Jan 9, 2015

MY FRIENDS, ONLY IN HIS NAME SAKE CAN WE CLAIM VICTORY!!

My friends in the wake of all that is going on in our world today what are you doing at this moment, how are you responding spiritually as God calls you to come out of Babylon and what are you doing for His Name sake, If God’s mission is to be completed in our lifetime.

The power of transformation should be going on in our lives right now as we Allow the work of “God’s Holy Spirit each day to convict, instruct, guide and empower each believer…just before the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.” (M. Finley)

The question we all must ask ourselves, what is more important than our salvation. In spite of God’s grace gradually being removed from this earth, there is still an abundance of greater grace for everyone, personally, who seeks it, but most are taking a foolish path.

“When the richest abundance of grace shall be bestowed, most intend to open their hearts to receive it. They are making a terrible mistake. The work that God has begun in the human heart in giving His light and knowledge must be continually going forward. Every individual must realize his own necessity.

The heart must be emptied of every defilement, and cleansed for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit …” ”There must be a constant development of Christian virtue, a constant advancement in Christian experience. This we should seek with intensity of desire, that we may adorn the doctrine of Christ our Savior.” (E.G. White)

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light to shine in our hearts. John tells us in 1 John 1:5 (NIV) This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

So that text tell us, if that light that leads to our salvation comes from our Savior, then our hearts must never cease to stay focused on where it is coming from and what we must do to obtain it. The challenge for most of us is in allowing self to die and turning our life over to the unknown or maybe we are just terrified where Christ may lead.

But my friends remember “The Lord is our shepherd; we shall not want.” And He also leadeth each of His children who have accepted Him as the Good Shepherd “in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

And it is “for his name sake” that we must consecrate our life today. Yes My friends we must die daily and live our life through Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins, and is now our mediator and advocate.

In addition, God’s credibility to the universe is based on His living up to “His name’s sake” as the one and only God, who’s precepts are holy and based on, love, truthfulness, grace, mercy and through His Son Jesus Christ is our only path to salvation.

1 John 2:12 (KJV) tells us, I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for “His name’s sake”.  1 Samuel 12:22 (KJV) also tells us “For the Lord will not forsake his people for His great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you” a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession,” 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)

And my friends, What is so amazing, our proud Father can say with no reservations “Have you” considered my Sons and daughters, “that there is none like them on the earth”, a blameless and upright generation, A generation “who fears God and shuns evil?”

Oh what an honor to have God speak of His faithful as “His name’s sake”. But my friends, this only happens when we have allowed God to transform us mentally and spiritually into His Image through the blood of His Son.

Consistent with this, once our Character is like His and we have been identified as his sons and daughters because of our faith and endurance, we then demonstrate our love for what was done for us at Calvary as we spread the good news of the gospel throughout the world in “His name’s sake”,

And one day soon, we will forever claim victory throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, “for His name’s sake”  

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan. 8 2015

MY FRIENDS, “OUR GOAL, NOT ONLY TO GET THE COMMUNITY INTO THE CHURCH, BUT TO GET THE CHURCH INTO THE COMMUNITY”

And friends, sometimes, that is one member at a time. When someone ask me what is the address of your church, on paper it reads 800 Youngs Lane, Nashville Tn. 37207 but in the eyes of God it should read, “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

That text tells me the churches address is at the work place, at home, in my neighborhood, at school, at the restaurant, at the mall, at the theater, at the super bowl party, wherever we go, and whatever we do, our God must be at the forefront.

In addition, He has asked His Heirs and co heirs with His Son Jesus Christ too “sound the battle cry, as we See the foe is nigh; Raising our standard high for the Lord; then we must, Gird our armor on, standing firm every one; Resting our cause upon His holy Word.

Rouse, then, soldiers, rally round the banner, Ready, steady, pass the word along; Onward, forward, shout aloud, “Hosanna!” Christ is Captain of the mighty throng. And then When the battle’s done, and the vict’ry’s won, May we wear the crown before Thy face.”

Every activity of our life must be about the mission of telling the world the good news of our Savior’s soon return and what everyone must do, to be saved . “Where the kingdom of God meets the kingdom of the world. [That my friends] is where the real battle is taking place.

Mislocating the battle has led the church to a major tactical error. If the battle is inside the church, than the front line duty can be assigned only to a few highly trained specialists” (Peel, Larimore, going public with your faith pp 40) As members, we can always sit in the pews and complain about what the church is not doing.

But if we are a member of the body of believers, then God is calling you to make a difference, He is calling you to represent Him to the world in whatever capacity His Spirit has impressed upon you, He is calling you to move forward and serve.

So the secret to every Christian’s success as to his or her mandate from God will be found in the harmonious and daily workings of every situation and circumstances of our life, in conjunction with “His will be done.”

Remember success as a Christian is not Him asking us to devote ourselves to His cause, but for our commitment to be, not our will but his will be done. Every excuse in word, deed and action, with every element of fear and faithlessness not to continue witnessing for Christ was challenged and answered at Calvary.

“The badge of Christianity is not an outward sign, not the wearing of a cross or a crown, but it is that which reveals the union of man with God. By the power of His grace manifested in the transformation of character the world is to be convinced that God has sent His Son as its Redeemer.

No other influence that can surround the human soul has such power as the influence of an unselfish life. The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian.” (E.G. White, Help om Daily Living pp 470)

And as Christians, we all need to come to terms with the actuality that Satan still exists and he is as strong as ever. But my friends the story does not and cannot end there. But through Christ, he whose heart is fixed to serve God must always find the opportunity “by whatever means is necessary” through the Spirit of God to be a soldier and a witness for Him.

Consistent with this, the more we can focus on the character and love of Christ the more we come to realize that we must follow Him all the way to Calvary by being a humble servant to others as we carry out Christ mandate and get the church into the community as we tell the world of His love, grace, and mercy and soon return.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan 7, 2015

MY FRIENDS, DON’T BECOME COMPLACENT, HARAN IS NOT OUR DESTINATION!!

My friends what can we learn from the life and travels of Abraham: Gen.11:3, 12:1-4 (NIV) tells us “Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan.

But when they came to Haran, they settled there…..” My friends on our journey to the promise land, Haran can never be an option, eternal life can only come from finishing our journey to the promise land.

The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you…. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you….So Abram went, as the Lord had told him;” My friends,sometimes our salvation depends on leaving everything and everyone.

Acts 7:2,4 tells us “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.” So that text tells us, God had set the sights of the entire family on a destination to the promise land before they reached Haran. “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matt. 22:14 (KJV)

So they lost their focus and became complacent and comfortable with their surroundings, But it was only Abraham who was willing to continue the journey God had placed him on, it was only Abraham who was willing to come out of Haran and follow God’s lead.

In addition, it was only “the faith of Abraham, who obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” Heb. 11:8 (NIV)

As a child of God, we have been given the responsibility to let the light shine of His love, grace and mercy through us to our friends, family, love-ones and the world so that they may know Christ as we.

Through the power of God’s Spirit we must let them know Haran or “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins.” Rev. 18:2-4 (KJV)

If we seek God’s kingdom the world will never have an influence over God’s chosen. At one time in history, Most Christians consented to lower their standards and stay in Haran, and a union was then formed between Christianity and paganism.

But thank God many Christians chose to die before they would deny their Lord. So the millions who did so came to be called martyrs, which means “witnesses.” and millions did die because of their commitment to God.

So we must Keep watch and stay focused. Each faithful follower of Christ is born with a pure connection to God, as we move around in this sinful world, we become more attached to the pleasures of Haran and our connection to Christ weakens.

That is why our focus must be forever on Christ, a crucified and risen Savior who will return one day to take his children away from this sinful world to the promise land which is His pure and holy kingdom and life eternal.

Remember all the avenues of time, history and prophecy converge at Calvary and Christ second coming. Satan is a clever strategist who knows if He can just keep our heart in Haran, then our attitude about end-time events will be secondary to Salvation.

So walk away today from Haran and set your sights on a destination that “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man”

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan. 6, 2015

MY FRIENDS, THE MOST DANGEROUS WORD IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS TOMORROW!!!

Webster defines the most dangerous word in the English language, tomorrow: as the day following today now let’s go to the second most dangerous word in English language which is procrastination. Webster defines that word as one who defers taken action; or maybe just delays it.

Well what about God, when we ask and what we ask for is not immediately granted or He waits till tomorrow. Well we cannot “forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8-9 (NKJV)

So my friends, what that text tells me is, that tomorrow and procrastination are words defined only for created beings with finite minds and limited understanding of the universe, beings who have a vision but are unable to carry it out due to a lack of motivation from within, and that my friends defines the majority not the minority.

But as a Child of God we must never cease to place, God at the forefront and never put off tomorrow or procrastinate about what we must do for Christ today. Our vision to serve God must never cease.

In addition, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17 (ESV)

Could have been, Writers of many books, Students striving for excellence, Athletes, Artist, Architects, politicians, Lawyers, Doctors, Minsters of God, Bible workers and the list goes on of men and women who continued to say tomorrow, but let’s not leave out the most important of all the character traits of, I could have, should have been.

And that is the opportunity today, to repent and forgive and allow self to die today as we become  “crucified with Christ as we no longer live, but Christ lives in us, and the life we now live in the body, we now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved each of us and gave himself for us.” Gal 2:20 (NIV Paraphrased)

But you tell yourself tomorrow, God can wait he has waited for 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 or 70 or 80 or 90 or maybe even a hundred years, He can continued to wait he’s God. But my friends today must be the new tomorrow and it must be all about God’s will not our lack of will because we are spending God’s precious time on self.

In addition, our time must be spent in God’s word, along with taken God’s vision for His children too whatever heights and levels that may be, whether reading, writing or arithmetic, your vision, God’s goals.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. 1 Cor 10:31-33

My friends, at the end of the day it must be “all to the glory of God” that “many may be saved” because we are “not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,…” Rom. 1:16-17

So today God tells His chosen who are now his anchors in the 21^st century  “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and [vision] and follow me.” Matt. 16:24 (NIV) Not tomorrow or when you think the time is right, but today. Pablo Picasso says it best when he tells us too “only put off tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan 5, 2015

MY FRIENDS, ARE WE IL PREPARED TO FINISH THIS JOURNEY CHRIST HAS PLACED US ON.

Unless we are daily advancing in an active process of Christian virtues and allowing self to die daily as our faith is tested, we shall never be able to recognize the “manifestations of God’s Spirit” when it becomes available.

Many all around us may be receiving this power, but when our faith was tested, we continually failed because we allowed the things of this world to continually occupy our time and money, which tells God, not your will, but my will must be done.

The power, God’s chosen should be looking for, can only come from within when we have decided through God‘s Word and Spirit, to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Heb. 12:1 (KJV)

My friends, our Faith must be stretched to the limit. But if we fail at the start of this race we will never be given greater light that will guide us at every step it will take to finish. In attempting my first triathlon a few years ago, the swimming being the first event before bicycling and running, at the time, I was ill prepared for open water swimming.

I had never studied the technique of open water swimming and had only practiced in swimming pools. So when the day of the event came and the race got started, about 50 feet into the swim, the territory was unfamiliar and I had no idea what was happening, the water had no bottom to it and I had never experience such terror before.

In addition, I heard a voice say, you will never make it, which made me very fearful of the unknown, or what it would take to finish. So I called for the little boat to come get me. As soon as I arrived at the dock the officials, snatched the monitor off of my ankle, because I was not permitted to go any further in the race, since I had not completed the swim.

My friends that is the same way with our Christian experience and faith on our journey to the promise land. If we have not studied God’s word, and allowed His Spirit to Guide us through the many test of faith required to finish this race, we are then IL prepared to finish the journey because the terrain is unfamiliar and fearful, which will make the journey seem like there was no end in sight.

In addition, what the Spirit was not allow to do earlier,we have now lost the opportunity “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God. Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” John 6:44-45 (NKJV)

But my friends, we cannot respond to what we don’t know and never allowed the Spirit to teach us. The next year I did finish The race, because I studied, and read everything I could on open water swimming and watched video’s and practiced many hours in open water.

I even joined a triathlon Club that prepared my confidence in open water and the Journey to the finish line. My friends God wants to give us His power. For Paul tells us in, 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

He knocks at our hearts Door Daily, are we listening or is the TV up to loud for us to hear Him. Have our focus been constantly on the things of this world instead of the presence of the Good Shepherd. Today ask yourself, what keeps me from given it all to the Master.

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” But it starts with Faith. My friends, The power of God is placed within us, thus allowing each of us to be heir and joint heir with Jesus Christ, as we finish up God’s mandate to “take the gospel to all the world and then the end will come.”

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan. 4, 2015

MY FRIENDS, CAN WE ELIMINATE THOSE SINS WHICH SO EASILY ENSNARES US?

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matt. 5:48 (KJV)

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Heb. 12:1 (NKJV)

My friends today, let’s talk about those sins “which so easily ensnares us. Those are the sins that we consider grey area’s or “socially acceptable sins,” but if we seek God’s kingdom, there can be no grey areas in our life, everything must be cleansed by the blood of Christ.

A few months ago I was driving my mother-in-law to Sabbath school, we were late, so I ignored the speed limit and of course got stopped for speeding. Trying to get to church sir, I told the policeman, he checked my license, gave me a warning and off I went.

This past Sabbath evening, same location, speeding trying to get to church, only this time I was only going to the church to pick up a DVD to take it to a sick friend before it got to late, got stopped again. Once again, trying to get to church sir, was my response. He checked my license, let me off with a warning and off I went .

My friends, I hope and pray each of you can see the difference in what I told the policeman each time I was stopped and why the road to the kingdom is so narrow, and why very few will make it. There is a thin line between perdition and eternal life that we must recognize if our destination is God’s pure and holy kingdom.

We must stay in the presence of God at all times while “praying without ceasing” for the outpouring of God’s Spirit as we allow self to die daily, not only in the large, but also the small seemingly insignificant areas on our journey.

Hand’s up and I can’t breathe, both cases shows that a black man’s life is not worth very much to some who still recognize blacks as three fifths of a person. But suppose, Michael Brown, and  Eric Garner had left the house that morning, with only one goal and that was, Lord not my will but thy will be done.

Or “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal. 2:20 (NIV) My friends, because mans sins has abounded to such an astronomical level, they could have still been killed just stepping outside.

But most likely it would not have been because of a bad choice they made as they started their day. My friends sin is an abomination to God whether you are Isis who kills thousands, or a policeman, who kills a black man simply because he is black.

Or a kid who stills cigars out of a store, or cooperate America who robs poor Americans out of billions of dollars each year or the man who sells cigarettes on a street corner, telling himself it is an honest loving, or the prostitute, or pusher man who sells dope on the corner.

Or everyone who buys on the street, or illegally downloads music and movies from the internet, or the man who gives a policeman the impression he is going to church for church service when he is going only to pick up a DVD for a sick friend.

They are all sins, which so easily ensnares us. and they will all lead to perdition because all sin is an abomination to God. My friends we must begin to focus on our Salvation and what changes we must make in our life to finish this Journey Christ has placed us on.

The closer we get to Christ soon coming, the busier Satan seems to be getting in shielding us, from what appears to us, to be right or wrong in the sight of God. So today stay focused, remember not our will but God’s as we seek His Spirit while keeping “God’s word hid in our heart, that we might not sin against Him. Ps. 119:11 (KJV)

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan. 3, 2014

MY FRIENDS, LOOK FORWARD TO WHERE GOD IS TRYING TO TAKE YOU AND THEN LOOK BACK AT WHERE HE HAS BROUGHT YOU FROM AND THEN PAUSE!!

“I’ve got too much behind me to let this world blind me. To some he’s a name, but to me, he’s my everything” So my friends, we must look forward to where God is trying to take us and then we must look back at where God has brought us from and then we must pause and in the midst of every storm ask,

“Are You telling me to go? Are You telling me to stay? Are You telling me to hold on to You for another day? Cause I got nothing left And I’m hanging by a thread” My friends do you sometimes just want to let God have it, you are so upset with Him you can hardly see straight.

Well, God can handle it, He is our creator, He can take our heartfelt criticisms and make it work in His behalf. God tells Moses. “I have seen this people, and indeed they are a stiff-necked people.

Let Me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they……..” Moses responds “O Lord God, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance whom You have redeemed through Your greatness, whom You have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look on the stubbornness of this people, or on their wickedness or their sin, lest the land from which You brought us should say, “Because the Lord was not able to bring them to the land which He promised them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.

” Yet they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out by Your mighty power and by Your outstretched arm.” Deuteronomy 9:13-29 (NKJV)

My friends, this is where I need you to focus today, a place where I am personally trying to get too and I pray that each of you will have that same desire. 40 years earlier, Moses an Israelite, living in Egypt as the son of the future heir to the throne of Pharaoh killed a fellow Egyptian.

In addition, seemingly with no conscious, continued His daily routine until finding out Pharaoh was aware of the incident and seeked to kill him. But God had other plans for Moses life and Moses went into exile for 40 years.

And it was during those 40 years that he looked forward to where God was trying to take him and then he looked back at where God had brought him from and then he paused and in the midst of his storm somewhere he found the presence of God and where He was leading and never looked back.

My friends 40 years of exile before God could use him, 40 years tending sheep, 40 years of heartfelt prayer and supplication, 40 years of never leaving the presence of God until God spoke to him and said Moses, Moses!”……for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

My friends, this is the destination on this earth I seek, to here my named called, Michael, Michael and for others maybe it is Mary, Mary or Bob, Bob or Shanika, Shanika whatever one’s name may be, we must never stop looking forward to where God is trying to take us and then look back at where God has brought us from and then pause.

And in the midst of every situation and circumstances of our life, seek the presence of God and don’t leave, hold on, wait to hear His voice, remember our God is in the midst of the “burning bush.

”He has “surely seen [our] oppression……and have heard our cry, He knows our sorrows and he will come down personally and deliver us out of the hands of Satan and the forces of evil.

In addition, He will bring us up from where we are, to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to a land “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NKJV) My friends, Faith, endurance and never leaving the presence of God, and one day soon, one day soon.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan. 2, 2015

MY FRIENDS, CATCH THE VISION, BECAUSE IT IS MARVELOUSLY BREATHTAKING!!!

My friends catch the vision, Look up, “Through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come; Tis Grace that brought us safe thus far and Grace will lead us home.” “And Soon our eyes were drawn to the east, for a small black cloud had appeared, about half as large as a man’s hand, which we all knew was the sign of the Son of man.

In solemn silence we all gazed on the cloud as it drew nearer, and became lighter, glorious, and still more glorious, till it was a great white cloud. The bottom appeared like fire; a rainbow was over the cloud, while around it were ten thousand angels, singing a most lovely song; and upon it sat the Son of man.

His hair was white and curly and lay on His shoulders, and upon His head were many crowns. His feet had the appearance of fire; in His right hand was a sharp sickle, in His left a silver trumpet. His eyes were as a flame of fire, which searched His children through and through.” (E.G. White Testimonies For The Church volume 1, pp 60)

My friends continue to catch the vision, as we enter God’s pure and holy kingdom “the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

And [we] saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.” Rev. 21:21-25 (ESV) continue to catch the vision because after “we’ve been in God’s kingdom, our new home ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun. We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’ve first begun, amazing grace how sweet the sound”

My friends, we must all take on a new attitude about what is happening and what will continue to happen and that attitude must be all about our relationship to what our God is doing for our Salvation as He prepares to come and take us to our permanent home.

Remember He has made a promise to us that states, let not our hearts “be troubled; [if we] believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-3 (NJKV) what a marvelous promise, “I will come again and receive you to Myself “ and the prophecy of Matt 24 tells us it will be sooner then we think.

But my friends we must “have a made up mind” as it stays focused “on things above, [and] not on things on this earth” Colossians 3:2 (NKJV) because He is only coming, for the faithful who have endured and prepared others so that they may also catch the vision, as we tell them “the tomb is empty” our Savior lives and He will come again to take us home, for now we are only pilgrims.

“For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come.” Heb. 13:14 (NKJV) So if we are children of the most High. “Heir to God’s throne and joint heir with Jesus Christ” as the world continues as if there was no God, and no judgment and no eternal destination for the righteous and the unrighteous. We must spend every waking moment asking God “not my will, but thy will be done.”

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Jan 1, 2015

HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FRIENDS, OUR AIM, MOTTO AND PLEDGE FOR 2015, “NOT MY WILL, BUT THY WILL BE DONE”

My friends, Success in 2015 will only come from finishing the course Christ sets before us. It must be all about Him and his will. We must completely die in Christ, because as I’ve said often in the past, no one can hurt a dead man.

We must  escalate Christ in our life. He must be our focal point. Our eyes are to be forever “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

I have a canvas that I started creating a painting on several years ago. It sits, waiting for the stroke of the brush to continue at the point where I stopped or somehow lost interest in finishing. One day when time permits I hope to finish.

My friends with God, He never ceases His goal, our salvation, we are a continuing project, as He forever shapes us into the character of his abiding love, while using a mixture of His blood, along with His love, grace and mercy as the medium.

In addition, each stroke takes us to another level on our journey to the Promise land “Every good painter paints what he is.” (Jackson Pollock)  “In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

My friends, focus on the words, what he is, and, what the heart can imagine, because what He is, is our Savior who gave it all for our Salvation even “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8 (NIV)

And as we enter the presence of God with our finite minds and recognize Him as our Creator, the all-knowing, all-powerful, “unlimited in nature and ability to be everywhere at all times”, we then begin to understand, there is no limit to what our God can do or imagine as we lay it all at the feet of Christ and say not my will but thy will be done.

Health issues, not my will but thy will be done, family issues which usually are issues with marriage, or children whose lives are completely contrary to the Christain up-bringing they received at home, not my will but thy will be done.

Gossip, lying, adultery, fornication, homosexuality and the list goes on, but whatever the sin, or trials of our life, we must lay it at the feet of Christ, grab hold to what little faith we have within us and cry out with heartfelt sincerity and repentance, not my will but thy will be done.

My friends 63 years, and most of those years sin abounded to such an astronomical limit in my life, but my God, through His grace and mercy still allows me to lay all my problems and sins past and present at His feet, as I say, not my will but thy will be done.

As His Chosen, we must maintain a willingness to subject our small and insignificant Minds and desires to the greater goal of following Christ and telling others of the good news of Christ soon return, as we approach the end of this controversy between good and evil.

In addition, once we understand it is not about us. God’s will takes over. Paul tells us in Rom 6:11-14 (NKJV) “In the same way, look upon yourselves as dead to the appeal and power of sin but alive to God through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Do not, then, allow sin to establish any power over your mortal bodies in making you give way to its lusts. Nor hand over your bodily parts to be, as it were, weapons of evil for the devil’s purpose”

My friends, heaven is our destination and as the stroke of the blood of Christ continues to finish our life’s picture, sin can never be our master, as we are forever being renewed through God.

And this transformation will take place as our Faith and belief in the Savior allows us to have a deeper and personal, relationship with Christ and His Word’ on our journey to a place “Eye have not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NKJV)

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Dec 31,2014

MY FRIENDS, THE END OR THE BEGINNING, IF WE SEEK GOD’S PRESENCE EVERYDAY MUST BE DEC. 31!!

What is it about the last day of the year that seems too inspire and motivate us to make changes in our life that we just didn’t allow too happen in the 364 days before today. I wonder if it was Dec. 31 when Paul has his life changing Damascus road experience.

Isn’t it amazing, he set’s out on a journey that was going in one direction towards perdition, but ends in another direction towards God’s kingdom. I would imagine, somewhere in the deep confines of his subconscious the Spirit of God had penetrated through a barrier that most of us never know exist until a life changing experience happens.

When Suddenly, like Paul a light appears and then “The wind blows…… You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.” But if you are a child of God who seeks His presence daily this is the experience of “everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (NIV)

For Paul he heard “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” for myself “I wasn’t there, when the earth was created, so I have no proof that He hung every star, but I know what my life was without Him And the joy that was mine when He rescued my heart No wonder they call Him Savior” (Larnelle Harris)

I personally can say a life changing experience happened in my life on one particular Dec 31. but if you are a child of God usually, a Damascus road experience is not just one day, but a daily struggle of trials and tribulation, which changes you from within.

Consistent with this, some days no matter how hard we try to change, Satan reroutes our intentions, but think God for grace because without it, where would we all be. “Wandering down some pointless road to nowhere” My friends each year we can’t wait until Dec 31, to say starting tomorrow, I allow self to die.

If we allow that light of God’s presence to shine from heaven into our life today, if we are fortunate enough to hear that voice telling us, my friend, my vessel, my chosen heir and joint-heirs with Christ, “why do you persecute me?” by not allowing my Spirit to transform you into the image of my son who gave it all so that you may receive life eternal, then today, tomorrow and forever must be a beginning point for this journey Christ has placed us own as we focus on that ending destination when we will here, “Well done, 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.” Matthew 25:23 (KJV) Paul tells us in Phil. 1:21 (KJV) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.“

Acts 9:15 (KJV) tells us The Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. When you read Paul’s letters, you realize God knew, that Paul could be all things to all people.

Paul says in Phil. 3:7-8 (KJV) “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”

My friends can God say the same about us? They are my chosen instruments they will proclaim My name to the world. I know they will endure to the end, even if it means death. Remember the forces of evil looks back over our life and accuses each of God’s chosen, of all of our mistakes and tells us we have gone to far to be saved.

But my Savior starts at Calvary, and takes us through the trials and tribulation of this life, and places us in His loving arms and guides and protects each of us daily. And my friends if we are faithful and endure, one Day in God’s pure and holy kingdom, each day will be the beginning of new challenges and experiences, without sin or Satan, that will last throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY