Saturday, April 29, 2017
THE POWER OF TONGUES
I read this super encouraging article by Bill Hammon and want to share it with you because it's life- changing! It's called:
"The Greatest Supernatural Gift" - Bill Hammon
Did you know that more than 600 million believers have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, yet most people do not utilize this precious gift to its full potential? It is like receiving a million dollar gift and only using a fraction of it.
Our spirit language is the major key that unlocks the door to our spirit life and all of the attributes and manifestations of the Holy Spirit. If we would dedicate at least thirty minutes a day to the Holy Spirit for praying in our spirit languages, we could begin to change our world! Tremendous power would be released in the Church worldwide, and the Kingdom of God would be demonstrated in every nation as a witness of the Lordship of Jesus.
What is "the Baptism of the Holy Spirit" or "the Gift of the Holy Spirit"?
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for every believer to receive and practice, just as every believer in Jesus is to be water baptized. It is an experience received when God baptizes a believer's born-again spirit with the ability to pray in an intelligent language that his or her natural mind did not learn and does not understand.
Our spirit language is motivated, covered, and directed by the Holy Spirit, yet it is my spirit or your spirit that is actually doing the praying. The Holy Spirit's gift of the spirit language enables a person to communicate with God directly from spirit to Spirit. This gives the believer a private communication line direct to God's throne that cannot be understood or hindered by the devil or natural man.
It is the greatest gift a Christian can receive, for it is the giver and operator of all the other gifts and graces of God. There are so many reasons for us to pray in tongues, but the biggest reason is that Jesus paid a great price for us to use this most valuable gift.
I have found from my in-depth studies and a lifetime of experience that there are at least 70 reasons for every Christian to be praying in tongues every day. Let me share a few of those with you.
The Holy Spirit directs our spirit language to pray prayers in accordance with the will of God. Probably the only time we can be assured that we are praying 100% in the will of God is when we are praying in our spirit language. God always answers requests made in alignment with His will.
Our spirit language activates our supernatural new creation nature and sets us aflame with heavenly passion. This opens the door into God's storehouse of wisdom, power, revelation, and supernatural ministry.
Speaking in tongues does the same thing for our spirit that our heart does for our body. Our heart beats and pumps blood throughout our entire body for life and health. Speaking in tongues pumps the presence of God throughout every cell of our being.
Praying in tongues turns the light of revelation on in our minds, enabling us to hear the voice of God and see what Jesus wants to do.
As believers receive revelation and increase their faith in God and His Holy Spirit power within them, then we will begin to see the miraculous power of God manifest.
Sandy Catalano, an elder at our church, was praying in English and then switched to her spirit language. Suddenly, all the things and people that she had planned to pray for started flashing through her mind faster than the frames of an old movie reel. Sandy though, "Lord, it is going too fast. There is not time enough for me to pray about each one of these requests at this speed."
God spoke to her and said, "When you pray with your natural mind and language, it takes place at the speed of sound. But when you are praying with your God-given spirit language, you can pray and communicate at the speed of light."
All nine of the fruits of the Holy Spirit are activated and increased within us by praying in our spirit language: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If you really want to grow in love, then invest more time praying in tongues.
Worshiping and singing praises to God in tongues causes our inner being to be filled with the presence of God. You can sense the peace of God flooding your soul as you pray in your spirit language.
Praying in our spirit language is mainly for edification of the individual. However, the remaining "gifts of the Spirit" are given to believers to meet the needs of others. They are the nine manifestations of the Spirit: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, gift of faith, gift of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, various tongues, and interpretation of tongues. The gifts demonstrate that our God and Savior Jesus is alive and active in the world today. Praying in tongues with our spirit language can activate the gifts of the Spirit and it is the activator that produces the faith needed to believe for the manifestation.
Speaking in tongues is the key to our victory, because faith is the victory that overcomes. The more we pray in our spirit language, the more we charge our spirit with faith and power.
Our redeemed spirit, saturated with the Holy Spirit, is like a power-generating dynamo within our being where all of Jesus' gifts, graces, power, and attributes are generated within and through us. The more that we pray in tongues the more power the dynamo generates.
We could also say our spirit language "uploads" our desires, petitions, worship, and heart longings to God's hard drive. Praying in tongues also downloads mysteries from the mind of Messiah and imparts them into the hard drive of our spirits. Praying in tongues empowers us when we are weak, comforts us when we are saddened by life's circumstances, intercedes for us according to the will of God, and is a faithful friend on whom we can always depend. When we do not know how to pray as we ought, we can just turn the praying over to our spirit language and the praying will go directly to the heart of the matter with the wisdom and power of God to meet the need.
What can 30 minutes of spirit language praying do? Our Spirit-filled psychiatrist said that if he could get his patients to pray in the spirit for at least thirty minutes every day for thirty days, then they would not need to see him anymore. Why? Because the spirit language prays from the subconscious area of man. The Holy Spirit sheds God's light on those hidden areas of the subconscious, and then the spirit language roots them up and washes them out of the soul. Praying in tongues has even been found to give a boost to our immune system!
How do you receive the Holy Spirit? The same way you received the gift of eternal life.
First, you must receive revelation and understanding that the gift is for you. Second, have confidence that what you ask the Lord for is exactly what He will give you. Third you must receive by faith. Ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit, then exercise the faith to begin speaking in other tongues.
What an awesome responsibility we have to allow the spirit language to accomplish all God's purposes, appropriate all His benefits, and empower us and demonstrate the power of God and Lordship of Messiah Jesus. Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
MOSES SPOKE OF THE END TIME TRIBULATION
Too many believers have bought into the "Pre-Tribulation Rapture" theory. Just that word "theory" should give us a clue as to how scriptural it is. It is UNSCRIPTURAL. That's right, the Pre-trib rap theory is ONLY that --a theory. And it is an unsciptural theory with NO foundation. It's an animal with NO LEGS TO STAND ON. It's FICTION.
So, why am I getting so riled up about it? What does it matter what people choose to believe?
Jesus got riled up about it! He made good and sure that we were warned and prepared to go through the "Great Tribulation". Any half-serious reading of Matthew 24 word-for-word will result in an exact time line of end-time events. It may not give exact "time" but it shows the sequence very clearly. All we have to do is open our eyes and read it the way it was written. (I prefer the good ol' King James Version because "tribulation" is an important word to plot the sequence. It's a key word.)
You know where else we find that word "tribulation"? It's as far back in the Old Testament as Deuteronomy. It came out of the mouth of the man who spoke to God face-to-face and led the Children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses.
Moses prophesied to the Children of Israel before he died that there would a tribulation during the "latter days" or "last days" or end time or, in other words, "these days we're living in now".
Here's what Moses said in Deuteronomy 4:30 & 31: (It's a promise for all of us believers.)
"When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God:) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them."
You might think that the word "tribulation" shows up a lot in the Bible and it doesn't necessarily mean the same tribulation Jesus prophecied about in Matthew 24.
"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." - Matthew 24:21
According to Cruden's Complete Concordance, there are 22 verses that include the word "tribulation" in them, at least 7 of which refer directly to the "Great Tribulation" Jesus spoke of. So, yes, the Bible talks about tribulation in other instances besides the "latter days" tribulation, but only about a dozen times.
It seems to me that this "Great Tribulation" is something that has yet to happen and has yet to happen to God's people. Here are a few reasons I believe the "Great Tribulation" is for US. You and Me.
WHAT? Are you serious?
Yes! I am! If you believe in Jesus, you have to believe what His Word tells us. He gives us plenty of advice about these situations, beloved. He wants us to be prepared.
Matthew 5: 10 - 12 says, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
Rejoice about being persecuted? Yes. Because, when you are under persecution, the Spirit of God falls on you. The power of God is present to anoint you as a witness. That's what that word "martyr" means. And, believe it or not, for on-fire believers and followers of Christ, their main purpose, desire and motivation is to preach the message and be a living testimony of the Love of Christ.
What greater testimony can a Christian give than to surrender his life as a witness to his faith in Jesus? What greater privilege is there than to die as a martyr? ---To look up, as Stephen did and see Jesus standing at the right hand of God? Did Stephen scream out in agony when his persecutors gnashed on him with their teeth?
Acts 7:55: "But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."
Whether or not you will be a martyr for Jesus depends on God's will for you. Martyrs or not, our job, as believers in Christ will be to get out the message. Some of us will be alive on the earth when Jesus returns to gather together his elect. In fact, Revelation talks about the "woman" which is a representative of the (true) church.
Revelation 12:13 "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth."
This is a scenario, not of a pre-tribulation rapture, but of a provision of protection for the bride of Christ. At least, that's how I see it. How about you? It sure looks like a picture of God's mercy and protection over his own.
Whether we go into tribulation or fly into the wilderness for the duration of the tribulation, may we be on-fire, brave, bold, Spirit-filled, powerful witnesses for Jesus in these troublesome times ahead. And, now. It's already happening. Some of us are being martyred, imprisoned, tortured and tribulated right now. I believe, personally that we are at the 5th seal: Revelation 6:9-11.
So, why am I getting so riled up about it? What does it matter what people choose to believe?
Jesus got riled up about it! He made good and sure that we were warned and prepared to go through the "Great Tribulation". Any half-serious reading of Matthew 24 word-for-word will result in an exact time line of end-time events. It may not give exact "time" but it shows the sequence very clearly. All we have to do is open our eyes and read it the way it was written. (I prefer the good ol' King James Version because "tribulation" is an important word to plot the sequence. It's a key word.)
You know where else we find that word "tribulation"? It's as far back in the Old Testament as Deuteronomy. It came out of the mouth of the man who spoke to God face-to-face and led the Children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses.
Moses prophesied to the Children of Israel before he died that there would a tribulation during the "latter days" or "last days" or end time or, in other words, "these days we're living in now".
Here's what Moses said in Deuteronomy 4:30 & 31: (It's a promise for all of us believers.)
"When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God:) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them."
You might think that the word "tribulation" shows up a lot in the Bible and it doesn't necessarily mean the same tribulation Jesus prophecied about in Matthew 24.
"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." - Matthew 24:21
According to Cruden's Complete Concordance, there are 22 verses that include the word "tribulation" in them, at least 7 of which refer directly to the "Great Tribulation" Jesus spoke of. So, yes, the Bible talks about tribulation in other instances besides the "latter days" tribulation, but only about a dozen times.
It seems to me that this "Great Tribulation" is something that has yet to happen and has yet to happen to God's people. Here are a few reasons I believe the "Great Tribulation" is for US. You and Me.
- In Deut. 4:30, Moses was speaking to the children of Israel as followers of God and advising them that if they would turn to the Lord thy God and be obedient to Him, when in tribulation, he would not forsake them. Honestly, does that sound like the tribulation is for the devil's crowd or the unsaved and disobedient?
- The main reason for the tribulation is to tribulate the saints. It's not designed to persecute the followers of the Antichrist. In fact, it's because they went through the tribulation that the saints were dressed in white robes. (Revelation 7:14b "...These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.")
- Revelation 14:9b and 10a says, "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God..." By reading that verse, doesn't it sound as though there's a choice about receiving the "mark of the beast"? What happens to those who choose not to worship the beast and his image?
- Revelation 12:17 says, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." This verse specifies very clearly exactly who the Devil is fighting against during the tribulation period. (Us!)
- Speaking of the Antichrist/Beast, Revelation 13:7a says, "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. . ." Who are the saints? We are. You and me.
- The same chapter says that everyone on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8)
- Daniel 8 also talks about the Antichrist and exactly who he wants to destroy. Daniel 8:24 "And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people." If we are "raptured" before the Great Tribulation, who are these holy people that Daniel is speaking about? Well, I can tell you, if you'll receive it. It's US. You and me.
WHAT? Are you serious?
Yes! I am! If you believe in Jesus, you have to believe what His Word tells us. He gives us plenty of advice about these situations, beloved. He wants us to be prepared.
Matthew 5: 10 - 12 says, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
Rejoice about being persecuted? Yes. Because, when you are under persecution, the Spirit of God falls on you. The power of God is present to anoint you as a witness. That's what that word "martyr" means. And, believe it or not, for on-fire believers and followers of Christ, their main purpose, desire and motivation is to preach the message and be a living testimony of the Love of Christ.
What greater testimony can a Christian give than to surrender his life as a witness to his faith in Jesus? What greater privilege is there than to die as a martyr? ---To look up, as Stephen did and see Jesus standing at the right hand of God? Did Stephen scream out in agony when his persecutors gnashed on him with their teeth?
Acts 7:55: "But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."
Whether or not you will be a martyr for Jesus depends on God's will for you. Martyrs or not, our job, as believers in Christ will be to get out the message. Some of us will be alive on the earth when Jesus returns to gather together his elect. In fact, Revelation talks about the "woman" which is a representative of the (true) church.
Revelation 12:13 "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth."
This is a scenario, not of a pre-tribulation rapture, but of a provision of protection for the bride of Christ. At least, that's how I see it. How about you? It sure looks like a picture of God's mercy and protection over his own.
Whether we go into tribulation or fly into the wilderness for the duration of the tribulation, may we be on-fire, brave, bold, Spirit-filled, powerful witnesses for Jesus in these troublesome times ahead. And, now. It's already happening. Some of us are being martyred, imprisoned, tortured and tribulated right now. I believe, personally that we are at the 5th seal: Revelation 6:9-11.
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE
Whether you are Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic or Protestant, you can call on the name of Jesus and be saved.
If you haven't done it already, do it now. The Bible says, "Call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."
That's all you have to do. That's all it takes.
Don't use your religion as an excuse. Don't use your upbringing as an excuse. You know in your heart that your religion isn't going to save you from going to Hell no matter how good you are or how hard you try to please your so-called "god".
The true God doesn't want your works or your sacrifices or your so-called "goodness". You have nothing that God possibly needs. He doesn't need your guilt-trips, self-sacrifice, self-mutilation, penance, retribution or even your self-righteousness. None of that is worth a hill of beans.
What He wants is your heart.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind."
Just like the Policeman will tell you, as he puts you under arrest, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse."
If you didn't want to be arrested for something that you didn't know was "illegal", maybe you should have learned the law. Then, when you break it, you'll know why you're in trouble.
It's the same with salvation. God is merciful. God is understanding. But, let's face it, He's heard it all. He's heard all the excuses. Probably very few of them wash.
He knows that you know. He knows that you know that He knows that you know. And that's it. You know. There are no more excuses left.
Don't say, "But my parents taught me to worship Allah and to bang my head on the floor until I get a red mark on my forehead and then I'd go to Paradise."
Really?
Don't tell Jesus, "My family has always burned incense to Buddha."
Come on!
Don't try to get away with, "My family is Jewish so we don't believe in the Christian God."
READ THE TORAH AND FIND THE MESSIAH. HE HAS ALREADY COME!
You can't use the excuse that this is what I was taught. Or, this is what my family has believed for generations. Or, I didn't know that I had to accept Jesus as my Saviour. You have to take responsibility for your own soul.
That's just not going to cut it. You know why?
Because Jesus Christ gave his life for YOU. That's why. The very best day in the history of life on this planet was the day Jesus rose from the dead. He finished the contract. He paid the price with His blood. IT IS FINISHED. IT'S A DONE DEAL.
On that day, he paid for our salvation. It's a GIFT. But, if we don't want it, He's not going to force it on us. If you don't want it, you won't get it. You have to ask for it and accept it and claim it. You have to reach out and GRAB IT WITH BOTH HANDS AND HANG ONTO IT.
Are you starting to get the picture?
You wouldn't turn down a winning lottery ticket. You wouldn't refuse a free car, would you? There are not very many who would. Yet, so many CLING to their false religions because of their family traditions and "that's the way we've always done it" bla-bla-bla. Wake up, people.
TODAY is the day of salvation. NOT TOMORROW.
WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE?
If you haven't done it already, do it now. The Bible says, "Call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."
That's all you have to do. That's all it takes.
Don't use your religion as an excuse. Don't use your upbringing as an excuse. You know in your heart that your religion isn't going to save you from going to Hell no matter how good you are or how hard you try to please your so-called "god".
The true God doesn't want your works or your sacrifices or your so-called "goodness". You have nothing that God possibly needs. He doesn't need your guilt-trips, self-sacrifice, self-mutilation, penance, retribution or even your self-righteousness. None of that is worth a hill of beans.
What He wants is your heart.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind."
Just like the Policeman will tell you, as he puts you under arrest, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse."
If you didn't want to be arrested for something that you didn't know was "illegal", maybe you should have learned the law. Then, when you break it, you'll know why you're in trouble.
It's the same with salvation. God is merciful. God is understanding. But, let's face it, He's heard it all. He's heard all the excuses. Probably very few of them wash.
He knows that you know. He knows that you know that He knows that you know. And that's it. You know. There are no more excuses left.
Don't say, "But my parents taught me to worship Allah and to bang my head on the floor until I get a red mark on my forehead and then I'd go to Paradise."
Really?
Don't tell Jesus, "My family has always burned incense to Buddha."
Come on!
Don't try to get away with, "My family is Jewish so we don't believe in the Christian God."
READ THE TORAH AND FIND THE MESSIAH. HE HAS ALREADY COME!
You can't use the excuse that this is what I was taught. Or, this is what my family has believed for generations. Or, I didn't know that I had to accept Jesus as my Saviour. You have to take responsibility for your own soul.
That's just not going to cut it. You know why?
Because Jesus Christ gave his life for YOU. That's why. The very best day in the history of life on this planet was the day Jesus rose from the dead. He finished the contract. He paid the price with His blood. IT IS FINISHED. IT'S A DONE DEAL.
On that day, he paid for our salvation. It's a GIFT. But, if we don't want it, He's not going to force it on us. If you don't want it, you won't get it. You have to ask for it and accept it and claim it. You have to reach out and GRAB IT WITH BOTH HANDS AND HANG ONTO IT.
Are you starting to get the picture?
You wouldn't turn down a winning lottery ticket. You wouldn't refuse a free car, would you? There are not very many who would. Yet, so many CLING to their false religions because of their family traditions and "that's the way we've always done it" bla-bla-bla. Wake up, people.
TODAY is the day of salvation. NOT TOMORROW.
WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE?
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Housing Crisis
All over the world, a housing crisis is going on ...and on ...and on..
In the States, the price of housing peaked in 2006 and the housing market crashed in 2008. People lost their homes just like that. I'm sure that losing their homes was a big shock for many of them ---to discover first hand that what you considered "secure" was insecure, that things can turn on a dime.The instability of the economy and home ownership was probably a wake-up call for many Americans at that time.
But, that's not the housing crisis I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is worse. It's waking up in the middle of the night with bombs dropping all around you to find that you no longer have a home to live in. And it's cold outside. Or, waking up in the middle of the night, forced to move out of your home into a leaky bomb shelter.
It's looking out on what used to be your neighborhood to see that it has been flattened. Or, an earthquake has hit and wiped out every structure around you within view. Or, a tsunami just washed everything away, your house, your car, your family. . .
"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." - Matthew 24:7
We are living in the time of the end that Jesus was prophesying in Matthew 24.
Anyone who is at all sensitive to the Holy Spirit can feel that whatever security we thought we had no longer exists. If we ever depended on the security of our living conditions in the past, it was foolish to do so. That was a fantasy. Nothing on this earth is secure or dependable, not even a house that you own outright.
There are major earthquakes every week now and smaller ones every day on average. Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes and there have been major tsunamis recently. I believe it's time we started to realize that our lives are insecure, don't you agree?
Jesus said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:" - Matthew 6:19
These words spoken by Jesus were never more applicable to more people than they are today. We are at war. Be thankful if things are peaceful for now on your home-front. Just don't expect it to last.
In any battle, those who are prepared, vigilant and alert will have a better chance of surviving. This is no time to bury your head in the sand. It's the attacking initiative that wins the battle. Don't be put on the defensive or taken by surprise.
Man up. Look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.
In the States, the price of housing peaked in 2006 and the housing market crashed in 2008. People lost their homes just like that. I'm sure that losing their homes was a big shock for many of them ---to discover first hand that what you considered "secure" was insecure, that things can turn on a dime.The instability of the economy and home ownership was probably a wake-up call for many Americans at that time.
But, that's not the housing crisis I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is worse. It's waking up in the middle of the night with bombs dropping all around you to find that you no longer have a home to live in. And it's cold outside. Or, waking up in the middle of the night, forced to move out of your home into a leaky bomb shelter.
It's looking out on what used to be your neighborhood to see that it has been flattened. Or, an earthquake has hit and wiped out every structure around you within view. Or, a tsunami just washed everything away, your house, your car, your family. . .
"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." - Matthew 24:7
We are living in the time of the end that Jesus was prophesying in Matthew 24.
Anyone who is at all sensitive to the Holy Spirit can feel that whatever security we thought we had no longer exists. If we ever depended on the security of our living conditions in the past, it was foolish to do so. That was a fantasy. Nothing on this earth is secure or dependable, not even a house that you own outright.
There are major earthquakes every week now and smaller ones every day on average. Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes and there have been major tsunamis recently. I believe it's time we started to realize that our lives are insecure, don't you agree?
Jesus said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:" - Matthew 6:19
These words spoken by Jesus were never more applicable to more people than they are today. We are at war. Be thankful if things are peaceful for now on your home-front. Just don't expect it to last.
In any battle, those who are prepared, vigilant and alert will have a better chance of surviving. This is no time to bury your head in the sand. It's the attacking initiative that wins the battle. Don't be put on the defensive or taken by surprise.
Man up. Look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Tasty!
As I was taking my first bite of this delicious treat, the thought occurred to me that there was more. That melt-in-my-mouth feeling was going to happen again! Yes!
I still had 3/4 of a donut left to go. Bite by bite, the soft, ridges sat on my tongue and sip-by-sip, the coffee warmed my insides like a mother's love for her child.
It tasted too good to feel guilty about. My body would just have to figure out a way to assimilate it.
But, what if I had taken one bite and stopped? What if I had left the rest of that cruller sitting on the table and walked away? What if I had forced myself to stop eating it?
I would still remember the exquisite experience of having that cruller in my mouth and there would be some still in my stomach to remind me of what I could have had. It's almost unthinkable that someone would have that much willpower to refuse to continue eating the rest of such a tasty treat, isn't it?
Yet, that's how some people treat the Word of God. They take one little nibble and it just throws them into ecstasy. Then, they stop. It's not that they're full. They still have the 3/4 of the treat left. They could still take another bite and enjoy it as much as the first one.
So, why do they quit?
Too many calories?
It seems almost inhumanly self-willed to stop tasting the mouth-watering delicacies of the Word. I just don't understand how anyone could quit until they at least finish off the chapter they started. Finish off the whole book. Go on to the next. Why not?
It just tastes SO GOOD.
Sure, it's a new flavor that maybe they're not used to, but one does develop a taste for this new food. Maybe they're afraid of indigestion, heart-burn or diarrhea. Maybe it just costs too much.
The Word of God will change you. Once you taste and see for yourself that the Lord is good and His Word is the Truth, it's impossible to go back. You'll be a prisoner of Love forever. And nothing else will ever fully satisfy you.
It's the Divine Addiction. Bet you can't just try a bite.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Don't Let Your Head Talk You Out of Faith
I read an article posted on facebook by a lady who announced that she has chosen not to be a Christian.
That in itself is interesting because, if she had been a Muslim, she would never have made such an announcement to the world or "someone" would have found her and killed her. (I think the punishment for "denouncing your faith" in Islam is beheading by the sword, if I'm not mistaken.)
Nevertheless, this young woman had constructed an entire list of all the reasons she had for denouncing Christianity. I'm wondering why anyone would go to so much trouble to convince herself and others that Christianity is a false religion. Is it because Christianity failed you? Or, did Jesus fail you?
If Christianity (as in church worship/other believers) failed you, let me be the first to tell you: Christians are NOT perfect. There are umpteen varied doctrines and interpretations of the Bible going around, too, which doesn't make it easy to find a nitch to fit into.
There's the 7th Day Adventists, the Catholics, the Protestants, the Baptists, the Mormons, on and on. Each "church" has its strengths and insists on certain priorities of their faith. So, what to do?
Here's a suggestion: read about how the early church did it and then try to find a church that emulates them.
Unfortunately, that won't be easy. For one thing, the early church was made up of dedicated followers of Christ who forsook all their worldly possessions and went out by faith to spread the gospel. They had miracles, signs and wonders following them and their preaching was full of the power of God.
If you do find a group (church) of believers who are sold-out and on-fire for the Lord and want to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth, you'll find true Christianity.
But, it still won't be perfect. There will be disagreements, arguments, mistakes, failures and all kinds of human frailties. That's why you really can't put your faith or your reason for believing in Christianity in the followers of Christ. We are not perfect. That's the raw truth of the matter.
You aren't perfect either, are you? So, can you honestly expect perfection from Christians?
I'll tell you where you can find perfection, though. In Christ. Christ alone has the answers you seek. Jesus Christ alone is what Christianity (in the true sense of the word) is all about. It's not about the laws or traditions of men. It's not about methodology or doctrines.
We live in the Age of Faith. "Without faith it is impossible to please God."
Find your faith. You won't find that in yourself or other Christians, either. Your faith is a gift from God and the way to get that gift is by reading His Word and receiving it into your heart.
Man will fail you. Woman will fail you. Denominations and churches will definitely fail you. You can't keep your eyes on human beings as the source of your faith or lack thereof.
Keep your eyes on Jesus. He's the Only One Who will get you where you want to go! Straight into those pearly gates and on through eternity. His love never fails. And, for some unknown, inexplicable reason, he loves YOU.
That in itself is interesting because, if she had been a Muslim, she would never have made such an announcement to the world or "someone" would have found her and killed her. (I think the punishment for "denouncing your faith" in Islam is beheading by the sword, if I'm not mistaken.)
Nevertheless, this young woman had constructed an entire list of all the reasons she had for denouncing Christianity. I'm wondering why anyone would go to so much trouble to convince herself and others that Christianity is a false religion. Is it because Christianity failed you? Or, did Jesus fail you?
If Christianity (as in church worship/other believers) failed you, let me be the first to tell you: Christians are NOT perfect. There are umpteen varied doctrines and interpretations of the Bible going around, too, which doesn't make it easy to find a nitch to fit into.
There's the 7th Day Adventists, the Catholics, the Protestants, the Baptists, the Mormons, on and on. Each "church" has its strengths and insists on certain priorities of their faith. So, what to do?
Here's a suggestion: read about how the early church did it and then try to find a church that emulates them.
Unfortunately, that won't be easy. For one thing, the early church was made up of dedicated followers of Christ who forsook all their worldly possessions and went out by faith to spread the gospel. They had miracles, signs and wonders following them and their preaching was full of the power of God.
If you do find a group (church) of believers who are sold-out and on-fire for the Lord and want to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth, you'll find true Christianity.
But, it still won't be perfect. There will be disagreements, arguments, mistakes, failures and all kinds of human frailties. That's why you really can't put your faith or your reason for believing in Christianity in the followers of Christ. We are not perfect. That's the raw truth of the matter.
You aren't perfect either, are you? So, can you honestly expect perfection from Christians?
I'll tell you where you can find perfection, though. In Christ. Christ alone has the answers you seek. Jesus Christ alone is what Christianity (in the true sense of the word) is all about. It's not about the laws or traditions of men. It's not about methodology or doctrines.
We live in the Age of Faith. "Without faith it is impossible to please God."
Find your faith. You won't find that in yourself or other Christians, either. Your faith is a gift from God and the way to get that gift is by reading His Word and receiving it into your heart.
Man will fail you. Woman will fail you. Denominations and churches will definitely fail you. You can't keep your eyes on human beings as the source of your faith or lack thereof.
Keep your eyes on Jesus. He's the Only One Who will get you where you want to go! Straight into those pearly gates and on through eternity. His love never fails. And, for some unknown, inexplicable reason, he loves YOU.
Friday, February 10, 2017
What If Jesus had Been Aborted?
"Not to brag or anything, but I have survived three ends of the world."
Ok, that's a joke that I stole from Bill Johnson.
Lately, I've been thinking about abortion.
You would think that abortion is something that came about in the last 50 years or so. But, when you read the Bible, you discover that the Devil or Satan has always hated babies. He has been in the business of slaughtering the innocents since the beginning.
In fact, Moses nearly became a statistic when he was a little newborn in Egypt.
After Joseph had set up his family in the land of Goshen, the children of Israel began to multiply like rabbits to the point that it started to seem like a threat to the new king of Egypt who didn't know Joseph. (In hindsight, it may have been a good idea for the Pharaoh of Joseph's day to pass on a little information about Joseph to the successor of his throne. But, it seems he didn't.)
So, the offspring of Israel continued to multiply and fill the land of Egypt. The new king or Pharaoh brought them into bondage and put them to work building his treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. Their lives became "bitter" with hard bondage and yet, they continued to thrive and multiply. So, the king instructed the midwives to kill the Hebrew baby boys as soon as they were born.
(Would you call that a "post birth abortion"?)
The midwives secretly refused to obey the ordinance. They told the Pharaoh that the Hebrew women delivered their babies before the midwives arrived to deliver them. (The midwives sure weren't going to murder the babies in front of their mothers, were they?)
Pharaoh took another route. He instructed his people to drown the baby boys in the river. (He allowed the baby girls to live.) This was the form of birth control that Pharaoh used to try to lower the population of the Israelites in Egypt.
How did Moses manage to survive?
Moses had a tricky mom who was determined to keep her son alive, even if it meant allowing her enemy to adopt him. She kept her baby hidden for three months. Then, she came up with the idea of making a little boat for him.
Perhaps Moses's mother knew that Pharaoh's daughter came to the same place at the river to wash herself every day, we don't know. Maybe it was a miracle that the very daughter of Pharaoh took Moses as her son to raise him in the court as a prince.
Jesus Survives the Same Threat as Moses
When Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem, wise men came from the east, following a star. They entered into Jerusalem where they inquired among the people where the "King of the Jews" was. Of course, this was very upsetting to everyone, that a king had been born. Herod the king was especially upset about it, feeling his place was being threatened.
He commanded a slaughter of the innocents from the age of two years and under. There was a great mourning of all the children of Israel in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. Yet, Jesus escaped.
Matthew 2:13-18 "And when they (the wise men) were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt;
And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."
Where did Jesus and his parents escape to? EGYPT. --How ironic is that?
From the beginning of his life, Jesus's life was threatened. As a fetus in the womb, he would have died along with his mother, had she been stoned to death according to the law.
Reading through the book of Exodus, one can't help noticing so many similarities between Moses and Jesus. For example, Moses spent 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai with God. For those 40 days, he fasted and drank no water.
Exodus 34:28 "And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water."
I think it's not possible, under normal conditions to survive for 40 days without water.
God led Jesus into the wilderness where He fasted 40 days and nights.
Matthew 4:1, 2 "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred."
In Moses's case, after those 40 days, his face shone so gloriously that it scared his people. They couldn't look at his face because the glory of God was upon it. So, Moses had to cover his face.
In Jesus's case, He defeated the Devil with the Word of God and began His ministry, shining the light.
Matthew 4:16 "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."
Here are two examples of men who changed the course of history, the course of nations. They influenced major decisions of God. Well, what can I say about Jesus that you don't already know? He SAVED ALL OF US WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME.
Both of these men were marked for DEATH at their births.
Getting born alive and well into this world today takes no less than a miracle of God. If that baby is not the victim of birth control pills or the "day after" pill and manages to be planted in a healthy womb, it will probably be faced with the threat of abortion, which its mother feels is her right.
The birth of a baby, which used to be a reason for rejoicing, is now considered "unconstitutional" by many. Why? Because, the baby's mother was not allowed the freedom to do as she pleased with her body.
On His way to His crucifixion, Jesus told the women who bewailed him,
"Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." (Luke 23:28 and 29).
Unfortunately, Jesus's prophecy has come to pass. It's actually one of the signs of the times of the end that Jesus warned us about.
One more word about abortion: I want to say this to any of you who are considering having an abortion, "For your own sake and the sake of your future sanity, 'Don't do it.' You cannot commit murder inside of your body without suffering for it in your heart and spirit forever."
Give that unborn child the same chance your mamma gave you. He/she may be part of the solution.
Ok, that's a joke that I stole from Bill Johnson.
Lately, I've been thinking about abortion.
You would think that abortion is something that came about in the last 50 years or so. But, when you read the Bible, you discover that the Devil or Satan has always hated babies. He has been in the business of slaughtering the innocents since the beginning.
In fact, Moses nearly became a statistic when he was a little newborn in Egypt.
After Joseph had set up his family in the land of Goshen, the children of Israel began to multiply like rabbits to the point that it started to seem like a threat to the new king of Egypt who didn't know Joseph. (In hindsight, it may have been a good idea for the Pharaoh of Joseph's day to pass on a little information about Joseph to the successor of his throne. But, it seems he didn't.)
So, the offspring of Israel continued to multiply and fill the land of Egypt. The new king or Pharaoh brought them into bondage and put them to work building his treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. Their lives became "bitter" with hard bondage and yet, they continued to thrive and multiply. So, the king instructed the midwives to kill the Hebrew baby boys as soon as they were born.
(Would you call that a "post birth abortion"?)
The midwives secretly refused to obey the ordinance. They told the Pharaoh that the Hebrew women delivered their babies before the midwives arrived to deliver them. (The midwives sure weren't going to murder the babies in front of their mothers, were they?)
Pharaoh took another route. He instructed his people to drown the baby boys in the river. (He allowed the baby girls to live.) This was the form of birth control that Pharaoh used to try to lower the population of the Israelites in Egypt.
How did Moses manage to survive?
Moses had a tricky mom who was determined to keep her son alive, even if it meant allowing her enemy to adopt him. She kept her baby hidden for three months. Then, she came up with the idea of making a little boat for him.
Perhaps Moses's mother knew that Pharaoh's daughter came to the same place at the river to wash herself every day, we don't know. Maybe it was a miracle that the very daughter of Pharaoh took Moses as her son to raise him in the court as a prince.
Jesus Survives the Same Threat as Moses
When Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem, wise men came from the east, following a star. They entered into Jerusalem where they inquired among the people where the "King of the Jews" was. Of course, this was very upsetting to everyone, that a king had been born. Herod the king was especially upset about it, feeling his place was being threatened.
He commanded a slaughter of the innocents from the age of two years and under. There was a great mourning of all the children of Israel in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. Yet, Jesus escaped.
Matthew 2:13-18 "And when they (the wise men) were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt;
And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."
Where did Jesus and his parents escape to? EGYPT. --How ironic is that?
From the beginning of his life, Jesus's life was threatened. As a fetus in the womb, he would have died along with his mother, had she been stoned to death according to the law.
Reading through the book of Exodus, one can't help noticing so many similarities between Moses and Jesus. For example, Moses spent 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai with God. For those 40 days, he fasted and drank no water.
Exodus 34:28 "And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water."
I think it's not possible, under normal conditions to survive for 40 days without water.
God led Jesus into the wilderness where He fasted 40 days and nights.
Matthew 4:1, 2 "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred."
In Moses's case, after those 40 days, his face shone so gloriously that it scared his people. They couldn't look at his face because the glory of God was upon it. So, Moses had to cover his face.
In Jesus's case, He defeated the Devil with the Word of God and began His ministry, shining the light.
Matthew 4:16 "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."
Here are two examples of men who changed the course of history, the course of nations. They influenced major decisions of God. Well, what can I say about Jesus that you don't already know? He SAVED ALL OF US WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME.
Both of these men were marked for DEATH at their births.
Getting born alive and well into this world today takes no less than a miracle of God. If that baby is not the victim of birth control pills or the "day after" pill and manages to be planted in a healthy womb, it will probably be faced with the threat of abortion, which its mother feels is her right.
The birth of a baby, which used to be a reason for rejoicing, is now considered "unconstitutional" by many. Why? Because, the baby's mother was not allowed the freedom to do as she pleased with her body.
On His way to His crucifixion, Jesus told the women who bewailed him,
"Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." (Luke 23:28 and 29).
Unfortunately, Jesus's prophecy has come to pass. It's actually one of the signs of the times of the end that Jesus warned us about.
One more word about abortion: I want to say this to any of you who are considering having an abortion, "For your own sake and the sake of your future sanity, 'Don't do it.' You cannot commit murder inside of your body without suffering for it in your heart and spirit forever."
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