"How To Have Strength In Your Weakness" (With Charles Spurgeon Devotion) - Inspirational Weekend

The two cattle egrets above look as if they are practicing social distancing !  May we always have love and concern for others, in spite of the current social distancing mandates right now!

Much is on my mind right now to write about - maybe too much for one article.  Please bear with me as I endeavor to express what the good Lord has put upon my heart to share.

The last post here (scroll down to view) concerned itself with how we need to be strong and courageous and to rely totally upon God and Jesus..... God will make a way for us in our current difficulties and/or our spiritual battles.  

It is no doubt obvious to many that Christians are hated and persecuted in this, for the most part, evil and godless society in which we find ourselves today..... in this end time scenario.

Isaiah 5:20 tells us "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet,  and sweet for bitter!"

True, that was written for those in ancient times, but it also applies today, doesn't it!  Many people of the world will even call evil what is obviously miracles from God.

It reminds me of our blessed Savior, Jesus Christ, and how He was persecuted, slandered, tortured and eventually killed.  Yet He was holy and pure; God in flesh!  

Jesus tells us at John 15:18-20  "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world,  the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also."

 The intent of this article is to discuss strength from the good Lord and this in spite of our weaknesses.  A prime example of this is the Apostle Paul and his "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from being full of pride because of his many revelations from the Lord.  This is found at 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 which follows:

"And lest  I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.   Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

It would be good to read all of 2 Corinthians 12.  Note the apostle Paul's wonderful response and his wise attitude toward his troubles and his thorn in the flesh !  

We learn from our troubles and afflictions, if we are humble enough to turn to the Lord for help and guidance through much prayer during our ordeal, whatever it may be.   Besides, "no pain, no gain"!  The Lord shapes us and molds us to be more Christlike when we suffer;  we will more often turn to prayer - much prayer- when we are afflicted and thereby will grow in our relationship with God and Jesus....To rely on the good Lord for help and guidance and not on our own understanding or our own feeble efforts to do things our way.

I can see now that I will need to discuss 2 Corinthians 12 in more detail in another article in the near future.  

Following is a wonderful devotion by Charles Spurgeon about strength and faith and the grace of God:

"It is our wisdom, as well as our necessity, to beseech God continually to strengthen  that which He has wrought  in us.  It is because of their neglect in this, that many Christians may blame themselves  for those trials and afflictions of spirit which arise from unbelief.    It  is true that satan seeks to flood the fair garden of the heart and make it a scene of desolation, but it is also true that  many Christians leave open the ...."Gates" themselves,  and let  in the dreadful deluge through  carelessness and want of prayer to their strong Helper.  We often forget the Author of our faith must be the Preserver of it also.  The lamp which was burning in the temple was never allowed to go out, but it had to be daily replenished  with fresh oil; in like manner, our faith can only live by being sustained with the oil of Grace, and we can only obtain this from God Himself.  Foolish virgins we shall prove, if we do not secure the needed sustenance for our lamps.  He who built the world upholds it, or it would fall in one tremendous crash; He who made us Christians  must maintain us by His Spirit, or our ruin will be speedy and final.  Let us, then, evening by evening, go to our Lord for the grace and strength we need.  We have a strong argument to plead, for it is His own work of grace which we ask Him to strengthen :  "Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us" (Psalm 68:28).   Think you He will fail to protect and sustain that ?  Only let your faith take hold of His strength, and all the powers of darkness, led on by the master fiend of hell, cannot cast a cloud or shadow over your joy and peace.  Why faint when you may be strong?  Why suffer defeat when you may conquer?  Oh take your wavering faith and drooping graces to Him and Who can revive and replenish them and earnestly pray, "Strengthen, O God, that which Thou has wrought for us."

The above internet image has been used on this blog in the past, but I feel it fits here because only the Word of God can give "hugs" of comfort and guidance and draw you close in a spiritual embrace of the good Lord and His Holy Spirit.  It will give you strength and hope and fellowship with God and Jesus, as will also much prayer.

"Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."  -  Psalm 82:4

"Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in everything 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

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

Here is a wonderful worship song (In Christ Alone) which many of you are familiar with:

These are difficult times in which we live right now.  We need the good Lord to turn to in every trial and spiritual warfare we may be facing.

For those of you who are not saved, who are not born again (a spiritual rebirth), you need to repent and pray for forgiveness and to believe with all of your very being and all of your heart that Jesus Christ is the Savior and the only way to heaven.  Following are some Scriptures for you:

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."

"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

"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


All that we see happening now with natural disasters, with the establishing of the New World Order in its beginning stages, the evil and corruptness, and much much more are all signs of the end times as prophecy in the Bible told us would occur at the time of the end of this dispensation. (Please read of these end times signs  at Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21)  In other words :

Jesus will return soon to take true believers to heaven with Him before the 7 year tribulation begins.

Turn to Jesus in faith now before it is too late !

He will welcome you with love and forgiveness, and hold you tight in the safety of His arms !

(Go to the search box at the top right hand side of this page and enter things such as:  the 7 year Tribulation, signs of the end times, the mark of the beast, the Rapture,  etc.  and many articles will appear for you to view, some with videos.  There are also articles on faith, endurance, fellowship with the good Lord, and many other topics as well.)

Jesus said the following when discussing the signs of the last days:

"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

Maranatha !

Hurry Lord Jesus !


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

"What Is The Work Of God?" (A.W. Tozer Sermon; Salvation Sermon By Charles Lawson) - Inspirational Weekend.

To find out what the work of God is, let us read John 6:28,29 which follows:

(28) "Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  (29) Jesus answered and said unto them,  This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."

It is not works, but one work that is required, belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him......"  Hebrews 11:6 a

Believe in Jesus as the Savior, that is acceptable to God.  This you must do in order to be saved.  This is the work which sinners are to do. 

Following is a powerful 15 minute sermon clip by Pastor Charles Lawson on salvation.  He also discusses his own salvation experience. I urge you to watch this moving sermon, even if you are already saved; you may want to direct unsaved loved ones to listen to it.

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

Nothing we can do of ourselves (works) can earn us salvation.  It is the gift of God.

A. W. Tozer tells us that many believers feel needing God [Jesus] plus something else is the trouble with us in the following 2 minute sermon clip:

The one thing we need to remember is that we should trust God and Jesus with everything.  Put them first in your life.

Much has been written on this blog about how we are living in the last moments of the last days.  Go to the search box in the upper right hand side of this page and enter such things as "Rapture", "end times", "7 year tribulation", "Gog Magog War of Ezekiel 38 and 39"and various other topics and several articles will pop up for you to read.

The point being, that Jesus will return very soon for His true believers and take them to be in Heaven with Him while the horrors of the 7 year Tribulation period will be suffered by those left behind; those who never believed in Jesus as the Savior.

Are you Rapture ready?

You must be truly born again from above, truly saved, to be Raptured to Heaven with Jesus.  

Do not delay!  

("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

Admit that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior. ( Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23)

Believe in your heart and your soul and all your very being that Jesus is the Savior and the only way to heaven  (John 14:6;  Romans 10: 9,10,13)

Call on Jesus and confess that He is the Savior, whose Redemptive work and shed blood at Calvary can wash all your sins away and make you a new creation in Him when you come to Him in faith (Romans 10:9, 10,13;  2 Corinthians 5:17)

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

Time is running out !  

Turn to Jesus in faith now, before it is too late!

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

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."

"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

Hebrews 2:3, 4 tells us: (3) "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him; (4) God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will?"

"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."  -  Romans 13:11

"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

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

The Soon Rapture Of True Believers- Is Anyone Interested Anymore? (With Important Bible Prophecy Video)

In the above photograph of mine, taken from Makapu'u Beach on Oahu, with Rabbit Island in the background, the two persons enjoying the beach and the beauty of Hawaii seem happy and totally oblivious to the fact that I was photographing them.

Many people today go about their everyday lives, consumed with their own problems and just everyday affairs of life, and never give a thought much about God or eternal issues.  They are wrapped up in themselves and stay so busy that spiritual things are the least of their concerns.

I have tried a few times to include a link here to an interesting article titled "Think Not Generation" at www.raptureready.com , but my computer is not cooperating.  I hope you go there and find this recent article by Todd Strandberg.

In the article, Mr. Strandberg writes that most believers today are totally apathetic about how close we get to the Tribulation hour.  Satan, the father of lies, used to use forecasts of the Lord's return to create confusion but, now that we are approaching the end of the age, he is trying to prevent people from being mindful that time is running out.....so says Mr. Strandberg.

By the way, raptureready.com is a good website to visit often and they update daily with many articles.   Another excellent site is raptureforums.com.   Check them out.

There are still many believers who want to know more and more about Bible Prophecy, especially as it is so evident how much the Bible prophesied is now coming true in these last moments of the end times. Bible Prophecy conferences still draw many hundreds and thousands of interested persons each year.   One such yearly conference is the one Jan Markell hosts each year.   The latest one was on September 21 of this year.  You can go to You Tube and find it by entering 2019 Understanding the times conference Olive Tree ministries.   Even just entering Jan Markell's name on You Tube you will find it.You may also find all of the speakers' sermons there, which include J.D. Farag, Amir Tsarfati, Jack Hibbs, Dr. Robert Jeffress, and Jan Markell gave a talk this year as well.

They talk frequently of the nation of Israel, as Israel is God's prophetic time clock, and His chosen people.  God did not abolish His ancient covenant with His chosen people, as many churches teach the false doctrine today of Replacement Theology.....  that the Christian Church has replaced Israel.   The heavenly Father has a plan; He is in control.   

I am giving you here a 55 minute video of Jan Markell's discourse at the conference this year.  Great information here !

Granted, the main issue for each of us is salvation by belief and faith in the Savior Jesus Christ.   We need to make sure we are putting the good Lord first in our lives.   Some professing Christians are not really saved; and many of them don't realize it.

One test to know if you are born again from above is whether you put God and Jesus FIRST in your life.  Do you spend time often in prayer and do you read the Bible daily?  Do you have a hunger to draw ever closer to God? Are you sharing the Gospel with other lost souls?

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."   -  Romans 8:5

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."  -  Romans 8:14

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."  -  Romans 8:16

Time is short!

Jesus loves you!

If you have not been saved yet, Jesus is waiting for you with open arms full of love and forgiveness!

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."

"Once Again - Forget The Past" - Inspirational Weekend

[Orange Blossoms of the Cassia Tree)

While doing my Bible study this past Wednesday, I concentrated on Philippians 3:13 where the apostle Paul tells us:

"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."

I was inspired to write this weekend's post using that verse as my focus.  However, I realized that way back in 2016, I had covered that verse extensively in a post that year.  Following is that article:

Please, I urge you to read the article at the above link.   Don't let past hurts and sorrows eat you up with morbid remorse and regrets.  Look to the good Lord to give you light and hope and a reason for living.   Don't forget our blessed hope as spoken of in Titus 2:13 which follows:

"Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."

Hang in there, folks !

Our deliverance is near!

Jesus will return soon to take us out of this wicked and perverse world and bring us to be with Him forever in bliss in Paradise.

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

Read Revelation 21:1-4 where it speaks of the New Jerusalem and how God will be with us.  Following is Revelation 21:4 :

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

We have much to look forward to !  We have a hope and a future!

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

The Rapture - Is It Still A Mystery To You? (With Two Videos - One on the Rapture and the other on the future of America)

There must be a reason why I focus on the Rapture of the Church so often.   For one thing, it is a blessed hope and assurance for true believers in the Savior Jesus Christ.  (Titus 2:13).  For another reason, the Rapture is imminent, which means it could happen at any time.  We do not know the day or the hour, but Jesus gave us signs for us to know when we are in the "season" of His return.  Read Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 for these signs.  We are definitely in the season of the Lord's return right now because so many signs of it are converging all at once now in this last "hour" of the end times we find ourselves living in.

Why am I posting another video on the Rapture ?  This video stands out because so many facts are presented in it -- in one video - that have been discussed by various scholars in a variety of sources.   This video by prophecywatchers.com  with host Gary Stearman interviewing Dr. David Reagan is jam packed with lots of nuggets to digest concerning the history of the Rapture view in centuries past and so much more.  Lots of information in this 29 minute video will keep your interest.

In the description area of this video on You Tube, it says:  "The Apostle Paul described the Rapture as a mystery.  Today, almost 2,000 years later, it is still a mystery to many Christians."

One thing brought out in the above video is the thought that satan does not want us to have hope.  To not believe in the Rapture is to have no hope.

They also discuss the fact that the word Rapture is in the Bible.  In Greek it is Harpazo and in the Latin Vulgate Bible it is Rapio,  or Rapturo, where we get the English "Rapture".   This is brought out in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 where the English words "Caught up" occur.

I have written about how the word Rapture is in the Bible on other occasions.  One article was written on October 10, 2017, which includes another video by prophecywatchers.com featuring Jeff Kinley.  It discusses the future of America and is well worth your time to watch as it is only 29 minutes long.  

https://inspiringnaturephotography.blogspot.com/2017/10/is-there-future-for-america-bible.html

Now the question is, are you Rapture ready?

You are if you are a born again true believer in the Savior Jesus Christ!

What if you are not saved?  You have no blessed hope.  You will face God's wrath.  

What to do then?  

Admit you are a sinner and in need of a Savior.

Believe in Jesus Christ and in the redemption He provided by His shed blood on the Cross.  He was our substitute.  He bore our sins so that if we but believe on Him, we may gain eternal life.

Call on the name of the Lord.  Commit your life to Him.  Confess your sins in true repentance. 

Jesus will welcome you to the family of God with wide open arms of love and forgiveness !

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

The good Lord has made it simple for us to be saved.  A child can understand it.   But man makes it complicated by not wanting to give up secret and "favorite" sins.   Man can get quite comfortable and set in his ways and not want to give up whatever vices he may be guilty of.

Friends, just surrender to the good Lord with all of your heart and trust Him to help you to change through the power of the Holy Spirit.  If your heart is right, He will mold you into a new Creation.

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

Time is short.  

We are living in the last moments of the end times.

Don't delay!

Maranatha!

"The Greatest Love Story" (With Sermon By A.W. Pink - Two Videos) - Inspirational Weekend

Everyone loves a great love story !  It is the most popular theme of movies and music.   But I am not referring to romantic love in this article.

"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

That verse above is the greatest love story ever told !   

Think about it.  

God is love.  (1 John 4:16)

God is love itself.  It is not only His nature, but He Himself is the personification of love.  It took great love to send His only begotten Son to suffer and die for us....to die in our place.... so that if we but have faith in Jesus, and believe that He is the Savior, we may have eternal life.  Because Jesus is the Son of God, part of the Trinity, His love is equal to that of Yahweh Himself.  

Think of the enormity of His sacrificial death and what He suffered!  He was thinking of you and me when He suffered a cruel death at Calvary.  What a display of love and compassion He epitomized.   He knew our need of a Savior from our sin as more important than His own comfort and life.  One commentator has said that Jesus "gave the most He could give for those who deserved it the least.  Sacrifice, then, is the essence of godly love, called "Agape" love. .....  The essence of agape love is goodwill, benevolence, and delight in the object of love."

Those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior have many spiritual blessings.  For one thing, He makes us God's children who are co-heirs with Him.   He dwells within us as the Holy Spirit.  He will be our companion for life.....more than a companion!  He is our Lord and Master and protector and defender.  He will guide us in the paths we should follow.   He convicts us when we sin, and causes us to turn to Him in sincere repentance, where we give up the sin when we confess it to Him.   Unlike fickle spouses, He will never forsake us.

"......  I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  -  Hebrews 13:5b 

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 for God's description of love.  Most Christians are familiar with these verses, especially the believers who read their Bibles daily and have a close, intimate, personal, love relationship with the good Lord.   You need to immerse yourself in God's Holy Word and pray without ceasing to develop a close and deep relationship with God through Jesus His Son.   Since God/Jesus is love,  it is only reasonable that He would want to fellowship with us by communicating with us through the Bible and by answering our prayers and guiding us by His Holy Spirit.  You cannot become acquainted with anyone without communicating with him frequently.  The same holds true for the good Lord.  

Another excellent verse concerning Jesus' love for us is found at John 15:13:

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  (KJV)

Following is a worship song by Chris Tomlin about Jesus' love for us:

Let us show love for Jesus by living a godly life and preaching the Gospel..... telling others about God's Love for us by sending His Son so that we might gain eternal life if we but believe in Him.

Also, here is a 20 minute audio video with a sermon by Arthur W. Pink which discusses the Love of God (the love of Christ).

In the above sermon, he discusses the seven perfections of God's love.  He reminds us that God's love has no limits, and it is unchangeable.    Another point he makes (and which I stress often as well) is that the more we are acquainted with God, the more our hearts will be drawn out in love to Him.  In other words, develop a close love relationship with God and Jesus.

The love of God is powerful and life changing if you make yourself available to worship Him and follow, in love, in the footsteps of Jesus.

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 !

Signs Of The End Times With Billy Crone (Video)

The Lemur above looks as if he just heard some thoughtful news !  He is very intent and alert in his gaze.   

We Christians have some exciting news to tell :  Jesus will return soon to rapture His Bride (true believers) to be in heaven with Him.  We are definitely living in the last days; the last hours of the end times the Bible tells us about.  The Bible is almost 1/3 prophecy and we need to take heed and take action relating to what that means for us:  to live a godly life and to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others.  

So many people shy away from prophecy, thinking it is all doom and gloom.  The best news we could possibly hear is the fact that Jesus could come back at any moment!!   We know this because the Bible -  Jesus -  tells us the signs to look for to take heed that we are in the last days; to know the season of His return.  Not the day or the hour, for no one knows that except the heavenly Father.  (Matthew 24:36)

Following is a video from ChristinProphecy channel on YouTube.  It's website is christinprophecy.org

Many end time signs are covered in this video featuring pastor and author Billy Crone.  They even mention and show photographs of some false christs in these last days.  That was one of the things Jesus proclaimed as a sign of the end times.   (Matthew 24:4-5)

The main thing is to be ready for the Lord when He returns !  That entails much prayer and much Bible reading and studying.  That in turn will enable you to have a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  That relationship will enable you live a life pleasing to the Lord.   You will know Him and He will know you.   You do not want to hear the Lord say in the Judgment,  

"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity."              -  Matthew 7:23

If you love the world; if you talk like, look like, and act like the world, then you probably are not a true Christian.  You are not born again; you are carnal still; you are not truly converted.

"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

Those are strong words !!  Examine yourself, test yourself to see whether you are in the faith or not.

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.  Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"   -  2 Corinthians 13:5

We live in exciting times!  Prophetic times.  We Christians have a blessed hope (Titus 2:13).  

God is good!

Jesus loves you.

He is waiting for you to come to Him in faith and belief in Him as your Savior.

Don't delay!  

Don't wait until it is too late.

"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

"But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."  -  1 Peter 1:15-16

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

"And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming."   -  1 John 2:28

   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."    -  John 3:3

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

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

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

Have a joyful and Christ-centered weekend !

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

Memories To Treasure

In a troubled world like today, we all need special moments and memories to treasure; tender moments that are difficult to explain adequately in words.   They are felt more in the heart and soul; a brief moment that can melt even the most "proper" and reserved person's heart and that makes them feel blessed and they want the moment to last forever.

I felt like that recently when my son and grandson paid me a nice long visit at my place.  My 3 year old grandson met me holding a bouquet of flowers, which are pictured above.  To me it was a precious sight to see them happy and so loving; my grandson holding the flowers and handing them to me as if he had bought them....actually, he did pick out the bouquet himself.

My mind flashed back to the past when my son was around 12 years old and he woke me up one morning with a tray on which was a scrambled egg breakfast he had cooked for me, complete with a flower on the tray which he had picked from a neighbor's yard !   Breakfast in bed.  Another extraordinary moment and memory to treasure in my heart.  It was momentous because my son was displaying his love in a way that came from his heart.

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward."  -  Psalm 127:3

God shows grace and love in giving us children and grandchildren. I even have two great-grandchildren, who live on the mainland.  It grieves me that we do not have a stronger bond because of the years and the miles that have separated us....kept us from building a relationship like I would desire to have.  My great-grandchildren are still young, however.   I must be content, for now, by loving them from a distance.  That is also true of my grown granddaughters and my daughter. Maybe, in time, we will live closer together. 

"Hope is the anchor of the soul made possible by our acceptance of God's Grace."  -  Unknown

It seems I am getting more and more sentimental and mellow as I age. I realize I won't live that much longer (unless the Rapture comes first), and every moment spent with loved ones is very special indeed.  My son, his wife, and my grandson are the only family I have with me here in Hawaii.  My daughter-in-law will soon have a baby girl as well.  More joy!

When I was younger, I didn't possess such tender feelings; probably because I was never shown much love as a child and I didn't know how to express love.   

I am very grateful for the good Lord and how He has transformed my heart and my mind and my soul.  There is power in the blood of Jesus !  He can make you brand new!   (2 Corinthians 5:17)

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

When I read those verses several years ago, I realized that I needed to renew my mind by reading the Bible.  You are what you feed yourself...and that applies to taking in spiritual food as well.  Of course, you need to spend much time in prayer also to develop a close, intimate, personal relationship with the Lord. That will enable you to live a more holy life. 

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

Those of you reading this that are Christians are aware of these truths.   However, we all need to be reminded to focus on the Lord first and foremost because we live in a fallen world and it is easy to be influenced by it at times; easy to be so busy with everyday work, chores, and meetings and taking the children to this event or that activity, that we do not take time to be with the Lord.   We need quiet times in reflection and prayer and Bible reading to be pleasing to God and to draw close to Him. It also refreshes us.   Reflecting on how the heavenly Father loves us and guides us and forgives us is very special indeed. How He has answered prayers and blessed us and how He has made a way where there was no way are truly treasured memories to constantly ponder and meditate on.   Doing so strengthens our faith.   

"As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love.  If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love."     -   Jesus at John 15:9-10

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."  -  1 John 4:16

It is all about love.

It is also about relationships.

Go make some memories to treasure.

Especially store up memories where God's love is concerned; His forgiveness and protection and His providing for you and so much more.

Share the love and the Gospel with others, making disciples.

Build up for yourself treasures in heaven.  

"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."     - Jesus at Matthew 6:20-21