"He Is At The Door! Look Up!" Also "How To Overcome A Spiritual Attack" (Leonard Ravenhill video on Suffering, Video on The Whole Armor of God) - Inspirational Weekend

Flowers cheer me up, even when I do not need cheering up; when all is well with me.  Most women, and some men, will agree that flowers and their beauty soothe the soul as well as being a delight to behold.

Actually, only the good Lord can truly and completely soothe the soul and give you hope and encouragement and a reason to live; and give you everlasting life if you believe in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus on the cross; that His shed blood cleanses you from all sin when you put your whole faith and belief in Him as the Savior.

This reminds me of the hymn "In Christ Alone".  I posted a video of that hymn recently on this blog.  Two stanzas stood out for me in that hymn :  "And as He stands in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me."   And, "No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I'll stand."

Just a note, people you knew before you were saved, cannot believe the change in you is real once you become a child of God by belief in His Son Jesus.  That applies to unsaved acquaintances of your past.   Not knowing the Scripture at Romans 8:1(nor any other Scriptures as well), and being carnally minded, they cannot grasp the new spiritual birth concept.  Most of the time  they will not listen to you or anything you have to say about Jesus or salvation.  Many of you true followers of Jesus have experienced this from others.

"Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you."   -  1 Peter 4:4  (KJV)

The NLT Bible renders the above verse:  "Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do.  So they slander you."

The following verse in Romans 8:1 is good to make them (former  unsaved associates) aware of ; and it is also encouraging for us as believers to focus on:

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."  -   Romans 8:1



This means your past sins have been erased in God's sight as the Father now sees you as washed clean by Jesus' sacrifice and redemptive work on the Cross.  When God sees you now, (as you being saved by faith) He sees you through Jesus. You are a new creation!

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

Here again is a video of the hymn "In Christ Alone" :

It is very true, as many men of God have stated, that when you give your life to Jesus and become a sincere and devoted believer, the devil will attack you with various trials (and even doubts about your faith) because you are a threat to that evil deceiver and he hates you as he fears God. The devil is also angry because he once had you in his grip, but when you came to faith in Jesus the evil one had no more power over you.  And the devil, the slanderer, will endeavor to turn people and events against you.  

In my previous post last weekend (scroll down to view) there was included a short 4 minute sermon clip by Pastor Jack Hibbs on the subject "We are in a spiritual battle".  You might want to go there and watch it. 

Leonard Ravenhill said, " If you stir hell up [by sharing the Gospel or by just living a holy life ] the devil will stir up everything he can against you:  you'll get misrepresented, misunderstood......"

Let's go ahead and include that sermon by Ravenhill now.  It is only 25 minutes long.  The sermon is titled :"Suffering - the marks of God's approval".

  

"These people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me."   -   Jesus at Matthew 15:85

That verse directly above, spoken by Christ, applies to many who are mere professors of Christianity, and that are not truly born again.

"God's will: nothing more; nothing less; nothing else; at any cost."   -  author unknown

Note: the devil is also known as the destroyer at Revelation 9:11; and he is called a murderer and the father of lies at John 8:44; satan is called "the god of  this world" at 2 Corinthians 4:4; and, again, he is called the deceiver at Revelation 12:9.

Be on guard !  Recognize satan's tactics when they occur!

1 John 4:4 says: "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."       

Most Christians are familiar with the above Scripture at 1 John, but following is some commentary on that verse they may find helpful and, in addition, unbelievers who might read this article may also be encouraged to come to faith and/or see Jesus working in your life by the following explanations:

Adam Clarke's Commentary tells us:  (on "ye are of God"); "Ye are under the influence of the Divine Spirit, and have overcome them (false teachers). Your testimony, proceeding from the Spirit of Christ, has invalidated theirs which has  proceeded from the influence of satan; for greater is the Holy Spirit which is in you, than the spirit which is in the world."

Today there are still false teachers as you know, but this verse can also apply to worldly people as well (those who are not saved and who do not believe in Jesus).  Watch your associations !                                 (1 Corinthians 15:33; James 4:4)

Albert Barnes tells us in his commentary on 1 John 4:4;   "God/Jesus, Who dwells in your hearts, and by Whose strength and grace alone you have been enabled to achieve this victory, is more mighty than satan, who rules in the hearts of the people of this world.... the apostle meant to say that it was by no power of their own that they achieved this victory, but it was to be traced to the fact that God dwelt among them, and had preserved them by His grace.   What was true then is true now. He who dwells in the hearts of Christians by His Spirit, is infinitely more mighty than satan, "the ruler of the darkness of this world."  And victory, therefore, over all his arts and temptations may be SURE.   In his conflicts with sin, temptation, and error, the Christian should NEVER DESPAIR,  for his God will insure him the victory."

Focus on the good Lord and the things above; be filled with the Holy Spirit and have a strong faith in God/Jesus. Do NOT focus on the bad and the negative; if you begin to do that, go to God in prayer and He will help you to overcome the negativity.  Have faith!

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."    -       Colossians 3:1,2

This article focuses on the devil more than I ever think about him; it was with the aim to make people aware of his evil schemes and how we must remain in close fellowship with the good Lord in order to overcome the wickedness of this world of today.

Do NOT focus on the evil one !!  Keep your focus on the things above!

Pray often !  Read your Bible often!     

Just a few more words of caution about the evil devil, and then let us please move on to good, and lovely, and pure things.

To put it bluntly, satan is after your mind!  Your mind is the devil's top priority.  To ward off this evil deceiver's attacks, you need to feed your mind often with God's Word (the Bible) and thereby reprogram your mind. (Romans 12:1,2). And, of course, be often in prayer. This, and much more, is brought out in the following 13 minute video.  This video gives the best explanation EVER on what the Bible calls the whole armor of God!  (Ephesians 6:10-18)

When the devil attacks you with doubts or any form of torment he can think of, tell that accuser, "I'm not wearing my own righteousness, I am wearing the righteousness of Jesus Christ."  So says the narrator in the above video.  You can also say out loud to the accuser and the deceiver,  "I plead the blood of Jesus."  That will send the devil away from you fast!  The name of Jesus has power!  

Suffering, therefore, according to Ravenhill, is the mark of a true believer, because he has the marks of God's approval.  Not all believers suffer as greatly as did Job or the apostle Paul, for example, but none of us are exempt from trials and hardships in this life.  As the Bible encourages us, trials will send you flying to the good Lord and on your knees in prayer, and you will therefore learn to rely on Him more and more as He molds and shapes you -  thereby producing a close, intimate, loving, and personal relationship that you will have with Him. And hardships and problems that seem insurmountable will help you to become more Christlike as you seek help and guidance and direction from God; and His answers to your prayers will build your faith, as well.

"Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets."   -  Jesus at Luke 6:26

That verse above can well apply to some of the "celebrity preachers" of today.

The secret of endurance?  Walk with God!

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"   -  Micah 6:8

Following is a daily devotional (published May 28 ) of Charles Stanley on the topic "The Storms of Life".  Please watch it; it takes only almost 3 minutes to view it.

The verses quoted in the above video are from 1 Peter 4:12-19.  After the verses above are read there is a brief commentary on them.  It would be beneficial for all of you to go to Dr. Stanley's devotions every day.  

[Cannonball Tree Blossoms]

The world we now live in is very different from when I was young.  It is very different also from even about 10 years ago.  As stated before on this blog, we are now seeing the beginning stages of the New World Order, or the One World Government; which will include the One World Economy and the One World (false) Religion.   There is much chatter on the Web about the soon to be cryptocurrency -  meaning the world will go "cashless."  That will set the stage for the future "Mark of the Beast (antichrist)" during the Tribulation which follows the Rapture of the Church, Jesus' Bride.  (Go to the "search box" in the upper right hand side of this page and enter such information as "cryptocurrency, ID 2020 Alliance, ID 2020 vaccine, New world order" and so on for more information.  Many other topics you may also enter such as "Faith, hope, salvation, forgiveness, the Rapture," etc.  )

Also, please check on the web concerning prophecies of these end times we are currently experiencing. But better yet, read your Bible daily and pray to the heavenly Father to guide you, and to help you know His will for you in all matters.

It is so very important to be in God's Word daily.  The Holy Spirit will give you understanding if you are a born again believer in Jesus as the Savior.

If you are a saved and true believer in the Redemptive work  of Jesus on the Cross, and you believe that He is the Savior and the only way to heaven; that His shed blood washes our sins away when we put our faith and trust in Him and when we believe with all of our very being that He alone is the way to heaven because He is the Savior...... then you will NOT be here for the soon to be 7 year Tribulation period.  Those 7 years will be hell on earth, full of horrific judgments and the wrath of God on the ungodly persons left on earth then.  There will be plagues and destruction such as we cannot even begin to fathom.  Read the Bible book of Revelation to find out more about the judgments and plagues and horrors of the Tribulation .  Actually, the 7 year Tribulation is also God's way to bring the Jewish people to come to acknowledge that Jesus is the true Messiah.

As stated above, true followers of Jesus will be raptured to heaven before the 7 year Tribulation when He returns soon - very soon - to take believers (the Church) to glory with Him.

There is a ton of information in this article !  The reason is, it could possibly be the last blog post I write.  I am hopefully waiting for Jesus' soon return!

Time is short!

Turn to Jesus in faith before it is too late!

Jesus will welcome you with love and forgiveness and hold you tight and secure forever in His safe and protective embrace !

"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

Romans 10:9.10.13 tells us : (9) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.   (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (13)  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

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

"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

 Time is running out!

If you are already a believer, remember what Jesus said concerning these end times we are experiencing.  In particular the signs that are occurring now that He told us would happen in the "season" of His return ( the signs found at Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21).  He said when these end times signs begin to happen:

"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


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

"Hang In There!" (With Video on Endurance and a Video on the Rapture of the Church) - Inspirational Weekend

[Internet Photograph]

This blog has mentioned many times about the chaotic and dangerous times we live in now.  We definitely need to "hang in there" and have endurance to cope with the stress of this evil world, and wondering if a catastrophe like a nuclear war or an economic collapse or such-like could occur any time soon.   The world is in an uproar, not knowing the way out.  

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.   Men's hearts failing them in fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."   -   Jesus at Luke 21:25-26

If you are a true Christian  that reads the Bible daily and that has a strong, personal. close, and intimate relationship with the good Lord, you realize that there is hope for you and that soon Jesus will return to rapture you to heaven before things get worse.... before the dreaded 7 year Tribulation period of God's wrath upon the wicked occurs.

Following is another video by Chad Thomas in which he clearly explains the Rapture of the church and the revealing of the antichrist.   I have written much previously on this blog about the things he discusses,  but I thought a video would be refreshing for you; plus, it will be beneficial for any first time viewers here.

There are many first time viewers to this blog, and also many who are not saved; who have not been born again; and many who never read the Bible.   I am quoting below a familiar verse to many Christians..... a verse that gives us hope and something to look forward to:  a rescue from this wicked world and a trip to heaven.

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the  voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ  shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."   -   1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

(See also 1 Corinthians 15:51-53)

[North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii]

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

God's Holy Word, the Bible, gives us many encouraging verses to help us to "hang in there."   Another benefit of daily Bible reading (and prayer) is you draw ever closer to the good Lord, and as time goes on you learn to love Him more and more, as well as the fact that your faith in Him will also increase.  

The Bible gives us much encouragement and helps us to endure trials and hardships.   Following is a 34 minute sermon by deceased Pastor Adrian Rogers on the topic of "Learning To Endure".

In the sermon above, Pastor Rogers gives us five truths learned from tests and trials:  enjoyment, enlargement, enlightenment, enthronement, enrichment.  He explains and gives Scriptures pertaining to these five truths.   He has nothing to say in his sermon about end time events or prophecies, but I felt it relevant to our times just the same.

Learn to trust and have faith in God and Jesus, and you will be helped and encouraged beyond what you could ever expect or hope for.   The good Lord will help you to endure.

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."

Hang in there!

Jesus loves you!

If you are born again, you have a wonderful future in heaven.

Keep looking up !

Keep watching!

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

"Watch!" - Inspirational Weekend

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always. that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."  -  Jesus at Luke 21:36

"Watch" and "pray always":  two great duties of man.  To have a close, personal, intimate, love relationship with God through His Son Jesus, we need to be diligent to prayer; to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17).  Now in these latter days - the end times - we need to watch for the Lord's return with great expectation; to be ready for His imminent return; to be found worthy of heaven and thereby to be living a godly and faith filled life.  Although no one knows the day or the hour of His return, His Holy Word has given us the signs that are prevalent which point to His soon return.  Read Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 to learn of these signs of the last days.  

We are there !   Right in the last "hour" of the end times and therefore the time of Jesus' return must be very soon.   Only God the Father knows the exact time when our Savior will return.

"But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father."    -  Jesus at Mark 13:32.

Now is not the time to be asleep or concerned only with the immediate needs to survive..... to not be involved in materialism nor even to be caught up in the cares of this world and its desires.  The devil uses distractions to keep our focus on anything and everything but doing the Lord's will.   We need to be busy and occupied with the Lord's work of disciple-making; preaching and teaching the Gospel.

"Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober."  -   1 Thessalonians 5:6

I have written previously about the Rapture and end times.  For more information go to the "Search box" at the top right hand side of this page and type in "Rapture" or "Tribulation" or "last days" (etc.) and several posts will appear for you to choose which ones that interest you to read.

Following is a 29 minute video from prophecywatchers.com  featuring host Gary Stearman with guest Dr. David Reagan, who is a prophecy expert.   

In this video, they stress the soon return of Jesus.   The Rapture has always been imminent; that is, it could happen at any time.  But now with signs of the end times all converging at once, it must occur very soon.   Be ready !

In light of Bible prophecy and current world events, it makes Dr. Reagan say, "It is like the Lord is shouting from Heaven, 'Jesus is returning soon.' "

One thing of interest is what Dr. Reagan brings to light in the above video.   He said that in the 1800's about 100 people a day were coming to Jesus; in the 1900's about 1000 people a day came to Jesus;  and today, almost 200,000 are coming to Christ in a day.

"For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry."  -   Hebrews 10:37

It is to this future hope that we must look.  Speaking from Heaven's point of view, there is not long to go before  Jesus returns for His Bride, the church, true believers.

Yes, believers have a blessed hope. (Titus 2:13)  We will have an eternity to spend with the good Lord.   In heaven, there will be no more death or sorrow or pain.

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:  for the former things are passed away."    -  Revelation 21:4

Those of you who have not yet accepted Jesus as your Savior have no such blessed hope.  There should be a dread come upon you when you contemplate an eternity in darkness and torments.  Why not be wise and surrender your life to the good Lord in faith and believe that Jesus is the Savior.  Only He can fill that void within your soul.  He will give you a purpose and a hope.  It is so much better than the alternative.

But we are not talking about "head knowledge" of Jesus.  We are talking about believing with your whole heart and all of your very being that He is the Savior and that only faith and belief in Him enables Him to wash your sins away.  Turn to the Lord in prayer and ask for forgiveness.  Sincerely repent of all sins and do not go back again to a worldly, lustful, and sinful life.  Believe also in Christ's resurrection.

Romans 10:9,10, and 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 loves you and is waiting to welcome you to the family of God.  He will forgive you and wipe the slate clean.

If you are truly born again (John 3:3), you will surrender your life and will to the Lord and show your love by your obedience to His commandments. 

Find a true, Holy Spirit filled church that puts Jesus first.  Pray without ceasing and read your Bible daily.  You will then begin to grow to maturity and be pleasing to the Lord.   But keep in mind, it is not works that save you.   It is sincere belief and faith in Jesus that saves you......it is God's gift; it is His grace.

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


Keep watching !

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

"Endure To The End" (With Charles Spurgeon Sermon) - Inspirational Weekend

Most of us have issues we must endure.  Perhaps it is poor health, rebellious children, an unfaithful spouse, or any number of things.  But let's discuss issues that affect us in our Christianity, such as persecution and attacks from the evil one, satan.  Actually, things like rebellious children or an unfaithful spouse can definitely be attacks from the devil who especially targets true believers with such trials.

Life can be hard.  But faith and belief in Jesus as your Savior can give you strength to endure.  Christians have a blessed hope of one day being in heaven with the good Lord.  There we will have no more sorrow, or tribulations, or hardships to endure. No more hatred from the world because of our faith in Jesus.  (Revelation 21:3-4).

"And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved."     -  Jesus at Matthew 10:22

Such endurance and perseverance is a sure indication of true salvation.  Only he who reaches the goal may be accounted a Christian.  But how do we stand strong and be able to endure to the end?

Faith. 

Prayer.

Much time in God's Holy Word.

During all of life's storms, keep your eyes on the prize :  eternal life in heaven with the good Lord.  If you are in prayer frequently and read the Bible everyday, you will have a close, intimate, personal, love relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  That will definitely enable you to endure whatever life throws your way.

"It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect."  -  Psalm 18:32

The fact that we are living in the end times according to Bible prophecy, as world events testify to that fact because so many prophecies are on the verge of happening now as there is a convergence of signs of the end times as the Bible predicts; all that should make you realize that Jesus will return soon to Rapture true believers to heaven before the 7 year Tribulation will begin.   Hurry Lord Jesus !!

Hang on a little longer !   Fill your mind and heart with spiritual things and keep your eyes on the things above (Colossians 3:1-2).  "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."     -  Romans 5:3-5, English Standard Version.

Job of ancient times endured much trial and sorrow and in the end the Lord blessed him mightily for his integrity.    The apostle Paul also endured much for his faith and for his sharing of the Gospel. He was persecuted and often in prison, but his zeal never wavered where doing the Lord's work of preaching and setting up churches was concerned.

In Matthew 10:22, enduring to the end most certainly means until death or the Rapture, and not the end of the persecution.  God never lets His people suffer beyond what they are able to endure.  He is always there, guiding and directing us along life's paths.  We are held securely in His loving hands.

In John 10:28, 29, Jesus tells us:  (28) "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.  (29)  My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand."

If you are a true believer and born again from above, you are secure in the Lord's love and you will never perish.  How comforting is that !  True believers should be full of love and gratitude to the Lord for all He has done and will do.  That should fill them with zeal to share the Gospel and to live a godly life.  In other words, to obey the Lord.  Put Him first in your life.  Your close relationship with Him will enable you to endure all the storms of life, because of your love and faith in Him.

So those who endure to the end will be saved.   That is, they will be presented holy, unblameable , and unreprovable  before the Lord (Colossians 1:22).

"Perseverance and endurance to the end, however bitter, is the evidence of genuine faith."

"Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory."  -  Various authors

"Endurance is a key indicator of  spiritual fitness."  -  Alistair Begg

Following is a 56 minute audio video of a sermon by Charles Spurgeon about enduring to the end.

In this sermon, Spurgeon remarks that perseverance is the badge of true saints.  It is a wonderful sermon and I hope you listen to all of it.  

If you are not saved - not born again - then you do not have this blessed hope of being forever with Jesus in heaven.   You are bound for the other alternative..... hell.   

Eternity is a long time to spend in the wrong place !   A long time to suffer unbearable torment.

To gain eternal life and to be with the Lord forever in heaven takes an act of faith.  Faith and belief in Jesus as the Savior.....in Him being the only way to the Father and to realize that only faith in Christ can wash your sins away and make you a new person, a new creation.  (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

Give up your life of sin  !   Repent and turn to God in prayer and ask for His forgiveness.   It is a matter of  the heart and soul.  You believe in Jesus with all of your heart, mind, and soul.  

Jesus loves you and He is waiting with open arms to welcome you into the family of God.  

He will embrace you with love and forgiveness.

With such a promise and a hope, how could you not come to the Lord in repentance and love and faith and gratitude !

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

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

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

"The Mystery Of Godliness" (With Charles Spurgeon Sermon) - Inspirational Weekend

In my previous post last weekend, we discussed "The Mystery of God", which pointed to Jesus Christ as the mystery of God, and how also His rule in God's soon to be kingdom was part of that mystery.  Today, we will talk about "The Mystery of Godliness".  

Remember, a mystery in the New Testament sense is not something which cannot be understood.  It is rather some plan or purpose of God which has always been known to Him, but which he kept  the meaning hidden until He knew the time was right to reveal it.  Mysteries were revealed by Christ and eventually by the Holy Spirit.

I am sharing here a 52 minute sermon by the "prince of preachers", Charles Spurgeon, which is titled "The Great Mystery of Godliness".  This sermon is well worth the time to listen to, as are all of Spurgeon's discourses.

Spurgeon explains that the great mystery of godliness is the manifestation of God in human flesh, that He might save men from sin.  Jesus took the sins of man upon Himself so that He paid the price for sin in our place.  Therefore, if we believe in Him as the Savior, and have faith, we may have forgiveness of sins and gain eternal life.

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:  God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."  -    1 Timothy 3:16

There are many Scriptures that admonish true believers to have godliness themselves; to lead a godly life.   Godliness is reverential piety toward God.  The two words express inward and outward holiness.

"For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."  -  1 Timothy 2:2

"For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."  -   1 Timothy 4:8

"But godliness with contentment is great gain."  -  1 Timothy 6:6

"According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue."  -  2 Peter 1:6

So called carnal Christians need to wake up and take these Scriptures to heart. You cannot be a part of the world and have godliness at the same time.  I really feel like there is no such thing as a carnal Christian, with the exception, perhaps, of new believers that do not yet have a clear understanding of how the world can corrupt and ensnare you to keep you from being an effective and "on fire" follower of Jesus Christ.

"The key to godliness is not more knowledge but more obedience."  -  Woodrow Kroll

"How can you give up the world?  Just do what you ought to do and it will give you up."  -  Jack Hyles

"Grace and peace are possible since God has given us (all Christians) everything we need to live godly lives."  -  Dr. Thomas Constable

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

"Godliness, as well as the doctrine of our faith, is a mystery."  -    William Gurnall

When a person gives evidence of a sincere appreciation and love towards the heavenly Father, that is one of the most evident signs of genuine godliness.

What helps a person to be godly and to live a holy life is for him to have a close, intimate, personal, love relationship with God through Jesus Christ His Son.   How does that happen?  By much prayer and much Bible study.  As I have said previously, you cannot get to know a person unless you communicate with him.  That is true of God as well.  Take everything to Him in prayer and pray often.  Take time to "listen" to Him speak to you in your heart and through His Holy Word.  When we read in the Bible about the character of the good Lord, we come to know Him better.  We appreciate His many attributes, and grow to love Him more and more the better we come to know Him.  

Perhaps there are those reading this that are not saved; that do not believe in Jesus as their Savior.  I would like to remind you that these are the last days of this age....we are even in the last "hour" of the end times.  You need to repent and turn to the Lord in faith and believe that Jesus is the promised Savior.  Do it now while there is still time before the 7 year Tribulation period and before that being left behind because of unbelief when the Rapture of the Church occurs soon.   

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."

"(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

"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 weekend and a Christ centered life !

  

"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 !

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

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

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

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

"Jesus answered and said unto him,  If a man love me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."  -  John 14: 23

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do not delay !

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

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

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

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

Jesus is eternal and you can be as well !

There is hope !

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

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

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

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

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

"What We Should Wrestle Against" (With Video) - Inspirational Weekend

The above photograph of the beautiful red blossom of the cannonball tree was taken last month at Foster Botanical Gardens here in Honolulu. The "fruit" produced by this tree is large, round, a cannon-type ball and rather ugly to behold.  I have posted photos of their fruit in the past.  When the fruit falls from the tree and hits the ground (or you) it bursts open and emits a foul smell.  So this tree has its own "weapons".  

We need weapons to fight and wrestle against the schemes of the devil and his demons.  Let me quote Ephesians 6:10-12:

(10)  "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.  (11) Put on the whole armor 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."

It would be a good idea to read all of Ephesians 6, or especially verses 10-20.  The verses quoted above tell us (1) to be strong in the Lord; you can do that by much prayer and Bible study and thereby developing a strong, close, intimate love relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  (2) To put on the whole armor of God so we may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  (Read from verses 13 to 20 to discover what the armor of God is that we need.  Most Christians are familiar with what they are). Verse 12 is what we will deal with primarily in this post, as even many believers are not aware of the meaning of the terms found there.  

As brought out in the video below, people can sometimes be cruel, hateful, and cold.  We need to look beyond imperfect humans, and to realize that the real enemy is not "flesh and blood", but the unseen evil spirits prompting that cruel behavior.  The "principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places;"  it is obvious that this is referring to evil spirits as well as the devil himself, all of whom are seeking to destroy us.  They are the source and origin of all spiritual conflicts.  These malignant spirits are rulers over the darkness of this world; their kingdom is the kingdom of darkness, full of misery and pain and troubles of the mind and of the spirit, and sometimes behind health issues.    You need to be strong in the Lord to be able to wrestle against them.   Pray without ceasing and be in the Holy Word constantly.   Ask the good Lord to give you an extra portion of His Holy Spirit for strength in combating these evil influences.   

It is no secret that the world is becoming more and more corrupt and evil in these last days we find ourselves living in now.   It is no doubt because the devil knows his time is short and he is full of wrath in his insane battle to rule instead of God.  

"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.  Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."  -  Revelation 12:12

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world."   -   1 Peter 5:8-9 

Satan works extra hard on believers, to bring them down and cause them to stray and to make them ineffective, because he already has the world under his power.

Always remember that God has your back.  He will protect you and watch over you.  You cannot fight evil forces all by yourself.  By saying previously that we need to pray for the Holy Spirit  to help us wrestle against the devil and his demons, I am also saying that it is God who will help you fight the devil and his minions.  The good Lord loves us and will strengthen us.  The victory is ours by the  Lord's assistance.  Remember also that "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."  (1 John 4:4b).  This verse is referring primarily to the false prophets inspired by the antichrist  spirit and the antichrist spirit itself, but in my opinion it is applicable to how God will help us with the demonic world as well.

The devil definitely has the spirit of being against Christ.

One commentator tells us,  "Wherever we come in contact with evil - whether in our own hearts or elsewhere - there we are to make war."

What if you are not a believer?  Don't feel as if God cannot forgive your sins, however gross they may be.  Remember, King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband murdered. The Lord forgave him when he showed genuine  repentance. (2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12). Don't let the evil powers control you any longer.  Turn to God in true repentance, pray to Him for forgiveness, and believe with all your being that Jesus is the Savior whose shed blood at Calvary can wash your sins away.  

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 will welcome you with open arms of love and forgiveness.  He is waiting to hear from you.

Prophecy in the News has a new host, Lyn Leahz, and following is a 9 minute video on the subject of spiritual warfare, in which she also uses Ephesians 6 as the basis for her talk.   She stresses to fight the enemy with the Word of God.

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