The Shame of Christ

Jill scanned the restaurant and found her friends Tanya and Dawn sitting by the window.  With a wave and a smile she walked to their table.

"Jill!" Tanya greeted her with a smile. "It is so good to see you."

"Late as always" Dawn teased.

"Fashionable late by only five minutes.  I am getting better." Jill laughed

As Jill sat down a man who had been following behind her watched her closely and sat down nearby.  His eyes never seemed to leave her.  He didn't look at her with malice; in fact he seemed to be looking at her lovingly.

Tanya and Dawn noticed him and asked in a low voice, "Jill, who is that man that followed you in?"

Jill glanced over at him. "I don't know.  I never saw him before."

Tanya persisted, "You sure?  He seems pretty intense on watching you."

Jill shook her head.  "I told you, I do not know him."

Dawn looked Jill in the eyes questioningly.

"Dawn, I do not know him. OK? He is just some creepy stalker."

Dawn shook her head.  "No he is not.  I have known you since kindergarten and I know when your lying.  Now tell us the truth.  Who is he?

Jill hung her head with a sigh. "That's my finance."

"What?" They both said together in shock.

"It's true. You can see why I don't want to be seen with him.  His clothes are all bloody from being tortured.  They whipped his back with 39 lashes.  They beat him, slapped him, spat on him and even pulled his beard out.  They mocked him as a king and put a crown of thorns on his head.  Then they took him to a hilltop, stripped him and nailed him on a cross.  When he was dead they made sure by thrusting a spear through his side."

"Oh my God!" Dawn said in shock.

Jill continued, "No Dawn, he is my God and I am ashamed to be seen with him by my friends."

Tanya asked, "Why did they do all those terrible things to him?  What did he do to deserve all that?"

Jill shook her head.  "Nothing.  He was totally innocent.  He could have gotten out of all the torture and being executed, but he was silent."

Dawn couldn't take her eyes off the man. "Why?"

Jill's eyes started to tear up.  "I was the one who was condemned.  I was the criminal sentenced to death.  He took my place on the cross."

Dawn looked back at Jill with disgust.  "He took your place?  He was tortured and killed so that you would not be?  He took your whipping, your beating, your place on the cross and you are ashamed to be seen with him?"

Tanya stood up.  "It is plain to see that he loves you Jill.  He does all that and you no longer want anything to do with him?  What is wrong with you girl?"

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus laid down his life for us...." 1 John 3:16a

"Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the son of man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory..." Luke 9:26 

How Can We Know Jesus is Messiah?

The Bible is unique in that it tells us about History before it occurs and it has never been wrong.  Let's take the prophecies about Jesus' first coming back 2000 years ago. There are over 300 specific prophecies that detail his birth, his genealogy, his ministry and his death.

An example of the prophecies is Zechariah 11:12 which says that (1) 30 pieces of silver would be paid for Messiah and (2) that the money would be used to buy a potters field.  Other prophecies talk about the Messiah being born in Bethlehem, He would be crucified, rejected by his own people, he would die with the wicked and be buried in a new tomb for the rich, and many other prophecies.

Let's be very conservative and say that the chance of any of those over 300 prophecies had a one in ten chance to be fulfilled by someone.  Of course, the odds are so much higher but for our purposes, we will be very lenient to the skeptics of the world.   This means that the odds of someone fulfilling 300 prophecies are 10 to the 300th power.

We could take a silver dollar, mark it and drop that silver dollar in a three-foot-deep pile of silver dollars that covered Texas.  Then have someone blindfolded go out and pick up one coin and it is the right coin, BUT those odds are way too small for what we are working with here.  We need a much larger area than Texas.

If we took an atom (instead of a silver coin) and marked it and then dropped it somewhere in the universe the odds of someone going out into the universe and picking out just the right atom is 10 to the 66th power. (scientist estimate there are 10 to the 66th power of atoms in the universe) The odds are still not great enough. 

We would have to have a universe that is 10 to the 234th power bigger than our present universe in order to match the odds of Jesus fulfilling 300 prophecies at only a 1 in 10 chance.

If you still don't think Jesus is The Messiah, who cleanses the sins those who believe in him, then the odds are so far against you that you would be a fool to not at least investigate who Jesus is.

"I am the LORD; that is my name!  I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.  See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you." Isaiah 42:8-9

For more on this subject click HERE.

The Lesson of the Jews

The Jewish people have fought against God time and time again.  Then God would chastise and punish them, and the nation of the Jews would repent.  God forgave them time and time again, no matter how great was their rebellion and sin against Him.

In the times of Moses, they worshipped a golden calf, complained about the food and water, tried to usurp Moses as God's appointed leader and disobeyed God's laws.  After Moses, the Hebrews would off and on go back to worshipping idols and false gods.  They rebelled against God numerous times.  God would say do this or don't do that and they did the opposite of whatever He said.

You might think, "Well, I have disobeyed God and no one ever took my home, put me and my family into slave irons, and took me to Babylon.  I must not be as bad at they were."  That is not because your sin is not as evil, but because of God's mercy.  Your sins are just as bad as theirs was.

The Jews committed the sin of rebellion against the King of the Universe.  Any time you sin, no matter how small a sin you think it is, it is a rebellion against God; The Creator, The All-Powerful, The King of the Universe and Lord of your life.  Rebellion against your king is called treason! The penalty for treason is death!  "For the wages of sin is death...: Romans 6:23a

God forgave Israel time after time because of His mercy.  It didn't matter how small or big the sin was, because they were all acts of treason and deserving of death, and yet He forgave.  His mercy is far greater than any sin that they might have committed.  When the Jews turned from their wicked ways, God forgave.

Do you think you have sins that are so evil that God could never forgive?  Wrong!  Do you think God will never forgive you until after you become a better person?  Wrong!  Do you think you could ever go too far for God to reach?  Wrong!  If you think anything like this, then you do not understand how great the love of God is.  He is all-powerful in love, mercy, and forgiveness. 

Look to the Jews and see the patience and love of God.  A God so merciful that there is no end to how great a sin or how many sins He will forgive.  He only asks that we repent and turn to Him.

Photo Credit: Moses by Jeremy Nixon

The Two Natures

When you were born you had one nature, the nature of man.  The nature of man is corrupted and warped.  No one is perfect and if you look around the world it seems pretty obvious that mankind is far from perfect.  That does not mean man cannot do good deeds, but the good deeds will always be tainted by sin.

Jesus was a man of two natures.  He had the nature of man by way of his mother, Mary.  He also had the nature of God because Mary was a virgin and God implanted the life of Jesus within the womb of Mary.  Every day of Jesus' life he had the choice to follow the nature of man or the nature of God, and every day he chose to follow the nature of God.

When a person accepts Jesus as their Messiah to take away their sins, they are reborn.  This time their birth is a spiritual one.  Their spiritual nature and their natural nature are united together in the soul of that person.  Just as Jesus' nature was a union of man and God, so is the Christian's nature a unity of man and God. 

We have the same choice that Jesus had when he was on this earth.  Do we follow the nature given to us by man or the nature that God gave?  Since the nature of man is warped even at its best, we must always choose to follow the nature of God.  We must die to our human nature and live in the nature of God.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - This is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."  Romans 12:1-2

Photo Credit: Two Face by Aasef Iqbal J

Hell is Real

Two days ago we talked about Heaven (click here) being real and what it is like.  Not only is Heaven real but so is Hell.  Hell is as real as the world you see around you right now.  I have heard people say, "I want to go to Hell.  That is where all my friends will be."  How foolish!

1. Who goes to Hell?  Everyone who chooses not to follow God.  If you think you can live without God, than God will allow you to live forever without Him.  The place you go is called Hell or the Lake of Fire.  The conditions of Hell exist because God is not there.

2. What is Hell like?  It is eternal Matthew 25:46 and all who are there are eternal as well. It is the blackest darkness anyone has ever seen. Jude 13 and you are eternally alone.  Hell is a firey furnace of torment. Matthew 3:42  and there is no rest Revelation 14:11

3. God did not create Hell for manknd but for Satan and the angels who followed him, but anyone who follows the evil of Satan instead of God will be thrown into Hell as well. Matthew 25:41

4. Because of His love, God does not desire any to go to Hell.  Because of His Justice He must punish those who go against His law. Psalm 99:4 Colossians 3:25

5. The way to avoid Hell God sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins.  He took the punishment so that we could live eternally with God and not eternally in Hell.  John 3:16 Romans 6:23

Churches do not talk about Hell very much, but Hell is real.  People need to understand what it is like and how God loves them so much He sent Jesus to die for them so that they can avoid Hell.  I post this today because I do not want you to find out first hand what Hell is like.

Photo Credit: Pain by Fabrizio Lonzini

Adolf Hitler: The Wolf

Throughout history, there have been men who have tried to destroy the Jews.  Adolf Hitler was one of the worse.  He killed 6 million Jews or 2 out of every 3 Jews in Europe. 

In John 10:12 Jesus talks about the wolf attacking the sheep and scattering them.  The sheep are God's people.  The Jewish nation is God's flock.  They had rejected Christ so they had no shepherd and for 2000 years they were abused, robbed, scattered and killed.  The wolf was out to destroy them.

The Name Adolf means 'wolf'.  His friends called him 'Wolf''.  Adolf Hitler was a wolf who sought out and destroyed as many Jews as he could.  When supplies were needed to be sent to the armies, Adolf put a greater priority on trains taking Jews to Death Camps.

The name of his military headquarters was Wolfsschanze which means wolf's lair and another one called Wolfsschluct which means wolf's gorge.  A Nazi guarilla group was called the Werewolves. A group of German Submarines was called a wolf pack.  The wolf became a Nazi theme under Adolf (Wolf) Hitler. The symbol in the picture above was the Wolfangel and was used by the SS and other groups including the Werewolves.

The wolf of World War 2 is no more, but there are other wolves in the world who seek to steal, kill and destroy God's people.  The Jews and the Christians are both in danger of the wolves of this world.  There is only one hope and this is found in Jesus Christ.  He is the good shepherd who cares for his sheep.  Stay close to the shepherd.  Trust Him to be watching over you and protecting you.  He even gave His life for us, His sheep.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." 
John 10:10-11  

What is Heaven like?

Heaven is a real place.  Cartoons and movies will portray it as somewhere in the clouds with people all in white robes and men with white beards, but that is not at all what Heaven is like.  There are no chubby little cherubs, everyone sitting on a cloud with harps, or Peter sitting at the gate deciding who gets in.

Heaven is even more real than this world is.  It is not some ethereal, mystical place with ghostly figures floating through the air.  Let's look at what you will find in Heaven.

1. It is full of mansions.  There is no bad side of town in Heaven.  Everyone will have their own mansion designed and built by the greatest carpenter who ever lived, Jesus Christ. John 14:2-3

2. Heaven is where the godly shall live.  Those who accepted Jesus Christ as Savior shall call it home and all who live in Heaven will be perfect and never do anything wicked again. There is no crime in Heaven.  Jeremiah 3:17 and Hebrews 12:22-23

3. There will be no confusion or arguments about what to believe or who is the one true God.  Revelation 7:9-10

4. There is no sorrow or pain.  There is no hunger or thirst. There will only be pure joy and contentment.  Revelation 7:15-17

5. The throne of God in Heaven is going to be a very loud place.  Revelation 4:5 talks about there being lightnings, thunderings, and voices raised up.

6. Riches in this world will be so ordinary as to become construction materials.  Gates will be made from single giant pearls.  The roads will be pure gold.  Building foundations will be precious gems. Revelation 21:19-21

7. Heaven is illuminated by the Glory of God.  There is no need for a sun or moon for God Himself will be the light and there will be no night.  Revelation 21:23-25

8. The Tree of Life is in Heaven.  It bears 12 kinds of fruit and its leaves are for healing the nations. Revelation 22:2

9. In Heaven we shall have glorified bodies just like the resurrected body of Jesus.  A body that is incorruptible.  A body that will never grow old, grow weak, get sick, or die.  A perfect body that will last forever.  1 Corinthians 15:40-49

10. God sits on His throne in Heaven.  You could have items 1-9 but without God living in Heaven, it would all be just another place with nothing really special.  What makes Heaven, Heaven is the presence of God.  What makes Hell, Hell is the absence of God.  Isaiah 66:1

What makes your life a Heaven or a Hell is the presence or absence of God.

Photo by Robert Lukeman on Unsplash

Israel is the Main Stage with the Jews as the Stars.

Some people might hate to hear this but God has made Israel the center of the world (Ezekial 5:5) and not any superpowers including the United States of America.  People keep looking for the USA in prophecy but if it is there, it is well hidden.

All throughout the Bible Israel is the center of the nations.  God has chosen the Jews to be the stars of this worldwide play.  Have you noticed that not all of world history is found in the Bible?  Only the nations which interact with Israel in some way are written about in scripture. There are general references to nations which do not interact with Israel but only as a group.

There are people who say that Trump is the modern day Cyrus, and try to insert him into prophecies about Israel.  There are many American leaders who people have tried to proclaim as the Anti-Christ, including, Henry Kissinger, John F. Kennedy and now it is Obama.  One way or another people will try to get America into the Bible.

America is NOT the apple of God's eye. (Zechariah 2:8) The United States is a supporting player with Israel as the center of attention.  Do not try putting any nation before Israel.  You can spiritualize events around the world and twist them to seem like your nation is important, but in truth, Israel is the main stage of events and the Jews are the stars.

Those who spiritualize, tell spiritual lies because they haven't spiritual eyes. 

The Mountain Path

Jason wanted to see the sunset from the top of the mountain.  He heard people talk about how wonderful the view was from up there.  Since Jason didn't know the path up to the top he thought he should leave early in the morning.

Setting off up a trail he was in high spirits.  The path took some turns and in about an hour Jason found himself at a cliff and nowhere to go.  Backtracking he found another path and started up it, but soon it was going downhill instead of towards the top.

Jason kept trying path after path but all of them seemed to end up as a dead end or going the wrong direction.  The sun crossed the sky and set behind the mountain leaving Jason to spend the night on the side of the mountain.  Disappointed and cold he slept fitfully until morning came and he started back down the mountain.

At the bottom, he met an old man who was smiling happily.  "Did you just come from the top of the mountain?" Jason asked the old man.

"Yep." The man said with a joy in his voice.  "It was the most beautiful sunset I ever saw."

"I never got up there," Jason confessed.  "I couldn't find the right path up to the top.  What path did you take?"

The old man shook his head.  "Don't look at the paths son.  Look to your goal.  Keep your eyes on the mountaintop and keep going towards it.  It can be a rough climb at times but you're always headed in the right direction and you will get there.  Paths can lead you anywhere, but if you keep your eyes on your target you will never go wrong."

Are your eyes on the target?  Is Jesus your goal or do you keep looking at the path you are following?  The path of a church can go astray.  Paths of good works end up at a dead end. Satan has laid out many paths in the world for people to follow that lead to death.

Keep your eyes on Jesus and always strive towards Him and Him alone.

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne ofGod."  Hebrews 12:1-2

Photo by Mitchell Orr on Unsplash

The Sacrifice

All over the Old Testament, you find people worshipping other gods in the high places.  Baal, Molech, Ashtoreth, Zeus, and others have alters placed on hills and mountains where they would make sacrifices to these false gods.  They would even sacrifice their own children to satisfy these abominations.

There is always a cost in serving them and there is a cost today as well for serving our gods. The gods of money, pleasure, beauty, power, comfort, success, a person, a job, entertainment, and even yourself all have a cost to serve them.  Anything you put first in your life is your god and it will demand a sacrifice of some sort.

You might have to sacrifice your health for your god, or perhaps your marriage.  People sacrifice their integrity, time, family, peace of mind, self-worth, and even their lives to their gods.  The cost is always something good and wholesome for something ungodly and self-centered.

God also has an alter but the difference is that on the Alter of God, God was sacrificed.  Instead of a man sacrificing to God, God gave Himself up as a sacrifice for man.   When Jesus Christ died on the cross, he became the universal sacrifice for all men.  With that sacrifice, He bought salvation and righteousness for us.  The only sacrifice we can now make is of ourselves to Him.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sister, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2

Photo credit: Belize- Altun Ha -Sacrificial Alter by SnugglePilot

Your Life is a Tapistry

"For I know the plans I have for you." declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

The word for "plans" in the Hebrew is makhashabah, but it means much more than just planning.  It is a careful, intricate, and imaginative weaving of a fabric.  That fabric is your life.  The greatest craftsman of the universe is expertly working with different colors and textures of events in your life to produce a work of art.

Every victory and every defeat, every joy, sorrow, gain or loss is woven into your life to produce a masterpiece of beauty.  The red threads of your wounds and the shining gold thread of God's work are all found interwoven with the thick black threads of hate and destruction, while thin silver threads of God's answers bind up the darkness of evil.

All the good and all the bad are expertly woven into a unique tapestry of God's love for you.  Your life is a display of the immeasurable goodness and love of God for you.  Sometimes we can not see the beauty of a work of art because we are too close to it.  When we stand back and see the work from afar, we see the whole picture and just how beautiful it truly is.

God is crafting you into a masterpiece.  Trust the Master Artist to create in you a beautiful tapestry of love.

Photo Credit:  many years at the loom make for skilled hands by Lyn

God's Guidance

There have been many times in my life that I have stood at a crossroad and tried to find the best road to take with my life.  Life is not an easy course for anyone to figure out.  There are so many twists and turns which we never expected.

When Moses led the Hebrew Children, he didn't know the best paths to take them down.  He certainly wouldn't have chosen to live in a wilderness where they could never find enough food to eat or where there was not enough water, but that is where God took them.

God didn't just send a cloud by day and a fiery pillar by night to guide them.  He could have done that easily or just tell Moses where to go.  Instead, God, Himself lead the tribes of Israel in the pillar.  Exodus 13:21 His presence was always there before them.

Do you think that when you ask for guidance as to the path to take in your life, God is going to just send you a map?  When you're at a crossroads do you seek a signpost saying "THIS WAY---->"  You are asking for too little.

God, Himself is standing there with you.  In fact, He is always there with you, to guide and direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6  Never fear a decision that needs to be made.  God is there to give you the wisdom and the strength to follow the path God shows you. He won't just point the way to go, but He will lead you.  You will not be able to walk down the pathways of life without Him being intimately involved and always there with you.  He will share the good and the bad until the final day you get to meet Christ face to face.

God does not just send you guidance,  He goes with you to guide.

Photo by jens johnsson on Unsplash 

What is a Life Worth?

I have seen clothing saying "No Fear".  I have seen videos of people doing crazy and dangerous stunts on YouTube, and they seem to personify that slogan.  A real man shows no fear when facing death as he leaps from a cliff and using a special suit, he glides a couple of feet from the ground going around rocks and trees until he finally ends pulling his parachute.

NO WAY!  You wouldn't catch me within 10 feet of that cliff.  These people die when one little mistake happens.  The thrill of defying death in so many ways is addicting to these people.  Even kids do stunts with bikes and skateboards that could easily break an arm, leg or neck.

My question is, why do we glorify people who risk their bodies, health, and lives?  Why is life seen as something to be abused for the sake of entertainment?  Go to YouTube and you will find countless videos that people find funny where people are seriously hurt or killed.  Someone has a terrible fall which could have killed or permanently injured someone and everyone in the video is laughing at the guy before they even know if he is still alive.

We have no value of life.   Our entertainment consists of sports shows such as Ultimate Fighting where people go at each other like gladiators.  They are bloodied, broken and sometimes even killed in those battles.  Boxing doesn't have enough violence and blood for us now.

Life is precious.  God is the giver of life.  It is a gift to us all which we should prize and cherish.  Everyone's life is precious to God and should be to us as well.

Too often life is seen as something to use to gain money by prostitution, sex trafficking, drugs, and even slavery in parts of the world.  People are seen as objects to fulfill our own pleasures and to entertain us.  People are only worth what we can get out of them.

We don't even value our own lives.  We not only risk our lives and health but we allow others to use us because we don't see the value in our own lives.

Are you created in the image of God?  Yes. Genesis 1:27

Did God design you to be the person you are? Yes. Psalm 139:13:16

Does He know you in detail?  Yes. Luke12:6-7

What is your value to God?  The life of Jesus. Galatians 3:13-15

God values you and every human life, that has ever lived and will ever live, so much that Jesus Christ, the Son of God who was involved in all of creation, willing was sacrificed so that you would live forever.  God can create another universe in just 6 days if He wanted to, but there is only one you and He was willing to die because He values and loves you so much.

Photo by Solal Ohayon on Unsplash

How Can God Use a Nobody Like Me?

So very often we look around at the world and think, "I am a nobody.  I am not important.  I have nothing to give in a ministry to God."

We look at what we are and think that we are just a housewife, a truck driver, a salesperson, a roofer or any of a hundred different things and not good enough to really make an impact.  We look at what we are and think God does not have the ability to make us into something greater.

There was a Hebrew man who was a craftsman.  He worked with wood and metal and was good at his job.  He was not good enough though to do what God called him to do, build the tabernacle of God and all the furnishing including the Ark of the Covenant.

I imagine he was well known for his work, but he could never have been good enough for people thousands of years later to know about him.  What made him great enough to be the head craftsman of the holiest artifacts in human history?

"Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills-"  Exodus 35:30-31

God filled him with the Spirit of God.  God gave him the wisdom, knowledge, and skills to accomplish the task.  He might have been good, but without the Spirit of God, he could never have created the works he did.

The key to God using you is not what your job is, not how important you are to the world, not how much money you have, and not how much scripture you have memorized.  The true key to serving God is to trust in God.  As a Christian, you have been filled with the Spirit of God.  He is within you.  Trust Him and not yourself.  Turn yourself over to His will and do not let your will get in the way.

Bezalel never thought he would be so important that God would take note of him and tell the world throughout time about him and his work.  Bezalel was not a Moses, but he was willing to be who God made him.  He was willing to follow the leading of God, wherever it took him.

We are to be like Bezalel and just be ourselves.  God did not call you to preach?  Then do not try to be a preacher.  God has called you to something.  Trust God and go where He leads you.

The greatest you can be is to be yourself with God.

Just Sharing My Heart

I just want to take this post to share with you my heart about where I see Christians standing today.

I wasn't sure we would get to 2018 without the rapture occurring and now I feel more certain that we won't get to 2019.  Rapture could occur before I get this post written or before you finish reading it, and it might occur years after this.  The world today is falling apart just as scripture says and the only hope we have is the return of Jesus Christ to come and rule.

But it saddens me to look around and see how unprepared we are for the last days.  Most of what we call Christian churches are led by false prophets who do not teach scripture.  Most of the truly Christian churches do not reach out to the unsaved.  They leave that to the preacher.  Most Christians do not know their Bible, do not know how to lead a person to Christ and have no idea what a true disciple of Christ is.  Many Christians warm a pew and think they have done their Christian duty.

Churches do not teach about the end times and the rapture.  The congregations know nothing about what is to happen in the end times or what to look for.  The scriptures told when Jesus would come the first time, but when Jesus came the people rejected him because they were not taught about the signs of his coming or the signs of who he would be.  We are making the same mistake.

Christians are following after the world.  True Bible Believing, Born Again Christians are falling into the ways of the world.  Sex before marriage, homosexuality, gluttony, trusting in the Lottery more than God, swearing, addiction (caffeine, alcohol, nicotine), materialism and many other sins Christians are accepting as not that bad.

We are fulfilling, at this very hour, 2 Thessalonians 2:3  which says that before the son of perdition (The Anti-Christ) comes there will be a great falling away.  There are many who call themselves Christians who Biblically are not, and many true Christians who are falling into the deception of the world.

I am not perfect.  I have done wicked things in the past as well as today.  I know I am weak but I am trying to follow what the God says in the Bible.  My desire is to please Him and not to be deceived.  It saddens me when I find something in my life that is not as God desires and with the help of Jesus, I turn from that sin.

I hate this world because of what it is doing to everyone.  The worse part is seeing Christian brothers and sister who fall into the traps of sin this world has forged.  I have a brother in Christ, from the group of believers I worship with, who has fallen into sin and it appears he will be divorcing his wife. I still love him but seeing where he is headed gives me great sorrow.  The world has its hooks in him and he does not want to turn back to God.

Please exam your life.  Read your bible.  Spend time with God.  Tell others about Christ. Put aside your agenda and follow God's agenda.  Don't just read and believe the Bible, live it.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2

Photo Credit: The Passion by A.Currell

They are Out to Get Me!

It's a conspiracy to kill me.  No! I am not crazy or paranoid!  They are plotting to steal from me, kill and destroy me.  If they can't kill me, they try to silence me.  They have been after me for as long as I remember.  It is no use hiding.  They know where I am.  They know where I go.  Perhaps the worse part is that they are after you also!

Yes! They are out to kill you as well.  It is a conspiracy that is worldwide, led by our arch enemy Satan. He is enlisting more and more people to do his bidding.  The world is full of people following Satan and fighting against those who follow Christ, as well as those God has deemed to be His Chosen people.

Jesus tells us that Satan is the ruler of this world (John14:30) and (1 John 5:19).  Those who are not God's belong to Satan.  What is Satan's plan?  John 10:10 tells us exactly what he is conspiring to do.  He wants to kill you, steal your blessings and destroy you, your reputation and all that is good in your life.

Satan has been plotting against the people of God since the times of Adam and Eve.  Don't think he won't work to kill you as well.  He hates you!  Do you think you're safe here in the United States?  Hatred is growing.  Laws are written against God and those who follow Him.  The Children of Satan are conspiring to get rid of God and, if you follow God, you as well.

The only hope we have is found in Christ who watches over us and keeps us safe.  As we get closer to the Second Coming of Jesus, things will only get worse.

"And do this, understanding the present time:  The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." Romans 13:11

Photo Credit: 061-Evil Eye by Phil Balchin

Judge NOT!!

Have you ever talked to someone about how what they are doing is wrong and they come back to you like a fiery old testament prophet proclaiming, "God says, 'Judge not, that ye be not judged.'"?

Whoa!  Look down on the ground and not into their eyes. Slowly back away and run before they go for your jugular.  What do you do?  They are quoting Matthew 7:1.  It does say not to judge, so what more can you do than to just quietly slip away, rebuked by scripture for what you were saying to them?

What you can do is stand up for what Matthew 7:1 is really saying.  This is not concerning telling someone that they are doing something against God.  We are to help others to recognize and repent from sin.  This verse is saying that we are all held to the same standard, so remove the sin in your life first before you point a finger at someone else.

When we do call someone out for a sin, we are never to judge (condemn) that person, for that is God's job, but we are called upon to inspect the fruit of others.  Matthew 7:16a "You shall know them by their fruits...."  If the fruit is bad we should reach out in love to help them to turn from their wicked ways.

To condense this down, we are to inspect the fruit of everyone, (especially ourselves) and help when someone is going against God.  That means speaking up and showing them what GOD says.  You do not judge them, the sinner, for that is God's job.  You do not point a finger at someone's sin when you yourself are in that same sin.  That is the pot calling the kettle black and it just will not work.  You are to point out what God says about their sin and not what you, the church, the government or what anyone else says.  God's word is the only standard we are to measure our actions by. 

"Joe, I have noticed that you keep doing A.  God says in the Bible that doing A is a sin.  If I can help you to stop doing A, I would be happy to help."

"JUDGE NOT THAT YE BE NOT JUDGED!"

"Joe, I didn't say it, God said it. I am only pointing out to you what God is saying about your actions."

"You have done A also."

"Yes, I did in the past but God showed me I was wrong to do that.  I no longer do A.  I can help you to stop as well."

Remember scripture is your standard and God is the judge as to what is right and what is wrong.  You are God's agent to love the person enough to tell them what God says about their sin.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."  2 Timothy 3:16

Photo Credit: gavel by janinsanfran

Biblical PUNishment

Ok, let's have some fun today.  After all, Christianity is not all gloom and doom.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine..." Proverbs 17:22a

What are a dentist's favorite hymns?

Crown Him with Many Crowns
Holy, Holy, Holy

How does Moses make his coffee?

Hebrews it.

Who was the smartest man in the Bible?

Abraham.  He knew a Lot.

What kind of man was Boaz before he married?

Ruthless

Why did the eagle sit on the church's steeple?

It was a bird of pray.

Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?

Samson.  He brought the house down.

What car make did the Apostles drive?

Honda.  The apostles were all in one Accord.

What is a missionary's favorite kind of car?

A convertible.

Which Old Testament prophet took forever to make a point?

"I say...uhhh.." (say it out loud)

At what time of day was Adam created?

A little before Eve

Why did Noah punish the chickens on the Ark?

They used fowl language.

Need an ark?

I noah guy.

What is the difference between Jesus and pizza?

Jesus can't be topped.

Quotes from the Book of Lacerations

There are many "Biblical" quotes from such books as Lacerations and Hezikiah.  Quotes which sound Biblical but actually are not.  Let's take a look at a few.

"Money is the root of all evil."
Close enough to sound good but wrong enough to be blasphemous.  There are no objects that are truly evil.  The evil comes from the heart of men in how they are used.  The true quote is found in
1 Timothy 6:10a "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,..."

"Love the sinner, hate the sin."
This is a Biblical truth but there is no Bible verse that says this.  Don't think you can quote this as if it is scripture.  One problem you will face with this truth is that today people identify themselves with their sin so that if you hate their sin, they see it as you hating them as well.

"God helps those who help themselves"
This quote is actually from Aesop's fable "Hercules and the Waggoner." Not only is it not from the Bible it is totally anti-Biblical.  In truth, when you try something on your own, God will let you.  You can trust your own strength and wisdom and you can fail all on your own.  The Bible calls upon us to trust Him to help us and not to lean on our own efforts.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Some others that I will let you look up and see that they are not in the Bible, but which many people think are Bible quotes are:

"This too shall pass."
"Just follow your heart and believe, and you can do anything."
"The lion shall lay down with the lamb."
"Cleanliness is next to godliness."
"Yea, verily, God wants you to be happy."
"God won't give you more than you can handle."
"If you work hard, you'll be successful."
"God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!"

Some of those follow the truths of the Bible but are not Biblical Quotes, while others are totally unbiblical.  You need to know the difference.

Never assume something that sounds good is Biblical.  Even from people you respect as a Christian leader.  We must know the Word of God or we will be deceived.  Do not become part of 1 Timothy 4:1  "Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,"

Photo Credit: the Bible, is this too overexposed? by Ashely Rose, 

The Second Eve

God created everything and the finale of His creation was man.  God created Adam and looked for a suitable helpmate but found none.  God put Adam into a deep sleep and took from his side a rib, which He formed into a woman.  This is how God created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, who later fell from grace and brought the curse of sin to the world. Genesis 2:18-24

There is a second Adam, Jesus the Christ.  He came to this world to remove that curse and pay for the sins of the world.  His life was given freely so that we, who are under the curse which the first Adam brought, can be rid of that curse forever.

But if Jesus is the second Adam, is there a second Eve?  Just as Adam had been put into a deep sleep, Jesus went into the deep sleep of death.  Just as Eve came from the opened side of Adam, at the crucifixion Jesus' side was opened and blood and water spilled forth from him.  That blood is the cleansing agent for all of our sins, and from that cleansing is birthed new life in Christ.

God brought new life into the world by way of Christ's blood.   A life that is pure and righteous from all sin.  That new life is the Bride of Christ.  The Bride of the Second Adam.  We the Church are the Second Eve.

The name Eve means "life".  From the first Eve, all human life was birthed.  From the second Eve is birthed eternal spiritual life, found only in Jesus.  We are to bring the good news to others.  The good news of life.

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." Ephesians 1:7

Philippians 4:13

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

I want to run and win a marathon.  I am 66 years old.  I have sciatica so standing or walking can be painful.  I know that marathons are run by healthy young people, but if I claim Philippians 4:13 I can win that marathon.  Yeah!  Right!

I could practice my heart out and have complete faith in that verse, but I would still not win any marathons.  Why is that?  Why is it we can not claim this verse and do great things in our lives?  A Christian could claim this verse to become President.  A person could claim this verse to win a game.  Someone could have complete faith in this verse and become the greatest person ever in his or her own field.  So why doesn't it work?  Doesn't God keep His promises?

"I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.  Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:12-13

Paul is not saying we can do all things.  He is talking about accomplishing his mission in all circumstances.  As an Apostle, Paul was spreading the gospel whether he was hungry or not; whether he had much or in need.  No matter the circumstances he was content because he knew that He could do anything when Christ was in it and fulfilled his needs.

This is not a genie verse.  Say Philippians 4:13 three times and POOF you can do anything.  But it is a promise that when God gives you a mission, no matter how difficult it is or how inept you might feel yourself to be, He will provide all your needs to accomplish that task. 

God will never call you to a ministry and then leave you alone to accomplish it.  He will strengthen you with all you need to follow His will.

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Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

I just read a post from a friend of mine on Facebook.  She lost $20 which she had put in her pocket and then it was simply gone.  She was irritated at her foolishness for losing the money and things were financially tight at the moment. She retraced her steps.  She hunted high and low. She searched hard for that lost money but she found nothing.

Later a still small voice spoke to her, "Remember.  Remember the times you were in need and the right thing came along at the perfect time?"  She saw that God had always provided for her in the past and He was not going to stop now.  He had blessed her time and time again, but this one time something was lost instead of given.  Did that mean God had now stopped blessing her?  Of course not.

That money was not hers but God to use as He saw fit.  Perhaps there was someone out there whose need was far greater than hers.  That $20 was someone else's gain.  Perhaps it was found on that day. Perhaps a month from now it will be found in the melting snow, but it will be found at just the right time, by just the right person, to fulfill their need and show them that God has a plan for their life, and He will prosper them.  He gives to them more than $20 but also hope and a future.

"...The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;  Blessed be the name of the LORD." Job 1:21b

Rapture is This Sunday!!

An Angel of the LORD comes down to you (yes a real angel and not a demon disguised as an angel) and tells you, "Do not be afraid.  I have come to tell you that this Sunday Jesus Christ the bridegroom and lover of your soul will come to rapture you and all believers to Heaven.  Prepare for your Rapture."

What do you do?  Stop a moment and think about what kind of preparations you would take if you knew that you only had a few precious days to be ready for the return of Christ.  Before going on with reading, think a minute about what actions in your life you would take.

Is there someone, perhaps a friend or relative, you need to reconcile with?  Do you have someone in your life whom you really enjoy their friendship but you are afraid to tell them about their need for salvation found only in Jesus Christ?  Do you have a hidden sin you need to repent of?

The time is short.  God commands us to be ready.  We are commanded to tell others about Jesus.  We are told to reconcile our relationships.  God demands that our lives be holy, righteous and pure.

"It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,"  Titus 2:12-13

Is Rapture this Sunday?  Maybe.  Do you want to take the chance that it isn't?

Photo Credit: Second Coming Jesus 02 by Waiting For The Word

God Promises Joy!

God is a wonderful God!  He delights in blessing His Children. One of the great promises of God is that you will find delight and joy in Him.

"Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:  "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!" Psalm 118:15

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior?  Then victory is yours!  You can rejoice with great joy because not only have you gained salvation and eternal life, but victory throughout your life because God is now in the battle with you. You and God will rejoice together in victory.

Are times tough? Are you going through some trials in your life?  Habakkuk talks about how even though he has nothing and everything looks bleak, he will rejoice.

"yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights."  
Habakkuk 3:18-19

Life can be a hard road to travel, but God is with us and we can rejoice because He gives us strength when we are weak.  And God gives us the stable and firm footing of His Word whether that road is an easy grassy one or a rocky dangerous trail.  We can rejoice in troubled times because that is when we will see God working in our lives.

The key to obtaining the Joy of the LORD is found in trusting Him.

"The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in Him;  All the upright in heart will glory in Him!"  Psalm 64:10

The righteous, those who have trusted in God for their salvation, take refuge in Him!  We are to depend upon Jesus Christ to provide all that we need; from salvation to blessings of clothes, a job, food, a home, and every little or big need we find.  Take joy for we are under His care

Joy is found by resting in the arms of Jesus.

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Islam is a Lie and Allah is a False God.

There is only one God and Allah is not Him.  Mohammad was a false prophet led by Satan to create an abomination of a religion that has deceived 2 Billion people in the world.  The Muslim people are not to blame.  They are deceived by the lies perpetrated by Satan, using Mohammad to war against God.

We must love and reach out to the Muslims.  They are not the enemy.  This is a spiritual battle for the hearts and souls of people.  Never hate them.  Never get angry with them.  Pray that God will open their eyes to the truth of God and to the lies of Islam.  They need us to stand up and speak the truth, otherwise, they will never see the deception they have fallen into.

The real villain is Satan.  He created a religion where lying, cheating, stealing, raping, enslaving, and killing are not only accepted but encouraged against all who do not accept Islam.  Hatred and anger against Jews and Christians are seen as natural and appropriate.  Islam is a creation of the father of lies.

"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.  Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."  John 8:44

There is only one God and one LORD.  YHWH!  He is truth and love.  He desires for all to come to Him and live.  He is all-powerful, but tender to those who suffer.  He is all-knowing, but will never remind the repentant how evil they have been.  He is omnipresent but still allows you free will to do as you will. Proverbs 6: 16-19 says He hates a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet swift to run to mischief, a false witness and people who create discord.  All that Islam teaches, God hates.

We must stand up as a true witness for God.  We must or else the lives and souls of the Muslims will be lost.  Are you afraid of what others might say if you should speak against Islam?  Do you fear personal harm from the Muslims? 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and love and of a sound mind."

The last words of Jesus while in this world was the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28: 16-20.
He commanded us to go and make disciples of all the nations.  All nations means even to those who hate you.  It means to tell the truth to those nations who are deceived by Satan.  It means to stand up for Christ even when others persecute and kill you.

To do otherwise is to bow to the desires of Satan.

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I Belong to Jesus.

I am His.  I do not belong to myself anymore.  In the Song of Solomon, the bride says of the bridegroom, "Ani Lo." or "I am His."  We are the bride of Christ and our relationship with Him should be summed up with, "I am His."

We, who belong to Jesus, are living in the most wonderful relationship possible.  He bought us with his blood.  We no longer have the right to our lives because our lives are now totally in the hands of God.  Sin and temptation have no right to us. We do not even have the right to give ourselves over to sin.

God also has taken the responsibility for our lives.  We no longer should worry because our lives no longer belong to us but to God.  He commands us in 1 Peter 5:7 to cast all our worries and anxieties on Him.  Our Burdens now belong to Jesus and not to us.  Everyone who will simply trust in Jesus Christ is now free.

Do you get offended?  Do people ever persecute you?  Are you made fun of?  God created you and knows you intimately.  When you belong to Jesus, those who come against you are now coming against God instead.  Do not be offended by people, because you belong to Jesus Christ, your bridegroom.  He will stand with you in all the trials the enemy throws at you.  In the end, God says "Revenge is mine"  Can you think of a greater punishment for those poor people who harass you than the wrath of God?"

I am His because I love Him.  I gave myself to Jesus because I wanted too. I wanted to give the love of my soul everything.  I do not want to hold anything back from him.  It is a joy to give of myself to my Lord Jesus.  What I receive in return is worth more than a thousand lifetimes.

"For in Him we live and move and exist,..." Acts 17:28a

Photo Credit: "The LORD is to be Praised!" by Art4The GlryOfGod by Sharon