Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts

Thursday, May 27, 2021

"HOW TO SPEND THE DAY WITH GOD!'' - (Matthew Henry Sermon Video) & Christian Quotes - INSPIRATIONAL WEEKEND

 

                                                       [Diamond Head Beach and Lighthouse - Oahu, Hawaii]

Since a lighthouse to Christians can be a symbol for the Lord Jesus, and likewise of God, I chose to use my photograph above to compliment the title of this post :"How To Spend The Day With God."  Actually, this post's title is also the title of a 35 minute sermon by Matthew Henry which follows:


Matthew Henry was a Puritan (or "non-conformist" - which was any English Protestant who did not conform to the doctrines or practices of the established Church of England during the 1600's).  Henry lived from 1662-1714.  He was in poor health physically and intellectually; but spiritually he was gifted.  As a child prodigy he was able to read out loud a chapter of the Bible when he was only 3 years old.   Just a note, many persons- including myself - refer to his Bible Commentaries for reference.

The main point to consider is the  content of the above sermon video.  It is very encouraging to all of us in today's stormy times. One point he made is: "Though a stormy day... yet we must hope and have patience.  Be joyful because Christ is in the ship and also at the helm."    And ...." To wait on God is to live a life of desire towards God, to wait on Him in faith and expectation.....Be entirely conformed to God's will.  ......Only the ones willing to do as they are taught by God will God continue to teach His ways. "    There are many more gems of insightful and of helpful nature for us in the above video!

Following is an almost 3 minute video trailer about Matthew Henry's life and times:


When Matthew Henry was about 13 years old, he wrote a short biography concerning the saving of his soul.  Quite insightful and impressive as to the knowledge and spiritual understanding of one so young!  For those who are interested, here is the link to that:   look for the portion titled " A Catalog of Mercies".       http://www.sounddoctrine.net/LIBRARY/Bible%20Studies/MHenry-biography.htm




In considering our troublesome times during these last days of the Church Age,  as well as the concerns and hardships and fears of many persons today as to what might lie ahead, here is a helpful quote - a short devotional by Charles Spurgeon, titled "Rain Without Clouds? Never!"   Spurgeon bases his comments on Ecclesiastes 11:3 : "If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth."

Spurgeon comments: "Why, then, do we dread the clouds which now darken our sky?  True, for a while they hide the sun, but the sun is not quenched; he will shine out again before long.  Meanwhile, those black clouds are filled with rain; and the blacker they are, the more likely they are to yield plentiful showers!  How can we have rain, without clouds?  Our troubles have always brought us blessings, and they always will.  They are the black chariots of bright grace.  These clouds will empty themselves before long, and every tender herb will be the gladder for the shower.  Our God may drench us with grief, but He will not drown us with wrath; nay, He will refresh us with mercy.  Our LORD's Love Letters often come to us in black-edged envelopes.    His wagons rumble but they are loaded with benefits.  His rod blossoms with sweet flowers and nourishing fruits.  Let us not worry about the clouds but sing because May flowers are brought to us through the April clouds and showers.

"O, LORD, the clouds are the dust of Thy feet!   How near Thou art in the cloudy and dark day!  Love beholds Thee and is glad.  Faith sees the clouds emptying themselves and making the little hills rejoice on every side."   -  end of quote

"The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.  The LORD hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet."      -    Nahum 1:3


"Men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them." - unknown

"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength."           -   Charles Spurgeon

"Tears clean the windows of your soul." -  Nick Vujicic (Life without Limbs.org)

"Thou art still the God of my salvation and Thou wilt bear me up, and carry me through, and lighten all my pressure, until Thou shalt bring me home to behold Thy glory and to dwell with Thee forever."     -  Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary.

"When in the hands of God, our regrets of yesterday turn to beautiful re-designs of tomorrow."      -   Janet Perez Eckles

"Christians, see your position, debtors to grace; show your gratitude by earnest, Christ-like lives, and as God has bidden you live, see to it that you live in earnest."  -  Charles Spurgeon


If Jesus were to return today or next week (no one knows the day or the hour - Matthew 24:36)  -  would you be Rapture Ready?

Perhaps, because of the turmoil and upheaval in the world today, maybe more people are considering their future and what might lie ahead.  But how many of them are concerned with their eternity?  That is the most important decision anyone can make!   Meaning, of course, salvation that is found only in belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior - that He is the only way to heaven and to eternal life!

Following are some salvation Scriptures for you to take to heart and to lead you to a vibrant faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus !   As you read these verses, if you are not yet saved and born again, think about the cruel and painful death Jesus suffered on the cross -  and He did it out of love for you!  He took your place and your sins upon Himself at Calvary; shed His precious blood (as the sacrificial Lamb of God); He paid your sin debt in full - a debt so enormous that none of us could pay it on our own (by our works).  



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

"(For 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

"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

"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 !!



Thursday, May 6, 2021

In The Twinkling Of An Eye! Important and Most Informative Video On The Rapture ! (Pastor Billy Crone) - Inspirational Weekend

 

 "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, as at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.   So when this corruptible shall have put on immortality,  then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."                    -     1 Corinthians 15:51-54    

Yes, another article and video on the soon Rapture! This video you do NOT want to miss! You will really enjoy how informative this 29 minute video is -  Pastor Billy Crone explains clearly here how the Old Testament (in Daniel,) talked about the The Great Tribulation as being, in reality, "Jacob's Trouble", meaning it was meant for the Jewish Nation and that a remnant of the Jews at that time would be saved during or at the end of the Tribulation (realizing Jesus as the true Messiah).  The main point is, the Tribulation will be for the Jews primarily (some Gentiles left behind from missing the Rapture will be there, of course, during the Trib. and will be saved by faith in Jesus - said faith occurring during the Trib.)  Please listen to Pastor Crone's explanation as to why that fact - that the 7 year Tribulation is for the Jews primarily - argues against  the belief that any Christians alive today will be going through any part of the horrors of that 7 year period. (In other words, Jesus will rapture the Christians to heaven prior  to the Tribulation!)   Pastor Crone is always very informative yet very clear and easy to comprehend in his explanations.  And very much in line with what the Bible tells us!!     The following video is by prophecywatchers.com, and the host Gary Stearman's discussion with Pastor Crone.



Time is short!

Look around you today and witness Bible Prophecy coming true now !

Jesus loves you and wants to hear from you!

If you turn to Him in faith right now and believe that He only is the way, the truth, and the life -  

Guess what?! 

Jesus will welcome you with arms wide open and embrace you with love and forgiveness !!

Following are Salvation Scriptures for those not yet saved -  that have not yet put their faith and belief in Jesus as the Savior.  They must realize that Jesus paid their sin debt in full when He died and shed His precious blood - as the Lamb of God - so that He ransomed them, something only He could do, because none of us can save ourselves-  our sin debt is too enormous and only the  Sacrificial death of the Son of God can wipe the slate clean and pay our debt for us !   You must repent and pray for forgiveness, and believe with all of your very being that Jesus is the Savior !  


"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 !!






Friday, August 14, 2020

"Faith In Troubled End Times and Why We Need Jesus Desperately" (Video clip by Andrew Murray, and Video on Prayer) - Inspirational Weekend


Waterfalls can be refreshing to the soul.  Kinda reminds me of the "living water" the Bible speaks of.

  In John 4, Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well and told her of living water.   

Verse 10 says:  "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest  the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water."  

 Verse 14 :  "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life."  
       
   Commenting on verse 14 above, Albert Barnes' Notes says, in part,  "Jesus here refers without doubt to His own teaching, His "grace", His "Spirit", and to the benefits which come into the soul that embraces His gospel."

 In John 7:37-39, Jesus meant the Holy Spirit was living water, because He had not died yet, and the Spirit to come Who would indwell future believers, therefore,  had not yet been sent.  Acts 10:44-45 informs us that the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles.  This was, of course, after Jesus' resurrection.


All the previous was written on this post to lead up to what Jesus said at John 15:5 :  "I am the vine, ye are the branches:  He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing."     

  Hopefully you will read all of John 15.

James Nisbet's Church Pulpit commentary informs us on John 15:5: "These words of Jesus might be more accurately translated thus:  "Apart from Me, you can do nothing."     The idea being not merely that the help of Jesus is required in order that we may have spiritual life and bear "Fruit" to the praise and glory of God, but that we cannot even possess spiritual life at all unless we are united to Him as the branch is united to the tree [or vine]."   Nisbet also emphasizes, "There can be no life apart from Christ."  ...."This particular kind of life is a Divine gift, and it is the beginning or germ of " life eternal."..... "There is no union with Christ without faith."

Following is a short 5 minute clip by Andrew Murray on the True Vine:  


Also, on John 15:5, John Trapp comments ( a small portion of his Commentary) :  "Christ is a generous vine, a plant of renown, and all His are "filled with the fruits of righteousness" (Philippians 1:11) and have hearts full of goodness, as those of Romans 15:14 and lives full of good works, as Tabitha at Acts 9:33. Nehemiah never rested from doing good for his people; he was good all over."

This blog has stressed frequently how important it is to develop a close, intimate, personal, loving relationship with the good Lord.  And we do that by much prayer and by much Bible reading.  Only in that way can we draw close to the Lord, which in turn will build our faith.  Like any relationship, you cannot come to know the other Person if you never communicate with Him. And when God answers your sincere prayers, that will also build your faith in Him and help you to fellowship more often with Him and thereby draw closer and closer to Him.

Following is a powerful prayer to help you to be led by the Holy Spirit.  (Remember, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.)  This video is 11 minutes and packed with a powerful and moving message.


In this crazy and chaotic world we now find ourselves "spinning in", many people are fearful and wonder what tomorrow will bring.  If you are not saved and have not put your faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior, things look pretty bleak to you, perhaps.  And they are, because unless you have faith and believe that Jesus' death at Calvary and His shed blood there can wash your sins away (as He took our place on the cross and paid our sin debt in full, so that we could, by belief in His Redemptive work in our behalf, may have eternal life).  .... Unless you are born again by belief in Jesus as the Savior, you will spend eternity in Hell when you die.  (Luke 16:23 and Matthew 23:33).

If you are not yet saved (born again; a spiritual rebirth)  the following Scriptures are for you.



John 3:36 reads, "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."

"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

Turn to Jesus now before it is too late.

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

Will you be ready?

Jesus will welcome you with open arms to embrace you in His love and forgiveness.

He is waiting to hear from you !


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





Monday, April 13, 2020

"Some Good News ! Maybe No Mandatory Coronavirus Vaccine (with Video)


Remember pleasures such as enjoying beautiful gardens instead of being cooped up indoors?  Well, some good news was published yesterday, Sunday, April 12, 2020.  Let us pray that it comes true.  Earlier on this blog information was posted about Bill Gates (you know, the one who wants to reduce the world's population) and how he proposes to give mandatory vaccines to the entire world to supposedly stop this coronavirus;  this blog reported that that vaccine would alter your DNA and perhaps be a precursor to the Mark of the Beast mentioned in the Bible at Revelation 13.  Beware of that vaccine of his....  it also is a tracking method on citizens, as a sermon by J.D. Farag warned us, and which was recently posted to this blog as well.  Or go to You Tube and enter "J D Farag" and you will see several informative Bible prophecy updates by him  about the virus and also much info concerning the end times we are now a part of.


Below is the 6 minute news video on what this administration is pushing back against:


Good news if the President is successful !

Be blessed !  Look to Jesus for your deliverance.

Put your hope and faith in the good Lord and not in any man or in any government!

Governments are beneficial and even necessary, of course.  No problem with that. The meaning is, that if you are a True Believer in Jesus, you will put Him and God First in your life.  Do not go against God's Holy Word for any reason.  This will especially apply to those who are left behind (after the Rapture to heaven of Christ's sincere and faithful followers)  to face the 7 year Tribulation period and during that time of tribulation they become true believers.  They do not want to follow the Antichrist for any reason.  To do so will damn them to hell.

"Then Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."     -  Acts 5:29

Keep praying!

Stay close to the good Lord by much Bible reading and study as well as prayer.

God wants to fellowship with us.  He desires a close, intimate, personal, and loving interaction with us.... through His Son Jesus, the Savior.  By doing so, your love and faith in the Lord will grow and grow and your fear will not consume you; your anxiety will not control you as you ponder all the evil and chaos in today's world. You will learn to trust the Lord and to look to Him for peace and guidance.  Wonderful advice in the Bible is to learn to "Wait on the Lord".  There are several Scriptures that give that advice, but here is one I have hung on to for several years :

"Wait on the LORD:  be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the LORD ."  -    Psalm 27:14

If you are a true believer in the saving power of our Redeemer and of  His shed blood at Calvary, you have a hope that will sustain you through these trials prevalent today.  Remember, if all that is happening now points to the fact that the 7 year Tribulation is near, with all of the precursors occurring right now mentioned in the Bible concerning the Trib. , then think how close the Rapture by Jesus of the true believers must be.... the Rapture happens before the Tribulation.  

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

"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

"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




Thursday, January 30, 2020

"How Do We Glorify God?" (Charles Spurgeon Sermon) - Inspirational Weekend

[Taro Fields, Hanalei Overlook, Kauai, Hawaii]

This  blog features articles about Bible Prophecy as well as the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Today (Wednesday) while reading my Bible in the book of Psalms the following verse really made me realize the importance of always stressing the glory of God, and giving Him the glory for everything:

"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name;  Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."    -  Psalm 29:2

God's very creation praises Him and gives Him glory as seen in Psalm 19:1 which follows:

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His  handywork."

Also, His creation of mankind was miraculous and glorious and showed His great love and desire for companionship, although He had Jesus and the angels with Him before then.  

We should make sure that we bring glory to God.

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."   -                       1 Corinthians 10:31

Jesus' life and purpose was to bring glory to God. He lived and died to do the Heavenly Father's will.  And that was to provide a way for lost mankind to be saved from the darkness of this world and to come to the saving light of salvation; to know God's love and forgiveness and grace by Jesus' sacrificial death at Calvary, whereby Jesus' shed blood will wash away all of our sins from us if we but believe in Him and have faith that He paid our sin debt in full by taking our place and our sins upon Himself and dying for us; thereby making a way for us to have everlasting life.  What love!

[Hill side near Salt Lake City]

When believers endeavor to live as godly a life as they are able, and show the love of God to others, and - most importantly - to love God and to obey Him and to try to follow closely in Jesus' footsteps,  then we are bringing glory to God.  That we are revealing the glory of God to others through our lifestyles, words, and actions; as well as praising Him and submitting to His will.

Mainly, just showing faith that God and Jesus will take care of you and guide you and protect you -  showing trust in Him.  Rely on Him and not yourself. Be humble.  

In Habakkuk 3:17-19, it shows that Habakkuk had learned faith in God regardless of circumstances - even if there be suffering and loss:
In verse 17 Habakkuk discusses possible dire circumstances, and then in verse 18 and 19 he says: "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds feet."

Many commentators think the above verses are one of the strongest statements of faith in all the Bible.

So our faith can bring glory to God.  

Remember Abraham!  Romans 4:20 tells us:  "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;"

Following is a 39 minute audio sermon by Charles Spurgeon titled   "A View Of God's Glory" :


[Hawaiian Black Crowned Night Heron]

So how do we acquire a strong faith?  How do we draw close to the good Lord?  The answer to the question "How do we glorify God?" has already been touched upon in the above paragraphs.  The key to everything spiritual - and understanding what God requires of us - is by putting God and Jesus first in our lives.  

As has been stated many times on this blog,  God desires to fellowship with us because He loves us.  We can draw close to the Lord by much prayer and by reading and studying His Holy Word, the Bible.  Then we will learn just how much He and Jesus loves us, and we will grow to appreciate their attributes and their greatness.  It is amazing how the Lord will take the time to listen to us and answer our prayers;  we who are so weak and fragile ; we who sin (hopefully not intentionally!); we who can be stubborn at times and want our own way for the most part.  If you spend a lot of quality time with the good Lord, you will grow spiritually and He will renew your mind (Romans 12:1-2  which follows):

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

Only those who are truly born again (a spiritual rebirth) have the Holy Spirit within them Who enables them to be godly and to obey God and to have faith in Him and Jesus, our Savior.

Yes, we are still living in an imperfect world which can affect us at times, and we ourselves are still imperfect right now, so Christians will at times weaken and sin.  (If a person willfully and deliberately sins, and it is a frequent occurrence, then either he is not truly born again, or he does not fully understand what salvation is all about.)

"For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."  -     Romans 10:2-3


If we confess our sins and repent, God our heavenly Father will forgive us and and restore us. He will see us as "clean" because of Jesus' sacrificial death -  see our sin debt as paid in full.

[Kailua Beach, Oahu, Hawaii]

One major way we bring glory to God, is to witness to unbelievers about Jesus; to share the gospel and help lost souls to come to a saving relationship with Jesus.  That is every true believer's work for the Lord.   Note that we are NOT saved by works, but by faith in Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says: (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."

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

"Whoso offereth praise glorifieth  Me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I shew the salvation of God."       -  Psalm 50:23


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




Monday, December 30, 2019

One Resolution To Make And Not Ever Break (With Sermon clip by David Wilkerson)


Here we are at the end of 2019 !   What a year this has been concerning Bible prophecy being fulfilled or the precursors of it ... the beginning stages .... of what the Bible predicted would be true in these last moments of the last days.

What 2020 will bring is exciting to contemplate!  Could the Rapture of the Church to heaven occur in 2020?  Possibly, but only God knows the day and the hour.  We finite humans can only wait and hope the rapture will be soon; for many of us, we long to be with Jesus in heaven. We know that the Rapture is imminent from what the Bible tells us in many places.   Check out Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 for signs of the end times.

Some people make New Year's resolutions.   Amir Tsarfati, an evangelist from Israel, said recently in one of his posts:  "There is one resolution that we should all make and never break, and that is to follow Jesus more closely than ever, for He is the light of the world."

"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying,  I am the Light  of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  -   John 8:12

Amir Tsarfati also says, "Being led by the Light will always lead us to walk in truth, God's truth.  As the year comes to a close, let's commit to walking in the Light of His Word and speaking the truth in love.  For the light  of the world is coming again for His church so that where He is, we may be also."


In these perilous and evil last days we find ourselves living in, we must not let the world and its desires become desirous to us true believers.   We should be separate from the world, and live only for the good Lord.   That includes sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others, of course.

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

Following is an 8 minute sermon clip by David Wilkerson on the subject of the true Christian.


In the above sermon, Pastor Wilkerson also mentions being "rapture ready" when Jesus returns for His Bride, the true believers.

"And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart."  -   Jeremiah 29:13

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

"Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it."    -  Psalm 34:14

"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."  -  Psalm 34:18

It is highly recommended that you read all of Psalm 34.  


Psalm 46:2 tells us  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

"The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in Whom I will trust."  -  Psalm 18:2


If you are not born again from above, if you have not believed with all your very being that Jesus is the Savior and the only way to God and heaven, I pray that you do so before it is too late.  Jesus will return soon to take true believers to be in heaven with Him, and those who did not surrender in Faith to Christ will be left behind to face the terrors and horrors and destruction that occur during the 7 year Tribulation, after the Rapture of the Church.

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."

"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






Thursday, December 19, 2019

Wait For Guidance From The Lord (Sermon by Pastor Jack Hibbs) - Inspirational Weekend


Much has been written previously on this blog about waiting -  specifically waiting on God before we act and waiting for His will and His direction.  Following is a 29 minute sermon by Pastor Jack Hibbs titled, "Are You Waiting?"


In this sermon, Pastor Hibbs tells us, "Our past is in the past.  Our past has been erased by Jesus on the Cross.  Jesus sets you free from your past.  You are no longer who you were before being saved."   Encouraging words for the new believer as well as those who may begin to question their salvation for whatever reasons.

If anyone tries to criticize you because of your past sins,  take heart because the Bible tells us that once you are saved, truly born again,

"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

It does not mean you will be perfect as Jesus was the only perfect person to walk on this earth.  None of us will reach perfection until we find ourselves in glory with the Lord.   But you will have a new relationship with God and Jesus, and sanctification can take time; some of us are "slower" than others.   The evidence of your faith and conversion is if you display the fruit of the spirit as found in Galatians 5:22-23, which follows:

(22) But the fruit  of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Take note also of the works of the flesh at Galatians 5:19-21 .

Also, once you are truly saved, you can rest in the promises of God and Jesus to always be with you.  One thing to remember is found at Romans 8:1, which follows:

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

So take heart, those of you who need encouragement!

Someone has said, "Being a Christian does not make you sinless; but it makes you sin.....less."


"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit."  -   Romans 15:31

Nehemiah 8:10 b  tells us, "...  For the joy of the LORD is your strength."

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

Hebrews 13:5 b says, "For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Following is a wonderful hymn that many of you may be familiar with:



Remember, we are here to glorify God and we can do that by living as godly a life as we possibly can and by obeying Him and putting Him and Jesus first in our lives.

In order to do that, we need to spend time in fellowship with the good Lord.   In order to have a relationship with anyone, we need to converse with them frequently and spend much time with them.  That way we get to know them better.   The same is true for the LORD.   We need to read His Word daily, and pray frequently throughout the day.  That way you learn of His love and tender mercies and His attributes, and you will draw closer to Him as a result.   You will have a close, personal, intimate, love relationship with Him, and He desires that from you.


"Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.  Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. "  -   James 4:8


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 on the name of the Lord shall be saved."


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






Thursday, November 28, 2019

"Wake Up And Shine For Jesus" (With A Video on Prayer And A Video on Faith) - Inspirational Weekend


As Amir Tsarfati has said,  "We are here for a greater cause, to share the Gospel and to help the church to wake up."

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."   - Jesus at Matthew 6:33

"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."   -  Matthew 7:14

Much has been written on this blog concerning prayer, and following is a powerful sermon by Pastor Charles Lawson on prayer.  It will bless you.   


"If you find your life of prayer to be always so short, and so easy, and so spiritual, as to be without cost and strain and sweat to you, you may depend on it, you have not yet begun to pray."   -    Alexander Whyte

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

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."    -  Jesus at Matthew 21:22


"Rest in what God says.  Do not live by your feelings."  -  David Wilkerson

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart: And lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path." -   Proverbs 3:5-6

Following is another sermon by Pastor Charles Lawson, this time on the subject of faith.  I pray you will take the time to watch this 31 minute video.


"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  -  Hebrews 11:1

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."  -  Hebrews 11:6

"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man shall draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." - Hebrews 10:38


The title of this post is "wake up and shine for Jesus".  We need to be awake to the signs of the times; how Bible prophecy is being fulfilled today like never before, proving we are in the last moments of this current dispensation.  Go to the search box in the upper right hand side of this page and enter things like "end times", or "the Rapture" and so on for more information on eschatology.

To wake up and shine for Jesus is to put Him first in our life, and to obey Him, and to follow in His footsteps as closely as we are able.  We should share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with lost souls, and endeavor to live a life that is becoming to a Christian; a life that reflects Jesus.

Remember what the poem in my previous post said?  "Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last."

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

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

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

"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 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 !!







Friday, October 25, 2019

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

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[Makapu'u Lighthouse, Oahu, Hawaii]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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


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

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

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

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



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






Monday, May 27, 2019

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 !


Friday, March 29, 2019

"Faith,Hope, And Perseverance In The Last Days" (Charles Spurgeon Video ) - Inspirational Weekend


Yellow African Tulip trees, such as in my photograph above, are not as plentiful in Hawaii as the bright red-orange ones, which are my favorite.  But because something is more common or more widely viewed, does not mean it is necessarily better.   Take, for instance, religious views - or lack of any religious views.  What is popular does not indicate that it is better, or to be preferred.  Remember, religion can be dead wrong.  Look at all the various religious cults, for instance.

I prefer to think of Christianity as a loving, intimate, strong relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ; and that it is  is very true.  How do we attain this intimate relationship; what do we need to do to be strong in the love and guardianship of the Father?

 We need a strong and vibrant relationship with the good Lord to communicate with Him effectively, and to enable us to grow ever closer to Him and to not be afraid of these horrific world events and lawlessness that is prevalent in our world today.  We must pray daily, without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and we must study and read the Holy Word - the Bible - daily in order to grow to know the Lord intimately.  With Him by your side, you can rest assured that you will be strong to face whatever this old world throws at you; whatever the devil stirs up to try to tear you down.

Charles Spurgeon has said, "I know the devil can blow very hard, but I don't believe he can blow out the candle that God lights, much less that he can blow out the bright sunshine of the Gospel."

We have the threat of another world war looming over us, for one thing.  Just yesterday, March 28, 2019, President Trump signed an Executive Order proving an EMP cyber attack could be a serious soon threat.  If you are keeping up with current events, I do not have to go over and over what threats and concerns the USA and the world faces today.   My intent is to focus on good things, but I need to mention the bad to stress the good which we have to look forward to -  that is, if you are a born again believer in the Savior, Jesus Christ.

I had intended to stress fear in this post and the cure for fear, but I have written several articles on fear in the past.  Just go to the search  box on the right hand side of this page, and type in "fear" and several posts will appear for you to read.   There is no need to repeat all that I have written before; however, I will repeat certain Scriptures that are pertinent to our faith and walk with Jesus.

Charles Spurgeon has a different take on fear.  He says that many true believers are afraid that they may, perhaps, not be truly saved.  He also says that , "He that fears the most, believes the most."  Following is  a 14 minute sermon audio video of Spurgeon that goes into more detail:


In the sermon above, Spurgeon repeats the fact that all true believers are familiar with: "... it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before Him."

We need strong faith to persevere in this old, evil, and chaotic world we find ourselves living in;  this last hour of the last days, according to Bible prophecy.  Speaking about prophecy, many things spoken of in the Bible concerning the end times are occuring right now!  Or are at least, some of them, are precursors to said prophetic events.

Remember, we need faith to please the heavenly Father.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." -  Hebrews 11:6

If we have a deep, abiding faith in the good Lord, we will not be consumed by anxiety and fear.  

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

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee."  -  Isaiah 26:3



True believers need to be like the determined tree in my photograph above.   Despite what seems like an insurmountable obstacle (the precarious angle of the land in which it has its roots reaching out every which way), it has the determination to hang in there and grow strong and tall.  Things may not be perfect for it, but the tree has adapted and has reached for the sky above where it thrives in the light of the sun.  We, as Christians, need to be as determined as that tree, as we look above to the Son for growth and sustenance; as we have a faith that overcomes all obstacles. 

   I enjoy my time with you as I write to you each week.  I pray that if there are any out there who are not born again, not a true believer in Jesus Christ the Savior, that you turn to the Lord now in repentance and faith in Jesus.   He loves you.   You do not  have a guarantee that you will even  be alive tomorrow.  Turn to the Lord now, before it is too late.


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

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

"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 !