Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Assisted Living


 

 

 

You have now come to Mount Zion and to the heavenly Jerusalem. This is the city of the living God, where thousands and thousands of angels have come to celebrate. Here you will find all of God’s dearest children, whose names are written in heaven. And you will find God himself, who judges everyone. Here also are the spirits of those good people who have been made perfect. And Jesus is here!

Hebrews 12:22-24a CEV

More than a decade ago, I spent three weeks in Ethiopia. The opportunity came up quickly and less than a month later; I flew to Addis Abbaba to help a dear friend with a book project. He wrote a book about the rapid spread of Christianity among Muslims.

Yes, there will be many people in Heaven who began their lives here on earth as part of the Muslim religion. You will meet many, if not all, of them when you get to Heaven!

You will also meet followers of Jesus you read about in the Bible. And the angels, don’t forget about them. But when you get to Heaven, you will not meet Jesus for the first time. The way to get to Heaven is to meet and have faith in Jesus while you are still on this earth.

The Bible says in Colossians 1:27, “Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God’s glory.”

When you put your faith in Jesus, He comes into your life. Living by faith in Jesus is the best example of “Assisted Living.” When Christ is in you, you have the power to be victorious in every circumstance, every day! You may be old and you may be frail, but with Jesus in your heart, you are certain that Heaven will be your home forever.

“Lord Jesus, the closer I get to the Day of Your return, the more I need to trust you, every minute of every day! Praise Your Holy Name now and forever, Amen!”


Thursday, November 16, 2023

Lord Please Come After Me




"I am your servant,
but I have wandered away
    like a lost sheep.
Please come after me,
because I have not forgotten
    your teachings."

Psalm 119:176

When a poor man wanders away from those who know him and even love him, it is easy for him to become part of the “homeless” population of a big city. Often, no one will even look for him.

But if that same man is named in the will of a “rich” person who dies, everything changes. The person in charge of the estate will search far and wide to find the heir. 

Did you know God named you in His will?

I Timothy 2:4a says, “God wants everyone to be saved.”

When Jesus died on the Cross He made “God's Will” available to every man, woman and child on earth! 

Sometimes, even after you walk daily with Jesus, you may wander. Psalm 119:176 is a prayer suitable for every servant of the Lord to utter to God:

“I am your servant,
but I have wandered away
    like a lost sheep.
Please come after me,
because I have not forgotten
    your teachings.”

“Lord, I say it again. Please come after me and bring me back to You today. Praise Your Holy Name, now and forever. Amen.”

 

 





Monday, July 10, 2023

COUNT DOWN TO ETERNITY


  


 

“God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won’t stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns.”

Philippians 1:6 CEV

    There is a big difference in you working for God and God working through you. When you “work for God” you may or may not be trying to accomplish something according to His Will. But when God works through you, every breath you take, every step on your walk, every move of your hand, and every word you utter has the Power and Will of God behind it!

    Even you will be amazed when you recognize the mighty work of God happening right in front of your eyes.

    When will that miraculous fellowship with God stop here on earth? Not until the Day that Jesus returns! Then His work through you will be complete. It will be done. Perhaps Jesus will once again say, as He did on the Cross, “it is finished.”

    If today is the Day of the Return of Jesus, He will still work through me and through you until the moment we hear the Trumpet and see the sky roll up. It will be the most amazing moment in all of history!

    The “Count Down to Eternity” may only have a day, an hour, or even a minute left until Jesus returns. But God still wants to use you, your heart, your hands, and your words to bring another lost sinner to Him!

    “lord Jesus, may I never stop being available to You, now and forever! Amen.”  

 

Sunday, April 30, 2023

MESSAGE OF THE HEAVENS!


 

 

The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done. Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next. They don't speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. Yet their message reaches all the earth, and it travels around the world.

Psalm 14:1-4

A mother and her baby begin to communicate very early without words and without a sound. The most intimate relationships on earth do not require speech! When you look up at a starlit night and see the work of God displayed beautifully across the sky, He is declaring a Message for all to see. What is the Message of the Heavens?

When you watch a master-carpenter build a house out of pieces of wood and nails, the sawing and banging begin to gradually take the shape of a house. And then they blossom into the beautiful flower of a house suitable to be called "Home" by anyone. 

Looking up into the Heavens is a tour of places that the Master of all carpenters built. And He decided to let us look up every night and see His work. 

You don't have to read the Bible to know that God is real and that His creation is Glorious! God's Message of the Heavens is: "I AM alive and I AM here!" The message of the Bible is: "JESUS is the Way and the Only Way to the FATHER."

So, you cannot hide from the Reality of God. You see His Glory in the Stars and in everything He created all around you. Let His Glory lead you to seek Him and know Him today!

"Lord God, You are the Creator of everything there is. You designed and built every star and every galaxy that fills our nightime sky with wonder. And then You sent Jesus to pay our debt and to be the Savior of everyone who turns to Him. Praise Your Holy and Righteous Name, now and forever. Amen."  

 

 

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Hot Coals of Heaven!


 

The Scriptures (also) say,

“If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat.

And if they are thirsty, give them something to drink.

This will be the same as piling burning coals on their heads.”

Don’t let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.

Romans 12:20-21

When someone proves himself or herself to be your enemy, your humanity will want to strike a blow and defeat or even destroy the one who plots you harm. But the love of God through the person of Jesus Christ calls you to care for their needs!

And when your response is love instead of hate, the Power of God Almighty flows through your veins and pours out on the head of your enemy. The Hot Coals of Heaven ignite the fire of the Holy Spirit to consume the Evil and plant seeds of Righteousness!

And then love's new life can sprout in the heart of one who was your enemy.

“Lord Jesus, give me the Grace to love even those who hate me. May Your Eternal Power flow into the hearts of all who open themselves to be filled with Your Spirit. Praise Your Holy Name now and forever. Amen.”

Friday, September 9, 2022

LOVE OF YOUR LIFE



 

 

God our Savior showed us how good and kind he is. He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit. Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:4-7 CEV

Imagine the mother of a convicted killer describing her son as someone with a “good heart.” Because of who she is, she can see her son as having a “good” heart, even though he has done many evil deeds.

Because of who Jesus is and what He has done, God can see you with the Holy Spirit in your heart. The Bible says that you have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. It even says that your “righteousness” is like filthy rags.

But because of Jesus and His perfect sacrifice, you can spend Eternity with Him. 

What you must do to be saved is simple. Turn away from the world and all its lusts and the false pride that comes from embracing it, and let your heart run after Jesus in every moment of each day! Jesus wants to be the LOVE OF YOUR LIFE! 

The greatest love story ever told on this earth is only a shadow of the story of Jesus and you! Even if you are now old, you can turn your heart to Jesus and stand at the door of the next season of life when Jesus comes and takes you to be with Him forever! And if you are still young, you can enter a relationship with Jesus that will bring blessings now and forever into your life. Either way, you will never regret it!

“Lord Jesus, touch my heart today with Your love, and give me an earthly taste of Eternal Bliss with You! Praise Your Name now and forever. Amen.”

  

   



Friday, August 26, 2022

"A Beautiful Thing!"


 

 

While he (Jesus) was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.  

Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Mark 14:3-9 NIV

Did you know that today on Amazon you can buy an Alabaster Jar containing Pure Nard Oil? The woman mentioned in Mark 14 and her expensive perfume are still remembered today, even as Jesus said they would be.

In today's dollars the perfume would probably be worth more than $20,000!

The critics said the woman wasted the expensive perfume by pouring it on the head of Jesus. But Jesus saw it differently. Jesus said she did "A Beautiful Thing."

And so I would ask you this: Have you ever "wasted" something of value to honor and bless Jesus? Have you done something for Jesus that He might consider to be "A Beautiful Thing?"

I know a doctor who began his career as a medical missionary and brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a third world country along with his healing arts! There were some who said he was wasting his life as a doctor. He could have made enough money in the U.S. to support a number of missionaries around the world. Was it a waste or rather "A Beautiful Thing" he did for Jesus?

When a mother chooses to give up a career so she can love, teach and train her children in the ways of the Lord, is she wasting her life for Jesus? I think Jesus would call her decision and life "A Beautiful Thing!"

Wasting your life for Jesus is a step beyond obedience! It is the spiritual equivalent of going "above and beyond the call to duty!" Wasting your life for Jesus is almost never practical. 

Look today for something you can do for Jesus that He will say is "A Beautiful Thing!"

"Lord Jesus, give me the heart to desire to waste my life for You! May You look at me and see "A Beautiful Thing!" Praise Your Holy Name now and forever. Amen."