Regarding the title of this post: "Are you trying too hard to be good enough to come before the presence of God?" As Pastor Charles Lawson tells us in the following 36 minute sermon video, "You cannot do anything to merit coming before the Father." The only way you can come before holy God is through Jesus Christ, the Savior and Intercessor. Fellowship with God is not possible if you do not have Jesus. "You have no righteousness of your own to approach the heavenly Father."
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." - 1 John 1:6,7
There are many gems of truth in the above sermon that we can all benefit from. Pastor Lawson discusses different kinds of angels described in the Bible as well. Please watch! One Biblical principle is to "humble yourself" in order to come before God. Even Jesus humbled Himself
before the Almighty God, the sovereign of the universe. (Philippians 2:5-9)
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." - James 4:10
"Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." - 1 Peter 5:5
[Hawaiian Stilt (Ae'o)]
Another requirement to draw close to God and Jesus is, obviously, that we must have FAITH. This is common knowledge among Christians. Much has been written on this blog concerning faith.
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." - Hebrews 11:6
You will gain great insight on faith by reading all of Hebrews. Actually, reading the entire Bible and spending much time with the good Lord in prayer will increase your faith; as well as your love and awe and reverence for God. When you see Him working in your life and answering your prayers, how incredibly faith building is that !!
"Every trial of suffering is an opportunity to grow in the faith." - T. A. McMahon
You will discover that by fellowshipping often with the good Lord, you will begin to have peace.... a peace with Him as well as in your soul and mind.
"Peace with God brings the peace of God. It is a peace that settles our nerves, fills our mind, floods our spirit, and in the midst of the uproar around us, gives us the assurance that everything is all right." - Bob Mumford
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." - Jesus at John 16:33
The above words of our Savior do NOT say that we will not have trials and hardships; it means that even in spite of adversities we will have a peace knowing that in the end, the Lord will see us through, no matter what.
"Adversity stirs us up and causes us to look at life differently. We are forced to deal with things on a deeper level. Nothing causes "self" to cave in like suffering. And once our religious facade begins to wear thin, God moves in and begins teaching us what real Christlikeness is all about." - Dr. Charles Stanley
"Afflictions are but the shadows of God's wings." - George Macdonald
"You and I cannot change or control the world around us, but we can change and control the world within us." - Warren Wiersbe
Following is a Must to watch: a video on the purpose of life by Pastor David Wilkerson :
Please take the time to watch the above 6 minute sermon clip ! It makes very clear what our focus should be as Christians.
Keep in mind always that the return of Jesus is imminent !
When He raptures the true believers to be with Him in heaven soon, you do NOT want to be left behind to face the horrors and destructions of the following 7 year tribulation period ! It will be difficult to be saved then by coming to a sincere faith and belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior. In fact, if you do put your faith in Jesus while suffering under this tribulation period governed by the antichrist, it is certain you will be put to death.... and by being beheaded.
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." - Revelation 20:4
For more information on the 7 year tribulation and the Rapture of the Church and other end times signs, please refer to the "Search Box" in the upper right hand side of this page and enter such topics as "7 year tribulation, Mark of the Beast," and so on. Many posts will appear, and most will also have videos in them. Also there are various other topics such as "endurance, forgiveness, peace," etc. that you might want to view.
But what if you are an unbeliever and have not come to faith in Jesus as the Savior? Please take to heart the following Scriptures and pray to the Heavenly Father for forgiveness....and repent! If you are sincere, God will answer that prayer!
"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
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." - John 14:6
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?" - John 11:25-26
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
Jesus loves you!
He is waiting to hear from you !
He will welcome you with His open arms full of love and forgiveness!
Put your faith in Him now, before it is too late.!
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
Do you try and try to be obedient to the good Lord and to do His will, but you fail time and time again? What is the cure for this? First of all, the following Scriptures will be of great help in explaining part of this dilemma.
Many of you, if not most believers, are familiar with Romans 7, and following are a few verses from that chapter concerning the struggle against sin:
(14) For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (15) For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (17) Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (19) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (20) Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."
Please read all of Romans 7. It was written by the saintly apostle Paul! Even he struggled to stay pure! In the following verses of Romans 7, he tells us the "antidote" to overcome this difficulty:
Romans 7, verses 24 and 25 tells us: O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."
Following is a wonderful 37 minute audio sermon by Andrew Murray on this subject, and he speaks of Philippians 2 as well. It helped me tremendously and it will you as well. He speaks of the stages of the Christian life, and how believers MUST put God's will first in their lives. The reason we fail so many times and have no victory is because we need Jesus and the Holy Spirit and we need to put our entire dependence upon God -- we have no power on our own to be victorious in our Christian walk and life!
"The future is as bright as the promises of God." - William Carey
"Life's trials are not easy. But in God's will, each has a purpose." - Warren Wiersbe
"Our first duty is not to understand but to believe what God has said." - A. W. Pink
"I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am." - John Newton
"Let God have your life; He can do more with it than you can." - Dwight L. Moody
"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not." - Isaiah 30:15
"All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." - Jesus at John 6:37
Below is a wonderful 11 minute video which explains five ways that God guides you to heaven - a must watch!
Following is a recent 12 minute video titled : "These Four Things Stop Your Prayer From Being Answered":
It is imperative for all to watch the above excellent video, but especially for any who struggle with prayer and wonder why their prayers are not answered.
Prayer is the way we can fellowship with the Heavenly Father, and thereby learn to love Him more and more. By frequent prayer, we will learn to "listen" to Him in our spirit and to feel His presence and to know His guidance concerning us -- and to better understand His will and His purpose for our lives.
The same is true when we diligently and frequently pour over God's Holy Word - the Bible. As has been said many times on this blog, the Bible is God's Love Letter to us, as well as His Instruction Manual for us to follow.
We live in urgent times!
Soon the 7 year Tribulation will begin! You do not want to be on this earth to suffer God's wrath which will be poured out then on the unbelievers left behind --- after the Rapture to heaven of true believers occurs, that is. The Tribulation will be an unprecedented time of horror and destruction - a "shaking" and an upheaval of such magnitude that we cannot even begin to imagine the enormity of it!
(Read Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 for the signs Jesus gave concerning the time of His return in these last days !! Also go to the search box at the top right hand side of this page and enter such things as "end time signs, Bible prophecy converging now, the Rapture, the 7 Year Tribulation." Articles will appear on these subjects and some include videos with prominent scholars and pastors.)
The question is, are you Rapture Ready?
If you are a true believer and have put your faith and trust and belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior and the only way to heaven; and believe that His shed blood at the cross will wash away your sins because He took our place at Calvary and paid our sin debt in full by His sacrificial death....became our Redeemer; then you have the hope of eternal life !
" 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
Following are Bible verses concerning the way to salvation:
"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
"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 above title of this post ("Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?") is a direct quote by Leonard Ravenhill. It is on his tombstone ! Ravenhill lived from 1907 to 1994 and was one of England's foremost outdoor evangelists of his time. You may, of course, find out more about him on the Internet; this post wants to focus on his quotes and share an important 13 minute sermon clip by him. The sermon is blunt - he tells it like is - and to the point (which is what we need more of today from our pulpits). Ravenhill does not sugar-coat anything when it comes to the Gospel. Brace yourself for some very convicting comments (convicting to a Christian's heart if he is guilty of sin) in his sermon titled : "John the baptist: the spirit of a prophet". The sermon below speaks very little of John the baptist, and dwells mostly on addressing Christians and what they need to focus on - and more - and chock full of gems spoken by Ravenhill like, for instance, "The greatest sin in the world [is to say and believe] "I can manage my life without God."
It seems fitting to quote here, 2 Timothy 3:1-5:
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
Wow! Talk about telling it like is ! The above verse clearly describes these last days we are currently experiencing.
Some of the other signs of the end times are spoken of by Jesus at Luke 21:25-28 as follows:
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 for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And when these begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."
I encourage you to please read all of Luke 21, as well as Matthew 24, and Mark 13 which also speak of the signs of the last days.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wisely said, " Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."
"Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" - The Apostle Paul at Galatians 4:16
We are all imperfect and make mistakes; I am no different. But I endeavor to tell the truth. Sometimes a resource used and quoted on this blog may be in error, unfortunately, and when I discover it to be so, I correct the error or delete it. Since we are all imperfect, we should not judge others when they mess up at times. (Unless it is out and out heresy, of course.) We should endeavor to show them their error, and teach them more accurately -- do not judge them unless, that is, it is a deliberate and stubborn heresy, which is repeated often, and which purposely intends to deceive others.
Our time on this earth is short, especially now the way Bible prophecy of the last days is being fulfilled at a tremendously fast pace. And very many are being fulfilled all at once right now - a convergence. Jesus will soon return to take his followers in the Rapture to be with Him in heaven. Our blessed hope!
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." - Titus 2:13
We should focus on things above and on pleasing the good Lord as best we can. He is our Judge. Jesus is our Redeemer. Our love and gratitude to the Lord should be expressed to Him always. Spend much time in prayer and in reading the Bible. That will enable us to know God and Jesus better, and we will find that our love for Him will grow stronger and stronger as we read about His love and character and attributes in His Holy Word. That, and as we pray several times daily , will enable us to develop a strong, close, intimate, personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus. That is what it is all about, folks! You cannot come to actually know a person unless you spend time with Him and communicate with Him; it is the same way with God. He wants to fellowship with us! God/Jesus is the best friend we will ever have!
Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us: "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."
Below is a 3 minute devotional by In Touch Ministries. It dwells on the topic "Unshakable Faith".
Two wonderful comments especially stand out in the above video. "When we abide in the Spirit, we have the power to endure hardship and suffering." And, "Getting to know God is easier when we approach Him with a humble and genuine spirit."
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." - Jesus at John 3:19-21
What if you are not saved, not born again? Following are some Scriptures for you:
About asking Jesus to come into your heart.... that is good. However, you must truly repent of your sins, and believe with all of your mind, soul, and all of your very being that Jesus is the Savior and the only way to heaven. Believe that He, as the sacrificial Lamb of God, shed His precious Blood on the Cross, and that by doing so, He paid our sin debt in full . He took our place at Calvary and made a way as the Redeemer for us to be saved and for us to have the hope (a sure hope) of eternal life. There will be a change in you and what you focus on if you are truly saved. When a person is truly saved, the Holy Spirit will reside within him, to guide and teach him, and so much more !
"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
Jesus, at Luke 13:3-5 tells us: "I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." - Romans 12:1-2
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
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 !!
Where to begin? So much is happening at warp speed right now so far as current events fulfilling Bible prophecy of these end times we are living in now ! I will not concentrate much on the coronavirus in this article, but I do want to urge you to go on the Web and enter ID 2020 Alliance, or ID 2020 Alliance chip. There is a lot of information to be found there on that subject concerning the mandatory vaccine for all citizens of the world in order that you may be tracked and thereby be able to return to work, etc. That vaccine, as I have stated before, will alter your DNA and is dangerous!
Please continue reading here, as towards the end of this article is an encouraging hymn concerning how God will take care of you!
Let us consider an important Scripture:
"Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." - Psalm 78:41
The above verse is referring to the rebellious and stiff-necked people of Israel in ancient times. It would be good if you read, if not all of Psalm 78, then at least verses 36 to 42.
Quoting from an article : "Paul S. Rees in an article entitled "God in Shackles" writes these words: "It is we who put shackles upon God. We cannot keep Him from managing the stars above us, but we can prevent Him from managing the soul within us."
Isn't this a true description of what modern man has done with the God Who created him and the God Who wants to work His will within man!
A definition of the word "limited" as used in Psalm 78 means to "set boundaries upon", or to "set a mark upon."
You've no doubt heard the expression "putting God in a box". It is as if people think that putting God away somewhere in a little box will keep Him from interfering with the way we live our selfish lives. Someone has said , "It is like drawing a boundary line beyond which God must not pass."
Actually, when you think about it, it is like it has been said, "God hangs the planets in outer space, but He has a difficult time managing the human heart because of man's resistance."
Following is a 42 minute audio sermon by Charles Spurgeon on which he bases Psalm 78:41 as the subject.
Spurgeon, in the above sermon, informs us that we limit God by sometimes "Dictation" to Him and other times by "Distrust" of Him. Unbelievable that "some even push sin to the extreme by the utter "Despair" of His goodness and mercy. Spurgeon goes into more detail about the above three mentioned ways we limit God.
One thing that hit home with me in the above sermon (because once I also felt like "The chief of sinners" because of my sins before I was born again by faith in Jesus) -- Spurgeon says that if you feel your sins are too great to be forgiven, "You could never have exceeded the grace of God. God will forgive you!"
Spurgeon says, "God is the most tender of heart than any other being."
Isaiah 55:8, 9 informs us: (8) "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
"So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: It shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." - Isaiah 55:11
Think of all the promises of God found in the Bible - about the end times and the occurrences we see happening right now in fulfillment of His Word and prophecies; think of all the prophecies and promises concerning Jesus the Messiah which were fulfilled 2000 years or so ago when He walked the earth and died for our sins; and be happy about the promise of the soon return of Jesus to take true believers to heaven during the Rapture of the church before the 7 year Tribulation period - and be happy about so many more promises and prophecies !
[Near Sharks' Cove - Oahu, Hawaii]
In today's chaotic and troubled world, we really don't know what to believe anymore, as we are lied to so much. But Christians put their hope, faith, and trust in the good Lord. He does not lie! His Word is truth and life!
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6
God wants us to be dependent upon Him, and to not do things "our way". We need to pray to Him and Jesus to guide us and to help us to do His will. He wants us to believe His promises, and to look for their fulfillment and to do this without doubt, fear, or distrust -"With their whole heart." You are commanded to depend on God Himself and Jesus - not to depend on yourself.
So right now, with the pandemic and the other bothersome occurrences in this present time, we need to look to the good Lord in every thing, in every aspect of how we are to live obediently and to not grieve Him. This lock-down may go on for some time, with various "privileges" partly restored. Many Pastors and scholars of eschatology believe that life will not go back to normal. This is all leading up to the New World Order; the One World Government; the One World Economy, and the One World False Religion. Read Revelation 13, 17, and 18 concerning that. Better yet, read ALL of the Bible Book of Revelation. Think about all of the restrictions and the closure of churches, just to mention a couple of things. (Have you noticed that liquor stores and other non-essential businesses are open.... yet they close the churches on us!!!!) It is good we have technology and the Internet to watch sermons. I am grateful for that and I know you are also.
If you are a true follower of Jesus the Savior, we will not be here to suffer all that is to come - and we will not have to take the mandatory vaccine either. Many pastors and scholars realize and preach that Jesus' return is even more imminent than ever before !
Now that is good news ! Praise the Lord! We are out of here soon! Let us hang on to that blessed hope! (Titus 2:13). To be in heaven with Jesus is so much better.... so much so that words cannot describe the joy and glory of it ! Thank God for His tender mercies and grace and love and forgiveness! Thank Jesus for His sacrificial death which paid our sin debt in full ! By faith in His shed blood and His Redemptive work on the cross, by faith in Jesus as the Savior, we also may have eternal life ! Isn't God good !
Other good news is that millions have been saved during this pandemic..... they have put their faith in Jesus. Also, the sale of Bibles has dramatically increased during this lock down. See how God can bring good out of even bad things?
[Near Bellows Beach - Oahu, Hawaii]
Romans 5:3-5 explains (3) "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (4) And patience, experience; and experience , hope: (5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us."
"Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work." -2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Following is an encouraging hymn on how God will take care of you:
If you have not been saved (born again from above - a spiritual rebirth) then you will have to endure the horrors and devastation and plagues of the Great Tribulation; and if you take the Mark of the Beast in order to buy and sell, you will be doomed to hell forever. Read Revelation 13.
But there is hope for you if you turn to Jesus now in repentance and believe that He is the Savior, and that He is the only way to heaven and eternal life. If you do not do that now and you end up suffering the soon rule of the antichrist, there is still hope for you to be saved during the Trib. for the Bible assures us of that in Revelation 7:9-14.
Revelation 7:14 says: "And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
However, if you become a believer during the Tribulation, you do not want to take the Mark of the Beast (the antichrist) in order to buy food, etc., or to sell anything. You will, therefore, either die by starvation, or the antichrist system will eliminate you by beheading you. But you will be immediately at home with the Lord in heaven at your death ! "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" - 2 Corinthians 5:8
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." - Revelation 20:4
Following are some Scriptures for those who are not saved at this present time :
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
"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 !!
It is important that you watch a 39 minute prophecy update by Pastor J.D. Farag, which was posted yesterday, Sunday, April 5. The update is subtitled "Global Crisis - Biblical Answers"
Please go to You Tube and enter "J D Farag" and look for the video by him posted on April 5.
Some of what Pastor Farag tells us in this video is similar to what was written in my blog post of March 30, 2020. Scroll down to view my post there. In his video of April 5, Pastor Farag goes into much more detail than my blog post did. He explains that this mandatory vaccine for coronavirus is also a tracking method on all citizens of the world. And in my post on this blog 3-30-20, I said that this covid 19 vaccine would alter your DNA. Other sources have expressed that perhaps it would make you like part human , part cyborg. (This might especially be true of the Mark of the Beast in the tribulation period mentioned in the Bible at Revelation 13). I am not saying this speculation is true ! I have not researched that "Chatter" concerning being part cyborg, so do not think of me as being irresponsible if this is not true. (Love you guys!) Just repeating what some believe to give you a better idea of what talk is going around. Do some research on your own about this mandatory vaccine. On the Web, enter "ID 2020 Alliance Chip" for starters. Lots of info there.
I highly recommend that you also watch Pastor Farag's video of April 2, 2020, in which he poses the question "Will life ever be normal again?" That 27 minute video follows:
Things look rather bleak right now ..... but God !
Read your Bibles, pray without ceasing, and have faith that the Heavenly Father will see you through all of the calamities facing the world today.
For true believers, they realize that all that is happening right now fulfills Bible prophecy and Jesus will return soon! We do not know the day or the hour, but no one can deny that it must be near when they consider all the catastrophes occurring now -- a convergence all at once of events that fulfill Bible prophecy. God is shaking the earth to get our attention! It is a wake up call !
If you have not yet believed in Jesus, and that He is the Savior and the only way to heaven, please do so now! What follows the Rapture of the Church is a 7 year Tribulation period of horrendous plagues, natural disasters, and more ..... and all because God will be pouring out His wrath upon wicked mankind on the earth at that time. You do not want to be here then! You need to read the Bible book of Revelation to comprehend more fully what will occur during the Tribulation. If you think things are bad now with the coronavirus and other catastrophes happening all across the globe, compared to the 7 year Tribulation and what occurs during that time, ... it will make today look almost like a picnic !
To be saved, you need to understand that you are a sinner, and in need of a Savior. (Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23)
Next, you must believe in your heart....all of your very being... that Jesus is the Savior and that His shed blood at Calvary paid the price for your sin debt (He took our place there on the cross... He took on all of the sins of the world) - Romans 10:9,10,13
Then, call on the name of Jesus, confess that He is the Savior (Romans 10:9,10,13)
Believe in Jesus with all your heart and soul - all of you ! Please realize that we are NOT referring to head knowledge; an intellectual belief. That will not save you. It has to be with your heart....so much so that you will be transformed and renewed in your mind and your life will reflect that miracle of salvation. See Romans 12:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 5:17.
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." "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
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." - Jesus at Luke 21:28
The title of this article above - "The power that banishes fear" - is from what Dr. David Jeremiah tells us in the following 13 minute sermon clip:
Dr. Jeremiah tells us that we can "either pray or worry", and that "our minds should be totally on God." Watch the video for the solution that banishes fear.
Many people the world over are now experiencing fear because of the pandemic. This post will focus on ways to help us to cope instead of focusing on the virus itself.
"With the power of God within us, we need never fear the powers around us." - Woodrow Kroll
"You and I cannot change or control the world around us, but we can change and control the world within us." - Warren Wiersbe
"Fear cannot get a stronghold in the heart of someone who's full of the vision and the Majesty of God." - David Wilkerson
"Life makes many an attempt to take away our faith. Things happen to us and and to others which baffle our understanding: Life has its problems to which there seems no solution and its questions to which there seems no answer; life has it's dark places where there seems to be nothing to do but hold on. Faith is always a victory, the victory of the soul which tenaciously maintains its clutch on God." - William Barclay
Christians have a hope that strengthens them and helps them to endure:
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." - Titus 2:13
Concentrate on what is the true center of Christian Life.
"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 the things on the earth." - Colossians 3:1-2
A wonderful verse to apply here is found at Nehemiah 8:10 b ".... For the joy of the Lord is your strength."
It is true that Christians can feel fear and worry and anxiety, but we should not let it take control of us. Those feelings should be temporary as we should place our hope and trust in the good Lord.
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." - 2 Timothy 1:7
Psalm 62:5-8 assures us, (5) "My soul, wait thou only upon God; For my expectation is from Him. (6) He only is my rock and my defense: I shall not be moved. (7) In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. (8) Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us."
The above verse was used in a devotion by Charles Spurgeon, and following is a partial quote from a portion that devotional.
"Our heavenly Father sends us frequent troubles to try our faith. If our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test...... A faith which can say "though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him", (Job 13:15) is heaven-born faith.
"Tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope" (Romans 5:3). The Lord is honored by these growing virtues" says Spurgeon. "The wisdom and power of the Great Workman are discovered by the trials through which His vessels of mercy are permitted to pass. Present afflictions tend also to heighten future joy. ...... Will not the recollection of past sufferings enhance the bliss of the glorified?"
When we are in heaven, there will be peace and harmony and much love. We need to endure to the end. The best way to endure is to have a close, intimate, loving, personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, His Son. How do we do this? Many of you know it is by prayer without ceasing and much time spent in the Bible, the Holy Word of God. By doing those two things, you will learn more about God and Jesus, and your love for them will grow and blossom and develop into something beautiful and eternal.
Remember that song, "This world is not my home?" We need to remind ourselves of that when we get caught up in day to day living and cares and worries. And now, we have much chaos and evil in this old world, and all that is on everyone's mind now is the recent pandemic. Just remember, this world is passing away but he who does the will of God will remain forever (1 John 2:17).
Here is a version of the song mentioned above, sung by Jim Reeves.
Bible prophecy is being fulfilled right now at warp speed. Not only on a daily basis, but even minute by minute some new conflict or development proves that we are living in the end times and that Jesus will soon return to Rapture true believers to heaven before the 7 year Tribulation begins. Friends, many things happening today were prophesied concerning the Tribulation period.... they are right now precursors to the Trib. .... we are not in the Tribulation now, but we are ever so close to it according to the Bible. It is like God is shaking and stirring up things in an endeavor to wake up as many people as He can and thereby have them turn in faith to Jesus as the Savior before it is too late. If you are not saved by faith in Jesus as the Savior, Who is the only way to the Father and to heaven, following are some Scriptures to encourage you to surrender to the redeeming power of Jesus :
Romans 10:9,10,13 tells us (9) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believeth 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
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?" - John 11:25, 26
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
In my recent last post, there is a link to how the ex-British Prime Minister is calling for a "temporary" One World Government. Here is that link again:
For those who study Bible prophecy and for Christians who love the Lord, this is good news in the sense that we know we are now living in the last moments of the end times (not the end of the world itself) and that soon the good Lord will Rapture us to heaven. The Bible speaks of this One World Government in Revelation 13, for one example.
(16) "And he [the beast, the antichrist] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: (17) And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (18) Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." - Revelation 13:16-18
Please read all of Revelation 13. Also, Revelation 17 and 18; Revelation 17 speaks of the One World (false) Religion, and chapter 18 informs us concerning the economic aspect of the New World Order during the Tribulation. If possible, please read all of the book of Revelation. It is the only book wherein is the promise that you will be blessed by it:
"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." - Revelation 1:3
Note: with this pandemic, they are saying that the virus can be spread on cash money, and want to move soon to a cashless society. This is perfect proof that the antichrist system is near; the Tribulation period. For the antichrist (as in Revelation 13) uses a "mark" for people to buy and sell.
There is a lot of "chatter" about the ID 2020 alliance vaccine. It will be mandatory for all people to take it soon. Not Good!! It will alter your DNA . Many believe it is the precursor to the mark of the beast. There is more to it which is disturbing! Please do research on the Internet concerning this. I hesitate to suggest a particular article or video about this. However, the information is true concerning this mandatory vaccine. Bill Gates is heavily promoting this vaccine, and is also funding it.
A recent study by Iceland scientist supposedly discovered that there are 40 mutations of this Coronavirus. True? Maybe, maybe not.
There is also much chatter concerning that this coronavirus is made to be more of a big deal than it truly is. It is true that it is dangerous and deadly, especially to the elderly and for those with serious health issues and a low immune system. However, many believe that the number of cases are exaggerated, and that this crisis is being used to help bring about the chaos and panic needed for the antichrist and the New World Order to begin.
Just saying.
Christians know Who we can believe and Who we can turn to !
The Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ!
"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." - 2 Corinthians 4:6
Jesus assures us at John 10:27-29, (27) "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: (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."
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." - Jesus at John 14:27
For those who are not believers - have not surrendered to Jesus in faith and that have not believed that His death at Calvary paid our sin debt in full (Jesus took our place and took upon Himself all the sins of the world) - you will have to face the horrors and devastation and wrath of God during the 7 year Tribulation which is soon to occur. All you have to do right now is to believe that Jesus is the Savior, that He died, and was buried and then was resurrected. Believe that His redemptive work at the Cross will wash away your sins and make you clean in the sight of God.... because God sees you as clean through the shed blood of His Son Jesus - once you become a true believer in the Savior.
Unbelievers need to admit that they are sinners, and in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23)
They need to believe in their heart that Jesus is the Savior (Romans 10:9-10)
They need to call on Jesus and confess that He is the Savior and the Son of God. (Romans 10:13)
Salvation is not difficult. It just takes a strong heart felt belief that Jesus, and Him only, can save you and give you eternal life.
"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."
"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
Believers, rejoice!
Jesus is at the very door!
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." - Jesus at Luke 21:28
