Works Salvation or Salvation Works?

Click here to listen to blog

My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don't do anything to show that you really do have faith?  Can that kind of faith save you?  If you know someone who doesn't have any clothes or food, you shouldn't just say, "I hope all goes well for you.  I hope. you will be warm and have plenty to eat.  "What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help?  Faith that doesn't lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead!

James 2:14-17

Jesus did all the work that resulted in our salvation.  Jesus was the only person ever born on planet earth who could die for our sins!  

Human beings cannot, and do not work for their salvation! The price for your salvation is too high for you to ever pay for it.  

There is no such thing, then as "Works Salvation!"  But there most certainly are "Salvation Works."

Because you are saved by the Blood of Jesus your faith is expressed in many good works. The man or woman who tries to work for their salvation cannot even begin to match the good works of the one who is saved!

A very common lie of Satan is this:  "Since you are saved, you don't need to worry about working for Jesus!"  Satan tells that lie because he wants you to be useless in the spreading of the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

"Lord Jesus, thank You for saving me and for giving me the Power of the Holy Spirit to touch everyone I meet today with Your Righteousness and the hope of Eternity that only comes because of Your Blood.  Praise Your Holy Name, now and forever.  Amen."  

When My Mind Fails

Click here to listen to blog

Once I was bitter and broken hearted.  I was stupid and ignorant, and I treated you as a wild animal would.  But I never really left you, and you hold my right hand.  Your advice has been my guide, and later you will welcome me in glory. In heaven I have only you, and on this earth you are all I want.  My body and mind may fail, but you are my strength and my choice forever.

Psalm 73:21-26

When my body fails, Jesus is my strength.  I may not be able to accomplish even the smallest task, but He will provide whatever it is that I need!

But what about when my mind fails?  When I can't choose the right thing, or perhaps I can't choose anything because my mind is suffering from simple memory loss or even what we today call dementia, what do I do then?  

The truth is that I can lose my mind without losing Jesus!  We put too much importance on the ability of a mind.  A man or woman with the most capable mind is not more precious to the Lord than the one with the least capable!  

Jesus looks at the heart, not the mind!  Turn your heart to Jesus every day and trust Him to take care of your mind.

"Lord Jesus, I know that someday my body will fail, and yes perhaps even my mind. But I am Yours and You will never fail me!  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."  

Sing Happy Songs in the Shadow of His Wings

Click here. to listen to blog

You are my God.  I worship you.  In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert.  I have seen your power and your glory in the place of worship.  Your love means more than life to me, and I praise you.  As long as I live, I will pray to you.  I will sing joyful praises and be filled with excitement like a guest at a banquet. I think about you before I go to sleep, and my thoughts turn to you during the night.  You have helped me, and I sing happy songs in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 63:1-7

What would you do if you got the news that you just inherited several million dollars?  I'm not asking what you would do with the money, but rather what kind of expressions of joy would show the world around you?

You might jump, shout, clap your hands or even sing for joy! 

But without the good news of your inheritance it is impossible for someone not trained as an actor to convincingly demonstrate joy that is not there!

If you want to be a believable witness for Jesus, you must first let the Good News of Jesus Christ settle deep in your heart!  Then you will sing happy songs in the Shadow of His Wings.

Perhaps these are the words to the happiest song of all:

JESUS LOVES ME

THIS I KNOW

FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO!

"Lord Jesus, teach me more Happy Songs that I can sing in the shadow of Your Wings!  May Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Don't Put Tar Between Your Bricks

Click here to listen to blog

At first everyone spoke the same language, but after some of them moved from the east and settled in Babylonia, they said: Let's build a city with a tower that reaches to the sky! We'll use hard bricks and tar instead of stone and mortar. We'll become famous, and we won't be scattered all over the world.  But when the LORD came down to look at the city and the tower, he said: These people are working together because they all speak the same language. This is just the beginning. Soon they will be able to do anything they want.  Come on! Let's go down and confuse them by making them speak different languages--then they won't be able to understand each other.  So the people had to stop building the city, because the LORD confused their language and scattered them all over the earth. That's how the city of Babel got its name.

Genesis 11:1-8

If God had not confused the language of those who were building the Tower of Babel, can you imagine how that story might have ended?  They would have soon learned that using tar and bricks to build a skyscraper instead of stone and mortar would not be a good idea, especially on a hot day!

So it was not Satan who made it difficult for the whole world to come together and work as one!  The Father wants us to be "One in Christ" but not "One in Our pursuit of Evil."

Why was the Tower of Babel not a good thing? These verses clearly say that the motive behind the Tower of Babel was fame!  The people who attempted to build the Tower of Babel wanted to be Famous for their effort!  God clearly ruled that out as a noble and legitimate purpose in your life!  

Being well known and even admired by other men is not generally a blessing in life!  Fame brings a burden that few enjoy after they get it!  

So if you are building a tower, make sure that it is a tower that has God's approval and don't put tar between your bricks!

"Lord Jesus, I want to be known by You and not by other men!  What You think of me is more important than all the praise the world can give!  May Your Holy and Precious Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."   

Season of New Life

Click here to listen to blog

The day of judgment is certain to come. And it will be like a red-hot furnace with flames that burn up proud and sinful people, as though they were straw. Not a branch or a root will be left. I, the LORD All-Powerful, have spoken!  But for you that honor my name, victory will shine like the sun with healing in its rays, and you will jump around like calves at play.

Malachi 4:1-2

As I write these words, Spring has come!  There are still some cool days, but there are also days of bright warm sunshine that bring healing to your body, mind and spirit!  Being bathed in the warmth of the sun is perhaps the most pleasant and satisfying feeling of the season change from Winter to Spring!

It makes you want to move and perhaps even "jump around like calves at play!"

When Jesus comes you will feel the warmth of the Son of God and you will move your feet like never before!  Whatever about you that is sick will be healed and all sadness will turn to joy!  Your voice will sing Hallelujah and your heart will overflow with the Love of Jesus and Peace that comes from knowing that the time when you will be taken to Heaven has finally come!

That Spring will be a Season of New Life and the Beginning of Time without End!  Nothing you have ever experienced will be as wonderful!  And you can be sure, it is coming and it is coming soon!

"Thank You Jesus for the Joy and Peace of Eternity that will come for those who love You, on that Glorious Day of Your Return! Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Image of Eternity

Click here to listen to blog

You people in Judah and Jerusalem have been unfaithful to the LORD. You have disgraced the temple that he loves, and you have committed the disgusting sin of worshiping other gods.  I pray that the LORD will no longer let those who are guilty belong to his people, even if they eagerly decide to offer the LORD a gift.  And what else are you doing? You cry noisily and flood the LORD's altar with your tears, because he isn't pleased with your offerings and refuses to accept them.  And why isn't God pleased? It's because he knows that each of you men has been unfaithful to the wife you married when you were young. You promised that she would be your partner, but now you have broken that promise.  Didn't God create you to become like one person with your wife? And why did he do this? It was so you would have children, and then lead them to become God's people. Don't ever be unfaithful to your wife.

Malachi 2:11-15

The Holy Spirit inspired the prophet Malachi to compare "worshipping other gods" to being unfaithful to your wife.  When a man puts "another woman" into the focus of his heart his wife shares the sorrow of God!  

Marriage is a human relationship which is an image of the God-Man interaction which He desires with all His heart!  

The relationship that we can have with God through His Son Jesus Christ is like marriage in so many ways.  Our close, personal relationship with Jesus results in "new life." 

When you live out the image of Eternity in your marriage, you will be blessed in many ways!  But when you violate that picture in your marriage, your fellowship with Jesus is seriously damaged!  

Let the Word of God, spoken by Malachi ring in your ears and go deep in your heart!  "Don't ever be unfaithful to your wife!"

"Lord Jesus, help me to guard my heart in my relationship with You and with my wife.  May Your Holy and Precious Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Jesus is the Messenger and the Message

Click here to listen to blog

I, the LORD, also promise you a terrible shortage, but not of food and water. You will hunger and thirst to hear my message.  You will search everywhere-- from north to south, from east to west. You will go all over the earth, seeking a message from me, the LORD. But you won't find one.

Amos 8:11-12

Are you seeking a message from God?  Do you want to know what God thinks about your concerns?  

Often, we as human beings seek to know what God thinks about a matter in order to confirm that what we already think is indeed the right thing!  We are not seeking to know His thoughts so we can align our thinking to His! 

There are millions of people alive today who are seeking God, but rejecting Jesus Christ!  Jesus Himself said that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that no one can come to the Father except  through Him!  So, even if you are seeking the right God, but are trying to come to Him without Jesus, you will fail because Jesus is the only Way to God!

God created man with a desire to know Him.  But sin destroyed the relationship of Adam and Eve with God.  Jesus came to restore the fellowship of men with God.  If you are seeking to know God without Jesus you will fail.  If you are seeking to know Jesus Christ, you will come to know the Father as well!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for being the Messenger and the Message from God for all of those who follow You.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Pride Like a Cedar Tree

Click here to listen to blog

Ezekiel, son of man, tell the king of Egypt and his people that I am saying: You are more powerful than anyone on earth. Now listen to this.  There was once a cedar tree in Lebanon with large, strong branches reaching to the sky.  This tree had plenty of water to help it grow tall, and nearby streams watered the other trees in the forest.  But this tree towered over those other trees, and its branches grew long and thick.  Birds built nests in its branches, and animals were born beneath it. People from all nations lived in the shade of this strong tree.  It had beautiful, long branches, and its roots found water deep in the soil.  None of the cedar trees in my garden of Eden were as beautiful as this tree; no tree of any kind had such long branches.  I, the LORD, gave this tree its beauty, and I helped the branches grow strong. All other trees in Eden wanted to be just like it.  King of Egypt, now listen to what I, the LORD God, am saying about that tree: The tree grew so tall that it reached the sky and became very proud and arrogant.  So I, the LORD God, will reject the tree and hand it over to a foreign ruler, who will punish it for its wickedness.

Ezekiel 31:2-11


God will judge anyone who becomes proud and arrogant because of the blessings God Himself gives them!  

Never forget, if you can run faster than any other man, it was God who made your legs able to do that.  

If you are wise, like Solomon, that wisdom came from God, not from you.

A very wise man once told me to listen carefully to the criticism that comes my way and strive to make any changes that are needed.  He also said to completely ignore the praise of other men.  He said that believing the praise of others will destroy you!

When you are blessed by God and men begin to praise you for the things that come from God, you are in for trouble unless your response to every compliment is to witness to the fact that all your abilities come from God!

There is a scripture that says pride comes before a fall!  Run away from everything that plants even a seed of pride in your heart.  Then you will not be like the Cedar tree in Lebanon!

"Lord Jesus, the only thing I have to be proud of is You!  You are the giver of perfect gifts and all I am is because of who You are!  May Your Holy and Precious Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Difficult Day of Rest

Click here to listen to blog

It was Friday, and the Sabbath was about to begin.  The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and watched how Jesus' body was placed in the tomb.  Then they went to prepare some sweet-smelling spices for his burial. But on the Sabbath they rested, as the Law of Moses commands.

Luke 23:54-56

The Sabbath day before the Resurrection of Jesus must have been a very difficult "Day of Rest."  Jesus was dead!  He was not simply seriously injured.  The life of Christ left His Body and that Body was put in a tomb.  

There was no Resurrection Celebration on that Sabbath.  Even the Romans suspected that the followers of Jesus would claim that He had come out of the grave.  That is why they posted the soldiers.  But Jesus was dead, and we know of no one who really expected Him to rise again! 

It must have been hard to sleep peacefully that Saturday night.  The words "Jesus is dead" must have replayed in their minds, over and over like a broken record!  He was so young and just getting started in His quest to change the world!  How could He make any difference now that He was gone?

The disciples did not know that this is what He came to do!  Without the death of Jesus there would be no hope for anyone else!  But the Death and Resurrection of Jesus opened Heaven's door for all who would follow Him!  

Hopelessness and despair must have filled the disciples hearts on that dark Sabbath day.  But a few hours later, the greatest event in all of human history brought never ending joy and peace that can flood your heart, even today!  

Jesus is Lord and He is Alive forever!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for paying the price for my sins as You died on the Cross!  And thank You, Lord for the never ending joy and peace that came into my heart when You came out of the Tomb!  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Jesus Exploded Out of the Grave

Click here to listen to blog

I want you to know about the great and mighty power that God has for us followers. It is the same wonderful power he used when he raised Christ from death and let him sit at his right side in heaven.

Ephesians 1:19-20

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important point in the History of the world!  Jesus lived a perfect life, performed many miracles and left His followers a way of living that cannot be matched.  But when Jesus exploded out of the grave by the Power of God Almighty, He sealed Eternity for all those who would follow Him!

When you think about and stand in awe of the Resurrection of Jesus, don’t forget about your own resurrection, yet to come!  That is what He promised.  The same Power that God used to raise Jesus from the grave will be used to raise you from death!
  

The Resurrection of Jesus was a demonstration of the Power of God that is for all of us!

When God created Adam and Eve, He intended that they live forever!  Sin did not stop the eternal existence of man.  Sin simply made necessary the dividing line between Righteousness and Evil!

 When you die, your life is not over!  Your Eternity will either be Heaven with Jesus or Hell, separated from all that is Good and Holy.  The choice is yours!

Think about the Resurrection of Jesus and where He went after He rose from the grave.  And think about your own resurrection and where you will go when you do!

“Lord Jesus, I know that God’s Power will bring me out of the grave after I die.  And because of Your Blood You will take me to live with You forever in Heaven.  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Forgive and Comfort

Click here to listen to blog

I don't want to be hard on you. But if one of you has made someone feel bad, I am not really the one who has been made to feel bad. Some of you are the ones.  Most of you have already pointed out the wrong that person did, and that is punishment enough for what was done.  When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they won't give up in despair.  You should make them sure of your love for them.

2 Corinthians 2:5-8

When someone sins against you what must you do?  Of course, you must forgive them, because that is the nature of Christ.  Jesus did not come to condemn.  He came to forgive, and that is what He does! 

These verses talk about one other thing that you must do. When someone sins, we must forgive them and “comfort" them!  Forgiving someone is usually easier than comforting them.  You can forgive someone and never think about them again.  But comforting the person who sinned and making them sure that you love them cannot be done without personal contact with the person who sinned!

Sometimes in the heat of the moment the sin is not just by one person.  Perhaps two people sin against each other by what they say.  Satan wants them to run away from each other, which will simply let the “infection” fester and cause them both great harm.  Jesus wants them to forgive each other and comfort each other so that both of them know they are loved!

The Enemy wants to destroy fellowship when we sin.  Jesus wants to use the healing process after that sin to build a strong, loving bond between those who were, even briefly at war!

So when forgiveness is needed don’t forget to also comfort the person who is forgiven!  Assure them of your love with more than words!  When you do that you will rebuild what Satan tried to destroy and see the Power of Jesus doing what He does best!

“Thank You Jesus for being the Great Physician and healing even the wounds that we inflict on each other.  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

His Blood is Enough

Click here to listen to blog

From Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, who is also a follower.  To God's people who live in Colossae and are faithful followers of Christ. I pray that God our Father will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

Colossians 1:1-2

Over the years there has been much discussion and even controversy about what it means to be “chosen" by God for a specific task.  Some even think you cannot be saved unless you are chosen specifically by God.  That would mean many people are created without even the hope of salvation!

That would totally contradict the Words of Jesus Himself when He told His disciples to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone.”  He then said that a man’s response to the message would determine whether or not he was saved!  

For me, the bottom line is this: The Blood of Jesus is powerful enough to erase all the sins that have ever been committed.  And those who are washed in that Blood will be saved!  God does not choose to limit the Power of the Blood of Jesus by choosing some to be saved and some to be lost!
  

If you believe otherwise, you need to talk to Jesus about why His sacrifice was not enough for everyone!

“Thank You Jesus that Your Blood is enough to cover all the sins that have ever been committed on this earth!  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen!"

Don't Paint on God's Masterpiece

Click here to listen to blog

A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. He made the church holy by the power of his word, and he made it pure by washing it with water. Christ did this, so that he would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws. In the same way, a husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself. A husband who loves his wife shows that he loves himself. None of us hate our own bodies. We provide for them and take good care of them, just as Christ does for the church, because we are each part of his body. As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother to get married, and he becomes like one person with his wife." This is a great mystery, but I understand it to mean Christ and his church.

Ephesians 5:25-32

God designed marriage to be an earthly image of a Heavenly reality!  Re-defining marriage may not offend the world around you, but I am quite certain that it offends God!  The roles of husband and wife here on earth are purposefully crafted to show the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Church, which is made up of His followers!

What is happening today in the world is like having a museum filled with priceless art and allowing people to bring their own brushes, so they can add their own perspective to the Mona Lisa!
  

When you put your mark on God’s picture, the Father cannot be pleased!  How will He respond when you re-define God’s design?  Frankly, I don’t want to find out!  Go ahead and imagine that God is not who He said He is, and try to mold Him into the image of your own mind.  But don’t be surprised when you are confronted with the fact that God is not happy with what you are doing!

Better yet, let your understanding of everything in the world today be established by the Word of God!  Don’t paint over God’s Masterpieces and expect Him to be pleased.

“Lord Jesus, let Your Spirit control my heart and mind so that everything I see around me will be defined by You and You alone!  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Eternal Adventure With Jesus

Click Here to Listen to Blog

As a follower of the Lord, I order you to stop living like stupid, godless people.  Their minds are in the dark, and they are stubborn and ignorant and have missed out on the life that comes from God. They no longer have any feelings about what is right, and they are so greedy that they do all kinds of indecent things.  But that isn't what you were taught about Jesus Christ. He is the truth, and you heard about him and learned about him.

Ephesians 4:17-20

Have you missed out on the life that comes from God?  The truth is that if you are alive and living on planet earth, your life now does come from God Himself!  God created you, made you alive and able to exist as He formed your body in your mother’s womb.

But there is life beyond the life God gave to all of us when we first entered this world.  The Bible even says that when we receive this "New Life" we are Born Again!  Everyone get’s their life from God, but only those who are Christ Followers get life from God that is an Eternal, Glorious and Blessed existence!

This New Life enables you to disengage from the world around you and set your heart on "things above."  It will enable you to be perfectly at peace even when you take your last breath here and leave this world!

And while you still live here with the "New Life" that comes from God you will be able to keep on walking, even when troubles come and sorrows surround your heart!  The "New Life" takes the sting out of death and gives certainty to the unknown of forever!  Getting old with the prospect of leaving this world growing ever so near becomes simply the next step in an Eternal Adventure with Jesus!

Don’t miss out on the "New Life" that comes from God because of the Blood of Jesus Christ.

"Lord Jesus, may I know more and more about You every day as I prepare for and look forward to an "Eternal Adventure" with You!  Praise Your Holy Name, now and forever!  Amen."

 

Everyone Will Rise

Click here to listen to blog

I tell you for certain that the time will come, and it is already here, when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen to it will live!  The Father has the power to give life, and he has given that same power to the Son.  And he has given his Son the right to judge everyone, because he is the Son of Man.  Don't be surprised! The time will come when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Man, and they will come out of their graves. Everyone who has done good things will rise to life, but everyone who has done evil things will rise and be condemned.

John 5:25-29

Many people who don’t believe in Jesus have convinced themselves that life on this earth is all there is.  They think that after you take your last breathe here, there is nothing else and you no longer exist!  That is not what the Bible says about the future.  When God created you, He designed you to live forever!  Atheism is a temporary belief system that will completely disappear the second you leave this earth!  Death on this earth is simply the transition moment into eternity.
  

The “resurrection of the dead” is not just for those who chose to follow Jesus!  Even the most evil people who have ever lived will be raised from the dead and come out of their graves.  Frankly, that is a very frightening thought if you are not a Christ follower. If you have rebelled against God while you lived here on earth, just imagine being brought before Him on the Day of Judgement!

The problem is that you cannot simply choose not to come before God after you die!  You will be judged whether you like it or not!

If you don’t hear the voice of Jesus now, you most certainly will hear it later.  Don’t live your life trying to disprove the existence of God.  There will be a time which will come soon, when you will hear the Voice of the Son of Man!  Be ready for that Day!

“Lord Jesus, I want to hear Your Voice today, even while I still live on this earth!  Make me ready for the Day of Your Return!  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."

Mob Rule is Not Always Bad

Click here to listen to blog

Then Satan entered the heart of Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve apostles.  Judas went to talk with the chief priests and the officers of the temple police about how he could help them arrest Jesus.  They were very pleased and offered to pay Judas some money.  He agreed and started looking for a good chance to betray Jesus when the crowds were not around .

Luke 22:3-6

The crowds that Judas was avoiding were those who listened to Jesus teaching and believed He was very special.  

Judas was afraid of them.  When Judas betrayed Jesus he looked to avoid a time and place where the crowds of people might forcefully stop him from delivering Jesus to the soldiers!

"Mob rule" is not always a bad thing!  When most people in a nation confess that Jesus is their Lord and desire to be Christ Followers, the very fact that so many people believe in God and His Son Jesus Christ is a powerful force.  Like Judas, those who want to oppose God will try to avoid being seen by the crowds of believers.

There is a "Special blessing" that comes from living in a Christian nation.  When many people around you believe in Jesus it helps to keep evil in check in your land!

"Lord Jesus, give your followers the courage to let Your light be seen by the world around them, and protect them from Evil when they do.  May Your Holy and Righteous Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

Nations Become My People

Click here to listen to Blog

The LORD said: I gave this land to my people Israel, but enemies around it have attacked and robbed it. So I will uproot them from their own countries just as I will uproot Judah from its land.  But later, I will have pity on these nations and bring them back to their own lands.  They once taught my people to worship Baal. But if they admit I am the only true God, and if they let my people teach them how to worship me, these nations will also become my people.  However, if they don't listen to me, I will uproot them from their lands and completely destroy them. I, the LORD, have spoken.

Jeremiah 12:14-17

Men and women can become Christ Followers even while living among a godless crowd or in a nation that denies God altogether.  But nations can turn to God as well, and God will call them "My People."

Of course, the first priority is to call men and women to come to Jesus and give their hearts to Him.  But, an entire nation can publicly admit that God Almighty is the only true God, and honor Him in seeking to praise Him in everything they do, and the outcome will be amazing!

But when a nation, any nation separates God from the life of their country, the decline will come and it will be dramatic.  

Is God calling His children to jump into the arena of political controversy?  I think not.  But He definitely wants those who follow Him to be salt and light for the nation in which they live.  A nation that admits that the Creator God is the only true God and honors Him will see precious fruit come from those seeds.  

"Lord Jesus, may my land turn away from other gods and confess that You are the only true God.  And Lord may Your Name be praised now and forever.  Amen."

My Story Will Never End

Click here to listen to Blog

My friends, I want you to know that I have often planned to come for a visit. But something has always kept me from doing it. I want to win followers to Christ in Rome, as I have done in many other places.  It doesn’t matter if people are civilized and educated, or if they are uncivilized and uneducated. I must tell the good news to everyone. That’s why I am eager to visit all of you in Rome. I am proud of the good news! It is God’s powerful way of saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.  The good news tells how God accepts everyone who has faith, but only those who have faith. It is just as the Scriptures say, “The people God accepts because of their faith will live.”

^{Romans 1:13-17}


The Apostle Paul was not concerned about how cultured and educated his audience was!  He preached to the rich and he preached to the poor.  A man can be ignorant of the things that would make him "educated" in this world and still be a man of great faith!  

Also, a man or woman can have the most impressive education possible, with many Degrees and still have no faith at all!

In proclaiming the message of Jesus, we are tempted to focus on men and women who are educated, intelligent and cultured, thinking that bringing a person like that to faith in Christ is of greater value than someone who has none of those things!

Truthfully, none of your human attributes and achievements are impressive to God.  When God knit you together inside of your mother, He gave you the seed for every human ability you have.   And when you are physically and even mentally strong you may find it harder to have faith in God!  But when you are weak, trusting God can be easier!

Use what God has given you to bring Glory to God, but never seek the things of this world instead of Jesus!  If you had all the gold in the world in your safe you could not accomplish as much as one simple believer in Christ with the Holy Spirit in his heart!  

"Lord Jesus, it is who You are and what You have done that makes all the difference in my life!  You are the beginning of my story and the reason my story will never end!  Praise Your Holy Name now and forever.  Amen."





 

When God Won't Listen

Click here to listen to blog

Here is what I've decided to do. I will bring suffering on the people of Judah and Jerusalem, and no one will escape. They will beg me to help, but I won't listen to their prayers.  Then they will offer sacrifices to their other gods and ask them for help. After all, the people of Judah have more gods than towns, and more altars for Baal than there are streets in Jerusalem. But those gods won't be able to rescue the people of Judah from disaster.  Jeremiah, don't pray for these people or beg me to rescue them. If you do, I won't listen, and I certainly won't listen if they pray!

Jeremiah 11:11-14

When the doctor arrives in your hospital room and delivers the diagnosis of your condition, he might say: "There are several possible solutions to your problem and we must pick one to try first!"  

When "turning to God" is one of a number of "possible solutions" to the problems in your life, the Bible gives no promise of a positive response by the Creator!  Even when you "try God" first and hold in your heart the possibility of doing something else if "God" doesn't work don't expect to see God respond!

There are times when God has promised not to listen to prayers!  The "Sinners Prayer" will not impress God unless the "Sinner's Heart" is lying prostrate before Him in a full state of repentance!

The prayer you pray means nothing without a contrite heart!  Certainly, it is important to work on your "prayer life," but it is more important to work on your "heart life." 

When you hold "other options" in your heart, Jesus will wait till your heart is completely focused on Him and has given up all others for Him alone!

"Lord Jesus, You are not just the best hope in the world.  You Jesus are the only hope for everyone on earth.  Praise Your Holy Name, now and forever.  Amen!"

God Wants You to Come Home

Click here to listen to Blog


Jeremiah, shout toward the North:  Israel, I am your LORD -- come back to me! You were unfaithful and made me furious, but I am merciful, and so I will forgive you.  Just admit that you rebelled and worshiped foreign gods under large trees everywhere.  You are unfaithful children, but you belong to me. Come home! 

Jeremiah 3:12-14a

When the Devil tempted Jesus, he tried to get Jesus to fall down and worship him!  As a follower of Jesus Christ, you will be presented with the same temptation!  The Enemy of all that is good and right wants you to worship him and let your heart turn away from God!

When you do that it makes God furious.  But God is merciful and He will forgive you.  Even though you have been an unfaithful child, all God wants from you is that you admit it if you have rebelled and worshipped other gods.  Because of what Jesus did on the Cross, God will forgive you!

Then God wants you to COME HOME!  When you come home to God, you will once again be at peace!  And that peace goes beyond anyone's ability to understand how sweet it is!

Ask God to reveal your sin so you can confess it and Come Home!  When you Come Home and rest in the arms of Jesus, that rest will be amazing and His grace will touch every part of your being forever!

"Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I have worshipped other gods and I have been unfaithful to you!  Thank You Jesus that I still belong to You and I can Come Home to You and live with You forever.  Amen."