Defeating the Beast and 666

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After this, I looked at the sky and saw something else that was strange and important. Seven angels were bringing the last seven terrible troubles. When these are ended, God will no longer be angry.  Then I saw something that looked like a glass sea mixed with fire, and people were standing on it. They were the ones who had defeated the beast and the idol and the number that tells the name of the beast. God had given them harps, and they were singing the song that his servant Moses and the Lamb had sung. They were singing, "Lord God All-Powerful, you have done great and marvelous things. You are the ruler of all nations, and you do what is right and fair."

Revelation 15:1-3

Who were these people who were standing on something that looked like a glass sea mixed with fire?  They were the ones who had defeated the beast, the idol and 666! 

A very important part of the message of scripture is that Satan is ultimately defeated and of course the Power of Jesus on the Cross defeated Satan and took the sting out of even death itself!  

As followers of Jesus, we are not simply standing on the sideline, watching the contest!  We are allowed by God to be part of the battle against the Beast, the Idol and 666!  

Spiritual warfare is not simply defensive.  Of course, we are empowered to fend off the attacks of Satan and stand firm on the ground that God has given us.  But we are also enabled to attack the Enemy with the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God!  That is one very good reason why you should memorize scripture.  When you speak the Word of God, the Devil trembles and runs away!  The sound of God's Word coming from your mouth frightens even the bravest evil minion!

Don't be content to stand on the sideline and watch the battle!  Make Words of Scripture part of your daily vocabulary.  God's Word coming from your mouth is one very important way for you to join the battle against Satan.

"Lord Jesus, bring Your Word to my mind so that I can swing the Sword of the Spirit in the battle today.  Praise Your Holy Name, now and forever, Amen!"

Keep It Secret

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I saw another powerful angel come down from heaven. This one was covered with a cloud, and a rainbow was over his head. His face was like the sun, his legs were like columns of fire, and with his hand he held a little scroll that had been unrolled. He stood there with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.  Then he shouted with a voice that sounded like a growling lion. Thunder roared seven times.  After the thunder stopped, I was about to write what it had said. But a voice from heaven shouted, "Keep it secret! Don't write these things."  The angel I had seen standing on the sea and the land then held his right hand up toward heaven.  He made a promise in the name of God who lives forever and who created heaven, earth, the sea, and every living creature. The angel said, "You won't have to wait any longer.  God told his secret plans to his servants the prophets, and it will all happen by the time the seventh angel sounds his trumpet."

Revelation 10:1-7

I would like to briefly consider two questions.  First, does God ever tell secrets to His servants?  Secondly, if the answer is Yes, then why would God tell a man something that he should not pass on to others?

For years I have thought that if I heard God say something, it was my responsibility to pass those Words on to as many people as possible.  These verses clearly indicate that sometimes God speaks for my ears only!  

I believe that His communication that is just for you is an important part of the very personal relationship that you can have with Jesus!  I can't imagine calling someone "friend" and then telling everyone else everything your friend says to you!

The truth is that you are very special to Jesus and He wants to hear what is in your heart! And He will tell you what is in His!  

Yes, we must proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone on earth, but sometimes He tells us something and then says, as He did to the author of Revelation "Keep It Secret!"

"Lord Jesus, may I keep secret the things that You don't want me to share with others.  But Lord, give the courage to shout from the mountain tops the Good News of the Cross and Your Precious Blood.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

  

The Way You Feel

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Jesus knew that they had some questions, so he said: You are wondering what I meant when I said that for a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me.  I tell you for certain that you will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but later you will be happy.  When a woman is about to give birth, she is in great pain. But after it is all over, she forgets the pain and is happy, because she has brought a child into the world.  You are now very sad. But later I will see you, and you will be so happy that no one will be able to change the way you feel.

John 16:19-22

After a traumatic experience, like a death in the family or a serious accident, a counselor may ask you how it makes you feel.  Feelings are an important part of life itself.  If you feel sad, life is hard and every day can be a burden.  If you feel happy you can go on through very challenging times without being overcome by your problems.

When you meet Jesus, the Joy of the Lord becomes part of your life, every day.  Satan cannot steal your salvation, but he will try to take away your joy!  The Devil will use every lie he can imagine to make your witness to the world around you ineffective!  

Once you have come to know Jesus Christ, you can have joy even in the most trying circumstances.  The Bible even speaks of "Joy" in relation to Jesus going to the Cross.  Pain and suffering, heart ache, difficulties and grief, sickness and death will come to all of us as human beings, but because we know Jesus we can hold on to "Joy" through it all.

I can personally say that the most frequent temptation, after meeting Jesus and discovering the greatest joy ever, is the temptation to let the daily circumstances of life steal the joy that came when I met the Lord.

Without the Joy of the Lord in my life, my faith can be easily discredited by the world around me.  But with His Joy my life screams that Jesus is real and the promise of Heaven is True!

"Lord Jesus, help me today to hold on to the Joy that only comes from You.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Haters Become Lovers

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So I command you to love each other.  If the people of this world hate you, just remember that they hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, its people would love you. But you don't belong to the world. I have chosen you to leave the world behind, and that is why its people hate you.

John 15:17-19

This is a very simple and profound truth!  If you belong to the world, the people of the world will love you.  If you belong to Jesus, the people of this world will hate you.

God is not like the people of this world.  God loves  you even if you don't belong to Him and you reject Jesus Christ!  In fact, Jesus died for the people who rejected Him and loved the world instead of God.  So the very people who hated Jesus are the ones He died to save!  And when you belong to Him, those who hate Him will hate you.  

But when they turn and come to Jesus, suddenly you become a precious loved one of those who were on their way to Hell with no possibility of pardon.  

If you want the world to love you, the only way is for them to hear the Story of Jesus and accept Him for who He is and what He did!  Then Haters will become Lovers!  

Remember, when the lost are reconciled to God, they also become a dear loved one of those they once hated!

If you want to be truly loved, spreading the message of Jesus Christ is the only way to make it happen!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for Your enemies.  And Lord, I know that Your enemies once included me!  Praise Your Holy and Righteous Name, now and forever.  Amen."

Is Jesus in Your Boat Today?

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When Jesus had finished speaking, he told Simon, "Row the boat out into the deep water and let your nets down to catch some fish."  "Master," Simon answered, "we have worked hard all night long and have not caught a thing. But if you tell me to, I will let the nets down."  They did it and caught so many fish that their nets began ripping apart.  Then they signaled for their partners in the other boat to come and help them. The men came, and together they filled the two boats so full that they both began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw this happen, he knelt down in front of Jesus and said, "Lord, don't come near me! I am a sinner."

Luke 5:4-8

Peter knew what he was doing when it came to fishing.  Peter was sure that fishing where Jesus told him to would be useless!  I am sure that the catch of fish on that day was the most impressive Peter and the others had ever seen.

But catching fish was not the point of being a disciple of Jesus.  The point was "Catching Men!"

The Bible does not say, but I wonder if the number of fish caught on that day was the same as the number of men and women who came to Jesus when Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost. 

Needless to say, Peter saw the Power of God working through Jesus Christ.  When Peter saw who Jesus was, he was immediately convicted of the fact that Peter himself was a sinner.  

If you say that you are a follower of Jesus Christ and yet you have never been made fully aware of how very sinful you are, I would suggest that Jesus may not have been in your boat!  When Jesus is in your boat you see two things clearly.  First you see the power of God working all around you, doing things that cannot be done without Him.  Secondly, you see that you are a sinner, and in desperate need of a Savior!

"Lord Jesus, come into my boat today, so that I can see Your mighty power, and so that I can know how very much I need You because of my sin.  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Expand Your Comfort Zone

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When we love others, we know that 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.

1 John 3:19-23

Are you comfortable in the presence of God?  In some ways that is a strange question, but it is an important one.  How can a human being, most of whom weigh between one and two hundred pounds, and has a brain that weighs only about three pounds be comfortable in the presence of Almighty and Eternal, Creator God?

There is a way for us to be at ease with God and these verses clearly tell us.  Since human beings are made in the Image of God, and God is Love when we love each other we can be "at ease" in the presence of God! 

When you truly love someone, you are doing what God does!  He made you in His image, and if you are a Jesus Follower you have the Holy Spirit living inside you.  When you love others you are being like God.  Perhaps that is why the Bible tells us to love our enemies, because that is what God does!

Loving other people is the test of your heart!  If you love other people, then you are like God and you will be comfortable in His presence.  Of course, faith in Jesus Christ is the only Way to come into the presence of God!  If you try to come to God without faith in Jesus, you will not succeed.

Faith in Jesus Christ and loving other men, as God does, will expand your comfort Zone to include God Himself!

"Lord Jesus make my heart like Yours and help me to love everyone as You always do!  Praise Your Holy and Righteous Name, now and forever.  Amen."

Wall of Righteousness

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But we are citizens of heaven and are eagerly waiting for our Savior to come from there. Our Lord Jesus Christ has power over everything, and he will make these poor bodies of ours like his own glorious body.

Philippians 3:20-21

There is much in the news today about people who live in a country without being "legally" there. There is a vigorous argument by some that a strong and secure wall will keep out those who don't have the right to be there. Others say it is better to have "open borders" and let anyone who wants to be there come.  

It is not a "Wall" that keeps people, who have no right to be there out of Heaven.  

The Majesty of God Himself is so wonderful, amazing, awesome, overwhelming and yes, even fearsome, that stepping into His presence without being clothed in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ would be Fatal!  God told Moses that he could not see His face and live!

The best and I believe most effective "wall" is a Wall of Righteousness!  If a people turn their hearts to God and trust Jesus with a Faith that pleases the Father, the ungodly, unholy and truly wicked will want to be somewhere else!

Imagine a nation of people who experience a massive and overwhelming revival, where the Holy Spirit has His way with every aspect of the life of that land!  That country will not need a wall to keep evil people from coming in.  Those who hate God will run away from that land.

"Lord Jesus, may You build a Wall of Righteousness around my land, and may You Jesus  be praised and honored, now and forever.  Amen.

Before Your Next Breath

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Every time I think of you, I thank my God.  And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy.  This is because you have taken part with me in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it.  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 1:3-6

After you hear about Jesus, how long should you wait to tell someone else about the Good News of Jesus Christ?  The Philippian christians began telling other people about Jesus on the very day they heard it themselves!

God began the "good work" of encouraging them to tell others about the Lord!  That "good work" won't be finished until the Day that Jesus returns!  So if today is the Day and Jesus will return this afternoon, there are still people who need to hear the Gospel this morning!  It may indeed be that there will be those who come to Christ and then before their next breath the trumpet will sound! 

So instead of looking to the sky to catch the first glimpse of the Second Coming, look around you to catch the attention of someone who is not yet ready to hear the Trumpet Sound!  Fishing for men does not stop until Jesus touches down on that amazing day!

"Lord Jesus, show me someone today who needs to hear about Your Love and give me the courage to speak Your Words to their heart.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Hate List

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You were far from God. But Christ offered his life's blood as a sacrifice and brought you near God. Christ has made peace between Jews and Gentiles, and he has united us by breaking down the wall of hatred that separated us. Christ gave his own body to destroy the Law of Moses with all its rules and commands. He even brought Jews and Gentiles together as though we were only one person, when he united us in peace.  On the cross Christ did away with our hatred for each other. He also made peace between us and God by uniting Jews and Gentiles in one body.

Ephesians 2:13-16

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, He wants you to love your enemies.  That is an amazing thing to think about.  By definition, enemies are not loved by each other.  "Hate" is the word that the world uses for enemies, not "Love."

So we take the first step in the loving, two way relationship that will happen when our enemies also turn to Christ!  If you want to be like Jesus then you will love those who are still your enemies, just like Jesus did.  The Good News of Jesus Christ is that all men and women are loved by God, loved by Jesus and loved by those who walk through this life, filled with the Holy Spirit.  

If you want to examine your own faith and determine whether or not you are a "real" Christian, you must look at your love for those who hate you.  The Bible also says that people will know that you are a Christ follower by your love!

Some people use and recommend having a "prayer list."  It is a list of the names of people for whom you are praying.  But I am afraid too many followers of Jesus also have a "Hate List." It may not be very long, but it too often does exist.

The truth is that if you are like Jesus your "Prayer List" will included everyone on earth and your "Hate List" will have no names on it! If you have a "Hate List" begin today to move all those names to your prayer list of people you love!  

"Lord Jesus, thank You for making peace on earth. Help me today to love and not hate every person on this earth.  Praise Your Holy Name, now and forever.  Amen."

This Morning's Testimony

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I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God.


Ephesians 1:17

When you meet someone, only once you usually don't proclaim to others that you know them.  I have met a few people who were well known in the world, but my one time encounter did not give me the right to say, "I know him!"

I have met a man who was the president of a country, a movie star, a rather famous singer, and many other people who were well known for the lives they lived.  But none of those meetings gave me the right to say that I know those people.

"Knowing" someone means much more than a one time meeting.  Knowing God means much more than meeting Him once!  When someone gives their "testimony" about when they met Jesus many years ago, it does not mean that they really know Him!  Knowing Jesus is not a one time meeting.  Knowing Jesus is an ongoing relationship that lasts until you leave this world and beyond!

If you know Jesus, your every day is involved with Him.  He is on your mind when you wake in the morning.  You think about Him as you walk through your day, and He is the last thing you ponder as you lay down to sleep at night.  

Of course, meeting Jesus the first time is important and you will remember it, but being with Jesus every day is what your life is all about!  When you "give your testimony" and tell about the first time you met Jesus, be sure and include the story about your meeting with Him this morning!

"Lord Jesus, help me today to know more about what it means to know You and the Father.  Praise Your Holy Name, now and forever.  Amen."

The Great Eraser

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The Scriptures say, "God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him."  Money paid to workers isn't a gift. It is something they earn by working.  But you cannot make God accept you because of something you do. God accepts sinners only because they have faith in him.  In the Scriptures David talks about the blessings that come to people who are acceptable to God, even though they don't do anything to deserve these blessings. David says, "God blesses people whose sins are forgiven and whose evil deeds are forgotten.  The Lord blesses people whose sins are erased from his book."

Romans 4:3-8

I don't remember how old I was, but there was a time in my early education when my teachers told me that I could write with a pen instead of a pencil!  The problem with pen and ink, of course is that you cannot erase it!  Of course not being able to erase something you have written is a good thing if your writing is praise worthy!

When a man or woman sins that sin is written in God's Book! Yes, your sin is written in permanent ink that no man can erase!  After you sin, it doesn't matter how many good things you do, you cannot erase even one act of rebellion against God!  

Even if you change and never sin again, that sin is still in your history, story and memory as long as you live!  The Good News of Jesus Christ is that, on the Cross Jesus erased your sin!  It is not simply forgiven, it is erased from God's Book!  

Because of Jesus, your sin is not "history."  Your sin is forever erased!  With Jesus there is no record of your sin in God's Book!  Jesus is "THE GREAT ERASER."

"Lord Jesus, because of You and Your sacrifice there is no record of my sin!  May You be praised now and forever.  Amen."   

Jesus Paid the Full Price

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God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.  Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.  For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’  “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”  When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”  Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:32-38

It is important for every believer to recognize that we are not saved by our own works, but by the Blood of Jesus.  So why didn't Peter answer the question on Pentecost about what they should do by saying that they should do nothing?  If Peter was a preacher in our day, would he not have said, "Jesus did it all, you must do nothing?"

It certainly is true that Jesus did it all.  But it is not true that you must do nothing.  Nothing you do can provide even a tiny part of the price of your salvation, but without repentance and baptism there is no Biblical promise of forgiveness of sins!  

The illustration is certainly not perfect, but if you have a lottery ticket with all the winning numbers, but you never turn that ticket in to collect your prize you will not receive it.  

If you try to "be saved" without doing what the Bible tells you to do, should you be surprised if Jesus says "I never knew you" on the Day of Judgment.

Please understand that I am not trying to enter the "debate" about these things.  Whatever you believe about them is between you and the Lord.  But remember that He is the one who inspired the writers of the Bible to speak about them.

"Lord Jesus, I do want to be obedient to You in everything.  Thank You for paying the full price for my salvation! May Your Holy and righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

All You Can Eat Fish Dinner!

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When Jesus saw the large crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, "Where will we get enough food to feed all these people?"  He said this to test Philip, since he already knew what he was going to do.  Philip answered, "Don't you know that it would take almost a year's wages just to buy only a little bread for each of these people?"  Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the disciples. He spoke up and said, "There is a boy here who has five small loaves of barley bread and two fish. But what good is that with all these people?"  The ground was covered with grass, and Jesus told his disciples to have everyone sit down. About five thousand men were in the crowd.  Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave thanks to God. Then he passed the bread to the people, and he did the same with the fish, until everyone had plenty to eat.  The people ate all they wanted, and Jesus told his disciples to gather up the leftovers, so that nothing would be wasted.

John 6:5-12

There is a Chinese Restaurant not far from my house which has an "all you can eat" buffet.  You pay one price and you can eat until you have had all you want.

Jesus provided the most famous "all you can eat" meal.  Five thousand people ate until they were full  because the five loaves of bread and two fish passed through the hands of Jesus and were blessed by Him!

This same miracle happens every day as two fish produce hundreds of offspring who do the same.  A hand full of barley seed can sprout and after only a few more times of planting the seed that comes there will be plenty to make enough barley bread to feed five thousand men or more.  Don't believe the lie that there are too many people in the world for God to feed!

These verses clearly tell us  that God can take what you have and provide what you need as it passes through the hands of Jesus.  If you want to be blessed, or be a blessing to others give your "two fish and five loaves" to Jesus and let Him pass out the blessings!

"Lord Jesus, take my fish and loaves and use them to feed those who are hungry for You!  And may Your Holy Name be praised now and forever. Amen."

The Eyes of the Poor

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If you mistreat the poor, you insult your Creator; if you are kind to them, you show him respect.

Proverbs 14:31


Have you ever wondered why there are so many poor people in the world?  With the riches of Eternity at His disposal God could distribute enough wealth to the poor of this world to wipe out every bit of poverty.

Some people blame God for withholding riches from the poor, just as some blame God for not healing all the sick people in this world!  

So does poverty serve a purpose in the world, and if so what is it?  According to Proverbs 14:31 when poor people are treated well God is honored, not insulted.  And when you are kind to the poor God is shown respect.  

If you have prayed "Lord, I want to see Your face," then look at the face of a beggar and know that God is seeing you through the eyes of the poor!  Remember, Jesus Himself said that He did not have a place to lay His head!  (Luke 9:58)

"Lord Jesus, may I see Your face today and honor You when I do!  Help me know how to be kind to the poor in this world.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

The Ultimate Obligation!

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The Lord wants you to obey all human authorities, especially the Emperor, who rules over everyone.  You must also obey governors, because they are sent by the Emperor to punish criminals and to praise good citizens.  God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right.  You are free, but still you are God's servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong.  Respect everyone and show special love for God's people. Honor God and respect the Emperor.

1 Peter 2:13-17

When Daniel disobeyed the King and continued to pray to God even though the King had commanded him not to do it, was he not contradicting what the Holy Spirit said in these verses?

When disobedience to the Emperor is based on obedience to God, there is no question that it is the right thing to do.  But disobedience to the Emperor based on political party, economic philosophy, or simply the fact that you don't like the leader is clearly wrong!  

Jesus followers in the New Testament time continued to proclaim the Gospel even though the leaders had ordered them not to do it!  In fact, if no one opposes what you are doing for Jesus, you need to re-examine your efforts.  Satan will oppose what the Holy Spirit is leading you to accomplish!

There are plenty of "Orders from the Emperor" that need to be disobeyed today!  Governments today often tell people when and where they can or cannot pray!  They are told not to meet for worship and they are told not to tell other people about Jesus.

Even though there are lots of examples of God's people disobeying the "Emperor" we are not told to speak evil of or dishonor him!  God used Pharaoh to accomplish His purposes and He will use your leaders to do the same!  

"Thank You Jesus that obeying Your Word is the Ultimate Obligation that I have as a human being.  May Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

The Legacy of Abel

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Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see.  It was their faith that made our ancestors pleasing to God.  Because of our faith, we know that the world was made at God's command. We also know that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.  Because Abel had faith, he offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. God was pleased with him and his gift, and even though Abel is now dead, his faith still speaks for him.

Hebrews 11:1-4

A very wise man once told me that leaving a large estate of property and money is not the best thing you can leave for your children.   

The best thing to pass on to your children and to those who knew you well is an example of faith and obedience to God.  

God was pleased with Abel and his sacrifice.  Abel trusted God and had faith in Him.  That pleased God.  Abel was obedient and sacrificed the thing that God wanted.  

Faith and Obedience are both desired by God.  If you have faith in God but do not obey Him, God will not be pleased.  If you do not trust the Lord but attempt to be obedient to His commands, He will not be happy.

An old song said it well.  "Trust and Obey, for their is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to Trust and Obey."

May it be said of you that God is pleased with both your Faith and your Sacrifice.  Abel left a legacy for all of us that is more valuable than all the gold and silver in the world!  

"Lord Jesus, may I leave those who come after me an example of faith in You and obedience to Your every command.  Praise Your Holy Name, now and forever.  Amen."

Living in a War Zone

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Don't forget all the hard times you went through when you first received the light.  Sometimes you were abused and mistreated in public, and at other times you shared in the sufferings of others.  You were kind to people in jail. And you gladly let your possessions be taken away, because you knew you had something better, something that would last forever.  Keep on being brave! It will bring you great rewards.  Learn to be patient, so that you will please God and be given what he has promised.  As the Scriptures say, "God is coming soon! It won't be very long.

Hebrews 10:32-37

There are many people around the world who are living in a "War Zone."  You may be one of those whose life is consumed with the need to stay safe and avoid the dangers of the conflict that is raging all around you.  The war, the sounds of war and the need to avoid becoming a casualty of that war take most of your time during the day and night!

Every follower of Jesus Christ is living in a War Zone!  It is the war between Good and Evil, Righteousness and Unrighteousness, Jesus and Satan!  The final outcome of that War was decided on the Cross of Calvary, but the battle rages until the final return of Jesus to harvest His people!

If you consider yourself to be a Christian and see no evidence of the war in or even around your life, then that may be a serious warning sign that something is very wrong!  

Perhaps, instead of being a soldier in God's Army, you are just a child playing war games with your friends.  All of the troops in the Army of Jesus Christ engage the Enemy in the deadly conflict.  We are all called to be "front line" soldiers!

If won't be very long until Jesus returns and the war will be over!  Be ready for His return and engage the Enemy today!  

"Lord Jesus, thank You for winning the War by Your sacrifice on the Cross.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Vacation with God

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The promise to enter the place of rest is still good, and we must take care that none of you miss out.  We have heard the message, just as they did. But they failed to believe what they heard, and the message did not do them any good. Only people who have faith will enter the place of rest. It is just as the Scriptures say, "God became angry and told the people, 'You will never enter my place of rest!' " God said this, even though everything has been ready from the time of creation.  In fact, somewhere the Scriptures say that by the seventh day, God had finished his work, and so he rested.  We also read that he later said, "You people will never enter my place of rest!"  This means that the promise to enter is still good, because those who first heard about it disobeyed and did not enter  Much later God told David to make the promise again, just as I have already said, "If you hear his voice today, don't be stubborn!"  If Joshua had really given the people rest, there would not be any need for God to talk about another day of rest.  But God has promised us a Sabbath when we will rest, even though it has not yet come.  On that day God's people will rest from their work, just as God rested from his work.

Hebrews 4:1-10

After a hard day at work, most people have a special place they can rest, relax and enjoy their own "place of rest."  

God has a "place of rest."  And God has promised that those who have faith in Him will enter His Place of Rest!  It is amazing that God lets His people work with Him, and I think it is even more amazing that He allows His people to rest with Him!  God's place of rest is where His people will be with Him forever.

Some people on this earth are blessed with the opportunity to go on vacation!  They get away from their normal responsibilities and rest for a time!  In God's place of rest, those who have faith in Jesus Christ will be on an Eternal Vacation!  Absent from your schedule will be the frustrations,  oppositions, worries, inabilities, and every other negative thing that bothers you here on earth! 

The most amazing vacations on this earth are the ones when you were a small child and your parents took you on vacation.  Your job was to go along and enjoy the ride!  Your father took care of everything!  He made sure you had something to eat and a place to sleep each night.  In my family it was my mother who would tell us all about the sights we were seeing along the way.  It was a wonderful time that you hoped would never end.

Your Vacation with God is the same.  He will take care of everything, provide everything, and tell us all about the sights on the way. And the best part is that your Vacation with God will never end!

"Lord Jesus, I do look forward to being in Your Place of Rest.  Thank You for the wonderful, eternal promise of being on 'Vacation with God.'  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

 

You Didn't Build That

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My friends, God has chosen you to be his holy people. So think about Jesus, the one we call our apostle and high priest!  Jesus was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in serving all of God's people.  But Jesus deserves more honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves more honor than the house.  Of course, every house is built by someone, and God is really the one who built everything.

Hebrews 3:1-4

President Obama made the words "You didn't build that" well known and certainly controversial.  I think he was trying to say that everyone has help from someone else in making accomplishments in this life.  And, of course, that is true.

These Words from Hebrews 3 are very humbling.  They say, "God is really the one who built everything."  When I was a little boy and my mother was teaching me about God she told me that God made everything.  I remember asking her if God made the telephone.  She explained that a man made the telephone, but God gave the man the ability and intelligence to put it together!

What good thing have you done in this life that you would have been able to accomplish without God?  If you can play beautiful music on a piano, remember that it is God who gave you ten fingers with which to play!  If you can run faster than anyone else on earth, don't forget that God formed your legs while you were still in your mother's womb.  If you can sing like no other man or woman, never forget that God Himself crafted your vocal cords and gave you ears that can direct you to sing exactly the right note!

The pride and arrogance of a "self made man" are a real temptation for those whose accomplishments are many.  God is the One who made you, and He has a purpose for your life in this world.  

If His purpose for you today is to deliver a cup of cold water to a thirsty human being, then there is no greater thing you could do!  When you lift up your hands to praise God, offer up those hands to work for Him today!  When you do that you will begin to see the miraculous power of God working all around you and even through you!

"Praise Your Holy and Righteous Name, now and forever.  Amen."

Good Times Will End

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You are cruel, and you forget the coming day of judgment.  You rich people lounge around on beds with ivory posts, while dining on the meat of your lambs and calves.  You sing foolish songs to the music of harps, and you make up new tunes, just as David used to do.  You drink all the wine you want and wear expensive perfume, but you don't care about the ruin of your nation.  So you will be the first to be dragged off as captives; your good times will end.

Amos 6:3-7

The decade of the 1920's was called, even at the time, the Roaring Twenties.  It was a time of prosperity around the world.  No one knew that the stock market crash of 1929 was on it's way and that the "Good Times" would come to a sobering end!  The Great Depression was the "hangover" after the intoxication of the Roaring Twenties!

These verses from Amos 6 warn of  "good times" based on wealth and prosperity coming to an end while no one cares about the ruin of the nation.  Amos gave that warning to the nation of Israel  years  before Jesus was born. 

The fruit of economic success can be wiped out in one day!  No one can avoid the Day of Judgement by becoming wealthy!  

For those who reject Jesus Christ, your "Good Times" will end.  Earthly riches will all be destroyed, but Heavenly wealth will last forever! Before deciding how rich you are, check your account in Heaven!

"Lord Jesus, thank you for providing all I need in this world and the next.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."