Thursday, February 26, 2015

Little God, Big God

It Is Written, Nahum1:7, the Lord is good. A stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.
This title may seem a little unusual because of the words little God in it. The fact of the matter is, the majority of believers have a little God. God is what we make Him in our lives. I have heard it referred to as keeping God in a box. Before you get all upset about this, let me explain, then you decide how big God is in your life.
Let's start out with this. How well do you know God? I mean really know Him. Let's compare Him to people in your life. You know people, that is you know their name, where they live etc. Then there are a few people you really know. You know how they will react to different things, whether you can trust them, if you can count on them in a pinch. Is it someone you trust enough to stand by them no matter what? Will they stand by you?
Knowing, God makes a big difference in how you treat Him. If you only know of His existence, He is very small in your life. Just as you work on a relationship with certain people, you need to work on a relationship with God. That relationship begins with meditating on His word. Start out by really observing His goodness and power in creation. You are surrounded by it.
People who have been misled, believe in evolution. They claim that everything happened by itself without the need of a God. If that is true, let me ask this. If you have a serious illness, you have two choices. You can wait for evolution to heal you, or ask God to heal you. By the way, doctors and what they do are a creation of God. Even doctors talk to God.
Next question. How much time do you spend every day talking to God or learning who He is? I am not talking about time measured by a clock, I am talking about time measured by your heart. It is said in Proverbs 23:7 as a man is in his heart so is he. The fact is, whatever is in your heart the most is your God. If your excuse is that you are so busy, you don't have time, maybe you need to rethink who or what is your God.
Quoting Bible verses that you heard someone else say, without saying them with faith from your heart, is a waste of time. I hear people say they cast the devil out of themselves many times during the day. I question that. At the mention of Jesus name, by a true believer, satan flies out of their so fast that he can't leave soon enough. satan knows if you are a real threat to him, or you are just talking.
When you have a true relationship with Jesus, you talk to Him during the day as you talk to the person you love most. It isn't just reading the Bible or kneeling in prayer. As Jesus said, He abhors our offerings that are not sincere. There is a lot more, but for a another time.
So, let me ask you this. How big is your God? Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Looking At God

It Is Written, Proverbs 8:17, I love those who love me, and those who seek Me diligently will find Me.
The majority of people on Earth, have probably heard about Jesus and what He did. The Bible makes it plain. The question is, how many believe it?
I have thought about that question for a long time with no success. In the last couple of days, I feel that I have received a large part of the answer. I am sure there are many other theories, but I will give you mine to think about.
In the first place, people all over the world have been conditioned to not believing. The world is full of scams, and people that lie, cheat, and steal. They do these things as a way of life, and it affects many people. You see very little love in the world, and plenty of violence and hate, so that causes many people to question even the existence of God.
When you read about Jesus and what He did for us, and how He lived, it sounds good, and many of us try to believe. We know of Jesus suffering, but at the same time we don't know. I will explain.
We as humans need a frame of reference in order to judge something. If we see a picture of something standing by itself, we cannot figure out how large or how small it is. We need something to compare it to.
If you have never experienced something, how would you know how good or bad it is? Is it pleasure or pain? Jesus came to earth as a man, to experience what we experience. He did not expect us to do what He couldn't do. It was just as difficult for Him to love, as it is for us. As God, He knew man needed a frame of reference, so He became a man.
Just to give you a brief idea of what I am talking about as far as the pain Jesus suffered, picture this. Have you ever stuck a pin in your finger by accident or got a shot from the doctor? How did it feel? Now picture a spike probably 100 times bigger being hammered through your hand. That my friend would probably be the least of the pain Jesus suffered.
When we think about God and His love and power, we must forget what we see and work on seeing everything as Jesus saw it. We have to throw out our preconceived ideas about everything.
It would probably be a good idea to read1 Corinthians chapter 13. Read it over and over until it gets into your heart. Jesus lived it. It's a start for us.
Expand your faith, by ignoring the limits your brain puts on something. See it God's way. When Jesus says, ask and you shall receive, or, all things are possible to him who believes, don't think about it, just do it.
It isn't as hard as it sounds. Let your brain rest, and your heart do the believing. It may take time, but so what. When you compare your life to eternity, life becomes a speck of sand in billions of worlds.
When you really stretch your faith, you open the door to limitless blessings, and you realize that you really are a child of God. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus loves You
Prayer Of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Are They Saved?

It Is Written,1 Timothy 2:4, God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Today the Holy Spirit put on my heart to write about loved ones, and whether they are saved or not. I believe He did it because for the last week or so, it has been on my mind quite a lot.
I was unhappy over the fact that when my parents were alive, I was not a Christian. If I was, I would have talked to them about accepting Jesus as their Savior. The problem being, I don't know from their own lips if they were saved or not. I hate to think of them in the wrong place for eternity.
What I say now is strictly what I believe, and is not in the Bible. Here are my thoughts. Before you reject them as too far out, ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you as to if they are true or not.
God has a plan for each of us. He knew every single word we would think or say, and everything we would do, even before creation. He knew who would accept Jesus and who wouldn't.
Since all of this is true, and we know He is a loving, merciful God, I believe the following. God knew I would feel this way, so He took that into consideration about my parents. Even though each of them was in a coma until they died, they could have been saved. Hospital people say that a person in a coma still has brain function, and knows what is going on. That being the case, an Angel could have been sent to talk to them, and they could have accepted Jesus.
I realize how this sounds, but I believe the God we serve would not give up on us until the very end. He knows that people like my parents, brought up in a religion that was loaded with rituals and rules, rather than much teaching, had a severe handicap. At this point I sincerely trust in the Lord's judgment and mercy, and I believe they are saved.
Maybe you have children who don't believe. They had plenty of religion while they were growing up, but as soon as they went to college, they no longer believed in the existence of God. Pretty common in this world by the way.
I was about 10 years old when I gave up on God. The religion we followed, turned me away from God. I went to church because I had to. As soon as I got out of grammar school, I no longer had to pretend. I never gave God a thought. I was so turned off, I didn't touch the Bible for the first time until I was in my 50s when Jesus made Himself known to me. Someone at some time, must have prayed for my salvation. Maybe it was my wife, maybe it was my mother in law, I have no idea, but there it was. I was saved.
To sum it all up pray, for those you love for salvation. Start your children out learning about God's grace, love, compassion, and mercy. Rules and regulation as well as ritual in most religions will turn them off. If you pray for anyone, remember that God knew you would, so He will not give up on them until the end. Trust in Him, and you will have peace in your heart. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Monday, February 23, 2015

Blessings Go Unnoticed

It Is Written, Psalm 128:1, blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.
If we live the way this verse tells us to, with all of our hearts, there is no doubt we will be blessed. The human brain however, doesn't notice blessings very often, because it is usually processing everything the way years of conditioning have taught it.
I put blessings into two categories. Those we never consider, and those we call luck or coincidence. Let me explain what I am talking about, and see if it makes sense to you. We will start with the ones we hardly ever consider.
It may sound corny, but blessings are all around most of us. You have a family that you love, and they love you. You have health, a good job, a comfortable home, a car, food, and just about anything else you want. If you want to see how blessed you are, consider how many people in this world have absolutely nothing.
Most of us aren't happy with what we have, so we want more. Most of the time, I really believe God does not upgrade anything, until we are truly happy with what He has already given us. One last example of blessings. You get up to go to work and it is still dark. It is below zero outside. Your car is a beater. As you're driving to work, you see people waiting for a bus, you look somewhere else and you see people lined up for a day labor job because they don't have a regular job, and of course the ultimate, a homeless person. Still think you don't have any blessings? It is how you look at it.
The next part is luck or coincidence. Again people are conditioned to look at blessings as luck or coincidence, because their brains are conditioned to think that way by the world we live in.
Many people do not accept God, and so they use those terms to explain everything. The funny thing is, these people still receive some blessings, because I believe God is trying to get their attention. They don't realize what they are missing.
Believers on the other hand, often receive blessings that they asked for. It is called prayer. Miracles happen to all believers who trust in God. He always answers prayer. Prayers for healing, salvation, anything you can name for yourself or others. God really likes when you pray for others, and even blesses you with things before you even ask.
Think about all of this, and you'll see what a mighty God we serve, and how blessed you really are. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Sunday, February 22, 2015

The Blink Of An Eye

It Is Written, Luke 12:20, but God said to him, "fool! This night your soul will be required of you, then who's will those things be which you have provided?"
This verse is from a parable Jesus told about a certain rich man. I must admit that every time I read this verse, I get chills. It is something most of us don't consider.
The average person goes about their life doing what they feel is right. If you ask most people about Jesus, and the Bible, they reject both as irrelevant in these times. They make their own rules, and look to satisfy all of their desires. Society gets to the point as it is mentioned in Isaiah 5:20, 21, that good becomes evil, an evil becomes good.
Why people cannot accept the fact that Jesus wants everyone to come to Him is baffling. Jesus uses every means to reach people, including these messages. Remember you are ultimately responsible for your own destiny.
This morning as I walked into my office, I heard the Holy Spirit in my heart say "do you realize that in the blink of an eye, you could be in eternity? People need to be reminded of that".
Sudden death happens all the time. You inhale here, and exhale in eternity. You don't get a do over. You go where you decided to go while you were alive. You don't get a final warning. You choose right now who will claim your soul. Eternity is forever.
Most preachers talk about the rapture, and how you must always be ready, because you never know when Jesus will come. You may be one who scoffs at the idea of the rapture, but don't fool yourself, death comes the same way, unannounced.
Imagine how you would feel if you woke up at night and discovered that you just entered the bad place forever. Really think about it. Forget pride and nonsense you heard from the world. Where is the ticket you bought taking you?What if  you discovered that you foolishly bought the wrong ticket on purpose?
You probably have seen doomsday preppers on TV. One thing they all have in common is, they all seem obsessed with preparation to survive while everyone else perishes.They don't get it. They cannot hide at the end. It is all folly.
You on the other hand, can be the ultimate doomsday prepper. Come to Jesus, repent, and accept Him as your Savior. At that point you will know where you are going, and you will not fear death. You will live in the peace of the Lord in your heart. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior. Amen.
Thank You
Amen

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Light Versus Darkness

It Is Written, John 8:12, then Jesus spoke to them saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life".
As we all know, and the Bible makes reference to, you cannot have light and darkness in the same place at the same time. You cannot have good and evil in your heart together.
Let's look at darkness first. satan is the prince of darkness. It is called darkness, because as night hides things, so does satan. If you have ever been in a forest on a moonless, starless night, you know what I mean. You can't see 2 feet in front of you.
Well satan operates that way. He usually starts out by suggesting something to you that seems innocent. You go along with that, and a spiritual cloud just passed in front of the sun. Naturally his suggestions are going to get more frequent, and more sinful. At that point there will be more and more clouds, and it will get darker and darker.
After observing us and our lifestyle, sometimes over a period of years, satan knows what buttons to push, in order to make us sin. He plants seeds of pride, doubt, fear, envy, greed, and so on in your heart. He makes you believe that you are not responsible for anything that you do. He also tells you that whatever feeds your desires is good for you. He makes all evil pleasurable and easy. If you go along with all of this, you will find yourself in the darkness, with huge deep pits all around you, that you aren't even aware of. His whole goal was to create a version of himself using you.
Now we look at Jesus the light. It is like Jesus starts out carrying night vision glasses. He gives them to anyone who asks. Now they can get an image of where they are and what they face.
Jesus does not force anyone to take these glasses. Some people love the dark. As a person starts to see his sins, and the eventual outcome of them, he starts to avoid them. As he works on avoiding sins, and seeks Jesus, he starts to see the light of Jesus in the distance calling him.
As a person gets closer to Jesus the light gets brighter with every step. All of a sudden the stumbling blocks have been avoided and that person stands in the brilliant light of salvation, Jesus Christ.
Naturally, this is a short simplified version. I think you know what I'm getting at. Think about it. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
 Thank You
Amen

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Everything Belongs To God

It Is Written, Romans 9:21, does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
One subject you hear mentioned quite a lot by preachers is tithing. Tithing is a bad subject to most people. I suspect that the problem is money, and most people want to hang onto it. If you have gone this far, bear with me a little further. I have in recent weeks, come up with an idea that you hardly ever hear about. Maybe you never heard it put this way.
Start out with the fact that God is the creator. As the creator, He gets to decide everything. Hard to argue that. Everything we are or have comes from Him. Without God, we do not even exist. Since He is God, everything He created is His.
Just to refresh your memory I would like to give you two more quotes from the Bible concerning tithing and the fact that it is required by God. Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me! But you say, "in what way have we robbed you"? In tithing and offerings. In Leviticus 27:30, and all the tithe of the land, whether the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, it is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord.
These verses got me thinking about my own life, and how God looks at it. I'm not speaking for God, I'm speaking what I believe. Make up your own mind as to what is right for you.
When Jesus was on earth,He looked at a person's heart. He wants us to give from the heart just as He did, happily not grudgingly. Give in proportion to what He has given you. You will find all of this in the Bible.
When you wake up in the morning, it is a gift from God. Give Him the first part of your day by talking to Him. Maybe even just 15 or 20 min., to start the day. Everyone has time to do that, just get up a little earlier if you have to.
Everyone can give time back to God. When you help someone, you are kind or thoughtful, it is all a gift back to God. Speak to God during the day. Even a simple "thank you Lord" counts. Put yourself in God's place. How would you like your creation to treat you? God is not asking for everything you have, He does in fact reward giving. We should not however, give with the motive of getting back. Remember God sees your heart.
It is said, "you can't out give God". That is a fact. You will find you get more, satan takes less, your time is more productive, and on the blessings go.
So you may want to think about your situation. We don't hear about giving anywhere near as much as getting from God. Whatever it is, you can't get a crop without planting seeds. Planting seeds includes everything. Plant kindness and you get kindness, plant forgiveness and you get forgiveness, seed is not just money. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

God's Plan

It Is Written, Proverbs 16:9, a man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
As you have probably heard hundreds of times, God has a plan for your life. Does that scare you? It shouldn't. God treasures you as His greatest creation. Why else would He send His only son to suffer and die in order for us to be forgiven and saved.
Every human being wants everything. That is just human nature. It is a combination of envy, greed, circumstances. It is the way most children start life. Just as children learn and grow, and become more discerning, so do we. It is normal for adults to go through much the same thing.
The hard part for most people, is to accept the fact that God is in control. They think that they are giving up their free will if God is in charge. That is simply not true. God puts an idea in your head that He knows is good for you. You can accept or reject that idea. He will not force it on you.
Wherever you are in life, your job, where you live, your marriage, etc. Everything is a part of God's plan. As you learn and grow, God moves you to the next step. Whether you agree with that fact or not is up to you.
Let's say you are planning to work on a project. You have the whole thing figured out in your mind. You start to follow your plan and you run into problems. At this point you have a choice. You can keep beating that dead horse, or you can ask God for help. He will help. As a matter of fact it will end up being easier and better.
The facts are simple. The younger you are when you realize how much God loves you, and has a plan for you, the better off you will be. As you build a relationship with Jesus, your faith grows, and you trust Him more and more.
As your trust in the Lord grows, you will find that you have patience to wait for the next step. Maybe your dream is not what is best for you. He puts the best thing for you in your heart. You can pursue your dream your way, or do the smart thing and leave it to the Lord. If you establish a relationship with Jesus, your life will overflow with favor and blessings that you didn't even ask for.
Trust in the Lord. See yourself through the eyes and heart of God. If you as a human want the best for your children, and you guide and help them for their good, what do you think God feels about you? Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

You Are Special

It Is Written, Proverbs 3:1 – 4, my son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and long life, and peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.

Since we were all created by God, He loves us all equally. As a parent loves his children the same, no matter how many there are. Just as good parents have hopes and dreams for their children, God has dreams for us in the form of plans for our good.

Just as an obedient child is a blessing to us, an obedient child of God is a treasure to Him. We teach and train our children so that they will grow and prosper. The love we show them, teaches them about love and relationships. To a much greater extent, Jesus taught us by His life on Earth.

Children have their own minds. Sometimes they make bad decisions, or do things we are not happy about. They are human, and are in a world of negative influences. We don't abandon or disown them. We help them get back on track, because we love them.

The love of God for His children cannot be described in human words. His love for you and me goes so much deeper. He knows what we will face every day. Jesus didn't come to this Earth just to be an observer. He became human and experienced life in a tough world, so that He could fully understand what it was like to be human. After all, how can you describe what you never experienced?

Since God is the ultimate parent, and knows all things, He understands how weak we are. He knows all of our faults, and loves us anyway. Even when we ignore or forget about Him, He does not abandon us.

Some people lead a life of sin for years. Sin is a slap in the face to God, but if your truly repentant and go back to Him, He wipes out all of those sins. It is like you never sinned. Why does He do that? Because he loves you, and you are special to Him.

We have barely scratched the surface of God's love. Remember that God does not judge us as other humans do. No matter what we have done, if we repent, He wipes the slate clean, and opens His arms wide to embrace us, His special children.

You can do yourself a real favor. Read and meditate on1 Corinthians chapter 13. Praise the Lord!

Remember Jesus Loves You

Prayer of Salvation

Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.

Thank You

Amen

Sunday, February 15, 2015

satan The Illusionist

It Is Written,2 Thessalonians 2:9, the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders.
The definition of illusion is a false idea or belief, deceptive appearance, wrong or misinterpreted perception. This is a really good description of how satan works. He is also a master at creating doubt and fear.
Wheater we agree with what is in the Bible or not is up to us. It says what it says. You either accept it all, or nothing by default. We cannot pick and choose what we accept, or what we think God really meant,  or how He may have changed His mind. You deceive yourself if you put your own meaning to what God says. The Word is not intended to change with the times, the times are to change with the Word.
The Bible says we must accept Jesus as the only way to heaven. That is exactly what it means. No matter how good a person is, he cannot get to heaven on his own. Just as satan told Eve, surely God didn't mean that, he says the same things today. Surely God wouldn't send that good man to hell. The fact is that that good man chose hell by not accepting salvation through Jesus. God does not send anyone to hell.
There are specific things in the Bible that are condemned by God. No man can change God's law, or find some excuse for not obeying what God said. Just a few examples. Homosexuality is condemned. No way around it. People say abortion is okay because it isn't in the Bible. It is in the Bible. The Bible says thou shalt not murder. No matter how you rationalize, or make excuses, life is at conception, and destroying it is murder. You cannot make an argument for it on judgment day. What you think doesn't matter, it's what God says that counts.
satan gives people perceptions that are contrary to what the Bible says. He makes wrong look right, and bad look good. It is all an illusion set up to deceive. It's all in the Bible, look it up. Just as a magician deceives the eyes to give the brain the wrong information, satan tricks us.
satan puts many things in people's heads. People have extreme views about many things.  Ultra liberals argue they are protecting everyone. Ultra conservatives say they are protecting society from the liberals. Politicians forget that this country was founded on a belief in God. They do whatever it takes to get votes, and many of them cater to people controlled by the devil.
Just because you choose to ignore something, doesn't mean it will go away. Look around my friends. satan's handiwork is all around. The Bible says, satan loses. Why would you pick the losing side? Don't wait until judgment day to find out that satan made a fool out of you. If I am wrong, what did you lose believing in Jesus?
Remember Jesus Loves
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Thursday, February 12, 2015

The Helper

It Is Written, Isaiah 30:21, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "this is the way, walk in it". Whenever you turn to the right hand, or whenever you turn to the left.
I was like many other people. I didn't really operate with the Holy Spirit. I don't know if it was because I never gave real thought to what Jesus said about Him, or I thought I could do anything by my own thoughts or skills. At this point, it may have been a combination of ignorance of the spirit, and a large helping of pride.
As I think back, there were many times, thoughts came to my head that I just dismissed. I followed my own plan. I went over 20 years of really bad health. So bad it became depression. For more years than that, severe financial pressure. All through this torture I was hearing, but ignoring that little voice. While satan was beating me, the Holy Spirit was trying to save me, and thank God He eventually did, when I finally accepted Him.
One day not too many years ago, I was talking with my wife. It was a casual conversation. All of a sudden I heard myself saying, God must really love me, because He protected me from myself. All of a sudden I could look back and see how all the pieces fit together. That really was the perfect plan for my salvation. If only I had listened and paid attention to that voice sooner.
For some years now, I have learned about the Holy Spirit, and why Jesus sent Him so long ago. I've been healed of diabetes that required taking insulin. I had a heart problem that went away. I have been blessed beyond measure. Many times, the impossible became reality.
You may think I exaggerate. You would be wrong. Every single word is true. There is one condition however. You must put aside what your brain thinks, and listen to that small voice. Trust that voice, if it agrees with the Word. I found out that I don't know better, and I count on the Holy Spirit for everything now.
The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom to take care of whatever comes up. He guides us, so that we follow God's plan for us. He does help us in all things. I have asked him for help to get out of a mess I got into on my own. Even something like a plumbing problem that you think you know how to fix.
Counting on and trusting in the Holy Spirit, will allow you to do what Jesus told us to do in His name. You also come to realize perfect peace in your heart. If your heart is at peace, and  is filled with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, satan has no power over you. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer Of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

The Holy Spirit, God's Gift to Us

It Is Written,1 Corinthians 2:4, and my speech and my preachings were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
When someone comes to Jesus and is saved, they also receive the Holy Spirit. Many people either don't know that, or they were like me at one time. I thought it must be a good thing, but I really didn't have a clue about what it really meant.
When you stop and think  of the momentous thing that happened when you came to Jesus, it is almost too much to take in. As a result, you miss out on a lot of blessings. The fantastic thing that takes place then , shows how much God loves you.
Think about this. When Jesus was on this Earth, He did what the Father told Him to do. All of the miracles that Jesus did, including His resurrection, were done by the power of the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus went back to heaven, He commanded the apostles to carry on His work, through the power of the same Holy Spirit. Starting to get the picture?
The Holy Spirit starts out giving you gentle nudges. In His quiet voice He starts to guide you. He understands that it may take a while for you to catch on. He puts desires in your heart, such as finding out about the Holy Spirit and what He does. After a while, you occasionally say two or three words to Him.
Again some time goes by. It is different for each person, depending on the effort you put into knowing Him. As you come to know Him, you get a strong desire to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, your life changes. I am not talking about changes against your will, or anything like that. You just become a much better version of you. Without realizing it, you start to become more like Jesus.
I started to talk to the Holy Spirit regularly during the day. When I drove into a parking lot, I asked Him to find me a good spot. I guess you might say that this was a small test. He did. Naturally it grew from there. I started talking to Him as I would my best friend and constant companion. My  faith really started to grow.
As I said when I started to write these messages, I felt led by the Holy Spirit. As I said before, I am not a writer or a preacher. I just believe the Holy Spirit was guiding everything I wrote, and no matter how many or how few people read the messages, He chooses the ones He wants to read them. You might say I am just His pen.
I have found a surprising number of people who don't agree with me about the Holy Spirit, or baptism in the Holy Spirit. I just feel that it is their loss. The Holy Spirit calls, we decide if we answer or not.
The Holy Spirit isn't our slave. He is our guide and helper. The first thing every morning, I ask Him for wisdom and guidance in everything I think, say, and do. I feel so close to the Holy Spirit, I don't know what I would do if He stopped helping me. Praise God, He won't.
The Holy Spirit always comes through. No matter how impossible something looks, it is easy for him. When I ask Him, as far as I am concerned, it is finished. You could not talk me out of it. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Jesus, The Answer

It Is Written, Jeremiah 17:7, blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.
Many verses about Jesus are familiar to us. We have been hearing them all of our lives. Many people attend church for other reasons than merely being a Christian. One of the most common reasons is, they think church will get them to heaven.
In the Old Testament, we read about prophets who heard from God. They told the people what God said. We see, that many times the people fell away from God. Their teachers on this Earth, perverted God's laws. Empty ceremonies and rituals were the way people acted. They had a real need for a Savior, because there was no way to be saved by the way they thought and acted.
Jesus came to this Earth to show us the way. I guess this is why Christianity was called The Way. If we meditate on verses, instead of just repeating them, a whole new world opens to us.
When Jesus came, most of the people thought He was another prophet. Very few thought He really was who He said He was. As Jesus started teaching about love, forgiveness, and the way to heaven, more people believe. He healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, and worked so many miracles, that large crowds came to believe in Him.
Of course the Pharisees wanted Him out of the way, because they were starting to lose influence and power, as well as a lucrative living. Moving forward a little bit, Jesus gave Himself to be crucified for us. He did it to forgive our sins, heal are afflictions, and bring salvation to all who believed in Him.
If you study the Bible, you find that before Jesus went back to heaven, He told the apostles and all Christians, that they were to do what He did, and more by doing it in His name.
The problem Has always been that most people either don't realize what that means, or they don't believe. There are even some religions that teach that all of what Jesus told the apostles to do, died with the apostles. It seems to me they are teaching contrary to what Jesus told us to do.
Consider this example. You get plans to build a bench. The person who designed the bench, is telling you how to do it through the instructions. If you follow them, you will achieve what he did.
Jesus instructions to us are the Bible. We are His hands, feet, mouth, and so on. He is in us, so His heart is our heart. He always hears those who love him. When you follow His instructions in His name, you reflect Him, and do what He did. Jesus is the answer, just believe. He is alive today. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Monday, February 9, 2015

Washed In The Blood

It Is Written, Matthew 20:28, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
The only way for man to be forgiven of sins, was by the sacrifice of Jesus. That sacrifice included the blood of Jesus which washed away all of our sins. It didn't stop there though.
Jesus death and resurrection also gave us the possibility of total salvation, and eternity with Him. All we had to do, was accept Him as our Savior and confess our sins with a contrite heart.
Grace came from God and awakened us to Jesus and salvation. Before Jesus, no amount of good works by man, could do that. Another benefit of what Jesus did, was foretold by Isaiah in chapter 53. By His stripes we were healed.
Many religions today teach that miracles are no longer happening. They speak mostly of divine healing. They say that healing stopped when the apostles died. The fact is, Jesus commanded the apostles to preach the word, heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, and do all that He did and more. Jesus said that to the apostles, and all believers. There is no such thing as time of Jesus, everything is now.
I used to think that if I witnessed what happened to Jesus, I would have taken towels and soaked up Jesus blood. Then as time went on, I would touch people with a blood covered towel in Jesus name, and their afflictions would be gone. I believe this with all my heart.
I think about this quite often. One day not too long ago, I thought about the fact that I was washed in Jesus blood. I then reasoned that I was in fact like a towel soaked in Jesus blood. I was also commanded to do what Jesus told the apostles by virtue of the fact that I am a believer.
As I read in a prayer I once posted. "I am a channel of living Gods love and power." When I pray for a person to be healed, and lay hands on them, Jesus blood, love, and power is transferred to them through me, and they are healed. How do I know? Jesus said so. He never lies, and He never said no.
So my friends, walk in the spirit through Jesus, and make a difference. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Who Are You?

It Is Written,2 Corinthians 6:18, "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty".
If someone said to you, who are you, how would you answer? The answer most people come up with first, is naming what they do for a living. If pressed further, they will start naming things they do, such as a parent, student, and so on.
I think part of the problem with the vast majority of people is, they were programmed to think that way from a very young age. Most of us are not familiar with the real us. I think if you believe in God, and what Jesus did for you, you can give better answers.
First of all you can say you are a spirit, created in the image of God. You are a son of God. You are a brother of Jesus. You are an heir of the most high God. Heaven is your home.
You can also add, that you are a reflection of Jesus. You are His hands, feet, mouth, etc. on this Earth. You are a channel of the living God's love and power to others.
Some people may not agree with what I have said, but it is all true. Just being people in this world, is not who we really are. We are spirits with a home in heaven when our job here is done. I am of course referring to the job God gave us to do. After everything is said and done, the thing you must realize, is that you are important to God. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Jesus Is Security

It Is Written, Job 15:31, let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, for futility will be his reward.
Most of us are at a great disadvantage to start out with. I am not talking about where you live, your race, your sex, or your family. I am talking about the education from the world that you started out with.
The world claims to have the answer to true happiness. The old philosophy of do what it takes no matter what, is alive and well today. Only today you can add, no matter who it hurts.
Money has become the source of security for a lot of people.  Every day you hear about get rich quick schemes, and investments of all kinds. The stock market, lotteries, and many other ways to get rich. The world says you are lazy and a fool if you aren't greedy, and trying to grab all you can.
So that is how most of us faced the world, and people still do. Forget the family, pursue success at any cost, and embrace the new God. The Almighty Dollar has replaced the Almighty God. The other day I was thinking about money versus God, and the area of real security. I must say I haven't thought about money as security for a long time.
Just to give yourself an idea of what I mean, put yourself in these situations, and answer, money or God.
You have cancer. Who are what will save you? You're in the storm. Again who or what will save you? Your son is on drugs. Who or what will save you? Your daughter ran away. Who or what will save her? How do you get to heaven.? Who or what will get you there?
Maybe you think this is foolish. Let me tell you, if you don't pay attention to things like this as a way of helping you figure it out, maybe you are a little foolish. You can probably come up with some examples that are going on in your own life right now. It would be a good idea to read Ecclesiastes and Psalm 49:6 – 11 to get a better picture. .
After having spent many years on this Earth, and playing the game, praise God, I  finally realized the only true security in life is Jesus Christ and my relationship with Him. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my life as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Hit by Lightning

It Is Written, Proverbs 17:3, the refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the hearts.
If we watch programs  like the ones on the Trinity broadcasting network, we see people talking about their past life, and when and how they came to the Lord. Stories of overwhelming peace and joy, healings of body, mind, and the spirit. They are excited talking about it, and you have no reason to doubt what they say.
Okay. You were saved too. Your life maybe wasn't as messed up as some of these people.  You didn't feel the overwhelming joy, you weren't healed from some disease, what's wrong? Wasn't your salvation real? Did you do something wrong?
At one time I used to feel left out somehow. I was jealous of the people I saw and heard about. Why them and not me? Did  God love them more? I felt depressed every time I heard one of these testimonies. I listened to CDs, read the Bible, etc. I prayed about it. The Holy Spirit gave me an answer that changed it all for me.
Just as in the time of Jesus, miracles were needed to get people's attention. The same thing is true today. It seems the worse you were or are, the more profound the experience. God knows where we are in our faith, or lack of it. He doesn't play favorites, so nobody is better than someone else. The answer is simple. Just as each of us is special in God's eyes, each of us has a custom plan for us. That plan created by God, according to our need. Just as each of us has a unique, one-of-a-kind DNA, we have our own plan. No one is left out. Some of us have His plan so embedded in our spirits that our spirits get happy and dance around.
I got over being jealous. I trust God that others get what they need, and I get what I need. Just as we are all different, God's plans take that into consideration. We all have salvation, and the important thing is we take it by faith, we cannot go by feeling. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Hallelujah!

It Is Written, Proverbs 5:21, for the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.
Have you read in the Bible how David lept and danced before the Lord? What he did may seem strange to a lot of people, but the fact is that David realized more than most of us about praising God. He was overjoyed you might say.
The title of this message means to worship, and is a sign of rejoicing. David took the Lord at His word, and believed to the point that he could not restrain himself. Was David more blessed than we are? No!!
Let's take a look at a few things. How would you feel about winning a couple of hundred million. You could really enjoy yourself for the rest of your life. How many years? We won't get into anything negative right now. Anyway you would probably throw a big party and celebrate for weeks. I'm not saying that would be wrong.
Out of the billions of people on earth, we were chosen by God himself to spend eternity with Him. That is the greatest prize of all. A life of celebration that will never end. In the meantime however, we have the Holy Spirit to help us in all things, all the time. Countless blessings, are normal in our life. Do you think we should be dancing and singing before God? I think we should.
When we get to know Jesus and start to have a relationship with Him, we should all be dancing like David. We need to meditate on the grace we have been given, and at least  allow our spirits to dance and sing.
Look at a couple of facts. A lottery winner finally realizes at the age of 80 are so, that time is short. Who will get his money? Will people be happy to see him go, so they can get his money? We all know that this type of thing is common, regardless of how much is involved.
Now let's look at a believer. He hits 80, then looks back at a life of blessings. His God has taken care of him. When the believer looks at time left, he sees a glorious new life with the Lord forever. When he goes, most of those he leaves behind will miss his presence in their lives. Other believers will be happy for him.
Well there it is. A little comparison of joyful times for a while and joyful times forever. When I think about this message, I realize what it says, but I wonder why so many of us aren't celebrating all the time. Well there is a way for all of us to worship God, even if we can't show it like David.
We can all reflect Jesus light to everyone we meet. If we are truly Christians, we can ask the Holy Spirit to do that. If you do the Lord's will as you are led by the Holy Spirit, as far as the Lord is concerned, you and I are just as good as David. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Monday, February 2, 2015

Don't Keep Yourself from God

It Is Written,1 John 2: 16, for all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of this world.
Keeping yourself from God, is a common occurrence among a large number of Christians. Most of the time, we don't even realize we are doing it. It comes disguised in many forms. Mostly it is a false picture that satan shows us.
A common deception is pride. When you do something good, like becoming top salesman for the month, you feel good. There is nothing wrong about how you feel. Unfortunately, you become a target. Coworkers congratulate you; so far so good. At that point satan will try to puff you up with grand thoughts of yourself. He may try to convince you that you are the greatest. If you fall for that line, and ignore with the Holy Spirit did, you will start your slide from God.
The next one is so common , it is unbelievable. Maybe you make a decision about something. It can be a big decision, or a small one, it doesn't matter. Someone has a different opinion, and rather than consider the possibility that they could be right, you get angry and become more entrenched in your opinion.
That my friend is what satan was waiting for. Now he really goes to work. Now he helps your anger and stubbornness by planting this famous thought, "how dare they question me". Now you have not only sinned with anger, pride once again comes in, and you're on the slippery slope from God.
After all of this, satan knows your thoughts are not on God, so he hits you with self-condemnation. He tries to make you feel so guilty that you think God will not forgive you. At this point you may suffer deep despair, another sin.
If you have read this far, you probably experienced some of what was said. It really is pretty easy to get self-absorbed, if you don't have a relationship with God.
If you have a true relationship with God, you can avoid these mishaps by focusing on Him. You know for instance that God forgives all, and nothing you do is beyond His mercy and forgiveness. If you follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and focus on Jesus, you can stop satan in his tracks.
The key to true success and happiness in life, is to put Jesus first, and follow the Holy Spirit. If you do slip, the Holy Spirit will put you back on track. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Course Correction

It Is Written, Proverbs 16:9, a mans heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
When NASA plans a trip to a place like the moon to take pictures, they go through a lot of effort over a period of time. When the rocket finally blasts off, it comes under the control of computers. The reason for this is, scientists realize that there will be countless course corrections, and no matter how good the men are, everything is so precise, that it is almost impossible to do manually.
Life is like a trip to another planet. Instead of a planet though, our destination is heaven. Once we decide to go on the mission, we have to let God take over. Just as a computer constantly adjusts the course of the rocket, God adjusts our course through the Holy Spirit.
In life we encounter many kinds of problems to throw us off course. Family, job, health, the economy to name a few. We also have satan throwing lies, temptation, doubt, and fear, at us to divert our attention from our goal.
There are so many diversions in life, that it is impossible to do it by ourselves. But you see, God in His love and wisdom practiced our trip before we were even born. He knows where every little course correction must be made. If we let Him mark the course and make the changes, we can enjoy the trip in perfect peace, knowing that He is taking care of everything. Praise the Lord!
Remember Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation
Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. Your blood washed away all my sins, by your stripes I was healed, your death and resurrection brought me salvation. Please forgive my sins, and come into my heart as my personal Savior.
Thank You
Amen