"How To Find Contentment" - Inspirational Weekend

The above photograph is of Lika, my calico cat.  She is cat-napping and looks rather content doesn't she! Animals can teach us many lessons.   As a rule, they take life as it comes and never get anxious.

This post is about contentment and how to find it.  The online dictionary defines contentment as happiness and fulfillment; comfort, serenity and peace.  

This post is also about godliness, which means conforming to the laws and wishes of God; holiness, piety.  You are no doubt aware of what Scripture I will be referring to;  yes, 1 Timothy 6:6, which follows:

"But godliness with contentment is great gain."

It means that if you are godly and focused on the good Lord and His will, you will be more likely to feel contentment.  Worldly pleasures and materialism will not consume you to the point where you are always wanting more, more, more; yet you are never satisfied with that mindset, because material things cannot buy you happiness.  Oh, you may have some pleasure in having a new "toy" for a time, but when the newness wears off, you look for something else to possess in an unreasonable quest for happiness through material things or through a relationship.  You know what I am referring to.

I speak from experience.   Before I was born again, I looked for happiness from "things".  I had over 50 rose bushes in my yard and over 100 African violet flowers  under lights in my home.  One Persian cat was not enough, I had to have several and became a breeder.   I could go on and on, but the bottom line is, I was really trying to fill a void with things of this world instead of turning to God, Who only can truly fill that empty void within our souls.

If you learn to be content with what you already have, there will be less striving for more possessions, less debt, and less selfish desires.  Be God-centered and focus on living a life pleasing to Him.  You will find that Jesus can give you true happiness, and a purpose for living that does not include self-indulgence.   

I am reminded of the apostle Paul and what he said at Philippians 4:11-12 :

"(11)  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  (12)  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound:  every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."

Paul suffered much persecution, hardships, beatings, and imprisonment, yet he found joy and purpose and fulfillment in the Lord and in doing the Lord's work, which was preaching the gospel.  We can take a much needed lesson from observing Paul's life and ministry.  He was not interested in acquiring material goods or in having a big home and all of the world's comforts.  He was focused on doing God's will and reaching lost souls for the Lord.

"The heart," says Wiesinger, "amid every outward want, is then only truly rich when it not only wants nothing which it has not, but has that which raises it above what it has not."

"Let this be thy whole endeavor, this thy prayer, this thy desire, that thou mayest be stripped of all selfishness and with entire simplicity follow Jesus only."  -  Thomas A. Kempis

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

"For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."  -  1 Timothy 6:7-8

The verses above remind me of that saying, "You can't take it with you."   So that is why we need to focus on Jesus and spiritual matters and to be busy doing the Lord's work.   It also reminds me of that poem which tells us,  "Only one life to live; only what's done for Christ will last." 

1 John 2:15-17 says,  (15) "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

We are definitely living in the last hour of the last days.  Bible prophecy is being fulfilled almost on a daily basis.  Jesus will return soon to take true believers to heaven in the Rapture of the Church.   Why be immersed in a world that is soon to pass away?  Why accumulate treasures that you cannot take into eternity?  Remember, if you are a faithful follower of  Christ, this wicked world is not your home.  We belong in heaven, our true and glorious home for all of eternity.   There godliness and contentment will be perfected.

Live for Christ !  Occupy till He returns !  (Luke 19:13)  By occupy that means to be busy in doing the Lord's will and winning lost souls to the Lord and by preaching the gospel.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior,  you will never know what true peace and contentment is all about.   Only Jesus can satisfy that deep longing inside, that indescribable "something" that makes the soul long for what you just cannot put your finger on but you know something is missing in life.   What is missing is Jesus, and a strong relationship with God through Christ. Only a deep, personal, intimate love relationship with the Lord can bring true peace and contentment; and in turn you will learn godliness.  Likewise, the more spiritually minded you are, the more you will find contentment.  Godliness and contentment naturally flow together.

If you are an unbeliever, now is the time to accept Jesus as your Savior and believe that only He can wash your sins away by His shed blood at Calvary.   He died for you !   Think about it!  He made a way for you to have eternal life in heaven, instead of in hell. 

We all are sinners in need of the saving power of Jesus (Romans 3:23). It is necessary to believe He is the Savior, and to ask God to forgive you of your sins; to repent with all your heart and to put your faith in Him.  You need to also believe in Jesus' resurrection.

Romans 10:9,10,13 says it best:  (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 loves you !

He is waiting with open arms of love and forgiveness if you but turn to Him in faith and repentance !

Choose Jesus.

Choose eternal life with Him.

"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

"To Live And To Die" (Video) - Inspirational Weekend

The title of this post, "To Live And To Die", sounds like the information here is morbid and doom and gloom.   I promise you that is not the case! Let me quote a wonderful Scripture found at Philippians 1:21 :

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

This was written by the apostle Paul.  His life found all its meaning in Christ, Who was his secret to continual joy.  This can also be the case with all true Christians who put Jesus first in their lives, and who live a godly life and thereby endeavor to imitate Him in their daily walk in 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

Many who read "to die is gain" in Philippians 1:21, concentrate on just that part of the verse and they think of being in heaven forever with the Lord.   All that is true,  but you need to be a born again believer, sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), in order to make it to heaven.  "To die is gain" refers to the fact that we will be with Christ after death; that is, if you are a true believer who has lived a life of obedience and faith in the good Lord.   Works do not save you; faith in Jesus is what saves you.  But a true believer will bring forth much fruit, and will obey and follow Jesus with a pure heart.

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."  -  James 2:26

True believers will endeavor to live a Christ-like life....to "live Christ."  Galatians 2:20 tells us:

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

The above verse is the apostle Paul speaking again.  What faith he had !  What devotion and dedication he exhibited !  May we all be likewise!  

The thought behind "to me to live is Christ" is that we be so one with Christ that we do only His will, and continually have "the mind of Christ."  (1 Corinthians 2:16)

Keep in mind, also, that we are not only to "live Christ" but to bring Him glory as well.  Praise Him and give Him glory in all we do and say.  Let our lives, our hearts, our minds, our actions, our speech, reflect  good things and give glory to God and Jesus in everything !

"To live is Christ" means that we will want to know more about the Lord and to take in as much knowledge of Him as possible.   To do that we need to read our Bibles daily, as well as to pray daily.   You get to know more about a person by communicating with him,  Do the same with the good Lord.  Develop a close, intimate, personal, love relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

If we are truly saved, we will also have the enthusiasm for preaching the gospel and for witnessing at every opportunity.  We may also have to give up anything that prevents us from serving the Lord.   Anything that takes up all of our time needs to be dealt with and eliminated in order to enable us to live for the Lord with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. 

We need to fix our eyes on Jesus.  Put Him first !

Following is a 4 minute worship song about to live is Christ:

All of the above does not apply to those who are unbelievers.  But look up, folks! Jesus loves you and is waiting to hear from you! All you need to do is to repent of your sins and do not live a life of sin any more, pray for forgiveness, and sincerely dedicate your whole life to the Lord as you turn to Him in faith and trust.  Believe Jesus is the Savior and that His shed blood at Calvary will wash your sins away.   Believe also in His resurrection.  All of this takes faith on your part.  It is that faith that will save you where you may live for Christ and have the hope of eternal life.

Do not delay !

We all want to live forever !   Let it be with the Lord in heaven !

Jesus gives us hope, a glorious future, a purpose in life right now, (to serve Him and to be a light and witness bearer).

Wouldn't you rather be in eternity where there is no more sin, no more death, and no more sorrow?  -  Revelation 21:4

This old earth is passing away soon!  -  1 John 2:17

Jesus is eternal and you can be as well !

There is hope !

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

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."

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

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

"Regrets - Don't Let Them Steal Your Joy" - Inspirational Weekend

We all know the definition of regret.  We have all experienced regrets in our lifetime, and the sense of loss and disappointment and remorse can totally consume us and steal our joy if we morbidly dwell on past sins, or on wasted years.  Making mistakes is part of the human experience; we are all imperfect and we sin.  The true believer will find comfort in God's Holy Word, and the more we keep His commandments and obey Him, the fewer regrets we will have.   Thank the good Lord for His grace and mercy !  Jesus came to redeem us from our sinful state.  All we have to do is to repent and by faith believe in Him, and endeavor to live as godly a life as possible with the Holy Spirit's help.

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

Speaking of foolish decisions and bad choices, the apostle Peter comes to mind when he denied Jesus.   How bad is that !   He did not intend to sin; his denial came from fear, spiritual immaturity, and probably just impulse.  

"And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice.  And he went out, and wept bitterly."  -  Matthew 26:75

What a terrible thing to have to live with !  What regret!   Jesus knew how crushed and repentant Peter was, and later showed him love and forgiveness, restoring him.  

Please realize that it is important to understand that regret is not the same as repentance.  Esau regretted his decision to sell his birthright, but he never repented of this sin (Hebrews 12:16-17).  Regret tends to focus on the action that has brought pain and sorrow, whereas repentance focuses on the one we have offended.

"For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death."  -  2 Corinthians 7:10  (NASB)

Judas, who betrayed Jesus, had worldly sorrow (regret) and he committed suicide.   Peter had godly sorrow (repentance) and his life was transformed.  

Although it is natural to regret our past sins and unintentional impulse decisions against God's will, we do not want to wallow in our past mistakes and think of nothing else but how bad we are.   

This is where some people beat themselves up constantly because they cannot forgive themselves and feel worthless and depressed.  It will eat you up with bitterness and regret if you are not careful, and thereby steal your joy.  

If you are a mature believer and truly born again, you will know all this morbid dwelling on past sins is the devil trying to tear you down and make you ineffective as a productive soul winner.  Remember, he is called the deceiver and the accuser.  (Revelation 12:10)

Keeping your thoughts on wholesome and godly things will also help tremendously.  But remember, if you have confessed all known sin and have been truly repentant, the good Lord has wiped the slate clean....your sins have been forgiven !   Why dwell on your past mistakes when the Lord has forgotten them and made you clean and whole?!  Thank and praise the Lord always for His grace and mercy.  Think on good things, as Philippians 4:8 tells us:  

"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."  

Did you know that the Bible tells us to forget those things which are behind?

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,"    - Philippians 3:13

So sing praises to the Lord !  Thank Him always for His forgiveness !  Saturate your mind with His Holy Word and develop a close, personal, intimate love relationship with God through Jesus Christ !  Spend much time in prayer!  Then your mind will be filled with godly and pleasant thoughts and you will not dwell on past mistakes in a way that steals your joy in the Lord.

Psalm 103:8-12 tells us:  (8) " The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. (9) He will not always chide: neither will  He keep His anger for ever.  (10) He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities, (11)  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him.  (12) As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgression from us."

Yes, Carnal Christians Are A Reality

More than once I have said that there is no such thing as a carnal Christian.  (Scroll down to the February 17, 2018, post directly below or go to this link).  I suppose I was thinking primarily of the false conversion of a person, as opposed to true conversion, which leads to holiness and a life totally surrendered to the good Lord....true conversion, that is; because when a person is truly converted he is sealed with the Holy Spirit, which then indwells him (Ephesians 4:30).  "What?  know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"  (1 Corinthians 6:19).   In other words, I had assumed that a carnal Christian was one who had not been truly converted; had not been born again.

There are newly converted believers that are sometimes called "babes in Christ".  They are not spiritually mature yet, and can still be carnally minded to a large degree.   Carnal comes from the Greek word sarkikos, which means "fleshly."   Anytime a Christian sins, he is being carnal.  

But please note, while a Christian (especially new Christians) can be carnal for a time, a true Christian will not remain that way forever.   As he prays and studies the Bible, he will grow to truly know the Lord.  He will love Him and will not want to grieve the Holy Spirit.  He will develop a close, intimate, and personal love relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  As time goes on, his life and manner and spirituality will be manifest to others, and he will do good works.   Genuine faith will always result in good works, according to James chapter 2.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."    -   Ephesians 2:8-10

Carnal Christians are spoken of in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 :

"(1)  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  (2)  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  (3) For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"

In the quote above, the fact that Paul called them "brethren" signifies that they were Christians, as Paul often used that term to refer to other Christians as well.

So a believer can sin and appear to be carnal, but he will not remain carnal if he is a true Christian.

It is good to read 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, where it speaks of a man's works being tried by fire.   Verse 15 tells us:  "If any man's work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

So, evidently, a carnal Christian is still saved.  Back to my thoughts on true or false conversion:  it is not whether a carnal Christian has lost his salvation, but was he, in actuality, truly saved in the first place.   

God will lovingly discipline carnal Christians so they can become more Christlike and also to have a close relationship with Him.  It is all about obedience, love, and true commitment to the Lord.  A  life totally surrendered to Him.  

Read Hebrews 12:5-11.  Following are verses 6 and 7:

(6) "For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.  (7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not.?"

Examine your heart and test yourself, and see if you are a worldly and carnal person.   If so, repent and make an effort to be more Christlike and to obey God in all things.  Get down on your knees and pray that God will give you an outpouring of His Holy Spirit so that you may better do His will and live as a true Christian should. You will then become more holy and live a life pleasing to the good Lord.

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

1 John 2:15-17 cautions us:  (15) "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  (16)  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  (17)  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:  but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are you following the narrow way?  

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stay strong in the Lord.

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

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

Have a Christ centered weekend !

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

The Rapture - It Won't Be Long Now In Light Of Current Events (With Video)

In light of current events, even those who are not Christians realize that "something has to give."  Many are fearful and without hope and in dread of what will happen next.   Many fear a World War Three which some say has already begun, just not in full force as of now.   Christians have a blessed hope, however, in all of this turmoil and wickedness and chaotic happenings across the globe:

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

It will not be long now, believers, before we are caught up to be in heaven with the Lord when the Rapture of the Church occurs.  Maranatha !!

I have written much about the Rapture and will not repeat myself in this post.   In the search box above and to the right on this page, type in "rapture" and several posts will appear and you can scroll down and chose the ones you wish to view.  Some have videos by prominent pastors and authors on the subject of the Rapture of the Church.

I would like to share a recent video by Amir Tsarfati, a Jewish believer in the Messiah who lives in Israel and has a thriving ministry.   In it he discusses current Middle East and world events and he discusses the Rapture as well.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTVmX7y30sE   

These current events should be watched always as they are fulfilling Bible prophecy and verify that we are in the last days now.  Someone has said that the present time is just as prophetic as the time when Jesus was on earth 2000 years ago.

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

The above verse applies to believers in Jesus Christ, who is The Savior.   If you are not saved by the blood of Jesus, by faith in Him, then I am afraid you do not have that heavenly hope.

You need to repent and call on the name of Jesus, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness,  turn away and cease from your sins, as repentance means a change of mind and heart: to not keep living in sin.   

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."  -  Acts 4:12

"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

To God, Jesus is not one way among many,  but The Way...... the only way. 

Do not harden your heart against the Lord.   Realize that time is short on this earth, and eternity is a long time to spend in the wrong place...... which is hell if you do not repent and turn to the Lord and believe in Him as The Savior.   

Believers have a hope, a blessed hope, of being with the Lord forever in eternity.   You can have that hope as well when you surrender your life to Jesus, in faith and complete belief in Him.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.   .....For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."   -  Romans 10:9,10,13

Saved By Grace - Not By Works (The Way Of Salvation)

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."   -  Ephesians 2:8-9

This post is for everyone, but especially for those who read my recent Inspirational Weekend post.  Reading over that information again today, I realized that I didn't explain something as carefully as I should have.  I made a note of correction on the weekend post, but felt that I should do another post today to further clarify what I had meant to say.

Yes, we are saved by grace when we, by faith, believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.  (Ephesians 2:8-9, the verses quoted above.) You are then a child of God forever!  In my weekend post I had urged any unbelievers to pray and ask for forgiveness to be saved.  And then I said, "It will take effort on your part" and went on to encourage them to read their Bibles and to pray and to join a Christian church.    I realized today that that made it sound like they must also do "works" to be saved, when that was not my intention at all to convey such a thought.  We are saved only by belief and faith in Jesus.  What I had meant was that, after we are saved, we can only grow to spiritual maturity by pouring over God's Holy Word and by much prayer and by attending worship services and associating with fellow-believers.  All of that helps us to mature as believers and also helps us to have a close, personal, intimate, love relationship with God our heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ.

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

"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   

Also, remember the thief on the cross who believed in Jesus at the very end of his life, and Jesus told him that he would be with Him that day in Paradise (Luke 23:39-43).  This thief had not had any opportunity to do good works; his faith alone had saved him.

I can look back to the time when I told Jesus that I loved Him and how that was the turning point for me.   There was no formula prayer for me; just a heart broken yet full of love for the Savior; a heart that was reaching out in desperation and in the hope He provided.  He showed His love, forgiveness, and patience in return.  I began to read the Bible more and to seek Him even more with all my heart.  I learned to let go of my previous "I can take care of myself" attitude and to turn to Him in surrender, willing to be taught by Him and with a desire to grow ever closer to Him.   So we are saved by believing in Jesus as our Savior, Lord, and Master; but if we are truly born again, we will have the desire to pour over His Word and to pray fervently and with importunity and to attend worship services and to thereby grow ever more in love with Him.

Following is a sermon on the way of salvation by Charles Spurgeon

"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

"How To Know And Recognize God's Voice" - Inspirational Weekend

(1)"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds;"   -  Hebrews 1:1-2

God is the original author of the entire Bible, and He inspired holy men to put His thoughts and commandments in writing.  All Old Testament writers are viewed as prophets in that their testimony was preparation for the coming of Christ.   As verse 2 above states, in these last days God speaks to us by His Son Jesus or the Holy Spirit, which is part of the Godhead.   

In Old Testament times, God also spoke through visions and dreams and angels and in other ways; even in a whisper (1 Kings 19:12).  One thing about it, in OT times the person was absolutely sure it was God who was speaking,

Today, God speaks to us by the Holy Spirit through His Holy Word the Bible, through prayer, the church, and even through circumstances.   This is only true if we have a strong, intimate love relationship with Him.  That takes time and effort on our part.  Make time to read God's Word; make time for prayer.   If you never hear God "speak", then your relationship with Him is severely lacking in intimacy.   Or maybe you have never truly been born again.

"He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."               -  John 8:47

If the above Scripture in John is true of you, you need to get on your knees and pray for forgiveness of any sins, give your heart and soul in surrender to the Lord, and believe in Jesus as your Savior, Lord, and Master.   Now is the time to get right with the Lord !  (2 Corinthians 6:2)

You need to be born again, become a child of God, so that the Holy Spirit may speak to you and give you understanding of spiritual matters.

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man."    -  1 Corinthians 2:14-15

The "natural man"  is described in Jude 19 as one who is sensual.  The one who is not a Christian is, for the most part, dominated by the physical and worldly or natural life.  Because he is not filled with the Holy Spirit,  he cannot understand or is not equipped to receive the truth that only the Spirit can give a person.  Therefore, he needs the new birth  (John 3:1-8).  Otherwise, he cannot enter the kingdom of  God.

Ducks and other waterfowl often gather in flocks so numerous that it is breathtaking to see them take to flight all at once.   We Christians should flock together also as Hebrews 10:25 commands us to do:  "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."

When we meet together at church, we hear the Word of God preached and many times it is God "speaking" specifically to us on a matter we need to hear..... a word of correction or encouragement or an answer to a dilemma we might be facing.   So when we worship, that is one way we can recognize God's voice.

We also hear the Lord speak to us through a member of our church, or through a Christian friend or family member.  Listen to their advice, but remember they are imperfect humans and we need to "Test" what we hear by pouring over God's Holy Word.

In fact, the Bible tells us to test the spirits:

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."  -  1 John 4:1

Sometimes the voice you hear may be the devil, or your own thoughts and desires may lead you astray.  Test to see if what you hear lines up with God's Word, and pray to Him about it.  Ask Him for wisdom and discernment. If the thoughts are vague or confusing, it is not the Lord.  God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33).   Ask yourself if what you hear is going to help you to be more Christlike, or if it will help you to produce more of the fruit of the Spirit in you.  (Galatians 5:22-25)

You most likely will not actually hear God's audible voice; rather, it is a still small voice that speaks to your heart and soul and that prompts your spirit to act.  Remember how Elijah witnessed the LORD's action of a great and strong wind, and after the wind an earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire;  but the LORD was not in either of them.  Then, after all that, God spoke to Elijah in "a still small voice."          (1 Kings 19:9-12)  

The bottom line is:  As you worship the Lord, study the Bible, and are often in prayer, you will start to develop spiritual awareness and be able to comprehend and perceive our Lord's heart and mind and His will.  You will hear His voice in your soul more frequently and you will know and recognize that it is Him speaking.

Develop a close, personal, and intimate love relationship with God through Jesus Christ and you will experience His voice frequently. 

Nothing else is as important as this relationship and hearing from God.

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

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"  -  2 Corinthians 10:5

"And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of a stranger."  -  Jesus at John 10:4-5   

"Emergency Number For When You Are In Danger" - Inspirational Weekend

About two years ago a young pair of Bulbul birds made a nest in one of the palm trees in front of my patio.  Only problem is, you can see from the photo above that the branch began to die, which means it will fall off the tree eventually.  The nest is barely visible on the brown branch above, and the bulbul is in shadow a bit, but you can still see him from his red rump.  These birds were going about their business of being new parents and were not aware of the danger lurking.  

So it is with many people today.  They are going about their everyday routines, scarcely noticing that the world is falling apart and in grave danger.   For those who are aware that we are living in perilous times and on the brink of World War 3, it can be frightful to ponder the possibility of nuclear war soon.   We are living in the last days, and many Bible prophesies of the end times are coming to pass right before our very eyes.  

When in danger, you need to turn to the good Lord and be fervent in prayer, devouring the Holy Word with an appetite that consumes you for more and more spiritual food.

The emergency "number to call" when in danger is number 4 above:  Psalm 91.   I urge you to please read all 16 verses of that Psalm and I will touch upon some of its verses now.  Psalm 91 has been called the protection prayer.

Psalm 91:1-2 tells us, (1) "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  (2) I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in Him will I trust."    If we have faith in God and trust Him with our whole heart, we shall have courage for any challenge or catastrophe that comes our way.  Even if we face death in a war,  as Christians "to die is gain"  (Philippians 1:21).  We will be with the Lord forever and away from this evil world.   

Verse 4 of Psalm 91 comforts us by saying, "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler."    This is such a great illustration ! The Lord loves us tenderly, and will protect us as a hen protects her brood by covering them with her wings from predators or any dangers whatsoever.  

Verses 11 and 12 of Psalm 91 gives us more comfort when it says,  (11)  "For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  (12) They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone."   Folks, God loves us and wants the best for us.  If we are living godly lives and obeying Him, He will protect us in many ways and from many dangers.  This is brought out in verses 14-16 which follow:

(14) "Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.  (15) He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.  (16) With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation."

So all these promises and assurances of the Lord will be true for the godly who love and trust God.  

Now is the time to have a close, personal, intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   You build such a relationship by prayer and obedience and trust, and by focusing on the Lord and not on the things of this dying world.  Also, you come to know God's attributes and draw closer to Him by reading His Holy Word. But first, if you are not a believer, you must realize that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior. Come to God and ask for forgiveness of your sins, be truly repentant and turn from your wrongdoing, and believe with your whole heart that Jesus bled and died for you at Calvary, if you will just have faith in Him and believe in His resurrection.  (Romans 10:9,10,13).   

Tomorrow may be too late, because Jesus will return at any time soon and you need to come to Him in faith NOW.  

Following is a wonderful sermon by Charles Spurgeon, who has been called "The prince of preachers".   He goes into more detail on Psalm 91 in this insightful sermon.

"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

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  -  Philippians 1:21

"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them."  -  Psalm 34:7

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."

"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

"Not Right Now ?" - Inspirational Weekend

Earlier this month I was at the beach with my son and his family and friends, and my 3 year old grandson was my big joy and delight.   One adult friend asked my grandson to do something (I forgot exactly what he asked), and my grandson kept on walking and didn't miss a beat and said, "Not right now" as he continued about, in his 3 year-old way, his important business.  My grandmother's heart thought that was the cutest thing ever!   Naturally, he had heard his parents say that and understood exactly what it meant.   

After later sharing this amusing and precious moment with others, I began to consider the words "not right now" in a more serious and profound way.

How many Christians have felt the call of God to serve as a missionary and have said instead, "Not right now."

How many have felt the urge to help a homeless person, but were intent on their business and thought, "Not right now."

How many were prompted by the Holy Spirit to witness about Jesus but, for one reason or another, decided "Not right now."

I could continue on and on, but you see where I am leading us to.  Most of our ignoring the promptings of the Holy Spirit is due to selfishness (maybe of not having enough time to spare to act, for example) and just generally self-love where we think only of our own needs and not the needs of others.

See the lighthouse on that 600 foot sea cliff in the above photo of mine?  I have walked the 2 mile trail up to that Makapu'u lighthouse on the southeastern shore of Oahu, Hawaii.  It took a bit of effort, being a grandma, but once at the top the view below was breathtaking and you could see such a beautiful shoreline and the mountains all around. 

Jesus has been compared to a lighthouse.  His life and words and example have been a "light" to many.  It takes effort to stay in His light; being guided by His loving Spirit to put Him first in our lives.

And to obey Him and keep His commandments.

"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 hymn, "The Lighthouse," seems fitting to include here now:

Are you walking in darkness now?  Have you heard the gospel and know you need Jesus, but you keep saying, "Not right now."? May I remind you that tomorrow may be too late !  You might die before tomorrow arrives, and then where will you spend eternity without Jesus?  Jesus could return the next minute to rapture true believers to heaven to be with Him......where will you be when the 7-year Tribulation begins if you have not  previously accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and Master?    

One may be so involved in the pleasures and lusts of this world, that they say "Not right now" to surrendering their lives to Jesus.  They love the world too much.   Here is another reminder:

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

And another reminder:

"(15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.   (17) And the world passeth away, and the lusts thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."  -  1 John 2:15-17

Many people are enjoying their sinful life in this evil world and do not want to think about giving it all up.  Part of it is their own sinful will, and part of it the influence of the devil, who is the god of this world.

"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them."  -  2 Corinthians 4:4  

Please, if you have not done so, accept Jesus as your Savior and put your faith in Him so that you may have eternal life in glory with Him.   Do not continue to say, "Not right now" !   

Jesus' return is imminent... it could occur at any time.

Be ready.

Be like the true believers spoken of in Philippians 2:15 :

"That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without  rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."