"Your Best Friend Ever" - Inspirational Weekend

What is a friend?  The dictionary says a friend is "a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard; a person who gives assistance; a patron or supporter."  I don't know who originated the following quote, but it is quite beautiful:

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."

A true friend is a treasure indeed.  Today, many people spend more time alone on the internet or in front of the television than they do mingling with other people. Sometimes finding a best friend is not that easy; but then again, you need to be a friend to have a friend.

You may already know Who the best friend ever is:

A new believer in the Lord tends to think of Jesus primarily as the Savior.  But as one reads the Bible, prays, and grows in faith, he will realize that Jesus is very much his Friend as well.   Not any so-called earthly friends are likely to die for you, but Jesus did just that and suffered a torturous and painful death at that.   

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."   -  John 15:13

"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."   -   Romans 5:8

Jesus' sacrificial death proves His great love for us.  No other friend could love you that much.   When I think on it and try to comprehend the power and depth of His love, my mind just cannot fathom such a wonderful and true love as His.   I never felt love from my earthly father , or from my mother either, for that matter. My father's parents raised me for the most part, and I sensed that they loved me by their care, but they never actually told me that they loved me.   My family was just not demonstrative in any way. Guess who has had difficulty in understanding and demonstrating love?  Yep, me.  The turning point in my life was when, after much heartfelt prayer to the Lord for an extended amount of time several years ago, I blurt out to the Lord with all my heart "I love you", and actually understood what love for God and Jesus meant.   In the years following, after much prayer and Bible reading, my love has grown for the Lord, and also so has my gratitude for all that He has done in my life and my heart, soul, spirit, and mind.   He has truly transformed my mind and set my priorities straight.  (Romans 12:2)

Part of having Jesus as a friend is to be a friend to Him.  We do that by obeying His commandments.

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

When you love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength and mind (Mark 12:30),  obeying His commandments will be easier and you will find a true joy in having close fellowship with Him.  After all, life is all about relationships and the reason you were created was to have a close, personal, and intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  And to love, honor, reverence, obey, and draw close to Him and to share His love and the Gospel with others. Remember, however, that obedience to Him is the only means by which we can declare our love to Christ.  

Another way Jesus is our friend is the fact that He prays for us.  

"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."   -  Hebrews 7:25     (See also Luke 22:31-32).   

Unlike our earthly friends, who can be fickle, Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us.  (Hebrews 13:5).   He really, really loves us. Let that sink deep into your mind and heart.   He is always willing to forgive us.

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

Remember the hymn "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" ?  I thought I would share it now with you:

Pay close attention to the words in this hymn.  We can take everything to the Lord in prayer, and He will help us in our time of trial or sorrow.  

You must be born-again and a true believer in Jesus as your Savior and Lord and Master to be a friend of His.   Imagine, the glorious Creator and Redeemer, the very Son of God, calls us His friends if we obey His commands; and He in turn is our very best Friend ! 

If you are an unbeliever and are living in sin, you are not being a friend of God and you will perish in your sins unless you repent and turn from your wrongdoing, and by faith accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.  

"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

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."

Keep in mind that we are now living in the last hours of the last days that the Bible prophesied about;  many prophecies are coming to pass now or are leading up to their soon fulfillment.  Jesus could return at any moment to rapture true believers to be in heaven with Him before the 7 year Tribulation of God's wrath occurs on the earth to all the ungodly who will be left behind.   No one knows the day or the hour that Jesus will return, but students of Bible prophecy feel it must be very soon in light of world conditions and the convergence of so many end times signs right now on earth.

Don't be left behind to face the horrors of the Tribulation period. You also do not want to go to Hell as an unbeliever.  Give your heart to Christ before it is too late.   

Jesus loves you.

Jesus will forgive you.

Jesus is waiting for you with open arms to embrace you with love and acceptance once you repent and come to Him in faith.

This reminds me of that poem, part of which says:  "Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last."

It is all about Jesus, folks.  

Turn to Him in total surrender.

Live for Him and Him only.   

Jesus is your best Friend Ever !

Days Of Chaos; Bible Prophecy Unfolding (With Video)

                                                     

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring: Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."     -  Jesus at Luke 21:25-26

The above verses have their major fulfillment during the 7 year Tribulation period, but we see signs happening right now leading up to that prophecy in the near future.  People are fearful now of all the chaos and the world in turmoil and the threat of World War 3. But remember what Luke 21:28 tells us:

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

For a true believer in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, these chaotic times and Bible prophecy prove to us that He will soon return to rapture His followers to be in heaven with Him.   These are exciting times for Christians, even though they are being persecuted.   They realize their deliverance is near and they have a blessed hope (Titus 2:13).  

After true believers in the Lord are raptured, they will be in heaven with Him for 7 years, or a little longer depending on when the 7 year tribulation actually begins on the earth.  The Tribulation will not necessarily happen immediately after the Rapture occurs.  Many scholars feel that it will take time for all the prophecies to unfold and for everything to progress to the time the antichrist comes on the scene and signs a 7 year peace agreement, or covenant, with Israel.   The signing of that covenant is what begins the Tribulation period.  (Daniel 9:27).  The antichrist will break that covenant after 3 -1/2 years.   Remember, Israel is God's prophetic time clock; the Lord has not finished with His chosen people.  The Tribulation is God's way of dealing with Israel and to have a remnant turn to Him and believe in Jesus as their Messiah.

After the 7 year Tribulation,  Jesus and the raptured saints will return to the earth and Jesus will conquer at the war of Armageddon.    Jesus will put an end to His enemies and satan will be bound for a thousand years, unable to mislead mankind during the Millennial Reign of Jesus on earth.   (Revelation 20:1-3).  At the end of the 1000 years, satan will be let loose again and, unbelievably so, many will follow the devil instead of staying close to Jesus and obeying Him  (Revelation 20:7-8).   In verses 9 and 10 of Revelation 20, it tells how God destroys the rebels and casts the devil into the lake of fire where he can no longer deceive mankind. Then comes the great white throne judgment of unbelievers and all ungodly people are thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).  In fact, I strongly urge you to read all of Revelation 20, 21, and 22.  It speaks about the new heaven and the new earth, and how God will wipe away all tears, and that there will be no more death and no more sorrow  (Revelation 21:1-4) .    

What a loving and yet just God we worship!   Christians know how it all ends:

GOD WINS !

Following is a video from prophecywatchers.com featuring L.A. Marzulli  who discusses a variety of end time and prophetic topics.

"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

"Emergency Number For When You Are Worried" - Inspirational Weekend

This mother Hawaiian Monk Seal and her baby are taking it easy on the beach at Waikiki.   I took this photograph on August 7 of this year.  These seals are native to Hawaiian waters and islands only, and are on the endangered list as there are only 1400 of them left in Hawaii.   The baby seal (on the left in the photo) was quite large itself and was still nursing its mother.  The youngster has no idea that soon its mother would abandon him and he would be on his own to face dangers (from sharks) and to learn to fend for himself.  He really has a lot to be worried about, if he only knew.

People today are anxious about many things;  world leaders themselves are also worried and do not know the solution to many problems facing us in these perilous end times.   Oh sure, they have their agendas and think a New World Order is the solution, with a one world economy, a one world government, and a one world religion soon on the horizon.   The Bible in Revelation 17 and 18 speaks of this new world order.   It also speaks of the antichrist who will rule the world....this can be found in Revelation 13, where the antichrist is referred to as the "beast".    

I have written concerning all this in previous posts, and you may do a word search in the search box at the above right on this page to find out more about topics such as the antichrist and the end times. Right now I would like to just focus on what we as individuals can do to stop worrying and to put our trust in the Lord instead.  Here is a link to a previous post of mine which also deals with the topic of worry.   But this article will deal with different Scriptures and different Christian quotes as well as having a sermon on worry by Pastor Greg Laurie.  

As seen above in #3, the "emergency number" to call is Matthew 6:19-34 when you are bombarded with worry.  Please read all the verses; but for now I will quote verses 31-34 which follow:

"(31)  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (32)  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek):  for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  (33)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  (34)  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

Pay special attention to verse 33 which says to "seek first the kingdom of God."  If we do that and put spiritual things and God and Jesus first in our lives,  God will take care of our basic needs.  In today's world, things are so chaotic that we have many issues to face that are more troublesome and problematic than what to wear ! A few years ago A. W. Tozer remarked, "In a world like ours, courage is an indispensable virtue."  Having a strong relationship with the Lord will give you courage. In our troubled times, violence and general unrest have taken over it seems.  In times like these, we need to be on our knees in prayer and devouring the Word of God with a hunger and thirst that only His Word can satisfy. We need to turn to God and trust in Him to see us through these dangerous days in which we live.   Christians have a blessed hope (Titus 2:13) of Jesus' soon return to take us to heaven to be with Him.  We do not put our faith in governments or in any man to solve our problems, but we put our faith and trust in the good Lord.   He gives true protection and hope.

Jesus is our King !

Jesus is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Master, our Teacher, and our Friend !

"What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee."  -  Psalm 56:3

"Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means.  The Lord be with you all."                 -  2 Thessalonians 3:16

Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, (6) " Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  (7) And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  (NASB)

How comforting are the Scriptures above !  When things get confusing and you are worried out of your mind, just pray and read the Bible and things will get back into proper perspective again. If we have a close, personal, and intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we should never panic and be overly anxious.  

"We shall be quiet from the fear of evil, for no threatenings of evil can penetrate into the high tower of God."  -  Hannah Whitall Smith

"The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety."  -  George Mueller

"Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear."  -  Corrie ten Boom

On the subject of worry and anxiety, I am certainly qualified to comment on as I was a "professional worrier" before I came to truly know the Lord.  If there was nothing to worry about, I worried when there was nothing to worry about (as if things were not normal unless there was something to worry about),  so accustomed I was to the habit of worrying.   Can anyone out there relate?

Many years ago I ran across a quote by the French philosopher Michel de Montaigne who lived between 1533 and 1592 and it set me to thinking.   I had remembered the quote as being, "My life is full of catastrophes, most of which never happened."   In order to quote it accurately, I looked up Montaigne quotes today on the internet and the closest that came to it was the quote by him, "There were many terrible things in my life and most of them never happened."  Whichever quotation by him is correct, you get the message.   We can worry so much that we imagine the worst case scenario about the least little thing.

I no longer worry like I did for a good part of my life.... and that is due to the transforming power of God's Holy Word and of the love of Jesus and the Holy Spirit within me now that I am truly born again.   That is the key.....surrender to Jesus and take all of your cares to Him in prayer and live a holy and blameless life and you will experience hope and peace from the Lord.  

Besides, worry is a sin when you let it consume you.  We need to have more faith in the Lord than that;  worry shows a lack of trust in God.  Pastor Greg Laurie gives a wonderful sermon on worry in the video below, which is titled "Hurried, Worried, Buried (How to Overcome Fear, Worry, and Anxiety" :

Have a Christ-centered weekend !  Be happy and trust in the Lord.


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

"Emergency Number For When You Are In Danger" - Inspirational Weekend

About two years ago a young pair of Bulbul birds made a nest in one of the palm trees in front of my patio.  Only problem is, you can see from the photo above that the branch began to die, which means it will fall off the tree eventually.  The nest is barely visible on the brown branch above, and the bulbul is in shadow a bit, but you can still see him from his red rump.  These birds were going about their business of being new parents and were not aware of the danger lurking.  

So it is with many people today.  They are going about their everyday routines, scarcely noticing that the world is falling apart and in grave danger.   For those who are aware that we are living in perilous times and on the brink of World War 3, it can be frightful to ponder the possibility of nuclear war soon.   We are living in the last days, and many Bible prophesies of the end times are coming to pass right before our very eyes.  

When in danger, you need to turn to the good Lord and be fervent in prayer, devouring the Holy Word with an appetite that consumes you for more and more spiritual food.

The emergency "number to call" when in danger is number 4 above:  Psalm 91.   I urge you to please read all 16 verses of that Psalm and I will touch upon some of its verses now.  Psalm 91 has been called the protection prayer.

Psalm 91:1-2 tells us, (1) "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  (2) I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in Him will I trust."    If we have faith in God and trust Him with our whole heart, we shall have courage for any challenge or catastrophe that comes our way.  Even if we face death in a war,  as Christians "to die is gain"  (Philippians 1:21).  We will be with the Lord forever and away from this evil world.   

Verse 4 of Psalm 91 comforts us by saying, "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler."    This is such a great illustration ! The Lord loves us tenderly, and will protect us as a hen protects her brood by covering them with her wings from predators or any dangers whatsoever.  

Verses 11 and 12 of Psalm 91 gives us more comfort when it says,  (11)  "For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  (12) They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone."   Folks, God loves us and wants the best for us.  If we are living godly lives and obeying Him, He will protect us in many ways and from many dangers.  This is brought out in verses 14-16 which follow:

(14) "Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.  (15) He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.  (16) With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation."

So all these promises and assurances of the Lord will be true for the godly who love and trust God.  

Now is the time to have a close, personal, intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   You build such a relationship by prayer and obedience and trust, and by focusing on the Lord and not on the things of this dying world.  Also, you come to know God's attributes and draw closer to Him by reading His Holy Word. But first, if you are not a believer, you must realize that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior. Come to God and ask for forgiveness of your sins, be truly repentant and turn from your wrongdoing, and believe with your whole heart that Jesus bled and died for you at Calvary, if you will just have faith in Him and believe in His resurrection.  (Romans 10:9,10,13).   

Tomorrow may be too late, because Jesus will return at any time soon and you need to come to Him in faith NOW.  

Following is a wonderful sermon by Charles Spurgeon, who has been called "The prince of preachers".   He goes into more detail on Psalm 91 in this insightful sermon.

"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 to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  -  Philippians 1:21

"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them."  -  Psalm 34:7

Romans 10:9,10,13 says, "(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."

Commentary on America's Total Solar Eclipse, September 23, 2017, Comets And Heavenly Signs In Light of Bible Prophecy

The news media and the Internet are now concerned with the topic of America's total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017.  Some say it is a sign of Christ's return; others just believe it is a sign of the last days in general.   People look for heavenly signs and attach last days significance to them because the Bible gives heavenly signs to warn us.  

Isaiah 24:19-23 as well as Malachi 4:1-2 speak of heavenly signs which occur during the Tribulation period.  As I have stated previously, things will be pretty much life as normal when the Rapture of the Church occurs, so don't look for a lot of heavenly "catastrophes" before the Rapture happens.   Remember, Jesus said, that this time would be as it was in the days of Noah before the flood.  People would be marrying and carrying on life as usual before the Rapture just as they did in the days of Noah before the flood came and swept them all away except for Noah and his family.  (Matthew 24:37-38).  Jesus also said at Matthew 24:36 , "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, nor the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

This applies not only to the total solar eclipse in America on August 21 of this year, but also applies to the popular speculation of the September 23, 2017 occurance of the stellar alignment at that time as it possibly relates to Revelation 12 prophecy.   

Following is a 14 minute video with Gary Stearman's commentary on these two events as well as comets and the like.  It is from    www.prophecywatchers.com

Also, read more about the September 23, 2017, event here.  At this site you will also find a link to an article about how the year 2017 is very significant.

No one knows the day or the hour of Jesus Christ's return.  Only God the Father knows.   It is unwise to set dates, which Mr. Stearman emphasizes in the video above.  

One good thing about all this buzz about the total solar eclipse and about September 23 of this year is that it is drawing a lot of attention to the Lord, and that is good in itself.  Except if nothing prophetic happens on those dates with those heavenly occurances, a lot of people will be discouraged and may lose faith.   That in itself is one reason why we should not set dates.

In the meantime, let us continue to "look up" and wait patiently for the Lord's return soon.   So many prophecies are being fulfilled today or the precursor events leading up to the fulfillment, that we know we are living in the end times.  Instead of setting dates, let us be ready every day, every hour, every minute for our Lord's soon return.

That means living a godly life, being constantly in prayer and in God's Holy Word, as well as sharing the Gospel with others.  Let us worship Him in faith, and not be swayed by every prediction that comes along.   

Just have faith.

It will not be long.

Jesus will return soon to take us to be home with Him.

Use this time left to draw closer to God.  Have a close, personal, and intimate relationship with Him through Jesus Christ His Son. You need to pray and read the Holy Word and fellowship with the Lord in order for that relationship to grow where you realize that Jesus is your friend, and that you need to be His friend as well by worshiping Him and obeying Him and sharing Him with others.

1 John 2:28 tells us,  "And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming."

"And this is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life."  -  1 John 2:25

"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

"Emergency Number for Peace and Rest" - Inspirational Weekend

These twisting and crooked vines with the beautiful salmon or peach colored blossoms are found on the large Cannonball Tree.  It rather reminds me of life itself, with its ugliness intertwined among the various beautiful moments and memories.   A lot depends on your point of view about life; a positive attitude and a strong faith in the good Lord will help you to focus on the good and not the bad.  Life can be wonderful and a joy, even though we recognize there is also evil in this world.   Our job is to stay away from the evil and to draw close to God instead. 

"Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."  -  James 4:7-8

One day I ran across the following "Emergency Numbers" while surfing the Web and I saved it with the intention of using it in a blog post one day.    So that day is here!

Today I would like to focus on emergency number 7: When you want peace and rest : Matthew 11:25-30.  In this chaotic and war torn world we find ourselves in, we all could use peace and rest.  And true peace and rest is found only in Jesus Christ.   Let us just zero in on verses 28-30 of Matthew 11, which follows:

(28) "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  (30) For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

How lovingly Jesus spoke here to comfort those listening.  In His day, the Jews were heavily pressed by the laws and traditions of the Pharisees and Sadducee rulers.  But Jesus spoke primarily to the poor, the lost, and the ruined sinner.   People can be "burdened" by the consciousness of their sins and trembling at their danger and hoping for deliverance.  If they would just turn to Jesus and believe in Him for their salvation, He would give them rest.  If they will trust their souls and concerns to Him, He will carry not only them but also their load.

Of all the yokes ever put upon people, that of the Redeemer is the lightest.  Jesus' laws were reasonable and tender, and it would be a joy to obey Him.  When Jesus said, "For I am meek...", He was giving them a reason why they should follow Him.  He was not harsh and oppressive, like the Pharisees, but instead He was mild, and gentle, and meek , and following Him would be an act of joy and of love.   

It is the love with the "yoke" that takes away the hardness because Jesus walks by our side.  

Sin causes a burden upon our souls.  We need to confess and repent of our sins.  Any other burdens as well will be taken care of by Jesus, the Burden-bearer; the Sin-bearer.  Do not forget Who is carrying your burden with you,  for you, and in you.  Jesus will thereby give us rest....rest from our sins, from the nagging guilt of our conscience, and from the fears of hell.

Following is a moving song by Dennis Jernigan titled "My Yoke Is Easy".  It is 5 minutes in length.

"Christianity is not consistency to conscience or to convictions;  Christianity is being true to Jesus Christ."  -  Oswald Chambers

"We are here guaranteed that obedient-hearted man shall be sustained in every step that he takes.  ........Holy action is always the most prudent, though it may not at the time seem to be so.   ......The Word of God has never misled a single soul yet its plain directions to walk humbly, justly, lovingly, and in the fear of the LORD are as much words of wisdom to make our way prosperous as rules of holiness to keep our garments clean.  He walks surely who walks righteously."  -  Charles Spurgeon  

The following video is not a song, but instead has words of encouragement concerning Matthew 11:28-30.   It is well worth reading and is only 2 minutes long.

I hope this information has blessed you and that you have a Christ-filled weekend !


(ps,   I have no idea why my computer insisted on typing red ink for so much of this post.  I have no idea how to change it -- I did try to  --and I don't want to type it all again.   Pardon the error.)

Could Artificial Intelligence Be A Threat To The Survival Of The Human Race?

"When inventors fear their own inventions, look out!" says Gary Stearman.  Artificial Intelligence seems like it is cropping up everywhere nowadays:  everywhere from Watson to Apps on your smartphones. Recently two computers were left alone to talk to each other - successfully.  They even developed their own type of shorthand speech.   

In the following video by www.prophecywatchers.com, Gary Stearman shares some frightening concerns about AI possibly turning on their creators.   He also asks the question, "Can a machine (AI) become inhabited by a devil?"  My opinion on that is, if possible, demon possession of an AI or robot would explain their ability to reason and to turn against man. Mr. Stearman takes us to the Bible book of Daniel and discusses the antichrist, among other end time events.   Please watch this thought provoking 12 minute video:

As Christians, what are we to think about such things as Artificial Intelligence and a possible true-life "Skynet" where they take over?

First of all, everything seems to be out of control today on many fronts, not just AI.   It is all a sign of the end times in which we live: the threat of nuclear war, terrorism, violence, unnatural affection, human - animal chimeras, increase in natural disasters such as earthquakes and signs in the heavens, and the list could go on and on.   The Bible prophesied all of that and much much more as a sign of the end times. 

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."   -  Daniel 12:4

2 Timothy 3:1-5 tells us,  (1)" This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers  of those that are good, (4) Traitors, heady; high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring."  -  Luke 21:25

You can easily discern that the above verses can be applied to the time in which we live....the last days.   

It is a time to be very afraid and full of doubts ... that is, for those who do not know Jesus as their Savior, Lord, and Master.  True believers have a blessed hope (Titus 2:13) and will soon be raptured to heaven and away from this dying and decaying and wicked world, and will therefore be spared any robotic or AI takeover, if  such a takeover by machines is even possible.  Such a thing is not even hinted at in the Bible, except in Daniel 12:4 where it says that knowledge will be increased, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything about an AI takeover.  Quite frankly, I personally do not believe the good Lord will allow such a thing to transpire.

Also,  followers of Christ will not have to endure the wrath of God which He pours out during the seven year tribulation period upon all the ungodly people left on earth during that time.  We should concentrate on what the Bible says and prophesies, and not believe every speculation that comes along.

The Bible is very clear that things will be "business as usual" when the Rapture of the Church occurs.  In other words, there will be no artificial intelligence "takeover" before the Rapture.

"But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark,"  -  Jesus speaking at Matthew 24:37-38.  In other words, life was going on pretty much as usual in the time of the flood before it came; therefore, it will be life as usual when Jesus returns to rapture the Church.   

All this points to the fact that, in light of end time events now occurring, the Rapture cannot be too far in the future.  

Now is the time to make sure that you are right with the Lord. Confess your sins to Him, ask for forgiveness, show your sincerity by repenting and not continuing a life of sin,  believe in Jesus and His resurrection.   If you do this, you have the hope of eternal life with the Lord forever. (Romans 10:9 ;  John 3:16)

If you do not repent, you will spend all eternity in hell.

"And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire."    - Jesus at Matthew 18:9

Turn to the Lord now.

The time is short.

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

"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. "   -  John 3:16

  

"Casting All Your Care Upon Him" (With Sermon By A.W. Tozer) - Inspirational Weekend

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

The above Scripture is very comforting and a reminder that the good Lord cares for all of His children.    When it says "Casting all your care", it means to take all of your "anxieties" to the Lord, "cast" them to Him, which takes effort and is not easy to do.  And then do not take all your cares right back upon yourself once again and bear the burden alone.  Leave them with the Lord, and have faith that He will take care of them for you -  All of them.

It should be mentioned that before you can cast all of your anxieties on God, you must first have confessed all known sin and been repentant and thereby have a clear conscience in order to cast your cares on the Lord and then to expect Him to help you; to take the burden off of you and onto Himself.   First you must feel Him to be a reconciled and loving Father.  If there is any unconfessed sin in your life, you will probably not even cast your anxieties and burdens upon Him.

God never told us that we shall never have anxieties; they are a part of this fallen world in which we live.   And this fallen world is a cause for anxieties in itself.   Right now we have the threat of nuclear war looming over us, and many other fears as well in this evil and lawless and cold world.   We need to take all of our concerns to the Lord in prayer.  Prayer has a way of putting things in their proper perspective and thereby giving you a peace and the sense that, in the end, everything will be alright.
 
"Be careful 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    

Here is a song about casting all your cares upon the Lord:

God loves His children, and constantly thinks about them and wants them to come to Him with all their cares.

"But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me:  Thou art my help and my deliverer; Make no tarrying, O my God."  -  Psalm  40:17

Family, friends, and neighbors may abandon you or neglect you, but God never will !!  "If we are what we should be, we shall never be without a friend as long as there is a God."   This is true if you are a genuine believer in Jesus Christ as your Savior, Lord, and Master.  To all unbelievers, God is waiting to hear from you and for you to give your heart and soul to Jesus in sincere belief in the redemptive power of His shed blood, and to believe that He rose again from the dead.   (Romans 10:9)

Believers, stop and recall how many times God has shown you that He was thinking of you.....in answered prayers, in protecting you from harm, in all His blessings that He has bestowed upon you, and in so many other ways.  And He does this even when we do not think of Him as often as we should.  God's care for His people is always true and always unchanging.  He is always there for us.

Many people who do not trust in the Lord and who do not cast their cares upon Him, go around all glum and fretful, often complaining and being very dissatisfied with life.  They are also fearful of many things. Don't let that be you.   Cast your burdens on the Lord.  (Psalm 55:22).

Believers in Christ have a blessed hope that sustains them and gives them solace (Titus 2:13).  They have the promise of eternal life and of being with the Lord forever.  Their faith in God gives them strength and endurance to face obstacles and to surrender all to the Lord.  Consequently, they do not let anxieties get control over them and make them all fretful and filled with dread.   They have the love of Christ in their hearts, and His many promises of better things to transpire in the future, all of which gives them hope and encourages them to pray about their concerns and to draw ever nearer to the Lord.

Following is a 26 minute sermon by A.W. Tozer on "Casting All Your Cares Upon Him" :

A. W. Tozer became a Christian as a teenager.  He was born in 1897 and passed away in 1963.  He was an American pastor and author.

Have a blessed and Christ-filled weekend !

"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."    -  Romans 10:9

"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."  -  Psalm 55:22

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

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."                                          Jesus at Matthew 11:28

Discussion On End Time Events (With Video)

"What higher consolation can man desire than the assurance that He [Almighty God] is with him to protect him"; so says Albert Barnes in his commentary on Isaiah 41:10, which reads:

"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."

The above verse was the topic for my Bible Study for this morning.  I have written several posts about fear.  Go to the search box on the above right of this page and type in the word "fear" and click on "Search" and the articles will appear for you if you wish to pursue this topic further.   We do live in fearful times now, as these are the prophesied last days which are full of chaos, lawlessness, sin, violence, depravity, war, and general apathy where Jesus and God are concerned.   It means a lot to know that God is "on our side" (if we are true born-again believers in Jesus Christ) and that He will love and protect us and soothe our troubled minds where these perilous times are concerned.

Remember, however, that chronic fear that never goes away shows a lack of faith in the good Lord.  We need to turn to the Lord with all of our cares and be continually in prayer and in the Holy Word.

Following is a video by www.skywatchtv.com featuring Dr. Michael Lake who has been preaching since he was 13 years old. He is also an author and speaks at various conferences frequently. In the video he touches on various end-times topics of interest, and I learned some new things from watching it.  

In the video they discuss the Armor Of God and how many Christians (as well as unbelievers) are clueless as to the "Big Picture". They mention that in Charles Spurgeon's time any sermon less than 2 hours long was considered an insult to the congregation.  My how things have changed !  Watch this 28 minute video and it will enlighten you where current events are concerned.

"The world has an expiration date."  -  Jan Markell

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  -  2 Corinthians 4:18

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."  -  Ephesians 6:10-11

"You Are Going To Be Okay" - Inspirational Weekend

These beautiful red blossoms on the Cannonball tree are the only appealing thing on this large tree with its ugly "cannons" (fruit) and twisting vines.  It is rather like some people, as well as similar to how our circumstances can appear at times.   Things can get really ugly and burdensome in our lives sometimes, and if we continue to look at the "knots" and "twists" and trials, we will find ourselves depressed and even at times to feel like all is hopeless.   We cannot stay like this !   We should look at "blossoms of beauty" amidst the various trials and upheavals.  

The good and beautiful can uplift us and keep us from giving up.  And what is more good than our Lord, who loves us and  who is there to encourage us when things get us down.   And Jesus is all-beautiful in the sense that His beauty is moral perfection in His life and character.   

"Nothing but encouragement can come to us as we dwell upon the faithful dealing of our Heavenly Father in centuries gone by.  Faith in God has not saved people from hardships and trials, but it has enabled them to bear tribulations courageously and to emerge victoriously."  -  Lee Robertson  

We all have heard that saying, "If God seems far away, guess who moved?"  Yep, we did.  Maybe we don't pray as often as we used to, or maybe we have been too busy to read our Bibles, and before we realize it, we have moved far from the Lord.  That is why we can get so depressed and even fearful about frightful events in our lives or in the world situation right now.   We need to pray for our Heavenly Father to give us an extra portion of His Holy Spirit so we may feel His presence.  Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a one time thing: we are leaky vessels and need to constantly be replenished. "Pray without ceasing"   (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  And while I am thinking about it, 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, "Rejoice evermore."   If we endeavor to pray at all times and to see the good and rejoice over what good there is instead of dwelling on the bad things in our lives, then we will be okay.  

"When it seems like God is far away, remind yourself that He is near.  Nearness is not a matter of geography.  God is everywhere.  Nearness is likeness.  The more we become like the Lord, the nearer He is to us."  -  Warren Wiersbe  

How do we become like the Lord?  By building a relationship with Him through prayer and coming to know His attributes by reading the Bible.   God speaks to us by His Holy Word, and by answering our prayers.  By saturating our minds with His Word, by prayer, and by dwelling on spiritual matters, focusing on the Lord instead of the world and its distractions, we will - over time -  become more like Jesus.   Of course, we need to aim for moral perfection as well in order to become Christ-like. 

What gave me the idea to write on this subject is the song below, titled "You're Gonna Be Okay" :

It is a good song, but I tend to emphasize it is not so much what we do to make things better, but what the good Lord does to help us.  We need to petition Him frequently for strength and guidance and endurance and for so much more.   Of course, our Heavenly Father expects action on our part as well, but we need faith in Him first.  

Faith keeps you grounded in our Heavenly Father.    

"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee:  He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."  -  Psalm 55:22

We need to watch what we think about, what we take into our minds via the TV or the Internet, or even from our associations -- friends who may be worldly and/or not true believers.   We need to be filling our minds with spiritual things:  God's Holy Word, sermons, and to spend time with other Christians.  When a person first becomes a new believer, he needs his mind transformed by the power of God's Word.  Actually, renewing our minds is an on-going and never-ending process.

Romans 12:1-2 tells us, (1) "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. (2) 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."

If  you do what the above verses in Romans say, you will be okay.  

But what if you are not a Christian? Not a born-again believer in Jesus Christ as your Savior?   

Then you will not be okay.  

You will not be taken to heaven in the soon to occur Rapture with Jesus, and you will be left behind to face the worst tribulation the world has ever known when God unleashes His wrath upon the world and the ungodly people left on the earth.  You will face all eternity in torment .... away from the God that loved you and wanted to draw you to Him, but for some reason you never gave your life to Jesus.

"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:"  -  Revelation 14:10

The above  verse in Revelation 14 is speaking specifically of those who, during the 7-year Tribulation, take the mark of the beast (antichrist) and who also worship the beast .   But the same punishment applies to all those who die without knowing Jesus as their Savior....... all who do not become true believers and who do not follow the Lord.  

"Almost persuaded to be a Christian is like the man who was almost pardoned, but he was hanged; like the man who was almost rescued, but he was burned in the house.  A man that is almost saved is damned."  -  Charles Spurgeon

Surrender your life to Jesus now, before it is too late.   He is waiting with open arms to embrace you as His very own.  He will forgive you and set you on the right path, if you repent and sincerely ask for forgiveness and turn your life around to follow Him and obey Him.

God loves you.

Surrender your will and your life to the Lord.

Your decision will affect and determine your eternal future.

Choose life.

Choose Jesus.

"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

"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

The Antichrist's Technology (With Video)

"And he [the false prophet] had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed."   - Revelation 13:15  (read also Revelation 13:11-18).   

The above Scripture is referring to the false prophet, and the "beast" is referring to the antichrist, which you may read about at Revelation 13:1-10.

Satan, secular power, and religious compromise (or, satan, the antichrist and the false prophet) make up the unholy trinity;  and they join against the cause of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Tom Horn and Josh Peck and Gary Stearman discuss how the image of the beast might be a form of artificial intelligence in the following fifteen minute video by www.prophecywatchers.com 

Although true born-again believers will be raptured to heaven before the antichrist comes on the scene , it is interesting to contemplate on various aspects of that seven-year tribulation period.   

They are now in the process of producing brain chips to connect humans to a computer system, an AI .    In the above video they touch on several topics, including how a robot or artificial intelligence could possibly become inhabited by a demon and do some real damage.   

These are dangerous and evil times in which we live.  We need to be living godly lives and to be "looking up" and watching for Jesus' return, which is imminent.   

Are you ready?

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."  -  Titus 2:13-14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.........For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  -  Romans 10:9,13

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

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

"Are You Salt and Light?" - Inspirational Weekend

Sometimes what I write on this blog may sound all "doom and gloom" to some people since I write about Bible Prophecy and how we are living in the last days....the very end of the end times.  But to born-again believers in Jesus Christ, these are exciting times ! From Bible prophecy we know Christ will rapture believers soon to be in heaven with Him.  That is a glorious and happy hope ! (Titus 2:13)

As followers of Jesus, we need to be living godly lives and witnessing to lost souls about how Jesus can give them eternal life if they surrender to Him and believe in Him.  

A big part of living a holy life is to be "Salt and Light" while we reside on this earth.   Jesus has this to say at Matthew 5:13-16, 

" Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted?  It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Not only preachers, but all who profess to follow Jesus should be the salt of the earth and save the world from decay and destruction. Actually, only the Lord can save, of course, but we can do our part to share the Gospel with others.

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus mentions if the salt has lost its savor it is good for nothing.  This was possible in the land of Judea, in particular the Valley of Salt, where some salt exposed to the elements, was good for nothing.... it had lost its savor.  But the inner part which was connected to the rock, kept its savor.  

As Christians, we do not want to be like the exposed salt to the wind and rain and sun - the elements - (the lusts and temptations of this wicked world) and no longer have the life of Christ within us or we have lost our first love for Him and the witness of His Spirit.  Instead we need to stay connected with the Rock; if we are close to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we can preserve our savor and be of help to others...to do some good in this life.

Let us now consider verse 16 of Matthew 5,  "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

In essence, in all you do in your life, let it be seen that you are a real Christian.  This means to manifest light in your wholesome conversation, in your holy life, in all of your actions and where you spend your time.  Let it all be to the glory of God.  

Don't be like the Pharisees of Jesus' day who acted to be seen of men.  Instead, we should seek to glorify our heavenly Father.   Don't concern yourself with what other people may think of you. You just do the will of God, and by your conduct other people may be brought to glorify God.  By observing your godly life and the power and the purity of the Gospel, others may be won to become Christians also.

Keep in mind that if you are a true Christian, then your identity with Christ cannot be concealed.  You will be different from the world, and you will stand out as being in another realm or mindset than ungodly men and women.  

There are some "Christians" that profess religion and Jesus, but they live just like other people (people of the world), and give no evidence that they were truly converted and born-again.   We can only conclude that they are "baby Christians" and have not yet matured, or that they were never truly saved in the first place.  

To genuinely "let your light shine",  you need a close, personal, and intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.   This is accomplished by daily and intense prayer, and by daily saturating your mind with the holy Word of God.   Your soul will thrive and be full of light if you follow this advice of the Bible.  And your light will shine and radiate upon those with whom you come in contact with.

Some of you might be very poor and feel as if you can contribute little to improving and guiding lost souls.  Some may feel very weak and unlearned and unknown.   No matter.  If your heart is right with the Lord, He can use you!  If only by living a pure and godly life, by being humble and sincere, our Christian lives are not in vain.   People will take note of your godly life and attitude and realize that you are a child of God.

As a "bonus", your endeavoring to be like Jesus will give you great joy and a peace within your soul....even in chaotic times like we are experiencing right now.


"The greatest joy of a Christian is to give joy to Christ."        -    Charles Spurgeon

Jesus wants His disciples' joy to be complete.

"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."   -  John 15:11

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."   -  John 16:33