Be Amazed at the Love of Jesus!

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And the angel said:
Why are you so amazed? I will explain the mystery about this woman and about the beast she is sitting on, with its seven heads and ten horns.

The beast you saw is one that used to be and no longer is. It will come back from the deep pit, but only to be destroyed. Everyone on earth whose names were not written in the book of life before the time of creation will be amazed. They will see this beast that used to be and no longer is, but will be once more.

Revelation 17:7-8

If you are not a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ you will be amazed at power displayed by Satan. Before Jesus returns there will be someone called "the beast" who will come back from the deep pit and cause men to stand in awe.

Believers in Jesus need to understand that just because someone displays supernatural power does not mean that he is from God.

The pursuit of miraculous power does not always take you to the Cross. Satan is a supernatural being and still has power to display in an attempt to draw you away from Jesus!

I believe that the greatest evidence of the truth of God's Word and of the reality of Jesus Christ is love rather than miracles. Because of Jesus I can love the unlovely. Because of Jesus I can love those who are lost, and because of Jesus I can even love my enemies! When I walk in the Love of Christ all fear is gone and I am at perfect peace.

You may be amazed because of manifestations of supernatural power, but I am amazed by supernatural love. Because of Jesus I can love and be loved beyond reason. The love of Jesus is an ocean filled with joy that never ends. We are walking on the shore of that ocean here on earth with out toes occasionally touching the water, but when Jesus comes we will be fully immersed forever!

Be amazed at the Love of Jesus! Amen.

Marry a Woman!

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The Lord God said, “It isn't good for the man to live alone. I need to make a suitable partner for him.”

So the Lord took some soil and made animals and birds. He brought them to the man to see what names he would giveof them. Then the man named the tame animals and the birds and the wild animals. That's how they got their names. None of these was the right kind of partner for the man. So the Lord God made him fall into a deep sleep, and he took out one of the man's ribs. Then after closing the man's side, the Lord made a woman out of the rib.

The Lord God brought her to the man, and the man exclaimed,
“Here is someone like me!
She is part of my body,
my own flesh and bones.
She came from me, a man.
So I will name her Woman!”

That's why a man will leave his own father and mother. He marries a woman, and the two of them become like one person.

Genesis 2:18-24

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden it was because they believed the lie of Satan and rejected the Word of God. God had said that eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would cause them to die. Satan told them that God was lying. We all need to understand that believing a lie always has consequences.

God says that marriage is something that happens between a man and a woman. Satan says that is a lie.

When my children were small and one of them would say "I love that car," another child would taunt by asking this: "Why don't you marry it!" It was foolishness and they are knew it, but they thought it was fun for the moment.

When the world talks about a man marrying anyone or anything other than a woman it is also foolishness. God created us to breathe air. How foolish it would be to decide that I will no longer breathe air, but instead I will breathe water like a fish. God created man to need sleep every day. What if I were to decide that God was wrong and I will never sleep again? You may miss a night or two of sleep, but if you do it long enough you will die because God made you to need sleep.

Marriage is just one of the areas where Satan is lying about God's truth. Look for others and be alert!

"Lord, how foolish of me to question Your Word. You speak truth with every breath you take. You are the standard by which everything and everyone is judged. Lord, show me and help me to see the lies of Satan that I have accepted in my heart and then flood my heart and mind with Your Word that I may be everything You created me to be! Amen."

Surrender to God!

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Do you doubt the Scriptures that say, “God truly cares about the Spirit he has put in us”?

In fact, God treats us with even greater kindness, just as the Scriptures say,
“God opposes everyone
who is proud,
but he is kind to everyone
who is humble.”

Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you.

James 4:5-7

I think every time I have heard someone teach on the verse "Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you" the focus of the teaching has been on resisting the devil. That is a good thing, but don't forget that this verse first encourages us to surrender to God.

You can only surrender to someone with whom you are at war. And truly your flesh is at war with God. Even when your spirit wants desperately to do the right thing your body leads you into sin over and over again.

So what happens when you surrender to God and become His prisoner of war? Your Captor immediately controls every part of your life. As a prisoner you have no life of your own. You are not free to roam outside of the confines of your prison. It may sound depressing, but when you are a prisoner of God your incarcerated life is the most gloriously free existence a man or woman can have! Sin no longer has it's grip on your heart and you have the hope of a future that has no equal.

We, of course must resist the devil here on this earth, but don't forget to surrender to God.

"Lord, I once again today surrender to You. May my life this day be controlled by Your Spirit and not by my own fleshly desires. And Lord, help me to see the glorious and eternal freedom of being Your prisoner! Amen."

Christian Deodorant!

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I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume.

In fact, God thinks of us as a perfume that brings Christ to everyone. For people who are being saved, this perfume has a sweet smell and leads them to a better life. But for people who are lost, it has a bad smell and leads them to a horrible death.
No one really has what it takes to do this work.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Body odor, sometimes called simply B.O. is usually offensive to others and has spawned an entire product line of deodorants. If you have enough money to afford a deodorant, in most western countries you would use one.

In these verses in 2 Corinthians Paul talks about Christian Body Odor. For those who are being saved it is a wonderful smell and very deble. But for those who are lost it is a bad smell that leads them to death.

Body odor can be wonderful as well as bad. A baby not only recognizes his mother by sight and sound, but also by smell. When I was a boy I remember burying my face in my father's pillow because it smelled like him.

The world has developed a product line of Christian deodorants. They are designed to keep you from being offensive to the world because of your faith in Jesus.

You are wearing Christian deodorant when you try to keep the world from being offended by your Christianity. When you try to get the world to like you so that they will believe in Jesus you are simply globing on the deodorant.

When you are not wearing Christian deodorant you will smell good to your brothers and sisters, but the world will be offended. When you are wearing Christian deodorant you will smell good to the world, but you will offend the true believers in Jesus.

Get rid of all the Christian deodorant in your life and let the odor that comes from you as a believer do the work for which God created it! Amen.

Meet Your Maker!

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When I was in trouble, [Lord],
I prayed to you,
and you listened to me.
From deep in the world
of the dead,
I begged for your help,
and you answered my prayer.

You threw me down
to the bottom of the sea.
The water was churning
all around;
I was completely covered
by your mighty waves.

I thought I was swept away
from your sight,
never again to see
your holy temple.

I was almost drowned
by the swirling waters
that surrounded me.
Seaweed had wrapped
around my head.

I had sunk down deep
below the mountains
beneath the sea.
I knew that forever,
I would be a prisoner there.
But, you, [Lord] God,
rescued me from that pit.

When my life was slipping away,
I remembered you—
and in your holy temple
you heard my prayer.

Jonah 2:2-7

Do you find it hard to pray? Are there distractions every time you bow your head and begin to address the Lord? Do you want to become a man or woman of prayer who comes to the Lord with great earnestness and passion?

Here is the easiest way to improve your prayer life. Run away from God, let yourself be thrown overboard in a storm and be swallowed by a great fish. I can pretty much guarantee that the prayer you utter from the belly of the fish will be the most urgent and sincerest prayer you have ever prayed!

Great trouble turns even the weakest in faith into men and women of prayer. Cries of "Oh God" are often heard when lives are threatened by some imminent danger.

When the threats of this life are crashing down would you rather turn to a stranger or a friend for help? There are many stories of men who did not know God, but called on Him in a time of tragedy and were lifted up by the One who created the universe. But if you already know the Lord when the trouble comes, His peace can sweep over your heart as you calmly wait to be rescued or spirited away to Heaven!

People sometimes speak of death as the time when "you meet your Maker." Jesus wants you to "Meet Your Maker" now so that when you see Him face to face there will be no fear. It is a fearful thing to die without knowing Jesus. But if you know the Lord then passing from this life to the next will simply be the final act of trust and resting in His love.

"Lord, help me to pray now like Jonah did from the belly of the great fish so that when trouble comes I will already know You. Lord You are and have always been my only hope! Help me to pray in the sunshine as if the storms were raging and pray in the daylight as if it were dark like midnight. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen."

The Holy Spirit’s Breeze!

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Her sufferings will frighten them, and they will stand at a distance and say,

“Pity that great
and powerful city!
Pity Babylon!
In a single hour
her judgment has come.”

Every merchant on earth will mourn, because there is no one to buy their goods.

There won't be anyone to buy their gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, sweet-smelling wood, fancy carvings of ivory and wood, as well as things made of bronze, iron, or marble.

No one will buy their cinnamon, spices, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, slaves, and other humans.

Revelation 18:10-13

God's judgment on one nation can bring economic turmoil to the whole world. The financial storms that are brewing today have the potential to bring great trouble to the every nation on earth.

The wisdom of this world will try to fix the situation with sound fiscal policy. Strong and honorable leaders who make responsible decisions cannot stop the free fall toward destruction if it is part of God's judgment. There is, however an answer, but there is only one answer.

If the Spirit of God moves across the face of the earth and the hearts of men repent and are revived with the Love of Jesus then there is great hope. The spark that can set the world on fire may be in your heart today. Let the breeze of the Holy Spirit blow on your heart until it breaks into a flame and then with more wind a blazing fire!

When a town, a nation, a people or the whole world turns to Jesus there is always one person who is the first to turn. Ask God to let that person be you. Let Him radically control your life so that you will spread the fire of His Spirit to everyone you meet.

"Lord, may Your Spirit blow on me, that the spark You put in my heart may become a blazing fire which will spread Your love around the world! Amen!"

God Helped Me!

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When you become successful, don't say, “I'm rich, and I've earned it all myself.”

Instead, remember that the [Lord] your God gives you the strength to make a living. That's how he keeps the promise he made to your ancestors.

But I'm warning you—if you forget the [Lord] your God and worship other gods, the [Lord] will destroy you, just as he destroyed the nations you fought.

Deuteronomy 8:17-20

There is an active controversy going on in the United States about how people become successful in business. One side says that everyone owes their success to some other person or to the government, while the rugged individualist American says "I built that business all by myself!"

The outcome of a Presidential election may rest on the resolution of the issue as voters take sides and listen to commentators tell them what they should think.

I will not be surprised if I hear these verses from Deuteronomy 8 quoted as the debate rages on. But truthfully, both sides have missed the mark. You can be successful without the help of any other human being or government, but you cannot succeed without Divine support. Remember that God gave you strength to make a living and be a success! Without God you would not be able to draw your next breath.

Every successful man who denies God will suffer the consequences. Give credit to God for your success and He will reward you with blessings beyond your fondest imagination.

Feeling at Ease!

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When we love others, we know we belong to the truth, and we feel at ease in the presence of God.  But even if we don't feel at ease, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.  Dear friends, if we feel at ease in the presence of God, we will have the courage to come near him.  He will give us whatever we ask, because we obey him and do what pleases him.  God wants us to have faith in his Son Jesus Christ and to love each other. This is also what Jesus taught us to do.  If we obey God's commandments, we will stay one in our hearts with him, and he will stay one with us. The Spirit he has given us is proof that we are one with him.

1 John 3:19-24

Do you feel at ease in the presence of God?  Do you have the courage to come near Him?  The way to feel comfortable and be close to God at the same time is to love others, even your enemies.

Satan's purpose for the enemies in your life is to encourage you to hate them and then not be able to be comfortable in being near to God.  God's purpose for your enemies is to provide you someone to love just like Jesus loved those who put Him on the Cross!  

If you are nervous about being close to God then look for someone you do not love.  

“Alright, I know who it is that I do not love, so now what do I do about it?  After what they did to me how can I love instead of hate?"

Beginning to love someone is a decision you make, not a feeling you have.  First of all decide that you will love instead of hate and then look for some way to do something that you could not do if you were still living in hate.  For me that is usually to pray for that person that the blessing of the Lord would come to them and turn their heart toward Jesus.

The way to test your new love for someone that you did not love is to approach God and see how close you can be and still be comfortable.  People who love their enemies will be at ease in the presence of God because loving enemies is what God does all the time!

What Did Jesus Write?

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The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses brought in a woman who had been caught in bed with a man who wasn't her husband. They made her stand in the middle of the crowd.  Then they said, “Teacher, this woman was caught sleeping with a man who isn't her husband.

The Law of Moses teaches that a woman like this should be stoned to death! What do you say?”

They asked Jesus this question, because they wanted to test him and bring some charge against him. But Jesus simply bent over and started writing on the ground with his finger.
They kept on asking Jesus about the woman. Finally, he stood up and said, “If any of you have never sinned, then go ahead and throw the first stone at her!”  Once again he bent over and began writing on the ground.

The people left one by one, beginning with the oldest. Finally, Jesus and the woman were there alone.

Jesus stood up and asked her, “Where is everyone? Isn't there anyone left to accuse you?”

“No sir,” the woman answered.
Then Jesus told her, “I am not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don't sin anymore.”

John 8:3-11

Unless I missed something this is the only time the Bible tells about Jesus writing anything. The reaction of those who wanted to stone the woman for her adultery was quick. Apparently, after they saw what Jesus was writing on the ground they began to leave. The oldest left first.

Many years ago I heard someone speculate that Jesus was writing the names of women that these men had been with in an illicit relationship just like the woman they were accusing.

If that is indeed what Jesus wrote then it does make sense of the men leaving one at a time as they saw their own sin penned in the dirt by the finger of Jesus!

When you get into the "I'll point out your sins and persecute you for them" mode remember this story. And when your own sins have been exposed and you are standing there with Jesus alone after everyone else has gone away don't forget what Jesus said to the woman who was caught in the act of adultery.

Whatever it was that Jesus wrote in the dirt, it defused the situation and quieted the accusers who wanted to stone the woman.

The written Word of God will quiet the storm and stop the hand of the angry mob. Insert the Word of God into the next turmoil you encounter and trust God to restore His peace to your heart!

But don't forget the final words to the woman caught in adultery. Jesus said, "Don't sin anymore!" Amen

The Only One Left!

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The priests of the Levi tribe who are descendants of Zadok the priest were faithful to me, even when the rest of the Israelites turned away. And so, these priests will continue to serve as my priests and to offer the fat and the blood of sacrifices.

They will come into my temple, where they will offer sacrifices at my altar and lead others in worship.

Ezekiel 44:15-16

I was a young man and it has been many years ago but I remember it well, I made a serious and sobering commitment to the Lord that I would remain faithful to Him even if no one else did.

That may sound like the arrogance of youth, but it really was not. I had come to realize how much my faith was dependent on the faith of those around me. I was part of a very "faith filled" fellowship of believers who encouraged me to walk closely with Jesus, but I came to the watershed moment of knowing that in the End I will stand alone before God. I will not be able to justify myself because of the faith of those in my church.

It is a great temptation to associate with those who have great faith and are walking with Jesus instead of walking with Him yourself. You can tell yourself that you must be alright. Just look at all the strong believers around you.

So just for a moment imagine that every follower of Jesus you know turns away from Him. Would you still follow Jesus or would you follow them?

When the moment of martyrdom comes you will have an individual choice. Will you follow Jesus even to death or will you follow others and save your life here on earth?

As important as group worship really is it is more important to be ready to be the only one left who is still faithful to God!

"Lord, give me the strength to be faithful to You even if I am the last Christian on earth. And help me be ready at any moment to join the ranks of the Martyrs. Amen."

Children of a Lion!

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The [Lord] said to Gog:
Long ago, I ordered my prophets to warn the people of Israel that someday I would send an enemy to attack them. You, Gog, are that enemy, and that day is coming.  When you invade Israel, I will become furious,  and in my anger I will send a terrible earthquake to shake Israel.  Every living thing on earth will tremble in fear of me—every fish and bird, every wild animal and reptile, and every human. Mountains will crumble, cliffs will fall, and cities will collapse.  I, the [Lord], will make the mountains of Israel turn against you. Your troops will be so terrified that they will attack each other.  I will strike you with diseases and punish you with death. You and your army will be pounded with rainstorms, hailstones, and burning sulfur.  I will do these things to show the world that I, the [Lord], am holy.

Ezekiel 38:17-23

The fulfillment of this prophecy will be amazing to see. Whoever the nation of Gog is or will be is "sent" by God to invade Israel and then their army destroyed by God for doing so.

The earthquake that happens when they invade Israel will be so strong that mountains will crumble. Then the invaders will be pummeled by sickness and death and don't forget the rainstorms, hailstones, and burning sulfur.

If some country from the north attempts to invade Israel and these things happen the whole world will know that God is still on His throne and is fully in control of the future!

If you stand in awe of God and trust Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life then you will not tremble in fear if His power is unleashed on the world around you.

Remember children of a Lion have no fear around the most feared of all the animals. And as a child of God you can rest in peace no matter what happens in this world! Amen!

Wake of Obedience!

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If you love me, you will do what I have said, and my Father will love you. I will also love you and show you what I am like.

The other Judas, not Judas Iscariot,  then spoke up and asked, “Lord, what do you mean by saying that you will show us what you are like, but you will not show the people of this world?”

Jesus replied:
If anyone loves me, they will obey me. Then my Father will love them, and we will come to them and live in them.

But anyone who doesn't love me, won't obey me. What they have heard me say doesn't really come from me, but from the Father who sent me.

John 14:21-24

Love is revealed by your actions. When a young man loves a young woman he will do something everyday because of that love. And it doesn't take long for those around him to see it.

The works that you do because of your love for Jesus are the window into your heart.

Sometimes we try to dissect our relationship with Jesus and say that our works are "not essential." We are saved by faith you know and not by works. Of course our works are not the reason for our relationship with Jesus, but there is no real relationship with Jesus without a wake of obedience following behind.

"Lord, what can I do for You today? Is there something, anything that would please You that I have the strength or You will give me the strength to do? I know Lord that You could do it for yourself, but may I have the privilege of obeying You and making You smile today? And Lord, all I ask is that You let me see Your smile! Amen"

Let God Fill Your Tank!

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When you become successful, don't say, “I'm rich, and I've earned it all myself.”

Instead, remember that the [Lord] your God gives you the strength to make a living. That's how he keeps the promise he made to your ancestors.

But I'm warning you—if you forget the [Lord] your God and worship other gods, the [Lord] will destroy you, just as he destroyed the nations you fought.

Deuteronomy 8:17-19

I have attended only one "Strong Man" exhibition. Frankly, it was very impressive. These giants of physical strength were able to bend iron bars, break boards and concrete blocks with their bare hands and tear very thick telephone books in half!

It was a unique show because all of these men gave the glory to God for their strength.

But the truth of the matter is this: Every bit of strength that you have comes from God Himself. You would not be able to go to work in the morning if God withheld His strength from your body.

Every successful endeavor in your life was fueled by the strength that came from God.

Instead of working hard to accomplish things for God, pray hard that He will give you the strength to do the things that He wants you to do.

You may be sitting in the driver's seat of your life but God is the one who fills the tank! Remember to let Him fill you up every morning!

Out of the Darkness!

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My dear friends, I am not writing to give you a new commandment. It is the same one you were first given, and it is the message you heard.

But it really is a new commandment, and you know its true meaning, just as Christ does. You can see the darkness fading away and the true light already shining.
If we claim to be in the light and hate someone, we are still in the dark.  But if we love others, we are in the light, and we don't cause problems for them.

If we hate others, we are living and walking in the dark. We don't know where we are going, because we can't see in the dark.

1 John 2:7-11

How many people can we hate and still not be walking in the dark? The Bible is very clear that we cannot hate anyone while we are in the light. We must step into the darkness in order to hate.

So if you were Satan how would you attack the people of God? Provoking hatred in the followers of Jesus would take them out of the light and put them into stumbling darkness!

So when you are attacked, misused or even abused how should you respond? First, you must recognize that if you return evil for evil you will step out of the light into darkness. God does the judging and the punishing. We have not been called to those roles in the lives of others. Our job is to love them and bring them the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Remember that Jesus asked God to forgive His executioners.

So when you hear of some wicked and evil person and you are tempted to hate that man because of his evil deeds, stop and remember that you have a choice. You can step into the darkness and hate or stand firm in the light and love. There are no other options.

The subtle temptation is to hate the wicked man while not doing him any harm. Then you can hold on to your own righteousness because you didn't "do" anything wrong. But there you will be believing that you righteous but filled with hate, while standing in and stumbling around in the dark.

One quick way to improve your walk with Jesus is to get rid of all the hate. Make a prayer list of all the people you know who are wicked and sincerely pray that God will bless them. You will be amazed at how much brighter the light will be on your path!

People are Like Grass!

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For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 
For,  "All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever."
And this is the word that was preached to you.
1 Peter 1:23-25


Passion for a perfect lawn is indeed very symbolic. The lawn care experts encourage us to make the short life of a blade of grass as beautiful and aesthetically pleasing as possible. We fertilize, kill the dandelions, and post the area with keep off the grass signs. But in a few short months the object of our attention dies and is gone.

Focus on our physical body and our life here on earth is like caring for a blade of grass. We spend our time and money making this life as beautiful and aesthetically pleasing as possible. Then in a few short years our bodies can no longer continue to live and we die. No matter how beautiful the lawn its glory fades as other years come and other lawns display their brief glory to the world around them.

The Word of God can turn a blade of grass into an eternally flowering plant! When you hear His Word and are Born Again because that seed was planted in you, then everything changes. Your life was temporary but now it is eternal. You had no hope for the future, but now you have hope forever! You had a moment of glory, but now you will have glory for all time and beyond!

Let the Word of God dwell richly in you! Think about it, speak it, and ponder the implications of God’s Word in your daily life. Memorize it. Carrying the Word of God in your heart is more potent than carrying a concealed weapon in your pocket.

The truth of life on this earth is that Jesus may indeed be coming soon, but as a blade of grass, I am going soon whether He comes soon or not! Jesus will come and I will go. But, I must spend my time getting ready to go rather than trying to predict the time of His return. If I am not ready to meet Jesus in the air, then I will not be ready to meet Him when I die. Prepare today to meet Jesus, nothing else will matter!

The Rebellion Factor!

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May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.
May you blow them away like smoke—
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.
But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.
Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds;
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
Psalm 68:1-6
In many cultures around the world we are taught to respect a self assured and confident man. It is a good thing for a man to know what he is doing. But there is just a small step from justifiable confidence into arrogance, pride and even rebellion.
When you rebel against the authority over you there are always negative consequences unless you overcome and defeat the power under whose control you live.
When you rebel against God you will suffer the consequences and you will not overcome or defeat God.
Again, Psalm 68:6 says the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. So if your land is having trouble with oppressive heat from the sun you might want to look at the rebellion factor.
Are you saying to God: "Thank you very much, but we can do quite well without You." Have you removed God from the center of your national life? Have you banned His Word from government buildings and prayers from schools?
If you have done these things and you are suffering from the sun, then you have two options. You can repent of your rebellion or enjoy the heat. Because if you don't repent it will only get worse!

The God Particle!

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Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors.  But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will some day belong to the Son.

God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together.
After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven.

He had become much greater than the angels, and the name he was given is far greater than any of theirs.

Hebrews 1:1-4

The headlines say that scientists may have found the Higgs Boson or  "God Particle."  I suppose for many it is just the next step in trying to understand the process of Creation without having faith in the Creator! I don't have a simple explanation, even for exactly what they are trying to find, but the basic truth is this: Jesus Christ created the universe and it holds together by His power! Jesus is the real "God Particle."

Do you remember when scientists were uncovering the truth of nuclear energy and some thought that one bomb would trigger the destruction of the whole world? With that question looming over the "best minds" in the world they tested one anyway. It sounds like an ignorant child testing the limits of his father's rules.

Are you determined to put the Word of God to the test and push the limits of what you can do without destroying yourself? The Grace of God is wonderful, but it is not for the purpose of allowing us to sin and get away with it!

Don't forget that when you turn your heart to Jesus you have found the real "God Particle." Jesus created everything that there is and He holds the universe together! Jesus created you and will put your life back together if you will let Him. Turn your heart to Jesus, today!

Summoned by God!

I make known the end from the beginning,

from ancient times, what is still to come.

I say: My purpose will stand,

and I will do all that I please.

From the east I summon a bird of prey;

from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.

What I have said, that will I bring about;

what I have planned, that will I do.

Isaiah 46:10-11

Have you been summoned by God? A summons is much more potent than simply a request or even a call. When you are summoned to court you have no choice but to come or to suffer the consequences. It is not an optional appeal.

According to these verses God summons men to fulfill His purposes in the world. God is the one who is working. Men are simply tools in His carpenter’s bag.

In the annals of Christian history there is a line of men and women who quit obviously were used by God to fulfill His purposes for that time and place. They are now remembered for the great strides forward that occurred as they walked in faith. You know the names but what you don’t know is how they themselves perceived their own relationship with God and their usefulness to His kingdom. In a sense these men and women were like mountain climbers who are remembered for “conquering” Mt. Everest. No mountain climber sees himself as great and powerful. Climbers cling to the mountain and move to the heights very slowly. Mountain climbers are humbled by the greatness of the mountain.

I dare say that if you were able to speak today with any “great saint” who has already finished the course you would hear him or her speak of the Majesty of God and Jesus Christ and completely ignore their own accomplishments.

For me the challenge is to cling to the Mountain of God and go to the heights as He gives me the strength. I must not seek accomplishments or to fulfill my purpose in life. I listen for the summons of God and walk in that purpose whether it is glorious or the most mundane of activities!

It is not my job to look for God’s purposes and then volunteer to work on their fulfillment. My task is to know His voice and answer Him when He calls. The job may be glorious or ghastly, but if it is His summons and His purpose then I am doing the thing for which He created me!

Today!

 

When the Son of Man comes, things will be just as they were when Noah lived.

People were eating, drinking, and getting married right up to the day when Noah went into the big boat. Then the flood came and drowned everyone on earth.

When Lott lived, people were also eating and drinking. They were buying, selling, planting, and building.  But on the very day Lot left Sodom, fiery flames poured down from the sky and killed everyone.

The same will happen on the day when the Son of Man appears.

Luke 17:26-30

The stories of Noah and of Sodom give us insight into how God brings judgment on a city and even on the world itself. People who paid no attention to God had no idea what was about to happen. They were not struggling with the conviction of their sin before God. Life was "normal" in every way until the day that God brought the flood or the fire. And then it was too late!

Jesus tells us that both of those stories reveal what it will be like just before His return to earth to gather His own and bring judgment to the rest.

When God's judgment comes to a city, your job as a believer is to make sure that you and your family are not there when it happens. And of course, don't look back when it does. When judgment comes on the whole world, get in the boat before the flood comes.

The Bible does give us prophecies that point to the time of God's judgments and they are helpful in knowing what is about to come on the world. But the day and hour of God's judgment seems to always be a mystery until it happens. Here is the best advice. Plan for the return of Jesus Christ today. Let all of your thoughts and actions be those that are appropriate for that final day. If you need to repent, don't wait until tomorrow to do it. If you need to get in the boat of God's Mercy and Grace, then give your heart to Jesus today, not tomorrow.

And if Jesus does not come today, then do it all again tomorrow! When you live like that you will be ready when Jesus comes!