May 14, 2016

MY FRIENDS HOW DOES A CHRISTIAN DEFINE CONFUSION?

Confusion is defined as; “disorder; upheaval; turmoil; chaos or a lack of clearness” I am sure I can find a few more adjectives to define what we as a country and a world are facing each day we wake up. As I look at the world we live in I can say with no reservation that we have gone beyond Matt. 24, and entered a dark hole or an abyss type of situation that we will never recover from until God says.

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” Rev. 21:11-12 (NKJV) I can only imagine when our all-knowing, all-powerful, Omnipresence God looked down through the centuries and saw history repeat itself.

And once again, “as in the days before the flood, [when mankind] was eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, when “the wickedness of man and woman was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually.” Gen. 6:5 (AMP) And He knew that His ministry on earth was to find disciples and to start a movement that took Him from where He stood down the road Via Dolorosa to His journey’s final destination, the cross where our debt was paid.

Then from the cross to the grave and from the grave to where He now intercedes on our behalf. And now my friends it is time we lift Him high and tell the world that we serve a risen Savior. A world that is lost in the confusion of “breaking new.” Lost in the confusion “of wars and rumors of wars.” Lost in the confusion of nations rising against nations, and kingdoms against kingdoms.

Lost in the confusion of famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. Lost in the confusion of many false Christ telling us I am the Good Shephard. “But as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt 24:27 (NKJV) Lost in the confusion of “false prophets, showing great signs and wonders” but my friends “to the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Is. 8:20 (NKJV)

In addition, our Savior wants us to understand, it is the father of confusion, Satan, that creates the “disorder; upheaval; turmoil; chaos or a lack of clearness” that we find in our world today and that my friends is why it has become confusing to distinguished between the “wide road that leads to destruction that many will travel. And the narrow way which leads to life eternal that few will find.

And few will find, because Satan has allowed many to confuse the purity of God with the forces of evil and now we have no problem calling evil good, and good evil; and interchanging the darkness of this word with the wonderful light that shines from the portals of God’s pure and holy kingdom. But my friends, the good news is, grace still abounds.

Which let’s God’s faithful know, we still have options to choose between 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) Or total confusion and perdition, “prepared for the devil and his angels.”

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May 14, 2016

MY FRIENDS, ARE WE SQUANDERING OUR PRECIOUS TIME AWAY?

The Bible gives no endorsement to idleness. It is the greatest curse that afflicts our world. Time squandered can never be recovered. We cannot call back even one moment. The only way in which we can redeem our time is by making the most of that which remains, by being co-workers with God in His great plan of redemption. In him who does this, a transformation of character takes place. He becomes a son of God, a member of the royal family, a child of the heavenly King. He is fitted to be the companion of the angels.” (Ellen G. White Christ’s Object Lessons)

So today my friends. we must make it personal because the days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,” Ps. 90:10 (NKJV) which tells us, we are running out of time. In addition, if we manage to squander those seventy or eighty years away on self how could we possible handle eternity where life never ends.

Using Christ as our example, who was always serving the needs of others, His earthly ministry, was only spent praying, teaching, helping, healing and interacting daily with men and women from every social, educational, and economic class. And this was done so that they would realize the never ending Love of His father that gave His Only Begotten Son, and a Son who was willing to sacrifice His own life so that all may be saved.

My friends His agenda was always based on His ministry. Now it becomes personal because if our desire is to spend eternity in that 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) Then we must ask ourselves what exactly is our mission or what has God placed upon our hearts to accomplish through Him today?

Or have we even asked, knowing we will get a response since, “The harvest is plentiful, and the workers are few.” Luke 10:2 (NIV) And so we know if we ask, that requires a commitment and today we have to take our dog to the vet. And tomorrow, what excuse will we give to the one who gave it all for our Salvation.

My friends, where is our passion in becoming co-workers with Christ out on the front lines of the battle field where a world continues to sink deeper and deeper into sin. Where iniquity continues to abound higher and higher and the love of many continues to wax colder and colder. We must understand if we are seeking God’s kingdom our time must not be centered on self.

Our passion to serve must transcend into an urgency to serve as we look at the closeness of Christ soon return. Remember friends, there is nothing in us, or of ourselves by which we can influence others for good, or use our time wisely because we are all shapen in iniquity; and in sin did our mother conceive us Ps. 51:5 (KJV) So we must realize our helplessness and our need of God’s holy Spirit to guide us in how we spend our time in serving Christ, as we become chosen vessels.

In addition, we also become faithful steward’s of our time talents and money that God has given us. My friends, “Life is too solemn to be absorbed in temporal and earthly matters in a treadmill of care and anxiety for the things that are but an atom in comparison with the things of eternal interest. Yet God has called us to serve Him” (E.G. White) My friends oh what an Honor!! What an honor!!

May 13, 2016

MY FRIENDS, DO WE THINK LIKE THE POSTMODERN SOCIETY?

My friends, there is a rise in thinking in today’s society called Postmodernism. It claims there are no moral absolutes, that truth is whatever you believe it to be. Live and let live. The problem is, they try and combine a little truth, with a little error “it rejects absolute moral truth” which tells us there is evil and good in our world. And The Bible is totally accurate in all of its promises and precepts.

And Satan is not symbolic but a real being or force of evil who was banished from heaven because of his desire to be like the Most High. And that a person cannot earn their way into Heaven by being good or doing good works. And Christians do have a responsibility to share their faith with the world. In addition, Jesus did not sin while on this earth, which He then becomes our example. But Postmodernist believe, what is right or wrong is relative to the situation and not to what is in God’s word.

If I am married and want to have an affair, the situation dictates weather it is right or wrong not the fact that God says “thou should not commit adultery” so in reality, we can use this same way of thinking for all ten of God’s precepts “whatever feels good mentality” not spiritually and there is no limitation on the choices we make because those choices are all about self.

So now there is no absolute truth. No thus says the Lord. Only spiritual confusion. So How can we ever be willing to take up our cross for Christ whose ideas are absolute and never changes. He “is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Heb. 13:8 (NIV) So now Satan mixes a little truth with a little error because, Postmodernist are still willing to help the needed, visit the sick, feed the hungry and give donation for world peace and animal rights.

But,“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.” Then Christ says; I was hungry and you gave Me food;….thirsty and you gave Me drink.

I was a stranger and you took Me in;…naked and you clothed Me;…sick and you visited Me;…in prison and you came to Me. But the righteous ask, ‘Lord, when did You see me do all of these things. Then Christ says “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matt. 25:31-46 (NLJV)

It’s now personal, because we have to look within ourselves and say, if I have done all of this, what could possibly keep me out of God’s kingdom. My friends it is all about our relationship with Christ. Christ says if you love me, Love meaning that Agape love which is that kind of love Jesus Christ has for his Father and for you and I.

Which is, Selfless, Sacrificial and unconditional. Christ tells us if you love me you will keep my commandments unconditionally and be willing to Sacrifice everything even our lives for His ministry and this can only be done if self is completely destroyed and we now live our life through the life of Christ and his will for us.

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

MAY 10, 2016

MY FRIENDS, ARE WE ALLOWING THE WORLD TO DEFINE WHO OUR GOD IS?

How can we proclaim God if our mind is not “set on things above, [but only] on earthly things” Col. 3:2 (NIV) As God’s chosen, we are unique in what we do and how we act? We must not allow the world to define who we are. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world……is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15 (KJV)

My friends, that is a promise of life eternal if we can remain focused on our Journey and where Christ is leading us as we define who we are through Christ, His word and Spirit. In addition, this can only be done if our character is uniquely different from the world. “And not conformed to [the things of this] world, but transformed by the renewing of our mind, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 (KJV)

And God’s will must be our only focus, which becomes a shared vision and a shared passion that goes from where we are today to the promise land. As we “seek first Gods Kingdom and his righteousness; and then all [our needs] shall be added unto [us.]” Matt. 6:33 (NKJV) We must also have the same passion for spreading the good news of Christ second coming.

And finishing up His mandate here on earth, that we have for what we anticipate that God has planned for each of us in that 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) So as God’s chosen, we must define who we are through Christ, and don’t allow the world to do so for us.

In other words, we should not be able to discuss the latest episode of Empire, Scandal, House Wife’s of Atlanta, and the Have and Have Not’s with individuals whose spiritual compass always points towards this earth. When Paul speaks of the Israelite’s in 1 Cor. 10:6-7 (NKJV) He says, “now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”

Idolaters defined as those who worship idols or the things that we have placed in our lives that are an abomination to God. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” Eph. 2:10 (KJV) and as God’s chosen we represent the living God not the god of this world because, “we are His workmanship.”

Created in His very image, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that [we] may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you [and I] out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV) David a man after “God’s on heart” could not let an uncircumcised Philistines define who His God was. “For who is this Philistine David ask “That he should define the armies of the living God?”

My friends, as God’s Chosen, a new generation of men and women after God’s on heart. We should seek daily with God’s word and Spirit in hand all who defy God and tell them Jesus saves.

May 5, 2016

MY FRIENDS, HE LET’S CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY FROM HERE!!

“I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.” My friends “let’s go from hear” [because we have lingered long enough, there is work to be done.] Matt 14 30-31 (NKJV)

Luke 11:24-26 (NKJV) says “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man or woman, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds.” Then Luke tells us, “the unclean spirit finds our mind and body is swept and put in order.” But today my friends, we are going to re-word that text since it’s personal and say when the unclean spirit returns to our lives, there is no entry because Gods presence now abides within us.

And His word and spirit now abides within us. And there is no entry because we pray without ceasing because we know the enemy is forever looking and watching to move back in. And most important, there is no entry for the enemy to abide because we are strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. We also realize we cannot fight against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

So we now stand firm on the promises of God because we have put on His full armor, starting with the “belt of truth buckled around our waist, along with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and on our feet we are fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition in our hand we have the shield of faith, with which we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

And on our head, we are wearing the helmet of salvation. And in our other hand we are forever clinging to the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And daily we are praying in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. And with this in mind, we ae alert because we know the enemy goes about [“like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour”] Eph. 6:10-18 NKJV paraphrased)

My friends, there is a war being waged daily against our character because Satan knows he lost the battle in his pursuit “to be like the most High”at Calvary. “Now when [Christ] rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.” Mark 16:9 (NKJV)

That text tells us, our Savior lives and “because He lives” Mary Magdalene can be our example of the love grace and mercy of Christ that even though Ms. Magdalene kept returning back to her sinful life and kept allowing the god of this world to take her down that road that she didn’t want to go down and even after seven times, Christ forgave, while never leaving nor forsaking, when she needed Him the most.

And since God is a personal God, He personally tells Ms. Magdalene first, before anyone else that He lives and now she can face tomorrow and so can you and I. My friends, we have given Satan to much credit because even though the god of this world has claimed us “our father which art in heaven” has given us His only begotten Son to Die for our sins if we only believe and endure until the end while forever remembering He lives. So now Christ is calling us to “go from hear,” there is work to be done.