It Will Come Whether You're Looking For It Or Not

It saddens me when I come across a Christian who is either clueless or just not interested in the rapture. According to the Bible it will happen in the last days, of which we are currently living in. We are living in a time where lawlessness abounds. Just look at the new law allowing live birth abortions. Who would have ever known? And there are other things that people, and even churches, are saying is good, in spite of the Word of God saying those things are evil. Jesus said in Luke 21:28, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." 

The rapture is an event when Jesus will call His Bride, all true born again believers in Him, to leave this earth and to be with Him forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 tells us, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." I am truly looking forward to this event, and believe it will be soon.

There are some people being taught, or already believe that the rapture will not happen before the Antichrist comes. But 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9 teaches differently. "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs and lying wonders." The Restrainer is the Holy Spirit in us true believers, and God will remove us from this earth before the Antichrist is revealed. After this happens, a seven year tribulation will take place, called Jacob's Trouble, in which God will send His powerful wrath on all unbelievers in this world, especially those unbelieving Jews in Israel. Remember Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah? God removed him because he was the only righteous man living there. God took him out before He destroyed the cities because of their wickedness. We are the Bride of Christ, and we are not appointed to God's wrath, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:9 "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."

And then, there are scoffers. I remember talking to a guy who occasionally preaches, asking him if he was looking forward to the rapture since the world is getting so wicked. I was surprised to hear him tell me no. He said people have thought for years He is coming, and He hasn't come yet. Because people have set dates, and nothing happened, many people have gotten discouraged and stop looking for Him. Jesus said this in Matthew 24:36, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." No wonder people lose hope. 

We should be anxiously looking for Jesus' return to happen at any time. It is imminent, as nothing needs to happen before it occurs. The things we are seeing happening in this world, and especially in the Middle East, are those things that will happen after the rapture. So how much sooner will we be taken up?

If you are truly born again and have a personal relationship with Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you should be happy about leaving this world to spend eternity with Him. You should be rejoicing, knowing that He is coming soon for you.

If you don't know Jesus, then you will be left behind, to face God's wrath. Which will be nothing this world has ever experienced. Please, make today the day of your salvation. Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, acknowledging He paid the price for your sins with His blood on the cross. Romans 10:9-10 tells us, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Please make this decision now. We do not know when Jesus will call His Bride up. It could be today, tonight, or tomorrow. Every day brings us one day closer.

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!!
Jesus says, "Surely, I am coming quickly." Revelation 22:20

God's Everlasting Love

The Bible is filled with statements of God's everlasting love for us. The most popular one is John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." If that alone isn't proof of His love for us, after all, He gave His innocent and perfect Son, Jesus, over to die a brutal death on a cross to pay for our sins, and to make it possible that we, through faith in Him, can share eternity with Him, then I don't know what is. True love. To us, who don't deserve it.

What should be our response? We love Him because He first loved us, of course. How can we show our love to Him?

There is an excellent book called "Practicing His Presence" by Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach. The pages encourage us to seek the LORD's presence throughout our days, and shares the testimonies of these two authors on how they were able to do it. It is truly an inspiration to those who want to know the LORD in a much deeper way than they do. 

Here is a quote from the last chapter that is worth sharing. In essence, it reveals the true purpose of this book, and the results of disciplining oneself to seek the LORD.

Let all your employment be to know God. The more you actually know Him, the more you will desire to know Him. Since knowledge is a measurement of love, the deeper and more intimate you are with Him, the greater will be your love for Him. And if our love for the LORD is great, then we will love Him as much during grief as in joy.

I am sure you know that most people's love for the LORD stops at a very shallow stage. Most love God for the tangible things He gives them. They love Him because of His favor to them. You must not stop on such a level, no matter how rich His mercies have been to you. Many outward blessings can never bring you as close to God as can one simple act of faith.

So seek Him often by faith.

Oh, dear friend, the LORD is not outside of you, pouring down favors. The LORD is within you. Seek Him there, within... and no where else.

Let the LORD be the one , the only love of your life. If we do love Him alone, are we not rude if we busy ourselves with trifles, trifles that do not please Him and some which may even offend Him?  Be wise and fear such trifles. They will one day cost us dearly.

Dear friend, would you now begin, today, to be devoted to the LORD, in earnest? Cast everything else out of your heart.  He would posses it alone. Beg of Him that favor. 

Do what you can, and soon you will see that change wrought in you which you are seeking. 

Relationships don't thrive on neglect. They flourish because of intentional efforts to keep the fire of passion burning. How passionate are you to the One who has loved you the most?

Forgetting God

Parental love is sacrificial. If you are a good parent, you pour all your love into a child, raising him, teaching him, making sure he is safe, guiding him to be a successful adult. You want the best for him. And eventually he grows up and leaves the nest. You feel you've done your parenting job well.

If you are fortunate, you will continue to have a warm, loving relationship with that child, and will be included in what's going on in his life. The dynamics change, as it's now a two adult relationship, but it continues to grow and flourish into a strong friendship. And in the later years, the child will still be there for the parent, making sure he is safe, and loving him in his time of need.

For some, though, this isn't the case. The child grows up and becomes involved in his own life, leaving his parent behind. Slowly, there are no times of getting together. Fewer phone calls, or texts. And weeks and months continue on with no contact from the child. This leaves the parent wondering what happened. And feeling unloved.

Do you think God feels the same way with us when we spend our days without a thought of Him? If you are a Christian, then at some point you knew you were loved by Him, and accepted the sacrificial love of His Son, Jesus, on the cross so you can have an eternal relationship with Him. Our heavenly Father gave His Son for us, gave us the Scriptures to teach us and guide us, and lovingly watched us grow up. For some of us, we work on our relationship with our Heavenly Father, and grow in Him, loving Him more and more. But for others, we become deeply involved in the things of our lives, and slowly, our devotion to Him is replaced by our devotion to the world around us. We live our lives our own way, and act like we don't need God. As a result, we think of Him less. Pray less. And we hardly take the time to read the Bible. How do you think God feels when we neglect Him?

A relationship takes work, and needs nurturing if it is to flourish. God will always love us. The point is whether we love Him back. Are we responding to His love by staying in touch with Him? When the day is over, have we spent quality time with Him? Or did we forget Him?

Prayerfully, you, the reader, will make every effort to have that close, intimate relationship God so desires with you. The more you put into it, the better and more satisfying it will be. 

My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!'

Your face, LORD, I will seek.   Psalm 27:8

"Now, then, My children, listen to Me.

Blessed are those who keep My ways.

Listen to My instruction and be wise;

do not disregard it.

Blessed are those who listen to Me,

watching daily at My doors,

waiting at My doorway.

For those who find me find life

and receive favor from the LORD.

But those who fail to find Me harm themselves; 

all who hate Me love death."  Proverbs 8:32

His Footprints Are All We Need

A man and His Lord were walking along the beach. The man's life was laid out before him with two sets of footprints. One set belonged to him and the other belonged to the Lord. During the most difficult times of his life, he noticed only one set of footprints. He turned to the Lord and said, "Lord, why did you leave me when I needed You the most?" The Lord replied, "My child, I never left you. When you see one set of footprints, that was when I carried you."

We are familiar with this story and can relate it to our own life experiences. All of us have had, or are having now, very difficult times. Broken relationships. Financial problems. Health concerns. The loss of a loved one. Whatever it is that we face, it robs us of the strength to continue on. Life stops in its frozen tracks. We are trapped in a bubble that no one else shares, and we don't know how to escape. In fact, we don't know if we will ever be free again.

Fortunately, we have a Savior, Jesus, who promises never to leave us or forsake us. Like this story, He walks alongside us and knows every detail of the terrain we are traveling on. He becomes our strength when we are too weak to continue on. And He will carry us.... if we want Him to. All we need to do is to call on Him to help us in our times of need. To give Him our burdens. And to trust that He will make it alright.

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him. - Psalm 40:1-3

Because he loves Me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My Name. He will call on Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. Psalm 91:14-15

Troubles are inevitable in our lives. Jesus even said we can expect them. What a relief to know that we have a loving Savior who will walk with us in those storms, to take us through them to the other side. For this, we can rejoice.

A New Year

As a new year approaches, some people reflect on the previous year, and wonder what the next year will bring. For some, the previous year was filled with happy events, and they are optimistic for the new year to bring the same. Yet for others, there was sadness, and they're not sure if things will turn around for them in the following year. A year is a long time, and since we can't see into the future, we can't predict what's going to happen. We keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.

What does the Bible say about our past, present and future? Since God is ultimately in control of everything, He must know what the new year will bring. For Isaiah 46:10 tells us He declares the end from the beginning. So, here we are. A brand new year. And He has already seen it with His eyes! How does this affect us?

First of all, He created each one of us in His image, and He desires that we have an intimate relationship with Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. As His children, we are promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We aren't on this journey called life alone. Every thing that happens to us has been approved by God to mold us and make us into what He has designed us to be. As a result, we know that because He is the Potter and we are the clay, everything that comes our way is a result of His love for us. Even if we hurt. This isn't a perfect world, and following Him never promises a pain free experience. In fact, Jesus tells us that every day has enough trouble of its own. But He gives us the strength to persevere.

Paul tells us in Philippians 3 this:

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended,

but one thing I do, forgetting those things 

which are left behind and reaching forward

to those things which are ahead.

I press toward the goal for the prize

of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

For our citizenship is in heaven,

from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior,

the LORD Jesus Christ,

who will transform our lowly body

that it may be conformed to His glorious body,

according to the working by which

He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

As we enter into a new year filled with unknowns, let us fix our eyes on the LORD. Develop a habit of constantly being in His presence through daily prayer time and Bible reading. Make Him your top priority, leaning on Him to guide you and direct you. 

Show me Your ways, O LORD.

Teach me Your paths.

Lead me in Your truth and teach me.

For You are the God of my salvation.

On You I wait all the day. (Psalm 25:4-5)

Las Vegas Is Just The Beginning...

Recently, we have seen the horrible news of the shooting in Las Vegas, killing over 50 innocent people who were enjoying a concert, and injuring over 500 others. The shooter had positioned himself on the 32nd floor of a nearby hotel, loaded with assault weapons, with the intention to murder people he didn't know. His motive is still uncertain. Unending gunfire that lasted fifteen minutes, sounding like whirling helicopter blades, will continue to resonate in survivors' minds for the rest of their lives, haunting them. The question remains, "Why?" And another question some are asking is, "Why did God allow this?"

The answers are presented in the Bible, and a lot of theologians are explaining it so people can understand. The bottom line is this: Sin, and Satan. People don't want to think that there is an evil realm hovering over them, seeking to destroy people, luring them away from faith in God. He didn't make people to be robots, but to have free will to choose whether they will follow Him and obey, or to reject Him and do what they wish, with the reality that Satan and his demons, who occupy this world, are ready to steal their hearts. And wreck their lives. People who refuse to follow Christ, and allow Satan to occupy their minds, and have his way in them, will do such acts of destruction. 

"The one who does what is sinful is of the devil." 1 John 3:8 

And this is just the beginning. The Bible tells us that at a certain time, Jesus will call all His true followers up to be with Him, leaving this world behind. This, called the Rapture, will bring together both those who have already died, knowing Him, and those who are alive, knowing Him. This will be a sudden event, unknown to the rest of the world. 

"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 together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air. And so we will be with the LORD forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words." 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 

Then, for those left behind, all hell will break loose, as Satan, who will occupy the Antichrist, and his demons, will have his heyday. Evil acts will be rampant, making the shooting in Las Vegas, seem like child's play. This period is called the Tribulation, which will last seven years. There will be lawlessness, hatred, killing, and devastation happening every day with no relief. People who decide to receive Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior during this time will be beheaded, becoming martyrs. There will be big wars. Terrible weather. Diseases. Famine. And it will be extremely hard for anyone to survive this awful time. The peak will occur when Satan tries to be God, taking over the Temple in Jerusalem.

Then, after all that time has expired, Jesus will return with His Saints, who He had raptured up earlier, to put an end to the Tribulation, thus ushering in a peaceful Millenium of a thousand years. This will be followed by a short period of time where Satan will be released again to cause another war. Then, the final Judgment will take place, after which Satan, all his demons, and all those poor souls who had rejected Christ will be sent to spend eternity suffering in the never ending fires of hell. 

"Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15

There is good news in all of this! Since God has no beginning and no end, He saw the end from the beginning, and sent His Son Jesus to pay for our sins on the cross, shedding His innocent blood for us. He died, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven. Someday soon He will return for His own. For those who have placed their trust in Him for their salvation. Christians won't have to go through these terrible days, as they will be exempt from God's wrath on evil. He doesn't wish for anyone to perish, but for all to have eternal life through Jesus, His Son. 

How about you? Are you sure of your eternal destiny? Have you placed your trust in Jesus as your LORD and Savior? If so, instead of going through the agony that is promised for those who have rejected Him, you will be safe in His Presence. Things here will become far worse than it has ever been. Scenes like that which has just happened in Las Vegas, will continue to escalate, and human rights will disappear. Now is the time to be certain of your future. Trust in Jesus today. Ask Him to be your LORD and Savior.

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then, He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." Revelation 20:1-5 

Family Breaker

All things are pointing to an event that will tear apart families all across the world. Though it was predicted thousands of years ago, to occur at a time when certain things were to go on, those things are indeed happening now. 

When this happens, babies and small children will disappear. A spouse will disappear, leaving the other one to wonder what happened. Parents will be missing, leaving their teens behind. Never before has this happened, yet when it does, it will be done quickly, with no warning... except the warnings spoken in the Bible, and by some clergy and those who know end time prophecies.

What is this event? 

The Rapture. Jesus spoke of it. Paul wrote about it. It is an event that no one knows when will happen, except God Himself.

But of that day and hour no one knows,

not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

Two men will be in the field:

one will be taken and the other left.

Two women will be grinding at the mill:

one will be taken and the other left.

Watch, therefore, for you do not know

what hour your Lord is coming. (Jesus - Matthew 24:36,40-42)

Now this I say, brethren (those who have placed their trust in Christ), 

that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God... 

Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep (die), 

but we shall all be changed - in a moment, 

in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. 

For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, 

and we shall be changed. - (Paul - 1 Corinthians 15:50-52)

Only those individuals who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be raptured, and taken to heaven. This will be done before God places His wrath on the evil that will remain on this earth. Ever since Satan has entered the scene, sin has affected every single person, and Satan has lured people away from God. 

Your adversary the devil walks about like 

a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

When people ask Jesus to be their Savior, the Holy Spirit lives in them. This is God's way of having Himself live in His followers to guide them and help them to live holy lives. God is more powerful than Satan and with the Holy Spirit in Christians, evil is restrained. At the moment the rapture occurs, the Restrainer is removed, taking all true believers with Him to heaven.

The mystery of lawlessness (evil) is already at work; 

only He (the Holy Spirit) who now restrains will do so

until He is take out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, 

whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth

and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

The coming of the lawless one is 

according to the working of Satan,

with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 

and with all unrighteous deception 

among those who perish,

because they did not receive the love of the truth,

that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:7-10)

Satan knows he doesn't have long on this earth, and is working overtime luring people to not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who gave His life on the cross to pay for our sins. It is only through faith in Jesus that one can be saved. 

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus,

and believe in your heart

that God raised Jesus from the dead,

you will be saved. 

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness,

and with the mouth confession 

is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

Sin is the ultimate family breaker. God doesn't desire this to be, but because of sin, His Holiness will judge every person. If a person places his trust in Jesus as his personal Savior, he will inherit eternal life and spend eternity with God. Everyone else who refuses God's free gift of salvation will perish in the fiery flames of hell with Satan... forever. 

Children who are too young to be accountable for their faith will go to be with the Lord.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me." (Matthew 19:14)

When they become older and can make their own decisions, then they will be responsible for their own faith. They don't inherit their parents' faith. They need to know Jesus on their own.

Who will you choose? Jesus? Or not. Your decision will affect your family. If you are a parent, and know Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you will spend eternity with your young children. If you and your spouse know Jesus, both of you will spend eternity together. It is so important to take this seriously, as we do not know the day or hour when Jesus will return for His Bride, the true believers.

Don't be left behind. Be sure now.

So, You Say You Are A Christian...

There are people who say they are a Christian. Some go to church, and others do not.  However, for some, when you look at what they are doing in their lives, you wonder. They admit they don't read their Bibles. They don't even express an interest in talking about God. And their lifestyle is no different than an unbeliever's lifestyle; that is, they don't feel convictions in doing things that God clearly says is wrong. They live a compromised life. While they say they are a Christian, they are what you may say, lukewarm Christians. There is no expressed passion for Christ.

While it is true that only God knows a person's heart, it is possible that we can get a feel of whether he is truly saved, that is, whether he has chosen to follow Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior. And by doing that, he has a desire to please Him and obey Him. He is hungry for more of God in his life, and spends time reading his Bible, praying, and going to church. He has a desire to grow more like Christ, and becomes concerned for the salvation of others, knowing what the Bible says about the consequences of sin and where one spends eternity.

Jesus expressed His opinions about lukewarm Christians in Revelation 3. In fact, He said He was going to spit them out! What! Why? Jesus gave His life for us who claim we are Christians, and wants a Bride who is passionately in love with Him. How sad it will be for those who thought they were going to go to heaven, all because God is love, and "wouldn't send anyone to hell." But they never gave their heart to Him. They never truly accepted His gift of salvation, but based their eternal destination on the religious practices they did in church. They blindly accepted whatever they were taught, but never checked it out for themselves in the Bible. Jesus said that He was even going to refuse those who said, "LORD, LORD" because they never truly knew Him. They had a head knowledge of Him, but not a heart relationship with Him.

How about you? How is your relationship with Jesus? Do you truly know Him, and make every effort to follow Him? Are you passionately in love with Him? Or do you prefer to keep your distance from Him, not wanting Him to control your life?

It is totally up to you. But please remember. Jesus will have the final say on whether He will let you in to heaven. Don't be mistaken or misled. Seek Him now while there is still time. He is knocking on the door to your heart, waiting for you to open it and let Him in. When you do, your life here on earth will never be the same, and your heart will be yearning for an eternity with Jesus in heaven!

Faith Of the Unseen

In preparing for worship tomorrow, God led me to some Scripture in Hebrews 11 on faith. And it couldn't have been more relevant for today, in 2017.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. V. 1

By faith, Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen,

moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household,

by which he condemned the world and became 

heirs of righteousness which is according to faith. V. 7

Wow, oh wow!! Do you see it? First of all, it is only by faith in Jesus as LORD and Savior that we are saved, and by His blood we are made righteous. As a result of that faith, we have hope. Hope of what? Hope that He will deliver us from things unseen yet in our future. Jesus spoke of these things as He shared with His disciples what would be going on just before His return. 

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

And there will be great earthquakes in various paces,

and famines and pestilences. Luke 21:10-11

We see the breakdown of families, the mocking of God, hatred and anger. We see culture embracing what God says is immoral living. Church attendance has been declining dramatically. We are seeing Christians being persecuted and even killed for their faith in Jesus. Never before have we seen so much evil being practiced in our world as today. Well, except for Noah.

We are all familiar with Noah and his story. God was grieved with the evilness of people, and could only find Noah and his family as His faithful followers. So God decided to destroy the evil people, and told Noah to build the ark, load it with his family and two of every kind of animal, to repopulate the earth after everything had been destroyed. Noah, having never experienced rain, believed God, and obeyed. He followed exactly God's instructions. And once they were all in the ark, God closed the door, and everyone out of the ark drowned. Only Noah and his family and the animals were spared.

How does this relate to today? Jesus said, "As in the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the LORD." Even though Noah couldn't visualize what God was going to do, he obeyed in faith, believing that God would protect him and his family, and stay true to His Word and promises. God will destroy Satan, and all his followers. All people who reject Jesus and follow Satan will be sent to hell... forever. 

We are in the end times, and we are seeing nations gather against Israel to divide her land. We know God has promised wrath on those nations who do so. We are seeing troops being sent to nations who are beginning to see our nation as a threat, leading to a possibility of war. As true believers in Jesus, as His Bride who is preparing herself and keeping her lamp lit, it is only our faith in Jesus that will deliver us from God's wrath to save us. All it takes is faith. Do you have that faith?

No Need To Clean Up

Many of us are familiar with the story of when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Here is what the Bible tells us happened in Luke 2:8-20:

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the LORD stood before them, and the glory of the LORD shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing  that has come to pass, which the LORD has made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

This is what I'd like to focus on here. Of all the people God chose to reveal the birth of His Son to, He chose the lowly shepherds. Not a king, or a noble. Not a high priest or rabbi. But stinky, uneducated men who spent all their lives around sheep. Why? Was it because they were available and nearby? I don't believe so. There are two things that stand out here in this story.

First of all, they were not indoctrinated with other beliefs. They most likely had no training or education at all in religion. Their world was made up entirely with sheep, and not people. They lived every day and night with them, and the fields were their home. When the angels surprised them that night, their attention was aroused. Imagine what it was like to have a completely quiet, black sky that was sprinkled with stars here and there, suddenly be filled with a bright light and angelic creatures! And to have them deliver this message to them had to be overwhelming!

Because of their innocence, they believed, and went with haste to see this new baby in Bethlehem. And after they had seen Him, they were never the same! They went out and told others about this newborn King sent from God to save the world, and later returned to worship and praise Him. Their encounter with Christ wasn't hindered by previous beliefs, and they were changed.

Secondly, they didn't have to clean themselves up before visiting the new King. They knew He would take them just as they were, so they came with open, believing hearts. Mary and Joseph were amazed with these unkempt visitors, and most likely wondered where these strangers came from, and how they knew. Maybe the shepherds told them the angels came.

The important thing to glean from this story is this: God welcomes all of us to come to Him. There is absolutely nothing we need to do to be suitable or presentable before Him. No matter what we have done, no matter how bad we have been, He loves us, accepts us, and wants to live in all of us. He has done everything that needs to be done through the blood of Jesus on that awful cross to pay the debt owed for our sins. All we need to do is believe. And through this, we can experience His cleansing power over our lives. He will change our hearts when we give them to Him. Sin will no longer have dominion over us. We can finally live in freedom!

That is why we can sing "Glory to God in the highest!!"

Just come as you are to His throne of grace. He welcomes you with open arms!

Always Be Ready

We hear so many times of people trying to predict when Jesus will return, calling Christians up through the rapture. In fact, in the fall of 2015, it was a time when the four blood moons were happening, the Biblical Shemitah was culminating, and so much more. People were strongly implying that the rapture was going to happen then, at the Feast of Trumpets (1 Thessalonians 4:16). But it didn't happen. We are still here. And life is going on. And things like these can fuel the scoffers into not taking Christians and their end time prophecies seriously.

Jesus told his disciples several things about this. In Matthew 24:36, He said that no one would know the day or hour of His return. Not even the angels. But only the heavenly Father will know. People who are anticipating this big event try to justify that because the arrival of the new moon, which signifies the beginning of the fall feast, isn't known until it is actually seen, then the rapture could occur at this time. So every fall, excitement grows around the beginning of the Feast of Trumpets.

And then, if you browse You Tube videos of end time prophecies, you will see countless videos with the captions of Jesus to come at certain dates. How they come up with them is amazing, but in all of them, they were proven to be false. Again, Jesus told his disciples that many will say, "Here He is." But He won't be there. I believe He was referring to our day when people are trying to jump the gun in thinking they have inside information from God as to when Jesus is going to return. But they have been wrong. Every time. As Matthew 24:11 says, there will be many false prophets deceiving many.

Jesus also said in Matthew 24:44, that He will come at a time when is least expected. It seems to me that since people expect Him to come at the Feast of Trumpets, then He won't come then. Maybe in the spring. Maybe at Christmas. Maybe today, or tomorrow.

The main thing to keep in mind is to always be ready. God will reward those who eagerly await His return. The rapture has been compared to a Jewish wedding. The groom (Jesus) has become engaged to his future bride (the Church, or Saints). He returns to his father's house (Jesus returned to His Father's house) to prepare a home for his bride. (John 14:1-4) Then, when the groom's father (Jesus' heavenly Father) sees that all has been fulfilled and ready, he tells his son to get his bride (Jesus is given permission to come get His bride, the Church). And then the wedding takes place, with the wedding supper. Since she doesn't know when this will happen, she has to always be ready. 

Are you ready for Jesus? Have you given Him your heart? Jesus tells the story of the ten virgins who were waiting for their groom. It was night time and they had their lamps nearby. Five had enough oil (Holy Spirit) and five didn't. The shout came to announce the arrival of the groom. As the five went out to get more oil, they missed out on the groom, and the door closed. Only the virgins who had enough oil were allowed in. There are two types of Christians. Ones who are true Christians, who have given their hearts to Him, thereby receiving the Holy Spirit to dwell in them. And there are carnal Christians, who have the head knowledge, but not the heart commitment. Which are you? While we can't tell if a person who says he is a Christian is actually one, God can. While we can see only the outside of a person, He sees the heart. And in the end, it matters what He sees. 

Be sure of your relationship with Jesus Christ. Make Him your LORD and Savior. He could come at any moment. Always be ready.

Surely, I am coming quickly.

Amen, even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Spiritual Anesthesia

If you have had surgery, you most likely received anesthesia to put you asleep. And hopefully, you weren't aware of what was happening in the operating room! Then afterwards, the anesthetist would reverse those drugs, and you started to become awake again. Your eyes opened and you could see. And you started to hear things again.

 

Our spiritual lives are like this. When we become born again, the Holy Spirit dwells in us, enabling our spiritual eyes to see and our spiritual ears to hear. We become sensitive to the things of the Spirit; the things that matter to God.

 

However, it is possible that we can become insensitive by allowing the things of this world, which is influenced by Satan, to dull our spiritual senses. It can start with small compromises, and before we realize it, we no longer feel the conviction of the sin we have allowed in our lives.

 

Our Heavenly Father is loving and merciful, though, and when we cry out to Him, in the desire to have our relationship with Him restored, He reverses the effects of worldly influences, and our spiritual sensitivity is brought back. We are then fully awake, and fully alive in Him.

 

Jesus said to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, which represent the churches in the church age, "Let him who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the churches." In other words, only those who know Christ as Lord and Savior, have the ability to be aware of the things that matter to God. Those who don't know Christ don't have that ability, as they don't have the Holy Spirit in them.

 

Let us be the church who is spiritually sensitive to the things that matter to God. As the moment when Christ returns for His Bride, the church, draws near, let us be that Bride who is fully alive and fully awake. Let us keep our lamps lit, and our spiritual antennas sharp.

 



Stay Focused

Lately there have been terrible things that have happened to people I know, unexpectedly. While there have always been sadness and tragedy around the world ever since time began, when it happens near you, it hits hard. Especially when death comes to a young person who didn't deserve it.

When it is a crime involved, as it was for a precious little two year old whose angry father took her life in New York State, then you know it was the result of evil. When it is an addiction to drugs, and you know the person is fighting it with every ounce he has, but loses that war, then you know it was the result of evil. Some disagree, but the epidemic of drug overdose and addiction these days are due to Satan wanting to destroy families. When will this all end?

The Bible has an answer to that question. From the beginning, Satan has been the biggest enemy to mankind, and sin has occupied every life. We are born in sin. Because God loves each person so much, He gave His Son, Jesus, on the cross to die for our sins, to be the Lamb of God, to redeem us. And those who have placed their faith in Him as their Savior are guaranteed eternal life. Even children who are too young to be accountable. Even drug addicts who cry out to God for deliverance.

Jesus is the ultimate Light of the world, and even though we are surrounded in the darkness of Satan's schemes, if we focus our lives on that Light, we will make it. Even if it seems that the darkness is greater and is going to swallow you up into eternal hell and suffering, that little speck of light is powerful enough to rescue you from that darkness, and pull you into God's eternal glory. No more tears. No more death. Only pure joy and gladness, in the presence of our wonderful, loving Savior!

Remember not to be overwhelmed by the darkness around you. Keep your focus on God. And He will get you through it all.

The LORD is my light and my salvation.

Whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strength of my life.

Of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked came against me...

my enemies and foes,

they stumbled and fell.

My heart shall not fear,

though war may rise against me.

In this I will be confident.

One thing I have desired of the LORD,

that will I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the LORD.

Psalm 27:1-4



He's A Good, Good Father

There are things in my life that I wish were different, and when I see others who have what I feel I'm missing, it brings to me feelings of sadness. Late yesterday was one of those times. I knew it was wrong to harbor those emotions of despair, so I tried to read some Scripture before I went to bed.

 

This morning, those feelings were still there when I woke up. Never the less, I thanked God for His love and mercy on my life, as I'm in the habit of doing each time I awake. I came down stairs, and noticed the bright pink sky outside. Grabbing my camera, I stepped out onto the porch and beheld this gorgeous sunrise.

 

 



Suddenly the song Good, Good Father, by Chris Tomlin, came to my spirit and I was singing it. As I continued to take pictures of this beautiful morning scene, God reminded me of His love, and goodness, and provision, in spite of my circumstances. He also brought to my mind this Scripture:

 

Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble,

whatever things are just, whatever things are pure,

whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report,

if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy,

meditate on these things.

The things which you learned and received

and heard and saw in me, these do,

and the God of peace will be with you. - Philippians 4:8-9

 

 

How I so appreciate my Heavenly Father, who knew what was bothering me, and brought this glorious sunrise to my attention, to remind me of how very much He loves me and cares for me. He is surely a good, good Father.

 

I feel much better now.

 





When Your Decisions Determine Your Destiny

The kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins

who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them.

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

And at midnight, a cry was heard.

"Behold, the bridegroom is coming. Go out to meet him!"

Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

And the foolish said to the wise,

"Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out."

But the wise answered, saying,

"No, lest there should not be enough for us and you,

but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves."

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came,

and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding.

And the door was shut.

Afterward the other virgins came also, saying,

"Lord, Lord, open to us!"

But he answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you,

I do not know you."

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour

in which the Son of Man is coming.

Matthew 25:1-13

 

 

Many of you are familiar with this passage in the Bible, and understand it's meaning. The oil that the virgins carry represents the Holy Spirit. The bridegroom is Jesus, and the cry at midnight stands for the rapture, which will be unexpected but certain and sudden.

 

But is there any significance that they fell asleep while waiting? I never gave thought to this before, until recently. I believe that every aspect of a parable has a purpose, otherwise it wouldn't be mentioned. Here is what I think it means.

 

Prior to them falling asleep, the virgins knew that the bridegroom would be coming, though they didn't know when. Half of them were prepared and were filled with the Holy Spirit. That is, they knew Christ as their Lord and Savior and made every effort to be in an intimate relationship with Him, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They loved Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. They not only knew about Christ, they knew Him intimately. These were the wise virgins.

 

The foolish virgins weren't prepared, as they didn't make efforts beforehand to keep enough oil with them. They were like carnal Christians who know about Christ, they know what the Bible says about His coming, but that is all. They didn't pursue an intimate relationship with Him. They had the head knowledge but not the heart felt relationship.

 

The Bible has stated in several incidences that when a person dies, he has "fallen asleep", as in the story of Jesus being called to the house of a ruler whose daughter had died. He told them, "The girl is not dead, but sleeping." Then He took her by the hand and she arose. (Matthew 9:18-19, 23-25)Likewise, in this Scripture of the virgins, I believe them sleeping means that they died. They had lived their lives before the time came for the bridegroom to come.

 

What is interesting is what happens when the call at midnight comes. They all awaken. This represents the rapture. The five wise had been ready before they slept by having the Holy Spirit. Therefore, they were able to go in with the bride groom, and after that, the door was shut. The foolish ones hadn't had the Holy Spirit before they slept, so they weren't ready for the bridegroom. They were kept out. Separated from the bridegroom. Their chances of being with the bridegroom were gone forever.

 

Conclusion is this: what a person does before he dies seals his eternal fate. Once he dies, it is too late. There is no second chance. In order for a person to be with Jesus in His heavenly kingdom, he must make that important decision to accept Him as Lord and Savior, and live his life in obedience, seeking Him with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. He needs to surrender his life to the will of God. Then when he dies, and if Christ hasn't come before that, He is assured that he will be with Him forever, to celebrate the marriage supper of the Lamb.

 

If a person learns about Christ, but doesn't make that commitment to follow Him; if he keeps putting  off surrendering his will to God's, then he will not have had the Holy Spirit's indwelling, and will miss the rapture. He will face eternal separation from God, and the fire of hell along with Satan.

 

An important lesson out of all of this is that what a person does with Christ before his life is over, seals his future destiny. Now is the time to make sure you are filled with the Holy Spirit. Now is the time to make the commitment of following Christ and surrendering your will to His. The worst thing you could hear Him say to you is, "I never knew you." You have this moment to ensure that won't happen. Commit your heart and soul to Him. Accept His gift of salvation and seek Him will all of your being. Love Him with all of your heart.

 

The current condition of our world reveals that we are entering increasingly strong birth pains, and Jesus told us that when this happens, His return is right at the door. He is coming soon for His bride. The question is: are you wise.... or foolish?

 







What Are You Standing For?

Stand. What does it mean to you? When you stand up for something, it usually means you agree with it wholeheartedly and support it. By standing, you are saying that you are firm in your beliefs in it, and will defend it to no end.

 

As a Christian, I believe that what the Word of God says is truth. God said it, so it is true. Worth standing for. Worth defending. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I want to live my life in obedience to Him. Why? Because He first loved me by giving His life on the cross for me, and because I want to please Him. I fear Him in a reverent kind of way, respecting Him and honoring Him.

 

In this culture today, it is becoming increasingly difficult to stand up for one's faith in God. More and more, the influx of evil is becoming rampant, and what used to be the norm is now the opposite. The Bible tells us, "That in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanders, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors , headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power." Does this sound familiar to you? I remember reading this decades ago, and didn't see it happening. But now, I see it almost everywhere. And it is getting worse.

 

And that's just the culture. Laws are being made now to endorse lifestyles that are forbidden by God, as written in the Bible. These things are even celebrated by our higher leaders, and if one doesn't agree with them, then he can face the consequences of breaking the law! Who would have ever thought it would come to this?

 

The LORD impressed upon me to study the word STAND. So I looked up all the verses I could find to learn what He says about it. I found almost 40, and typed them up. As I meditated on them, I found a common thing: only through God's strength can we stand up for Him. And He tells us that by doing so, He will stand right beside us. He wants us to put on the whole armor that He provides. You can read about it in Ephesians 6:13-18. It is imperative that you put on the whole armor, not just a part of it. This will enable us to withstand the fiery darts of the wicked one. We cannot afford to start our days without it!

 

Also, as we find ourselves in the midst of an increasingly evil environment, we need not be afraid! Jesus has already won the victory over Satan through His death and resurrection, so we are on the winning side. And Satan knows it. By standing still, and letting God fight our battles, we will see the salvation of the LORD, which, according to Exodus 14:13, He will accomplish for you today! I love this verse, as it directly applies to my constant prayer request for loved ones' salvation. God is so good to us and provides all we need to live successfully for Him!

 

By the way, our job in these times is to love others, no matter what they do. Don't let their behavior cause you to act like them, but show them the same love that God gives you. After all, none of us are perfect! We all fall short. He forgives us when we go to Him in repentance, and even if someone doesn't repent to you, you should still forgive him. Shine His Light also, whenever the Spirit leads, as everyone needs a Savior. We should persevere in this until the end.

 

So, stand up for your faith in God! Be strong and courageous! Know the Word of God. Meditate on it, and memorize it. Pray and seek God's Face regularly. Put on that armor. And trust that He will watch over you and guide you through the battlegrounds. Remember, Jesus has already won the war!

 



 

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?