God makes the Sun Rise on the Evil

Could you imagine what the world would be like if the sun only shined down on what is good?  What would it be like if only the beauty of the world was illuminated and not the ugly?  What if the sinners and those who do evil only lived in darkness while the godly and righteous people of God were the only people who could live in the light of the sun?

It would change the world.  It would be so different that life would not be anything like it is today.  Not only would the world change, but the sun would also have to be altered. It would have to cease shining light to some degree.  The sun would require a bright light shining from parts of it while having dark areas with no light emanating from it.  It would no longer be the light of the whole world.

Matthew 5:44-45 says, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven; for he makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain to the just and the unjust."

Just as the sun shines on the just and the unjust, the Christian is to be a light to the just and the unjust.  Those who persecute you will expect you to hate them, but when you return love for hate, they see the light of God in your life.  We must shine forth with the radiance of God's love so that the world will seek out that light.

Shine forth regardless of your circumstances.  Bring light into the darkness of evil.  God has made you a light to the world, a light to shine forth and draw all men to the presence of God.

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What We Must Do to Heal Our Land

My nation, The United States of America, is in trouble.  People are pointing their fingers at everyone else saying they are the problem.  The real problem, according to what I read in the bible, is the Christian.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Too many Christians think that praying for this country is what is needed.  I couldn't count the number of times I have been in the presence of groups who prayed for this country.  Leaders are constantly telling their congregations to pray for the country.  Prayer is very important but it is not the first thing this verse says to do.  We ignore the words 'shall humble themselves'.

Humility is more than just giving God credit for our actions.  The Hebrew word for humble is 'rpk'  which is pronounced kaw-nah'.   It means to bring into subjection, subdue, be brought down and vanquish.

How many of us have brought their bodies into subjection?  Have we vanquished our own desires for comfort for Christ?  Have we truly brought down self from the throne of our lives and subdued our will for His?  I confess that I have fallen way short of true humility.

This means more than going to church or singing in the choir.  It means more than having prayer before meals or having a picture of Jesus hanging on your wall.  It means actual affliction of self.  It means following Christ to places and situations where you do not want to be.  It means to frustrate your own desires for God.

Does that sound harsh?  Humility is not some namby-pamby word that is easy to accomplish.  It can only be accomplished when we fully submit to God, allowing Him to fully work in our lives. We must follow Paul's example in 1 Corinthians 9:27, "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest,....I myself should become disqualified."  In some versions, the word discipline is substituted with 'buffet'.

If we want this country to turn from its wicked ways, it is up to the Christian.  We are all called to preach the Gospel making disciples, not just believers.  We are called to sacrifice our lives, not simply to die but to live completely for Christ.

First, you must humble yourself for this verse to work and heal our land.  We in America do not know what true humility is.  We must learn humility if we want Christ to heal and reign in our country or in any country we might live in.

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Within the Womb of God

Is it hard to imagine that God has a womb?  In the Hebrew language, the word for womb is "rechem".  Rechem comes from the word Racham which can mean womb, but it can also mean a deep, tender compassion, and mercy.

When Nicodemus came to Jesus, he was told that he must be born again.  Nicodemus was surprised by this statement. "Can a man enter his mother's womb to be born when he is old?"  Of course, it is physically impossible, but a man can enter the womb of God's mercy and be spiritually born again. 

Every birth requires a womb and a spiritual birth is no different.  It is that rechem of God, that spiritual womb of His love, protection, and compassion, where our lives are nurtured.  Within the rechem of God, we find His loving mercy.   How can we mature to become the person God planned without his rechem for us to develop and grow within.

The womb is a place of protection and nurturing.  This is where you are kept safe so that you can mature and develop into the person God planned.   With the help of God, you will emerge at last in His image.

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The Christian Faith is not Blind Faith

Blind faith is not Biblical.  Too often a Christian will answer a question about their belief with "Just have faith".  That is like saying a person has to commit intellectual suicide to become a Christian.  If you don't have an answer to a question about Christianity, you need to investigate and find the answer.

"...and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;" 1 Peter 3:15b''

The Bible says trusting in Jesus for salvation is the only way to God.  Does it take blind faith to accept Jesus as savior?  No.  Read the Bible and you will find time and time again where God tells of future events which later happened.  Prophecies from God always come true.  Many are coming true today.  That is proof that the Bible comes from God who is outside of our limit of time.  God has the power to get His word to you perfectly and the prophecies show that the Bible is from Him.

Non-Christians think Christians are afraid of science and will deny science to follow their blind faith.  Christians never have to fear science. Science is of God.  He created it.  The Catholic Church demanded scientist to follow what the Church said was true because they feared the truth.  Christians should never fear the truth.  The truth is of God.

The Bible says that God hung the world on nothing. (Job 26:7) Others were saying it sat on the back of a turtle, but the Bible spoke the scientific truth.

The Bible is not a science book but it does contain scientific facts.  It says the earth is a sphere, waters cycle from the river to ocean to the sky and back to the land, and other scientific facts that many times man didn't know until just the last couple hundred years.

If the Bible says something that you do not understand, and you can not find the answer by investigating, never fall back on 'blind faith'.  Look to Jesus.  He has never lied to you.  He has never failed you.  He has always been with you and watched over you.  His promises are always kept.  To trust Jesus is not blind faith.  You are trusting someone who has a perfect past history of truth in your life.  Trusting Jesus is sure faith.

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The Programmer

Your brain is a very fast and highly intelligent computer with an enormous memory capacity.  Your brain puts any supercomputer to shame.

What if you had a supercomputer for your own use?  Think of the number of kitty pictures and videos you could store on it.  If your playing a video game there would be no waiting or buffering before you could start that game of Pong.  Everything and anything you ever hoped for in a computer would be right there for your use.

But what if no one programmed it before you got it?  No operating system, no graphics program, no anything except a blank empty memory on your supercomputer.  That wonderfully made supercomputer would be just one large paperweight, useful for nothing.

Your brain also would be worthless without someone programming it.  Your heart wouldn't beat, your lungs would never breathe.  Every organ in your body would just sit there with no knowledge of what to do.  Your body needs to have information sent to each organ, gland, nerve, and muscle in order to function.

A programmer is necessary to input the proper programs into your brain so that your body will function properly.  That program is so fast, intricate and multitasking that only a master programmer could ever come close to accomplishing such a marvelous work. 

God is not some old man who doesn't know how the computer age works.  He invented the greatest computers and perfectly programmed them at the beginning of time.  Birds can fly because he programmed them too.  Monarch butterflies after many generations fly back to the same places in the south because God programmed them too.

There is just one problem with your programming. The Sin Virus is constantly trying to destroy God's programming.  Every time we sin, the virus is eating away at the perfect program God created within you.  Sin is the destroyer of the mind.  Sin will slowly consume the mind unless we seek the programmer to restore our programming and renew our minds.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable perfect will of God."  Romans 12:2

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Your Apocalypse

Someday you will see the apocalypse.  You will be there and so will everyone else.  When we think of The Apocalypse, we think of terrible and awesome judgment from God upon the earth.  We think of death and destruction.

The word apocalypse comes from two root word. "Apo" means to remove or take away. The other root word "Kalupsis" means a veil or covering.  Together they mean "The removing of the veil" 

For the Christian, the apocalypse is talking about the wedding between the bride of Christ and Jesus, the bridegroom.  In Revelation 19:7-9 we find at the end of the Tribulation period when Jesus comes back on a white horse to rescue mankind, the Bride of Christ is revealed.  The veil which hid who she was has been removed for all to see.  The apocalypse of the bride, the removing of the veil, is accomplished to reveal her to the world.

For the Non-Christian, the apocalypse of Judgment is in their future.  All their sins and rebellions against God will be revealed to them.  Every careless word, every lie, every dishonest and evil act will be seen by them and they will finally realize the error of their ways.   They will then look upon the God who they have denied and realize that He truly is LORD.  The veil will be removed from their eyes and they will know their sins and who they have sinned against.

In a way, every Christian has already had an apocalypse.  Each one has already realized that they have sinned against God.  They have recognized Jesus as Lord and now follow him instead of rebelling against him.  The veil of sin which blinded them has been removed and now they will never face judgment.

What apocalypse will you see?  I hope and pray it is not of Judgment for your sins.

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Are We Promised Tomorrow?

I attend a small house church and yesterday Bill, one of our members, died.  He knew Jesus as his savior and today he is in Heaven enjoying the face to face presence of Jesus Christ.  I am happy for him and yet sad because people here will miss him.

I hate to think how tragic it would have been if Bill had not trusted Jesus as savior.  Today he would be in eternal torment, shut out from the presence of God.  Every day, all over the world, people are dying without Christ.  Many think they will have tomorrow but tomorrow never comes.

If you were to die today, what reason would you give God to allow you into Heaven?  Good works? Your family?  Everyone will get into Heaven?  Jesus said, "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36  It is faith in Jesus alone that saves.

You who know Jesus as your savior, do people around you know Jesus?  How will they know if you never tell them?  Will tomorrow be too late for them?

"For 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.'  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?"  Romans 10:13-14

Eternity is just a breath away.  No one is promised tomorrow.  No one is promised even another heartbeat.  Are you ready?  Are your friends and family ready?  Who will tell them if not you?

If you want to accept Jesus as your Savior Click Here for more information.

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