"Regrets - Don't Let Them Steal Your Joy" - Inspirational Weekend

We all know the definition of regret.  We have all experienced regrets in our lifetime, and the sense of loss and disappointment and remorse can totally consume us and steal our joy if we morbidly dwell on past sins, or on wasted years.  Making mistakes is part of the human experience; we are all imperfect and we sin.  The true believer will find comfort in God's Holy Word, and the more we keep His commandments and obey Him, the fewer regrets we will have.   Thank the good Lord for His grace and mercy !  Jesus came to redeem us from our sinful state.  All we have to do is to repent and by faith believe in Him, and endeavor to live as godly a life as possible with the Holy Spirit's help.

"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."    -  Ephesians 4:30

Speaking of foolish decisions and bad choices, the apostle Peter comes to mind when he denied Jesus.   How bad is that !   He did not intend to sin; his denial came from fear, spiritual immaturity, and probably just impulse.  

"And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice.  And he went out, and wept bitterly."  -  Matthew 26:75

What a terrible thing to have to live with !  What regret!   Jesus knew how crushed and repentant Peter was, and later showed him love and forgiveness, restoring him.  

Please realize that it is important to understand that regret is not the same as repentance.  Esau regretted his decision to sell his birthright, but he never repented of this sin (Hebrews 12:16-17).  Regret tends to focus on the action that has brought pain and sorrow, whereas repentance focuses on the one we have offended.

"For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death."  -  2 Corinthians 7:10  (NASB)

Judas, who betrayed Jesus, had worldly sorrow (regret) and he committed suicide.   Peter had godly sorrow (repentance) and his life was transformed.  

Although it is natural to regret our past sins and unintentional impulse decisions against God's will, we do not want to wallow in our past mistakes and think of nothing else but how bad we are.   

This is where some people beat themselves up constantly because they cannot forgive themselves and feel worthless and depressed.  It will eat you up with bitterness and regret if you are not careful, and thereby steal your joy.  

If you are a mature believer and truly born again, you will know all this morbid dwelling on past sins is the devil trying to tear you down and make you ineffective as a productive soul winner.  Remember, he is called the deceiver and the accuser.  (Revelation 12:10)

Keeping your thoughts on wholesome and godly things will also help tremendously.  But remember, if you have confessed all known sin and have been truly repentant, the good Lord has wiped the slate clean....your sins have been forgiven !   Why dwell on your past mistakes when the Lord has forgotten them and made you clean and whole?!  Thank and praise the Lord always for His grace and mercy.  Think on good things, as Philippians 4:8 tells us:  

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

Did you know that the Bible tells us to forget those things which are behind?

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,"    - Philippians 3:13

So sing praises to the Lord !  Thank Him always for His forgiveness !  Saturate your mind with His Holy Word and develop a close, personal, intimate love relationship with God through Jesus Christ !  Spend much time in prayer!  Then your mind will be filled with godly and pleasant thoughts and you will not dwell on past mistakes in a way that steals your joy in the Lord.

Psalm 103:8-12 tells us:  (8) " The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. (9) He will not always chide: neither will  He keep His anger for ever.  (10) He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities, (11)  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him.  (12) As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgression from us."

"Do Not Be Troubled At Heart" (With Videos and Charles Spurgeon Sermon) - Inspirational Weekend

You may be thinking, "The world is falling apart, another World War is on the horizon, how can I not be troubled?"   May I remind you that the good Lord is in control, and things are not falling apart, but instead are falling into place, according to Bible prophecy.

Although we will concentrate here on John 14:1, let us also read verses 1-4 of John 14:

 (1) "Let not your heart be troubled:  ye believe in God, believe also in Me.  (2) In My Father's house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  (4)  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."  

What comfort do those above words of Jesus bring to all who love Him and long to be with Him in heaven soon!  The whole 14th chapter of John is Jesus comforting His disciples.  He had previously told them that He would suffer and die and would be leaving them shortly, so now He sought to comfort the disciples.  His words are of great consolation to His followers in this modern age as well.  

Following is a beautiful song titled "Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled", by David and Renae Haas.

Sometimes there is nothing quite like a hymn or worship song to bring comfort to the soul.  I urge all of you who have a computer to go to You Tube and listen to old time hymns every morning before your Bible study.  God wants us to rejoice and be glad in Him; to praise Him and to follow in the footsteps of His Son, Jesus Christ.

But remember, no hymn or anything else can take the place of reading and studying God's Holy Word.  Also much prayer is needed to develop a close , personal, intimate, love relationship with the Lord.  Pray to the good Lord to give you an extra portion of His Holy Spirit to enable you to comprehend and live by His Word.  

"The saints could not be perfected but by Jesus' shed blood and the renewing by the Holy Spirit."  -  Charles Spurgeon

Let your heart be kept with the full trust in God.  Christ's disciples, more than any others, should keep their minds quiet, when everything else is unquiet.  The remedy against a troubled mind is to believe.  If you have trouble believing, pray to the Lord for strength and for giving you more of the Holy Spirit, which will enable you to believe in God and Jesus, and in all of the promises which they have made.  Pray believing that you will receive. 

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

Following is a sermon by Charles Spurgeon on John 14.  For those who are not familiar with him, He was born in 1834 and died in 1892.  He was a Baptist preacher at the congregation of The New Park Street Chapel (later the Metropolitan Tabernacle) in London for 38 years.   Before he was 20, Spurgeon had preached over 600 times.  He has been called "The Prince of Preachers", although he was also an author of many various types of works.  

Spurgeon's sermon here is 51 minutes long, but I pray that you take the time to listen to it.

Spurgeon says,  " Be not troubled!  Your Savior reigns.  He lives!  He is not far away!  ..... Do not worry!  Jesus will come again!  He will receive His followers.  All of this is near at hand!   We will be with the Lord forever......endless bliss!"

If you have never surrendered your life to the good Lord, now is the time !  His return is imminent!  You need to be repentant of your sins, confess them to the Lord, be sincere in your belief that Jesus is the only way to salvation.  Believe that His blood shed at Calvary washes away your sins....He will wipe the slate clean when you come to Him in faith and repentance.   You will be assured of eternal life with Jesus forever !  

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Believe in Jesus as the Savior. 

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

We are living in the last days.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Wisdom And The Most Important Decision" (Videos - Chuck Smith and Andrew Murray) - Inspirational Weekend

The dictionary informs us that wisdom is the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting.  The word "wisdom" is mentioned 222 times in the Hebrew Bible.  True wisdom is a gift from God.  Jesus is wisdom, as stated in 1 Corinthians 1:30 below:

"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification. and redemption."

"True wisdom is the knowledge of Divine things, rightly used."  

"Wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it."   -  J.I. Packer 

The book of Proverbs is best known for its wisdom.  I recommend you read all of it, and especially chapter 8 of Proverbs.  

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:  and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."  -  Proverbs 9:10

We are only wise when we turn to God and reverently fear Him and go to Him about all decisions that need to be made; asking for the Holy Spirit to guide us and to give us strength and endurance.  He will enable us to deal rightly in all matters, when we seek to know His will and to follow through by obeying Him and doing His will, not ours.  We need to develop a close, personal, intimate, love relationship with God through Jesus Christ in order to know His will and to obey Him.  You must communicate with someone in order to build a relationship.  The same is true of the heavenly Father.  Go to Him often in prayer, and study His Holy Word to, in turn, listen to Him speak through His written Word.  As you come to know the Lord more and more, you will obey Him out of love, and you will surrender your life and your very being to Him.  

Andrew Murray says, "Abiding in Him, His wisdom will come to you as a spontaneous outflow of a life rooted in Him."  Following is an 11 minute audio sermon by Murray about abiding in Christ as your wisdom:

The late pastor, Chuck Smith, gives the benefits of wisdom in the following 25 minute audio sermon.  

In pastor Smith's sermon above, he mentions how experience is often the best teacher, especially when raising children.  We learn wisdom when we make mistakes and thereby learn what to avoid in the future.

We also learn wisdom by reading the Scriptures ....a really deep, serious study of God's Word.  

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  -  James 1:5

To acquire wisdom, go to the good Lord in prayer and ask Him to give you wisdom.  God is a giver.  If you are a believer and in good standing with Him, He will grant your petition.  That is, if you ask in faith.  Remember, the doubting man dishonors God.  Therefore if we do not have faith, we should not expect God to answer us.  (James 1:6,7).

In making decisions, we should always endeavor to make them in a manner that glorifies God.  Always ask yourself what the Bible says about the problem.  Talk to your pastor or a mature believer and ask them if they can help you to more fully understand just what God's Word says about the matter you are concerned about; the decision you need to make.  Also, you may go by your past experiences to help you make a decision.   And, again, go to the Lord in prayer for help.

Ask yourself if this decision will keep you from a good witness for the Lord. We need to honor God and bring Him glory in all that we do and say. Consider all options and, again, take it to the Lord in prayer.

The most important decision anyone can make is the one that determines their eternal destiny.....heaven or hell.   If you are a true believer and have been born again (John 3:3) and you are putting God first in your life, then you will have heaven to look forward to.  But beware if you are putting off coming to the Lord in faith; refusing to believe in Jesus as your Savior.  Think about it:  Eternity is a long time to spend it in the wrong place, and suffering unbearable torment at that.

We are living in the last days the Bible prophesied about; current events are evidence that we are, indeed, in the very last hour of this present age.  Read Ezekiel 38 and 39 for starters; all the countries are now coming against Israel (as prophesied) in an effort to annihilate her.  Israel is God's prophetic time clock; God will rescue His chosen people.

The fact that this is the last "hour" of the end times, should move everyone to turn to God and cry out to Him for deliverance.  Unbelievers should repent of their sins, pray to the Lord for forgiveness, and believe with all their being that Jesus is the Savior and to put their faith and trust in Him.  They need to also believe that He rose from the dead and is now in heaven to make intercession for us to the Father.  (Romans 10:9,10,13).

Time is short.

Jesus will return soon to take true believers to heaven with Him in the Rapture of the Church.

Don't be left behind to face the torment and horrors of the 7 year Tribulation period and then afterwards hell itself, unless you repent first.

Jesus loves you !!

He will welcome you with open arms and pardon your sins, if you will only turn to Him in faith and belief and repentance.

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:  therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:" -  Deuteronomy 30:19

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

"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

"Being Reflectors Of God's Beauty" (With Videos) - Inspirational Weekend

Recently I wrote here about "Beauty, Art, and God".  Then I wrote primarily about how God loves beauty and how He is a Master Artist as all of creation testifies.  This weekend I will focus on the beauty of the Lord Himself, and how we should, as true believers, reflect His beauty and His attributes in our conduct and in all of our life.

"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."  -  Psalm 90:17

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple."  -  Psalm 27:4

First, just what does it mean to say "the beauty of the LORD"?

Matthew Poole's Commentary tells us it is "His favorable countenance, and gracious influence, and glorious presence."

The word  translated "beauty" here means pleasantness, then beauty, as well as splendor.  Holiness is also the beauty of the Lord (Psalm 110:3), as is His goodness (Zechariah 9:17).  You can pretty much sum it all up by saying that "The harmony of all His attributes is the beauty of His nature"; as Matthew Henry tells us.

Here is a song video about the beauty of the Lord:

In Psalm 90:17 it says "let the beauty of the Lord be upon us."   This not only means the Lord's blessing upon us, but also that we may endeavor to exhibit some of the Lord's beauty and attributes in our own speech, conduct, and attitudes....that we may reflect God's holiness, His goodness, His love, His patience, and so much more.  This becomes more manifest as we grow spiritually to maturity in our walk with the Lord.  His beauty will inspire us to be filled with love and gratitude towards Him, and to be on fire to witness to others about the Gospel; to be reflectors of His beauty.  

When we became true believers, we became a new person (2 Corinthians 5:17).    "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him:"   -  Colossians 3:10.   This is possible because at salvation God changes the believer's nature.  Therefore we can reflect the Lord's beauty by having a holy nature; a heart that has been transformed; a godly life will be the outcome of our conversion.  And a godly life is a wonderful reflection on the beautiful, saving power of our Lord.  

"For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn amongst many brethren."  -  Romans 8:29

Romans 8:29 is referring to believers having the moral  conformity to the likeness of God's Son.

All of these holy attributes we acquire at conversion (although it takes time to mature spiritually, the possibilities are there) because at conversion we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, which empowers us to live a godly life and to reflect the beauty of the Lord.

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise," -  Ephesians 1:13

Following is a sermon clip  (about 2 minutes in length) by Charles Spurgeon on being reflectors of the Lord's beauty:

The beauty of the Lord is also found in redemption and, as stated previously, in His creation; as well as the revelation of His character and work in Scripture.   If you are a true believer, you need to endeavor to develop a strong, close, personal and intimate relationship with the Lord through Jesus Christ, and that will empower you to grow in maturity and to be filled with love and devotion to God like you have never experienced before.  In order to have this close relationship, you need to be in prayer often; you cannot have a good relationship with someone you never communicate with.  Daily reading of God's Word is important as well, for God "speaks" through the Bible.  You get to know more about Him and Jesus when you read His Holy Word, thereby growing closer to Him.

If you are an unbeliever, you need to turn to God before it is too late.   None of us know whether we will be alive tomorrow, or even in our next few minutes.   Now is the time to give your life and devotion to the Lord, so you will not suffer the coming 7 year Tribulation and eventually hell itself.  

Pray and ask God for forgiveness. Honestly repent of your sins and do not continue living in sin;  Believe that Jesus is the Savior and only through Him is eternal life in heaven possible.  Believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and that His shed blood on the cross can wash your sins away; redeem you.

Jesus is waiting with open arms of love and forgiveness if only you will come to Him in full faith and belief and in repentance.  

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

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

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

"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

"Faith And Prayer Work Together" (Videos) - Inspirational Weekend

"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."   -  Mark 11:22-24

I could end this post right now, for those words spoken above by Jesus say it all.   Faith and prayer go hand in hand; they work together.  

The Lord plainly explained that faith held the secret to having your prayers answered.

I am reminded of the account in Matthew 17:14-21 about how the disciples of Jesus could not cast out the demon from the lunatic son.  When the disciples asked Jesus why they failed, Jesus told them in Matthew 17:20 that it was because of their unbelief, and in verse 21, the Lord said, concerning the demon, "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."  Evidently, the disciples had not been nourishing their faith;  they had not been in prayer (and they did not fast) so their trust and their efforts completely failed.   They did not have the power because they did not have a strong faith.

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

You need to believe.  You need to have faith.  So then when you pray, your prayers will be answered.   But remember, you need to be specific when you pray.   Also keep in mind that prayer is, in many ways, dependent upon the Word of God.  God's Holy Word becomes the reason and the inspiration of our prayers.

"If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."   -  John 15:7

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

Faith is believing that God will make a way where there is no way.  Following is an encouraging and up-lifting song of faith by Don Moen titled "God Will Make A Way":

"The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith.  The two are at opposite sides of the same coin."  -  A.W. Tozer

"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

The good Lord wants to fellowship with us.  He loves us and desires to commune with us.   That word "commune" means with intensity, with passion, and with intimacy.  Our prayers should reflect that kind of intensity and intimacy;  I can picture that God cares not for many so-called "Ho-Hum" prayers that have no feeling and no depth.  Remember He is God Almighty, the Creator, the Sovereign of the universe.   Show Him honor and respect, and be in awe of Him when you pray and worship.  You can do nothing without Him;  your very life depends upon His grace and love.  Give God the honor and the glory He deserves and expects.

Following are two short videos (around 16 minutes each) reciting from the works of Andrew Murray.  The first one is about the source of the power in prayer:

The next discourse by Andrew Murray concerns Faith:

But what if you are not saved?   Then the prayer that God will answer is the one where you ask Him for forgiveness, repenting in all sincerity, and believing with all your very being that Jesus is the Savior and also believing in His resurrection.

If you are living in sin and are disobedient to the good Lord, your prayers will not be answered unless you repent and ask Him for forgiveness and for salvation through Jesus Christ, and do this in humility and in faith.

"Neither is there salvation in any other:  for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." -  Acts 4:12

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

"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

Many people realize that we are now living in the last days - the end times - and Bible prophecy is now being fulfilled before our very eyes.  Soon Jesus will return again to take true believers to heaven with Him.  They will avoid the horrific 7 year Tribulation period that follows.   Will you be among the true believers that go to heaven with the Lord, or will you be left behind to face the doom and disaster that occurs during the Tribulation?

The Lord loves you and does not wish for any to be destroyed.  

All it takes is one step of faith from you and a true repentance.

Jesus is waiting for you with love and outstretched arms of tender compassion to hold you close in His embrace and in the safety and salvation found in Him.

Time is short.  

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

"The Grace And Mercy Of God" - (A.W. Tozer Audio Sermons) - Inspirational Weekend

Waterfalls are so refreshing....even miniature ones as in my photograph above.  But nothing can take the place of the refreshment and fulfillment we find in the Lord, especially when we reflect on His amazing grace and His great mercy.  When I think about how lost I was at one time, and how God in His love and grace and mercy brought me out of the darkness and into His life-giving light and truth, I am overwhelmed with love and gratitude to Him for all He has done in my life.  I did not deserve His loving-kindness and His forgiveness, yet He had mercy on me.  

Grace and mercy are only two of God's many attributes, but it touched my heart to write about them today as I feel very strongly His mercy and grace in my life - in the past as well as right now.  

Grace and mercy are often confused, because they have similar meanings.  Mercy is deliverance from judgment, while grace is extending kindness to the unworthy, or God's benevolence on the undeserving.  If God gave us all what we deserve, He would "zap" us all right now into cinders or send us straight to hell.  

David, after being confronted by the prophet Nathan about his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, cried out to God in Psalm 51 :

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness:  according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."  -  Psalm 51:1-2

When we plead to God for mercy, we are asking Him to withhold the judgment we deserve; to instead give us forgiveness that we in no way earned.  

Think about it: we deserve nothing from God.  When good comes our way, thank the Lord for His grace.  A simple way to think of grace is that it is "unmerited favor."  

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved:)"   -  Ephesians 2:4-5

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."  -   1 Peter 1:3

"And as grace is free, so is it sure.  Nothing can change, or alter, or turn away sovereign grace."  -  Alexander Whyte

"Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin."  -  Charles Spurgeon  

"Embrace in one act the two truths -  thine own sin, and God's infinite mercy in Jesus Christ."  -  Alexander MacLaren

"Nothing humbles and breaks the heart of a sinner like mercy and love.  Souls that converse much with sin and wrath, may be much terrified; but souls that converse much with grace and mercy, will be much humbled."  -  Thomas Brooks

Following are two audio sermons by A. W. Tozer on the attributes of God's grace and mercy.  For those of you not familiar with Tozer, he was an American Christian pastor, author and magazine editor.  He was born in 1897 and died in 1963.  I pray you take the time to listen to both sermons.

The above sermon is on the grace of God and the one below is on the mercy of God:

These two sermons are full of little "gems" of understanding and are presented in a way that enriches your soul and makes you want even more of God.  If you are interested in more sermons by A. W. Tozer on many other attributes of God, go to You Tube and type in "the attributes of God - A.W. Tozer" and they will pop up.

Remember, God wants to fellowship with you.  He wants a close, personal, and intimate love relationship with you through Jesus Christ.  You need to therefore be in prayer often and reading and studying the Bible in order to get to know the Lord more intimately so you can have a close relationship with Him.   God speaks to you through His written Word.  The Bible is God's love letter to you and His instruction manual to guide you in living a godly and totally surrendered life to Him.   

We are living in what the Bible calls the last days, the end times.  Many prophecies are beginning to come to pass or are in readiness to happen soon just as God prophesied they would in the last days.  Read Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13 to see the signs of the Lord's soon return.

Now is the time to get right with the Lord and dedicate your life, your heart, and your soul to Him and to the doing of His will.

"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.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. .........For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  -  Romans 10:9,10,13

Have a blessed and Christ-centered weekend !

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."  -  Hebrews 4:16

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;"   -  Titus 3:5

"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   

"Stop Beating Up On Yourself When Suffering Guilt Or Condemnation" - Inspirational Weekend

The Hawaiian Moorhen in my photograph above almost looks as if it is gathering sticks.   People sometimes beat themselves up with imaginary blows from "sticks" of self-condemnation and extreme guilt.  When you think about it, that sounds a lot like perverted pride.  A "How could I, cool and collected as I am and being so righteous, ever sin like that?" attitude.   That smacks of relying on self-effort instead of relying on the good Lord to help you.  Remember that God hates pride  (Proverbs 8:13; James 4:6).

When you feel guilty and condemned, you need to humble yourself and go to God and ask for forgiveness.  Only He can forgive and cast your sins away and wipe the slate clean.  

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."  -  1 Peter 5:7

But the verse we will focus on primarily this time is Romans 8:1 which says,  

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

The term "in Christ Jesus" is unique to the New Testament.  It truly expresses well the condition of the Christian as soon as he believes in Jesus, the Savior.  The true believer surrenders all to Jesus, and desires to follow closely in His footsteps; to imitate Christ as much as he possibly can.   If he is a true follower of the Lord,  his life will bear much fruit.  He looks to God and Jesus with true faith and obedience.  Therefore, the person that is in Christ is one who can say,  "In the LORD have I righteousness and strength.........".  (Isaiah 45:24)

Self-conviction is very different from Holy Spirit-conviction.  When the Lord convicts, He is specific as He lets us know where we were wrong, and He will oftentimes remind us of Scriptures to set us straight again and back on the right path.  When coming from the good Lord, it is not a morbid in-the-pits type of doom and gloom, but one that turns us to Him in repentance and a sincere heart to confess the sin and then to not continue in that sin anymore.  If you truly are converted, you have the Holy Spirit to always keep you on track where God's will is concerned.   

Self-conviction can totally consume you in despair and guilt and feelings of not being good enough; you lose proper Christian perspective and, again, you need to turn to the Lord in prayer and confession.

Another thing to consider is the fact that these intense feelings of condemnation may be coming from the enemy: satan, or one of his demons.  Such negativity is not coming from Jesus. Evil spirits want to condemn you and deceive you; satan is a liar and a deceiver, and will stop at nothing to tear you down and make you feel guilty and as if there is no hope.  When you feel evil attacks on your mind, say the name of Jesus out loud.  Or also say out loud, "I plead the blood of Jesus."  Also, pray with fervor to the Lord for help. True, devout Christians cannot be demon possessed (remember Job was righteous and yet suffered terribly from the attacks of satan); so believers today may also suffer from the negativity of the demons. You need to remember that Jesus paid the price for your sin by His shed blood at Calvary; He took God's wrath for sin (your sin) upon Himself, and paved the way for you to gain eternal life if you but have faith and believe in Him.  He paid the price for your sins.  When you become a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ, there is no more condemnation for you.  (Romans 8:1)

Remember, the Holy Spirit will not let you wallow in despair and gloom, but will move you to confess your sins and depart from them.   

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  -  1 John 1:9

But what about the unbeliever?  Then, I am afraid, the unconverted will face God's wrath.  Jesus, at the judgment, will have to say, "I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity."  (Matthew 7:23;    read also Matthew 7:15-22).   This may apply primarily to the false prophets, but it also applies to unconverted and carnal persons.  

I urge you, if you have not yet accepted by faith Jesus Christ as your Savior, to do so now, while it is not too late.

We are living in the last days (Matthew 24).  Jesus will return soon to take all true believers to heaven to be with Him.  

"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.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words."  -  1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Those words will be a comfort to the true believers and describe the Rapture of the Church.   It is not comfort to carnal, sinful men who never gave their life to Jesus.   Many will be left behind to face the seven year tribulation period when God pours out His wrath on all the ungodly persons left behind.   There will be plagues and catastrophes like the world has never seen before.   Much of the earth will be ruined, the water turned to blood, and much more as mentioned in the Bible in the book of Revelation.   I urge you to read all of Revelation.

The Lord does not wish to see any perish, but instead that all come to repentance.  (2 Peter 3:9).

Repent and turn to the Lord today, while there is still time.  Faith and belief in Jesus is your only hope.   

Confess and repent of all known sin and begin to live a godly life.

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

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  -  2 Peter 3:9

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

"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

"Do You Know The Secret Of The Lord?" - Inspirational Weekend

These graceful palm trees are above Makapu'u Beach on Oahu, Hawaii.  Trees have always seemed to me to have character, especially old oak trees and the like, with their twisting and turning branches.  People can learn a lot from nature; I should say, learn a lot from the Creator of all things.   We need to stop and take the time to learn lessons from His creation and from the very heart of God Himself.

Also important is to take the time to read the Holy Word and to spend time in prayer with the Lord.  That is how we get to know Him intimately and become friends with Him.   Once we are truly born-again believers in Jesus Christ, He will give us more understanding of Him and His Word.  He will share His secrets.

"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant."  -  Psalm 25:14

The word "secret" in Hebrew means the cushions of a divan on which counselors and friends in the East usually sit.  Another way of expressing it is "Wast thou a listener in the secret council of God?"              (Job 15:8)

God's servants are admitted to God's secrets.  But notice, it is to those "that fear Him."  This is speaking of filial fear, like the fear which a loving child has of grieving its father, or causing him pain. God will have fellowship with those whose hearts are true and in right standing with Him, thereby finding favor with Him.   They who do not fear God cannot hear the secret.   

"Christ should be found written on your heart.  This is the secret of the Lord."  -  W. Logan  

Also, the secret of the Lord means that which cannot be known unless the Lord reveals it.  There is much that can be called the secret of the Lord.  

Natural or carnal man cannot know or understand these secrets; their eyes of understanding are blinded by the cares and pleasures and lusts of this old dying world.   They are blinded also by the devil.

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him:  neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."   -  1 Corinthians 2:14

Back to the fear of the Lord, which enables you to, by God's grace, to know the secret of the Lord.   The fear of the Lord is clean; it cleanses.  In every heart filled with the fear of God there is a communication of a secret.  God opens His mind and His heart to them.

There is also the secret witness of the Spirit, which testifies to them being a child of God.  There are secret whispers of His love, which assures their soul that He has loved them with an everlasting love, and is preparing them for their heavenly home.

There is the secret concerning how, when one is born-again, he becomes a new creation.  2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us,  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away; behold, all things are become new."

Another secret is the Gospel of Christ, which is a mystery.  Carnal man cannot comprehend it as it is not  attainable without supernatural revelation.

The latter part of Psalm 25:14 tells us that God will show them His covenant.   "He will show them, will teach them, more and more therein, the nature of it, the duration of it, its comprehensiveness, its security, its terms and conditions, its blessings and promises, all in Christ, and Christ in all."  -  A. Hewlett

To sum it all up, God reveals His secrets to those who love, obey, and fear Him.   The Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, is a secret or a mystery to the lost.   If you are a child of God, He will reveal his secrets to you and bless you with a better understanding of Him and His Word; He will clear your mind and bless you with a joy and peace that only His love and a clear conscience can give you.

If you have not yet surrendered your life to the Lord, in full faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Savior, I urge you to do so now.   Confess your sins to Him, ask for forgiveness, repent and give your life to Jesus to be used by Him in His work.

Bible prophecy is being fulfilled daily in these last days; the Lord will return soon to rapture His own to heaven to be with Him.  Are you ready ?



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

"Hast thou heard the secret of God?"   -  Job 15:8a

"Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."          -         Jesus at  John 15:15

More On Daniel's 70 Weeks (With Teaching Video)

As we approach the end of the end times, we need to consider where we are in the prophetic times and to ask the all important question, "Am I ready for what lies ahead?"   Ready for the Rapture of the Church (true believers); ready spiritually to be assured of Jesus taking me to heaven to be with Him.   

In the Bible book of Daniel, we have prophecies concerning the end times and the antichrist and, specifically, the 70 weeks of years in Daniel 9.   In July of 2016 I wrote in detail about this topic, which you can read here.

Following is an excellent recent teaching video on Daniel's 70 weeks by Amir Tsarfati :

Amir stresses that "God wants His children to know His plans.  He is not hiding them, He is declaring them."

"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:  but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."   -  2 Peter 1:20-21

Amir tells us that the Daniel 9 prophecy basically says that our days are numbered.   We need to be spiritually ready, born-again, and living godly lives pleasing to the Lord.  You need the Holy Spirit's help to guide you to live a holy life, and the Holy Spirit seals you as God's own when you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, Lord, and Master.   Repent of your sins, confess them to the Lord, and begin to live for Jesus.

Time is short !  Remember, this tottering and chaotic world is not our home.  We believers are citizens of heaven.   And that is where we will soon make our home (after the Rapture};  of course,  we will also live on earth in a Paradise during the Millennial reign of Christ (this is after the 7 year Tribulation period ends).    

Following is the hymn "This World Is Not My Home":

"I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that country and to help others to do the same."

C. S. Lewis, in "Mere Christianity."

Jesus tells us at John 14:1-3 ,  "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

"What Is True Christianity" (Video with Dr. Michael Lake)

Are you a professing Christian or a carnal Christian?  Or are you truly saved and witnessing about Jesus to others?  Are you actually born again and thereby connected with God?  Do you commune with the Lord daily in prayer and "hear" Him speak as you daily read His Holy Word?

Christianity is not only a religion, but first and foremost it is a relationship with the Creator.  In the following video (38 minutes long) Dr. Michael Lake discusses about what it means to be a Christian, as well as other topics ...such as the mark of the beast.   The video is titled "Are You a Christian or just saved? Dr. Michael Lake says what the Church won't!"

Dr. Lake says we need to understand what it means to walk in Biblical holiness.... to live a life so that the Holy Spirit is not grieved whereby He pulls back and away from you.  He also states that being connected to the throne of God is the only way you will know true peace.  

Now is the time to turn to the Lord with all your heart, and soul, and mind and strength in love for Him; to come to a saving knowledge that Jesus is the Messiah, the promised Savior and to surrender your entire being, your whole life, to Him and to repent of your sins and begin to lead a godly life.  He will help you to do just that if you believe in Him and in His resurrection.   

Time is short.  Jesus will return soon to take true believers to be in heaven with Him, before the seven-year Tribulation begins.   You do not want to be left behind to face the wrath of God on the unrepentant and ungodly people during the Tribulation !

Repent.

Confess your sins.

Admit you are a sinner.

Ask for forgiveness.

Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is your Savior and Lord and Master.

Believe in His resurrection.

Be totally surrendered to the Lord.

"(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."  -  Romans 10: 9,10,13

Remember what Jesus said at John 6:37 ,  "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out."

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

In these perilous end times we are now living in, you need a firm Anchor to keep you grounded in the Lord's truth and in His loving arms.  Some people, even professing Christians, are fearful of all the chaos and violence and turmoil happening right now and are in dread of what the future may hold.  Read your Bible and pray without ceasing, and you will find the peace only God can give you.  Remember, the Bible tells us the glorious end of all things:

GOD WINS ! ! 

A wise choice is what Isaiah 55:6 tells us:

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