"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." - 2 Timothy 1:12
Most Christ followers are familiar with the above Scripture. It is a strong testimony to the faith of the apostle Paul.
Following is a beautiful hymn based on the above verse:
You may be familiar with the writings of Andrew Murray, who was a South African preacher and author and lived from 1828 to 1917. Following is a 36 minute audio sermon by Murray which discusses 2 Timothy 1:12 as well as many other spiritual gems that you will benefit from:
In the above sermon, Andrew Murray explains the importance of the Holy Spirit - how it is essential to living effectively as a believer. He tells us that "we need Christ every moment of everyday!" Murray also discusses the apostle Paul and how Paul gave himself wholly to Jesus. As Murray says, "We need Jesus to help us to keep on going, ....... and asks the question if we have given up everything we have into the keeping of Jesus ."
Just a reminder, God and Jesus... when they tell us something to do or not to do, it is NOT advisory, as if we can pick and choose which to obey and which not to obey. We should obey always ! Dr. Charles Stanley often says "Obey God, and leave all the consequences to Him."
No one can "have the Holy Spirit within them" unless they are truly born again (a spiritual rebirth from the Lord). In other words, by believing with all of your very being that Jesus is the Savior, whose redemptive work on the cross .... His shed blood... His sacrifice to pay our sin debt in full.. all that can save us and wash our sins away... wipe the slate clean and save us for eternal life. Just believe in Jesus as the Savior. This is not intellectual knowledge; it is a true faith with all your heart and soul and your very being that Jesus is indeed the one known as the Christ, the Redeemer, the Son of God and, again, the Savior... the only way to heaven.
Concerning the Holy Spirit, following are some words of Jesus:
"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever." - John 14:16
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost [ Holy Spirit] Whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." - John 14:26
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you." - John 16:7
As stated in previous posts here, over and over again this blog has stressed the importance of being in God's Holy Word the Bible on a daily basis, as well as to pray without ceasing, (1 Thessalonians 5:17). That is the only way a person will be able to develop a close, intimate, personal, and loving relationship with God through Jesus Christ. You cannot get to know anyone if you never communicate with them! The same is true when it comes to the good Lord, of course. God loves us and desires to fellowship with us.
If you have never repented of your sins and asked God for forgiveness and turned to Jesus with a longing to know Him, the Savior - then please do so now! It is childlike simple: simply believe in Christ and that He alone is the Savior and the way to the Father and to heaven. You need to realize that you are indeed a sinner and in need of a Savior !
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 6:23
Following are some Scriptures for the unbeliever:
"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
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 explains the Gospel: "Moreover brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures."
"Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." - John 14:6
"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 will return soon to take true believers to heaven. Will you be ready ?
The ducks above are enjoying the puddles after a recent shower here on Oahu. As I viewed my photograph of them today, it made me think that their reflections were mirrored in the water rather like the way our actions and speech and manner of life as Christians reflect a message to the world (water) or, more likely, to our immediate neighborhood or town. As has been said by others, a Christian's life may be the only "Bible" some people ever read.
"The world doesn't need a definition of Christianity as much as it needs a demonstration." - author unknown
Christians are not perfect; they still sin (but not deliberately and willfully against God if they are true believers). They are not sinless - but they sin....less! We must be careful and discerning in everything and endeavor to reflect a Christ-like attitude at all times, in spite of our weaknesses.
If you are truly born again and filled with the Holy Spirit (which happens when you put your whole faith and belief in Jesus as the Savior), then you will receive help from the good Lord and the Holy Spirit to do the best you can, with His help. Remember, believing in Jesus as the Savior does not mean just intellectual knowledge -- It means believing with all of your very being; your heart and soul and mind, so that you are a new Creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and your mind will be transformed to reflect that (Romans 12:1,2).
Following is a wonderful quote by A. W. Tozer:
"A satisfactory spiritual life will begin with a complete change in relation between God and the sinner; not a judicial change merely but a conscious and experienced change affecting the sinner's whole nature. The atonement in Jesus' blood makes such a change judicially possible and the working of the Holy Spirit makes it emotionally satisfying........ Much of our difficulty as seeking Christians stems from our unwillingness to take God as He is and adjust our lives accordingly. We insist upon trying to modify Him and to bring Him nearer to our own image........ We can get a right start only by accepting God as He is and learning to love Him for what He is. As we go on to know Him better, we shall find it a source of unspeakable joy that God is just what He is. Some of the most rapturous moments we know will be those we spend in reverent admiration of the Godhead."
Following is a song everyone is familiar with by Mercy Me which is "I Can Only Imagine". It has had 79 million views on You Tube in the past 9 years. But this version is not original one due to copyright :
Truth is, we cannot even begin to comprehend the wonders of what heaven will be like. The main thing is that we will be with our Savior Jesus!
Revelation 21:1-5 gives us comforting words concerning some of what being in heaven will entail : (1) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (2) And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. (4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (5) And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."
Talk about words of hope and comfort! The above verses remind us that there is something much better (super fantastic!!) that awaits true believers. Just keep on keeping on! It won't be long now before Jesus returns to take us to our true home !!
Below is an old hymn many will remember: "When We All Get To Heaven" :
I must confess, when I began this article, I had intended to include videos and information on current events (which were depressing). It all tied in with how Bible Prophecy is being fulfilled today at warp speed. The good thing about it was that it makes us realize that our Savior will return and take us home with Him soon! But as I began to write, I felt the Lord leading me in another direction - a more positive and uplifting view for this post, with hymns and Scriptures. It is a positive fact that Jesus will return for His true believers any day now, in light of Bible prophecy, but let's discuss that (Bible Prophecy) in another post another time. You may read more on that subject by going to the "Search Box" at the upper right hand side of this page and entering such things as "The Rapture, end times, Bible prophecy," etc.
As my photograph above makes evident, I enjoy taking shots of pathways. The Bible mentions "path" often.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. - Mark 1:3
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. - Psalm 23:3
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path. - Psalm 119:105
Speaking of Psalm 119:105, remember how it was before you were saved? It was like stumbling in the dark .. .. the darkness of sin and even, for some, confusion. But when you were born again by faith and belief in Jesus, the Savior -- A light came on, so to speak, in your very soul, in all of your very being!! The good Lord rescued you from the darkness of sin and brought you into His saving Light! Give Him all the glory!!
[Overlook from Kualoa Ranch, Oahu, Hawaii]
"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
"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
If you are not saved by belief in Jesus as the Savior, here are some Scriptures for you:
"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
Romans 10:9,10,13 assures 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
Time is running out!
Jesus will return soon to take true believers to heaven.
Are you rapture ready?
Run to Jesus in faith and belief that He is the Savior and that by His shed blood at Calvary....His precious blood .... His sacrifice to pay our sin debt in full...we might have everlasting life.
Jesus will welcome you with open arms and embrace you with love and forgiveness !
This article will focus on help from the Scriptures to endure to the end. To endure until Jesus takes us to be home with Him in heaven.
First, two encouraging videos by Don Moen. The first one is titled "We Wait" which only runs for 6 minutes.
In his video above, Don shares a fantastic quote: "If you really want to get to know God, make a friend of silence."
I had a relative who had to have some kind of background noise (usually from the TV) going constantly throughout the entire day. Many people are the same; silence is a rarity for them. But when you are silent, you will be able to worship God without distraction and you will be more likely to hear His "voice" speaking to you through His Holy Word, the Bible. However, some say to read out loud when you read your Bible. Whatever works for you.
We can even pray silently and God and Jesus will still "hear" us in our thoughts and our spirit.
The following 11 minute video by Don Moen is really relevant to the turbulent times we find ourselves experiencing now. It is titled "Let's Turn Our Fear Into Faith. "
He sings my favorite song of his in the above video which is: "God Will Make A Way"
God, through His Word, can lift you up above all opposition, regrets, depression, anxiety, and fears ! This is mainly true when you are putting your faith and trust in the good Lord already. However, even if you are not a believer and you begin to read the Bible, it will encourage you if your heart is right.
Everyone should also memorize as many Bible verses as possible!
Here is a wonderful and beautiful message from Dr. Charles Stanley published on June 16, 2020. Since it is not a sermon, it may not be deleted from this blog. But if it is deleted, just go to You Tube and enter : "A Comforting Message in Fearful Times - Dr. Charles Stanley." It is 12 minutes in length.
In the above video, Charles Stanley quotes many Bible verses from the book of Psalms. He tells us to live by the Word of God and not by this world's corrupt standards; for us to trust God and Jesus at all times and for us to not be afraid.
God uses the Book of Psalms to help us to worship Him and to help us in our prayers. All of the Bible is beneficial for that, really, but Psalms especially.
A quote on You Tube says it well : "He came to pay a debt He didn't owe and because we have a debt we cannot pay."
But the Bible says it better:
"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; " - Colossians 2:13, 14
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed." - 1 Peter 2:24
About 3 years ago the following song was posted on this blog. It is beneficial and encouraging to include it here again. It is beautiful and uplifting. It is titled " A Prisoner Of Hope":
Following is a quote (I don't remember the source) that cautions us to trust God and Jesus and for us to not try to "fix" things and circumstances ourselves, but to look to the good Lord for guidance.
Step 1: You can't.
Step 2: Know that He can.
Step 3: Let Him ! Get out of His way !
The above quote reminds me of what Proverbs 3:5,6 tells us:
"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."
Romans 10:9,10,13 assures 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
Have blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
Today, with its chaotic and troublesome world occurrences, (and that is putting it mildly!) , many people feel like "Why should I even get up and face the day?" Many troubled souls have also committed suicide as a way to exit this evil world and to end their suffering and hopelessness.
A wonderful sermon by Dr. Charles Stanley is full of encouragement and tells of ways to keep on keeping on. Dr. Stanley also tells us, in this sermon that, as a follower of Christ, giving up is NOT who we are. The sermon is 43 minutes, and can be found by going to You Tube and entering "The Courage to Keep Going - Dr. Charles Stanley". Any sermons in the past by Charles Stanley that I have given a link to, have been promptly deleted on this blog. Thus, I urge you to go to You Tube and watch this powerful and hope-building sermon!
Dr. Stanley, in the above mentioned sermon, tells us to be strong in the Lord in order to endure. We do that by reading His Holy Word daily and also by much prayer. That will build a strong relationship with God through His Son Jesus. God wants to fellowship with us, and when we pray and read the Bible, we will draw closer to Him. We will then experience a strong, intimate, loving and personal relationship with Him, and we will grow in strength and trust in Him. In the above mentioned sermon, Charles Stanley tells us "When everything around us is falling apart, then get on your knees in prayer." And, for us to "rejoice in the Lord when times are tough."
One verse that is of great comfort is Hebrews 13:5 which follows:
"Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
Following is a short daily devotion from Dr. Stanley's In Touch Ministries titled : "When Adversity Hits, Look Up".
Below is a 43 minute video by Pastor Adrian Rogers) titled : "How to pray in the Spirit"
Please, please watch the above video!
Below is another video on prayer you will enjoy.
The 15 minute video directly above stresses how prayer can be an anchor to the soul, but so many Christians struggle with prayer by simply NOT praying. The narrator says that if Jesus needed to pray when He was on earth, certainly who are we to say we don't have time for prayer !
[Haleiwa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii]
"And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." - Romans 8:10-11
One commentary says concerning verse 10 above: "Because the spirit of the Christian has been justified, it is not subject to death as is his body."
Romans 8:26 tells us: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities [weaknesses] : for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
One commentator on Romans 8:26 informs us: "As hope sustains the believer in suffering, so the Holy Spirit helps him in prayer."
When it says in verse 26 about "groanings", it is referring to the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:23 it is the believer that groans.
"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." - Romans 8:23
If you are not saved (born again - a spiritual birth) by believing on Jesus as the Savior, then you have no hope for the future. You will face the Lake of Fire.
"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
All of the signs of Jesus' soon return to take his true followers to be with Him in heaven .... all the signs of the "season of His return" are happening now and literally screaming at us to wake up and repent and put our faith in Jesus and His shed blood at Calvary; His redemptive work on our behalf so that we may have eternal life in heaven.
A wonderful video follows explaining Salvation in a sermon by Pastor Adrian Rogers.
To keep on keeping on, we need the good Lord's help. If we put our faith and trust in Him, He will mercifully give us help to carry on; He will give us strength to face our obstacles and hardships. Following are some Scriptures which tell us that the Lord will give us strength and hope, and will be with us through thick and thin.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13
"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." - Psalm 31:24
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." - Psalm 46:1
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might." - Ephesians 6:10
"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 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
"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
"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
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
Where to begin? Perhaps I had best let the following videos speak concerning current events as they pertain to Bible Prophecy. First is Pastor J.D. Farag's recent video of May 31, 2020 in which he asks the question : "What on earth is happening?" It is an hour and 2 minutes long.
In the above video, Pastor Farag discusses the recent riots over the death of George Floyd; he discusses how America is currently divided as never before, as well as information on the Covid-19 vaccine and the technology that is now available for The Mark of the Beast and much more. Some of this information you may already be aware of, but Pastor Farag brings out new information and provides Scriptures, which some news sources do not. Some information on the coronavirus vaccine presented in the above video many of you might already know about,as stated above. You do NOT want anything that will alter your DNA, which this (Bill Gates) vaccine will do. Do some research on your own. It is alarming how evil it all is ! I urge you to watch the entire video. Pastor Farag gives the way to Salvation in his closing portion of his video.
Concerning the fires in New York City at the present time, pastor
David Wilkerson prophesied that several years ago. (He died in a tragic car accident in 2011). Here is a short 2 minute audio video clip on that prophesy:
Often on this blog, there have been sermons posted by Pastor Wilkerson. He was the founder of a non-denominational church in New York City, but is best known for his book " The Cross And The Switchblade."
On doing research today concerning Pastor Wilkerson, I found a website where one of his articles was posted on the very day he died (April 27,2011). I felt compelled to include it here now. The article is titled: "When all means fail."
"To believe when all means fail is exceedingly pleasing to God and is most acceptable. Jesus said to Thomas, "You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those that do believe and have not seen." (John 20:29) Blessed are those who believe when there is no evidence of an answer to prayer - who trust beyond hope when all means have failed. Someone has come to the place of hopelessness - the end of hope - the end of all means.
"A loved one is facing death and doctors give no hope. Death seems inevitable. Hope is gone. The miracle prayed for is not happening. That is when satan's hordes come to attack your mind with fear, anger, overwhelming questions. ' Where is your God now? You prayed until you had no tears left. You fasted. You stood on promises. You trusted.' Blasphemous thoughts will be injected into your mind : ' Prayer failed. Faith failed. Don't quit on God - just do not trust Him anymore. It doesn't pay.' Even questioning God's existence will be injected into your mind.
"These have been the devices of satan for centuries. Some of the godliest men and women whoever lived were under such demonic attacks.
"To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word:
"Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights - and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper: "I am with you. I cannot tell you why now, but one day it will all make sense.You will see it was all part of My plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain'.
"Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail - His love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in His Word. There is no other hope in this world."
End of Pastor Wilkerson's article. Not only were his sermons powerful and spirit filled, but so were his written words! It was felt that you might draw encouragement from his article during these turbulent end times we are experiencing right now.
The above article by Wilkerson is found
here I am not familiar with that site, but wanted to share that article by Pastor Wilkerson with you.
[Beach at Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii]
"Happy moments, praise God
Difficult moments, seek God
Quiet moments, worship God
Painful moments, trust God
Every moment, thank God."
(Comment above found on You Tube)
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." - Titus 2:13
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 !!
