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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, "  -   Ephesians 3:20, KJV 

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

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

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

If the rapture happens today, will you be ready?

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus loves you !

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

Believe on Him !

Surrender your life to Him!

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

What love !


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

Latest Middle East Update From Amir Tsarfati And Some Encouraging Scriptures

[Another View Of Makapu'u Beach, Oahu, Hawaii]

These people in my beach photograph above are enjoying the surf and the beauty of this beach and are no doubt oblivious to the dangerous world events that we face today.  As I have previously stated, many people today (perhaps the majority of people) are so wrapped up in the pleasures of this world (and, of course, the everyday cares of life) that they pay no attention to the perilous signs of the end times; the last moments of the last days.  I used to be the same way.  Thank the good Lord that He opened my eyes and my heart to spiritual matters;  to a saving faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior, and to a desire to follow in His footsteps  and to endeavor to lead a life which is pleasing to Him.

I will not go into all the darkness of this evil world in this article.  You are no doubt familiar with how crazy this world has become, and its decadence in so many areas of life.  At least true believers in the Savior who try to live a godly life recognize the decay in society today.

Let us talk about Faith, Hope, and Love.  Here is a link to a post I made in 2017 on that subject.  At this link, there is also a short sermon by Charles Spurgeon on how Jesus loves us.   Reading over it again today was encouraging for me, and for all battle weary Christians it will give you encouragement to endure all trials you may be facing today.   There is tremendous power in Faith, Hope, and Love.

"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation."  -  1 Thessalonians 5:8

Ephesians 6:11-13 tells us:  (11) "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  (12)  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  (13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,  and having done all, to stand."

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."     -    

Philippians 4:13

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

Galatians 1:3-4 says:  (3)  "Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,  (4)  Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:"

Isn't it amazing how Scriptures can soothe and inspire the soul !!

If you are a born again believer in the Savior Jesus Christ, you have the Holy Spirit living within you to help you to persevere and to endure and to guide you on life's paths and keep you from falling into the hands of the devil.    

Following is a 37 minute Middle East Update by Israeli Messianic Jew Amir Tsarfati, who has a thriving ministry that takes him all over the world where he preaches the Gospel and Bible Prophecy. This is his latest video posted May 25, 2019.  He not only discusses the Middle East but also about the UK and the EU.  

Remember to be constantly in prayer and to read and study God's Word daily.  You will thereby grow in faith and draw closer to the good Lord.  You will develop a true and lasting relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.  It will be a close, personal, and intimate love relationship that will see you through life's difficulties and will keep hope in your heart that soon we will be raptured to be with the Lord forever.

Keep looking up !

Keep watching !

"Insight On Psalm 23 And You" (With Sermon On Psalm 23 By Charles Spurgeon) - Inspirational Weekend

My daily Bible reading to study yesterday was, in part, Psalm 23.  I was inspired to focus on verse 3 of that Psalm for this weekend's post.  Many of you may have the entire Psalm 23 memorized, and it is an excellent one to know by heart, as I myself have memorized it.  Sometimes when I am extremely tired or just for a loss as to what to pray,  I quote the entire Psalm 23 out loud to the Lord.  It is soothing and calming to do so.

"He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."  -  Psalm 23:3

The soul can have weaknesses and weariness, and sometimes loss of trust in God.  It can sometimes lose sight of the promises of God found in His Holy Word.  Take it all to the good Lord in prayer, and the Great Physician will restore you to a healthy state of mind and of soul.   

One commentator believes this is the only meaning of "He restoreth my soul"..... that it does not refer to any sin.  But actually, any doubt of God is a sin in itself.  

Other commentators say that this restoration of the soul refers to the pardoning of sins.  We all are aware that although, if we are born again, we are still prone to sin occasionally.   The big difference in when believers sin, is that it is not on purpose and deliberately and willfully done.  It shouldn't be, if you are a true believer in Jesus.  

If one has sinned, or become a backslider, he can come back to the

Lord by way of humility and prayer and repentance and to turn from any evil.  You must come to the Lord in sorrow for the wrong and with whole-hearted  remorse.  If you are a sheep that has left the fold and become separated from the flock, the Good Shepherd will welcome you back with open arms of love and pardon.

When one is oppressed, God can refresh the soul with His Word, the Bible, and by His Holy Spirit, Who is the Comforter.   Faith is the great restorer of life to any oppressed Christian.  

Psalm 23:3 ........."He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.."

The custom of the Eastern shepherds was to go before the sheep, thereby leading them.   So God guides us.  We enter the paths of righteousness not because we are forced or driven into them, "but by the attraction of our Lord's loving presence, and the persuasive power of His holy will."

"O LORD,  I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."  -   Jeremiah 10:23

From the above verse, we can see that even converted persons need a God to lead them.   We can also see this when David prayed:

"Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."  -  Psalm 143:10

Keep on the good paths, the narrow and straight paths, the paths that the good Lord leads you to follow, and you will not go wrong.  If you are in doubt, pray to God to guide you and He will tenderly  lead you on the path that is righteous, one that leads to heaven in the future.  

Psalm 23:3  ".....For His name's sake."

The above makes you think of God's sovereignty.  He not only guides us in paths of righteousness because of His love and mercy and grace, but because He is concerned with His reputation and His purposes and wants them to be maintained by His people in order that He might be glorified.

"....So didst Thou lead thy people, to make Thyself a glorious name."   -  Isaiah 63:14b

Indeed, we all ought to do everything for God's glory.  He is the Sovereign of the universe; He is our Creator and breath of life.

We believers have so much to be grateful for.  The good Lord watches over us, provides for us, loves us, and tenderly guides and corrects us.  We owe Him reverence and respect and total surrender to His will;  and we owe Him our grateful love in return.

Following is a 26 minute audio sermon by Charles Spurgeon on beautiful Psalm 23: 

In this commentary, Spurgeon says:  "It is to the honor of our Great Shepherd that we should be a holy people, walking in the narrow way of righteousness."    Another way to say it is, we should be living as godly a life as possible, endeavoring to please the good Lord in all we do, say, think, and believe.

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

How do we become holy and live a godly life?   You need to be born again (John 3:3), which means you repent of any sin and put your full trust and belief in Jesus as the Savior, whose shed blood at Calvary can wash away your sins.  You must forsake your sinful life and live for the Lord and obey Him and love Him with your whole heart and soul and mind.   Pray for forgiveness and for Him to wipe the slate clean; refreshing and cleansing you with His 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."

"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 speaking at Matthew 7:13-14

"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 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

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

Bible Prophecy - Is It Relevant Or Is It A Mere Distraction? (With Video)

Many people - even Christians - do not think Bible prophecy is that important and they are oblivious to the end times signs we see happening in the world today.   To me and many others, Bible prophecy is not only exciting (since we are now living in the prophesied last days), but it is also a reason for hope and rejoicing to know that Jesus Christ the Savior will soon return to take true believers to be with Him in heaven.  It makes you want to shout for joy !

Yet even some preachers do not study Bible prophecy.  One has said that "Bible prophecy is a distraction that no one should spend time studying."  Hard to believe he said that.  Many lost souls have been saved by prophecies, knowing that Jesus could return at any minute.  It has put a sense of urgency in them to not delay putting their faith in the Savior;  they do not want to be left behind to face the horrors of the 7 year Tribulation that follows the Rapture of the Church.... true believers.  Remember, however, to be saved takes faith and belief in Jesus Christ, not fear of the Tribulation time.

Following is a 29 minute video by Christinprophecy.com  with 3 notable scholars discussing various questions people have concerning the importance of Bible prophecy.

For those who do not watch the video (but you will be blessed if you do watch it)  below are some facts worth noting from the video:

1,239 Prophecies are in the Old Testament

578 Prophecies are in the New Testament

  

These make a total of 1,817 prophecies.

8,352 verses contain prophecy.

Amazing !  Many scholars say a third of the Bible is prophecy.  One, Gary Stearman of prophecywatchers.com, thinks that ALL of the Bible is prophetic, and in a way he is right, if you really think about it.

Yes, Bible prophecy is very relevant !!

The main thing is to read and study God's Holy Word and pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  If you do that, you will grow closer to the good Lord and you will develop a strong, close, personal love relationship with Him.  He wants to fellowship with you.  He loves you.

But to fellowship with the good Lord means that you need to be born again (John 3:3).  Believe with all your being that Jesus is the Savior and that His shed blood at Calvary can wash your sins away and thereby wipe the slate clean.   He took your place on the cross so that you could have eternal life if you but believe that He is the Savior, the Christ.  Have faith and turn to Him in repentance and in heartfelt prayer for forgiveness.   Repent means to forsake your sinful life and never go back to it.  You will learn to love the Lord with all of your heart and soul and you will not want to disobey Him.   Draw close to Him and He will draw close to you. (James 4:8).

"Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little;  Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him."  -  Psalm 2:12

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.  And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure."  -  1 John 3:2-3

"  ....... worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."   -  Revelation 19:10b

"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

"Judge No One Before The Time" (With Video on Judging Others) - Inspirational Weekend

"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts:  and then shall every man have praise of God."    -  1 Corinthians 4:5, KJV

Humans are prone to judge others, even when they are guilty of the same sins as the one being judged.  Such relish of judging others is really a sin.   Not one of us is perfect; we all sin.   

In the KJV of 1 Corinthians 4:5 it says, "judge nothing before the time".    But translated from the original Koine Greek, as in The Pure Word  Bible, it reads:  "So that you must not judge anybody before the Special Time, until after whenever the Lord should come.......".

We should endeavor to show love and to help those who may have sinned.  A critical and faultfinding and harsh legalistic person does not show love.  True, we should not condone sin.  We should make  every attempt to turn the erring one back to the Lord - to help him to repent and to stop sinning.

By saying "judge nothing"  (or "no one"),  the apostle teaches one of the leading lessons of Christianity:  "not to pass a harsh opinion on the conduct of any man, since there are so many things that go to make up his character which we cannot know; and so many secret failings and motives which are all concealed from us."

There is so much hatred and ill-will found among worldly people.  Just read the daily news.  Let us not be like that among fellow believers!

As I wrote the above paragraph, the lyrics of that old song came to mind:  "What the world needs now is love, sweet love...".   And the kind of love we need now is from the good Lord, and shared among believers in Jesus.  

"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another."   -    Jesus speaking at John 13:34, 35.

We should also exhibit love for the lost and dying souls out there in the world.   Jesus Himself told us to go and make disciples of all peoples in the Great Commission found at Matthew 28:19-20.    

Let us forget ourselves and our self-interests and go out and show love and empathy for others, telling them about the hope found in Jesus and how His death at Calvary made the way so that they can have eternal life if they but have faith and believe that Christ is the Savior.   Of  course, also teach them that they must repent of their sins, put their former way of life behind them, and pray for forgiveness and direction from the good Lord.

Remember, the destiny of no one will be decided by the opinions of people; but the doing of all will be fixed by God.  

Let us focus on our Christian walk and how we may live so as to please God.  Pray for the Lord to increase our love for others, and that we may have a servant's heart.  

It is all about love!

Following is a short 4 minute audio sermon of the words of J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) on the subject of not judging others rashly and hastily.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment ye  judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."   -  Jesus at Matthew 7:1-2

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God."  - 1 John 4:7

"And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment."   -   1 John 3:23

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

Update - Behind The Scenes Reasons Why President Trump Pulled Troops Out of Syria (Video Amir Tsarfati) And Another Amir Video About The Reason For The Season

Again, Amir Tsarfati gives us an informative update on current events in the Middle East.  You can rest assured that his updates are accurate because of his reliable sources;  there is no speculation in his updates, and he tells it exactly as it is.  

I urge you to watch all of the following 32 minute video by Amir for inside information on the pullout of USA troops from Syria.  I will not tell the information  myself.   Amir gives an excellent in depth discussion of it in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjmoNLejUC0

As the above video ends, it clicks over to another video of a Bible teaching on the birth of Christ.  In case it doesn't work out or there is a glitch, here is a link to that 45 minute video which also shows Amir's  knowledge of the Bible and his gift of preaching the Gospel.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0ZBqvadHFo

Although Jesus was not born on December 25, Amir gives good advice on witnessing to others about Jesus at this time of the year.  Most people, especially non-Christians, celebrate Christmas just because of tradition.   They don't understand the real reason why people celebrate this time of year.  

Jesus is the true gift to us all.  The best gift.   He is our Savior.   He is our hope for eternal life.  

"Jesus is to believers the one pearl of great price, for whom we are willing to part with all that we have."   -  Charles Spurgeon 

Let us not only remember Him on one day of the year!

Let us celebrate Him everyday....all year long!

"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

How To Find Joy And Peace" - Inspirational Weekend

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fullness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."  -  Psalm 16:11

This morning my Bible study for the day was Acts 2:28, where Peter quotes from Psalm 16 and says, "Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance."

The word "countenance" is referring to God's "presence."  Knowing that God is truly near and present gives one great joy; as does His answers to  prayer. It gives you a sense of peace and contentment and safety when the good Lord's presence is felt.  And most of all you feel loved.  You are loved.   God is love  (1 John 4:8).

"Joy is not necessarily the absence of suffering.  It is the presence of God."  -  Sam Storms

Nehemiah 8:10 b tells us ".... for the joy of the Lord is your strength."  

One commentator tells us concerning Nehemiah 8:10 b,  "Religious joy, properly tempered with continual dependency on the help of God, meekness of mind, and self-diffidence, is a powerful means of strengthening the soul.  In such a frame of mind no man ever fell, and in such a state of mind the general health of the body is much improved; a cheerful heart is not only a continual feast, but also a continual medicine."

This morning I also read again Psalm 16.  Please turn there and read about not only king David, but how this Psalm also speaks of the prophesied resurrection of Christ.  Pay special attention to verses 8 to 11.  I have already quoted verse 11 and  will now quote  verses 8 to 10 :

(8) I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.  (9) Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall rest in hope.   (10)  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."

Some mysteries in the Bible are hard to understand, but if you are a born again believer the Holy Spirit will help and guide you to understand the Holy Word.  Jesus' death and resurrection gives us the assurance that we too will be resurrected and live forever with the good Lord.  That is indeed something to be joyful about, and to live a life of obedience and gratitude towards the Lord. 

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."  -   Hebrews 12:2

"We should concentrate on Jesus, the goal and objective of our faith.  Our faith, which has its beginning in Him, is also completed in Him. "  -  King James Study Bible notes.

Think about how Jesus suffered, bled and died so that those who believe in Him as the Savior might have eternal life !  What love!

We are living in the last "hour" of the last days.  So many prophecies are in the process or the beginnings of fulfillment right now.  Remember, Israel is God's prophetic time clock.  In fact, the entire 7 year Tribulation is to bring Israel to its knees in acknowledgement that Jesus is the Messiah they are looking for.  Isaiah 17:1 could be fulfilled at any time, where it says that Damascus will be destroyed and become "a ruinous heap."  If you look at any photos of present day Damascus, a good portion of it is destroyed already.   Also, the Gog/Magog war of Ezekiel 38 and 39  may happen soon, as Russia, Iran, and Turkey have become "good buddies" and will soon come against Israel as shown in Ezekiel 38.... they as well as other surrounding nations will come against Israel in this war.

We live in the end times.  Now is the time to put your faith and trust in Jesus as the Savior if you have not already done so.  Before the Tribulation period, Jesus will Rapture all true believers to be with Him in heaven.  They will be with the Lord and will escape the wrath of God to come upon the ungodly and unrepentant persons left on earth after the Rapture.   The Tribulation will be a time of destruction and horrors and hell on earth.

Don't be left behind!

Go to the Lord in heartfelt prayer and confess your sins and repent never to return to your sins again; ask God for forgiveness.  Put your faith in Jesus as the Savior and  believe in His resurrection.

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

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

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

The main thing is to believe with all of your being that Jesus is the Savior and the only way to eternal life.   If you are truly converted, you will bear much fruit and good works will follow.  Works do not save you, but they are proof that you are truly saved and have put all of your trust in the good Lord.  You will want to serve the Lord out of love and gratitude.

BELIEVE !

Jesus is waiting to receive you with open arms full of love and 

forgiveness !

He will give you peace and joy !

Have a blessed and Christ centered life !!

"An Important Message From God" - Inspirational Weekend

Jesus brings us an important message from God His Father, and it is something that we really need to listen to today and always. 

"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

That, my friends, is REAL love !  God sent His Son to die in our place on the cross, so that when we believe in Him as the Savior and put our faith in Him, we have the hope of eternal life.  

God really, truly loves you!   

"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   (See also 1 John 4:8).

God's very nature is love.  In all His actions, God is loving.  His love is always pure, always holy, always seeking what is best for His people.  God's love is never ending.

No matter what trials or hardships or sorrows you face, take it to the good Lord in prayer and He will guide and sustain you.  Just believe !

The greatest truth we learned in church is this:   "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."   Remember that from your childhood Sunday School?   

There is nothing you can do to make the Lord stop loving you !

(Romans 8:38-39)

The death of Jesus on the cross for sinners is the greatest, most visible and the absolute final word concerning God's love for humanity !

"Whom should we love, if not Him Who loved us, and gave Himself for us?"  -  Assorted Authors

"The test of Religion, the final test of Religion, is not Religiousness but Love."  -  Henry Drummond

We should be so very full of gratitude for all the good Lord has done on our behalf , that we should love Him with all of our heart and that we should obey Him in all things.  

"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

Following is a 2 minute sermon clip by Charles Spurgeon concerning "Abiding In Obedience And In Love".

Here is a beautiful song by Kari Jobe:  "What Love Is This"

All of the above applies to those who have already surrendered their lives to Jesus and who have been born again (John 3:3).  If you are not a believer in Jesus, you will not experience eternal life with Him when you die.  We all know the alternative....hell.

God is waiting for your response to His message.  

If you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior, you need to stop and pray to the Lord for forgiveness for your sins; believe with all your heart that salvation is found only in belief in Jesus and genuinely repent of all known sin and forsake your life of sin and endeavor to live a life that pleases the Lord....a godly life.  Follow as closely as you can in Jesus' footsteps.  You need to read the Bible to learn more about the Lord and His commands and His love and His attributes and His will for your life.

Pray without ceasing !  (I Thessalonians 5:17) .   You draw close to the good Lord by communicating with Him.  He wants to fellowship with you.   Christianity is all about a close, intimate, personal love relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.

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

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

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life."   -  John 6:47

"The Mystery Of God" - Inspirational Weekend

According to Clarence Larkin, there are eleven mysteries of God.  I may in the future, with the Lord's help, discuss here the other ten mysteries; but right now I will just discuss one, with two aspects involved in this one mystery of God.  A mystery in the New Testament meant something that people did not know because the good Lord had not yet revealed the matter, but would make revelation in His due time.  The prophets of old made reference to these mysteries, and even they did not understand in full.

"But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, the mystery of God should be finished, as He  hath declared to His servants the prophets."    -   Revelation 10:7

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever."  -  Revelation 11:15

Some commentators stress the kingdom is meant primarily in these verses; which of course is ruled by Christ.  Then the mystery is finished.  

Other commentators stress that Jesus Christ is the "Mystery of God."  

It all ties in.

"That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's Mystery, which is Christ, in Whom are hidden all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge."   -  Colossians 2:2-3 (English Standard Version)

So Christ is the Mystery of God, and so is the fact that the Mystery is finished, or about to be finished, when the seventh angel sounds, and "the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our LORD, and His Christ."  Of course, it also means what God has revealed concerning the spread of the Gospel, the ruin of the antichrist, and the end of the age.  The Mystery is finished also in the sense that God would then have no more to reveal about these kingdom plans beyond what He revealed to John.

One needs to be a born again believer and thereby filled with the Holy Spirit to fully understand the Word of God.  Even then, some passages can still be difficult to comprehend until you mature in faith and in your spiritual walk.   Read your Bible daily and "pray without ceasing"  (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  Ask God to give you wisdom and discernment.  Believe He will answer that prayer, and do not doubt; thereby showing faith.

"Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints."  -  Colossians 1:26

We are living in the last hour of the last days.  Even those who are not Christians can discern that these perilous times we find ourselves caught in are more wicked and violent and filled with chaos than ever in the history of mankind....unless maybe the times of Noah may have been worse.  But back then they did not have nuclear weapons and the capability to destroy the earth like they do now.  

When discussing the signs of the end times, Jesus said:  "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

Jesus said that to believers.   If you are not a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, you have reason to dread what lies ahead.  

Jesus will return soon to take true believers to be with Him in heaven.   Those left behind will have to go through the 7 year Tribulation, which is filled with judgments of God's wrath and unspeakable destruction and torments and horrors.  

You do not want to be here for the Tribulation; nor do you want to spend eternity in hell in torments.  Repent now, if you are not a believer;  turn to Jesus in faith and belief in Him as the Savior.  Pray for forgiveness and surrender your will and your life to Him and believe in His resurrection.

Jesus is waiting to hear from you.  He is full of love and pardon to those who come to Him in true repentance and faith.  

Do not delay ! 

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 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

"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

"Be Blessed" - Inspirational Weekend

"Praise ye the LORD.  Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in His commandments"  -  Psalm 112:1

To be blessed is the happy condition of those who revere the LORD and do His will. 

"Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.  Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart."  -  Psalm 119:1-2

"Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust....."   -   Psalm 40:4 a  

So from these verses we see that to be blessed is to trust the LORD, walk in His laws and keep His commandments; and to have a reverent and healthy fear of Him and to seek Him with the whole heart.  

The ultimate blessing is to have Jesus Christ as our Savior, by Whom we may gain eternal life.   But that takes faith and belief on our part.  Salvation is believing in Jesus as the Savior, repenting of all known sin, and praying to God for forgiveness; surrendering our life and will to the good Lord.

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."

A blessing is a gift from God.   Our every breath is a gift from Him.  So is the fact that we have eyes to enjoy all the beauty of His creation, and to see the faces of our loved ones.   God is love, and He shows His love to us in many ways.  He blesses us with a roof over our heads and with food to sustain us.   But the subject of this post will dwell on the spiritual blessings from the good Lord.

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

Treasure God's Holy Word and read it daily. The Bible is a gift from the Lord; His love letter to us and His Instruction Manual for us.  By studying the Bible you come to comprehend God's attributes and His character, and you begin to know Him more intimately, and you become full of love for Him and for Jesus.  Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  You need to communicate with the good Lord in order to know Him and to love Him with all of your heart.  You cannot truly know a Person unless there is communication between you and Him.  It takes much prayer to build a strong, intimate, love relationship with the Lord.  He communicates with you by His Holy Word, and through sermons and even by conversations with other believers.

As a true believer, one needs to watch his associations and not become chummy with hardened sinners.  Psalm 1:1-2 tells us:

(1) "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  (2)  But his delight is in the law of the LORD:  and in His law doth he meditate day and night."

The Psalms are full of expressions of blessings.  And do not forget the sermon on the mount by Jesus... the Beatitudes .   Read Matthew 5:1-12.  There is described the happiness to be found by those who find their purpose and fulfillment in God.

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."  -  Matthew 5:8

"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God."  -  Psalm 146:5

To be blessed is to be happy.  Don't forget to bless others and spread the happiness around in a generous fashion.


"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

"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 !

"What Is The Work Of God?" - Inspirational Weekend

My photograph above of the African Crowned Crane is just one example of God's beautiful creations.  All we have to do also is to gaze upon gorgeous mountains, and other breathtaking examples of our Heavenly Father's masterpieces, and we realize just how awesome our God is.   

But "the work of God" stressed in this post is not about His amazing creation, but something else indeed.  John 6:29 says:

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."

Let's back up to other verses in John 6 so that we may see the context here more fully.  Jesus had previously performed the miracle of turning two small fishes and five barley loaves into enough food to feed over 5,000 men plus women and children.  Not only that, but there were 12 baskets of food left over.  (John 6:1-14).

Later, the people searched for Jesus again, and when they found Him, He said unto them:

".......Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled."  -  John 6:26

The miracles which Jesus performed proved that He came from God and that He was the promised Messiah.  That was reason enough to follow Him.  But to follow Him because He supplied them with food, that was selfishness of a gross kind.  Beware today, believers, that you do not make the same mistake:  following Jesus for what you can get from Him, instead of following Him out of faith and belief in Him. We should follow Him out of extreme love for Him, and out of true gratitude for salvation from Him.

In John 6:27, Jesus went on to say to them:

"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed."

The people responded with: "What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?"   -  John 6:28

Jesus responded with the already quoted verse, John 6:29:

"This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."

The people had immediately thought that doing "works" (plural) was what was required and was what Jesus meant.   But Jesus referred to one work......  the work that pleases God... and the first requirement is to have faith in Jesus Christ.  "A faith that would enable them to lay hold upon Him who is the Bread of Life: from  such faith would spring a Christlike life."

It is not doing this or doing that, but it is believing.  "The act of believing in Jesus, the soul's casting itself on Him with perfect trust, is here spoken of as a work, as something which requires the exercise of man's will and calls forth determination and effort. The attainment of abiding nourishment unto eternal life offered by the Son of man."

Believe in Jesus as the Savior. 

"This is the work which sinners are to do; and doing this they will be saved, for "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth".   (Romans 10:4).

We are living in the last days.

Believers should be in constant fellowship with the Lord through prayer and Bible study, thereby developing a close, intimate, personal love relationship with Him.  That will enable you to not only live a life pleasing to Him and to help you grow to spiritual maturity, but it will also help you to do the Great Commission and bring others, with the Holy Spirit's help, to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Unbelievers should not delay in accepting Jesus as their Savior as His return is imminent.  Not to choose Him, not to choose life, is still a choice....you are saying No to Him, No to eternal life with the Lord.   You need to repent of your sins, pray for forgiveness, believe in Jesus with all your being and believe also in His resurrection !  It is not complicated, you only need to be repentant and sincere - and of course have faith and believe in 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."

"And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."   -  Jesus at John 6:39

"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 tells us the Great Commission at Matthew 28:19, 20:

(19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."