YOUR DAILY CLIMB (DEVOTIONAL) JUNE 5, 2016

June 5, 2016 by Leave a Comment

June 5, 2016

MY FRIENDS, ABOVE ALL ELSE GUARD YOUR HEART!!

imgres“Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” Prov. 4:23 (NASB) My friends, it’s personal today because when we talk about one’s heart or mind, we are talking about one’s anatomy that cannot be exchanged with our neighbor down the street. A transplant is incapable of producing any results of who we are spiritually in the sight of God. In addition, it is the heart that changes the entire trajectory of our life where we begin to call, evil good, and good evil; [and we begin to] put darkness for light, and light for darkness; [and] bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Is. 5:20 (NKJV)

And friends, this change can take place “in a moment in a twinkling of an eye.” How else can we explain the narrative in 2 Sam. 13, where Amnon the son of David loved his sister Tamar. And not as a brother would love another sibling but as one would love their spouse. Consistent with this, he loved her so much that he became distressed and physically ill. And so he plotted, and the plot turned into him physically rapping his sister.

(v,15-17) tells us, as soon as he finished this great sin against God and man, “he hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her wastamar greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”………..Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.” My friends from love to hate “in a moment in a twinkling of an eye.”

This is why it is so personal, because only God’s Spirit can change our life in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord” Eph. 6:4 (ESV) and not in just a “twinkling of an eye” But from the point we begin the process of eliminating self  and establishing a personal relationship with Christ His word and Spirit, all the way throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. But we must have a passion to love God and serve God.

Moses068Amnon’s life ended with his brother Killing him. What a tragedy brought on by Satan when we don’t guard our heart. But then you have Moses who was raised from a Child to a man of forty years old in Pharaoh’s court. But it was the early years of Moses life where His parents taught Him to love the Lord with all his heart and soul. And to always guard the heart against enemy infiltration for “this is essential for a life without sin,” “for it is out of the good treasure of [our] heart [that] brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart [will] bring forth evil.” Luke 6:45 (NKJV)

Remember, “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it [except the one who made it and who can change it, except the one who made it?] Jer. 17:9 (NKJV) “So Moses left Pharaoh’s court after killing an Egyptian and fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, and for forty years God transformed His heart into one where He had a passion to love, and defend God.

And he lead the children of Israel out of Egypt to the threshold of the promise land, “after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years……. Acts 7:23-36 (NKJV)  And now my friends, He resides in the courts of Heaven. Oh the power of the love of God when “we guard our heart”

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YOUR DAILY CLIMB (DEVOTIONAL) JUNE 4, 2016

June 4, 2016 by Leave a Comment

June 4, 2016

MY FRIENDS, CAN WE FIGHT SATAN AT UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS?

ritish-soldiers-lined-up-in-a-narrow-trench-during-World-War-I-516148Today, we are in the trenches of this world. And the enemy has us surrounded on all sides along with many minefields of doubt and complacency. But my friends, we can never let the enemy scare us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Tim. 1:7 (NKJV) And that sound mind should give us the power of discernment to understand that we “do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age………” Eph. 6:12 (NKJV)

So now we must remember that Satan is a strategist and a master of manipulation and as he “sees the Lord’s darkness-light-605x391-300x193servants burdened because of the spiritual darkness that enshrouds His people. He hears their earnest prayers for divine grace and power to break the spell of indifference, carelessness, and inactivity.” (E.G. White Snares of Satan p 519) And as the faith of many begin to waver and the endurance level weakens, Satan gains a renewed zeal.

And as he hears the prayers of the weak, he applies his art of manipulation at unprecedented levels that we are witnessing today in the 21st century as he begins to scare many into getting off of that narrow road that few will remain on that leads to that beautiful home where he once lived. Onto that wide and easy road that many will travel that leads to perdition as the indulgence of appetite, television, internet and other “forms of self-gratification begin to benumb our senses.

imgres11And at that point we fail to hear God’s Spirit and see the very things that a child of God needs to finish this journey Christ has placed us on. But my friends that is when fasting and prayer and a renewed study in the word of God must also be taken to unprecedented levels. remember friends we are children of the Most High God, and Satan has no power over us, “because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 (NKJV)

And because of that power that is attempting to destroy each of us daily we must forever seek that righteous power source of Christ at unprecedented levels as we “lift up [our] eyes [daily] unto the hills, from whence cometh our help, which is from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. In addition, He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth His faithful will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth His children shall neither slumber nor sleep.

So we must remember, the Lord is our keeper, also the Lord is our shade upon thy right hand. And the sun shall not smite His faithful who endure by maxresdefaultday, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve us while we are in the trenches of this world from all evil and He will preserve our soul and the Lord shall preserve our going out and our coming in from this time forward and throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity when we will be living in that place.

Yes my friends, that place “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”  and For them that renewed their faith each day. and For them with a passion and a zeal to serve, and went out and sowed the seeds of God’s message to the world. and for them that endured till the end and were saved.] Ps. 121:1-8 (NKJV paraphrased) 1 Cor. 2:9 (NKJV)

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MY FRIENDS, FAITH IS SIMPLY TAKING GOD AT HIS WORD, AND THEN TELLING OTHERS!!

June 3, 2016 by Leave a Comment

June 3, 2016

MY FRIENDS, FAITH IS SIMPLY TAKING GOD AT HIS WORD, AND THEN TELLING OTHERS!!

maxresdefaultYesterday I talked about “every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver.” (White) Christ sowed a seed to a Samaritan woman at Jacob well. From there she went and also sowed seeds through her witnessing to friends and family. “The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, [and women] “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did……….

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified.” John 4:1-45 (NKJV) Then Christ and His Disciples leave Samaria after two days of sowing seeds in that town. “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ.” From Samaria, Christ and His disciples go to Cana of Galilee. “And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.”

When he herd Jesus was in town he searched for Christ. Upon finding Him he tells Christ that His son is sick and at the point of death. Please come heimgres2 petitions Christ and heal him before He dies……….Then Jesus said “Go your son lives. ”And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way” John 4:46-53 (NJKV) My friends, a nobleman was a man of noble birth or rank; probably part of the royal family Herod.

But because of what he had heard through other witnesses in the area, he had the faith of a mustard seed, which tells you and I, if we say “to this mountain, move from here to there, it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matt. 7:20 (NKJV) “For faith is not sight, smell, taste or touch,” it is simply taking God at His word and not like God speaking directly to Abraham or Moses but only through His holy word.

Acts 27:25 (KJV) tells us, “wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” The bible tells us, that the nobleman believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. If you noticed Christ did what the nobleman requested, but not in the way that was requested of Christ. My friends, For God tells us “My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways.” Is. 55:8 (NKJV)

serve-god-through-serving-others_240274So this tells us that God will save and answer prayers to all who call upon him, but not always in the way in which we may desire. My friends the key is, we must always have faith even if it is as small as a mustard seed. In addition, we must believe that God’s grace and life eternal is a free gift from God, and “our Father which art in heaven” has the right to give it to anyone that He desires to give it too.

Because His gifts are giving to all that will promote His glory and honor as we seek life eternal. But the story does not end there. From there the nobleman goes out and sows many seeds by witnessing to others. My friends, only heaven knows how many more seeds were planted because of his faith. “And he himself believed, and his whole household.” (v, 53)  My friends, we must go into all the world and sow seeds, go to our families, our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers and tell them through our faith what God has done for us.

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MY FRIENDS, ARE WE TELLING THE WORLD WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US?

June 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment

June 2, 2016

MY FRIENDS, ARE WE TELLING THE WORLD WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US?

maxresdefaultToday my friends we are going to John 4 where Jesus is telling His disciples after they had come back from going “into the city to buy meat.” Upon returning they said, “Master, eat” then in (v, 29-36) “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. ………..behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” My friends even during Christ leisure time His focus was on the Salvation of others. While the disciples were gone He had been witnessing to the woman at the well.  My friends, it becomes personal today because there is no time where we take a vacation from the work of the Lord because it is all about sowing seeds for His kingdom. And once He had witnessed to Her, she left Christ and begin to witness to her friends.

Come, see a man she says, “which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?……..So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they womenbesought him that he would remain with them: and He abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word.” “As soon as the woman had found the Saviour the Samaritan woman brought others to Him. She proved herself a more effective missionary than His own disciples.

The disciples saw nothing in Samaria to indicate that it was an encouraging field. Their thoughts were fixed upon a great work to be done in the future. They did not see that right around them was a harvest to be gathered…….The woman represents the working of a practical faith in Christ. Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver.

The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life.” (E.G. White Desire Of Ages, pp 195) My friends, there is no time to tarry; tarry meaning “to delay, be tardy or linger.” For our meat must be to do God’s will. Every waken hour of our day we must “Lift up our eyes, and look on the fields; [and realize] they are white, [and ready for] harvest.”

serve-god-through-serving-others_240274My friends, if you are a child of God you are a missionary for His Kingdom and you are now able to say to the world I know a Man who has made a difference in my life. difference meaning “I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more.” In addition, we continue to say how we were forced by Satan to go as far as possible until we had completely submerged into the abyss, because Sin will always take us farther than we ever thought we would go.

Then we must praise God from whom all blessing flow as we tell them; “the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry” and He reached down and rescued me. And he will do the same for all who call out, Help Lord. Friends, His reach is unlimited no matter how far we have fallen in sin.

 

 

Every excuse we may give as the reason we cannot serve Christ, was challenged and answered at Calvary.

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MY FRIENDS, LOVE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

June 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment

June 1, 2016

MY FRIENDS, LOVE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

abraham-isaacNow it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you LOVE, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Gen 22:1-2 (KJV) This my friends, is the first time the word LOVE is mentioned in the bible and after that another 309 times.

But now the bar is set, and it is set very high in regards to it’s meaning. So if God is love, why not just begin His word by saying “in the beginning LOVE created the heavens and the earth” and as humans the meaning will become very personal and at times you will understand because of sin you will feel LOVE is just not enough or I am not enough. But my friends LOVE begins my word and LOVE will end my word.

And if you will just have faith and believe all 783,137 (KJV) words. And 1,260 (KJV) promises in my word you will understand the true meaning of 60sec17what LOVE means from the beginning and throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. So my friends, God had a plan and it all begins with a test of our faith which one day we all must go through in order to prove if we can love as God loves, and sacrifice as God sacrificed.

For God, it all begins with a Fathers love for His Son, as the greatest love. “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you LOVE” and then He was told once you arrive at your destination you must then offer your son as a sacrifice. My friends, how could we understand the word Love without understanding the cost of such a word and that it is just not a word we can use like other words in the English language because LOVE is a sacrifice and at times LOVE is pain and at times love hurts but we don’t question it.

Abraham never said if you want my only son Isaac whom I love to die then You kill Him. I will not have any part in your cat and mouse game. But my friends, by faith “Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son;……to the place of which God had told him.” Oh what a sacrifice God is asking of Abraham.

83206-God-Is-Love-And-Love-Is-RealBut this my friends is where the story begins for our salvation for it was all about each of His children understanding the enormous price that must be paid because sin entered the world. In addition, God loving us so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that we would not have to pay that price. And a Son who was willing to give up His own life on Calvary “While we were still sinners” so that we would understand what the plan of redemption was all about.

“In the beginning.” God’s greatest precepts is to LOVE Him with all our heart and soul. “And the second is like it: [we] shall love our neighbor as ourself.” Matt. 22:37-39 (NKJV) and we do it selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. And as heirs to His kingdom, if we have faith and believe, that God has made our life to be as that of a “man or woman after His own heart;” then we do understand LOVE.  Because Whoever does not understand LOVE, “does not know God, BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE.” 1 John 4:8 (KJV)

 

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MY FRIENDS, ARE WE LUKEWARM IN THE SIGHT OF GOD?

May 31, 2016 by Leave a Comment

May 31, 2016

MY FRIENDS, ARE WE LUKEWARM IN THE SIGHT OF GOD?

laodicea2“And to the angel of the church of Laodicea……..I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked……” Revelation 3:14-21(KJV) My friends we are going to personalize the church of Laodicea.

Remember the church is only a structure, made of brick and mortar. So it is not the church that is lukewarm but each of us that sit in the pews each week and allow the Holy Spirit to entertain us. Yes, it is God’s children that have lost our “significance and savor,” because the god of this world have occupied our minds with the things of this world, which then causes us to lose sight of the saving grace of the Master.

In addition, we have become more concern with materialism, consumerism, individualism, and did you see the last episode of Empire. This is why weimages have a lack of knowledge and faith. And this is why we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked and neither cold nor hot and because we are neither, God just wants to vomit us out of His mouth. But it is all about building upon our faith as we study the word of God. Jeremiah tells us, “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart.”

My friends, Jeremiah knew in digesting God’s word, that would allow a child of God to understand “the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; and The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. [And His word is] more to be desired…than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; and Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Jer. 15:16 (NASB), Ps. 19:9-10 (NKJV) So now, because our God loves us so much, and is so patient with His children, (v, 19-21) of Rev. 3 tells us to anoint our eyes with eye salve, that [we] may see.

94f7ce08226d90dbf244d356d9d44ae8[Because] as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” And as we study God’s word we then begin to allow God’s Spirit to transform us into the likeness of Christ.

Consistent with this, as we look at the “breaking news” of our world each day and realize the grace of God is gradually being remove from this earth. We need to ask ourselves, what is it about this world and the things in it that gives us the desire to choose Death over life eternal in a place “Eye has 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)

My friends, it will be a tragedy to get to that point in our life we have waited for so long, when Christ says “well done good and faithful servant.” And we only hear, “I know you not,” because our focus remained on the things of this earth and not on the things above.

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MY FRIENDS, ARE WE TRULY COMMITTED TO GIVE IT ALL TO CHRIST?

May 30, 2016 by 1 Comment

May 30, 2016

MY FRIENDS, ARE WE TRULY COMMITTED TO GIVE IT ALL TO CHRIST?

carrying-the-cross-300x200“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23 (NIV) But what will we have to really give up on this journey to become a disciple of Christ? And when will God be able to acknowledge our spiritual achievements to all the heavenly host as His voice vibrates throughout the courts of heaven, I know that they fearest Me?

And at that moment all of heaven rejoices because when the Father rejoices all of heaven rejoice as they sing praises to Him “from whom all blessings flow.” And my friends, such exultation because we His children have continued through our faith and endurance to stay focused on His journey not ours while allowing His Spirit to transform our character into the image of His Son who gave it all for our Salvation.

And now through the power of His word we “habitually keep all of His commandments, obeying and following precept after precept, as we abide in Power-of-GOspelHis presence. And my friends because of our commitment to stay focused on His plan for our life, without any reservation we know and are assured that He truly abides in us through the Spirit whom He has given us as a free gift. And because of what was done for us on Calvary our desire and passion is only to spread the good news of the gospel to a world sinking deep in sin and without any hope of being rescued.

My friends, I can picture this scene because as a Child of God who seeks with a passion the out pouring of the Holy Spirit Daily, I do understand that “The fear of the Lord, is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy one is understanding. Prov. 9:10 (KJV) And as Gods Children we must understand the “fear of the Lord lies at the very foundation of all knowledge.”

And this knowledge my friends is found only in God’s word and only through God’s Spirit can we understand the depth, height, and the path to our Salvation as we Study with heartfelt prayers and supplication as we seek the Spirit to guide us in all truth and understanding. In addition, this wisdom and understanding is in the knowledge of Him, our Redeemer.

imgres11And “as the eyes of our understanding  become enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” Eph. 1:17-18 (KJV) But this can only occur if we continue to crucify self. So today my friends, are we ready to allow self to be crucified, and if not, why?

Maybe the answer to that question is as simple as whatever Journey in life we may be on right now, whether Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, Chemist, Janitor, Cook or House Wife, the list goes on. But it just may not be the journey the council of heaven will place each of us on in their attempt at trying to save us. So we tell ourselves the commitment is just to great a price to pay right now.

And like the rich young ruler, we turn our back on Salvation because we have not Set our “mind on things above, but on things of this earth.” not realizing, “there is laid up for [all of God’s faithful who will endure to the end] the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to [each of us] on that day; and not only to [us], but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Tim 4:8 (KJV)

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MY FRIENDS, DON’T BE SURPRISED IF GOD GIVES THE GREAT USA WHAT THEY WANT, DONALD TRUMP

May 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment

May 29, 2016

MY FRIENDS, DON’T BE SURPRISED IF GOD GIVES THE GREAT USA WHAT THEY WANT, DONALD TRUMP

imagesEvery gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. (Dwight D. Eisenhower)

“You know, it really doesn’t matter what the media write as long as you’ve got a young, and beautiful, piece of ass.” (Donald Trump)

I started with a quote from Eisenhower our 34th president who spoke as one with a deep passion for the needs of others in the fifties to Donald Trump who aspires to be the 44th president. One who only speaks of his own needs which is an example of the great US of A and the world and how cold it has grown in only six decades. This my friends, is prophecy being played out “for such a time as this.”

Christ tells us in Matt 24:12 (NKJV), “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” When the bible speaks of growing cold itkk is telling us we as humans will begin to diminishes into a state of self-aggrandizement which is an increase of one’s own power and wealth as we begin to love self more than God. In addition, God has placed lawlessness and self-aggrandizement together as identical twins. (Trump and unrest), (lawlessness and self-aggrandizement), twin brothers.

But my friends if you are a child of God we must look at where we are today personally in regards to our relationship with Christ, because the statute of limitation has run out for Satan, the one who has said in his heart “I will be like the Most High.” And this is where God concludes; to everyone who believes in the name of Jesus and the power of the cross, that we need to make it very personal and begin to focus on our salvation, if our desire is God’s kingdom.

Consistent with this, we need to ask ourselves, “How long will [we] hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, [we need to] follow Him; but if Baal [or the god of this world then we need to] follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21 (NASB) My friends, the statute of limitation for grace will also have run its course in regards to you and I, very soon.

imgresBut we all have had ample time to make a decision for, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) But then (v,10) goes on to say “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”

My friends Donald Trump appeals to many, He has told them he will make America great again, it’s all a “reality show” to Him, a game of chance and He has no clue that God and His faithful who will one day come “out of the great tribulation, and [have] washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev. 7:14 (NKJV) will be the only winners.

And our reward will not be  a greater America “for here we have no continuing city, but we seek the [reward] to come” Which is a 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.” Heb. 13:14, (NKJV), 1 Cor. 2:9 (NKJV)

 

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MY FRIENDS, CHRIST SAYS FOLLOW ME BUT ARE WE WILLING?

May 28, 2016 by Leave a Comment

May 28, 2016

MY FRIENDS, CHRIST SAYS FOLLOW ME BUT ARE WE WILLING?

imgres“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Christ goal here is to place a few “peasants of Galilee” on a path or process that will allow them to make “extraordinary things happen” as He motivates and “transforms their values, into action, vision into realities, obstacles into innovations, separateness in solidarity, and risk into rewards.” (Kouzes & Posner The leadership challenge pp 2)

But my friends, it all begins with a Path or Journey that Christ places each of us on. The key words are “Follow Me” meaning “conform to” or “comply with” and since He is God and God along, He knows the “plans He has for [you and I] declares the LORD, “plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give [each of us] hope and a future.” Jer. 29:11 (NIV)

In addition, when Jesus calls His Children he does so with a sense of urgency that will also convict and motivate His Children not only in achieving one’s goal but also in allowing His Spirit to transform our life into the image of the one who has motivated us to “follow Him.” “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Mark 8:34 (NKJV)

But to carry a cross requires a personal commitment along with a level of passion and motivation that leads us to cry out to the one who gave it all for imgresour Salvation, “all things I am willing to loose for the excellence of the knowledge of [you] Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may [call you my friend].” Phil 3:8 (NKJV)

And as He molds our character to be humble servants which is the foundation of everything a Christian stands for along with the faith and endurance that will allow us to continue to live our life as Christ lived His. Paul tells us, “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men..” Phil. 2:6-7 (NASB)

Christ tells us directly as He sat down and “called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35 (NIV) In addition we must also tell ourselves that a child of God must be contradictory to anything that we would like to be that the world deems as success, because success to a Child of God has nothing to do with what we can accomplish in this world if it is not all about Christ and what our responsibility is to “our Father which art in heaven.”

carrying-the-cross-300x200“For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Cor.4:5 (ESV) My friends, we must remember There is nothing in us, or of ourselves by which we can give our all to God if we do not realize our helplessness and our need of God’s Holy Spirit to guide us to follow Christ.

And since The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, [and] his mercies never come to an end” every morning we should begin our day committing our all to the Master which tells Him “all to Jesus I surrender Humbly at His feet I bow, worldly pleasures all forsaken Take me, Jesus, take me now”

 

Every excuse we may give as the reason we cannot serve Christ, was challenged and answered at Calvary.

 

 

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MY FRIENDS, OUR TRIALS ARE A TESTIMONY THAT WE SERVE A RISEN SAVIOR

May 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment

May 26, 2016

MY FRIENDS, OUR TRIALS ARE A TESTIMONY THAT WE SERVE A RISEN SAVIOR

“But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of images7Man.” Luke 21:36 (ESV) Luke is telling us to be alert, as prophecy unfolds because God is preparing heirs for His kingdom. And through our faith and endurance, He is offering us everything we will need to carry out the next matter in our life that will make us conquerors through Christ.

I can say with no reservation that like I, you have had trials, tribulations, disappointments, Heartache’s and pains.  And the more self is eliminated the more our life takes on the character of Christ which gives us the confidence that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”2 Cor 4:17 (KJV) And as we look at the world we live in we can say with full assurance that we are in the final season of the history of this world.

So “the trials of our faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour andserve-god-through-serving-others_240274 glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”1 Peter 1:7 (NKJV) Oh what a testimony to go through our trials and still through our faith cry out to the Lord, “not my will but thy will be done. And my friends, God’s will is to serve as we tell the world “there is no other name under heaven that has been given by which we must be saved, for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation, except Jesus Christ”Acts 4:12 (Paraphrased)

Once again as I stated before; There are many who have never had an opportunity to hear the special truths [for such a time as this.]…. He who reads every heart and tries every motive will leave none who desire a knowledge of the truth, to be deceived as to the issues of the controversy [between good and evil.] The decree is not to be urged upon the people blindly. Everyone is to have sufficient light” (E.G. White. The final warning: The Great Controversy)

So today, God’s mandate to His elect is that we allow that light to shine from Christ through us out on the battle field as we take our shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, God’s word to fight the enemy and save souls. My friends, when we look back over our life we can say we have conquered many mountains, and because we had the faith of a mustard seed we could tell those mountains to “move from here to there,’ and it has moved and nothing has seemed impossible.

images41But those mountain also at times seem insurmountable, which seems only to get steeper each day. But Paul tells us to be “stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that [our] labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 (KJV) And because it is not in vain, tells us our God is still in control.

So thank God for where we are on this Journey He has placed us on and the direction He is leading for it will only last until the appearing of our savior in the clouds above and we hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matt 25:21 (KJV)

 

Every excuse we may give as the reason we cannot serve Christ, was challenged and answered at Calvary.

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