The Difficult Road We Travel!

Matthew; 7:13-14
(Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.)

I have been reading 'The Pilgrim's Progress' by John Bunyan. It speaks of the Christians travels as he makes his way to the Celestial City. It talks about the different trials he encounters on his way. Some of these trials were family, vanity, despair, flatterers, doubt, and little faith. I'm sure that all of us have dealt with some of these if not all of these on our Christian journey. If we stray off of the narrow way, we can be putting our self into harms way.

Jesus tells us that we will experience difficulty if we choose to follow Him. You will be ridiculed for your belief and possibly persecuted. It probably won't cost you your life, but it isn't going to be easy.
John; 15:20
(Remember the word I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.)
Jesus was speaking to His disciples here, but it can also apply to us today. If we choose to follow Jesus and obey Him, then we can expect trials and tribulation. They may be physical or they may be spiritual, but they will come.

Our goal as a child of God is to worship Him and obey Him. He has given all of us as His children the mission of spreading the truth and being a witness to the lost. If we let our light shine in this dark world, they will see it. If we allow our self to be entangled by all of the cares of the world, we won't be able to carry out this mission. Satan knows where to put the stumbling blocks. He will cause you to doubt your own salvation at times. He will put your pride in front of you. He will put anything in front of you that will cause you to detour off the straight and narrow path.

We need to keep our eyes focused on Jesus. If we do, then it is much harder to be caught off guard. We need to expect these trials and remember that He who is in us is stronger than he who is in the world. Jesus has already won the war and He is our Rock and our Salvation. We live in a dark world but Jesus is the light of life. Walk in the light!!
John; 8:12
(Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.)"
You want to stay on the narrow path and not stumble? Stay on the lighted path.

God Bless You!

Comfortable And Forgetting!

The United States was a nation that began as a country that acknowledged the hand of God in her founding. God was given a prominent place in the national life and was given credit for the blessings of the nation. But our country has, by and large, left her godly roots and is now believing that our own genius and hard work has been responsible for our success. We are headed for a fall. And if we find ourselves in trouble, perhaps we will turn back to God and once again experience His blessings.

This statement was written in study notes of 'The Word For Today Bible'. The study notes were by Pastor Chuck Smith. The statement was written before the current financial mess we find our country in. As people point the finger of blame at each other, we need to point the finger at ourselves. We have become so comfortable with God's blessings that we have forgotten that it was Him who was blessing us. We didn't give Him the glory or the praise for all that He was doing for our country. We have turned from obeying God to disobeying God. Now we wonder why we're not being blessed. It's very simple, "we've turned our backs on God."

There is only one hope for us and that is Jesus Christ. If we will just turn back to God and ask for forgiveness and help, He will forgive and heal our nation. The government is not going to be able to change the condition of our heart. Only God can change a heart and He is waiting to do just that.
2Chronicles;7:14
(if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.)

He's our only hope for America. We're not going to see change without God's help. The hearts of so many people have turned so wicked, that we have become the present day Sodom and Gomorrah. A nation that promotes abortion (KILLING INNOCENT BABIES), gay marriages, and all forms of sexual sin, is doomed to destruction. God is a holy God, and anything less than holiness in His people is not acceptable.
1Peter; 1:15-16
(but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

God Bless You!

God's Word Endures Forever!

The Bible is the inerrant Word Of God. God has told us that his Word will never pass away. Even though people have tried to say that there are errors in the Bible, I have yet to find one or have someone show me one. Someone might try to take a portion of Scripture out of context and say it contradicts itself, but that claim doesn't hold any water. If you want to know what God has for you in your life here on earth, then study the Bible. It is true from cover to cover.
Isaiah; 40:8
(The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.")

God tells us that his Word is permanent, not to be altered or changed in any way. We're not to add to it or take away from it as some of the cults have done in rewriting their bible. They have done this to make their bible say what they believe. Instead they should believe what the bible says. We are warned in the Book of Revelation the consequences for adding to or taking away from God's Word.
Revelation; 22:18-19
(For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.)

I have never understood why people who want to know God better, turn to books written by man. I'll admit there are a lot of good books out there, but they are just that, books written by man. If you want to know God, then read the book God wrote. Now someone is going to say that the Bible was written by man. Man did write the words in the Bible, but God gave him the words to write. That is why it is the inspired Word of God or God breathed.
2Timothy; 3:16
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,)
No where in Scripture does God say "as time goes by, I might have to change My Word to better reach new generations of people". The safest place to be is in the Word of God, not in other books.

Maybe you just don't understand the Bible. The reason you don't understand is that satan has blinded you to the truths of the Word of God. Without the Holy Spirit in you, you will not understand God's Word.
1Corinthians; 1:18
( For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.)
Every person is either in the process of salvation or destruction. To the Christ rejectors who are in the process of being destroyed, the gospel is nonsense. To those who are believers, it is powerful wisdom.

Ask God to remove the blinders that satan has on you and to reveal the truths in His Word. Tell Jesus you believe in Him and that you repent and will turn from your sins. Ask Him to save you and give you eternal life.

God Bless You!

Saving Faith!

Romans; 10:17
(So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.)

So here is how we gain faith in Jesus Christ. We study the Word of God, we are taught the Word at church, and we can memorize verses. The list goes on but it all has to do with the Word of God. When we read God's Word, we see how the faith of different individuals played out. So what exactly is faith and where does it come from?
Webster's Dictionary explains it this way: belief and trust in and loyalty to God, something that is believed with strong conviction.
You believe or trust something to be true.

In the Book of Hebrews, the 11th chapter, we see how many people in the Old Testament had saving faith. Take Noah for example. He built an Ark to float on water because God had told Him. It took him 120 years to build the Ark. His faith was expressed by his obedience to God's command. When Daniel was thrown into the lion's den, he had faith that God would protect him from the lion's and God did.

We need faith in Jesus to be saved and that faith comes from God.
Ephesians; 2:8
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.)
Our faith is given to us by God and without it, it is impossible to please Him.
Hebrews; 11:6
(But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.)

When Jesus was here on earth, He would heal someone and let him know that his faith had made them well. At other times He would forgive someone of his sins and tell him that his faith had saved them. Not all who Jesus healed were saved, but those who exhibited true faith were saved.
Luke; 17:19
(And He said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.")
Luke; 18:42
(Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.")

When we come to Jesus for forgiveness, we must believe He is who He says He is. We must put our faith in Him and believe that He will forgive us of all our sins and save us. Jesus came to save the lost (sinners) and all of us were lost before we came to Him. If we do not come to Him for salvation, we will remain lost and without eternal life. There is only one way to eternal life and that is through faith in Jesus Christ!
John; 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)
If you are really searching to know God, be in the Word of God. We can read all kinds of books about God, but what better book that the one He inspired. THE BIBLE
Be in the Word, we don't know how much time there is left. Study it, memorize it, have it written on your heart. If we ever have our Bibles taken away from us, then you will still have the Word of God written on your heart.

God Bless You!

Many Antichrist Have Come!

1John; 2:18
(Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrist have come, by which we know it is the last hour.)

In the first part of this verse, Antichrist is a proper name and refers to the final world leader who will be energized by Satan himself. In the second part of this verse, antichrist is used in the plural sense and speaks of many people who are antichrist. We witness this everyday in the world. The number of those who are antichrist, lets us know it is the last hours for mankind. This doesn't mean that the world is coming to an end right now but that we are living in the time between Christ's first coming and his second coming.

Now the world is getting real close to the rapture of the church because of the signs we are witnessing today. God has told us that with Him a thousand years is as a day and a day as a thousand years. The trouble is, we don't know if we are at the end of the end times. We are told to be ready for His return at any time.
Matthew; 24:44
(Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.)
Matthew; 25:13
("Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.)

God has told us in a number of passages in the Scriptures that we don't know the hour but we need to recognize the signs leading up to His second coming. I would recommend you read the 24th chapter of Matthew for some insight. We do know that every day that passes is one day closer to the appointed time. So when someone tells you that they have figured out the day of His return, don't believe them.
Matthew; 24:36
(But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.)

So as we keep getting closer, make sure that you are ready. How do you do this? You repent of your sins and ask Jesus for forgiveness. Ask Him to be LORD of your life and that you are putting all of your faith in Him.
Romans; 10:9-10
(that 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.)

God Bless You!

God Says "I Will Heal Their Land"!

2Chronicles; 7:14
(if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.)

Wouldn't it be nice if the American people would seek God's face and humble themselves in prayer and ask God for forgiveness and to heal our nation. I know that is a tall order to ask, but I feel it is the only hope we have. The Christian people have stood by and allowed the nonbelievers to push through their agenda. We have been complacent thinking someone else would stand up for our Christian values. All that we've done was to allow Satan to have his way in our country. Now we can't discipline our children as God has commanded to. We are not allowed to have the ten commandments in a public place without confrontation from the atheist. You're not suppose to say "Merry Christmas", but instead "Happy Holidays." The list goes on and on.

So whats the answer? We need to do as God says and humble ourselves and pray and ask for forgiveness of our sins. Ask Him to heal our nation and our economy. I can see this situation getting continually worse if we don't start be obedient to God. Our nation was formed on Christian values and we prospered. Our nation has been blessed for so many years that we have forgotten that we were bless by God for having Christian values in our nation. God has told us that if we want to see good days and long life, we need to refrain from speaking and doing evil.
1Peter; 3:10-12
(For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And his ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.")

If we hope to reverse this downward trend for our nation, we believers had better stand up for what is right and ask God for help. There is a spiritual war going on in our country in which we need God to fight the battle for us. Without God's help, we are going to lose the battle and our country. I'm urging all believers to take a stand for Jesus and do it today.

God Bless You!

Use Discernment!

With everything going on today, the Christian needs to be in the Word and using discernment. You have a number of cults who have totally rewritten the Bible so that it says what they want to hear. One such cult is the Jehovah's Witness. One way they have done this is to take away the Deity of Jesus Christ. The Mormons have the Bible but prefer to teach out of the Book of Mormon. God gave us specific warnings about altering His Word.
Revelation; 22:18-19
(For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.)

In the second book of Peter, we are told that these false teachers will bring in destructive heresies even denying the Lord Jesus Christ. They come into the church with some form of teaching that sounds good, but when filtered through the Scriptures, we find it is wrong. This is why it is so tragic when a church makes a virtue out of tolerance for unscriptural teaching in the name of unity. One of these is sexual immorality. They want you to tolerate sexual immorality so that we can get along with each other. Take what is going on in California today. The people voted not to allow same sex marriages. Now they are rioting saying that the Christian right is not tolerant and they should be allowed to do what is forbidden in Scripture. God doesn't hate the homosexual, but He does hate the sin of homosexuality. We need to pray for them that they will turn from this immoral lifestyle.
Leviticus; 18:22
(You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.)

How are we going to be discerning if we don't know what is in the Word of God. If we don't read and study God's Word, we leave ourselves open to deception. Anytime someone tells you that they have the only true way to worship God, filter it through the Scripture as see if it lines up. God has given us His Word so that we can be prepared for the false teachers. He doesn't send us to battle without the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. As a good soldier, we need to be preparing ourselves for the battle ahead. As we get closer to the end times, the battles will increase in number and in intensity. Satan knows his days a numbered and he is fighting hard to destroy the church. Let's stand up for Jesus and what's right and not allow him any victories. We already know the outcome, because Jesus has won the battle.
Matthew; 16:18
(And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.)

Stand fast in your faith and thank God for the victory, for the battle belongs to the Lord.

God Bless You!

Salt Water And Fresh Water!

In the third chapter of James, He discusses the tongue and the damage that can be inflicted with one that is out of control. All of us have said things that we later regretted. Once the words come out of our mouth, there is no taking them back. The damage is done and all we have left is regret. We are told in the scriptures that we need to think before we speak.
James; 1:19-20
(So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.)
Most of the time when we say things we wish we hadn't, we are probably mad or tired or just plain vengeful. That's why we should stop and ask ourselves if what we're going to say is edifying or destructive to the hearer.

How are we walking? Are we walking in the flesh or the Spirit? This also can have a very big impact on what flows out of our mouth. Which one is in control of our mouth at the time we speak? What are we trying to accomplish with our words? Are we trying to inflict pain or comfort? If we are walking in the Spirit, then what we say should be edifying to the hearer.
Galatians; 5:22-23
(But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.)

God is the only one who can tame the tongue and we need to let him have total control. If we think for a minute we have our tongue under control, then we are fooling ourselves. God tell us that NO man can control the tongue.
James; 3:8-9
(But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
So we see that if we are trying to control it without God's help, it will be a losing battle. The question we need to ask our self is, "are we producing fresh water (edification) or salt water (damage)?" We shouldn't be producing both out of the same mouth.
James; 3:11-12
(Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.)

The next time before we speak, we need to be sure that what we say will be edifying and not hurtful to the hearer.


God Bless You!

Tares And Wheat!

When I was younger, I worked on the farm during the summer. The farm belonged to one of my Sunday School teachers. He grew wheat and corn along with some alfalfa. My job was to take care of the alfalfa fields and help with other chores. When the wheat was coming up it all looked like wheat, but as it got closer to producing the heads, then the rye started to show up. The way we could tell it was rye was that it was taller than the wheat. My job was to go through the field and pull up the rye and lay it down on the ground. The reason for doing this was that when you harvest the wheat and take it to the co-op, they would run a probe down into the bed of wheat and pull out some for testing. If they found any rye mixed in with wheat, it would lower your pay because it was contaminated with rye.

In the parable of the wheat and tares, Jesus told the disciples that the enemy had planted tares among the wheat. The tares very hard to tell from the wheat until they both start to produce work. The wheat will produce good works for the kingdom of God while the tares will produce wicked works for the evil one. The wheat are the believers of God and the tares are the unbelievers. The field is the world and we are growing as we speak.

When the end times come, God will instruct His angels to gather all of the tares out of the field so that at the harvest will be pure. There won't be any unbelievers left mixed in with the true believers in Christ. The believers will have eternal life with God while the unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire to spend eternity separated from God.

If you are an unbeliever, we may not be able to tell unless you profess your unbelief to us. God can tell because He know the condition of your heart. He also knows where you will spend eternity unless you repent and ask for forgiveness of sin.
Matthew; 13:41-42
(The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.)
Hell is a furnace of fire, kindled by the wrath of God, and kept burning by the tares cast into it. If you end up there, you will be ever in the consuming, but never consumed. It will be the eternal punishment for all of those who choose not to believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

For the believer, our destiny will be opposite of those who chose not to believe.
Revelation; 21:3-4
(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.)
That's where I'm going to be and I hope you will be there too.

God Bless You!

More Than Words!

We've raised our hand, we've walked down the isle, we've said all of the right words, but are we saved? You can do all that seems right and still not be saved because your heart wasn't right. Only God knows the condition of our heart and if we really meant all the words we say. Scripture says that God wants a personal relationship with us that we must be obedient to His commands. How do we know if we are truly saved?
Matthew; 24:13
(But he who endures to the end shall be saved.)

God secures our perseverance through His power through faith for salvation. Part of His saving work is to secure our perseverance. We need to rely on God's power rather than our own to hold fast to the faith.
Hebrews; 10:23
(Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.)
Our holding fast to our faith is one evidence of our salvation. This is not speaking of how to be saved but rather evidence of true faith.

We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, not anything we have done. We never can earn or work enough to merit salvation.
Ephesians; 2:8-9
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, least anyone should boast.)
I'm not trying to scare you into thinking that maybe you're not saved but rather to point out Scripture that says your are saved. Holding fast to your faith, abiding in Christ Jesus, are just some of the proofs of genuine salvation. There are many different passages that address this issue and I encourage you to look them up.

We are told that when we come to Jesus for salvation, we are given the Spirit of Christ and we are born again into the family of God. You have become a new creation in Christ and you should start to see some change in your life. It refers to regeneration or new birth.
2Corinthians; 5:17
(Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.)
Our goal now should be to do the will of God rather than do the will of the flesh. People will see a change in you and wonder what happened to you.
1Peter; 4:2-4
(that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lust of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lust, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.)

Two more Scripture to consider.
Matthew; 7:21
("Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.)
We are encouraged to check ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith.
2Corinthians; 13:5
(Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you are disqualified.)

God Bless You!

All Scripture Is Given By Inspiration Of God!

2Timothy; 3:16-17
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.)

When God chose those whom He wanted to write the Scriptures, He gave them the words to write down. The Scriptures are not some story that man decided to write on his own. They are the perfect Word of God from Genesis through Revelation. No book written has ever been read as much as the Bible and that has changed as many lives. God tells us that his Word does not go out and return void. It will accomplish the purpose He sent it out to do. It is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword.

Doctrine-The Scriptures provide the complete body of divine truth necessary for life and godliness. When anyone comes up with a new or different doctrine, then they have changed the perfect for the imperfect.
Galatians; 1:11-12
(But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it form man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.)

Reproof-The Scripture exposes sin that can be dealt with by confession, repentance and then will come forgiveness by God.
Hebrews; 4:16
(Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.)

Correction-The restoration of something back to it's proper condition. The Scripture not only points out sin but points the way back to Jesus.
Psalm; 119:9-11
(How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word have I hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.)

Instruction in righteousness-Scripture provides positive training in godly behavior, not merely rebuke and correction of wrong behavior.
1Timothy; 4:6
(If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of good doctrine which you have carefully followed.)

God Bless You!

Beware Of The Leaven Of The Pharisees And Sadducees!

Leaven- a substance (as yeast) used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid. This stuff, once added to a batch of dough, will thoroughly permeate the whole batch. It is the same in our Christian walk. If we allow just a little bit of sin into our life, it eventually will spread all through our being.
Galatians; 5:9
(A little leaven leavens the whole lump.)
We are instructed not to dabble the least bit in any form of sinful living. It will put a wedge in our relationship with God. We might not think that He sees the little sins we have allowed into our life, but He does and He hates all sin. Every time we let in a little sin, it continues to grow. It doesn't just stop there because it needs to be fed and we add a little more. That's why God said do not sin.

In Scripture, leaven is used to represent influence, in most cases evil influence such as sin. If we allow leaven or sin into our church to go unchecked, our church becomes useless and corrupt. We have seen this over the years with some highly regarded ministries. No one is immune to sin and if we let our guard down for a moment, we fall.

When Jesus was talking with the disciples, He told them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. He wasn't talking about bread but their corrupt doctrine. We also must beware of bad doctrine that can creep into our lives. If we are not studying the Word of God daily, then we can be influenced without even realizing the error. Someone can introduce a new teaching and we can succumb to it. Everything needs to be filtered through the Word of God to see if it from God or not.
1Thessalonians; 5:20-22
(Do not despised prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from all forms of evil.)

"Test all things" is a call for careful examination and discernment. Discern if what is being taught is Biblical or not. What is found to be good is to be wholeheartedly embraced. What is evil or unbiblical is to be shunned.

God Bless You!

What Is Contemplative Prayer

Question: "What is contemplative prayer?"

Answer: It is important to first clearly define what "contemplative prayer" is. For the purposes of this article, contemplative prayer is not just "contemplating while you pray." The Bible instructs us to "pray with our minds".
1 Corinthians 14:15
(What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with understanding.)
Clearly, prayer does involve contemplation. However, praying with your mind is not what "contemplative prayer" has come to mean. Contemplative prayer has slowly increased in practice and popularity each year since the mid-1990s, along with the rise of the Emerging Church Movement—a movement which embraces many unscriptural ideas and practices. Contemplative prayer is one such practice. Contemplative prayer, also known as “centering prayer,” is a meditative practice where the practitioner focuses on a word and repeats that word over and over for the duration of the exercise. According to Catholic Priest Thomas Keating, this is how it is done: "Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God's presence and action within. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently, introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God's presence and action within. When you become aware of thoughts, return ever so gently to the sacred word. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes."

Although this might sound like an innocent exercise, this type of "prayer" has no scriptural support whatsoever. In fact, it is just the opposite of how prayer is defined in the Bible. "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done".
Philippians 4:6,
(Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.)
"At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. The truth is, you can go directly to the Father and ask Him, and He will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy".
John 16:23-24,
(And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.)

These verses, and others, clearly portray prayer as being comprehensible communication with God, not an esoteric, mystical meditation. Contemplative prayer, by design, focuses on having a mystical experience with God. Mysticism, however, is purely subjective and doesn't rely upon truth or fact. Yet the Word of God has been given to us for the very purpose of basing our faith, and our lives, on Truth.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.)
What we know about God is based on fact; trusting in experiential knowledge over the biblical record takes a person outside of the standard that is the Bible. Contemplative prayer is no different than the meditative exercises used in Eastern religions and New Age cults. Its most vocal supporters embrace an open spirituality among adherents of all religions, promoting the idea that salvation is gained by many paths, even though Christ Himself stated that salvation comes only through Him.
John 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)

Contemplative prayer, as it has come to mean in the modern prayer movement, is in opposition to biblical Christianity and should definitely be avoided.Recommended Resource:
Prayer, The Great Adventure by David Jeremiah.
Faith Undone by Roger Oakland
A Time of Departing by Ray Yungen

God Bless You!

Beware Of False Teaching

There is a movement out there today that is catching on even in mainstream Christian churches. The main point of their teaching is that there are certain methods for you to follow to be more spiritual. Some of these are contemplative prayer, yoga, use of a labyrinth (maze). What is being taught is that you need to empty your mind or reach a trance-like state of mindlessness in order for God to be able to talk with you. It is all associated with the New Age Movement that has been around for a long time. They want you to use meditation techniques, or say a mantra over and over to empty your mind to a hypnotic state. Once you reach this state, then and only then are you able to hear God. This is not Biblical and goes against what the Bible teaches.

We don't have to use any special technique to talk with God. We are instructed to pray without ceasing. You don't have to empty your mind to speak with our Heavenly Father. If this were the case, Jesus would have told us this while He was here on earth. God hears His children anytime they talk with Him. Anytime you put yourself in an altered state of mind, you are leaving yourself open to demonic influence. You may be hearing something from some source, but is it God or demonic? Anytime you are being taught something that is not found in the Scriptures, run from it. It may sound good and maybe there are a lot of people using these techniques, but God tells us to stay away from the occult practices. Here are some of the terms New Agers use.

1-Contemplative Prayer: Going beyond thought by use of repeated words or phrases.
2-Higher Self: Supposed God-self within that New Agers seek to connect with through meditation. Also called the Christ-self or True-self.
3-Christ consciousness: Taught by New Agers to be the state of awareness, reached in meditation, in which one realizes that one is divine and one with God or an enlightened being.
4-Inter spirituality: The view that all the world's religions are identical at the mystical level and therefore there should be solidarity among them.
5-False Self: The false self is the ego or personality that is observed by others. One rids oneself of the false self to find the true self through mantra-meditation.
7-Mantra: Word or words repeated silently or verbally to induce an altered state of consciousness.
8-Reiki: Spiritual energy that is channeled by one attuned to the Reiki power. Literally translated God energy.
9-The Silence: Absence of normal thought.

If someone starts to teach these methods, BEWARE!

Why would we as born again Christians have to use some special method to talk with God when we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us? We don't have to empty ourselves to make room for Him because He is already living within us.
1Corinthians; 3:16
(Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?)
So if you are a child of God, you can speak with Him anytime and any place. He will hear you.
Pray that you are not deceived by any of these teaching.

God Bless You!

The Ten Commandments!

Today the Ten Commandments are under spiritual attack from the enemy. There are many people who don't want them publicly displayed so they go to court to have them removed. Why would anyone go to such extremes to have them removed? It's not so much that they don't want you to see them, but they don't want to see them because they are convicting them of their sin. If these people were honest about their dislike of having the Ten Commandments displayed, they would have to admit to their sins. That is one reason why God told Israel to teach them to their children and grandchildren.

It is no different today. If we refuse to teach our children about God and His plan of salvation, then who will teach them?
Deuteronomy; 6:7
(You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.)
God wants us to do this so that we and our children know Him and want to be obedient to Him. There is going to come a time when people are not going to be as tolerant of the Word of God and persecution will start. It has already begun in many nations around the world, but here in the United States we still have this freedom to exercise our freedom of religion. Don't take this freedom for granted because Satan is at work trying to take it away.

Maybe you don't go to church or even own a Bible. How will you learn what God has told us about Himself and about Jesus His Son. How He sent his Son to die on the cross in our place so that those who put their faith in Him might gain salvation. Jesus tells us that He is the way to eternal life and how will we teach others if we refuse to learn ourselves? The fight against the Ten Commandments is just the beginning of the battle that is coming. If we don't stand up for our rights, the enemy will slowly pick away until won't have any right to talk about God or teach our children. This may sound far fetched, but look back at the rights we have already lost. People are offended by the Word of God because it convicts them of sin.

Why study the Word of God?
2Timothy; 3:16-17
(All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.)
God has given us His Word to prepare to do His will. Study it, memorize it, meditate on it, you never know when you will have your Bible taken away from you.

God Bless You!

The American People Have Spoken

Our new President elect Barack Obama will take office soon and everyone is expecting big changes. I pray that they are the right changes because our nation has reached to the very bottom of the pit. Our founding fathers set up our Constitution on Christian ethics and moral values, and we have pushed these aside. We have become people pleasers instead of obeying God. God gives us laws to obey if we want to be a prosperous nation. We used to obey them and prospered. Now we as a nation have decided we don't need God. We pushed God out because many people have chosen not to believe in God. They don't want the rest of us believing either.

People want to do whatever their heart desires and thus the spiral downward. We have decided it is OK to kill innocent babies before they are born. We have decided it is OK to marry someone of the same sex even though God says it is an abomination. We have taken the Ten Commandments out of public eye because some people found it offensive. It doesn't matter that the rest of us take them seriously. What our people have said is "God we don't care what you say, we are going to do it our way". If we really want change for our country, we need to turn from our evil ways and start obeying God. That is the only way to bring about the change we need.

God, Please Heal Our Country

Election Day

Today we make our choice for President who will lead our nation the next four years. It is a very important choice Americans make every four years. I pray that all of you have been paying attention to where each candidate stands on moral issues. Where do they stand on abortion, gay marriage, or what is their stand on freedom of religion? Most people in America take for granted our basic freedoms. They just don't realize the sacrifice that has been paid by many brave Americans fighting for their freedom. We would not be free without the shedding of blood by many brave soldiers.

Likewise, we would not be free from the penalty of sin if Jesus had not come down to earth to shed His blood for us. Having paid the price for sin , He is able to offer freedom from the penalty of sin to all who come to Him for forgiveness. We all should know that the wages of sin is death and if you die without forgiveness, we will pay the price our self.
Matthew; 26:28
(For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.)

Maybe you have heard some people say that there are many different ways to God, but this is not what the Scripture tells us.
John; 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)
Jesus tells us that there is no other way to eternal life in Heaven. We must come to Him for forgiveness of sins, there is no forgiveness without Him.

Just like with the election today, we have one of two choices to make. Will we take the broad road and try to make it on our own, or will we take the narrow road and accept Jesus as our Savior and follow Him? Jesus said He shed His blood for all who repent and come to Him. You have to accept the free gift of life. He's not going to force anyone to follow Him. If you choose your own way, you will spend eternity in hell. Basically, there is the road to destruction (your way) or the road to eternal life (Jesus' way). The choice is yours to make.
TWO WAYS OF LIFE
Matthew; 7:13-14
(Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.)

Why is there few who find eternal life? Because of our pride we want to do it our way and we can never earn eternal life. So put your faith in Jesus today and ask for forgiveness and follow Him. It's the only true way to freedom.

God Bless You!

The Fallen World

Philippians; 2:14-15
(Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,)

We don't have to look very far to see how perverted our world has become. We can start at the top in our government and see how many of our political leaders have fallen into sin and been brought down from a position of leadership to a position of disgrace. This same fall has reached into the very heart of our church's. Over the past years we have seen many spiritual leaders fall into sin and step down from their position of leadership. What we see is that the minute we take our eyes off of God, we open ourselves up to spiritual attack. None of us are immune and if we don't rely on God's power, we will fall.

1Corinthians; 10:12-13
(Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.)
So God tells us not to be proud that we think we can stand up to any temptation on our own. He does tell us that as the temptations come, we need to be looking for the escape that He does provide for us. As a Christian, we are going to be tempted and we are told this throughout Scripture. We can look at Joseph, David, Job, just to name a few. Joesph was tempted by Potiphar's wife and he ran away from her. David was tempted when he saw Bathsheba the wife of Uriah. He failed that temptation and lay with her. Job was tempted to curse God when Satan took all his belongings and children from him. Godly and ungodly people will be tempted and we need to resist the temptation to sin.

We are to be a light in a dark world. If we don't stand true to our beliefs and obey the Word of God, how are we going to be any different from the rest of world? They will look at us and say "those Christians are no different than we are". Remember, Satan is out there on the prowl looking for any opening to cause us to fall. Draw near to God and rely on His strength, not you own.

Tomorrow we vote for our next president, I pray that you have been paying attention to where they stand on moral issues. Vote the way you know God wants you to vote.

God Bless You

True Chrtistian Character

We all have come across someone who says that they are saved but live like the rest of the world. They may profess to be saved but their heart isn't right with God. Only God knows the condition of a persons heart and whether they are truly born again. We do know from Scripture that when we are born again, we become a new creation in Christ. The old man is done away with and all things have become new. This means that we should begin to see some visible change in our life. We should have a desire to know Jesus more and to try to be like Him in our daily walk. We should begin to walk by the Spirit instead of the flesh and to be obedient to the Word of God. God has told us how He wants us to live and we need to obey.

As I was reading in the Book of Psalms today and came across the 15th chapter, it speaks of the changed character of those who are saved.
Psalm; 15
(Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; In whose eye a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own heart and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall not be moved.)

This doesn't mean that we will never sin again. But what it does mean is that we are trying to live as God wants us to live. When we sin, we repent and move forward with our Christian walk. We don't allow the devil to beat us up for that sin because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.

God Bless You!

The Second Death, Not Annihilation!

Hebrews; 9:27
(And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,)

There are two things that we are not going to escape from while living here on earth, paying taxes and dying. God has appointed all men to die once, but then you may die twice. The choice will be yours to make while you are still alive. You don't have a choice about the first death which is our physical death, but you do have a choice to make about the second death. Maybe you are asking "what does he mean by a second death"?

The Bible teaches that we will die physically because of Adam and Eve's sinning in the garden of Eden. They disobeyed God and sinned and the consequences of that disobedience was physical death. That one act of disobedience left all of mankind with a decision to make. Will we come to God for forgiveness of our sins, or not? That one decision we make will determine if we die once or twice. If we do decide to ask Jesus for forgiveness of our sins, then we will die once physically but He will raise us up to eternal life in Heaven with Him.
John; 3:16
(For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.)

Now if we make the decision not to ask for forgiveness because we refuse to believe what God has written in the Bible, then we will die twice. We will die once physically, and the second time will be spiritually. You will be separated from God for all eternity. This doesn't mean that you will be non-existent. The bible clearly teaches that it is eternal punishment in hell. The punishment of hell last for eternity and is unmistakably taught through out Scripture.
Daniel; 12:2
(And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.)
Matthew; 25:41
("Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels;)

You don't have to worry about the second death if you will humble yourself and come to Jesus for forgiveness. Jesus is waiting for you to repent and turn from your sin and believe in Him. If you do this, you will be saved and have everlasting life. Jesus has already the price for sin when He died on the cross. But you must come to Him to receive forgiveness and eternal life. Don't wait another day, we never know when it is our last chance for forgiveness. Once you die, there is no second chance, you either will be present with the Lord or waiting for The Great White Throne Judgment!

God Bless You!

Sharper Than Any Two-edged Sword!

Most of us have a healthy respect for a sword or knife. Just the thought of it cutting us or piercing us sends shivers up our spine. Why is that? We all know that everything that is vital in the human body is on the inside or at least connected to the inside. Our life line is in our blood and if we lose it, we die. So to be cut or pierced in a way that reveals our blood scares us. Anytime someone has a knife in their hand and we don't know their intention, it makes us uneasy and we just want them to put it away.

It's the same way when we talk with unbelievers about the Word of God. Just the thought of the Word being spoken to them makes them very uneasy and usually they just want to get away. What makes them so nervous? God tells us that the Word reveals to a person that they are not able to hide the intention and condition of their heart.
Hebrews; 4:12
(For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper that any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.)
Now we know why it makes people nervous. It gets right to the heart of the matter and shows us all that we are sinners and in need of a Savior. When the Word of God is spoken to someone, it reveals the inside. Nothing is hidden and there is no getting around the fact that we are not righteous in Gods eyes. God tells us that no one is righteous not one. So what do we do?

God tells us that we must believe in His Son if we want to have eternal life.
John; 6:40
(And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.")
There is hope for us no matter what we have done. Jesus came to die for our sins and if we come to him for forgiveness, He will forgive us and give us eternal life. Once you have given your life to Jesus and have put your faith in Him, then you will want to be in the Word of God. This is where we learn what God expects from us and He tells us how we are suppose to live. Jesus tells us that if we come to Him, He will not cast us out.
John; 6:37
(All that the Father gives to Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.)
That is a promise form Jesus and we can believe that He will do what He has promised. If you haven't put your faith in Jesus yet, today is the day. Don't wait until it is to late.

God Bless You!

God Is The Answer!

I have been listening with much interest to all the different solutions to our problems in America. So far I have not heard even one person say that we should look to God for help. He is the only one who has the answer to all of our troubles, but we as a nation refuse to humble ourselves and repent of our ways and turn to Him for forgiveness.

Maybe some don't believe in God, but that doesn't mean He doesn't exist. In fact He tells us that we all know He exist by His invisible attributes. God has planted evidence of His existence in the very nature of man by reason of moral law. If we truly want help with our economy and a way out of this mess, then we need to pray and ask God for help.

God Bless You!

Jesus Wants To Save You!

If you are a believer in Christ, then you are in the middle of a war. Maybe you ask "what do you mean"? The Bible tells us that in the end times , many will fall away from the faith. They will be deceived by lying spirits and false prophets. We are witnessing this today by the number of cults that have started up over the last century. These cults are teaching a different Jesus than the Bible and many people are falling into this deceit. We were warned by God that this would happen and that we needed to remain in the faith.

1Timothy; 4:1
(Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,)
Those who fall prey to these false teachers will depart from the true living God and believe the lie of another jesus. It is so easy to be deceived if we are not sure who we have put our faith in. If we don't get into the living Word of God and study it for ourselves, then when the lie comes around, we won't recognize it as a lie. We need to be aware that our enemy is the devil and his army of demons and they are very good at what they do. They have years of practice and know where our weaknesses are and they will use them against us.

Remember, our battle is not against flesh and blood.
Ephesians; 6:12
(For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places.)
Our battle is tough and we need Jesus to give the strength to win. We will not win if we think we can do it on our own. So how do we fight this battle? We take up the whole armor of God. Notice that is doesn't say we try to fight it on our own but that we rely totally on the power of God. Satan wants us to be disobedient to God, spread false lies, cause division in the church and any other way that we can take peoples eyes off of Jesus. So we are to be continually preparing for this battle and we do this by being in the Word.

Ephesians; 6:14-17
(Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;)
God has told us what we need to do and it is up to us to obey. Jesus has won the war at the cross, but little battles still continue for the lost souls. Reach out to the lost and tell them that Jesus loves them and has died on the cross for them. They can have everlasting life if they will repent of their sins and come to Jesus for forgiveness. Jesus is the light in a dark world and we need to direct them to Him. He is the only one and true God, who is the Savior of all who will come to Him.

God Bless You!

What Now?

You've decided to do things your way and that is how you think you're going to live in order to make it to Heaven. So how are you going to do it? So you've decided that being a good person and doing good works will get you favor with God and then He will let you into Heaven. Let's see what the Scriptures say about that plan.
Ephesians; 2:8-9
(For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.)
God says that you are saved by grace through faith.

You say that God is a loving God and He will not send you into hell. You can live anyway you want and then when you die you'll count on Him just letting you into Heaven. You're not going to put your faith in Jesus now and have to live the way He wants you to live. Well that sounds like a plan so let's see what the Scriptures say.
Revelation; 20:15
(And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.)

Maybe you'll just say to Jesus that you went to church almost every Sunday as long as it didn't interfere with watching your favorite program or missing a football game. You would talk like a Christian when ever another Christian was around. Maybe you will say to Jesus that He must know you because you sat in front when you were at church. You may have called Him Lord of your life but you still wanted to live on both sides of the fence.
Matthew; 7:21-23
(Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!')

The point is that there is only one way to Heaven and that is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is asking Him to forgive you of your sins. You need to repent and admit that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Jesus is the Savior of the world to all who come to Him for forgiveness of sins. Jesus says that if we come to him for forgiveness, He will in no way cast us out.
John; 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.)
No matter what the world is saying, there is only one Savior and He is the only way for forgiveness of sins. Only God can forgive sins and Jesus is God the Son. Don't put your hope in something you do, but put your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.
John; 3:16-17
(For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.)

God Bless You!

Change Of Heart!

Now we have a big problem in our financial district because those who we have hired to watch out for us have not been doing their job. The economy is heading into the dumps, morality is unchecked, people are living in sin, and we wonder why things aren't going very well for our country. As long as we continue on this path of sin and self destruction, it will not get any better.

When God created man He gave him commandments to live by so he could prosper. We have totally disobeyed these commandments and now we are paying the consequences of disobedience. When we had a sense of decency in our country and we were trying to obey God, He was blessing us. But now we have rejected God and His commandments and evil has taken over.

We cannot claim to be a Christian country and do it our own way. God tells us that mans heart is continually bent on evil and we have once again proven God right. We have two candidates for president telling us that we need change. They are right when they say we need change, but the change we need is a change of heart. We need to start living righteously and obeying God. He will not continue to bless this country as long as we continue to turn away from Him and live in sin.

You might think I'm wrong but turn your heart to God and see if things don't improve for you and our country. When God was speaking to Solomon, He told him that if the people would turn from their wicked ways, He would heal their land and I believe that He would do the same for us.
2Chronicles; 7:14
(if My people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.)


God Bless You!

Spiritually Minded!

Romans; 8:5
(For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.)

What does it mean to walk according to the Spirit? Every believer has the Spirit of God indwelling them. They are able to do the things that God wants them to do because they have power from the Holy Spirit. If you aren't a believer, then you do not possess this help and as a consequence, you are not able to please God. You have chosen not to believe what God has said about His Son Jesus Christ and therefore have not put your faith in Him. You are walking in the flesh and you are unable to please God no matter how hard you try because your deeds are fleshly minded.

When walking in the flesh you will do the deeds of the flesh which are, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like. These are all mentioned in Galatians; 5:19-21.

If you walk by the Spirit, then you will produce the fruit of the Spirit which are: love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, self-control. Without the Spirit of God, you will be unable to produce this fruit. These are attitudes and characteristics that God produces in believers. If you are a believer in Jesus, your main goal will be to produce fruit and please God by doing his will.

Put your faith in Jesus today and start walking in the Spirit. You will be able to accomplish this with the help of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promised to all who believe in Him.

God Bless You!

No Greater Love!

John; 15:13
(Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.)

When someone says that "God can't be a loving God" because He allows different tragedies to happen, then they must not know God as well as they think. When God saw how hopeless we were as sinners, He sent His only Son Jesus into the world to die for our sins. Now that sounds like a very loving God to me. God does allow things to happen that we just don't understand but that doesn't mean that He doesn't love us.

The Bible is very clear that God does love us and He has shown it all through the Bible. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, God could have just destroyed them and started all over with two new people. He didn't because He loved them. If He had destroyed them, then He would have had to destroy the next two because of sin and the next two would have sinned and He would have had to destroyed them, then the next two until there would have been no one to populate the earth. You might say that you would not have sinned but that isn't what the Bible says about man.
Romans; 3:23
(for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,)
That ends that argument before it even starts.

God loved us so much that He was willing to sacrifice his only Son on the cross. There had to be the shedding of blood for us to have forgiveness of sins. Jesus is the one who willingly went to the cross and shed His blood so that we could have forgiveness of our sins. I know that He loves me because He died in my place and took my sins upon Himself so I wouldn't have to die for them.
John; 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.)

I have everlasting life, not because of anything that I have done, but because of what Jesus did for me. He suffered and died for my sins and He died for yours also. But you must come to Him and ask for forgiveness.
Acts; 4:12
(Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.)
1John; 4:10
(In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.)


God Bless You!

There Will Be A Change In Your Life

2Corinthians; 2:17
(Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.)
You can be a great person and willing to help others and share what you have, but you still are heading to eternal separation from God for eternity if you are not saved. The Bible tells us that we are spiritually dead without Jesus Christ in our life. If you haven't accepted Jesus as your Savior, then you don't have the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells all true believers. All the works you will ever do will not get you into Heaven. It is only through the blood of Jesus that you are reconciled to God. Once you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, He sends the Holy Spirit into your life and you have been reborn spiritually. Now you are a new creation in Christ.

Sin no longer has control over you as it did before you put your faith in Jesus. You will still have to live in a sinful world but the Holy Spirit gives you the power to say no to sin. You did not have this power before because you were a slave to sin. Sometime you might sin, but your sin has been forgiven because of Jesus sacrificial death on the cross. He gave his life to pay for our sins and the sins of the world. Jesus paid the price for sinners who would come to Him for forgiveness. If a person does not ask Jesus for forgiveness, then there is no forgiveness and he or she will die in their sins and pay the price themselves. What is the price of sin? [DEATH]
Romans; 6:23
(For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)

This change that comes into our life when we put our faith in Jesus cannot be done without the Holy Spirit. This change is going to happen, and if it doesn't, then we need to do a check in our life to see if we are truly a child of God. God tells us that we will be a new man in Christ Jesus and that we are to put off the old man.
Philippians; 1:6
(being confident of this very thing, that He who begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;)
When God begins a work of salvation in a person, He finishes and perfects that work. If we start to move off the path, He will nudge us back in line. So, if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have been given a new life spiritually and change is inevitable.

God Bless You!

That's Your Belief!

This past month I was sharing with a family member and friend what God tells us in His Word about sin. I told him that if he didn't come to Jesus for forgiveness of sins then he would die in his sins. I told him that there is no second chances after death and he would die in his sins. The response I received from him was "That's your belief". I responded with "You're right, that is my belief because that is what God tells us in His Word".

Believing in Jesus is a must if you are to have eternal life. All through the Bible we are instructed to believe on the name of the only begotten Son of God. Without believing that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, we cannot be saved.
John; 8:24
(Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.")

As believers in Jesus, it is sometimes hard to understand how others can say that they don't believe. Especially when God has revealed to all mankind the evidence of His existence through creation. No one will have an excuse for not believing in God.
Romans; 1:18-20
(For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,)

So what do we do when someone says that they just don't believe? We can show them what God says in His word and that might help, but the best weapon we have against unbelief is prayer. We need to be praying for the lost in the world that God will lift the veil of unbelief and they will come to saving knowledge of God. We might feel that they will never turn to Jesus, but Jesus tells us that with man it is impossible, but with God nothing is impossible. Our Job! Keep praying!

God Bless You!

Train Our Children In The Way They Should Go!

Our children are a gift from God. It doesn't just happen that we have children, because if God hadn't wanted us to have them we certainly would not have them. Now that we do have them we are to love them and take good of their physical needs as well as their spiritual needs. Most of us will do a great job taking care of their physical needs giving them food to eat as well as a roof over their head. But how about their spiritual needs? How do we rate ourselves on the job we are doing?

As parents, we are responsible to teach our children about God. We can do this by having nightly Bible studies and spend time in prayer. There are many children's books that have Bible stories that we can read to our children. Then we can talk about them and explain them to our children. It's never to early to start because our children grow up so fast and we will have let the time slip away. God tells us that we are to train our children in the way they should go.
Proverbs; 22:6
(Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.)

We all talk about how much we love our children, but do we take them to church, do read the Bible to them? Do we set a godly example in our daily walk for them to follow? Children learn so much from what they see their parents doing and how live. We all want our children to be in heaven one day, but are we giving them the tools to learn or are we going to let the world teach them what ever feels good do it?

God has given us the children, but He has also told to teach them.
Ephesians; 6:4
(And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in training and admonition of the Lord.)
We all want what is best for our family and it is our responsibility to lead by example. Let's give our children a godly example to follow.

God Bless You!

Don't Be Deceived By The Lie!

The Bible clearly says that in the end times there will be false teacher's. We have seen an increase in this and it will even get worse as the time of Christ's return approaches. How do we recognize a false teacher? He will teach a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible. All false religions have this in common, they deny what the Bible clearly tells us about Jesus. They will say that He was a good man, or a good teacher, or one of the prophets. But they will deny that He Is God the Son, who came in the flesh to give His life for all who would believe on His name. Jesus warned us not to be deceived by these false teacher's.
Matthew; 24:4
(And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.)

1John; 2:22
(Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.)

The only way not to be deceived is to get yourself informed on what God has to say. There are many ways to do this but the best way is to study the Word of God. Ask God to reveal Himself to you as you study His Word. Then get Yourself involved with a Bible teaching church. You will be taught the truth from the Word of God and also you will be around other fellow believers. When you attend church, bring your Bible with you or ask if they have one you can use. Follow along with the teaching and see if their teaching is in alignment with God's Word. In other words, filter what is said through the Word of God and see if they are telling the truth.

If you haven't already done so, ask Jesus into your heart. Confess that you are a sinner and that you need a Savior. Repent and tell Jesus that you are sorry for your sins and ask Him to forgive you and be your Savior. Tell Him that you want Him to be Lord of your life and you want to follow Him. Thank Him for giving you eternal life. No matter what others may say, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
1John; 5:11-12
(And this is the testimony; that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.)

1John; 4:9
(In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.)

God Bless You!

Solomon's Wisdom

Ecclesiastes; 12:13-14
(Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.)

Solomon through the book of Ecclesiastes was warning the people to look to God for wisdom and not to rely on their own. You can spend your whole life doing your thing only to find out at the end of your life it doesn't count. God has a plan for all of us and if we don't look to Jesus, we very well could miss out on the blessing that God has in store for us.

Solomon said for us to fear God and keep His commandments. Great wisdom if we would only do just that. Why don't we obey God and keep His commandments? Probably because we want to have it our way. This attitude will lead us on the road to destruction. God tells us that if we truly love Him we will keep His commandments.
John; 14:21
(He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father , and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.")

How can we say that we love Jesus and not do His will? When you ask Jesus into your life, He makes you a totally new person. The Holy Spirit comes into your life and enables you to say no to sin and say yes to Jesus. Our life here on earth is short, let's spend it fearing God and being obedient to Him. Remember, God has given us life, health, our family, and the greatest gift of all, eternal life in Jesus. Only through Him can we have this life.
1John; 5:11-12
(And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.)

No matter what the world say, Jesus is the way the truth and the life, if you want to live in Heaven, you must come to Him. It's easy!!!!
John; 3:16-17
(For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.)

God Bless You!

Last Chance!

None of us knows how many more chances we will have to repent and ask for forgiveness. Jesus has been standing at the door and knocking and maybe you have refused to open the door because you love this life more than giving your life to Jesus. Who knows, maybe this is the last day for you to repent and accept eternal life from Jesus.


Jesus taught that we must repent and turn to Him if we want to inherit eternal life. I was reading in the paper today that many Americans believe that there are many ways to eternal life. But Jesus was perfectly clear on this subject, and He said that He was the only way.
John; 14:6
(Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.)
I don't read anything in this verse that says there are any other ways to eternal life. It doesn't say that you can be good enough, or that if you belong to this church or that church you will make it. Your money will not buy you entrance into Heaven. If your parents saved, that doesn't mean you are saved. No one is saved without repenting of their sins and asking Jesus for forgiveness.Then ask Him into your life as Lord and Savior.

The Bible tells us that our life is but a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. If you are a young person, this may sound like you have a lot of time to repent. But a vapor doesn't last very long. God tells us that it is appointed unto man once to die and after that comes the judgement. If you enter into eternity without Jesus having forgiven you of your sins, you will spend eternity separated from God in the Lake of Fire. No second chances, no reincarnation, no one praying you out.
Luke; 13:25-28
(Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you. 'I do not know where you are from.' "Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets'; and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.' In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Issac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.)

No one ever wants to be in that position. You don't have to ever experience this rejection. Jesus is knocking at your door. Let Him in and be saved. This may be your last chance.
2Corinthians; 6:2
(for He says, "AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU." Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION")

God Bless You!

Give Your Life To Jesus Today!

Matthew; 22:14
("For many are called, but few are chosen.")
When Jesus came and died on the cross, He died for all who would come to Him for forgiveness. The invitation is to the whole world. Your sins will be forgiven, but you must come to Jesus to have your sins forgiven. God doesn't want anyone to perish but for all to come to repentance and ask for forgiveness. When the verse tells us that many are called, all who hear the message of salvation have a decision to make. Do they want to be saved from their sins (and give their life to Jesus), or do they love their sins more than eternal life. You cannot have it both ways. You will either give your life to Jesus and be saved, or you will try to save your life (doing it my way and continuing to sin) and then die in your sins. If you die in your sins, you will not be in Heaven but you will spend eternity in the lake of fire.
Revelation; 20:15
(And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.)

Matthew; 7:14
(Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.)
Jesus is the only way to eternal life. He requires you to repent and submit to Him as Lord of your life. If you think that you can get there any other way, you are mistaken. The Bible is perfectly clear telling us that salvation is in Christ and Christ alone. If you want to have eternal life in Heaven, you must come to faith in Jesus.
1John; 5:11-12
(And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.)

Give your life to Jesus today and receive forgiveness of sins. He is the only way.

God Bless You!

Israel's Enemies!

Psalms; 83:1-4
(Do not keep silent. O God! Do not hold Your Peace, And do not be still, O God! For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against your people, And consulted against Your sheltered ones. They have said, "Come, let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.")

Does this sound familiar? If you have been watching the news over the last couple years, this should bring the name of Iran to mind. Their leader has been saying over and over that as soon as he has the means, his plan is to annihilate the land and people of Israel. We don't know when he will try to accomplish his mission, but we do know that he will fail. God is their protector of His people and He will not allow them to be destroyed.

Over the history of Israel and it's people, there have been numerous nations that have tried and failed to destroy the people of God. We can go back to the beginning and God told Abraham that He would protect His people and bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them. We can find this in Genesis 12:1-3.

Right now we stand at a critical time in history. Israel is surrounded by enemies. You have Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Fatah, and Al Qaeda, and their worst enemy Satan. All of these factions hate the Jewish Nation and are bent on their destruction. Israel has tried over and over to be at peace with it's neighbors only to be attacked again. God has promised not to forsake the people of Israel.
Psalms; 94:14
(For the LORD will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.)

America must always stand beside the Nation of Israel. There is going to be hard times ahead for the people of Israel and we need to be at their side. If we in any way turn against the Nation of Israel we will lose the blessings of God. Pray for our leaders and ask God to reveal the truth to them. We must never divide up the land that God gave to them. The land belongs to God and He is in control of everything. There is hope for Israel though, and that hope is in the Lord God.
Psalm; 130:7-8
(O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel From all his Iniquities.)

God Bless You!

Genuine Or Fake?

1John; 2:3-5
(Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep his commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.)

Have you ever watched the antique show on public broadcasting? People will bring in things that they think are genuine antiques and have them appraised. To the trained and informed eyes of the appraiser, he will recognize the true antique from a reproduction or fake. It's the same with God, He is not fooled by what we say or do. If we are truly born again, we will want to do His will and be obedient to His commandments. There should be some change in our life after Salvation takes place. When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we become a new creation in Him. Your old man is done away with and you are new. You have a new desire to be obedient to Jesus and to do his will.

God tells us that there will be many who will say that they knew Him, but God will send them away because He never knew them. God wants to have fellowship with His children and be loved by them. If we are deliberate disobedient to him, then do we truly have the love of God in us? God is not deceived.
Matthew; 7:23
(And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!')

We all need to check where are heart truly is. Are we just pretending to be a Christian, or are we truly Born Again into God's family being one of His children? You can know for sure by confessing your sins and repenting of them and asking Jesus to forgive you of all your sins. Ask Him into your heart and then be obedient to his commands. It will be much easier to obey when you truly are a Christian. You will have the Holy Spirit in you to help and to assure you that you do belong to God.
2Corinthians; 1:21-22
(Now He who has established us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.)
Ephesians;1:13-14
(In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.)

If you have any doubts, come to Jesus today and ask Him to assure you that you do belong to Him. Jesus came to save all sinners and all we need to do is believe and put our faith in Him. God doesn't want any to perish but for all to come to saving knowledge of Him. Eternal life is in Jesus and Him alone.
Romans; 10;9-10
(that 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.)
Romans; 10:13
(For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.")

God Bless You!