Habakkuk 2

Then the Lord replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

Sunday, November 29, 2015

I Will Lift My Eyes

Hebrews 12:2 says: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

In 2 Corinthians 4:18 we read: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

When we lift our eyes to the heavens and/or we fix our eyes on Jesus, this is not speaking merely of the use of our physical eyes, but this is speaking of our whole being – thoughts, attitudes, heart, emotion, and will. This means that the central focus of our lives, in all we do, think, are and speak is centered in Jesus Christ and his divine will for our lives, because of all that he has done for us in saving us from sin. We look to God, not to man, and not to the things of the world for our help, for all that we need, and to give us the strength and courage to live each and every day of our lives for Him and for His glory. And, God is faithful. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Pet. 1:3 NIV ’84).

I Will Lift My Eyes / An Original Work / December 12, 2012

Based off Psalms 121-125

I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.
My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.
He will not let your foot slip, and He who watches will not sleep.
Our Lord watches over you, and your life He will keep.
I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.
My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.
I give thanks to Him.

I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.
I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n.
Because of His great love for us, He made us alive with Christ.
Through the kindness of our Savior, He gave us new life.
I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.
I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n;
My home, now in heav’n.

Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.
Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.
Those who trust will ne’er be shaken. God will supply all we need.
Our Lord has done great things for us. He’s our friend, indeed!
Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.
Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.
I can count on Him.


Friday, November 27, 2015

He is With Us

Friday, November 27, 2015, 4:27 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Fully Ready.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Jeremiah 46:27-28 (NASB).

“But as for you, O Jacob My servant, do not fear,
Nor be dismayed, O Israel!
For, see, I am going to save you from afar,
And your descendants from the land of their captivity;
And Jacob will return and be undisturbed
And secure, with no one making him tremble.

“O Jacob My servant, do not fear,” declares the Lord,
“For I am with you.
For I will make a full end of all the nations
Where I have driven you,
Yet I will not make a full end of you;
But I will correct you properly
And by no means leave you unpunished.”

The Setting (Summary Jeremiah 39-44)

The setting is this, as translated to our day and time: Many people who profess the name of Jesus Christ are living in open idolatry and spiritual adultery against their Lord God. God, in his great love and mercy, has been confronting his rebellious people with their sins of idolatry and spiritual adultery, warning of judgment, and calling them to repentance. But, the vast majority are not listening. They are not heeding the warnings. Many even despise these warnings, and they despise the messengers through whom these warnings come. And, thus, they persecute and perhaps even kill the Lord’s servants and witnesses.

God has been warning them, as well, against putting their trust in humans, because there are many liars and deceivers throughout the world who are leading God’s people astray. Yet, many are not listening. They are not heeding the warnings, and they are continuing to put their trust in humans over God. They are not testing what they hear, read and see, in prayer, and against the word of God, and in spiritual discernment and wisdom, but they are going their own stubborn way, some even vehemently refusing to even consider that what they are believing and trusting in could be false, and that they might well be deceived. So God, who keeps his word, is bringing against them the judgments he promised.

Some people, through judgment, will continue in their own stubborn way, refusing to repent, and they will deny the Lord they once professed to know, and they will take the mark of the beast. Others, through judgment, will be humbled before God, will acknowledge their sins, will turn away from their rebellious ways, and will submit their lives to their Lord God, and will follow him the rest of their days. Others, who had not been living in rebellion, will be refined and made holy through this process, while still others who never knew Christ, and/or who had never professed his name, will come to believe in Jesus Christ, by God’s grace, through faith which dies with Christ to sin, and which is resurrected with Christ to newness of life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24).

Still, there will be others who will make a show of repentance, but it is not sincere. They call on God when they need help, but then they turn and still go their own way, because they don’t like the answers they get back from God when they do ask him for help.

The Hope

Although I certainly do not relish the idea of judgment, i.e. I am not looking forward to it by any means, I do believe that scripture teaches that in these last days, although we are now living in a time of great rebellion, we will see the adulterous church of the last days revived, and that from the revived church the true (full) gospel will go to the ends of the earth, and that people from all nations will be saved before our Lord returns for his bride (his saints).

As well, although the true church is being persecuted severely, which we who live in the west will come to experience, too, in due time, we can rest in the comfort that our God is with us, that he will not leave us or forsake us, and that he will give us all we need to keep going. He will give us the strength and power of the Spirit of God to live holy and godly lives, pleasing to God, in these troubled times. So, we are not to fear what is coming or be afraid when it comes. God will strengthen us and keep us, and one day he will take us to be with him forever, and then we will have peace, and no one will make us afraid ever again.

Our Response

For those of us who have trusted in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, we should be giving out the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will listen, yet we need to be giving out the whole gospel as taught by Jesus and his apostles, and not a watered-down version which is most popular in the west today. So, what do I mean by that?

There are many people and church leaders today who are teaching that God does not require repentance or obedience as part of our faith response to the gospel of our salvation. They ignore the bulk of teaching on salvation in the scriptures and build their doctrines around only the verses they approve. They reduce “faith” to a mere confession of Christ as Savior, or to a prayer to receive Christ, or to an intellectual assent to what Christ did for us in dying for our sins, or to an emotional decision made at an altar out of a desire to escape hell and to go to heaven when they die. Yet, they forget that Jesus Christ died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; that we might forsake our former ways of living for sin and self, be transformed of the Spirit of God, and now live for Christ, walking in the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh (See: 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 4:17-24; Ro. 8:1-14).

God’s grace to us, in dying on the cross for our sins, is not just so we can escape hell and go to heaven when we die. It is also not free license to continue in willful sin against God without guilt and without remorse. God’s grace, which brings salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and desires, and to live self-controlled, godly and upright lives while we wait for Christ’s return (Tit. 2:11-14). Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self and take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) Jesus Christ. He said if we hold on to our old lives (of living for sin and self) we will lose them for eternity. But, if we lose our lives (die with Christ to sin), we will gain eternal life (Lu. 9:23-25). Paul reiterated this teaching in Romans 6 and 8 when he said that faith in Jesus Christ means we die with Christ to sin, and that sin no longer has mastery over our lives, but now we are free to come under the control of Christ’s righteousness.

Eternal life is also not something we gain just when we die. When we trust Jesus Christ to be our LORD and SAVIOR, we receive eternal life with God at that moment, which is abundant life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Our lives are no longer our own to be lived out how we want, doing what we desire, but our desire should now be for our Lord, and we should want to know and to do his will for our lives. He didn’t die, again, just so we could escape hell and go to heaven when we die. He came to give us life to the full while we still live on this earth, but full life surrendered to him, no longer conformed to the ways of this world, but transformed in the renewing of our minds so that our lives will be living proof of what God’s will is for his people – his good, perfect and pleasing will (See: Ro. 12:1-2).

Yet, we must know and accept the fact that when we preach the full gospel of salvation, as taught by Jesus and his NT apostles, that we will be hated and persecuted and even put to death for our testimonies for Jesus Christ, because we do not deny his name, and because we hold strong to the tenets of the faith as laid down for us by Christ himself. Yet, we must know that God will work all this out for our good and for the good of those who will also come to faith in Jesus Christ, because through these times of trial and testing we are being made holy, we are being transformed into the likeness of Christ, we are being taught to rely on God and not on ourselves, we are learning perseverance and endurance, and we are also learning compassion toward others who are suffering in like manner so that we can encourage them with the encouragement we ourselves are receiving from Christ.

So, if you are suffering persecution for the name of Jesus Christ, hang in there, do not get discouraged, and keep trusting and believing that God has a purpose for it all and that he will see you through this to the end. Or, if you are professing to know Christ as Savior, but you are still walking in your flesh, then turn from your sins today and follow (obey) Jesus Christ with your life from this moment on. Or, if you have never trusted in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of your life, surrender your all to him today and allow his Spirit to transform you in heart and mind away from living for sin to living for Christ and walking in his righteousness. Time is running out. Not one of us knows if he or she has tomorrow. So, trust Jesus Christ with your life today, while you still have today.

Fully Ready! / An Original Work / June 19, 2013

Based off Acts 20-22, 26; Mt. 28:18-20; Ac. 1:8

Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?
I’m fully ready to suffer for Christ.
If I must die for the sake of His name,
I am convinced it will not be in vain.
Glory to God and to His Son Jesus,
Who has redeemed us; bought with His blood.

May I speak to you? Jesus came to me;
Asked of me, “Why do you persecute me?”
He said, “Now get up and stand on your feet.
Go, and you’ll be told all I have for you.
I have appointed you as a servant,
And as a witness; you have been sent.”

“Go into the world and preach the gospel.
Open the blind eyes. They will receive sight.
Turn them from darkness to the light of Christ;
From power of the evil one to God,
So they may receive forgiveness of sins,
And a place among those who’re in heav’n.”


Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Be Wise and Discerning

Monday, November 23, 2015, 1:13 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “All Through the Night.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Jeremiah 40-41 (Select vv. NASB).

Murder and Trickery (41:1-10)

As a judgment of God on his people for their disobedience and refusal to listen to him and to his messages via his messengers, and because they were determined to do what they had decided to do in open rebellion against God, God judged his people, as he had warned them, and he brought about the destruction of Jerusalem via the Babylonian army (chap. 39). Then, those who did not die in the siege were taken into exile, with the exception of some of the poor who were left in Judah, but who were given vineyards and fields. A man named Gedaliah, appointed by the king of Babylon, was left in charge of the people who were left in the land. Jeremiah stayed with Gedaliah and with the people who were left in the land. Many Jews who were in the open country or who were scattered among other countries heard that a remnant had been left in Judah, so they came back to the land. Some of the army officers warned Gedaliah that Ishmael had been sent by the king of the Ammonites to take Gedaliah’s life, but Gedaliah did not believe them (chap. 40).

In the seventh month Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family and one of the chief officers of the king, along with ten men, came to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. While they were eating bread together there in Mizpah, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him arose and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword and put to death the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land. Ishmael also struck down all the Jews who were with him, that is with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war.

Now it happened on the next day after the killing of Gedaliah, when no one knew about it, that eighty men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria with their beards shaved off and their clothes torn and their bodies gashed, having grain offerings and incense in their hands to bring to the house of the Lord. Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went; and as he met them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam!” Yet it turned out that as soon as they came inside the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the men that were with him slaughtered them and cast them into the cistern. But ten men who were found among them said to Ishmael, “Do not put us to death; for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil and honey hidden in the field.” So he refrained and did not put them to death along with their companions.

Now as for the cistern where Ishmael had cast all the corpses of the men whom he had struck down because of Gedaliah, it was the one that King Asa had made on account of Baasha, king of Israel; Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain. Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people who were in Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people who were left in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had put under the charge of Gedaliah the son of Ahikam; thus Ishmael the son of Nethaniah took them captive and proceeded to cross over to the sons of Ammon.

This man Gedaliah, who was a government leader over God’s people, was given warning that a certain man intended to kill him, and that it would mean the death or the scattering of God’s people, but he refused to heed the warning. He took this man Ishmael and ten others into his trust, and he ate with them, and they killed him and many of the Jews and the Babylonian soldiers, too. Then, Ishmael tricked Jews who were mourning the destruction of Jerusalem into coming with him by pretending to be mourning with them, and he killed them, too. And, then he made captives of all the rest of the people whom he had not killed.

What Can We Learn?

Ok, so what can we learn from this story? For one, I think we should not be so quick to cast off warnings of danger or to so easily put our trust in human beings, no matter who they are or how trusted we believe them to be. We should also not so easily be gullible by believing everything we hear, read or see, for there are many tricksters who will play on our emotions and who will try to convince us they are our friend, when truly they are our enemy. Our enemy will try to deceive us by playing on our emotions in order to trap us, utilizing trickery (a Trojan Horse) in order to gain our trust so that we invite him or them into our lives only to have him or them turn on us and take us captive. So, we need to be wise and discerning, we need to test everything, and we need to put our trust in the Lord and not give human beings our blind trust, believing everything they tell us to be true.

So, how is something like this being played out in our world today? The US government and their political allies, as servants of this New World Order “Beast,” first create crisis situations within nations so that they can go in as “saviors,” but not to save, but to kill, destroy and take captive the people of the earth. The US government and the intelligence community, in concert with this New World Order, recruits, trains, equips and finances various terrorist groups to do their dirty work for them, such as ISIS, Al Qaeda, the Taliban, etc. Then, when the terrorists attack, these government leaders fake tears, pretending to be grieved with the people, but then they use “going after terrorists,” as a Trojan Horse in order to gain control over independent governments, to conquer people, to kill and to destroy, and to take out their real enemies, which are all those opposed to the rule of the “Beast” New World Order, and followers of Christ, especially those who are sharing the gospel.

In other words, the real terrorists going throughout the nations of the world, killing and destroying, work for the New World Order “Beast,” which means many of the leaders of our nations who are part of this New World Order help facilitate these terrorist acts, which means they are actually turning on their own people in two ways. First they bring in the terrorists and allow them to do their dirty work, then they have an excuse to cause even more death and destruction to their nations, or to other nations, and to exercise tight controls over the people of their own nations via lockdowns, martial law, raids throughout the city, etc., all under the guise of protecting their own people from the terrorists whom they first let into the country. They also go into other countries to kill and destroy under the guise of going after terrorists and to protect their own people, but they can’t be trusted.

The true “wheel man” who drove the getaway vehicle in the Paris attacks, for instance, is two-fold, i.e. Beast #1 and Beast #2 (Revelation 13), or a one-world totalitarian government and a one-world false religion, both of which are being forced upon the people of this earth today, in our time. They are the same people (or entities) who or which attacked and killed people in Mali and Beirut, and are threatening people in Brussels. They are coming against all people throughout the earth in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. All this talk in the news about terrorist suspects is fake, for the US and their allies in the N.W.O. are the terrorists, so they are not going after ISIS, but after us, the people of this world and Christians and independent governments. This is all about getting the people and governments of this world into compliance or cooperation with the New World Order. So, the real “grave threat” facing our nations is the death of the gospel of Jesus Christ and its messengers by the leaders of their own nations who are part of this “Beast” (#1 & #2).

So, when we read in the news that the goal of these “terrorists” is to divide us, to get us to turn against one another, to get us to be afraid, and to get us to treat people badly who are different from us, because we fear they are our enemies, and that they do this in order to defeat us, know that this is exactly what the US government and their political allies in the New World Order are doing. It is a strategy called “divide and conquer,” and they have been utilizing it much, trying to pit black against white or white against black, Muslim against Christian or Christian against Muslim, or Republican against Democrat or Democrat against Republican, etc., which often entails Christian against Christian as they fight over these issues among themselves to the point to where they are not united, and to where they are giving the name “Christian” a bad reputation. They have forgotten that they are to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth and to proclaim the excellencies of Christ to a world in need of the Savior.

Also, when we read in the news that the goal of our leaders is to defeat these “terrorists” and to take back the land they are living on, to terminate their financing, to chase after their leaders, to disassemble their networks and their supply sources, and to finally destroy them, know they are not talking about “terrorists,” but they are talking about independent nations, the people of those nations, and Christians who proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, i.e. all who pose a threat to the rule of the “Beast,” and/or who directly oppose the rule of the “Beast,” and all people in general who they intend to bring under the rule of this “Beast” New World Order, i.e. one-world totalitarian government and one-world false religion. Their intention is to make us all in subjection to the New World Order, so they must destroy our way of life as we presently know it so that we will have to be dependent on them, or so they think, but we are commanded of God not to take the mark of this “Beast,” which means we will not be able to buy or sell, but God will take care of us, and then he’ll take us home.

So, don’t be afraid of what is coming. Put your trust in Jesus Christ/God, and not in humans. Don’t believe everything you read, hear or see, especially coming from our government leaders, the news media, and even many of our church leaders. Test everything. Cling to the good. Hate and reject all that is evil. And, follow Jesus Christ in obedience, even if it is to your death. You will be richly rewarded.

All Through the Night / An Original Work / December 7, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

Blessed are you when you’re persecuted
Because of your faith in Jesus Christ.
Blessed are you when people insult you,
And falsely say what leads folks to doubt.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is
Great in the heavens. You’re not alone.

When you are persecuted in one place,
Flee to another. God will be there.
You will be hated by all the nations
Because you testify of God’s grace.
Many will seize you and persecute you,
And put to death the foll’wers of Christ.

Yet, do not fear what humans may do to you,
For I’m with you all through the night.
I tell you, love your enemies with my love,
And forgive as I forgave you.
Pray for those who do evil against you.
Rest in my love and grace from above.


Not Be Silent

This psalm, updated to our relationship with Jesus Christ, God the Son, is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise for all that God has done for us in providing salvation for us from sin through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, and through his resurrection. He delivered us from our ultimate destiny of hell, and emptiness, and slavery to sin, and he healed our hearts and souls and gave us new lives in Christ Jesus through our faith in him as our Lord (master) and Savior. He turned our weeping into joy!

When we were outside of faith in Jesus Christ and still in bondage to sin and selfishness, we could not see God, and we did not recognize our need of Christ. We were self-sufficient and felt secure where we were. Yet, Jesus Christ, by his love and mercy, forgave us, and we, by faith, now stand confident in Him. By his grace he set us free! Amen! And, because of all that he did for us and he continues to do on behalf of those who love him, we give him thanks and praise and honor and glory. We should be so filled up in our spirits with joy that we cannot hold it inside, but we must sing of his praises and share his gospel always.

Not Be Silent / An Original Work / December 3, 2012
Based off Psalm 30

O Lord my God, I’ll exalt You.
I called for help,
And You healed me.
O Lord my God,
You brought me from the grave.
You spared me from hell.
Sing to the Lord, you saints of His;
Praise His holy name today.
Weeping may remain for a night;
Joy at break of day.
Our debt He did pay!

O Lord my God, I said, “I will
Ne’er be shaken.” Secure, I felt.
O Lord my God, You forgave me.
Confident I stand in You.
When I could not see
Your face I was dismayed.
I called to You. O Lord,
You are my help.
You were merciful to me;
By Your grace set free!

O Lord my God, I’m so thankful for
Salvation through my Jesus.
You turned wailing into dancing;
Clothed me with Your joy today,
That my heart may sing
To You and not be silent.
Praise Your name.
O Lord my God,
I will give you
thanks forevermore.
My Lord, I adore!


Monday, November 23, 2015

Listening to His Voice

Monday, November 23, 2015, 5:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “A Believer’s Prayer.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Jeremiah 39-40 (Select vv. NASB).

Disaster, Not Prosperity (39:15-16)

Now the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was confined in the court of the guardhouse, saying, “Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city for disaster and not for prosperity; and they will take place before you on that day.

Economics is not my strong suit. I have great difficulty wrapping my mind around that subject, i.e. I have great difficulty understanding it, though I do attempt to understand. I have never understood the stock market or how that all works. What I do understand, though, is when it affects my pocket book (my purse or wallet). The Lord, several years ago, did teach me much about the Federal Reserve and how that all works, but my mind has trouble maintaining that kind of information. It doesn’t stick with me. Yet, what I do know is the Federal Reserve is privately owned by the people who run the world, primarily by Jews. It is owned by private banks. Every dollar it prints and puts in circulation in the USA has no backing to it whatsoever. It is an IOU. The Federal Reserve then makes money by collecting interest on the money they loan us. And, so the US government has put this nation so far in the hole financially that we will never be able to crawl out of that hole.

In the news today was a story about the Federal Reserve getting ready to hike interest rates, which they have not done for seven years, apparently. Supposedly the dollar then rose but commodities were hit and stocks and bonds were in trouble. In another story, oil prices fell, but this had something to do with Saudi Arabia. Those of you who understand this subject would do better than me in interpreting what all this means.

Ok, notwithstanding the fact that I have little knowledge of economics and how all this financial stuff works, I do believe the USA and the world are headed for financial collapse. It is inevitable, for the powers that are taking over this world are the ones who own the banks, and they are the ones who control the money. The Bible teaches that the beast will conquer all people on the earth, including followers of Christ, and that no one will be able to buy or sell unless they take the mark of the beast. So, the plan is to bring us all under a one-world totalitarian government and a one-world religion, with a one-world currency, and a one-world bank, etc. The people who rule the world must destroy the riches of the rich, not including themselves, of course, in order to bring us under their totalitarian and communist control, i.e. so that they bring about financial (income) equality among the ordinary people of this world, which is what Obama and the Pope are preaching right now.

Because You Sinned (40:1-3)

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan captain of the bodyguard had released him from Ramah, when he had taken him bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God promised this calamity against this place; and the Lord has brought it on and done just as He promised. Because you people sinned against the Lord and did not listen to His voice, therefore this thing has happened to you.

The reason all this is happening to us, or will yet happen to us, and will continue to get much worse, is because the people of this world, including or most especially many who call themselves Christians, have not listened to God, they have not repented of their sins, and they have not obeyed their Lord. So, God is bringing upon this world all the calamity that he promised, as was prophesied in scripture.

The church, which is to be the light to the world and the salt of the earth, and is commissioned by Jesus to go and to make disciples of Christ of people of all nations, baptizing and teaching them to obey Christ’s commandments, has largely failed in this area. Instead of taking the gospel to the world so that many will be saved, the vast majority of the church here in the west has brought the world and its worldly ways into the church, and is entertaining sinners instead of teaching them the way of the cross of Christ. As well, they have diluted the gospel of Jesus Christ to make it more appealing and acceptable to human flesh, and thus they are giving people a false hope based on a lie.

This diluted gospel teaches that all one has to do is pray a prayer or make a confession of Christ as Savior and bam, they are saved, and it doesn’t matter what they do with Jesus from that point on. They can live however they want and still claim their ticket into heaven, and claim that nothing can ever take that away from them. They teach that God does not require repentance (turning from sin) or obedience to his commands, and that anyone who teaches repentance and obedience are those peddling works-based salvation. As well, they teach that God is pleased with them no matter what they do, that he never gets angry with them, and, in fact, he delights in them and smiles on them even when they are living in sinful rebellion against him. If they are steeped in sin, many are told just to claim who they are in Jesus Christ, and they are told that sin does not define who they are, and that they really are good people, even if they are willfully and consistently doing what is harmful to others and what is opposed to God’s will and purposes for their lives.

Yet, scripture does not teach that. Jesus Christ said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, and take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) him. He said his sheep know his voice, they listen to him, and they follow (obey) him, and they are the ones who can’t be snatched out of his hands. He says if we hold on to our old lives of living for sin and self, we will lose them for eternity, but if we lose our lives (die to sin and self) we will gain eternal life (See: Lu. 9:23-25; Jn. 6:35-66; 10:27-30). Peter said that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). Paul said that coming to faith in Jesus Christ means death to sin, being transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and putting on our new lives in Christ, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” He said that Jesus died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave himself up for us. This is the goal of our salvation (See: Eph. 4:17-24; Ro. 6:1-23; 2 Co. 5:15; cf. Ac. 26:16-18; Gal. 2:20; Tit. 2:11-14).

Paul also reiterated what Jesus taught when he said that Jesus died that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but according to the Spirit (See: Ro. 8:1-14). So, what does this mean? The righteous requirement of the law is sinless perfection, i.e. that we must obey the law 100% or we are still under its curse. Since no one could obey the law perfectly, Jesus Christ became our sacrifice for sins so that through faith in him we might be made righteous in God’s sight and might have the hope of eternal life with God in glory. Yet, as part of believing faith, which is essential for us to have such a great salvation, is that we turn from sin and we follow our Lord in obedience, i.e. that we no longer conduct our lives after our sinful flesh, but that we walk in the Spirit, and by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh (dying daily to sin). Paul said that if we walk according to the flesh, we will die, but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, we will live. True faith involves repentance and obedience.

The Call

So, God is calling out to his wayward people right now, and he is confronting them with their sins of adultery and idolatry, and he is calling them to repent (turn from their sins) and to obey him, not in their own human flesh, but in the power and working of the Spirit of God within them, as they cooperate fully with the Spirit’s work of grace in their lives.

He is asking that we give our lives to him as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is our reasonable service of worship of him, and that we be not conformed to the ways of this world, but that we be transformed in the renewing of our minds so that our lives are evidence (proof) of what God’s perfect, good and pleasing will is for our lives. As well, he has called us to be holy, set apart (unlike, different) from this sinful world, because we are becoming like Jesus. His grace is not free license to continue in sin without guilt and without remorse. His grace, which brings salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return. If we say we have fellowship with God, but we walk in darkness (sin), then we are liars, and the truth is not in us (See: Ro. 12:1-2; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Jn. 1:6).

So, if you are believing a lie, and you are walking in the flesh and not according to the Spirit, get your life right with God today. Repent of your sins and follow Jesus Christ.

A Believer’s Prayer / An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart,
Lord, I pray to be Yours,
And Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus,
You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride,
I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.


Refresh My Spirit, Lord

Sometimes our bodies get tired and need rest. Other times our spirits get tired and need refreshed, i.e. our emotions sometimes get drained, or even our spiritual lives might feel like something is missing. Sometimes it is because we lack true Christian fellowship with the Body of Christ, and therefore we are not getting the encouragement from others that we need. Or, it can be because the Body of Christ has been rejecting, mocking, ostracizing and/or marginalizing us, instead. There can be times when we are under serious attack from our enemy Satan or when our brothers and sisters in Christ (or professing Christians) attack us at every turn, or else they ignore, avoid, and snub us. Or it can be that we face much resistance when we share the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is at those times when we need our spirits refreshed and our souls revived.

For me, my times alone with my Lord in prayer and in his word refresh my spirit, as well as does listening to and/or singing songs of worship and praise of my Lord, or songs of encouragement, hope, healing and leading in the ways of the Lord. And, other times God sends along an encourager at just the right time to give me what I need in order to help me keep going. The Holy Spirit is the best encourager I know. He is the motivating force in my life which keeps me pressing on even in the face of many difficulties and persecutions.

Refresh My Spirit, Lord / An Original Work / August 8, 2011

Based off of Psalm 51 & Matthew 11:28-30

Refresh my spirit, Lord.
Revive my heart today.
Move me to serve You,
Lord in all I do and say.
Be my heart’s one desire;
my spirit set on fire
In pure devotion, Lord,
to love you and obey.

Create within me, Lord,
a pure heart, this I pray,
So I can worship You
and yield to You always.
May all Your love and pow’r
be lived in me, I pray,
So I might love as You;
be Your witness today.

Jesus says, “Come to me
all you with heavy hearts,
And find in me your peace,
and give to me your all.
My yoke is light to bear,
‘cause I paid for your sin,
So you might be set free,
and purified within.”


Sunday, November 22, 2015

Don't Be Deceived

Sunday, November 22, 2015, 8:44 a.m. - The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “A Believer’s Prayer.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Jeremiah 37-39 (NASB).

They Don’t Listen (37:1-2)

Now Zedekiah the son of Josiah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, reigned as king in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet.

I have no direct knowledge of the present situation with the church in other nations, other than in my own nation, other than I do believe the church throughout the world is being severely persecuted, and I suspect that the church in America is not alone in its plight with so many being deceived and following after false gods and their false doctrines, and in adopting the ways and customs of this sinful world. So, I will mainly speak of what I know from personal experience with regard to the church here in the west, but also of what I know is being taught throughout the globe, and which many may be accepting and adopting, in the hopes that eyes will be opened, and people will be turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, and so many will receive forgiveness of sins.

The vast majority of the church here in America (in the West), has been on a spiritual decline for some time now, especially within the confines of the institutional church. It is largely indistinguishable between the church and the world anymore. Rather than the church going out into the world with the gospel of salvation, the vast majority are bringing the world into the church. Rather than confronting the unsaved world with their sin, with their separation from God, and of their need to repent of their sins, to believe in Jesus Christ, and to follow him in obedience, they are largely entertaining the world and are being entertained by the world themselves. And, so the salt of the earth has lost or is losing its saltiness and its light is being largely hidden under a bushel, so that few are truly spreading the good news of the gospel of our salvation from slavery to sin anymore.

What is taking place, most especially here in America, and within the institutional church, is that in order to attract the world to the meetings of institutional Christianity, the gospel of Jesus Christ has been diluted so as not to offend the world, so that they will want to come back to the gatherings of institutional “churches,” i.e. to businesses of human origin, which contain some of the true church, i.e. true followers of Jesus Christ. Many are no longer teaching that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and that coming to faith in Jesus Christ means death to sin and being resurrected with Christ to new lives in Christ, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24; 1 Pet. 2:24). Instead, they have reduced faith in Jesus Christ to a mere prayer that is voiced, or a mere acknowledgment of what Christ did for us in dying for our sins, and they teach that God does not require repentance or obedience, which clearly he does throughout the NT. So, many are deceived, and are following the lies of Satan, and are rejecting the truth.

Don’t Be Deceived (37:9-10)

Thus says the Lord, ‘Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,” for they will not go. For even if you had defeated the entire army of Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men left among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

There are many today who are saying “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace, and they are dressing serious sin wounds as though they are not serious. They are telling God’s people that it doesn’t matter what they do once they are “saved,” for they now have heaven guaranteed them, no matter what they do with Jesus from that point on. They are leading them to believe that God smiles on them when they are living in sinful rebellion against God, and that God never gets angry with them, as well as he won’t judge them for their sinful rebellion. Yet, that is contrary to what scripture teaches, most especially in Revelation 2-3, but is supported in other NT passages, and in OT prophecies concerning God’s people in these last days before the return of Christ who are living in sinful rebellion against God.

God/Jesus is saying to his wayward church, “Turn from your wicked ways, repent of your sins, and live like you say you believe. Walk in my ways, and obey my commandments. Forsake your idols, and reject the lies, and follow after what is true, righteous and holy.” He is saying to his wayward church, “If you do not repent, I will come upon you in judgment and divine discipline and correction. But, he who overcomes will experience rich blessings in heaven, and will have the promise of eternal life” (summarizing Rev. 2-3). Yet, I believe that judgment has already come because the vast majority of the church did not repent, and they continued in their sinful ways, and thus God is now visiting us in judgment, and that, in judgment, the wayward church will be revived, and the true gospel of salvation will go to the ends of the earth, and that many will be saved before Jesus returns.

The People’s Well-Being (38:3-4)

Thus says the Lord, ‘This city will certainly be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and he will capture it.’” Then the officials said to the king, “Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm.”

If we speak the truths of God’s word to the people we will be hated and rejected just as Jesus and his apostles and the prophets of old were hated and persecuted for giving God’s messages to his people. There is a campaign going on now in the world, which is coming from the “Beast” New World Order, and is being presented through its messengers Obama and Pope Francis, though I am certain they are not the only messengers giving out this message. The message is one of tolerance of religious syncretism, which is “the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or parties, as in philosophy or religion” (dictionary.com). They want the world to all come together as one in unity of faith, and accepting of all ways of life contrary to what we believe is acceptable. Thus, the New World Order “Beast” has condemned the holding on to the tenets of the Christian faith as bigoted, hate-mongering, intolerant, and draconian in nature. And, it is their goal to either reprogram our minds to think their way, or to do away with us entirely.

They Laid Siege (39:1-3)

Now when Jerusalem was captured in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it; in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the city wall was breached. Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

A wedding is taking place presently. The nations and people of this world are being married to the New World Order “Beast,” i.e. for those who have taken its mark on their lives. Leaders of the false church and many rulers of this earth have joined forces with this “Beast” in conquering independent governments, private citizens of nations, and those who profess the name of Jesus Christ, who hold fast to his testimony, and who obey his commandments. ISIS and other rebel groups supported by the US government and their NATO allies and the intelligence community, as well as those “refugees” who are not really refugees but who are soldiers in disguise, and others, serve as “attendants” for this wedding. And, they are spreading throughout the globe to Asia (including Australia), the Americas, Africa and Europe. This is the 4th kingdom mentioned in the book of Daniel.

“Terrorism” is a product of this “Beast” New World Order and its subjects (servants, i.e. attendants). This war on terrorism is not a war on terrorism, though, for those making war are the terrorists, and those they war against are independent governments, all opposing forces to the New World Order “Beast,” and all who follow Jesus Christ, who are taking the true gospel of salvation to the ends of the earth. We are the enemies. We are the extremists who must be dealt with in order for the “Beast” to rule the earth for a time. The US government has been leading the charge in this for some time now, but now it is our turn to be treated in like manner as what our government has treated the people of other nations. We are being handed over to this “Beast” by our rulers. Once we had independence as a nation, and once there was separation between church and state, but no more. Soon we, too, will become casualties of this war against humanity, and we will be numbered among the fallen, for we will be conquered, too, judged by God for our adulteries.

Not everyone is on board with this beast, though. They are facing opposition from those who do not wish to bow to the beast, and from those who are spreading the gospel message of salvation. In other words, just because the federal government of these United States serve as the groom or as the attendants in this wedding to the mistress does not mean the states all follow suit, or that all the church is on board, or that all Americans are ready to give up their freedoms and to join forces with this N.W.O., but it will be forced upon us, as it has been on many other nations throughout the globe, and is still being done via this privatized terrorist military force of the New World Order “Beast.” Our government is “guilty as charged” of “collaborating with hostile governments” (the New World Order), but our government has also been the primary hostile government coming against the world.

So, don’t believe everything you hear or see or read in the news. The (mainstream) news media is owned and operated by those who are running the world (the Beast). So, they write what they want us to believe. All they have to do is say that something happened, or that something is being threatened, whether real or imagined, or whether completely staged or just orchestrated by the world powers, and the world powers can literally do whatever they want. They can close down public meetings, churches, schools, public transportation, malls, sporting events, etc. or they can force evacuations and relocations, or can bring nations under lockdown and under martial law just on their word. What power!

And, this is coming to America. It is moving west. It is just a matter of when. For, when our president and our leaders speak of American values, they are really speaking of the values of the New World Order “Beast,” which is totalitarian global control of all people, the persecution and killing of Christians, and the takedown of independent nations. Their values are that of a one-world religion absent of the cross of Christ, communism/socialism, and the forcing of all people throughout the world to comply or to pay the consequences. Theirs is of a false light, i.e. Satan, who masquerades as an angel of light to deceive the people of this world. And, it is one of hypocrisy, i.e. of blaming others for their dirty work, and much more. So, know the times we live in, and put your trust in Jesus Christ now.

A Believer’s Prayer / An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart,
Lord, I pray to be Yours,
And Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus,
You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride,
I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.


Willing

This song is about being willing to obey Jesus Christ, to be his witness, to love others with his love, to know his power and working in our lives, and to be transformed into his likeness. As well, it is a prayer and a call to the Holy Spirit of God to come in power, and to change our hearts within this hour in which we now live, so that we may be like Jesus always, and to be that light that shines in the darkness, so that others can come into the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I think we have probably all heard the saying, “God does not need our abilities, what he wants is our availability.” He doesn’t want what we think we should do for him. He wants our lives surrendered to him, our all on the altar, willing and ready to follow him wherever he leads us.

Willing / An Original Work / August 17, 2011

I am willing to obey You;
Have Your Spirit live within me;
Know Your power; be Your witness
To a world who needs You greatly.

Love within me spread to all men,
So that they might come to know Him;
Know His power; His forgiveness;
Be transformed into His likeness.

Holy Spirit, come in power,
Change our hearts within this hour.
May we be like Jesus always;
Be a light that shines in darkness.


Friday, November 20, 2015

The Ransom

9/8/11: My husband and I were asked to sing at a memorial service about a month ago for a family member who had died. So, we felt led to sing a couple of the original songs the Lord had given me to write. I only had a melody line and chords written for this, so I wrote a tenor part for my husband to sing the song with me, and then we sang it in Akron, Ohio at the beginning of October, 2011.

The song simply presents the gospel of Jesus Christ – He paid the ransom with his blood so that we could go free from both the ultimate penalty of sin, eternity in hell without God, and from bondage to and the control of sin over our daily lives. In the process, he, through his resurrection, also set us free to live in victory and to walk faithfully in obedience with our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Ransom / An Original Work / September 8, 2011

Jesus paid the ransom,
so we’d be forgiven;
Purified from our sin,
so we’d be set free.
Crucified on a tree;
took on him our sin.
Buried our sin with Him;
rose in victory.
Jesus calls us to Him;
asks that we flee from sin;
Obey His commandments;
live eternally.

God our Father loves us,
which is why He gave us
His Son to die for us
on a cruel tree.
God created us to
walk in fellowship with Him,
daily trusting in His righteousness.
He has a plan for us
to abide in His grace;
Be transformed in our hearts;
live for him always.

Won’t you trust in Jesus?
Be your Lord and Master?
He wants to forgive you;
give you victory
Over sin and yourself;
Jesus set you free.
Daily walking with Him,
live victoriously.
Invite Him in your heart.
He’ll give you a new start.
Your old life behind you,
a new creature be.


Glass Houses

Thursday, November 19, 2015, 8:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Wait!” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Jeremiah 36 (Select vv. NASB).

The Words of The Lord (vv. 1-3)

In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and concerning Judah, and concerning all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day. Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

Before Jesus Christ left this earth to return to the Father, he commanded his followers to go and to make disciples of Christ of peoples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey everything Christ had commanded them (See: Matt. 28:18-20). He told them that they were to wait for the promised Holy Spirit, and that when the Spirit came upon them that they would be Jesus’ witnesses beginning at home and going to the ends of the earth (See: Ac. 1:1-8). Jesus said that his followers are “the light of the world” and “the salt of the earth” (See: Matt. 5). We who are in Christ Jesus by faith are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). We are Christ’s servants and messengers, and we have a responsibility to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth so that many may be saved.

Also, as parts of the body of Christ, we have an obligation to our brothers and sisters in Christ to love them with Christ’s love, and to build one another up in the faith. We have each been given spiritual gifts, of the Spirit, and we have each been assigned parts (roles) within the body of Christ, assigned by God for the encouragement and strengthening of the body of Christ (See: Ro. 12; 1 Co. 12; Eph. 4). We are to meet together with other believers for the mutual edification of the body, sharing songs and testimonies and words of encouragement, utilizing the gifts God has given us - speaking the truth in love, so that the body of Christ might be built up together until we all reach unity in the faith and become mature, “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). If a brother or sister is trapped in sin, we who are spiritual should help restore him gently (Gal. 6:1). As well, we, ourselves, are to be holy, set apart (unlike, different) from the world, because we are becoming like Christ, and we are to be like Jesus in how we treat all people.

This means that we should share Christ’s heart for his church, weep over her when she goes astray, and minister God’s grace to her in its various forms. It should break our hearts when we see a brother or sister fall into sin, and we should desire to show them the way out. We should feel the pain God feels at his church living in spiritual adultery and idolatry, and we should want to share with them the truths of God’s word which will set them free, if they will listen, and if they will follow what God’s word teaches them they must do to be free. We should feel God’s indignation over so many false shepherds and wolves in sheep’s clothing who are leading God’s people, his church, astray, and we should be concerned for so many who call themselves followers of Christ, who are putting up with these false teachers so easily, and who are following them, instead of following the teachings of Christ. Our goal in all of this, and in sharing the truths of God’s words with the saved and unsaved, is that they will repent of (turn from) their sins, and that they will obey their Lord Jesus Christ.

Opposition to The Word (vv. 20-31)

So they went to the king in the court, but they had deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and they reported all the words to the king. Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it to the king as well as to all the officials who stood beside the king. Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning in the brazier before him. When Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe’s knife and threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, nor did they rend their garments. Even though Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah pleaded with the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the scroll and the words which Baruch had written at the dictation of Jeremiah, saying, “Take again another scroll and write on it all the former words that were on the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned. And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord, “You have burned this scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written on it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will make man and beast to cease from it?’” Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. I will also punish him and his descendants and his servants for their iniquity, and I will bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the calamity that I have declared to them—but they did not listen.”’”

In our day and time there is still much opposition to the word of the Lord, and it comes from people high up in positions of power, all the way down to the lowliest in rank, by the world’s standards. If we read, watch or listen to the news today, we may not see that this is going on, because what we read, see or hear in the news is mostly lies and cover-up stories for what is really going on out of the view of many American eyes, anyway, and that is because the news is owned and controlled by those in positions of power who are the ones opposing God’s people, his church. Yet, we can read about these power people on the internet, for now anyway, and we can learn at least some of the truth of what goes on behind closed doors. As well, if we pay attention to what our own leaders are saying, we can also discern the direction this world is headed now. Also, if we have followed world events for any time now, with a discerning ear and mind, listening to God and what he has to say about world events, we can also see the direction this world and our nation is headed.

Terrorism appears to be a major theme in the news right now. What the Lord has taught me on this subject over the years, which can be verified by information readily available on the internet, for now, is that the US government and their NATO allies are the world’s terrorists. They recruit, train, equip and/or finance various terrorist organizations throughout the world to do their dirty work for them, including, but not limited to, Al Qaeda, The Taliban, and ISIS. So, this whole thing with ISIS terrorizing various nations right now is all a ruse, carefully planned out by world powers, and it is for the takeover of the world by the Beast (of Revelation), for that is where this is all headed.

They are forming a New World Order in which there will be a one-world totalitarian government and a one-world religion. Obama and the Pope have, in particular, been pushing this one-world religion. It is obvious in the things they are saying that this is where we are headed now. They are talking much about how we, as the people of the world, all need to come together as one, and how we need to forsake all that divides us as the people of the world, which means forsaking our faith in Jesus Christ, our stand on his word, and our sharing of the gospel of salvation.

So, when our government and their allies proclaim to be on a campaign against “terrorists,” that is not true, for they are the terrorists. So, who are they after? They are after all people who oppose this one-world government and religion, and all Christians who are standing on the word of truth, and who are sharing the gospel of salvation, and who are obeying Christ’s commandments (See: Rev. 12:17; 14:12). They will either try to persuade us to come their way, which is what Obama and the Pope are doing now, and will persuade us to abandon the tenets of our Christian faith and practice in favor of this one-world religion, or else they will take us out in one way or another in order to silence us. I believe that is what they are doing in these nations in the Middle East right now, but it is coming to America, too.

This refugee crisis, although I can’t say for certain that there are not refugees involved in this, is for the purpose to bring the nations of the world under the New World Order, i.e. what this is really all about is the New World Order invading the nations of the world in order to take them over and to subjugate them to the Beast (Bilderberg group, Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission, NATO, Big Banks, CEOs of corps, Jews, etc.). First they create crisis situations which call for solutions, and then they go into various nations with the solutions to the crisis, or under the guise of taking out terrorists and protecting our freedoms, but what they are really doing is destroying and confiscating property not their own, killing innocents (and Christians), and taking over sovereign governments in order to bring the whole world under the rule of the Beast (New World Order). When this takes place, there will be only two classes of people in the world – the rich and powerful, which will be the lords, and the people of this world, the slaves (the low class).

So, the real “state of emergency” is that the world is being taken over by this Beast, and that Christians and all opposing forces to this New World Order are being taken out (silenced) in one way or another, or else they are being persuaded to conform and to cooperate with the “international community,” alias the New World Order. Jews are in very high up positions with enormous power, influence, and wealth within this New World Order, and they appear to have a majority rule and ownership over much of the world. One of the ruses which is predominant in our world today is to get Christians to support and rally behind the Jews, based upon Old Testament teachings, while ignoring what the New Testament teaches regarding the Jewish nation today. And, so many people are blindly giving their support and allegiance to the nation of Israel, not realizing that much of the world is now under Jewish control, and this is this beast spoken of in Revelation.

The Lord Jesus gave me a picture today of this Beast and its servants as those who live in glass houses, i.e. as those who accuse other people of doing what they are doing, and as totally dependent on artificial power for sustained life. Yet, what happens when the power goes out, i.e. when God brings them under his judgment? They will die, and they will spend eternity in the fires of hell in eternal torment, as will all who have taken their mark. So, don’t be taken in by their lies. Believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of your life so that you can have eternal life with God, and be delivered out of bondage to sin. Then, do not compromise your faith, but stand on the Word of Truth, and keep sharing the gospel of salvation, and trust Jesus Christ with your life. One day he will take you to be with him.

Wait! / An Original Work / February 8, 2014

Wait for your Lord. Be of courage.
Be strong, and take heart today.
God is always watching o’er you.
Trust Him with your life always.

Sing of your Lord. Praise His blessings.
Believe in His sovereignty.
He delivered you from your sin;
Gave you life eternally.

Rest in your Lord. Know His promise.
Beneath His wings rest secure.
Your God has a plan and purpose.
Let your faith in Him endure.

Trust in your Lord. He’ll not leave you,
Because He is faithfulness.
He will lead and guide; protect you.
In His love you can find rest.


Thursday, November 19, 2015

Reform Your Actions

Wednesday, November 18, 2015, 9:45 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “To Be Like Him.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Jeremiah 35:1-16 (NASB).

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, “Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.” Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites, and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. Then I set before the men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine!”

But they said, “We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed and you shall not plant a vineyard or own one; but in tents you shall dwell all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.’ We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons or our daughters, nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; and we do not have vineyard or field or seed. We have only dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come and let us go to Jerusalem before the army of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans.’ So we have dwelt in Jerusalem.”

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?” declares the Lord. “The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again; yet you have not listened to Me. Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me. Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’

The Model

The Rechabites belonged to the Kenites who were with the children of Israel as they entered the Promised Land (Wikipedia). According to Encyclopedia Britannica, they were an Israelite sect. “They were fervent followers of Yahweh, the God of Israel.” According to International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, the Rechabites were a part of the tribe of Kenite who “joined the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings.” They became identified with the tribe of Judah. The father of the Rechabites was Jehonadab, who was a “zealous Yahweh-worshiper.” He was instrumental in the removal of Baal worship. He led his family into a simple nomadic lifestyle “in order to guard against the enervating tendencies of sensualism, and as a covenant of fidelity to Yahweh, to whom they wholly devoted themselves when they joined themselves with Israel” (bibleencyclopedia.com).    

God used the Rechabites as a model for his people to follow, not necessarily that they should all abstain from wine and live like nomads, but as a model of fidelity and obedience, and of the honoring of their “father.” The Rechabites did not drink wine because their forefather Jehonadab commanded them not to drink wine. They lived in tents because their forefather commanded them to live in tents. Evidently this continued for about 300 years (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary). The people evidently were faithful to God and to their ancestor(s).

Obey His Words

God/Jesus Christ demands obedience, not sinless perfection, but that we take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him (Lu. 9:23-25). His word teaches us that if we say we have fellowship with God, but we continue to conduct our lives according to our flesh (walk in darkness), we are liars (1 Jn. 1:6). Jesus said that his sheep know his voice, he knows them, and they listen to him, and they follow (obey) him. They have eternal life, and no one can snatch them out of the hand of God (Jn. 10:4, 27-30). Jesus said that if anyone keeps (obeys) his word, that he will never see death (Jn. 8:51). He said that if anyone loves him, he will keep his word (Jn. 14:23-24). John said the way we know that we have come to know him is if we keep his word (1 Jn. 2:3-6). “Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them” (1 Jn. 3:24). “This is love for God: to obey his commands” (1 Jn. 5:3). James said, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (Jas. 1:22). He said, “Faith without deeds is dead” (Jas. 2:26).

Turn from Sin

Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Lu. 5:32). He said, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Lu. 13:3). He said, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations…” (Lu. 24:46-47). Peter said, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out” (Ac. 3:19). Paul said, “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Co. 7:10). And, Peter said, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). This repentance, though literally meaning a change of mind, is most always seen in scripture in connection with turning from sin, forsaking idols, and following God in obedience. Paul’s mission was to open blinded eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they would receive forgiveness of sins (Ac. 26:16-18).

Reform Your Actions

The way in which we come to know Christ is by putting off our old way of living for sin and self, being transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and putting on our new lives in Christ, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (See: Eph. 4:17-24). Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). He died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave himself up for us (2 Co. 5:15). His grace, which brings salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for his return (Tit. 2:11-14). We, who are in Christ Jesus by God’s grace, through faith, died with Christ to sin, so how can we live in it any longer? Our old self was crucified with Christ so that we would no longer be slaves to sin, but so we would be servants of his righteousness. When we were slaves to sin, we were free from the control of righteousness. Thus, we should count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus (Ro. 6:1-23).

Jesus died that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. If we persist in conducting our lives according to the flesh, we will die, but if by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the flesh, we will live (Ro. 8:1-14). Because of God’s great mercy to us, we are to present ourselves to God as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him, which is our reasonable service of worship of him. We are to no longer be conformed to the ways of this sinful world, but we are to be transformed in the renewing of our minds so that we may give testimony by our lives of God’s good, pleasing and perfect will (Ro. 12:1-2).

No Other Gods

And, we are not to follow other gods to serve them. “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 Jn. 5:21). An idol can be anything we give our hearts, devotion, loyalty, passion, time, affection and attention to over and above God, or in place of God. An idol could be ourselves and our own selfish desires, entertainment, games, TV, movies, recreation, relaxation, careers, hobbies, sports, religious activities, people, computers, smart phones, and the like. It could be food, eating, exercise, our possessions, properties, houses, and automobiles, our schedules, control over our own lives, and pride, too. If it takes the place of God in our affections, attention, time and passion, it is most likely an idol in our lives. Scripture teaches us that we are not to love (take pleasure in, long for) the world, or the things of the world. If we love the things of the world, with the kind of love we should have for God, choosing what the world chooses, instead of what God chooses for us, God’s love is not in us (1 Jn. 2:15). Do we not know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? If we choose to be a friend of this sinful world, we become an enemy of God (Jas. 4:4).

So, we need to listen to our Lord, hear what he is saying, and obey him. We died with Christ to sin. How can we live in it any longer?

To Be Like Him / An Original Work
March 16, 2014 / Based off Scripture

Crucified you are with Jesus.
To be like Him, oh, you’ll be,
Because He died at Calv’ry,
So from sin you’d be free.
Oh, what joy He brings into your life,
Giving life with Him endlessly.

Oh, what plans He has for your life.
Share the gospel faithfully.
Show the people He loves them.
Now His witness you’ll be.
Tell the world of sin about Jesus,
How He died for them on a tree.

Purifying hearts, He saves them,
Who believe on Christ, God’s Son.
Turning now from their idols,
New lives they have begun.
Jesus saves from sin; we’re forgiven.
Over sin, the vict’ry He won!

When He comes again to take us
To be with Him evermore,
There will be no more crying.
Gladness will be in store.
Heavens joys will now overtake us:
We’ll be with our Lord evermore.