"God's Many Promises" (video Sermon on the Lord's promises by Charles Spurgeon) - Inspirational Weekend

The photograph above was taken a couple of days ago of my Christmas Cactus.  It has been blooming profusely since February.  Isn't it funny how such a thing as this plant - blooming once a year (although one year it bloomed twice) -   how such a simple pleasure of its gorgeous blossoms can give you a sense of well-being;  a sense that  all is well and going as "scheduled"; that all is normal and things are okay.  That the promise of future things (such as next year will bring more beautiful blossoms on my cactus) will surely come to pass, and that life goes on.

I realize that today in this chaotic world, all is NOT normal and is not going as we sincere Christians would want.  Yet, at the same time, all we see happening now is fulfilling Bible prophecy as pertaining to the last days of this system of things.  We are in the last hour of the end times.  We should be "looking up" - looking to the time of Jesus' return, as our redemption "draws nigh."  (Luke 21:28

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."  -  Romans 8:28

The verse above is very familiar to Christians.  This is a promise from God, and we can depend upon it.  It gives us comfort and, if we are true believers, we will be so grateful for this promise that we will live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to the good Lord.

"For all the promises of God in Him [Jesus] are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us."  -  2 Corinthians 1:20

The greatest promise of God was salvation through faith and belief in Jesus as the Savior.  

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

Not only is John 3:16 a glorious promise, it is also a wonderful love story in itself as well.  How can we mere finite humans ever comprehend a love such as that; a love so strong that Jesus was willing to die a horrible and painful death on the cross at Calvary so that if we but believe He is the Christ, the Savior, whose shed blood can wash our sins away, we may thereby obtain eternal life.  Jesus took our place on the cross;  He was our substitute, our Redeemer, the Lamb whose shed blood can save us, if we but have faith and believe in Him.

Another promise of God  (Jesus ) is found at John 14:1-3, which follows:

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.  In my Father's house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

Think of it !  Not only is Jesus in heaven now preparing a place for true believers, but He says that He will come again to take us to be with Him forever.   That is a promise to rejoice over!  It will occur very soon at the rate that prophecy is coming true in these end times; the rate that precursors of prophecy are occurring right at this moment in time.

There are many, many promises of God to be found in the Bible.  Don't forget the promises made to men like Abraham in the Old Testament.   Promises that came true, such as Abraham and Sarah having a son in their old age.  Pour over and study your Bible and you will uncover many of God's promises for yourself.

Not too long ago, I was praying and I was in tears as I pleaded with God to save my unbelieving family members.  The words "Is anything too hard for Me" popped into my mind.   I knew it was the Lord promising me that my prayers would be answered.  I looked up in the Bible and found more than one verse to confirm God's promise.   Previously, I had not come across these verses recently and had quite forgotten them.

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?"  -  Genesis 18:14

"Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for Me?"  -  Jeremiah 32:27

Later I ran across Isaiah 59:1 which tells us: 

"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear:"

Following is a hymn which has special meaning to me.  It is titled "Standing On The Promises Of God" :

Below is a 49 minute audio sermon by Charles Spurgeon titled "Obtaining Promises."  Please take the time to listen to all of this wonderful discourse.  In it, Spurgeon says to wait and have patience on the good Lord.  Wait for the promise.   He tells us three ways to obtain the promise.   

If you are unsaved - not born again - then all these promises cannot be yours.   That is, unless you repent and pray to the good Lord for forgiveness of your sins.   But first you must believe that Jesus is the Savior, and that He is the only way to heaven and to the heavenly Father.  

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't be left behind.  

Jesus loves you.

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

Admit you are a sinner and repent.

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

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

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

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

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

"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   

"Comfort And Peace" - Inspirational Weekend

In contemplating the subject for this weekend's post I thought rather than Bible Prophecy, I would dwell on some quotes about comfort and peace.  There is so much violence and chaos in today's world (which, in itself, is a sign of the end times) that perhaps we would do well to contemplate some positive quotes from godly men as well as from the Bible itself.  In my quest to keep up with the signs of the times and the news today as it relates to Bible prophecy, it makes me depressed to see how much distress and evil itself is prevalent in today's mixed up world.  When the world situation affects my mind and disturbs me, the best thing I can do is to take it to the Lord in prayer and also to read His Holy Word.  It does me good to dwell on Scriptures and quotes that stress how there is still hope if you are a true believer in and a follower of Jesus.  Christians know how things will turn out in the end for the Bible tells us that God wins !   He wins the war over the devil and unregenerate mankind. The Lord will usher in a New Heavens and a New Earth  (Revelation 21:1) filled with peace and happiness, or should I say, filled with joy; for true joy comes only from the Heavenly Father.  Happiness depends on temporary, earthly happenings that bring you temporary pleasure.

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."  -  1 Peter 5:7    

"In the midst of the awesomeness, a touch comes, and you know it is the right hand of Jesus Christ.  You know it is not the hand of restraint, correction, nor chastisement, but the right hand of the Everlasting Father.  Whenever His hand is laid upon you, it gives inexpressible peace and comfort, and the sense that "underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27), full of support, provision, comfort, and strength."  -  Oswald Chambers   

"Comfort ye, comfort ye, saith your God."  -  Isaiah 40:1

"Great comforts do, indeed, bear witness to the truth of Thy grace, but not to the degree of it; the weak child is oftener in the lap than the strong one."  -  William Gurnall

Do not hesitate to cast all your cares and burdens on the Lord; go to Him as often as need be; find comfort and love and peace in His Presence.  He will never hurl a true believer from His Presence. (John 6:37). One Scripture that has brought me much comfort and given me peace is Hebrews 13:5b  :  "for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  With the Lord by your side, you will be able to face adversities and to be strong.  If fear visits you, cast it away in the assurance that you "can do all things through Christ Who strengthens you."   (Philippians 4:13).   This takes faith.

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

"Prayer crowns God with the honor and glory due to His name, and God crowns prayer with assurance and comfort.  The most praying souls are the most assured souls."  -  Thomas Brooks

"Faith means trusting in advance what only makes sense in reverse."  -  Philip Yancey   

There is just one important thing: in order to have God's Presence and to be assured of His protection and love and of eternal life, you need to be born-again.  Spirit born, that is.   You need to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and King and Master.   To do this, you first need to recognize your need of a Savior and to repent of all known sin; ask God to forgive you and truly believe that Jesus' death at Calvary and His shed blood can wash away your sins.   You must be sincere and from your very heart believe in Jesus and in His resurrection.

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

"For God 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

"(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.  (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  -  Romans 10:9,13

Marc Wolfe has said, "Living a Christless life is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic."  You are doomed to eternity in hell if you do not accept Jesus as your Savior.  (John 14:6). If you are an unbeliever and still here and live to see the soon to happen 7-year Tribulation, you will suffer through much pain and wrath and horror the likes of which has never been seen on earth before.   

When you give your life and heart and soul to Jesus Christ, you will have peace in your soul and will be able to experience a close, personal, intimate relationship with Him.  That is what we are called to do.

Live for the Lord.

Be in constant fellowship with Him.

Don't delay !

"Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near:"   -  Isaiah 55:6

"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

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