"Have You Experienced The Grace And Glory Of God? And How Do We Glorify God?" (Sermon videos by Ravi Zacharias) - Inspirational Weekend

My photograph above depicts a sunset on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, and rather reminds one of the following Scripture:

"The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth His handy work." - Psalm 19:1

Many more things could be mentioned that declare God's glory: such as the miracle of a newborn baby as well as its conception and growth in the womb (the Heavenly Father made all that possible).  Once I knew a minister that observed :  "You know that God has a sense of humor by just watching kittens play." That, as well, shines forth as an attribute of God and one of many qualities of the Lord that make Him glorious.  

But He is glorious in many grandiose ways as well; many of you already realize all of this, but some unsaved people may never give it a thought.   Following are two sermons by Ravi Zacharias that give an unexpected consideration of the Glory of God.  Part one below is 29 minutes chock full of his excellent preaching.   As many of you may know, he passed away not too long ago (you may find more information about him on the Web).

He mentions much in the above sermon which we all need to hear; such as what God intends in your life and how God seems to be departing from His people.   He tells us that in today's society, there exists much "hollowness of the trivial."

Here is part two of the above sermon, which is also 29 minutes.  Part two was exceptionally moving to me.  Just a note, part two repeats portions of part one in the very beginning of it.  Be patient and keep watching and you will be rewarded by the excellent contents of part two.

A very important comment by Ravi in part one above, is when he said emphatically:  "One thing that keeps me going is the the firm belief more than ever, that this Gospel is the only shining light against the dark background of a confused and messed up world."

In part two of his sermon, Ravi Zacharias tells us, "If the Lord is present in your life, it is the only hope in a dark, dark world.  Wake up every morning in the Light if the Lord is with you."

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield: The LORD will give grace and glory: No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly."  -   Psalm 84:11

Based on the above verse in Psalm 84, Charles Spurgeon wrote an excellent devotional concerning the fact that grace and glory always go together.   Following is that insightful devotional :

"Bounteous is Jehovah in His nature; to give us His delight.  His gifts are beyond measure, precious, and are as freely given as the light of the sun. He gives grace to His elect because He wills it, to His redeemed because of His promise, to  believers because they seek it, to sinners because they need it.  He gives grace abundantly, seasonably, constantly, readily, sovereignly;  doubly enhancing the value of the boon by the manner of its bestowal.  Grace in all its forms He freely renders to His people: comforting, preserving, sanctifying, directing, instructing, assisting grace, He generously pours into their souls without ceasing, and He always will do so, whatever may occur.  Sickness may befall but the Lord will give grace; poverty may happen to us, but grace will surely be afforded; death must come but grace will light a candle at the darkest hour.  Reader, how blessed it is as years roll round, and the leaves begin again to fall, to enjoy such an unfading promise as this: "The Lord will give grace."

"The little conjunction "and" in this verse is a diamond rivot binding the present with the future; grace and glory always go together.  God has married them and  none can divorce them.  The Lord will never deny a soul glory to whom He has freely given to live upon His grace; indeed, glory is nothing more than grace in its Sabbath dress;  like autumn fruit, mellow and perfected.  How soon we may have glory none can tell!  It may be before this month of October has run out.  We shall see the Holy City, but be the interval longer or shorter, we shall be glorified ere long.  Glory, the glory of heaven, the glory of eternity, the glory of Jesus, the glory of the Father: the Lord will surely give to His chosen.  Oh, rare promise of a faithful God ! :

"Two golden links of one celestial chain;  Who oweth grace shall surely glory gain."

As you can see, the above devotional by Charles Spurgeon was too good to edit it -   all of it needed to be shared with you!  By the way, Spurgeon was a British minister that lived from 1834 to 1892.  Note that in his devotional above, that he expected the possible soon return of Jesus back then.

For more about Jesus' return and the Rapture of true believers (and many other topics as well pertaining to the end times we find ourselves living in today) .. go to the top right hand side of this page and enter in the search box there :"Rapture" (or any other topic) and several articles will pop up for you; many with videos as well).

Some of the ways we may glorify God is by simply living a clean, godly life.  If we are of God's family - as all truly born again believers are His children - then what we do, say, and the way we act reflect upon Him !  By endeavoring to be as Christ-like as we can, we give glory to the Lord.

Remember, salvation is a gift from God.  Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us:

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

This leads us to the fact that since God/Jesus is responsible for our salvation, who are we to boast (glory) in the fact that He enables us to have any spiritual insight or understanding?!

"For Who maketh thee to differ from another?  and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"                     -     1 Corinthians 4:7

So any spiritual blessings and eyes of discernment where spiritual truths are concerned  - all comes from the good Lord.  He deserves the glory -  and not us!

Let us go back to Ephesians again.  "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." -    Ephesians 2:10

This means, as you realize, we are saved by grace and faith as a gift from the Heavenly Father (Ephesians 2:8-9) and NOT by works.  However, if you are truly born again by faith in Jesus as the Savior, you will want to be "fruitful" in doing His will and sharing the Gospel.  If you are truly saved, good works will naturally follow from the Holy Spirit's influence in your heart and soul.

So, by being "fruitful" we may also glorify God.  (NOT ourselves!!)

[Shark's Cove, Oahu, Hawaii]

"And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:  for My strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."                     -     2 Corinthians 12:9-10  

In the above verses at 2 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul exclaims so strongly about Christ's grace and what it means... this after the Lord had let him know that He would NOT remove Paul's "thorn in the flesh".  (2 Corinthians 12:7-8)

These verses have special meaning to me (as to many of you, as well) and I have intended for some time to do a post here focusing primarily on the above verses.  So I will not elaborate on it more here at this present time, but felt compelled to share it with you now, just the same.

[Hanalei Taro Fields, Kauai, Hawaii]

"Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works."  -  Martin Luther

"One often sees a call only in retrospect.  This too is God's design.  God often reinforces faith after we trust Him, not before."   -   Ravi Zacharias

"We had long known the Lord without realizing that meekness and lowliness of heart should be the distinguishing feature of the disciple."   -  Andrew Murray

"Deny your weakness, and you will never realize God's strength in you."  -  Joni Eareckson Tada

"It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels."  -  Ausgustine

If you are not saved by faith and belief in the saving power of Christ's shed blood at Calvary -  that He was the Sacrificial Lamb of God, that gave His life as a ransom for you;  that He died and poured out His blood  and took on the sins of the world - your sins - and paid your sin debt in full when He died in your place on the Cross -  then take to heart the following Scriptures that explain Salvation and then realize that without Jesus you are "toast"  and lost forever.   Eternity is a long time to spend in the wrong place, and being tormented at that!   Please open your heart, repent, and believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven!  Pray for forgiveness !

"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

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."     -  John 3:3

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

Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life!

 

"Time Is Running Out - Signs to KNOW You Will Go To Heaven; Seek God While He May Be Found" (with videos) - Inspirational Weekend

 

                                                        [Hamakua Marsh, Kailua, Oahu]

Do you truly know God?  Not only an intellectual knowledge of Him and Jesus, but a soul stirring and heartfelt belief and faith in Him; to love Him with all of your heart, and soul, strength and mind.  If so, then you will endeavor to obey Him always, and to put His will first in your life.  

"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  There is none other commandment greater than these."   -   Mark 12:29-31

Following is a 10 minute video which is excellent in its insight on the subject of seeking God.  Many Scriptures are covered, especially Isaiah 55:6-9 which tells us:

(verse 6)  : "Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: (verses 7-9 : (7)  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.  (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."

 

    "The Bible is your lifeline.  The assurance of heaven ought to make a difference in our life."  = A quote from the following 15 minute video titled  " 3 Signs You Are Going To Heaven (This May Surprise You.)"  

I will let the above excellent 15 minute video speak for itself.  However, one of the signs given in it that you will go to heaven, is if you have a peaceful heart.  Boy, do we all need a peaceful heart in these troublesome prophesied end times !  It is possible. However, it does not mean that at times we are not stressed or heartbroken, or do not have  any afflictions that life and the devil throws at us.  It does mean that we will NOT "stay down" if we rely on the good Lord and put our faith and hope in Him, and depend upon Him for strength to endure.

"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

The hope of heaven which true believers have will enable us to carry on about the Lord's business.  Actually, it is God's Holy Spirit within us Who helps and encourages us to "Keep on keeping on."

"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever;  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."                         -  Jesus at John 14:16-17

Note:  In  verse 16 above when Jesus says "Comforter"  it is another expression for the Holy Spirit.  Most of you know that, but for some who are not saved and reading this, it is a new concept to them.

[Barber's Point Lighthouse, Oahu]

Much has been written on this blog concerning the fact that we are living in the last days of this Age of Grace, this dispensation.  These are urgent times, folks !  Today, with all the uproar around  us  and in the world, for that matter, on so many dire and unprecedented issues confronting us:   " Something has to give !!"

And soon it will.  Jesus will return soon to take His true followers to heaven in the Rapture.   Then, or probably soon thereafter, the 7 year Tribulation will begin under the rule of the antichrist.   You do not want to be here to suffer the magnitude of the destruction, horror, and agony of the Tribulation!   ( Go to the "Search Box" in the upper right hand side of this page and enter things such as "7 year Tribulation,  The Rapture, End times, " etc. for more information).

So how do you avoid the Tribulation period?  If you sincerely turn to Jesus now in faith and belief that He is the Savior -  that His shed blood at the cross redeemed us and that He was the Sacrificial Lamb whose blood washes away our sins (wipes the slate clean) because He took our place at Calvary - He took our sins upon Himself and paid our sin debt in full;  If you believe all this and that He was resurrected from the dead -  You will be saved and will spend eternity in heaven with Him, our Savior and Redeemer.  You will be taken to heaven before the 7 year Tribulation begins !

Following are some Salvation Scriptures for those who are not saved at the present time.  Take them to heart !  Pray to the good Lord for forgiveness, and truly repent of your sins.  God will answer that prayer if you are sincere.... if you have a change of heart and want with all of your being to serve the Lord and obey Him.

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

"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation)." -    2 Corinthians 6:2

"Jesus 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

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

"Meet God - How to Get Right With The Lord" (With Videos - One on Salvation; & Two Must Watch Sermons by Pastor Charles Lawson) - Inspirational Weekend

 

                                       ["Turtle Beach" Or Laniakea Beach, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii]

I was very inspired this morning by sermon videos on You Tube, and felt an urgency, even, to make a new post here immediately.  

If you have family members who are not saved, as is the case with me, then you realize the urgency that they come to a saving faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ -  and pronto !  Because Jesus' return is imminent, folks !  Following is a short 5 minute clip on salvation by Pastor Charles Lawson titled: "There is forgiveness at the Cross."  You might want to share this with unsaved family members or anyone else as well.  

Pastor Lawson gave a fantastic 45 minute sermon earlier this month titled: "How To Get Right With God".  He touches on many, many pertinent subjects and Scriptures.  He discusses Job and his ordeal with suffering and tremendous loss, as well as king David and his sins and how he suffered because of his errors. He mentions that in both Job's and David's case, they both repented.  He clarifies that repentance is MORE than just a change of mind.   This sermon on getting right with God is right to the point and not "sugar-coated." Pastor Lawson says that if you have had an encounter with God, that you "will tremble."

In the above sermon, much about how the devil is after true believers is discussed, and all the suffering we endure because of the evil brought upon us by that deceiver and slanderer, satan.

A wonderful Scripture that Christians can take comfort in is found at 1 John 4:4  which follows:

"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."

If you are currently enduring many trials, take heart.  You must be doing something right !  Otherwise, the evil one would not be after you.   Remember what Jesus told His followers:

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:  but because ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you."  - John 15:18-19

And, oftentimes God will let us be tried by unbearable circumstances, not only to test our faith, but also to "prune" us, "strengthen" us, and to make us more Christ-like.  

We all realize, as well, that sometimes circumstances just happen out of the blue that bring suffering and trials, such as ill health, etc.  And as crazy as this world has become in these prophesied end times, just about anything you can imagine could knock us off our feet.

But as believers, we should not stay down long !  We have the good Lord to look to in faith!

Did you realize that Jesus considers us His friends if we obey and keep His commandments?

"Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."  -  John 15:14

This blog has often stressed that God and Jesus desire to fellowship with true believers.  The following 27 minute sermon by Pastor Charles Lawson discusses that very subject.  The sermon title is "To Know Him is to Fellowship with Him."  Please watch.  We all need this reminder.

Just a note:  In this sermon, it is brought out that God "despised" the ancient Israelites for their stubbornness and rebellion and sin.

[Turtle Beach - Laniakea Beach - North Shore, Oahu]

"The Lord gives His people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to Him."  -  Dwight L. Moody

"True faith rests upon the character of God and asks no further proof than the moral perfections of the One who cannot lie."  -  A.W. Tozer

"God never hurries.  There are no deadlines against which He must work.  Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves."  -  A.W. Tozer

"He who kneels before God can stand before anyone."  -  unknown

"If you live for people's acceptance, you'll die from their rejection."  -  Lecrae

"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the one who is leading."  -  Oswald Chambers 

"Exercise daily  -  Walk with the LORD."  - unknown

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

Will YOU Be There ? (When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder) - with Videos { Two Featuring Dr.Thomas Ice Concerning The Rapture}

 

                                                                       [Bird of Paradise]

The Bird of Paradise flowers are found almost everywhere in the Hawaiian Islands, as landscape plantings for businesses and parks as well as for private homes.  I imagine there will probably be various flowers in heaven as well.  In the Bible book of Revelation, it speaks of "the Tree of Life": which follows:

"In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."  -    Revelation 22:2

But the main thing to consider about heaven is:  God and Jesus will be there!  And you too, if you are a true believer in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His shed blood to redeem us and make a way for us to be with Him for all eternity -  if we believe He is the Savior, the Son of God, and believe also in His death and resurrection.  (Romans 10:9,10,13). And this belief in Jesus is not just intellectual belief -  It is a deep, abiding, heartfelt belief that involves a person's entire being.... heart, soul, mind, spirit!

Let's start with a beautiful old hymn that the older generation of today will remember.  Hope you younger ones enjoy it as well. It is titled "I'll Be There  (When the Roll is Called Up Yonder)"

Many persons (myself included) have always believed that Matthew 24 and 25 pertains to the church, being raptured when the end times signs occur (or begin to occur) in those chapters of Matthew. Actually, I personally believed part of Matthew 24 was for the Gentile Church (Christians) and part was for the Jews, Israel. However, some scholars, including Dr. Tommy Ice in the following 2 videos, stress that Jesus was speaking there concerning Israel only.  Tommy Ice in the following video tells us that the Rapture is not in Matthew 24.  This 29 minute video is the most recent of the two shared here:  it was published by ProphecyWatchers.com on October 10, 2020:

The next video by prophecywatchers.com was published in June of 2020, featuring Tommy Ice again where he discusses 2 Thessalonians 2 and 1 Thessalonians 4 - specifically about the Rapture taking only the Church Age believers, and also about "the apostacy" (or is it the "departure"?).  Dr. Ice shows a chart of various Bible translations (of other centuries) and how most of them translated "falling away" - as in the King James Version - as "departure" instead.  Interesting and quite informing and eye-opening information in the following 29 minute video!

2 Thessalonians 2:3 (KJV) : "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, 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 4:15-18  (KJV)

It would be wonderful if you read all of 1 Thessalonians, or at least all of Chapter 4 there.    Following is another important "Rapture verse" or rather, verses!

"Behold, I shew you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." -  1 Corinthians 15:51-58

I included all of that segment of 1 Corinthians 15 for encouragement for you !  And of great encouragement to know, if you follow Bible prophecy and how it is playing out now and coming true right before our very eyes in these last moments of these last days,  .... great to know that the Rapture must be very, very soon!  Many believers are growing tired and are "battle weary" from these chaotic and stressful times.  But most are just longing to be with the good Lord in heaven, our true home and our blessed hope !

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

By the way, Titus 2:13 is one of many scriptures that prove Jesus' deity.  But that is a subject for another post another time.  Do some research on your own as well concerning His deity.

[Islands Off Lanikai Beach, Oahu, Hawaii]

Just a short note about Dr. Thomas Ice: He is currently (last I checked) the Executive Director of the Pre-Trib Research Center in Washington, DC.  He is the author of several books and articles on the subject of the Rapture, and is frequently a speaker at many and various Bible conferences around the world.  There are several articles written by him at raptureready.com  

raptureready.com

The main thing to focus on is to make sure YOU are Rapture Ready! And that your family and friends are as well!  Also, to share the Gospel with them and others, as that is our commission from Jesus Himself (Matthew 28:19-20).

 Following is a graphic I use frequently which is known as "The Roman Road to Salvation".  We have already touched upon the fact that you must have faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior -- a faith and belief that consumes your entire being   -  all of your heart, soul, mind !  And, if you are truly saved and born again (a spiritual rebirth), the Holy Spirit will come and indwell you and empower you to be a strong and effective follower of Jesus.  You will want and desire to please Him/God and it will be as a never ending hunger and thirst for more of Him - to draw ever closer to Him in a strong, loving, trusting, personal, and enduring relationship.

"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

First, you must repent, which is a complete change of mind, a change in heart, involving remorse for your sins, and praying to the heavenly Father for forgiveness.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." -   Acts 2:38

"And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."  -  Jesus at Mark 1:15

"Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy."  -    Psalm 109:26

"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)  -  2 Corinthians 6:2

"Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By Whom also we have access by Faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience, experience, and experience hope."  -   Romans 5:1-4  (Not exactly  salvation verses, but I wanted to include them for encouragement for those already saved, as well as to show unbelievers what consolation can be theirs once they accept Jesus as their Savior).

"Jesus saith unto him,  I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father except 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."

"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

When the roll is called up yonder, will you be there?

"The Joy Of The Lord Is Possible In Today's Troublesome Times - How To Rejoice ln The Lord" -Video Sermon by Pastor Chuck Smith - Inspirational Weekend

 

                                                     [Kayaks, Kailua Beach, Oahu, Hawaii]           

As you can imagine, in Hawaii people flock to the beaches to find some happiness in that past time. There is much beauty to be found in these islands, and that in itself also brings pleasure and happiness to many.

"....for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."  -  Nehemiah 8:10 b

Pastor Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel Churches, says in the following sermon audio video, what many others have also said:  "Happiness is variable, it depends on your circumstances; joy is the experience in Spirit which is independent of your circumstances. "  Especially is this true concerning "the joy of the Lord" (Nehemiah 8:10).  Please listen to Pastor Chuck's excellent 38 minute sermon:

Most of you are familiar with Galatians 5:22-23 which tells of the "Fruit of the Spirit" among which is "joy".

Did you realize that we are commanded to rejoice in the Lord ?

"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."  -  Philippians 4:4

"And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee."  -  Deuteronomy 12:7

Following is a partial quote by commentator Alexander MacLaren on Nehemiah 8:10:

"You may say with truth, 'my emotions of joy and sorrow are not under my control. I cannot help being glad and sad as circumstances dictate.'  But yet here it lies, a commandment.  It is a duty, a thing that the apostle enjoins; in which, of course is implied, that somehow or other it is to a large extent within one's own power, and that even  the indulgence in this emotion, and the degree to which life shall be a cheerful life, is dependent in a large measure on our own volitions, and stands on the same footing as our obedience to God's other commandments.  ....    But I will tell you what you can do or refrain from doing -  you can either go and stand in the Light, or you can stand in the shadow.  You can either fix your attention upon and make the predominate subject of your religious contemplations a truth which shall make you glad and strong, or a half-truth, which shall make you sorrowful. and therefore weak.  Your meditations may either center mainly upon your own selves, your faults and failings, and the like; or they may center mainly upon God, and His Christ and His grace, the Holy Spirit and His communion.  You may either fill your soul with joyful thoughts, or though a true Christian, a real devout, God-accepted believer, you may be so misapprehending the nature of the gospel, and your relation to it, its promises and precepts, its duties and predictions, as that the prevalent tinge and cast of your religion shall be solemn and almost gloomy, and not lighted up and irradiated with the felt sense of God's presence -  with the strong, healthy consciousness that you are a forgiven and justified man, and that you are going to be a glorified one."

Alexander MacLaren, in the above quote, and in his entire commentary on Nehemiah 8:10, is excellent to read for it is full of wisdom and spiritual gems which we all need to ponder.  It is quite lengthy, but worth your while to read his entire commentary found on the Web.

One more quote by MacLaren:   "Joy in the Lord is the natural result of Christian faith. ...   The joy that is in Christ is deep and abiding.  Faith in Him naturally works gladness."

[Rainbow Shower Tree]

Isaiah 61:10 tells us: "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be be joyful in my God, for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a  bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."

"And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom we have now received the atonement."  -  Romans 5:11

"And ye now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no man taketh away from you."   -   Jesus at John 16:22

The above words by Jesus are very special!  All of His words are special of course,  but the above at John 16:22 ring loud and clear to believers now in this chaotic world we find ourselves living in -   the last moments of the end of this dispensation; the end of the age of Grace; the last days.  Jesus was speaking here to His disciples concerning mainly His soon death and resurrection and eventual return.  However, His words are a comfort to us in this modern world as well.  Note in the above verse that He told us "your heart shall rejoice and your joy NO man taketh from you!"   Put your hope and trust in the good Lord, and not in this evil world and its philosophies.

"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 Ghost."  -  Romans 15:13

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  -  Philippians 4:7

Are you hurting?  Have you seen much sorrow and heartbreak and hard times?  Consider the following quote by A. W. Tozer:

"It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply."

Remember, afflictions should, hopefully, result in us turning to God in remorse, and looking to Him for guidance and relief.  We are "pruned" by Him in our afflictions.

"I was delivered from the burden that had so heavily suppressed me.  The spirit of mourning was taken from me, and I knew what it was to truly rejoice in God, my Savior."  -  George Whitefield

"The Lord gives His people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to Him."  -  Dwight L. Moody

"The only lasting and fully satisfying joys for any man lie on the other side of a cross."  -  Walter J. Chantry

"It is His joy that remains in us that makes us joyful."  -  A.B. Simpson 

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

"Happiness is untested delight.  Joy is delight tested." -  Jack Hyles

[Lanikai Beach, Oahu, Hawaii]

Much more may be written on rejoicing in the Lord, and many additional Scriptures could be shared here.  It would be beneficial for you to search the scriptures for yourself, and thereby grow in your faith and closeness to the good Lord.  As mentioned frequently on this blog,  God wants to fellowship with us.  We do that by much Bible reading and studying, and also by frequent daily prayer.  You cannot get to really know a person unless you communicate frequently with them. The same is true, of course, when it comes to communicating with the heavenly Father.   You need to develop a close, intimate, personal, loving and abiding relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior.

For those who are not born again, have not put their trust in Jesus and belief in Him as the Savior, please read the following Scriptures.  You need to repent and ask for forgiveness and turn to the Lord while there is still time!  This world is dying!   Heaven is alive and glorious!

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

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

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

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

"Are We Trying Too Hard? And The Purpose Of Life" - with videos - Inspirational Weekend

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 !!

"It Was The Best of Times, It Was The Worst of Times" (with videos - One by Pastor Chuck Smith) - Inspirational Weekend

       

The title of this post, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" many of you will recognize as the opening of Charles Dickens' novel, "A Tale of Two Cities" which concerned the terrible issues in Paris and London in the late 18th Century.  I was reminded of that quote recently when I read an article that compares that time to the time in which we find ourselves now in these chaotic last days of this troubled world.  Below is a link to that article:

https://www.raptureforums.com/end-times/busily-waiting/

In the article above, it clarifies that "when seen in the proper perspective, it is a blessing to be living in the most exciting period of human history..... the conclusion of the age of the Church of Jesus Christ"  -  soon coming to an end by the Rapture of true believers to heaven.  For true followers of the Savior, Jesus, it is a blessed hope to look forward to.  (Titus 2:13). Please read the short article in the link above for more insightful thoughts.

Part of my Bible study for yesterday was in Luke 21.  As most of you realize, that is where Jesus gave signs of the end times to His disciples.  My focus, however, was on verses 13, 19, and 36 of Luke 21.  

When searching for a sermon on those verses on You Tube, the following one by Pastor Chuck Smith, the founder of Calvary Chapel Churches, caught my attention.  Pastor Chuck speaks about the end times signs (and more) and then at the 24 minute mark of this 38 minute sermon, he discusses Luke 21:36, where Jesus tells us :

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

   

   In the above sermon, Pastor Smith reminds us that when the 7 year Tribulation starts, it is then too late to pray to escape the horrors of it.

If you have not surrendered your life to the good Lord - have not put your faith and trust and heartfelt belief in Jesus and the fact that He is the Savior and the only way to heaven and eternal life - it is imperative that you do so now while there is still time.  

Jesus' return is imminent!

Be Rapture Ready!

Following is an old hymn you will enjoy!

By Jesus' shed blood at Calvary, where He paid our sin debt in full by taking our place on the cross and by taking our sins upon Himself there, we may have eternal life if we but believe in Him as the Savior.  Remember, in the Old Testament times, the blood of lambs and other animals made atonement for the people's sins.  When Jesus, the Lamb of God, shed His blood, He made redemption possible for you and me.  For once and all time!   What love !  

If you are not saved by belief in Jesus and in His shed blood on your  behalf (the ransom sacrifice; His redemptive work on our behalf) ; then following are some Bible verses for you to take to heart and that will help you to repent and to pray for forgiveness and to surrender in faith to Jesus.

"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 upon him."  -   John 3:36

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

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

"I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:  I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep."  -     John 10:9-11

"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 !!