MY FRIENDS, WHAT HAS BEEN IS WHAT WILL BE, THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN!!!

There is a sin problem that will never be eradicated until God says “it is finished” “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still…..and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still…..” Rev. 22:11 (KJV)

God’s word has been given to us as a SPS or a Spiritual Positioning System so that we will use it daily as a guide in all “truth and understanding as we travel on our journey to the promise land, as we realize, “there is nothing new under the sun” in regards to Satan’s tactics in his quest to destroy God’s chosen.

From the beginning when “God commanded man “You may eat of every tree of the garden, except, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and if you do, you shall surely die.” Gen 2:16-17 (ESV) Satan has attempted too make death more attractive, than life.

“Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?…….“So when the woman saw that the tree….was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she ate the fruit, and she also gave some to her husband who also ate.” Gen. 3:1-6 (ESV)

“Several years ago Dr. George Sweeting and his family visited Niagara Falls. It was spring, and ice was rushing down the river. As I viewed the large blocks of ice flowing toward the falls, I could see that there were carcasses of dead fish embedded in the ice. Gulls by the score were riding down the river feeding on the fish.

As they came to the brink of the falls, their wings would go out, and they would escape from the falls. I watched one gull which seemed to delay and wondered when it would leave. It was engrossed in the carcass of a fish, and when it finally came to the brink of the falls, out went its powerful wings.

The bird flapped and flapped and even lifted the ice out of the water, and I thought it would escape. But it had delayed too long so that its claws had frozen into the ice. The weight of the ice was too great, and the gull plunged into the abyss.

Oh, the danger of delay!” I am sure, that bird had seen others fall into the abyss, never to be seen again but, somewhere in his finite mind he figured I can succeed where other’s before me have failed.

My friends, the “cost of becoming too attracted to this world” and the inducement of sin that the god of this world has placed before a child of God as he tells us “Ye shall not surely die:” has not changed in 6,000 years.

“What has been is what will be…..there is nothing new under the sun.” Sin still means death, and the gift of God is still life eternal, which can only occur through a complete transformation through God’s word and Spirit as we allow self to die and we live our life through Christ.

In addition, we cannot allow the attractiveness of sin to destroy us. God requires our time talents and money and Satan seeks the same. We may call it relaxation but the enticement of TV over the study of God’s word is sin.

And anything else in 2015 we may feel is more beneficial and attractive to what we want out of life other than serving God. And my friends, if we linger to long and don’t find a way of escape through Christ than, “What has been is what will be…..” Ecc.1:9 (ESV)

My Friends, where there is no vision, the people perish…..Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

Oct. 23, 2015

MY FRIENDS, “THERE’S STILL ROOM FOR ONE AT THE CROSS.”

“The hand of my Savior is strong, And the love of my Savior is long; Through sunshine or rain, through loss or in gain, The blood flows from Calvary to cleanse every stain. There’s room at the cross for you, Tho millions have come, There’s still room for one Yes, there’s room at the cross for you.

”Friends don’t you love those words. “Tho millions have come, There’s still room for one.” One referring to you and I. That is why He is such a personal God, His appeal is personal. He seeks each individual separately.

The song also says, His hand is strong, and it is also long, along with his love, because He reaches out to save us no matter how far we have strayed and most of us if we have lived long enough have strayed pretty far into the abyss.

Each having their own personal war stories that we are still unable to erase from our memory. But my friends, good news, as soon as we move from this earth to that “earth made new” we will realize.

As “we try to remember our greatest trials, they will looked so small compared with the lavish celebration that will be surrounding us, that we will  not be able to speak them out loud, and instead we will only cry out, “Alleluia, heaven is cheap enough!” Then we will touch our fabulous harps and make heaven’s arches ring.”(E.G. White Early Writings pp 16-19)

My friends now we all must seal that vision into our minds and share it with others without losing our focus that there is a real God, and a real Son of God and a real Spirit that hovers over us all. In addition, a real heaven and soon to be new earth that  the redeemed will live throughout eternity.

But where I need you and I to focus today along with everything else is, if our mind is not set totally on things above, but has some tendencies at allowing the god of this world to keep our focus on the things of this earth then” our heartfelt prayers must be like Jeremiah.

“Oh that our head were waters, and our eyes a fountain of tears, that we might weep day and night” first, for ourselves who are God’s chosen that struggle with things of this world that we still hold on too.

And second, for those we love who feel this world has more to offer then a relationship with God, and last but not least, the world, who waits for us to tell them there is still hope and “a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” at the cross for one.

My friends, our Salvation and the Salvation of others must become a passion that consumes every waking moment of our life because The Spirit of the Lord is upon His chosen to move now, there is no time to delay.

Remember, He hath anointed [each of us] to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent [us] to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” Luke 4:18 (KJV)

And my friends, if  you seek God’s kingdom then you are God’s chosen, His elect, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession “for such a time as this” that the bible speaks of.

In addition, with that special status comes a responsibility. “If any man [or woman] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.[Because there is still room for one]” Luke 9”23 (KJV)

My Friends, where there is no vision, the people perish…..Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

Oct. 22, 2015

MY FRIENDS, IT IS TIME WE ARTICULATE OUR VISION!!

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we 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 always be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:14-17 (NKJV)

I need each of us to focus on that last sentence, “And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” Always being, eternal, infinite or never ending. Isn’t it amazing, no matter how deep we try and elevate that vision into our central nervous system, we will never come close to imagining the actuality of what Paul called always.

Which is 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 is a place that somehow we have to articulate as we pull the field around behind us by keeping everyone focused on the same shared vision.

And that vision is centered around the word Calvary, because that is the foundation of what we as God’s chosen must articulate to others. “Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam.

And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David.” 2 Samuel 23:13-16 (NKJV) My friends, many are sinking deep in sin, surrounded by the god of this world and the forces of evil.

Along with, a daily barrage of “breaking news,” wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes in divers places, false prophets, iniquity abounding and the love of many continues to wax cold, and the chaos continues.

In addition, they also have personal trials and tribulations. So they lone for hope, and that water that only the Good Shepherd can give “which is like a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” My friends, Christ has commissioned us to go, but are we listening?

Or have we also allowed the chaos to take us away from where Christ is trying to lead us. Remember we have the good news that will transform the world and give them life, that they may have it more abundantly.”

But we must make it personal and ask, have I explored every concept and taken it to the depth of my finite mind in how best to finish up the work of Christ that is placed before me by God’s Spirit?

The challenge has to be more than being entertained by the Spirit at church each week. We are a chosen generation “for such a time as this.” So we must be prepared to make extraordinary things happen for the glory of Christ as we keep heaven on our mind.

My Friends, where there is no vision, the people perish…..Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

Oct. 20, 2015

MY FRIENDS, IN THE WAR ROOM THE STRATEGY IS BEING LAID OUT!!

My friends the war room, from which the controversy between good and evil is being directed, and the strategy is being laid out for our salvation. Soldiers are needed, but it is all voluntary, your reward comes when God says “it is finished.”

But first we must understand, it is more than just to say I’ll go. It is even more than carrying a cross  and praying without ceasing but don’t get me wrong, those attributes are very important, but with commitment comes a much greater responsibility. In addition, it is even more than just to say, I have a new heart, I’m ready to serve.

“A new heart.” [We do not really] know what it means. [We] look for a special change to take place in [our] feelings. This [we] term conversion. Over this error thousands have stumbled to ruin, not understanding the expression, “Ye must be born again.” …..

When Jesus speaks of the new heart, He means the mind, the life, the whole being. To have a change of heart is to withdraw the affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new motives.

What is the sign of a new heart?—a changed life. There is a daily, hourly dying to selfishness and pride…..The religion of Christ is to take possession of the whole being, and give force and power to all our faculties, renovating, cleansing, and refining.

It manifests itself without parade, and high-sounding words, but is shown in an upright and unselfish life.” (E.G. White Sons and Daughters of God pp 100) “Softly and tenderly Jesus is pleading for workers and the question we must ask ourselves is, why should we linger and heed not His [love, grace and] mercies?”

My friend inside the war room are also the “Special Forces,” who made heaven and earth. A Father, who gave His only Begotten Son and a Son who gave it all for our salvation, even dying on the cross. And also there is the Spirit of God who was also there from the beginning.

He was there when “the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. His responsibility was to move upon the face of the waters. And then God said “let there be light: and there was light.” Gen. 1:2 (KJV)

And it is this same Spirit, who moves within the dark places of our Hearts, who seeks us to give it all to the Master. My friends it’s personal now, our responsibility is to go out on the front lines, but is has to be a personal decision, because the front lines is where we are needed, where the battle is raging and chaos is everywhere.

But to go out, is to say I give my heart. My time. My talents and money to thee, because you gave your all for me on Calvary. My friends now is not the time to lose focus, nothing in this world is worth losing our Salvation for.

Satan gave it all up for death. Now he is asking you to do the same. “All of this I will give you,” he says, “if you will only bow down and worship me.” And my friends what Satan is not telling you, is that all of this, is only death.

“But the gift of God, is eternal life” 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 (KJV)

Oct. 19, 2015

MY FRIEND, NEVER STOP PRESSING TOWARDS THE MARK FOR THE PRIZE.

My friends, I can truly say Paul is the ultimate example of someone who Satan had somehow placed him on the path of destruction without his knowledge. But by God’s grace, love and mercy through the power of His Spirit Paul was transformed from Saul a worker of iniquity to Paul.

A man “who never stop pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:14 (KJV) In other words, some days he did not take time off from focusing on his salvation, to saying, you know, I think I will gossip or tell a few lies today.

Or maybe I will covet my neighbor’s house or maybe I will serve another god by using all of God’s precious time by sitting in front of the TV instead of studying God’s word and serving Him, or maybe I will curse and take the Lords name in vain if I get mad at someone or something.

My friends, Satan never takes a day off from tempting us into losing our soul salvation, and neither should we in putting on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities.

And against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Eph. 6:11-13 (NKJV)

My friends, we must never stop pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God. And if we do happen to fall we must pick ourselves up and continue “pressing toward the mark for the prize,” our salvation and God’s kingdom and life eternal.

Remember, once Paul allowed his life to be completely saturated with Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, he never looked back on the life he lived before Christ came into his life and that must be how we live our lives as we follow the example of Paul which keeps our focus on Christ.

Consistent with this, once his life was transformed, from that point on he had only one passion and that was to serve God, carry his cross, and take the good news to a world that was sinking deep in sin far from the saving power of their Savior.

To serve as Paul served and suffer for Christ sake, every fiber of our being has to be completely saturated with the power, love, grace and mercy that could only come from Christ. Oh the passion of Paul to serve a risen Savior, what we all as Children of God should strive for as the passion of Christ becomes our passion.

The Damascus road experience, the experience of transformation through Christ, and his word and Spirit was the mission statement that Paul exemplified to the world “follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.”

But his overall message “was to never take your eyes off of the prize” which was Jesus Christ and life eternal. In addition, “we are therefore Christ’s ambassadors” in this world and we represent the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, and as ambassadors, we must “never stop pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Because, “He who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:6 (NIV)

My Friends, where there is no vision, the people perish…..Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

Oct 18, 2015

MY FRIENDS, EACH MORNING NEW MERCIES WE SEE, AS HE LOOKS BEYOND OUR FAULTS.

“Amazing grace shall always be my song of praise, for it was grace that brought my liberty; I do not know just why He came to love me so, He looked beyond my fault and saw my need. I shall forever life mine eyes to Calvary, to view the cross where Jesus died for me, how marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul; He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.”

That is what you call unconditional love. “He looked beyond our fault and saw our need.”  “Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee;Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.“Great is Thy faithfulness!”

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!  My friends that is God’s promise and if we Have faith and endure that promise will continue throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.

In addition, thirty thousand years or one hundred thousand years from today we will still be able to say, Morning by morning new mercies I see because on Calvary “He looked beyond our fault and saw our need.”

My friends, make it personal, and share the vision, one hundred thousand years from today seems inconceivable, but it is only inconceivable if we have lost our focus, and allowed the god of this world to dictate our future.

There is a song that says. Some of us think it is all right to still do our thing, and love the Lord at the same time, and then it goes on to say in so many words there is no either, or. You have to be black or white no shades of grey will do, for no man can serve two masters.

For either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth…….

Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matt. 6:24-34 (NASB)

Within those text it also says, Look at the birds of the air, they are being taken care of. Are you not worth much more than they?….. Also observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin.

My friends if your desire is God’s kingdom, just stay focused. He is not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Each morning new grace and mercies from Christ tells us, “the cross upon which Jesus died Is a shelter in which we can hide.

And its grace so free is sufficient for me and deep is its fountain as wide as the sea. Though millions have come, there’s still room for one. Though millions have found him a friend and have turned from the sins they have sinned. The Savior still waits to open the gates and welcome a sinner before it’s too late.”

My Friends, where there is no vision, the people perish…..Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

Oct.17, 2015

MY FRIENDS, ARE YOU ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN GODS LOVE?

Jesus demonstrates His love in so many ways for His children. “If every one of them were written down, “I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” John 21:25 (NIV)

Now my friends what about our deeds and how we reciprocate unconditional love for all that has been done for our Salvation. John says in 1 John 2:5 (NKJV)”But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them.” This is how we know we are in him:”

Now let’s Focus on how we live our lives from day to day asking ourselves the question, do we live by God’s word or has the god of this world occupied or time to such an extent that God only becomes a factor in our life when we have a family crises?

But if our desire is to live throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity with our Savior we must love as God loves. Today I can tell you because of my faith and what that means to me and hope your faith tells you the same, there is only one way to really love God and give as He gives.

First we must ask God’s Spirit to give us understanding of God’s word as we study diligently while transforming our Character into the image of Christ and that is the beginning of a firm foundation in knowing and loving Christ, one that will be laid deep into our heart and through our faith in God and His Word.

“The dominant theme in Scripture is simple: God is love.” (Burton) God is also Omnipotent having unlimited power, with such power He could have easily erased humanity from existence and called it “Part I” of a two Part experiment and started “Part II” with the hope of a better outcome.

But instead He chose grace mercy and love. My friends our Salvation is pure unadulterated and simple, and it’s called love that  forgets self and knows no danger through Christ and never counts the cost of sacrificing.

“Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers overflow it” Song of Solomon 8:7 (NASB) Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:17-19 (NKJV) “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love.

And you may also have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

My friends, focus today on the words “rooted and grounded in love” because only when we are completely transformed in the image of God can we experience true love. The love that “surpasses all understanding” and at that point, is when we will be willing to give it all to the Master.

Remember, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” [or anything else this world has to offer] Matt 10:37 (KJV)

A thought provoking text, so read it again carefully, and then ask yourself the question. God will say it is finished soon, how close am I too being ready to see Him face to face and say “Lo, this is our God; [that] I have waited for and [loved more than anything in this world that I now leave behind] and He will save us and we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Is. 25:9 (KJV Paraphrased)

My Friends, where there is no vision, the people perish…..Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

Oct. 16, 2015

MY FRIENDS, MOVE OUT, NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO LOOSE OUR FOCUS!!!

At sixty four years old, I can say throughout life I have lost my focus at times and gotten off tract from the direction I was headed. But today my focus is life eternal as I try and serve Christ on the front lines of the battle field.

My friends, today we have to make it personal, because each of us in this maze we call life, always seems to lose focus on where we are headed and how we are going to get there, because the road we travel may have a few rough areas, and we then loose our focus. But now is not the time.

“The Bridegroom is due to arrive at any moment” and our Savior is counting on each of us along with all we have shared our vision with, of His appearing to be in that number, that great multitude, which no man could number.

A multitude of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in our hands;” Rev. 7:9 (KJV) 6000 years of God’s chosen, together at the same time.

His chosen, “which came out of great tribulation, and have washed our robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev. 7:14 (KJV) and now we have earned the right to be “heirs to God’s kingdom and joint heirs with His only Begotten Son.

And no matter how we have lived our lives, or how many times we wondered in other directions, the redeemed remained focused, because we realized there was “no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” And that was Jesus Christ.

My friends, we can count the months as days now. For every door now opened, every pathway cleared thank you Lord For every one of our needs, You’ve already supplied, I praise You  Yet there is one thing my soul longs for Is to worship You face to face.

This must be our earnest prayer, this must be our earnest plea…..where we can witness all of His glory…In that place of sweet communion. [This must be our focus] ”(Daryl Coley, Beyond the Veil) My friends, our focus is to be where our Savior resides.

And one day the veil of this world will be removed and we will see Him in all His glory. But there is still work to be done. A lot of us have a problem seeing that vision as we move throughout our life.

“And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it.” Ex. 14:15 (NKJV) I have no doubt that is what the Lord is saying to each of us.

“Why do you cry to Me? The harvest is plentiful, just “move out in faith.” My friends do not lose your focus because you have not heard His voice, and then allowed the god of this world to occupy your time. Just “move out,” God’s promises don’t change. “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Rom 11:29 (KJV)

We just have to have faith, endure and stay focused on each promise in God’s word. So today we need to stop between our steps to refocus on where we are in relation to this world and our walk with the Lord which enable us to see Christ face more clearly before moving on, because now is not the time to lose or focus!! Our salvation depends on it.

My Friends, where there is no vision, the people perish…..Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

..