Click here to listen to blog Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope. 1 Peter 3: 7 When was the last time someone asked you about your hope? They may ask you about your church, your religion, or even your faith, but what about your hope? In today's world, HOPE is perhaps the best anti-depressant of all. When you are depressed you feel "HOPELESS." I can't imagine a depressed person hanging on to that discouraged state of mind after matching up the numbers on his or her lottery ticket and seeing that 50 million dollars was there for the taking when the ticket was turned in! The prospect of a life without money worries would quickly drive away despair! As a follower of Jesus Christ, what are you hoping for? Are you hoping for better health here on earth and some more "creature comforts," or are you hoping for the return of Jesus Christ and the beginning of your Eternal Life with Him? Christians have no guarantee or promise of better health and more money on this earth. But those who walk with Jesus are assured that they will have life with Jesus forever! That is a promise and a guarantee! If you are hoping to become rich on this earth, then those who will ask you about your hope will be those who are seeking riches and wealth. But if your hope is all about Jesus Christ and your relationship with Him now and forever, those who ask you about your hope will be those who are seeking Jesus! And when you HOPE for Jesus, you will never be "Down" about tomorrow. Jesus is the winning number and with Him you will have more than you will need, now and forever! "Thank You Jesus, for giving me the hope of Eternity! May Your Name always be praised. Amen."
After Terah was seventy years old, he had three sons: Abram, Nahor, and Haran, who became the father of Lot. Terah's sons were born in the city of Ur in Chaldea, and Haran died there before the death of his father. The following is the story of Terah's descendants. Abram married Sarai, but she was not able to have any children. And Nahor married Milcah, who was the daughter of Haran and the sister of Iscah. Terah decided to move from Ur to the land of Canaan. He took along Abram and Sarai and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran. But when they came to the city of Haran, they decided to settle there instead. Terah lived to be two hundred five years old and died in Haran. Genesis 11: 13 - 16 The father of Abram decided to move to Canaan but stopped short in Haran. Then God called Abram to finish the journey and go to Canaan. When Terah decided to go to Canaan was he hearing the call of God and just didn't recognize it? Well of course we don't know because the Bible does not say, but it does seem odd that Abram, who was later called Abraham would be called by God to go to the place that his father had intended on going anyway. If Terah had gone on to Canaan would he have been called the "Grandfather of the faithful?" His son Abraham was called the "Father of the faithful." If Terah's desire to go to Canaan was put into his heart by the Lord then there is a lesson for us today. When you decide on an honorable course of action don't stop in Haran! Do you know for sure that your desire did not come from the Lord Himself? God can put the desire in your heart as easily as He can put the Word in your ear! Faith itself says that God is involved in every step you take. If your heart and mind are fixed on Jesus, His peace will hover over you as you walk even without a specific Word from God. God is the author of every good and righteous thing. So if you are a Christian and you want to walk in righteousness you can be sure that God is directing your steps. Terah stopped in Haran and the call, if it was a call from God, was passed on to his son Abram. Remember God does not work in only one generation. God works from generation to generation and from age to age. He may call you to complete a work that began long before you were born. He may call you to begin a work that will not be completed until long after you are gone. "Lord Jesus, forgive me for stopping in Haran and not going all the way to the place to which You have called me. Give me the strength to get up and move today to the place You want me to go. And may You be praised forever. Amen."
Click here to listen to blog I praise you, LORD, for answering my prayers. You are my strong shield, and I trust you completely. You have helped me, and I will celebrate and thank you in song. You give strength to your people, LORD, and you save and protect your chosen ones. Come save us and bless us. Be our shepherd and always carry us in your arms. Psalm 28: 6 - 10 Does God answer your prayers? You may say "Yes," but please be more specific. What prayer has He answered and when did He do it? I am afraid there are many followers of Jesus who can't tell you even one actual prayer that they prayed and then they saw specifically the answer come from God. "Answered prayers" are not a general condition of life, where you somehow sense God's blessings in your life. An answered prayer happens when God addresses a concern you have and speaks His answer to your issue! That my friend is an awesome realization. I remember the first time I put a "fleece" out before the Lord and He specifically answered that prayer! I remember quickly abandoning my concern for the issue about which I prayed as I stood in awe of the fact that God had spoken to me about it! I was not yet 20 years old at the time, but God had made me aware of His Almighty presence! Why should you pray specific prayers? Because each answer to prayer that you can see is a mile marker on your road of faith! Those answers let you know how far you have come with Jesus and that you are still on the road to Heaven! So, if you want to know where you are today in your walk with the Lord, look for His specific answers to your prayers! "Lord Jesus, may I hear Your voice today and see and know that You are the answer to all my prayers and even every question in my heart. My Your Name be praised now and forever. Amen."
Click here to listen to blog Then the twenty-four elders, who were seated on thrones in God's presence, knelt down and worshiped him. They said, "Lord God All-Powerful, you are and you were, and we thank you. You used your great power and started ruling. When the nations got angry, you became angry too! Now the time has come for the dead to be judged. It is time for you to reward your servants the prophets and all of your people who honor your name, no matter who they are. It is time to destroy everyone who has destroyed the earth." Revelation 11: 16 - 18 It is always disturbing when someone is angry. An angry man can and usually does things that he later regrets. In our anger the foolishness of human beings rises to the top of their character traits! But when God gets angry, He never sins and certainly is not out of control or foolish. The Holiness and Purity of God are not in the least compromised by His Anger! The Righteousness of the Almighty is fully intact as He rages against those who destroy the earth! Remember, it is only the Blood of Jesus Christ that will shield you from God's Anger! If you are "covered by the Blood," your emotional contact with God will be with His Love and forgiveness! But if you do not know Jesus, you have much to fear and an Eternity to regret your decision to ignore the Call of God! "Lord Jesus, give me the urgency I need to warn those who do not know You. You are the only way for any man or woman to be shielded from the Anger of God! Praise Your Holy Name now and forever. Amen."
Click here to listen to blog In the right hand of the one sitting on the throne I saw a scroll that had writing on the inside and on the outside. And it was sealed in seven places. I saw a mighty angel ask with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or see inside it. I cried hard because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or see inside it. Then one of the elders said to me, "Stop crying and look! The one who is called both the 'Lion from the Tribe of Judah' and 'King David's Great Descendant' has won the victory. He will open the book and its seven seals." Then I looked and saw a Lamb standing in the center of the throne that was surrounded by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb looked as if it had once been killed. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent out to all the earth. The Lamb went over and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. After he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders knelt down before him. Each of them had a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people. Then they sang a new song, "You are worthy to receive the scroll and open its seals, because you were killed. And with your own blood you bought for God people from every tribe, language, nation, and race. You let them become kings and serve God as priests, and they will rule on earth." As I looked, I heard the voices of a lot of angels around the throne and the voices of the living creatures and of the elders. There were millions and millions of them, and they were saying in a loud voice, "The Lamb who was killed is worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise." Then I heard all beings in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea offer praise. Together, all of them were saying, "Praise, honor, glory, and strength forever and ever to the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!" The four living creatures said "Amen," while the elders knelt down and worshiped. Revelation 5: 1 - 14 "Lord Jesus, I bow down before You and say 'Amen' with the four living creatures and the elders in Heaven! May Your Name be praised in Heaven and on earth, now and forever. Amen."
Click here to listen to blog What else can I say? There isn't enough time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Their faith helped them conquer kingdoms, and because they did right, God made promises to them. They closed the jaws of lions and put out raging fires and escaped from the swords of their enemies. Although they were weak, they were given the strength and power to chase foreign armies away. Some women received their loved ones back from death. Many of these people were tortured, but they refused to be released. They were sure that they would get a better reward when the dead are raised to life. Others were made fun of and beaten with whips, and some were chained in jail. Still others were stoned to death or sawed in two or killed with swords. Some had nothing but sheep skins or goat skins to wear. They were poor, mistreated, and tortured. The world did not deserve these good people, who had to wander in deserts and on mountains and had to live in caves and holes in the ground. All of them pleased God because of their faith! But still they died without being given what had been promised. This was because God had something better in store for us. And he did not want them to reach the goal of their faith without us. Hebrews 11: 32 - 40
When your life is pleasing to God it displeases the world! That simple truth is often hard to grasp. There are only two sides in the Cosmic struggle of Good and Evil! God, who created everything and everyone desires that all men choose to walk the way of Righteousness as followers of Jesus Christ. But Satan who is the father of lies, wants all men to die with him forever in the fires of Hell! God wants everyone to have the choice of which side they will join. Those on the side of Good reflect the Heart of God and desire that men and women who have joined the Enemy be redeemed from their Hell bound condition. Those on the side of Evil simply want to persecute and destroy followers of Jesus! Followers of Jesus have the ultimate weapon though, it is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. God not only Created everything there is with His Word, but His Word penetrates the life of a man or woman who is lost and puts them in contact with Jesus Christ! Satan is not powerless, but he does have less power! Remember that love is more powerful than hate! When you love your enemies and bring them the message of Jesus, you can destroy forever the power of Satan in their lives! "Lord Jesus, make me a better soldier today in the struggle between Good and Evil! Praise Your Holy Name now and forever. Amen."
Click here to listen to blog Timothy, my child, Christ Jesus is kind, and you must let him make you strong. You have often heard me teach. Now I want you to tell these same things to followers who can be trusted to tell others. As a good soldier of Christ Jesus you must endure your share of suffering. Soldiers on duty don't work at outside jobs. They try only to please their commanding officer. 2 Timothy 2: 1 - 4 I remember the day that my youngest son went away for Basic Training in the United States Navy. He was not yet 18 and was our "baby" so that day was difficult for us. But two months later he had been transformed into a man to be admired! The discipline and yes "suffering" he endured produced character traits that still, many years later support him in successful living! If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are in every way a soldier. You will endure suffering and the focus of your life is not your job, but your relationship with Jesus. He is first place in your life, before everything else. And the most important thing in your life is "pleasing your commanding officer." When Jesus says "jump" you don't even ask "how high," you just simply jump as high as you can! Jesus is your commanding officer and your day must be constantly a day of watching and listening for any Word from Him! If Jesus even looks your way, you will get ready to respond. When a soldier is sent on a mission, he doesn't need to "understand" what he is doing. All a soldier needs is to clearly hear the command and he is off to the fight! It is not for the soldier to understand the war. He simply needs to do the will of his commander! It is not for you to understand the war with Satan! It is for you to do the Will of your Commander, Jesus Christ! When you do that you will suffer here and you may even lose your life here on earth, but you will gain Life forever with Jesus in Heaven! "Lord Jesus, help me today to look for Your glance and listen for Your Word so that I may be the soldier You want me to be. Praise Your Holy Name now and forever. Amen."
