bring glory to God.  Trust in God and His care regardless of circumstances.   That is strong faith.  That is the way to please God.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: 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

So what do we do while we wait for the Lord's return?  Be busy witnessing to others about Jesus and the Gospel.  Time is short and we want to be active in the Great Commission !

"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."   Jesus speaking at Matthew 28:19-20.

The above empowering words of Jesus are also very reassuring, for He came to earth to be "God with us."

What does 2019 hold for us?  The world is in chaos right now and full of evil and violence and immorality.  We could see more of that and on a much worse level.   But we could also experience our deliverance in the Rapture of the Church.  No, I am not date-setting.  Only God knows when that time is when true believers are taken by Jesus to heaven.   But the Bible gave us signs to watch for so that we would know the time is near........ it is near, folks!

Here are some words of Jesus from Luke 21:25-28:  "(25) "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; (26)  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.  (27)  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  (28) And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

So do not be depressed and full of fear and dread over all the terrible things that are happening now. Instead, realize we will soon be with the Lord and rejoice over that fact.  Have faith and hope and trust in God;  live for Jesus.   You will be okay.  You will be with the Lord forever, if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and have been born again.

Be often in prayer and daily read God's Holy Word.  You will then draw closer to the good Lord and He will draw closer to you.  You will find you will build a close, intimate, personal, love relationship with God through Jesus, His Son.  You will find strength to endure and He will give you a purpose and a hope.  

Keep looking up!

"I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope."  -  Psalm 130:5

"Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart:  for consider how great things He hath done for you."   -   1 Samuel 12:24

"Words Of Encouragement And What Happens When You Die" (With Videos) - Inspirational Weekend

When I view beautiful flowers like the Hibiscus above, it reminds me of the Lord's tender mercies and His love for mankind by giving us such beauty to embrace while living in a chaotic world.  An evil world.  A cruel and selfish world, where godliness .... for the most part .... is not practiced and is mocked by unbelievers.  True and faithful believers need words of encouragement and hope.  We can find such hope and encouragement in God's Holy Word, the Bible.

Featured in this post, as in my last post, are two videos,  one by Amir Tsarfati and another by evangelist Dan Goodwin, only these are different and more recent videos than in the April 9, 2018, writing.  Following is a 24 minute video by Amir with words of clarification and encouragement, considering recent events.

Have you ever wondered where the dead go when they die?  Specifically, where the Old Testament righteous people went, since heaven was not open to them at that time?  Remember the parable given by Jesus in Luke 16:19-31, about the rich man and Lazarus the beggar, and where they went when they died?  The rich man went to hell (verse 23), and Lazarus went to Abraham's bosom, or paradise (also verse 23).  Many scholars believe this is a true story or history of two real individuals.  

The Talmud mentions both paradise and Abraham's bosom as the home of the righteous.  The main lesson here is that once death comes a person cannot change his eternal destiny.  

Abraham told the rich man who was in hell, "And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."   -  Luke 16:26

In the following 28 minute video from prophecyinthenews.com ,  evangelist Dan Goodwin gives much information on this topic, as well as numerous Scriptures.  He also tells us that New Testament saints, you and I, can only enter heaven and be in God's presence  by being born again.  

Hebrews 11 tells us of the righteous men of old, who by faith obeyed God and it was accounted to them as righteousness.  For example,  Hebrews 11:7 says:

"By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."    

The good Lord wants us to exhibit faith, and thereby be full of righteousness and pleasing to Him.  The way to develop faith is to read your Bible and by being often in prayer.  In other words, to develop a close, personal, intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ His Son.   Our purpose is to do His will and to bring glory to the Lord.  

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: 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

Now is the time to be busy for the Lord, bringing lost souls to come to a faith in Jesus as their Savior.  We are living in the end times, the last "hour" of the last days.  Be occupied in the Lord's work.

Be ready!!

Jesus could return at any moment !!

If you are an unbeliever, turn to the Lord before it is too late !  Pray and ask for forgiveness of your sins, repent and do not go back to a life of sin; have faith and believe in Jesus as your Savior; believe in His resurrection.  

Remember, God accepts U-turns !

Jesus loves you !

He is waiting with open arms of love and forgiveness!

Turn to Jesus with faith and belief!

He will pardon your sins and give you eternal life!

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 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 Are At The Finish Line" (With Video On Bible Prophecy And Current Events) - Inspirational Weekend

As you can see in my photograph above, this Hawaiian Moorhen is standing in waters surrounded by tangled tree branches.   Sometimes we can feel knee deep in troubled waters and entangled in prison-like barriers that keep us from our full potential of being an effective witness for Jesus.   We may have many obstacles that keep us in a state of depression or of not knowing the way out.   

But a true believer will not stay in a depressed state for long if he will turn to the Lord in prayer and leave his burdens at the foot of the cross......in Jesus' capable hands of love and compassion.   

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

America has recently suffered two horrific hurricanes and another is making its way to the East Coast right now.   But keep in mind that many other disasters are happening across the Globe which have killed thousands of persons.   America is having wildfires raging in several states, and wildfires are occurring in other countries at the present time as well.  I say all this not to preach doom and gloom, but to emphasize that there is plenty we could be depressed about and we should care about the unfortunate victims of these disasters and help them in any way we can.  If you are poor and cannot financially help, you can certainly pray for them.

"For we know that the whole creation groaneth  and travaileth in pain together until now."                          -  Romans 8:22

Many things.... hundreds of signs... that are happening right now prove that we are "at the finish line"  -  the last hour of the last days.  Many Bible prophecies are converging at the present time.  

For true believers, this means Jesus will return soon to Rapture them to be with Him in heaven and later with Him on earth during the millennium reign.  This is something we eagerly look forward to... all eternity with the Lord.

Don't be depressed...Look up and watch for the Lord's soon return.  (Luke 21:28).  

Following is a video on current events and Bible prophecy in which Amir Tsarfati gives an excellent take on current world events.

"Why should I be concerned with Bible Prophecy?  I have so many problems to deal with as it is," you may ask.   The devil likes to keep us busy with all kinds of things that distract us from the Lord and His will.  We don't pray because we think we don't have time; and prayer is vital for a close relationship with God.  We don't read the Bible because, again, we don't believe we have the time.  The Bible is God's Holy Word, our Love Letter from Him, and our Instruction Manual for living a life that is pleasing to Him.  By the reading of His Word, we come to really really know the Lord and His attributes and His will, thereby helping us to have a dynamic and living relationship with Him.   

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

This "knowing" is not just head knowledge;  it is a relationship, an understanding of His will, and a thirst to know Him more and more intimately and our wanting to please Him in all we do, and say, and in the way we live our lives......to be more like Christ.  This knowing Jesus involves the heart and the soul. It is your very life.   They say people know you by the company  you keep;   be best friends and company with the Lord Jesus Christ.  If you are always in prayer and pour over His Word diligently, you will  become more Christ-like, and thereby be pleasing to the Lord.

My photograph above of the Hawaiian Black-Crowned Night Heron with the small fish in its bill reminds me of how the devil fishes around to snatch as many people as he can in his evil grasp to deceive and destroy them.  

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

Satan will NOT devour you if you are walking hand in hand with Jesus and if you have a close, personal, and intimate relationship with the Lord.  If you are deliberately sinning to indulge your lustful desires and sinful self-will, then beware.   The Lord wants only those who surrender to Him and who obey Him, and by that show that they love Him.

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."   -  Jesus at John 14:21

Now is not the time to be preoccupied with the things of the world.  We need to be spiritually minded and seek the Lord continually.  Someone once said, "Too often we are so preoccupied with the destination, we forget the journey."   Of course we should concern ourselves with heavenly things and look forward to being with the Lord (the destination), but we also need to live (the journey) in a way that pleases Him and leads many others to faith in Jesus.  Once saved, we should not become passive "couch-potato" Christians. We should be busy doing the Lord's work.

"God wants the whole person and He will not rest till He gets us in entirety.  No part of the man will do."  -  A.W. Tozer

Don't waste your life.  

Remember that we are at the finish line.

Do not be distracted away from the Lord.

Time on this earth is short.....

 Jesus will return soon.

Will you be ready?

"A man by his sin may waste himself, which is to waste that which on earth is most like God.  This is man's greatest tragedy and God's heaviest grief."  -  A.W. Tozer

"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."              -  Ephesians 4:30

It is all about love and obedience.

"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

"Fear Not; God Will Save And Deliver You" - Inspirational Weekend

Let us focus now on the good, the lovely, the godly; on the Scriptures and on faith, hope, and love.   The world is full of chaos, deception, terrorism, and the threat of nuclear war.  Many people are fearful and anxious of the things coming upon the earth.  Let us take a peaceful break from all of that and concentrate on the good instead.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."  -  Philippians 4:8

What good? you may ask.   You are alive and privileged to draw breath another day.  If you are a Christian - a true believer in Jesus Christ - you have the hope of living forever in all eternity with Jesus and God.  That is good news!

Here is a worship song by Chris Tomlin titled "Fear Not" :

The above song reminds us that God is mighty to save and that He will not abandon us.   (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6)  Even if we die or are killed in a war, etc., God does not abandon us to that fate in the sense that true believers when they die will go immediately into the Lord's presence.   

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 informs us,  (6) "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (7) For we walk by faith, not by sight:  (8) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

According to the above Scripture, the believer who has died is immediately at home with Jesus.  That is so much more preferable to this life on this troubled earth.   

It has been said that the subject Jesus mentioned most was "Fear not".  We are so inclined to do just that - to fear.  That is, perhaps, why He mentioned it so often -  365 times - either "fear not" or something along similar lines was spoken by the Lord.  

Once you become a "new creature" in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:17) you will develop a close, personal and intimate relationship with the Lord; that means your faith and trust in Him will grow and you will not fear the unknown or death.   God is in control.  He is watching over you and will take care of you.   

We need to be still and know that He is God.  (Psalm 46:10)

Here is a worship video with beautiful landscapes and Scriptures to help relax you and to help you to take in the healing words and message it contains :

And if you will read your Bible, it tells us how everything will end when all is said and done.   

God wins!  He will gain the victory over satan and the evil principalities.  We will live forever with Him in eternity.  What a hope!   What a future!  

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

For the above to be true for you, you need to accept Jesus as your Savior, Lord, and Master.  Have faith in Him; believe in Him and in His resurrection, and you will be saved.   (Romans 10:9,10,13)

But first you must sincerely repent of your sins and ask the Lord for forgiveness.  God looks at the heart, and if you are truly repentant and have a humble and sincere faith, the Lord will hear and answer that prayer to Him for forgiveness and salvation.

The next step is to find a true Bible-based Christian church and to fellowship with other believers.   (Hebrews 10:25).  Tell the pastor of your decision to follow Christ and to be baptized.   Just a note, baptism does not save you but, rather, it is a public declaration of your faith in the Lord and symbolizes being now dead to sin and raised to life.

And please remember how important it is to read your Bible daily.  That is the primary way God speaks to us.  By daily reading of God's Holy Word you learn of His attributes, His love, and His forgiveness; and you will grow in your love for Him.  This draws you ever closer to Him, as does daily prayer.  The Lord wants to fellowship with us.  And you will discover the power in His Word and the power of prayer.  Which in turn empowers us to live a godly life as we become a friend of God.

"We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God.  He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts."    A. W. Tozer

"Assurance is the fruit that grows out of the root of faith."  -  Stephen Charnock

Faith is the killer of fear.  I used to be fearful of many things before I came to know the Lord.  Now I have peace and know that I am in God's hands, no matter what happens.  Faith gives you a positive attitude and gives you hope.


"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."  -  Psalm 23:4

"Be careful {anxious} for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  -   Philippians 4:6-7  

Have a wonderful and Christ-centered weekend !

"Have You Received Your Hug From God Today?" - Inspirational Weekend

The other day I was studying the Bible book of Daniel while sitting on my patio enjoying the beautiful day and the rich blue sky, when some long lost "friends" showed up.   I mean my bird visitors that have not been around much lately: finches and the Red-Vented Bulbul with his mate.  I had been missing their visits. Every year in the late Spring and Summer  months I spend much time watching their babies being fed by them, as well as observing the baby birds learning to fly.   You can see more about the Bulbuls  here and also here  It gave me a pleasant and enjoyable thrill to see those birds again.  I said a little thank you prayer to the Lord for the nice surprise visit.    Another hug from God !!

We have to be careful not to worship nature and the birds and other wonderful things about God's fantastic creation, but I know for a fact that God delights in our enjoyment  of His creation, and that was a big factor in His handiwork, that we humans should also take delight in the beauty and fascinating creatures and plant life that sprung from His creative hand.   But I digress.  This post is about receiving hugs from God !   The Internet image below speaks volumes.  

In prayer some time ago, I had told God how much I needed a "hug" from Him; a spiritual hug to give me comfort and encouragement.  Soon thereafter I ran across this image above on the Internet.   It just made me realize that the Lord is always giving me hugs as I read the Bible everyday.   His Holy Word has been an anchor to my soul, as is Jesus.  Hebrews 6:19 speaks mainly of hope of eternal life and heaven as being an anchor for the soul, but I also like to think of God's Word and Jesus in the same light. They all are intertwined.  God's Word is His Love Letter to us, as well as His Instruction Manual to guide us along life's paths.  We are told at Psalm 119:105, "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  So reading and studying the Bible guides us, strengthens us, gives us power, helps us to endure trials and hardships, teaches us how to behave as Christians should, and much, much more. All of that results in many hugs from God.   Most importantly, the Bible teaches us what God's and Jesus' characteristics are, and the more we read, the more we learn to have hearts full with love for the Lord.  God is love.   By reading the Bible and spending much time in prayer, the ultimate reward is a close, intimate, personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   You will never be the same once you are filled with the Holy Spirit and in close communion with the Lord.  There will be no desire to go back to your old sinful nature.

We also get hugs from God when He answers our prayers.  Think of how awesome that is.  The Almighty Sovereign God stoops down and takes notice of us puny, tiny specks of dust and even answers our petitions !!  All of the hugs from God are His way of showing His great love and grace and tender mercies for His children.    

"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 speaking at John 3:16 .

"As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love."  -  Jesus at John 15:9

God and Jesus are all about love, and we should endeavor to be the same way.  

Below is a baby that gives its patient cat some loving hugs.  It is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.   

The above video reminds me of what someone once said: "Remember that life's most treasured moments often come unannounced."   How true.  As when your baby says "Mama" or "Dada" for the first time out of the blue; or when your husband brings you flowers just because he loves you; and a myriad of other simple pleasures that can happen that all remind you that God just gave you a big hug. 

God has used my 2-year-old grandson's affection for me to give me a hug direct from Him above.  We all could go on and on with the lavishness of God's love and grace and hugs if we will stop and take the time to recollect and ponder how good He has been to us.   We need to be generous to others as well with loving hugs to them..... which are really from God. His spirit at work in us.

Following is a video about cats and kittens and their hugs to others.   (Yes, I am a cat lover!)

I hope these videos and the reminder that God loves you and that He gives you hugs all the time has brightened your weekend.  Be happy and enjoy your weekend !  And be sure to thank God for all of your blessings !

"And whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he."  -  Proverbs 16:20b

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:"  -  Ephesians 1:3