Archives for September 2016

MY FRIENDS, LIFE ETERNAL IS THE CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT OF THIS JOURNEY

September 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment

MY FRIENDS, LIFE ETERNAL IS THE CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT OF THIS JOURNEY

bj“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,……He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of [our souls.]” 1 Peter 2:21(NASB) Yes our Creator is the Guardian of our souls.

Guardian being a “person who guards, protects and preserves.” And in the context of our salvation and this text that would be Christ who gave it all for our salvation and Now He continues to be guarding over us and He is “the one who goes with you [and I and His promise is,] He will not fail [us] or forsake [us].” Deut. 31:6 (NKJV) Which now gives us a sense of destiny and a shared vision.

And with passion that shared vision should motivate us to endure on this journey Christ has placed us on that will lead us to life eternal, our crowning achievement 14203292_1202840516441095_4622558984248175328_nwhich is that place “eye have not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NKJV) “The Second Coming of Jesus is mention more than three hundred times in the New Testament. And it is the capstone of our teachings.

It is also essential to our identity as a [body of believers in our Christian faith]. The doctrine is engraved in our name, [Christian believers], and it is a crucial part of the gospel that we are called to proclaim [God’s promises]. And without our faith and those promises we proclaim. Satan will keeps us [“wandering down some pointless road to nowhere] (Carlos A. Steger, SS Lesson 2014)

So my friends, we can never “let our heart’s wander aimlessly from where God is leading us. But our focus must remain on that shared vision of Christ  soon return so that we may be received as “Heirs and joint heirs with Himself” to our Father’s kingdom. And as God’s children, the truth must be embedded within us while at the same time we must have this driving passion that motivates us to be a disciple of Christ and take up our cross and follow Him. And as leaders we must lead by example, which would be our willingness to do whatever it takes to serve Christ.

Now is “not the time to break Under the weight of this world and Satan. For one day this earth will pass away along with all that is an abomination to e5828867c0fb1edb1c14804554f2a1e0God. So we must keep listening and seeking our Savior’s quiet voice in all the noise, and “breaking news” of this world because today, Christ needs us to have our own “breaking news” and tell the world Christ conquered death on Calvary for all of our sins.

Which tells them, no one will be shut out of the process of transformation and reformation in preparation for Christ second coming as we all on one accord “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, [until our character is un-changeable and un-movable but always abounding in the Lord.” Phil 3:14 (KJV)

So as God’s vessel our goal is to allow the Spirit of God to transform our lives and renew our Character in Christ and then “as the deer pants for the water brooks, so [our] soul [will then] pant after God to create within us a pure heart, a heart [“safe to save”] and ready to see God.” Ps. 42:1 (ESV) Ps. 51:10 (NIV)

 

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MY FRIEND, ARE WE WILLING TO ELIMINATE SATAN AND WALK THAT NARROW ROAD?

September 16, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Sep. 16, 2016

MY FRIEND, ARE WE WILLING TO ELIMINATE SATAN AND WALK THAT NARROW ROAD?

bj“For this [we] were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that [His Children] should follow His steps:….. and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds [we] were healed. For [we] were continually straying like sheep, but now [we] have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls.1 Peter 2:21(NKJV) Or are we allowing the god of this world to keep us from being “safe to Save,” because we take our marching orders from him?

Yes our Creator is the Guardian of our souls which gives us a sense of destiny that should  motivate us to endure on this journey Christ has placed us on but we first must eliminate Satan entirely from our agenda. “The Second Coming of Jesus is mentioned more than three hundred times in the New Testament. And it is the capstone of our teachings. It is also essential to our identity as a [body of believers in our Christian faith].

The doctrine is engraved in our name, [Christian believers], and it is a crucial part of the gospel that we are 14203292_1202840516441095_4622558984248175328_ncalled to proclaim [God’s promises]. And without our faith and those promise we proclaim. Satan then keeps us [“wandering down some pointless road to nowhere with us trying to save ourselves and he knows how that would go]” (Carlos A. Steger) So we can never “let our heart’s wander aimlessly from where God is leading us.

But our focus must remain on a shared vision that Christ has gone to prepare a place for us, and He will [surely return soon] to receive you and I as Heirs and joint heirs with Christ His Son to  God’s kingdom. As God’s children the truth must be embedded within us while at the same time we must have this driving passion that motivates us to be a disciple of Christ and take up our cross and follow Him.

And as leaders we must lead by example, willing to do whatever it takes to serve Christ. Now is “not the time to break Under the weight of this world and Satan for one day this earth will pass away along with all that is an abomination to God. So we must keep listening and seeking e5828867c0fb1edb1c14804554f2a1e0our Savior’s quiet voice in all the noise, and “breaking news” of this world. Christ needs us to tell the world He  conquered death on Calvary for all of our sins.

Which tells us, no one will be shut out of the process of transformation and reformation in preparation for Christ second coming. But it is our choice not to accept God’s invitation and “enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. [But] the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matt. 7:13-14 (ESV)

But salvation and life eternal can only be obtained on that narrow road as we “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,[until our character is un-changeable and un-movable but always abounding in the Lord.” Phil 3:14 (KJV) So as God’s vessel our goal is to allow the Spirit of God to transform our lives and renew our Character in Christ and then “as the deer pants for the water brooks, so [our] soul [will then] pant after God to create within us a pure heart, one that is ready to see God” Ps. 42:1 (ESV) Ps. 51:10 (NIV)

 

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MY FRIENDS, OUR HEARTS CAN IT BE PURE AS GOD’S ONE DAY?

September 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Sep. 14, 2016

MY FRIENDS, OUR HEARTS CAN IT BE PURE AS GOD’S ONE DAY?

imagesEzekiel 16:49-50 (KJV) declares, “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me…”As Christians we attempt to explain away the biblical condemnations of one sin over another. But Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of how God feels about sin as a whole, it is all an abomination to God and when Christ comes a second time He will not touch this earth.

All the redeemed who are alive will be caught up together with those who have died in Christ “to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” 1 Thess. 4:17 (KJV) As we look at the world we live in today, we can all say with no reservation that it is a “habitation of devils, and a [cesspool] of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Rev. 18:2 (KJV)

So the purity of Christ will not touch this earth until “both the earth and the works that are in it are burned up. Therefore, Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought we to be [in the meantime] in holy behavior [that is, in a pattern of daily life that sets us apart as a believer who has forsaken all others] and in godliness [displaying profound reverence toward our awesome God], 2 Peter 3:10-11 (AMP)

My friends, the purity of our character will meet the purity of Christ in the clouds….”And so we will be with the Lord forever” 1 John 3:2 (NKJVs061 Paragraphed) tells us, it is not yet fully clear what we will be like [after His coming but what we do know is when] He comes and is revealed, we will [as His children] be like Him [in character and deed], because we will see Him just as He is [in all His glory and purity.]

Satan wants us to think, one sin is greater than another. Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 64:6 (KJV) “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags……..” From the one whose sin is only streaming illegally off of Netflix, to the one who has killed thousands in the name of a religious cause, it is all an abomination to God. So friends, if we are anticipating God’s presence throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, we must understand only the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], will see God.”

blessed-hope-jesus-return-4_n1-300x198So today, we must be preparing our character to be “safe to save,” our salvation will not be some sort of game of chance whose outcome will be “influenced by that same source that has said in his heart for six thousand plus years, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.” No my friends, God knows our heart and he knows if our Character is like His Son who suffered and died at Calvary so that our Character could be just as pure as Christ.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Cor. 5:21 (KJV) My friends, let’s make it personal and look at the purity of Christ and ask ourselves, will we be among that great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, and stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands [Remember Affliction will not rise up a second time” so how pure are we”] Rev. &:9 (KJV)

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MY FRIENDS, GOD WILL NOT OVERRIDE THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART!!

September 13, 2016 by Leave a Comment

MY FRIENDS, GOD WILL NOT OVERRIDE THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART!!

urlOverride: by definition in regards to our salvation is God disregarding, setting aside, or nullifying the desires of our heart. Therefore my friends, “the plans of the heart belong to man; But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the spirits. [So my friends] Commit thy works unto Jehovah, and thy purposes shall be establish” Prov. 16:1-3 (ASV) Numbers 22-25 begins the narrative of Balaam/presumed man of God/Sorcerer.

At one time Balaam was a prophet of God. But the god of this world turned his desires and focus to the things on this earth which are temporary and the things above which are eternal became obsolete. So he apostatized which tells us He took a total departure from his belief in God and begin to seek the pleasures of this world. “All this I will give you, [Balaam] if you will bow down and worship me.

So friends if we serve God we must forsake all others for no man [or woman] can serve two masters, “God and mammon.” Balaam was summoned byimgres4 King Balek, the king of the Moabites to come and curse the Israelite’s as Moses was leading them towards the Promise land and he would be rewarded very handsomely if he succeeded.

Several times Balaam tried to curse Israel but instead of curses he predicted the complete destruction of Moab and Edom which then left King Balek with no hope and Balaam’s desires of wealth and fame null and void. So he returned home but the sin of greed continued to abound within his heart, how could he have success in the eyes of the King and gain the fortune that was promised him.

At this point Balaam still had not crossed that line, God’s Spirit was still seeking a contrite heart. But Satan took control, “and the controlling power of God left him.” He than returned to the king with a plan. Balaam knew the prosperity of  Israel depended on their obedience to God, and as long as they remained true to their God He would be their Shield.” So Balaam suggested let’s separate them from their God by enticing them into committing whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

And from whoredom to idolatry with their gods Baal and Ashtaroth. Balaam witness the success of His scheme and the “curse of God that was visited upon Israel as thousands fell under the judgement of God.” Balaam received his wealth. But in the end “Israel warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and the Midianites along with Balaam were slain.

1869218Their fate sealed forever. Numbers 31:7-18 (KJV) My friends God did not nullify the desires of Balaam’s heart. He allows us to choose our own destiny. God even had a donkey to talk to Balaam with no success. Numbers 22: 21-34 (KJV) Oh the depths God will go to in trying to save us. But “it is a perilous thing to allow an unchristian trait to live in the heart [like Balaam did.] One cherished sin will, little by little, debase the character, bringing all its nobler powers into subjection to the evil desire.

The removal of one safeguard from the conscience, the indulgence of one evil habit, one neglect of the high claims of duty, breaks down the defenses of the soul and opens the way for Satan to come in and lead us astray. The only safe course is to let our prayers go forth daily from a sincere heart, as did David, “Hold up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.” Psalm 17:5. (KJV) (E.G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets p 452)

 

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MY FRIENDS, CAN WE DRINK FROM THE SAME CUP CHRIST DRUNK FROM?

September 12, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Sep 12, 2016

MY FRIENDS, CAN WE DRINK FROM THE SAME CUP CHRIST DRUNK FROM?

images4The mother of James and John “asked Christ to grant that her two sons may sit, one on the left and the other on the right next to Him in His kingdom. Jesus answers “you know not what you ask, are they ready to drink of the same cup I shall drink of.” The cup Christ spoke of was a “figurative expression of His suffering” as He traveled down the, Via Dolarosa or “the sorrowful way” to Calvary. Then He said to the brothers “you will suffer as I suffer.” Matt. 20:21:23 (KJV)

And friends, are we prepared to drink from that same cup, because one day ”every heart [that seek God’s kingdom] will be tested, [and] every character developed as we “plead for patience to endure and grace to overcome” as our heavenly Father measures and weighs every trial before He permits it to come upon the believer………But “If the soul is overborne, the person overpowered, this can never be charged to God, as failing to give strength in grace.

But the one tempted was not vigilant and prayerful and did not appropriate by faith the provisions God had abundantly in store for him. [Remember my friends] Christ never failed a believer in his [or her] hour of combat. [So] The believer must claim the promise and meet the foe in the name of the Lord, and [they] will not know anything like failure.” (E.G. White, Trials)

My friends it’s now personal because though our faith and endurance we as God’s children must get “to that place in our walk with God when we can carrying-the-cross-300x200“plead for patience to endure and grace to overcome” because there is a war being fought daily even as we sleep over what we should or shouldn’t believe in and how committed we are to that belief.

Remember “Christ would never fail a believer in our hour of combat for the Lord’s promise is…. [I] who go with you, will not leave, nor forsake you.” Deut. 31:6 (NKJV) Millions of martyrs or witnesses for Christ died for a cause that started with what Christ meant to them personally. So our “patience to endure and our grace to overcome” must become a feeling from within a feeling that takes us to the very presence of God.

And personally, what being in the very presence of God means as we carry our cross down the Via Dolorosa, or our own personal path of sorrow where we can say as Christ, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. [But you and I personally can demonstrate [our] love toward the one who gave it all for [our] salvation,] and died for us.” Rom 5:7-8 (KJV)

Second-Coming-of-Jesus_iconEven, “through the valley of the shadow of death, [we] will fear no evil if that is where Christ leads.” And my friends we can say that with no reservation because we are ready to “drink from that cup” because our Father which art in heaven “measured and weigh” every trial in every situation and circumstances of our life and He knew how much we could bear. So through our faith we must “be vigilant and prayerful at all times.”

Which then gives us the “patience to endure and grace to overcome” until the Lord Himself descends from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ rises first. Then [all who] are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall [throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity] be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16-17 (NKJV)

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MY FRIENDS. CAN THE BEST OF THE BEST BE DEFEATED?

September 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Sep. 10. 2016

MY FRIENDS. CAN THE BEST OF THE BEST BE DEFEATED?

warrior1A child of God’s only defense is the love of God along with the power of the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” And that must become who we are and what we live by, to the point that the divine and human become bonded as one and nothing shall be able to separate us from what we have developed through Christ. And that is because “the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10:4-5 (AMP) In 2 Samuel 23, you have three of the thirty chief men in David’s army the best of the best beginning with Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains…..He killed eight hundred men “singlehandedly.”

Then you have Eleazar, the son of Dodo, the Ahohite…….He and David “had been abandoned, in a field, by the entire Israeli army, right in the middleambassadors on an intense battle.” But with a remarkable show of courage and strength” in the defense of His king and all of Israel “he attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. the Lord brought about a great victory that day.”

Last but not least, you have Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory. Today my friends I need you and I to exchange places with the three of the thirty, the best of the best.

And our king is not David but the King of King and the Lord of Lord’s. And our enemy is not the Philistines but the “principalities, and powers and rulers of the darkness of this age, and the battle field is the front lines of our communities. And my friends “demons shudder” because they know the lord will bring about a great victory through the best of the best.

But, do we have doubts? “Is there a cause? Is the god of this world really vincible to you and I through Christ? And the God we serve, the one who created the heavens and the earth really able to bring about a victory in all we do in His name? The answer is Yes my friends to all of our concerns because the dragon and his angels was defeated in heaven and cast out……”to the earth” Rev. 12:7-9 (NKJV)

252c24011f81991667dfa3845a611d52And this same dragon and his angels were defeated once again at Calvary and then it was finalized when Christ rose from the tomb and now He lives again within our hearts if we believe? My friends in Christ name we are the best of the best and we cannot be defeated as long as we are fighting for the glory and honor of our Lord and Savior.

And one day soon, salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of God, will be ours because we “overcame and conquered [Satan] through the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of [our] testimony, for [we] did not love [our] life and renounce [our] faith even when faced with death……[And that my friends is why we will be  conquerors and among the best of the best. And Satan knows this, and he also knows he only has a short time remaining.]” Rev 12:11-12 (AMP)

 

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MY FRIENDS, THE DIVINE AND THE HUMAN CAN UNITE BUT ARE WE WILLING?

September 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment

MY FRIENDS, THE DIVINE AND THE HUMAN CAN UNITE BUT ARE WE WILLING?

jesus-smiling-walking-with-modern-manGod gives us His assignment. The divine and human join forces. “Man working in obedience to divine light given. If Saul had said, Lord, I am not at all inclined to follow Your specified directions to work out my own salvation, then should the Lord have let ten times the light shine upon Saul, it would have been useless. It is man’s work to cooperate with the divine. (E.G. White, Mind, Character, and Personality Vol. 2  P 757) In 1 Samuel 15, God, sends the king of Israel, Saul, on a mission.

“Attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all they have. Kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” But Saul was “unwilling to utterly destroy them.” He took their king alive and kept the best of the flocks,“ When Samuel confronts him about it. Saul response, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your word’s because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

Now, therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.” God was not having it, and Samuel tells Saul; “the Lord up-60NK78KPS70RPTU2has rejected you from being king over Israel.” Then you have David the next king of Israel who commits adultery and murders the husband in an attempt to cover up her pregnancy. When Nathan confronts David, his response seems as sincere as Saul’s.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Ps 151:1 (NKJV) My friends as a child of God, through our faith we must understand God knows our heart. He is all knowing, something our finite minds will never comprehend on this earth. But what we can comprehend, is, surely after such a heinous sin that David committed, he should have been rejected as king by God also.

But Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NKJV) tells us “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?  I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” My friends, that text tells us our heart is deceitful and misleading and without Christ abiding in it, we can’t distinguish between good and evil.

And we begin to live within the grey areas of God’s law because the god of this world has blinded us to the fact there is darkness and there is the light of our Savior who gave it all for our salvation. My friends, let’s look within our heart and asked why would God give us a double portion of His blessing if our past actions say we are going to live our life according to our will, not Gods.

blessed-hope-jesus-return-4_n1-300x198And we have no intentions of “forsaking all others” and allowing the divine and human to join forces for Gods glory and honor. Samson never lived up to God’s full potential and the same can be said about us. Yes, Samson is in the faith hall of Fame in Hebrews 11. But God’s plan and blessings for his life, if he would have stayed focus would have far exceeded anything he could have ever imagined.

So, when we look up at Christ second coming. will we be a Saul or Judas who squandered away their Salvation and now are asking the rocks to hide them, or a Samson and the thief on the cross who squandered God’s blessings away throughout their life but repented and allowed Christ to save them in the end, or David and Elijah who “forsaked all others” and allowed the divine and the Human to join forces most of their lives and God’s blessings were unsurmountable and always abounded in the Lord.

 

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MY FRIENDS, WE MUST SEEK GODS SPIRIT OUR LIVING HOPE!

September 7, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Sep.7, 2016

MY FRIENDS, WE MUST SEEK GODS SPIRIT OUR LIVING HOPE!

godnman-300x233“Your presence Lord there’s nothing that could ever compare or could ever come close because You are our living hope. So please, fill this atmosphere of our heart with Your Spirit, because that is what our hearts long for.”  Yes, my friends, our heart must long for the one who is in constant communication with the one who intercedes on our behalf before “Our Father.” And who makes Christ real in our life as He fills our soul with His presence.

He is our “Comforter and Counselor who Strengthens” us to endure as He leads us into all truth and understanding here on earth because He is “our living hope.” Therefore we must pray daily that “our living hope” with all His “quickening, recuperative, and transforming power, may fall like an electric shock on the palsy-stricken souls [of you and I.]

[Which then Causes] every nerve to thrill with new life, restoring the whole man [and woman] from [their] dead, earthly, sensual state to spiritual soundness. [We] will thus become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust; and in our souls will be reflected the image of Him by whose stripes [we] are healed” (E.G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p 267)

My friends, we must now look into our heart and ask God’s Spirit what is hindering a total access to our “living Hope.” Because I don’t believe what-is-the-holy-spirit2-740x405where we are spiritually in our relationship with God is where we need to be. So it must become personal, because it is our contrite heart and our prayers that we are asking God’s Spirit to Search, and try us, and know [our] thoughts: And see if there [is] any wicked way in [us], and lead [us] in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV)

And when self has been completely eradicated, it is at that point we move to the next level where God is leading because we can never stop developing or growing in Christ if heaven is our destination. Sanctification is a lifetime process that God’s Spirit takes us from level to level to level until the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.

And the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16-17 (KJV) And my friends it will not end there because it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another. All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.” Isaiah 66:23-24 (NKJV)

imagesAll flesh, referring to the redeemed who “have conquered [Satan and self] and by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of [our] testimony, [we] loved not [our] lives even unto death.” Rev. 12:11 (ESV) So it all comes back to our faith and endurance to Go all the way with Christ as we allow His Spirit to lead us to the next level in our relationship with Christ.

And my friends that next level we must be prepared mentally and spiritually because that is the level we respond when Christ asked us to become a disciple “deny self,” “forsake all others” as we give our all to finish up His mandate here on earth as we take up our “cross daily, and follow Him. Daily my friends not when it is convenient within our schedule and time frame. But in accordance with God’s Spirit and Gods will and God’s time.

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MY FRIENDS, ARE WE THERE YET ARE WE THERE?

September 6, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Sep. 6, 2016

MY FRIENDS, ARE WE THERE YET ARE WE THERE?

evamgelismAnd all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole] And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the other believers], as anyone had need. Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes.

They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts, praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:44-47 (AMP) My friends, I am not quite there yet mentally. But the question we need to ask ourselves, if “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” 2 Tim. 3:16 (NIV)

Then Acts 2:44-47 have been given to us for “instruction in righteousness.” And if we are not at that point in our Christian experience as we look at the world and recognize the direction we are going in, as a nation, and a world. At what point should we be focusing our heart in that direction. I would hope these devotionals would be a catalyst in our own mind.

One that begins to start a conversation as to where we need to be at, on our Christian experience, on this journey Christ has placed us on to theShimer_College_class_1995_octagonal_table promise land. Where we are actually asked to give our all to finish up the work of the gospel before Christ soon return. A time right before that time He calls of great “distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be equaled again…….

And if those days are not cut short, no one will survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened…….and truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” Matt. 24:21-34 (NIV) My friends God is preparing a people. God is preparing an attitude. God is preparing a movement that will finish up His mandate as the “Lord keeps adding to the number daily of those who are being saved” for His kingdom.

But first we must be “firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in our faith, just as [we] were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” [So that self is no longer who we are but what we are in Christ, who gave His all so that we may live our life and live it more abundantly throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity] Col 2:7 (NASB)

RoleHSBut, my friends, “there are some who, instead of wisely improving present opportunities, are idly waiting for some special season of spiritual refreshing by which their ability to enlighten others will be greatly increased. They neglect present duties and privileges, and allow their light to burn dim……… But “those who are constantly receiving fresh supplies of grace, will have power proportionate to their daily need and their ability to use that power.

Instead of looking forward to some future time when, through a special endowment of spiritual power, they will receive a miraculous fitting up for soul winning, they are yielding themselves daily to God, that He may make them vessels meet for His use. Daily they are improving the opportunities for service that lie within their reach.

Daily they are witnessing for the Master wherever they may be, whether in some humble sphere of labor in the home, or in a public field of usefulness.”  [MY FRIENDS, ARE WE THERE YET ARE WE THERE?] (E.G. White, Acts of The Apostles p 53 and 55)

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MY FRIENDS, WE ARE WITHIN REACH NOW WHAT?

September 5, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Sep. 5, 2016

MY FRIENDS, WE ARE WITHIN REACH NOW WHAT?

60sec17“It was not the pain and ignominy of the cross that caused His inexpressible agony. Christ was the prince of sufferers; but His suffering was from a sense of the malignity of sin, a knowledge that through familiarity with evil, man had become blinded to its enormity. Christ saw how deep is the hold of sin upon the human heart, how few would be willing to break from its power. He knew that without help from God, humanity must perish, and He saw multitudes perishing within reach of abundant help.”(E. G. White, Desire of Ages p 752-753)

And today each of us are within “reach of abundant help.” But like Judas, who allowed pride and greed to keep his eyes focused on earthly things instead of a Savior that was about to lay down His Life So that not only Judas but all of mankind may have life and have it more abundantly.” Satan kept the pressure on Judas thirty pieces of silver to betray the Master, about six hundred dollars.

Christ had never offered him six hundred dollars and just look at all the work he had to do daily as His disciple. My friends don’t you see how our earthly decisions are being played out daily in this great controversy. But we are still within reach of abundant help we just have to choose wisely. Up until that point Judas was “within reach” he had not passed that boundary line, he still had an opportunity to repent.

For “……..the Lord is patient with you and I, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) So now Satan was injesus-the-only-way_t_nv1 full control of Judas and Jesus recognize it, so His words were not only to Judas, but to the one who now controls Judas. “What you are about to do, do quickly.” John 13:27 (NIV) Because I have already seen you “fall like lightning from heaven” [You are a defeated foe.] Luke 10:18 (NKJV)

Satan never understood what lengths Christ would go through to demonstrate so passionately his desire to rescue mankind from the penalty of sin. For “rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-8 (KJV)

My friends, the narrative of our lives is still being played out, today we are within reach of where God is trying to take us. Remember Judas was in the very presence of that abundant help. It may not be six hundred dollars like it was with Judas, but what are we willing to give up life eternal for today. We have not passed that boundary line, God still stands at the door, of our heart and knocks. Remember Christ defeated Satan not only at Calvary but throughout His Life.

Jesus-Christ-Praying-Wallpapers-16-300x225He knew His Father was within reach So He forever prayed and studied the scriptures. And through His Faith He endured. And even though Christ knew know sin, “not in word or deed or thought did he sin.” And that within itself is a mystery that goes beyond our finite minds.  But he took upon Himself the sins of us all.

He experienced the temptations we experience each day from the forces of evil, He “identified with the transgressors” He knows the strugles we go through in trying to resist, but “not in word or deed or thought did he sin.” And because He overcame and did not yield we are within reach of being just as perfectly righteous as Jesus in the sight of God and living throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Yes my friends“we are within reach.” Now what?

 

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