Alone at Christmas

It's Christmas time and wherever you look, you see elements of people's celebration with lights, wreaths, decorated trees, music and parties, not to mention lines of children waiting to tell Santa what is on their wish list. In some areas there are nativity scenes for those who celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. With all of this going on, one would assume that everyone is happy and joyful, right?

 

Not so. Among the people around you are those who are alone this Christmas. Perhaps they have recently lost a loved one to death, or divorce, or abandonment. Maybe they never married nor had children, so they live alone. Or yet, maybe their situation is that they have family members and relatives who are living their own lives and haven't stayed in touch. Some people are dealing with severe health issues. It is so easy to assume that while you are happy and life is going well, that everyone else is feeling the same way.

 

Christmas time has a way of giving us false expectations of how our lives should be. The Hallmark Channel sends us messages that we should be surrounded by friends and families, have enough money to spend on gifts and celebrations, and enjoy peace.  For many people, they have memories of warm, fuzzy Christmases when they grew up, but now they're finding themselves alone this year, unable to resurrect that old feeling. They can't wait for Christmas to be over.

 

What can be done? If you are one of the fortunate ones to have your love bank full, have an outgoing personality, and are surrounded by your families and friends this Christmas season, then look around for someone who could use an extra dose of your love. When God sent His only Son, Jesus, for us as a baby in a manger, He did it because of His deep love for all of us. Christmas is a perfect time to make that love real to others. Give that person a call, invite him to your home, to your  church, and let them know they are not forgotten. Christmas seasons always pass, but the love you extend to them  will be remembered forever.

 

If you are one of those who are alone this Christmas, and don't feel up to going out and blending in with others who are celebrating, please remember this: Jesus loves you. He is watching you, He knows how you are feeling, and He is hearing your prayers. All the parties and celebrations you see going on around you are secondary and meaningless without His love in the midst of it all. Your heart means everything to Him, and He wants it. This Christmas season will end, and life goes on. But His love remains for you. His love will sustain you, even in your darkest moments.

 

In your time alone, do this: take your Bible, and a candle and go to a comfortable place. Sit down, and light your candle. As you look at its flame, think about His light shining on you, and the warmth of His love filling you inside. Thank Him for that love. Thank Him for who He is, and for all He is doing for you. Thank Him for this moment. He waits for you all the time to come to Him in this private way. Enjoy it and relish it and receive its fullness as you concentrate on Him. The Holy Spirit will refresh you, and fill you with His love and joy and peace.

 

Then open your Bible to John 15:9-17. It tells of God's love for you, and of His joy being in you because of His love. Then turn to Psalm 139 and read the whole chapter. It will reveal to you that before you were even conceived, God knew of you, and purposely gave you life so you may know Him and His love, and seek Him intimately as your Lord. He has plans for you in this life you have, and by submitting to Him and acknowledging His power over you, your life can be fulfilling and rewarding, even in dire circumstances.

 

When you make the time to stop looking around with your physical eyes, and look up to Him with your spiritual eyes, you are seeing Him for who He is. Loving. Powerful. Mighty. Holy. Awesome in Glory. Worship Him during this time. Lift up your heart to adore Him.

 

His presence will overcome you, bringing you to a most holy place of peace, love and joy. By spending time with Him, you be able to then look at the world's celebration of Christmas through a new lens. And in time, you will be able to join along with them knowing of His personal love just for you.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
~ Jesus to you.

 





Got Any Issues?

Everyone I know has issues. You have issues. I have issues. We all have issues! It comes with our life package. Some have more serious issues than others. Concerns over health, family, work, financial, and other things.

 

There was a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years, and everything she tried didn't stop it. (Matthew 9:20-21) Then she found out that a man named Jesus was coming to town. She had heard of the miracles and healings He had done, so she decided to go and meet Him. Something inside her knew that He was the answer to her issue.

 

She found people gathered around him, and walk up behind him. Without saying a word, she reached out, and touched the tassel of his garment. Immediately, she was healed. Jesus turned, and said to her, "Take heart, my daughter, your faith has healed you." 

 

By placing her trust in Jesus, her issues were resolved!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At another time, Peter, being in a boat at night, saw Jesus standing on the water at a  distance. (Matthew 15:22-31) He asked Jesus if he could walk on the water to Him. Jesus said, "Come." Peter crawled out of the boat, and began walking on the water. He was staring at Jesus, as this experience was exhilerating! But then, his attention went from Jesus to the wind, and he began to be afraid. Looking down at the dark waves underneath him, he started to sink.

 

He cried out, "LORD, save me!" He reached up his arms, and Jesus pulled him up. "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Peter took back his issue of the ability to walk on the water, and started to sink!

 

Issues. Jesus knows all about our issues. And he tells us in Matthew 11:28 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." When we are dealing with our issues, we need to take them to Jesus, and believe that he is able to take care of them. When we take our spiritual eyes off of Him, then we are taking our issues back.

 

Believe that He can resolve your issues. Have faith that He will. He loves you so very much and wants to bless you. His way is better than our way, and when we surrender our will to His, we will have peace.

 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13

 





Halloween Anyone?

At the end of this month is Halloween. For months already, stores have been stocking up on candy, costumes and decorations, knowing that consumers will be excited to celebrate this holiday. Sadly, this is more popular than Thanksgiving, and sometimes Christmas things follow Halloween things, eliminating Thanksgiving altogether. How sad.

Researching the origins and meaning of Halloween, I found that it is a night set out when the dead can intermingle with the living. That's why there is a correlation between Halloween and ghosts, demons, and scary things.

 

Writing this from a Christian perspective, and without going into all the details, I would like to point out that there is a spiritual danger in celebrating Halloween. The devil seeks out people to destroy and distort their souls, turning them away from following the Lord. He gives them a desire to seek out witches, demons, ghosts, and anything demonic. When parents allow their children to dress up like these characters, they are opening up the door to evil influence.

 

What does the Bible say about this? Here are three verses that are relevant to this topic of concern:

 

Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion,

looking for someone to devour.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith.

- 1 Peter 5:8-9

 

The Holy Spirit clearly says that in the later times

some will abandon the faith

and follow deceiving spirits

and things taught by demons.

-1 Timothy 4:1

 

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you,

do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.

Let no one be found among you who...practices divination

or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft

or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist

or who consults the dead.

Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.

-Deuteronomy 18:9-12

 

From these verses we can learn that God does not want any of us to have anything to do with the devil or his demons. To be practicing their acts and deeds, even in play and pretend, is opening the door to demonic invasion. The Bible also tells us to guard our hearts, as they are the wellspring of life. If anything, we are to put on the armor of God, to guard ourselves against the wiles of the devil. Remember, he hates people. He is not a friend, but the enemy of enemies. We are to stay away from him.

 

It is extremely important to pay attention to this matter, and if one is a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and is making every effort to follow Him, then he should definitely refrain from celebrating Halloween. As we get closer to the return of Jesus Christ, there will be an alarming increase of demonic activity because Satan knows he and his demons are destined to the eternal lake of fire. Therefore, he will be going in overdrive to trap as many people as he can. Things will get more violent in the world. And it will get even worse.

 

Let's guard our hearts against this evil influence. Make a decision not to celebrate Halloween. Instead, turn the evening into a harvest party, celebrating the autumn season. Celebrate love. Celebrate Jesus.

 





 





Journey on the Waters

He set out to sail across the ocean, something that was always on his bucket list. Taking the time to get all his gear ready, he felt he was well prepared for anything that would come his way. He was excited, and very confident that he had things under control.

 

A week went on, and all was well. The sun was shining, the waves were calm, and he was on top of his world. Nothing was going to stop him. Except... there was a hurricane brewing in his path, but he wasn't aware of it. He never thought to check his radio, as everything looked good on the horizon.

 

A coast guard ship spotted him, and  approached his boat. They warned him that trouble was coming his way, and he should turn back. He told them thanks, but he was content with his chosen path. That he would take it as it came. Reluctantly, they left.

 

Several nights later, he woke up to realize the waves were getting rough, tossing him around. Never before had he experienced such turbulence, and he started to get concerned. He looked out to find it raining pellets, and the wind was so strong he couldn't bear to be exposed to it. His mast was breaking. So he closed the door to his small cabin and waited it out.

 

Reaching for his radio, he turned it on.... but there was no signal. The batteries had died. It had been awhile since he last used it since all had been calm.

 

Then, he remembered. The coast guard had warned him that trouble was ahead of him. And he had ignored it. Because of his own pride, and ignorance by trusting his own sources, he was about to enter the storm of his life, and maybe his last storm.

 

Quite a story, you may think. But this can be a true life story of our lives if we don't heed the warnings of others. The Bible tells us in Matthew 24 of things to come in the last days. What people will be like, what the world will be experiencing, and what storms will be brewing. Some people will be scoffers of this as their sources proclaim peace and love. All is well. They don't want to concern themselves with preparing for very rough days in this world because it takes too much energy and frightens them. After all, their lives are going well, just the way they want it. They'll worry about those things another day. People who know the Bible and truly care for them will be warning them to be watchful. But their warnings will be ignored. To their peril.

 

How about you? Are you a follower of Jesus Christ and heeding the warnings in the Scriptures as to what will be going on in this world soon?  Or are you relying on the wrong sources? The Bible tells us that there are some who build their houses on sand, and others build their houses on the rock.

Jesus said, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house. Yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn't put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a great crash. - Matthew 7:24-27

When the storms blow, the houses on the sand crash, but the houses on the rock stay strong. Are you building your belief system on what the world says, or are you building your life on the true Rock, Jesus Christ? Are you acknowledging the wisdom that comes from the Scriptures that reveals the true "weather forecast" of the days ahead?

 

God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) He doesn't want anyone to perish. That's why He gave us His Word in the Bible to prepare us.

 

We still have the time to prepare. And how do we make sure we are? By placing our trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He is the rock that nothing can destroy. Someday, when we least expect it, will be the storm of storms. Sudden destruction will come upon those who choose their own ways. The storm that is talked about in the Bible. While there is time, make sure you have your house built on the rock... the Rock of Jesus. When we find ourselves surrounded by storms, inside there will be the peace that comes from Jesus.

Are you prepared?

 



How Long Are You Willing To Wait?

We are in the midst of a rapture and end times frenzy. What do I mean by that? If you check the You Tube videos relating to the rapture, end times prophecies, the Jewish Feasts, Blood Moons, or videos made by Jonathan Cahn, Mark Biltz, Perry Stone, John Hagee, and others, you will find all sorts of information on what we can expect in the end days, or in other words, the end of the church age as Christians call it. The Bible itself tells us a lot about what will happen, and Bible scholars who have intensely studied this topic of eschatology, are sharing with the viewers information so we can be prepared.

 

As a result, many Christians have been gearing themselves up for the rapture to occur soon. They sense they are in the season, as crazy world events indicate that the birth pains that Jesus described would happen, are indeed happening. Here it is September 2015, and there has never been so many prophetic events planned for this month! It is amazing, and like Jonathan Cahn calls it, 'a perfect storm'. Today as I write, September 14, 2015, is the Jewish New Year, or the Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah. The blowing of the shofar, which has historically been done at this fall Jewish feast, is a foreshadow of the rapture of the church, as some believe. I Thessalonians 4:15-17 tells us that when the trumpet, or shofar is blown, the dead in Christ will be raised, and those who know Jesus as Lord and Savior will join them in the sky, to receive their glorified bodies and be with Jesus. Does this mean today or tonight we may be raptured?

 

What will happen if we aren't? What will happen if 2016 happens and we're still here? Does this mean these so called prophets aren't really prophets at all, but false prophets to mislead the people? What are we to think about all of this?

 

Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:36 that of the day or hour of His return no one knows, not even the angels. But only the heavenly Father knows. He didn't even know. When He does return for the Saints, or the Church, He will return as a Bridegroom coming for His bride, a pure and spotless bride. A typical Jewish wedding happened when the bride would be ready and waiting for her groom to come and get her. She did not know when the marriage would take place, and he didn't either. But the groom's father did, and when everything was ready, the father would tell his son to go get his bride.

 

Remember the story of the ten virgins who were waiting for the bridegroom to come and get them? In Matthew 25, we read that it was a dark time (midnight) and they had lamps. Five of them were wise and kept enough oil with them to light their lamps, but the other five were foolish and didn't keep enough oil with them. It took a long time for the bridegroom to come, and they were tired of waiting and fell asleep. Suddenly, a cry was heard, an announcement that the bridegroom was coming. They all got up to trim their lamps. The foolish girls ran out of oil, and had to go out to buy more. While they were away, the bridegroom came, and took the five wise girls with him. When the foolish girls returned, they learned the door had been shut and they weren't allowed to go in. Verse 13 in this chapter tells us, "Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour, in which the Son of Man is coming."

 

What does this mean to you, as a Christian? The oil represents the Holy Spirit. And while we wait for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to come for us, we need to make sure we are filled with the Holy Spirit, to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to make Him our first priority. We need to maintain an intimate relationship with Him, and grow in our faith.

 

Even if He doesn't come today, or tomorrow, or next week, or even next month, we need to draw close to Him, abiding in His love, and making sure we are ready. There is nothing that needs to be fulfilled before the rapture occurs, so it is imminent.

 

So, how long are you willing to wait?

 



 

  

A Christian In Jail in America?

This week, we have learned that a town clerk refused to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple because it violated her religious beliefs. As a result, she is now in jail. She isn't a criminal. She isn't dangerous to society. She is a Christian woman, exercising her faith. And we have already heard that there are a few Christian bakeries who have been sued so heavily over not wanting to bake cakes for same-sex weddings for the same reason, that they are now forced out of business. It used to be that in America, people had a right to worship where they want, how they want, without punishment or limitations. And that included having the freedom to refuse to do certain things that violated their beliefs.

 

Is this fair? After all, surgeons are allowed to refuse to abort babies without penalties. Will women sue their doctors for refusing to perform abortions? Where is this issue of the freedom of committing to one's own beliefs leading us in our society? Why is it that the law of the land now insists that one belief system can impose itself on other belief systems? It is interesting to note that Muslims are against the practice of homosexuality, but aren't dealing with these issues as Christians are.

 

It's all in the Bible. Jesus said that in the last days there will be a form of lawlessness. Wrong will become right. People will turn against each other for their faith in Jesus Christ. Many may be imprisoned, or even killed, as we've already seen happening with the movement of ISIS. Up until now, we haven't really seen these things happen here in America to the magnitude that it is in the Middle East and Europe. But it is coming.

 

Christians over there are being persecuted, and their faith is made strong. Here, Christians are soft and lazy because we haven't had to endure resistance to the practice of our faith. Too many people believe that following Christ is cozy and comfortable. How very wrong we are!

 

God calls His true followers to stand strong for their faith in Jesus Christ. Even if it means losing their freedoms here, being imprisoned, and/or being killed. The time is coming when our faith will be tested.

 

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful

trial you are suffering, as though something

strange were happening to you.

But rejoice that you participated in

the sufferings of Christ,

so you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.

If you are insulted because of the Name of Christ,

you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory

and of God rests on you.

If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief

or any other kind of criminal,

or even as a meddler.

However, if you suffer as a Christian,

do not be ashamed,

but praise God that you bear that name.

For it is time for judgment

to begin with the family of God,

and if it begins with us,

what will be the outcome for those

who do not obey the gospel of God?

And, if it is hard for the righteous to be saved,

what will become of the ungodly and sinner?

So then, those who suffer according to God's will

should commit themselves

to their faithful Creator

and continue to do good.

- 1 Peter 4:12-19

 

 

If you declare yourself to be a follower of Jesus Christ, you can guarantee you will have troubles. But Jesus has overcome them with His death on the cross and the power of His resurrection. If and when the time comes when you will need to defend your faith, the Holy Spirit will be with you, instructing you what to say.

 

Jesus is coming soon. In fact, He is at the threshold to welcome His pure and spotless Bride.

 



 

What's Happening in September 2015.... Anyone Know?

We are surely living in an unprecedented time. Never before has there been such a frenzy over the Biblical end time prophecies. Mark Biltz and Jonathan Cahn, who were unknown men before, are now household names with their books showing up on most bookstore shelves. Blood Moons. Market crashes. Nuclear wars. Harbingers. Shemitahs.  What on earth is going on?

 

The Bible has a lot to say about what will happen in the last days. For some, this information is difficult to understand, so many people don't bother to study it. A lot of clergy don't want to preach on it for fear of provoking fear in their churches. People want to put their heads in the sand and pretend life will go on forever as it has. Eat, drink and be merry.

 

As in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

People were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,

up to the day Noah entered the ark.

And they knew nothing about what would happen

until the flood came and took them all away.

This is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

~Matthew 24:37-39

 



How can anyone know for sure what is about to happen, and how can one prepare? First of all, each one of us needs to be sure we have Jesus Christ as our own personal Savior. Without Him as our Lord, we don't stand a chance of escaping the wrath of God that's coming. If you haven't done so, do it now. If you need help in this, click on this website's "Who Needs To Believe" link at the end of this, and there will be Bible verses to guide you. And contact a Pastor of a Bible believing church for more help.

 

Secondly, we need to be informed on the prophetic events that are coming upon us. Being educated in prophecy makes one equipped to stay focused on the important matters and to make the necessary preparations. God gives His people a heads up on things, whereas the world has no clue.

 

What is interesting today is that the events that are going on in our world are aligning themselves up with the prophecies in the Bible. These are actual proofs that we are truly living in the last days! But what is going on that we should be concerned about?

 

There is a site by Scottie Clarke that outlines how the current events, both global and astronomical, are fitting in with the Biblical end times calendar. Surprisingly, and almost overwhelmingly, is the month of September of 2015, which begins tomorrow as I write. There are so many events that will take place in the next 30 days alone, that it is difficult for my own head to absorb! Scottie has done hours of research, and has compiled this information for us so that we can make our own decisions on what to expect. At the end of this is a link of his site for you to check out.

 

Though Jesus tells us that no one knows the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the Son, but only the Father, He does tell us to be ready for His return, as it will come when we least expect it. I love the story about the 10 maidens who were waiting for their bridegroom to come. Since it was night time and darkness surrounded them, they all had lamps, but only half of them kept enough oil to keep them lit. If all of them had been prepared, then they would have gone with him when he came for them. But half of them ran out of oil, and while they went to buy some, they missed out on the bridegroom. The door stayed closed and they weren't allowed to go. So it is with all of us. We need, especially at this time, to keep looking for Jesus' return for His Bride, which is all true believers in Him. We need to keep the oil flowing, which is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Don't ever let it run out. When you least expect it, though you know it is imminent, He will come. Will you be ready?

Here is the site to be a believer in Jesus Christ:
http://whoneedshislove.com/
 

Here is Scottie Clarke's site -

 

http://www.erfministries.com/The-Epic-Alignment-of-2015.php

Scott Clarke

Little People In The Sky

This morning while I was watering my potted plants outside, I happened to glance up into the sky, and I saw this:

 

 

And it reminded me of the scenes in the Welcome Home video, where there are little people standing in the clouds with Jesus. They are happy little people, dressed in white robes, talking with each other, while some are standing face to face with their beloved Savior, who gave His life for them to be there. Why would they be so happy?

 

I don't know about you, but as every day passes, I am feeling more alienated from this world. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I am finding the values around me becoming so opposite of  the values I have that come from the Bible. 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 tells us: "Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a 'fool' so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight." Wrong has become right in the belief of the masses, and we are now at the time when the world will hate those who follow God, because they really hate God.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:22 "All men will hate you because of Me, but He who stands firm to the end will be saved." So many people don't realize they are being influenced by Satan, that they're pawns. We really need to keep them in prayer.

 

With all that is going on in the world now, we have a strong sense that something BIG is going to happen. And soon. The more you are in love with Jesus, the more you become excited over this, as you know, without a doubt, that He is going to rescue you from all this calamity and wickedness. In 1 Thessalonians 4:14 we read: "We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words."

 

This is good news for us who have placed our trust in Him! Someday, all of this world will be gone, along with Satan and his angels. And there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,

for the first heaven and the first earth has passed away,

and there was no longer any sea.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem,

coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

"Now the dwelling of God is with men,

and He will live with them.

They will be His people,

and God Himself will be with them

and be their God.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

There will be no more death or mourning

or crying or pain,

for the old order of things has passed away."

 

So, the next time you look up in the sky and see clouds like this, think about what it will be like as little people, meeting Jesus up there, with your loved ones. A grand reunion's coming... we'll finally be at home!



Are You A Sheep Dog?

The Bible tells us in Matthew 18:12 of Jesus being the Shepherd, and people are His sheep. The sheep hear His voice, and listen to Him. But every now and then, there will be a sheep or two who let curiosity get to the best of them, and they start to wander off. In spite of the Shepherd's warnings of the danger of getting out of the safe pasture, they continue to go their own way, thinking the grass is greener on the other side.

 

But, unfortunately, they find themselves in the wolf's territory, and if they aren't careful, they can be consumed and destroyed. Not realizing the danger they are in, they continue to get farther and farther away from the protected flock.

 

But the Shepherd, in His experienced eye, sets about leaving the flock and goes after the lost sheep. You see, He doesn't want to lose a single one. He uses His shepherd's hook to bring the wandering sheep home, carrying him on His strong shoulders, to the luscious grass of His own pasture.

 

We understand that this story tells us of the great love Jesus has for each one of us, and if we wander away from Him, He is fully aware of it, and wants to bring us back.

 

Let's look at this from a more modern perspective. Shepherds today use sheep dogs to herd in the sheep. At the command and whistle of the shepherd, the dogs know right where to go, and they obediently guide the wandering sheep in the direction the shepherd wants them to go. They have been trained to understand the voice of the shepherd, and follow His orders to bring the sheep together.

 

Are you a sheep dog?  God can use you and me in that fashion to guide our brothers and sisters back to Him and His Kingdom. While we aren't called to judge others, we are called to guide them back to God if we see them wandering. By listening to the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit, we can discern when someone is straying from God's Word, and in love and gentleness, encourage them to return to God, to repent and follow Him.

 

The prayers of the Saints for lost loved ones are like the whistle of the Shepherd. Sending our prayers to God who hears them, is like a force sending a strong message to rope those sheep in. He doesn't want any to perish. Our prayers can initiate the sheep dogs of God's Kingdom to witness to the wandering, to reveal the Shepherd's great love for them, to bring them home.

 

Let us pray without ceasing for our wandering loved ones, and if God is calling us to be His sheep dogs, let us be sensitive to His voice. Someone out there may be wandering. Will God be sending you?

 





Break That Door Down!

I have known the Lord as my Savior for many years now, and He has led me into a wonderful relationship with Him. He has taken me through countless ups and downs, through tears of joy and tears of distress. He has taught me so much, and continues to reveal things about Him as I continue this journey called life. His love overwhelms me, as I know His grace towards me is undeserved. And as I expect His return soon, I feel an urgency these days to, let's say, sound an alarm to those who are blind to Him. Especially to those with whom I have a personal connection.

 

Do you have someone in your life who you love, yet who doesn't know Jesus as Lord and Savior? Or perhaps there is someone the Lord has placed on your heart... a coworker... a friend or neighbor... a relative. You don't just have a physical or emotional relationship with him, but there is a spiritual concern for him. You have prayed for him, shared the Scriptures with him, and yet, he's not ready. Because you know what you know, you become concerned over his eternal destiny. What then? Do you keep on trying, or do you give up?

 

This is what we know: God doesn't want anyone to perish: 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is patient with you, and not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." And His love for a person is greater than the love we have for that person: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." and 1 John 4:19 "We love because He first loved us."

 

We also know that He knocks on people's hearts. Revelation 3:20 "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in." God didn't create us to be robots, but to be allowed to make choices. He desires a relationship with us, yet doesn't push himself on us. But how many times have I prayed that when they don't "hear" that knock, that He wouldn't go away, but break down that door of their hearts! He knows the future, and knows who will accept Him as Lord. But do my prayers have any impact?

 

Yes, they do! Proverbs 15:29 "The Lord  hears the prayer of the righteous." and James 5:16 "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." He hears our cries, and knows our hearts. And because of His endless love for us, He is not indifferent to our pleas. We must keep praying for the lost, and not give up. We also have a loving Savior who is the mediator between us and the Father. After all, He died and shed His blood for all of us, and desires for us to be in His Kingdom forever. We have an advocate!

 

I am encouraged by the story of Saul on the road to Damascus, as described in Acts 9. He was bent on persecuting the beginning church, and killed those who believed that Jesus was the Messiah. God knew that this man was going to be a very important factor in the spread of the gospel, and broke down the door of his hardened heart, by striking him down with blindness. He had a personal encounter with Jesus when he heard Him say, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" Saul then learned it was the Lord, and his life was forever changed. Ananias explained to Saul, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road ...has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Saul later was called Paul (Acts 13:9) and spent the rest of his life proclaiming that Jesus was the Savior.

 

Some people receive Christ as Lord more easily than others. I can't really remember what my life was like before I knew Jesus, as I accepted Him at a young age. But there are other people who have received Him later in their lives, and their testimonies are remarkable! A difference between day and night as they share the comparison of their lives before knowing Christ and after! When Jesus saves a person, He never leaves them in the same state He finds them. I am grateful for that!

 

No heart is too hard for Jesus to come in! Isaiah 59:1 "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear." Nothing is impossible with Him!

 

So keep on praying and lavishing His love on your loved ones and friends. And believe that God hears your prayers and is doing what He needs to do behind the scenes. He may take that person to a deep valley to get his attention, like he did to Saul. Or he may speak to him in a dream as He did to the little boy Samuel. There is no limit to what God can do, or will do, as He knows what He needs to do. In the mean time, we must, and this is for me to remember, trust in the Lord with all our heart, and not lean on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

 

Thank you, Lord, for your great love for all of us.

You sent Your Son to shed His blood so that 

we can come to you in an intimate relationship.

You hear our prayers, and answer all of them.

Lord, our hearts are concerned over those who don't know You.

We ask You to intervene in their lives.

If necessary, break down the doors of their hearts

so they can see You, and receive You.

Remove all barriers that are keeping them from knowing You.

Use us in any way to shine Your light on them.

They need you.

 

In Jesus' Name we pray.

Amen



 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



How Is Your Worship Experience Going?

I love to worship, and am so very thankful that God has called me to be in a praise band at my church. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I get to choose the songs, search pertaining Scriptures that go along with the theme He's given me, and together,with our team, which is together also in the Spirit, lead our congregation in worship each Sunday morning. God has placed us together for this purpose for such a time as this. And at times, we have felt the sweetness of His presence, so much so, that I had wished Pastor didn't have to give the message.... we just wanted to keep on worshipping!

But then, there have been other times, when even though our hearts "seemed" to be into it, we sensed something was lacking. And we noticed that some of the people out there didn't seem to be into the worship. The looks on their faces were more of dullness, as if they weren't directly engaging in this moment. Our efforts at worshipping were seeming to be more of going through the motions. And, to be honest with you, I felt like we were letting God down with our half efforts of worshipping Him. A whole week goes by before we gather again, and it seemed to me that we had wasted those twenty minutes. Almost like trying to talk to a person who has a cell phone in his hands, responding to the texts of friends! Distracted attention.

How do you feel about worship? It's not about the band, or the choir, or the music, or the surroundings. It's not even about you! It's about God. He created us to be in a relationship with Him. And He designed us to mirror His image, to give Him glory, and to reflect His love and light. When we come to worship, we are to come before Him, on bended knee, in awe of who HE is, not who we are. We are to prepare for our gathering together before our Lord. Be more personally engaged and involved.

 

Here is a link that I would like to share with you on the heart of worship. It shares my sentiments and I hope it helps you to examine your heart on the matter of worship. And the next time you gather with your brothers and sisters at church, your worship of our Lord will have more meaning. It will be a pleasing aroma before our Heavenly Father, and He will be pleased.

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/back-to-the-heart-of-worship

Do You Understand What I Have Done For You?

This week is Passion Week, when we reflect on the events that happened to Jesus from the time He entered Jerusalem on a donkey, heralded by people worshipping Him with palms, to His horrific suffering on the cross, where He died, and was buried in another man's tomb. Three days later, as He promised, He rose from the grave, bringing death and Satan to defeat. He ascended into heaven, and He promises to return for good as the King of kings and Lord of lords!

 

This morning as I was reading in the book of John, chapter 13, verse 12, this shouted at me:

 

Do you understand what I have done for you?

 

Jesus was modeling servant hood by washing His disciples' feet. He wanted them to do the same for others, so He asked them this question. But this morning, His statement had a different meaning for me. A bigger meaning. That I sense He wants me to share with all of you.

 

For some of us, we have heard this Easter story most of our lives. Jesus is God's Son who came down from heaven to demonstrate the Heavenly Father's love for us. We are all sinners, which separates us from being in the presence of God. He is holy and will not tolerate sin. The only way He could have His beloved children whom He loves passionately, to be with Him forever after we die, was for Him to provide that perfect, spotless Lamb who would bear our sins for us. Which was Jesus, His Son. He suffered on the cross for us, though He was sinless. He died for us, and rose again, defeating sin and Satan. He ascended into heaven, and soon will return to gather His saints, who are those of us who have truly accepted Him as our Lord and Savior.

 

Does this story touch you? Or have you become numb to it? There is a movie called Passion Of The Christ, which clearly reveals the suffering Jesus went through for us. Some of us can't bear to watch it, because it's so gory. Makes us feel uncomfortable. But it should!! We need to remember what He did for us. We need to remember the sacrifice He made for us, so we can spend eternity with Him.

 

To me, remembering what He did for us, magnifies the love He has for us all the more. I can never save myself from hell. And neither can you. Nothing I can do can wipe out the sinful nature that I was born with. It is only through Jesus Christ that I am saved. It is only through a personal, love relationship with Him that I can know without a doubt that my destiny is heaven after I die.

 

How about you? Do you understand what Jesus has done for you? Really? Place your name below in the blanks to help you remember.

 



For God so loved ____________

that He gave His one and only Son,

that if __________________ believe in Him

I will not perish but have eternal life.

 

- John 3:16

 

 





Terror In The Sky

This week we learned that a copilot who had mental issues locked the pilot out of the cockpit and proceeded to crash the jetliner, killing over a hundred passengers and crew. Despite his doctor writing an order for him not to fly, he ignored that warning. The families and loved ones of these people are now mourning and grieving. No one who boarded that plane knew of their fate.

 

Which brings me to this: what role did God play in all of this?

 

The Bible tells us many things about life and death.

 

O Lord, You have searched me and You know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

You perceive my thoughts from afar.

For You created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.

All the days ordained for me

were written in Your book

before one of them came to be.

~Psalm 139:1-2,13,16

 

God is all-knowing and in control of all that happens. Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:30 that the very hairs of our head are numbered. He knows when we are going to be born... and when we are going to die.

 

For some of these people on this plane, their souls went on to be with Jesus in heaven. For others, they didn't. Which makes hell their eternal destiny. They don't have another chance. It depended on the decision they made beforehand whether they were going to make Jesus their Lord and Savior.

 

How about you? Have you made that most important decision to accept Christ and make Him your Lord? If you haven't, why not? Some of you may have been putting it off, feeling you have some time. You want to "sow your oats" first and aren't ready to give up your earthly pleasures. You think you have time. But do you really?

 

God already knows what your last day of life will be like. You may be alone. Or you may be with other people. He also knows when your last day will be.

 

Do you?

Devotionals VS Time With God

Happy New Year! 2015 has arrived, and if you're like me, there are some things on your list you would like to do to improve your life. As a Christian, I am referring here to getting closer to God. And what would those things be?

One thing is reading and hearing more of the Word of God; the things of God. In my email inbox I receive at least five (yes, five!) different devotionals everyday. They are all from very reliable sources, and each one shares different things. It takes me quite a while to go through them all, and sometimes, especially if it's early in the day and I am rushed, I quickly read them, and then they are deleted. And most of the time, my mind has deleted them also. Sounds like they didn't do me any good. Yet, those sources put a lot of time, prayer (hopefully) and thought into preparing them. Now maybe, there are some readers whose hearts were touched by the Holy Spirit as they read them. And I can admit that I have had many of them speak to me personally, and I ended up printing them for future reference, and storing them in a folder, which is getting larger and larger. This makes me wonder. Especially as we enter a new year.

What does God think about all of this?

Quality is much more important than quantity, for sure. We can sign up for all the religious articles about God. We can listen to countless sermons and lectures about living for God. I'm sure that many theologians and pastors are deep into Scripture to prepare themselves for their ministries. But I wonder...

God wants us to know Him. God wants us to spend time with Him. God wants us to slow down and be still, for after all, He is God. We can fill our minds with all they can possibly hold of the things of God, while at the same time having empty souls. Hungry and thirsty souls for God. Because of our busy lives, we tend to give God a predetermined amount of time, and then end it, implying, 'God, I can only give you ten minutes this morning. Sorry, but I can meet with You again tomorrow.'

How can we expect to have a deep, vibrant relationship with God who we claim to love and follow when we do these things? We really need to look at this and make a conscious effort to make the time we have with Him a quality time. Take some time, everyday, and reserve it for God. God alone. Only God. Just you and God. Start with a half hour, take your Bible, maybe a notebook and pen, and go to a quiet room with no distractions. Begin by praying, asking Him to reveal Himself. Praise and thank Him. Be still and allow His Holy Spirit to breathe into you. Open the Bible and read. A Psalm and a passage in the New Testament, for example. Then pray. Let there be a quiet meditation, as you allow yourself to sense His presence with you. You will not be disappointed. And the more you do this; as the weeks go by with your daily time with God, you will find yourself looking forward to it, as it takes a higher priority in your daily schedule.

You will seek Me and find Me,

when you seek Me with all your heart.

~ Jeremiah 29:13

If you make every effort to work on your time with God, making it a quality time on a regular basis, you will find that everything else in your life will fall in line. Because you will be closer to God, you will be able to endure whatever happens in 2015, and beyond. He will equip you to handle anything that comes your way. Now, this sounds like a successful way to improve my life! How about you?