Saturday, December 7, 2013

Lift Up Your Heads, O You Gates; Be Lifted Up, You Ancient Doors, That The King Of Glory May Come In (Psalm 24:7)

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I (Jesus) am?”


Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:15-18)

For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. (Mark 4:22)

Meditating in recent days about what Jesus meant when He said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the fact that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God, I’ve come to somewhat of an understanding, at least in part, of what that means.

When we think of gates, we think of trying to keep something in, and trying to keep something out. In this case I think of the gates of hell being used to keep people in bondage to deception and keep the truth that would save them from destruction, out. We read in 2 Corinthians 4:4, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” That is very sad, and will not end well for those who are not delivered from this.

But Jesus said that the gates of hell would not be successful in keeping its captives from hearing the truth that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus said that what is hidden from the eyes of the unbelievers is meant to be made clear to them.

So, with the age of the internet, and with the emergence (coming into view, existence, or notice) of the cultic and occultic movements, I find myself praising God because I can see the gates of hell being torn down. In order for these movements to gain notoriety they have to open the gates. When they open the gates, the truth is able to get in and captives are being set free.

And all these emerging groups have their own goals. For some it is to gain more money. For some it is recognition. For some, as in the Satanic movement, it is insanity.

I remember watching a boxing match a couple of years ago where one opponent was knocked out in the middle of the third round. He came to just as the name of the victor was to be announced. He stood up and raised his hands, walking over to be recognized as the victor. It was pretty ridiculous really. Everyone knew he had lost the fight. Do you remember the fight I’m talking about? No? That’s because that fight never happened. If you have ever watched a boxing match you know that one man knows he is the one who has been defeated, and the other man knows he is the victor.

Colossians 2:15 says, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he (Jesus) made a public display of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” It’s insane for the devil to go about and claim himself to be victor, because he has already been defeated. And it is insane for anyone to be part of a Satanic group to believe him and to believe that somehow they will prevail against God as well. And it is insane for anyone to think, as in cultic movements, that somehow you will be able to side step the cross and make it into heaven some other way.

But in all of this, the age of the internet and the emergent movements, Christ is being preached. Paul says in Philippians 1:18, “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”

The gates are open. Christ is being preached. People are searching and asking questions. Praise God. Keep asking questions. Proverbs 8:17, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” Jesus said in Matthew 7:7 and 8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

So, if you are one of the ones who has been held captive to deception, since the gates have come down, the Lord is giving you an opportunity to hear or read and receive the truth and by His grace be saved from judgement.

There is nothing you have done that He will not forgive. Matthew 3:28, “I (Jesus) tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them.”

You and I both are sinners by nature and as a result objects of God’s wrath. But Jesus went to the cross to pay the penalty for our sin and take out of the way what separates us from our God. He was crucified, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day by the Spirit of holiness. He wants to credit His perfect life to your account and become in you the righteousness that God demands. Ask Him to do this and He will. Then God will adopt you and seal you by His Holy Spirit and will give you the guarantee of eternal life. He will make you stand firm in Christ. He will raise you up in the presence of Jesus and you will not be found lacking, you will be complete in Christ.

He will be your hope.

God, thank you that you have opened the gates. Thank you that what was hidden from the captives eyes is now being disclosed to them and they are receiving salvation from you. Thank you that you are proved right when you speak. Thank you that the gates of hell will not prevail against the truth the Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

What in Hell is Going On?

Gods Covenant With Abram (Genesis chapter 15):


After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.

I am your shield,[a]

your very great reward.[b]”

2 But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”

6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

7 He also said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”

8 But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”

9 So the LORD said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”

10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the LORD said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”

17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi[e] of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”

The significance of this covenant that the Lord made with Abraham is very important. During Abraham’s day if two men made a covenant, they would cut animals in half and walk between them, signifying that if either of them broke the covenant, that person would end up like those animals. What is amazing is that as Abraham expectantly prepared for the Lord and himself to walk between the animals, that the Lord caused Abraham to go into a deep sleep. And then the Lord Himself walked between the animals alone, signifying that He would take responsibility for both parties. In other words, if the Lord defaulted, He would end up like the animals, if Abraham defaulted, the Lord would end up like those animals.

This covenant that the Lord made with Abraham was confirmed by the Lord 430 years prior to the Law being introduced (Galatians 3:17). We find in Scripture that the Law was added so that trespass would increase, so that when we recognized our sinfulness we would be led to Christ who went to the cross and payed the penalty for our sin. He went to the cross alone and ended up like those animals. He took responsibility for us and paid the penalty for us because we couldn’t keep our side of the covenant. This is the Covenant of His blood that Jesus tells us about. So anyone who comes to Jesus and agrees with Him that they are a sinner, thanks Him for paying the price for their sin, and asks Him to give them eternal life, He will do that.

Ephesians 1:13 and 14:

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

This brings me to the title of this blog post: What in Hell is Going On?

2 Corinthians 4:4, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

I was thinking this morning about all the “ism’s” in the world today. Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Buddhism, Muhammedism, and all the other “ism’s” out there. There is really no difference between any of these, except for the wrapper they come in. What they have in common is keeping people blinded to the covenant Jesus wants to make with a person. They reject that only He could pay the price and they teach we have to approach God through the Law. In their pride they are eager to walk in between those animals with the Lord. The problem is that they will end up like those animals because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You see, God in His grace would not allow Abraham to walk in between those animals because it would have meant the end of Abraham. Abraham would have ended up breaking covenant and would have been destroyed as a result. And anyone attempting to approach God on their own merits will end up the same way.

Deuteronomy 5:29

“Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever.” Have you kept all of His commands all the time? Neither have I. That disqualifies us from things going well for us forever. But if Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, took them out of the way to never hold them against us again, and credited us with His righteousness, then wouldn’t we be qualified? Yes. Trusting in what Jesus did for us will qualify us for things to go well with us forever.

Hebrews 7:18-19:

“The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.”

The Law is not able to make us perfect. Only Jesus can, by taking our sin out of the way and never holding it against us again and by filling our account with His righteousness.

What is going on in hell is that the Devil wants to prevent you from coming to Christ and embracing His grace toward you by keeping you focused on the Old Covenant of the Law that cannot save you from judgement. If he can do that, then he can destroy you.

In our culture we like to embrace religious diversity. We talk about how beautiful it is. It is good that God has given people freedom of choice, but it’s important to understand the consequences of those choices. And there are really only two choices. Will you continue to reject the free gift of salvation that Jesus is offering you and seek to approach God through the Law (which Jesus set aside)? Or will you trust in Jesus alone to save you from judgement?

1 John 5:12

“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

Saturday, July 27, 2013

False Prophets and Their Motivation

The most basic need a person has is revealed to us in Proverbs 19:22a, "What a man needs is unfailing love..."  Whether a person realizes this or not, it is what the Scriptures teach us.  But we know there is an issue that gets in the way of our having this love that does not fail.  It's sin.  So what can we do about that?  God has set eternity in the hearts of men.  We know we are seperate from Him, and we long to be with Him.  But we find that the wages of our sin is death, or eternal seperation from Him.  We know that we don't have that unfailing love.

But what if there was a way to change that?  What if there was an answer?  There is.  And only one answer.

God chose to satisfy the demand of His justice and extend His unearned favor toward us through His Son Jesus. 

Almost 2,000 years ago Jesus, the Son of God, God Himself, the Creator of all things, chose to bear the penalty for your sins and for mine.  He chose to remove what seperated us from Him.  So He was crucified, not for His own sin, because He was sinless, but for our sin.  He died and rose again from the dead on the third day by the Spirit of holiness.  Romans 1:4, "who through he Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord."  You see, it is because of a person's sin that that person is held captive by death when he dies.  But Jesus was able to rise from the dead because there was no sin in His own life by which death could hold Him.

He is waiting.  He did it for you.  All you have to do is ask for forgiveness and the gift of life.  And He will not turn you away.  At the moment you ask Him, He will take away your sin (that by which death could hold you down), credit His righteousness to you so that you also will rise from the dead, adopt you as His child, seal you by His Holy Spirit, and give you the guarantee of eternal life.  That's it.  That's all you have to do.  That's the only thing you can do.  That's the simplicity of the Gospel. 

This now brings me to the topic of this post: False Prophets and Their Motivation.

I can't say that I have dug real deep into the doctrines that some preach, whether religious or otherwise.  But I can say that through study of the Scriptures (the Bible), I have found in Scripture some very basic common denominators concerning false prophets and false teachings.

When someone is in the business of finding those who create counterfeit money, they don't study all of the counterfeit currency out there to do this.  They spend their time studying the real thing, and then what is counterfeit is noticable.  Then they are able to track down the counterfeiters and prosecute them.

God prosecutes counterfeit teachers and those who pass counterfeit teachings as well.  Without repentance, the sentence is far greater than what someone would receive for counterfeiting currency here.  Paul says in Galatians 1:8, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned."

You see, in the Scriptures, specifically in the Apostolic letters, we are told about the simplicity of the Gospel and what a person needs to do to inherit eternal life.  But in some religions and movements the teachings are different than what is taught in the Scriptures.  Why are there some who are willing to preach falsehoods to others (false prophets) and to hold those who follow them captive to their false teachings?  What is their motivation, and what is behind it?

Let's start with what, or who, is behind it.  Jesus said in John 10:10a, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..."  The devil is the thief, who comes to steal from you, kill you, and destroy you.  And the demons work for him.

1 Timothy 4:1 says, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith (the Apostolic teachings in the Apostolic letters) and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."

So the false prophets abandon the sound doctrine of the simplicity of the Gospel found in the Apostolic letters and teach things taught by demons who are out to steal from you, kill you, and destroy you.

What is the motivation of these false prophets? 

2 Peter 2:1-3a, "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.  Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up."

So false prophets motiviated by greed will exploit you by teaching doctrines of demons who are out to steal from you, kill you, and destroy you.

How are demons able to destroy you?  Galatians 1:8 and 9,  "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned.  As we have already said, so now I say again:  If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted (the gospel Paul is talking about here is the gospel taught in the Apostolic letters), let him be eternally condemned."  Demons are able to destroy you by keeping the truth from you so that you will not submit to the gospel and be saved.  By presenting a different gospel to you and making you feel and believe as if everything is okay, while you are presently under condemnation and don't realize it. 

There is only one way to be saved, and that's Jesus' way.  Through the simplicity of the Gospel taught in the Apostolic letters.  A person cannot be saved from judgement by following a doctrine that is contrary to the teaching of the Scriptures.  Whether a person follows the wrong way knowingly or unknowingly, the outcome is the same:  eternal condemnation.  Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

False prophets, whether religious or non-religious, by their greed seek to exploit you.  And they use doctrines of demons to do so.  Why?  Because they can't exploit you by using the truth.  Jesus said in John 8:31a, 32, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  The truth will set you free, but with their lies they can put you into bondage and keep you there.

False teachers strive to get your money, and the devil strives to keep your soul.  Jesus came to give you life, and life more abundantly.  False teachers disregard the Scriptures, especially the Apostolic letters that tell there is good news for you, and keep you from the Scriptures as well.  But you have a choice.  Read the Apostolic letters for yourself.  Ask Jesus to save you from judgement, and He will, keep your money and walk away from these false teachers.

How can we be sure we can rely on what the Scriptures say?

Hebrew 1:3, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by the power of His word."  If Jesus' word had not been able to endure, all of creation would have ceased to exist.  So, the one who sustains all of creation by the power of His word has also been able to keep the true gospel from being lost.  He's holding you responsible to compare what you have heard with His word, the Scriptures.

What are some of the false teachings that contradict Scripture,  the reliable Word of God?


1.  Jesus is not God.

     John 1:1a, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
     John 1:14a, "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us."
     Romans 9:5, "Theirs (the Jews) are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry
of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised!  Amen."

2.  Jesus didn't create us and all of creation.

     John 1:2, "Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made."

3.  There are many ways to heaven and many who can get you there.

     John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father
     except through me."

4.  You have to work or pay money to get into heaven.

     Ephesians 2:8 and 9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast."
     Romans 11:6, "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer
be grace."

5.  There are those who are equal to God, or that Jesus is subservient to others.

     Philippians 2:9-11,  "Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the Name
that is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on
earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of
God the Father." 

And these are just a few. 

    





Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Stones Will Cry Out



Luke 19:37-40, When he (Jesus) came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. 

"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" 

"Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" 

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" 

"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

The Scriptures tell us that there is nothing new under the sun.  Today, we see those who want God's children to be silent.  They have taken prayer out of the schools.  They have taken the Ten Commandments out of our courthouses.  They are on a crusade to remove anything that has to do with the cross of Christ, that which testifies to the suffering our Lord went through to purchase eternal life for those who would ask.  They want the children of God to stop spreading the Gospel and leading others to eternal life.  They want us to believe that the Bible, the Scriptures, are myth.

But, the stones will cry out.

As I was thinking about it today, archaeology cannot lie.  Archaeology must bear witness to the history that was there.  I don't believe there is any scientist or reasonable person who would deny that.

There is an arcaeological find outside of Jerusalem, the Palace of King David (1000 BC) that is proving out the Biblical accounts.  This is undeniable. 

http://www.ibtimes.com/king-davids-palace-discovered-archaeologists-israel-photo-1352231

Now, those who want to reject Christ and teach others to do the same, must find a different avenue.  This one of proclaiming the Bible to be myth has been proven wrong.

For those who want to look at the facts, the facts of the Scriptures and the facts born out in history and archaeology, Jesus is still waiting.  Ask Him, who died for you and then rose from the dead, to apply to you what He has done.  To forgive you of your sin and give you eternal life.  He will do it.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Identity Crisis

After dealing with some issues in my own life a few days ago, I believe the Lord put it on my heart to deal with what I see as an identity crisis in our world today.  An identity crisis among those who don't belong to Christ, and an identity crisis among God's children.  I will write about unbelievers first, and then about believers in the Lord Jesus.

Now, when I write about those who don't know Jesus, it will seem harsh, because in reality it is harsh.  One of the verses that stands out with me is Isaiah 66:6, "Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple!  It is the sound of the LORD repaying His enemies all they deserve."  It seems to me that when the time comes for the LORD to deal with His enemies that it will be so severe He will not even let His own children watch.  This is more than harsh.  This is terrifying.  It should not be anything anyone would want to face.  But some will face it.  Why?

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God they died spiritually.  They became separated from the Spirit of Life.  They became spiritually dead.  They became by nature objects of the wrath of God, worthy of judgement.  As a result, the whole human race became by nature separated from the Spirit of Life and objects of wrath worthy of judgement.    Jesus said to all of us in John 8:44a, "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire."  I don't believe that when Jesus spoke this that He was wanting to insult or degrade.  I believe He was stating a fact.  We are the result of the work of Satan in the Garden of Eden that caused all of us to rebel against God and be separated from Him.  That is our identity.  It doesn't matter the color of our skin or our social or economic status.  Our identity is that we are of our father the devil facing judgement.  That's who we are.

But Jesus is the remedy.  He came for the purpose of providing hope where we have no hope, peace with God where we had no peace.  A good future when we had a horrible future.  He came to give us a new identity.

Jesus went to the cross for the purpose of receiving that judgement for us on Himself.  To pay the penalty for our sin and to take it out of the way so that it would be, before God, as if we had never sinned.  And then to credit us with His performance.  As God's Son Jesus never sinned.  That's why He was able to rise from the dead.  Death could not hold Him because He was sinless.  He took our sin out of the way and wants to credit to us His perfection.  Do you want that from Him?  Do you want Him to take your sin out of the way, credit His righteousness to you, adopt you as one of His children and give you a sure future with Him?  Ask Him right now and He will do it.  Romans 10:13, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Then you will belong to Christ, and 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"  If you ask Jesus to save you from judgement, then you will become a new creation.  You will have a new identity.  You will then be a child of God, no longer facing judgment.

Now, for those of us who are already in Christ, who have already asked Jesus to save us from judgement, we need to come to more of an understanding of who we are in Christ.  I know that in my own life, and in the lives of those I talk to, we have a lot to learn.

I believe the sins and issues in our lives stem mainly from not understanding our identity and what God has done for us in Christ.  Below, I'm going to list some of the truths about us, and would like to encourage you, along with myself, to become well acquainted with these.  We have a lot of negative thoughts about ourselves and believe them.  We need to displace the untruths with the truth of God's Word.  Paul tells us in Romans chapter 12 verse 2 that the way to transform our lives (or to have victory over the sins in our lives) is to renew our mind.  We are new creations in Christ.  The things that used to be true of us are no longer true.  But before I list those I would like to deal with the most basic, foundational truth that you and I need.  That need is for a love that does not fail.  Proverbs 19:22a, "What a man desires is unfailing love;".

Will God's love ever fail you?  Is it possible to lose that position you have in Christ and as a result no longer be in a position to receive God's unfailing love?  Doesn't God say that He will meet all of our needs in Christ (Philippians 4:19)?  This is our most basic need, and I believe God has already fully met this need, forever, in Christ.  I know there are some who preach we can lose our salvation, but I don't believe the Scriptures teach this.  In Romans 8:37-39 Paul tells us that nothing in all of creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  I know there are some who would say, "except you."  I don't know if I would get into the habit of adding to what God has said.  It doesn't say "except you," in this passage.  In John 10:28a Jesus says, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish."  I was reading online, "Eternal Security of the Believer," by Dr. Harry Ironside, So He says, “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” He puts no conditions around that promise, “They shall never perish.” The word “perish” is in the middle voice, so that if rendered literally in English, you would have to make two words of it, because we do not have a middle voice. The words “perish” and “destroy” are the same in Greek. “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never destroy themselves.”  So, since God promises to never leave us, since God says nothing in all of creation will be able to separate us from His love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord, and since Jesus said He will not allow us to destroy ourselves, then what we have is God's love that will not fail us.  That is our most basic need that God has met for us in Christ.

So from that foundation we need to counteract the negative, untrue things about ourselves that we've been taught or the devil or the world system, or others, want us to believe about ourselves.  Now I'm going to list below some of the truths in Scripture about who we are in Christ, and hope that you, along with myself, will take maybe one of these a day and meditate on it.  And I believe that the victory we are hoping for in our lives will be seen as a result of our transforming the way we think.  And for those who have just asked Jesus to save them from judgement, these truths are true of you as well.  Meditate on them.  God has done a great thing in your life.

WHO I AM IN CHRIST

I am God’s child John 1:12

I am Christ’s friend John 15:15

I have been justified Romans 5:1

I am united with the Lord (one spirit) 1Cor.6:17

I am bought with a price; I belong to God 1Cor.6:19-20

I am a member of Christ’s body 1Cor. 12:27

I am a saint Eph. 1:1

I have been adopted as God’s child Eph. 1:5

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit Eph. 2:18

I have been redeemed and forgiven Col.1:14

I am complete in Christ Col.2:10

I AM SECURE

I am free forever from condemnation Rom. 8:1-2

I am assured that all things work together for good Rom. 8:28

I am free from any condemning charges against me Rom. 8:31-34

I cannot be separated from the love of God Rom. 8:35-39

I am established, anointed and sealed by God 2Cor. 1:21-22

I am hidden with Christ in God Col.3:3

I am confident that the good work He has begun in me,

will be perfected Phil1:6

I am a citizen of heaven Phil 3:20

I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a

Sound mind 2Tim 1:7

I can find grace and mercy in time of need Heb 4:16

I am born of God; the evil one cannot touch me 1John 5:18

I AM SIGNIFICANT

I am the salt and light of the earth Matt 5:13-14

I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life John 15:1,5

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit John 15:16

I am a personal witness of Christ’s Acts 1:8

I am God’s temple 1Cor 3:16

I am a minister of reconciliation for God 2Cor 5:17-21

I am God’s co-worker (1Cor 3) 2Cor 6:1

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm Eph 2:6

I am God’s workmanship Eph 2:10

I may approach God with freedom and confidence Eph 3:12

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens Phil 4:13

Me

The lists above come from research done by Neil T. Anderson.  He has written several books, two that have been very helpful to me:  "Victory Over the Darkness," and "The Bondage Breaker."  Following are a few more that I have discovered in 2 Corinthians.  Search the Scriptures.  There are more that God wants us to discover.

God comforts you in all your troubles.  1:4

Our hope is firm in Christ.  1:7

God will continue to deliver us.  1:10

You will be boasted of in the Day of our Lord Jesus.  1:14

All of God's promises are yes in Christ.  1:20

God makes you stand firm in Christ.  1:21

God set His seal of ownership on you.
God put His Spirit in your heart to guarantee what is to come.  1:22

God always leads you in triumphal procession in Christ.  2:14

You are the aroma of Christ.  2:15

You are ministers of a new covenant.  3:5

You reflect the Lord's glory.
You are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory.  3:18

You are God's minister.  4:1

You carry the gospel of Christ.  4:6

You will be raised in the presence of Jesus.  4:14

Inwardly you are being renewed day by day.  4:16

God built an eternal house for you in heaven.  5:1

The Holy Spirit is a deposit to guarantee you what is to come.  5:5

You are in Christ.
You are a new creation.
Your old nature is gone.  5:17

God did this.
You are a minister of reconciliation.  5:18

You are an ambassador of Christ.
God makes His appeal to the world through you.  5:20

Jesus, though rich, became poor so that you could be rich.  8:9

God has richly blessed us.


Thursday, July 4, 2013

Heroes



Today we are honoring the fallen, and our independence.  Those who have given their lives so we can live.  We remember our soldiers who have given their lives for us at great sacrifice.  Their families also having sacrificed a spouse or a parent so that we could have our freedoms.  We remember the firefighters of the Granite Mountain Hot Shot Crew and their families who have sacrificed so that we could keep our lives, our homes, and our possessions. 

My wife and I watched a 4th of July parade today in Williams, Arizona where the Granite Mountain Hot Shot Crew was honored on several floats.  It brought a lot of tears.  We also saw a young lady who had what appeared to be cerebral palsy riding a horse, showing her courage in overcoming obstacles in her life as well as being an example to others to overcome obstacles as well.  To me, this was a day of recognizing heroes.  All of these people have lived honorable lives and some have given their lives honorably.  They should be honored by all of us.

I remember a man asking me once who I thought the strongest person in the world was.  He listed some names, and of course today I would add the names of the above to that list.  They all have shown great strength and courage.

But the strongest, most honorable, courageous person who ever lived would have to be Jesus, who deserves our greatest honor.  Colossians 2:13-15, "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature God made you alive with Christ.  He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and the sentence for our sin is seperation from God for all of eternity.  Death.  After sentence was given toward us, Jesus stepped down from glory and paid the penalty Himself, for an undeserving creation.  He then rose from the dead by His own Spirit of holiness.  Having paid the sin debt of all who come to Him, He took away the power of the devil to rightfully accuse us for our rebellion against God.  For those who receive Jesus as their Savior, their sin is gone, He clothes them in His own righteousness, adopts them as His children, seals them by His Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of their inheritance in Christ, and gives them eternal life.

Jesus, the Son of God, carried the sins of the whole world on His own shoulders to the cross and paid the penalty for us so that we could live with Him forever.  There was no one else that was able to do that. 

So, in the honoring of the fallen today, let us not forget to honor the One who died for us, and then rose from the dead to save us. 

And if you don't know Jesus as your personal Savior, if you have never asked Him to save you from judgement by what He did at the cross, ask Him now.  Anyone who comes to Him, He will in no way cast out.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Consider therefore the kindness and sterness of God (Romans 11:22a)

I think we can first start by considering the sterness of God to help us understand what's going on in our world today.  It's important to understand what that is all about, and to understand that it's going to only get worse.

God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden with only one command:  to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  They made the choice to disobey God and as a result they died spiritually (they were seperated from the Spirit and life of God) and became by nature objects of God's wrath and judgement.  All of their descendants inherited this nature that is an object of God's wrath and judgement.  The creation was also subjected to frustration.  God cursed the ground as a result of their disobedience.

We read throughout Scripture about the wrath and judgement of God, which should make us aware that God is just and will judge and does judge.  Jesus, in Luke 12:49 says, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!"  And Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit says in Romans 1:18, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,"  and in Romans 8:22, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."

We don't live in a perfect and pleasant world.  Mankind is at emnity with God and is facing judgement.  God is reminding us of that.  We see it everyday in our own lives, and in local, national and world news. 

So where does the kindness of God fit into all of this?  At the cross.  We first find reference to that in Genesis 3:15 where God will put emnity between the serpent (Satan) and the woman, and between Satan's offspring and the woman's offspring.  Satan would strike the heel of the womans's offspring, but the woman's offspring would crush Satan's head.  We find the fulfillment of this at the cross.  Isaiah 53:5 says, "But he was pierced for our transgression, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."  and Isaiah 53:11 says, "After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied."  Jesus suffered to pay the penalty for your sins and for mine.  And then He rose from the dead by the Spirit of Holiness.  Being without sin, death could not keep Him down.  And John 1:12 says, "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God."  And Romans 10:13 says, "Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved."

So mankind is at emnity with God and is by nature an object of wrath.  Creation is in an upheaval.  Tragedy is happening to us and all around us.  God's wrath is being revealed.  His kindness is shown to us at the cross, where the God of justice made the way for people to escape the coming wrath.  What will be your choice:  Will you continue on your path to destruction, or will you receive Jesus as your Savior and ask Him to save you from Judgement?

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Itching Ears 2 Timothy 4:3-4

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."  (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

In the first few chapters of Daniel we can see that King Nebuchadnezzar had the habit of surrounding himself with people who would say what his itching ears wanted to hear.  He had magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, astrologers and diviners.  We can understand this because when he had his first vision in chapter two, he was not willing to tell them what the dream was.  He wanted them to tell him the dream and then interpret the dream.  The dream was troubling to him and he was in no mood for flattery.  He wanted truthful answers.  As it was they couldn't tell the king the dream or interpret the dream.   What God finally revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar through the prophet Daniel was, among other things, that his kingdom would fall.  This was not good news for the king.

Again in chapter four King Nebuchadnezzar has another troubling dream.  Perhaps because of the bad news from the previous dream, he calls his magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners to him again.  It looks as if the king was not willing to receive any bad news this time so he brought those who would say good things to him.  What his itching ears wanted to hear.  This time he told them the dream, perhaps to give them something to go on.  Not only could they not interpret the dream, apparently they couldn't even fake it.  But God again reveals the meaning through his prophet Daniel.  It was worse news this time.  This time it was going to be personal.  God was going to  judge King Nebuchadnezzar for his pride.

We see in the accounts of King Nebuchadnezzar that after the first dream he looked for the truth and found it. After the second dream he turned his ears away from the truth but the truth still found him. He could not escape it.

What thoughts that run through your mind trouble you?  What questions do you have?  And where do you go for answers?  To those who will say what you want to hear, or to those who will tell you the truth?


Who are you listening to today?  Are you listening to people that tell you everything is okay?  Your good with the man upstairs?  God will save everyone?  It will all work out in the end?  There are many ways to heaven?  There is no judgement?  There is no hell?  Are astrologers leading your life?  Tarot cards?  Those who have sidelined the Scriptures?  There are plenty of people out there who are willing to say what your itching ears want to hear.  How long will you put up with their flattery?  How long will you allow them to blind you? 

A few months ago I went into a Christian bookstore in Colorado Springs to buy a pocket NIV New Testament.  I like to have one with me.  A few days later as I was looking through it I realized wording had been changed.  I went to the same Christian bookstore in Midland, Texas to find another pocket NIV New Testament.  The wording in those had also been changed.  Asking more questions, I found that the version I was used to was being removed from the shelves and being replaced with these new ones.  I also found out that they were putting NIV gender neutral Bibles on the shelves.  Sales must be down.  Putting gender neutral Bibles on the shelves will increase sales, won't they?  If the general population doesn't want to hear the truth, then put on the shelves what their itching ears want to hear.  But changing God's Word will not change God.  Malachi 3:6a, "I the LORD do not change." 

The fact is that when you wipe away all of the deception, God is still judge and is still going to judge.  The only way to escape the coming wrath of God is to take refuge in Christ.  He is our only answer.  Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin.  He offers to forgive us and give us eternal life.  Just ask Him.  Romans 10:13, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  What is left for those who reject such a great salvation?  Judgement.  1 John 5:12, "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

Don't run from the truth.



Thursday, April 11, 2013

The Harvest Field is Ripe

I was in a downtown park hoping for an opportunity to share the gospel...and I got one.  I met a young couple, who I found out later had just been talking about the need to be reading the Bible together.

They, like a lot of others, were confused because of all of the religions out there.  Each one claiming to be the way, and some saying all the ways lead to heaven.  It is confusing.  But a few days earlier I had been going over Romans chapter 4 where Paul is talking about the issue of works versus faith.  And then Paul asks the question, "What does the Scripture say?" 

So we went through Scripture and saw how Jesus was the only way, that our sin had to be dealt with and Jesus dealt with it, and would save anyone who comes to Him.  This young couple made the decision to receive Jesus as their Savior and we prayed.  They are now part of the family of God, with a sure hope and a future.  It is a blessing to see how God works, and still saves.

Please pray for this couple.  That God would open up His Word to them as they read.  That they would find some great fellowship and grow with others who are in the family of God.  That God would give them wisdom to make good decisions with their lives now that they belong to the family of God.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Critical Thinking

On the Bill O'reilly show on March 25, 2013 Juan Williams said that when the professor of a university class instructed students to write Jesus' name on a sheet of paper and then put it on the floor and stomp on it "inspired critical thinking."

I think that to inspire critical thinking you first have to have all the facts.  If a person is contemplating jumping off of a 100 foot cliff to see what happens, shouldn't he first know about the law of gravity?  If he doesn't, he will be found dashed against the rocks.

I would bet that the professor didn't first explain the following facts to the students before giving them their assignment.

Hebrews 10:29, "How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?"

And Isaiah 66:6, "Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple!  It is the sound of the LORD repaying his enemies all they deserve."

Now is the time for critical thinking.  Jesus said in Mark 3:28, "I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them."

It's not too late for the professor and the students to repent of what they have done.  Jesus will forgive.  All they need to do is ask Jesus to forgive them of their sin and to give them eternal life, and He will do it.  Romans 10:13, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of he Lord will be saved."

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Warfield--An interesting story



Yesterday my wife and I had to go to Midland, Texas to take care of some business and while there, to get to know the city a little better.  We first stopped at a diner off of Interstate 20 at the exit to the airport called Warfield.

We had seen the rooster on the way into the diner, so we asked the waitress about him.  She said he had an interesting story.  So I made up my mind that I would talk to him on the way out and get his story from him.

After breakfast, my wife lingered in the diner talking to the waitresses.  I took a cup of coffee and a handful of birdseed and went outside.  As I drank my coffee and Warfield ate his birdseed, we talked.

Several months ago he and most of his family had been told of a wonderful trip they would take.  They would go to Miami where there were beaches, lots of sunshine, an abundance of birdseed, and more chicks than you could shake a stick at.  Being from Kansas, all of this sounded very promising.

So all of them loaded up on a truck one day and headed out.  The ride was rough, the road was hard, they didn't get any food or water on the way, but they kept hearing how great it would be once they reached their destination.  Their came a point when Warfield started to doubt the promises.  He started to think the driver of this truck had something else in mind, and it wasn't good. 

He started to talk to his family about his doubts, but they said he was just trying to spoil the fun.  There was no way they were going to miss out on what was ahead.

When the truck stopped in Midland, Texas, Warfield knew this was the time to escape.  He knew no one would understand, but he knew he needed to gain his freedom. He knew these promises were no good.  So when no one was looking, he opened the cage and jumped.  No one noticed.

But now Warfield is free.  He has shelter from the heat, and food when he needs it.  The patrons who frequent Warfield Diner make sure of this.  But Warfield, knowing he is now safe from the deception of the one who was leading him and his whole family to the slaughter, thinks and prays about his family.  He prays they will be able to identify the one who is deceiving them and also identify the one who desires to set them free.

John 8:44, "He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

John 10:10a, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;"

Matthew 23:37, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing."

John 10:10b, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."


What truck are you on?  What promises have been made to you?  Have you been told it will all work out in the end?  Have you been told there are many roads to heaven?  Have you been told that when you die, you'll go to one great big party?  Have you been told that when things are weighed out on a scale, you'll probably come out okay?  Remember that the devil has been a liar from the beginning.  His only purpose is to lead you to the slaughter.  Will you continue to follow him?

Jesus said He came to give you life, and to give you life more abundantly.  He gave Himself as a sacrifice on the cross for you.  He did it deliberately.  He paid the price for your sins and will fill your account with His righteousness and make you acceptable to the Father right now if you will only ask Him to.  For everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved."  Romans 10:13.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Who will be Exalted?

"The Pope and God are the same, so he has all power in Heaven and earth."
Pope Pius V, quoted in Barclay, Chapter XXVII, p. 218, "Cities Petrus Bertanous"

Isaiah 42:8, "I am the LORD; that is my name!  I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols."
------------------------------------------

"I have more to boast of than any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such work as I." (History of the Church, Vol.6, pp. 408-09).   (Joseph Smith)

Matthew 16:18, "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

namely, that no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith. From the day that the Priesthood was taken from the earth to the winding-up scene of all things, every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are—(Journal of Discourses 7:289)

Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

-----------------------------------------------------------

Hazrat Isa (Prophet Jesus) is an honored Prophet. After he comes down he would still be a Prophet and Messenger. An affirmation by a person of no account that he will be only a member of the Muslim community is not correct, inasmuch as he being one of the Muslims and his giving effect to the Islamic law is not inconsistent with his being a Prophet and a Messenger. (Alfatawa Alhadisiyyak, p.129)


I believe that our Holy Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is more exalted than all the Messengers and is the Khatamul Anbiya. (Hamamatul Bushra, p.8)

----------------------------------------------------------------

These are just a few who claim to be equal to God or greater than God.  It would be too time consuming to investigate and list all the others and the claims made by them or about them.  I'm not necessarily trying to single these out, but I use them because I'm more familiar with them.

This idea of wanting to be equal to or greater than God is not a new one.  Satan was the first.  We read in Isaiah 14:12-15:

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn!  You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!  You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.  I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."  But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.

And what was the first temptation Satan brought to man?  The same thing he tried to do and what led to his downfall.  Genesis 3:5, "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

And this resulted in Adam and Eve being cast out of the Garden of Eden.

Not only is this attempt to be like God or greater than God not a new one, but God's response to this attempt is consistent.  He will share His glory with no one.

Isaiah 2:17 & 18, "The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear."

Are you one of the many who are following those who make these claims?  Are you believing what they are saying?  Are you believing a gospel they are preaching that is no gospel at all? If they are not telling you the truth about God and about themselves, then they are not telling you the truth about how to be saved from judgement.  If you're reading this post, you don't have an excuse.  The Word of God, the Bible, is available everywhere, the standard by which you can grade everything you read and hear.  You probably have a Bible in your home, or can buy one at your local bookstore, or ask for one at your local Christian church.  Or you can read the Bible online.  It's not like the Word of God is not available to you.  You have access to it.  Open it up and ask God for understanding.  He says that He gives wisdom without finding fault.

It is imperative that you find out the truth.  Your very life depends on it.  God will not accept anything from you but that you belong to Jesus.  If you want to belong to Jesus, scroll down to the bottom of my blog and you will see how.



Philippians 2:6-11

Who being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with
God something to be
grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a
servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a
man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death--
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the
highest place
and gave him the name that is
above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under
the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.



The LORD alone will be exalted in that day.










Friday, March 15, 2013

Tim

My wife and I are currently in Ft. Stockton, Texas.  On the way back to the hotel tonight after dinner, we saw a hitch hiker crossing the bridge over Interstate 10.

I took my wife back to the hotel and then went searching for the man to talk to him.  I found him sitting on a bench outside of a gas and shop.  I asked if I could talk to him about his life.  He said yes.

I learned that his life had been very troubled.  A divorce.  Life on the streets that had started out as fun but grew very tiring.  He was at the end.  He was heading to a small town in New Mexico where he said he was just going to lay down and die.

After talking for awhile I found he had asked Jesus to be his Savior at age 17.  At age 18 he found the good life, stopped reading his Bible, and stopped going to church.  As far as he knew now, God was angry with him and had maybe walked away from him.

I talked to him for awhile and used Scripture to show him that God had never left him, and wasn't going to.  We prayed together and I gave him a list of who he is in Christ and what that means (I get this list from Neal T. Anderson's book, "The Bondage Breaker."

In the end, he had a change of mind.  That was good to hear.  Please pray for him that he will meditate on the things that are true of him because he belongs to Christ.  I told him I would post this and that people would pray for him.  Pray also that God would give him direction.  He's asking for your prayers.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Say to this Mountain





Mark 11:22-23, "Have faith in God," Jesus answered.  "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him."

About a month ago I met a man on the streets of Colorado Springs.  He is a veteran of the war, and he is also a brother in Christ.  He, in the past, has received Jesus as his Savior and became a child of God and was given the sure hope of eternal life.

During the course of our conversation I discovered a mountain of deception that had been placed before him.  During his time in the Middle East he had to kill.  Having experienced this trauma, he was led to believe that God would not forgive him.  "Doesn't God say to not murder?" he asked me.

"Yes, God does say to not murder," I told him.  But I went on to say that what he did in war was in defense of our country, our families, our freedoms, and his family.  There is a difference.  I think his concern was that he may have not always had the right motives in killing.  I suppose there could have been times of killing that was done out of fear, sometimes out of anger, sometimes out of wrong motives, I suppose there could have been acts that would be considered murder, or there could be times of just having an overactive consciense. 

But Jesus said something that I believe covers all of these.  Mark 3:28, "I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them."  What did he say?  All the sins.  That means all.

Some of our brothers and sisters in Christ who have been to war and have had to kill may think they have gone to far.  Don't some teach that even though God will never leave us, that we may leave him?  I know in Romans chapter 8 we are told that nothing can seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Some have told me, "Except us."  Well, I have news for them.  It doesn't say that there.  What it does say is that nothing can. 

I read something recently that greatly encouraged me, and I believe will encourage you as well.  I will copy and paste his web address, and I will also copy and paste that which so encouraged me:

 http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/BTP/Dr_Harry_Ironside/eternal_security.htm

So He says, “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” He puts no conditions around that promise, “They shall never perish.” The word “perish” is in the middle voice, so that if rendered literally in English, you would have to make two words of it, because we do not have a middle voice. The words “perish” and “destroy” are the same in Greek. “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never destroy themselves.”


God will not let you destroy yourself.

So, what is this mountain in your life?  You went to war, you saw and experienced the trauma of war, perhaps you were led into the deception that God has walked away from you.  Either God walked away from you and won't forgive you, or you went too far and destroyed your hope. 

That's a lie from the evil one.

You were God's child before you went to war, he was with you during your time there, he is with you now.  He never left.  You are forgiven, you are cleansed, you are a child of God sealed by the Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of your inheritance in Christ, and God has never left you.

Choose the truth of God's word and speak to the mountain of deception.  You are a child of God and he has never walked away.

And for those who have come back from the war and have never asked Jesus to save you from judgement, there is only one difference between you and those you fought next to:  You are not children of God.  But you can be. And you can have the same sure hope that they have.  John 1:12, "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God." 

We have all at one time by nature been objects of wrath from a just and holy God.  But Jesus paid the penalty for you sin and is waiting to clothe you in His righteousness and put you in right standing with God.  Ask Him to do that for you now, and He will not refuse you.  He will forgive all your sin and give you eternal life.  You will belong to Him forever.  He will never let you go.  And He will not let you destroy yourself.

God is good.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Life in the Desert Places

When my wife and I first arrived in Ft. Stockton, Texas, all we saw was a small town and desert.  The thought of working here for several months did not look attractive at all.  But then we found a church to attend with very hospitable people, where we could worship the Lord, learn from Him, and find fellowship. 

This made me think of Isaiah 35:1&2, "The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.  Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy."

I think most times we make judgements according to what we see and feel, and miss the beauty of life that the Spirit of the Lord brings.  In the physical, the desert is very dry and desolate.  In the spiritual, because the Spirit of the Lord is among His people, the desert is full of life.

Ephesians 1:3, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."

If you are a child of God, and the circumstances you are in now are dry and desolate, know that the Spirit of the Lord is with you, and ask God to help you see His life in your situation.

If you are not a child of God, ask Jesus to save you from judgement and to adopt you as His child, and He will do it.  And in the midst of a dark and troubled world you will know the life of God.