"The Power of Faith, Hope, And Love" - Inspirational Weekend

Faith, hope and love are often found together in the New Testament. One instance is at 1 Thessalonians 1:3 which tells us,

"Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;"

Below is an example and explanation of what the triad faith, hope, and love actually mean.

Let's take faith first.  The power of faith produces action.  The Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God  (Hebrews 11:6).  A brand new believer in Jesus as Savior exhibits faith that the Lord is the Messiah and his Redeemer.  As he studies God's Word and is often in prayer, his faith will grow.  Answered prayer is a mighty faith builder.   Belief that we will be with the Lord in heaven one day also takes faith.   

The patriarch Abraham was saved by his faith, not by his works. Romans 4:3 says, "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness."    He followed and obeyed God when the Lord told him to leave his country and go to a land He would show him.  (Hebrews 11:8).  That took faith. What took much faith was when God told Abraham to sacrifice his own son Isaac and Abraham obeyed, but the Lord stopped him from actually killing Isaac.  God was putting Abraham to the test so He could see how strong was Abraham's faith.   

Yes, there is power in faith.  There are many more examples in the Bible of the transforming power of faith, such as Moses and Gideon.   

Then there is the power of hope.   I have shared here previously about how I went through difficult times for a period of about 4 years, and all seemed hopeless to me for a while.   But God.   He put it within my heart to begin reading the Bible again, which began to renew my mind.  I know first-hand the power of hope, because His Word began to give me a hope for something better. Without hope, there appears to be no reason to exist.  You see, without God there is no hope.  The only sound and just object of hope is God Himself.  The hope that Jesus gives and the promises of God can give meaning to your life, can give you a purpose, and a desire to keep-on-keeping-on despite obstacles.     The ultimate hope is one of eternal life with the Lord in heaven.  

"(18) That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:  (19) Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the vail; "  -  Hebrews 6:18-19

You can observe, then, that hope is not whimsical wishful thinking.  When we hope in God, we can rest assured that it is a reliable and true thing.  HE is called the God of hope.

"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

Now let us consider love.  The most famous and most loved chapter in the Bible about love is 1 Corinthians 13.  Following are the first 3 verses of that chapter:

"(1)Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  (2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have no charity, I am nothing. (3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

The King James version uses the word "charity" instead of the more appropriate word "love" in the above verses.   The point is obvious: you can do many mighty works and good deeds, but if you do not have love and act out of love, it is to no avail.  Love is above all other gifts....it is preeminent.  (1 Corinthians 13:13).  We should love God and other people more than we love ourselves.   

That brings us to the important fact that God loves us.  

God is love.

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

Following is a sermon by Charles Spurgeon on how much Jesus loves us. 

Jesus loved us so much that he suffered and died for us and shed His blood at Calvary so that all who would believe in Him and His resurrection could have eternal life.   Even when we fall or backslide, Jesus still loves us and is patient with us and willing to forgive us.   We need to repent of and confess all known sin and run to Him for refuge and solace.

"But the God of all grace, Who hath called us into His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you."  -  1 Peter 5:10

"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father"     -  Galatians 1:3-4

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

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

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

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

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

Faith. 

Prayer.

Much time in God's Holy Word.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He will embrace you with love and forgiveness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Fear To Fear" (With Sermon Clips by Charles Spurgeon) - Inspirational Weekend

Big cats are magnificent and quite handsome.   I admire their beauty and regal bearing, but I do not want to be near one in the wild; I do not even want to be alone with them at the zoo except when I am protected by glass and walls and barriers.   Yes, I have a healthy fear where big cats are concerned; a self-preserving fear.  A healthy fear can be a blessing and can show wisdom on our part.

But there is another kind of fear we need to be alert about.  Thus the title of this post, "Fear to Fear".  Charles Spurgeon says it best in this short 2 minute sermon clip:

In other words, "Be afraid to be afraid".   Do not be a coward.  

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone,  which is the second death."    -    Revelation 21:8

The above verse shows us clearly just how God views the fearful....He lumps them together with murderers and the unbelieving and all liars (etc.), and tells us that they will be tormented forever in hell.

Being fearful shows a lack of faith and trust in God.  If it is a constant fear, perhaps you are not truly born again.  You need to get down on your knees and pray for deliverance and forgiveness.  Read your Bible daily and pray without ceasing.   When you develop a close, intimate, personal love relationship with God through Jesus Christ, you will learn to put all of your hope and faith and trust in Him, and any morbid fear will disappear.  

When you are a genuine believer and have truly been born again, the Holy Spirit within you will remove all fear.  Also, to have all fear removed, we must love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength  (Mark 12:30).  

"A perfect faith would lift us absolutely above fear."  -   George Macdonald

"Faith, which is trust, and fear are opposite poles.  If a man has the one, he can scarcely have the other in vigorous operation.  He that has his trust set upon God does not need to dread anything except the weakening or the paralyzing of that trust."    -   Alexander MacLaren.

"The only known antidote to fear is faith."   -  Woodrow Kroll

So trust and faith in the good Lord will cast out fear.  

Psalm 27:1 tells us, "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love."    -  1 John 4:18

Not only does faith in the Lord cast out fear, but also love will set you free from fear as well.   As you grow and mature in faith and in a strong and intimate relationship with God,  your love for Him and for obeying Him in total surrender will increase.  You will love Him with all of your heart and will desire to please Him in everything.  As God answers your prayers and guides you, your love and faith will grow by leaps and bounds.  

Following is a beautiful hymn about not being afraid:

There is One whom we should fear however; with a healthy, reverent fear and with love.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us,  "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."  -  2 Corinthians 7:1

It is evident from the Scriptures that we should have a healthy, reverent fear of the good Lord.  Fear to grieve Him, fear to disobey Him, fear to displease Him in any way.  He is our Creator, the Sovereign of the universe, the only true God; therefore we should be in awe of Him and serve Him in humility and obedience.

Following is another 2 minute sermon clip by Charles Spurgeon titled "Fear Only God".  In it Spurgeon tells us,  "He who fears God has nothing else to fear."

Have a Christ centered weekend !

"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

"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

"Words Of Hope And Encouragement In Troubled Times" - Inspirational Weekend

I was going to post another video about end times signs, but felt instead as if the Lord wanted me to share some hopeful and encouraging Scriptures and thoughts that would uplift your spirits. Please watch an inspiring video towards the end of this article which is titled, "God's Love Letter to us."

"The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."     -  Jesus at John 6:63 b

In these troubled last moments of the end times we find ourselves living in now, it is imperative that we focus on "things above"  to give us hope and strength and a right perspective -  a spiritual view.

"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

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."  -   1 John 2:15-17

If you are a born again Christian, those words above are very encouraging.  And they can be encouraging to unbelievers as well if those Scriptures will help them to come to a saving faith in Jesus the Savior.  

But for the here and now, we are stuck in this imperfect and wicked world.   We need to occupy until Jesus' soon return; by that is meant to fellowship with the good Lord by much prayer and much Bible study, and to witness to lost souls about salvation found only in Jesus.

Following are scriptures to encourage you and give you hope.

"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

"These things have I 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

"Be careful  [anxious] for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."   -  Philippians 4:6-7

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God:  I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."    -   Isaiah 41:10

"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 the hope of the glory of God."  -  Romans 5:1-2

"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

It is good to read the entire Psalm 23 as well as Psalm 91.  You can check the internet for Scriptures that may apply to your particular needs or situation.

The main thing is to focus on living a life that pleases the good Lord and that includes sharing with others the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Remember to give God the glory in everything!

"Saying with a loud voice, fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."    -   Revelation 14:7

Time is short!

Jesus could return at any moment to take true believers to be with Him in heaven...... when the Rapture of the Church occurs.

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

No one knows the day or the hour of Jesus' return except the Heavenly Father.  But we need to make sure that we  believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior, and put our hope and faith in Him, so when He does return, we will be rapture ready.

All of the above Scriptures give us hope and encouragement. What a loving and merciful God to write us such a love letter and instruction manual as found in His holy Word, the Bible!  With such a hope of eternal life as given by belief in Jesus as the Savior, we can find strength to endure trials and hardships in this imperfect world.  We have a hope that soon we will be in heaven with the good Lord.  That helps us to endure !  Following is a short video (10 minutes) about God's love letter to us, as if spoken by the Heavenly Father Himself.  I have posted it previously, but felt it rather fits this article to share it with you again.  It is a very moving and uplifting message.

Jesus loves you and will welcome you with open arms full of compassion and forgiveness.

"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."

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

Latest Middle East Update From Amir Tsarfati And Some Encouraging Scriptures

[Another View Of Makapu'u Beach, Oahu, Hawaii]

These people in my beach photograph above are enjoying the surf and the beauty of this beach and are no doubt oblivious to the dangerous world events that we face today.  As I have previously stated, many people today (perhaps the majority of people) are so wrapped up in the pleasures of this world (and, of course, the everyday cares of life) that they pay no attention to the perilous signs of the end times; the last moments of the last days.  I used to be the same way.  Thank the good Lord that He opened my eyes and my heart to spiritual matters;  to a saving faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior, and to a desire to follow in His footsteps  and to endeavor to lead a life which is pleasing to Him.

I will not go into all the darkness of this evil world in this article.  You are no doubt familiar with how crazy this world has become, and its decadence in so many areas of life.  At least true believers in the Savior who try to live a godly life recognize the decay in society today.

Let us talk about Faith, Hope, and Love.  Here is a link to a post I made in 2017 on that subject.  At this link, there is also a short sermon by Charles Spurgeon on how Jesus loves us.   Reading over it again today was encouraging for me, and for all battle weary Christians it will give you encouragement to endure all trials you may be facing today.   There is tremendous power in Faith, Hope, and Love.

"But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation."  -  1 Thessalonians 5:8

Ephesians 6:11-13 tells us:  (11) "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  (12)  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  (13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,  and having done all, to stand."

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."     -    

Philippians 4:13

Philippians 4: 6 -7 tells us (6) "Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Galatians 1:3-4 says:  (3)  "Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,  (4)  Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:"

Isn't it amazing how Scriptures can soothe and inspire the soul !!

If you are a born again believer in the Savior Jesus Christ, you have the Holy Spirit living within you to help you to persevere and to endure and to guide you on life's paths and keep you from falling into the hands of the devil.    

Following is a 37 minute Middle East Update by Israeli Messianic Jew Amir Tsarfati, who has a thriving ministry that takes him all over the world where he preaches the Gospel and Bible Prophecy. This is his latest video posted May 25, 2019.  He not only discusses the Middle East but also about the UK and the EU.  

Remember to be constantly in prayer and to read and study God's Word daily.  You will thereby grow in faith and draw closer to the good Lord.  You will develop a true and lasting relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.  It will be a close, personal, and intimate love relationship that will see you through life's difficulties and will keep hope in your heart that soon we will be raptured to be with the Lord forever.

Keep looking up !

Keep watching !

"Fear Not; God Will Save And Deliver You" - Inspirational Weekend

Let us focus now on the good, the lovely, the godly; on the Scriptures and on faith, hope, and love.   The world is full of chaos, deception, terrorism, and the threat of nuclear war.  Many people are fearful and anxious of the things coming upon the earth.  Let us take a peaceful break from all of that and concentrate on the good instead.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."  -  Philippians 4:8

What good? you may ask.   You are alive and privileged to draw breath another day.  If you are a Christian - a true believer in Jesus Christ - you have the hope of living forever in all eternity with Jesus and God.  That is good news!

Here is a worship song by Chris Tomlin titled "Fear Not" :

The above song reminds us that God is mighty to save and that He will not abandon us.   (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6)  Even if we die or are killed in a war, etc., God does not abandon us to that fate in the sense that true believers when they die will go immediately into the Lord's presence.   

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 informs us,  (6) "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (7) For we walk by faith, not by sight:  (8) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

According to the above Scripture, the believer who has died is immediately at home with Jesus.  That is so much more preferable to this life on this troubled earth.   

It has been said that the subject Jesus mentioned most was "Fear not".  We are so inclined to do just that - to fear.  That is, perhaps, why He mentioned it so often -  365 times - either "fear not" or something along similar lines was spoken by the Lord.  

Once you become a "new creature" in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:17) you will develop a close, personal and intimate relationship with the Lord; that means your faith and trust in Him will grow and you will not fear the unknown or death.   God is in control.  He is watching over you and will take care of you.   

We need to be still and know that He is God.  (Psalm 46:10)

Here is a worship video with beautiful landscapes and Scriptures to help relax you and to help you to take in the healing words and message it contains :

And if you will read your Bible, it tells us how everything will end when all is said and done.   

God wins!  He will gain the victory over satan and the evil principalities.  We will live forever with Him in eternity.  What a hope!   What a future!  

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  -  Romans 8:38-39

For the above to be true for you, you need to accept Jesus as your Savior, Lord, and Master.  Have faith in Him; believe in Him and in His resurrection, and you will be saved.   (Romans 10:9,10,13)

But first you must sincerely repent of your sins and ask the Lord for forgiveness.  God looks at the heart, and if you are truly repentant and have a humble and sincere faith, the Lord will hear and answer that prayer to Him for forgiveness and salvation.

The next step is to find a true Bible-based Christian church and to fellowship with other believers.   (Hebrews 10:25).  Tell the pastor of your decision to follow Christ and to be baptized.   Just a note, baptism does not save you but, rather, it is a public declaration of your faith in the Lord and symbolizes being now dead to sin and raised to life.

And please remember how important it is to read your Bible daily.  That is the primary way God speaks to us.  By daily reading of God's Holy Word you learn of His attributes, His love, and His forgiveness; and you will grow in your love for Him.  This draws you ever closer to Him, as does daily prayer.  The Lord wants to fellowship with us.  And you will discover the power in His Word and the power of prayer.  Which in turn empowers us to live a godly life as we become a friend of God.

"We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God.  He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts."    A. W. Tozer

"Assurance is the fruit that grows out of the root of faith."  -  Stephen Charnock

Faith is the killer of fear.  I used to be fearful of many things before I came to know the Lord.  Now I have peace and know that I am in God's hands, no matter what happens.  Faith gives you a positive attitude and gives you hope.


"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."  -  Psalm 23:4

"Be careful {anxious} for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  -   Philippians 4:6-7  

Have a wonderful and Christ-centered weekend !

"What Does God Require Of You?" - Inspirational Weekend

There are many verses in the Bible that tell us what God requires of us, or expects from us.   I will touch on a few that are known to many believers; but other believers seldom, if ever, read their Bibles so this article is also for them -  as well as for unbelievers.

First of all, we need to believe with all of our heart that Jesus is the Savior, and to put all of our hope and faith in Him in order to 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

Faith and belief in Jesus is all that is required to be saved and to gain eternal life.   However, God also expects us to obey Him and to live godly lives and to bear much fruit.  (John 15:8).  

All true believers are already fully aware of all the information that I wrote above.  Let us consider Micah 6:8 which follows:

"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?"

To "do justly" is to be righteous; to act or being in conformity with what is morally upright or good.  To "love mercy" ....  a high obligation.  Mercy is a beautiful quality.  The spirit of mercy and forgiveness proceeds from the Father and the Son.  We should do likewise with forbearance and gentleness.

The Lord also requires man to "walk humbly with Him."  We can be humble when we contemplate how God took us out of the pits of darkness and brought us into His life-saving light; how we did not deserve His love and mercy, and that we should humbly acknowledge that we can do nothing without Him  (John 15:5).  Focus on the Lord and consider His powerful works and His majesty; live in awe and reverential fear of His power and realize that He is the Sovereign of the universe and we are but "specks of dust".  If we have a strong, intimate, and personal love relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we will be humble.

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."   -  Ecclesiastes 12:13

The root of religion is fear of God reigning in the heart.  You will also have a reverence of His majesty, and submit to His authority. And because you love Him, you will dread to grieve Him by sinful thoughts and actions.  You will have a respect for all of His commandments and you will take care to keep them.  This also applies to Jesus, of course.  Love for Christ will compel you to live your life in a Christ-like manner.   Follow closely in His footsteps.

Another requirement of the Lord is found at Mark 12:30-31 which follows:

(30)  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.  (31) And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  There is none other commandment greater than these."

To love God with all your heart is to love Him with all of your powers, and with perfect sincerity.  

The soul contains the affections, passions, and desires of the man under the rule of the will and conscience.  To love God with all thy soul is to love Him with the utmost fervor.  

To love God with all your mind, is to first of all fill your mind with the Word of God and dwell on things above  (Colossians 3:1-2).  That way you will have an enlightened mind in which to better exercise true love of God.

To love God with all of your strength is to love Him with all the energy of your being.  That covers the first commandment.

Now concerning the second commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself..... The Jews regarded only fellow Jews and full proselytes as their neighbors, but Jesus taught that a neighbor is anyone with whom we have any dealings whatsoever.  "Neighbor" in Greek literally means "one nearby."  If we are filled with the Holy Spirit and have the love of God within us, we will naturally want to help our neighbor and will love him and treat him kindly.

Don't forget the Great Commission !   After His resurrection, Jesus commanded His disciples (which includes you and me) the following:

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."   -  Matthew 28:19-20

Love of God and love of neighbor - and wanting to obey the Lord - will fill us with the desire to share the Gospel with everyone we possibly can.  We are on this earth to love and serve God, and to love and serve our neighbor.

These requirements of the good Lord are all familiar to true believers, but it is good to be reminded of things from time to time.

For unbelievers, you need to get right with the Lord and surrender your life to Him.  Time is short !  We all need to be ready for the return of Christ at the soon to occur Rapture of the Church.

Don't be left behind !

Pray for forgiveness and believe with all of your being that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and that His blood shed at Calvary can wash your sins away if you but have faith in Him, and believe in His resurrection.    

It is a simple faith that can save you.  You must repent of your sins and renounce them and never go back to a life of sin.   God will help you because once you are truly saved you will be sealed with the Holy Spirit Who will help you resist temptations and will help you to live a godly life. (Ephesians 1:13).

Choose life everlasting in heaven !

Choose Jesus !

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

"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

"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

As we enjoy this beautiful weekend, let us examine ourselves - our hearts - to see if we meet the good Lord's requirements.  Let us put Him first in our lives.

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

Inspirational Weekend - "Faith" (Famous Quotes, Kutless Video and More)

"I do not want merely to possess a faith, I want a faith that possesses me."  - Charles Kingsley

A very happy weekend to you !  You may not be lying under a palm tree in Waikiki, relaxing and watching the surf, but you don't have to be in order to have a fantastic weekend.  It is all in the attitude, friends.   You can live in a palace and still be miserable if you have a bad attitude.  Most of you already know this.   But I am speaking of more than having a positive attitude; I am speaking of true faith and the peace that that can give you.  And if you have a peaceful mind and a peaceful heart, then you will also find happiness, even in the midst of trials.

I was around 5 years old when I had my first encounter with faith and answered prayer.   I had left church services and my cousin, who was suppose to walk me back home, was no where to be found.  I waited and waited, and I got scared.   I did not know how to walk home....to find my way.  I don't remember if I cried or not,  but I do remember I prayed to God to help me.   And right after that, my cousin showed up with her friend, saying they had forgotten about me.    But the good Lord taught me the power of prayer and of faith that Sunday morning.   Some will want to call it all just coincidence, but I know in my heart that God heard me then.  I will not now mention all my prayers that the good Lord has answered during my lifetime, because this post is not about me, but about faith.

"Talk what we will of faith, if we do not trust and rely upon Him, we do not believe in Him."  -  

Anthony Farindon  

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

"Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, And looks to God alone; Laughs at impossibilities, And cries it shall be done."  -  Charles Wesley

In my photograph above that is one determined tree and, I might add, it obviously has endurance to grow so precariously on the hillside and still survive .... upright and strong.

And so it is with people.   If you have a strong faith rooted in the love of God and belief in His promises, you can survive anything with the Lord's help and much prayer.   You can "grow" upright and strong in your Christian walk.   One way to strong faith is to endure many trials, some severe.  To wait on the Lord in these times is a sign of true and enduring faith.

Besides faith making you strong and giving you endurance to face life's trials, faith can also be a healing balm to the soul.  It gives you hope, for without hope your existence is meaningless and all doom and gloom to your mind.   

And Jesus said to him, "Go your way, your faith has made you well."  And immediately he recovered his sight and followed Him on the way. -  Mark 10:52

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 .

The bottom line is, have faith in God and Jesus; pray without ceasing for in prayer you draw closer to God and it will happen that He will answer your prayers, if it agrees with His will for you.   You need a close, personal relationship with God and Jesus and that can only happen through reading His Holy Word to get to know His great love and all of His qualities and attributes and character; and also much prayer will draw you closer to Him.  

Remember what Hebrews 11:6 says, "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."

Following is a video by Kutless with lyrics about faith.  

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

"Life Can Only Be Understood Backwards" (With Charles Spurgeon Sermon) - Inspirational Weekend

My photograph above could simply symbolize a beautiful day at the beach.  It could also mean a walk with Jesus, if you remember the poem "Footprints In The Sand" which was made popular many years ago.  The most touching verse of that poem was Jesus saying, "When you saw only one set of footprints in the sand, it was then that I carried you."

This article will be about how, with Jesus' help, we can lead a victorious life.  First, we must be born again.  We must have been truly converted and have put our faith and hope in Christ as the Savior and to believe with all of our heart that His death at Calvary....His shed blood there.... can wash our sins away if we have true faith in Him and believe in His resurrection.

One must also sincerely repent of his sins and not continue to live a sinful life.  One needs to pray for forgiveness and surrender his life to Jesus.

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

Salvation is not a big list of do's and don'ts or works to be performed.  Salvation is by faith.

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

What originally inspired me to write today was a quote I ran across by a Danish poet, theologian, and religious author that lived from 1813 to 1855.  His name was Soren Kierkegaard and he is quoted as saying,  "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."

How true !  I have quite a few years on me now (I am a great grandmother!)  I can look back on many years ago, before I was born again, and see how emotional I was:  quick to anger, self-centered, self-willed, and not really understanding what life was all about.  So I regret the person I was during those past years, but now that the Lord has touched my heart and taught me to live for His will, I can understand more now what life is all about (it is all about Him).  I do not live in the past, but I have learned from past mistakes.   I am now free to  "live life forwards", as Kierkegaard said. 

Back to modern times, Philip Yancey has said something that is great food for thought:  "I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse."

"The heart of the Christian faith is found at the intersection of our brokenness and God's goodness, mercy, and love."  - Tripp Prince

Faith.  

The Christian who has a victorious life is one that is rooted and grounded in faith.  You can live victoriously !  You can triumph over this wicked world!    If you live for Jesus, you have no need to fear anything.  

"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 whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God."  -  1 John 5:4-5

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."                   -   Romans 8:37

So how do we live victoriously?  How do we gain faith?

Read your Bible daily; it is God's love letter to us; His instruction manual for us to follow.  When you pour over God's Holy Word, it is like God speaking to you.   The Word has life and power!  It can draw you to God, and you begin to learn about His attributes and your love and appreciation for Jesus will grow.   Your faith will also grow.

Pray more than once a day.   Pray with importunity and with a heart totally focused on the good Lord.  You cannot come to know anyone intimately unless you communicate with them.   Tell God all of your fears, all of your worries, and ask Him for guidance in daily living.   Talk to Him as if you were talking to a beloved Father,  for that He is.   The more you pray, the more your faith will grow.  Especially as you see your prayers being answered.

But remember, in your prayers and in your Bible reading you must take time to listen to what the Lord says.   Pause and be silent and see if you do not "hear" His still, small voice whisper words of encouragement and love to your heart.   It is the Holy Spirit working to guide you and encourage you when you most need it.  He may send you a reminder of a certain Scripture which will manifest itself when you are in prayer.

Following is a short 4 minute audio video by J.R. Miller concerning the secret to victorious living.

And following is a 45 minute video sermon by Charles Spurgeon on "The Victory of Faith".   I pray that you will take the time to listen to the full, inspiring sermon.

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

"Amazing Grace" - Have You Experienced It?" - (With 2 videos) -Inspirational Weekend

Grace!  Without the grace of God, we would have no hope of eternal life with the good Lord.  It has been said that the gospel message of Jesus Christ is all about God's grace.  

"But none of these move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."  -    Acts 20:24

Jesus is the epitome of grace and truth !

"And the Word {Jesus} was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth."  -   John 1:14

The Bible calls grace a gift.

"But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ."  -  Ephesians 4:7

Most of you may be familiar with Ephesians 2:8-9 which follows:

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

One hymn that is well known to all is "Amazing Grace."  My favorite version of it has been posted on this blog once before, but here is another version by an adorable child.

The above hymn gives us a good understanding of what it means to be saved by grace, which is God's undeserved favor, and shows His love and forgiveness of our sins.  It is God's blessing on the unworthy.  Read the account of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24.

The wayward and sinful son in that account typifies all unbelievers, and the father there who forgives and welcomes the prodigal son back joyfully and with love, is representative of God, who forgives us sinners.

Following is a short 5 minute sermon clip on the prodigal son by Pastor David Wilkerson.  The pastor talks not only about the prodigal son, but gives us assurance about how God truly loves us and rejoices over us; and how He desires of us constant faith.

God's Holy Word tells us that we cannot do anything to earn our salvation.  Isaiah 64:6 informs us that "And we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."

2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us "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."

In Romans 4 it speaks of ancient Abraham's great faith and how he gave glory to God (verse 20).  Romans 4:21-22 tells how Abraham's faith was accounted to him as righteousness, in that he believed and trusted God to fulfill His promises.

Romans 4:24-25 says "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead: Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification."

It is evident that God is love ( 1 John 4:16), and that He gives grace to the humble and to those that come to Him with a sincere repentance and with a true faith and belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior.

How grateful we should be for all of His love and tender mercies, His grace!

We should glorify Him and praise Him !

We finite humans cannot even begin to comprehend such a strong love from God and Jesus.  We can only understand in part right now.  When we are in glory in heaven, no doubt we will have a fuller grasp of the depth of the good Lord's love.

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."  -  1 Corinthians 2:9

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."  -   1 John 4:9

This age of grace we are currently experiencing will soon end, when Jesus returns to rapture His true believers to be with Him in heaven.  After that is the 7 year Tribulation period, when the Lord will pour out His wrath upon the wicked with the horrors and plagues and destruction in the Tribulation.  You do not want to be here then!   Although the Bible does inform us that many will be saved during that 7 year period, they will do so by their death by the antichrist system; because as Christians they will not pledge allegiance to the antichrist by taking the "Mark of the beast".  They  would rather die than not be true to God.  (Revelation 13:14-18; Revelation 7:3-14; Revelation 20:4)  And when these new Christians are beheaded (Revelation 20:4), they will go to be with the Lord in heaven for their faith.

Do not wait !  

Time is running out!

Repent and pray for forgiveness and commit your life to Jesus by believing in Him as the Savior; that His shed blood at Calvary can wash away your sins as He paid your sin debt in full by the Redemption that His death and sacrifice provided for you.  This belief is not just intellectual knowledge that Jesus is the Savior.  It is a strong, living belief with all of your heart and soul.... your very being - and you will love Him and not want to do anything to grieve Him.

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

"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 !!