Nov. 24, 2014

MY FRIENDS, “I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES; HIS PRAISE SHALL CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH”

“My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.” Ps. 34:1-2 (NIV)

My friends, at all times does not tell us, we should skip a day praising God, or go into time out while we are in the barber or beauty salon, or at the mall. We must represent Christ and praise His name at all times, no matter what situation or circumstances may arise in our life.

Praise Him when the sunset glows, praise Him when we smell the aroma of fresh bread coming out of the oven, and when we hear the sound of birds outside of our window each morning, as we are awaken by the hand of God as we recognize His presence.

But my friends, we must also praise God, when the sun does not shine at all, or when we are lacking the funds to even buy bread, or when a love one is no longer awaken by the hand of God. Our God must be praised always, forever “sitting on the throne of our heart” as He guides us on this journey He has placed us on.

In addition, He’s in control, He knows everything about us, “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows Luke 12:7 (NASB)

“While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”

And as they were going, they were cleansed. Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed?

But the nine where are they? Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19 (NASB) My friends isn’t it amazing we are all God’s Children that is why,

“He causes His sun [or Son] to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matt 5:45 (NASB) He told the leper who had returned to give praises to the one who had transformed his life “your faith has made you well.”

But there were nine others who were healed, what type of faith did they have? As one that ask for guidance in all of  my studies I would say only one leper had faith, but because that one, who recognized the presence of God when it was in front of him, the other nine benefited.

In addition, he praised and glorified God’s name daily, even in the terrible condition of being ostracized from society because of his condition. my friends I would imagine that  God’s name was forever imprinted in his mind as he seeked God daily, with sincere and heartfelt prayer, too be healed, and his prayers were answered.

In addition, Because he was a Samaritan, the other nine, probably had nothing else to do with him, thus missing another chance of being in the presence of someone who had a personal relationship with the one who had come to redeem mankind from the god of this world.

It is not just about our praise, it is also about the world that also has the privilege of the sun or Son to shine on them, recognizing who provides what they take for granted, through us, as we fulfill Christ mandate, “receiving power after “the Holy Ghost has come upon us, going out and  witnessing for our Savior, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NASB)

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

Nov. 22, 2013

MY FRIENDS, HE LOOKED BEYOND OUR FAULTS AND SAW OUR NEED!

“I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary, to view the cross, where Jesus died for me how marvelous, His grace that caught my falling soul. He Looked beyond our faults and saw our need.” “Oh my friends, what Grace!!”

Calvary, that is where it all started for each of us, Our God knew every messed up situation and out of control circumstance we would find ourselves in throughout our life, he knew, at times the lure of the things the god of this world would present to us, would be more enticing then Sabbath, or Sunday school.

He knew every mountain and valley we would encounter. He knew the sickness and death, the heartache and pain that would surround our life decade after decade, he knew how close we would get to our probationary period ending, before we would call out in heartfelt anguish, Lord, what must I do to be saved!

My friends if you seek God’s kingdom like I, you will continue to fall, but we get up and brush our self off, but the thought of one day not being able to get up should terrify each of us, that is why we have to stay focus on the  promises in God’s word.

In addition, our attitude must be no matter what, we will never leave His presence, because even though, we loose our  direction at times, He is always the compass that leads us right back to Him.

Consistent with this, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Tim 1:7 (KJV) so we have to hold on my friends, allow your faith to be stretched to the limit endure for a moment because I can say with full assurance that a moment is all the time we have left in this controversy between good and evil.

But thank God for His grace for our God has looked beyond our faults and saw our needs remember “our God is the peace, which surpasses all understanding, He will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. [But we must continue to] “all look to [Him to], give [us our] food in due season, [as He] opens our hand; [and] satisfies the desire of all our needs.” Ps 145:15-16 (PSV)

He is the light that shines within our hearts that awakens our conscious each day to our responsibility of service, in fulfilling his mandate, to go into all the world. My friends we must never loose sight of the fact that the “thief in the night” scenario our Savior gave us in Matt 24 is upon us and soon He will “come quickly; and our reward is with [him], to give every man, [or woman] according as his work…” Rev 22:12 (KJV)

My friends, that is a promise like all of God’s promises in His word “the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. Habakkuk 2:3

Life is frustrating we tend to sometimes look back on the good old days, when life seemed so simple, and then reality sinks in maybe the death of a love one or a rebellious child, that seems out of control, or maybe it is just the world we have to wake up to each day.

That is “why [we must] find pleasure in things above, soon to be, the celestial music, the meadows and streams of water. The playful voices of  children and animals, our family and friends forever united, our new home with mansions and streets of Gold and the sun or Son of God, that forever light the atmosphere of the sky and our hearts.

But remember my friends, “the gates of hell will not prevail” against God’s chosen. From Genesis to Revelation, nothing will keep God’s promises in His word from coming to pass, but we must know those promises, because they “all Look beyond our faults” for they are the promises of all our needs in Christ Jesus Amazing Grace,”

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

Nov. 20, 2014

MY FRIENDS, WE ARE IN DESCENT, WE ARE LOSING CABIN PRESSURE, DO YOU REMEMBER THE INSTRUCTION?

For then there will be a great tribulation, such as one,[that has] not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.…. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah…and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away…..” Matt. Matt. 24:21-22, 37-39 (NASB)

Have we become too busy, or just uninterested, in telling the world of its ultimate destruction, but that the good news is, the final chapter brings about life eternal, to all who has faith and endures to the end. My friends, that Eternal ending, is the part of this story and our journey we all should be seeking daily.

But once again I need you to make it personnel, focus on self, because at some point on our Journey all of Matt. 24 will become real to everyone who is living. We are now at the threshold of prophecy. In addition, God’s word is a complete look into the beginning and the end of all prophecy, which must be fulfilled before we enter the “promise land”

Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. Therefore be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.” Matt 24:42:44 (NASB)

So today, Let’s picture the world as an out-of-control airplane about to crash. This is typically the point where people begin to pray as they call out God’s name, as they look for answers in a very short time period. What is happening? why is it happening, as they cry out to the Lord.

In addition, there will be some who just give up, as they say; well I lived a good life, which means there good life is all they have to cling on to. But for those who genuinely seek answers. Your family, friends, live one’s, co-workers, all are petrified.

Mothers are telling their kids, “Mommy loves you, Mommy loves you,” over and over again, with no concrete solution as to how to comfort them. Suddenly the oxygen masks deploys…” panic goes to another level, but no one knows what to do, they never heard or read the instruction because they were occupied with the things of this world.

In addition,they don’t understand that the oxygen is life, life that can only come from God’s word and Spirit. So now you are totally conscious of all that is happening, because you have been in the presence of God and His word daily.

My friends, Satan’s desire is that all are destroyed and no one accepts life and the saving power of Christ that is right in front of them. It has now become personnel, we have read the instructions, so now we must carry out God’s mandate of hope to everyone as this world descends into ultimate destruction.

Right now there is still cabin pressure, which is God’s grace, this is the time we must be giving others hope and telling them about the promises of a new life in God’s word.

“Let us keep fresh in our memory all the tender mercies that God has shown us, the tears He has wiped away, the pains He has soothed, the anxieties removed, the fears dispelled, the wants supplied, the blessings bestowed,–thus strengthening ourselves for all that is before us through the remainder of our pilgrimage.

We cannot but look forward to new perplexities in the coming conflict, but we may look on what is past as well as on what is to come, and say, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” Deuteronomy 33:25. The trial will not exceed the strength that shall be given us to bear it.

Then let us take up our work just where we find it, believing that whatever may come, strength proportionate to the trial will be given.” (E.G. White Steps To Christ pp 93-94) my friends, we are now in descent, we are losing cabin pressure, you have the instruction, you know, life is only in God’s word and Spirit, now you must let the world know.

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

Nov. 19, 2014

MY FRIENDS, “I AM WAR WEARY AND UTTERLY EXHAUSTED AND DEPRESSED BY THIS CONFLICT”

As a child of God I can say without any reservation, I am war weary and utterly exhausted and depressed by war, especially after such a prolonged conflict. And not from a conflict with Isis, Iraq or Afghanistan, but it’s the war that goes on from within my life each day.

Paul explains it this way; “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate…..” Rom 7:15 (NASV) “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.

For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:18-20 (NIV)

In addition, each day if our desire is life eternal in God’s kingdom the battles continue, there is no waving a white flag because surrender, in the wake of this conflict, means destruction. So the battle must continue, that is why Paul also tells us that each Day we must be “crucified with Christ.”

It can no longer be about what we want, or our desires. Sometimes it’s as simple as, do I get a second helping of food, or eat that piece of cake we know is not good for us, or turn to a TV program that has nothing to do with our Salvation, or get on our phones because we just have to call Mary, or John and tell them what Kathy or Bob said about Kim or Ron.

My friends, Christ has to have total access “and the life we now live in the flesh we have to live by faith in the Son of God, who loves us so much. His word tells us that His love for us is so powerful and He demonstrated this “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

So as that conflict continues from within, His love continues. “There are many whose hearts are aching under a load of care because they seek to reach the world’s standard. They have chosen its service, accepted its perplexities, adopted its customs.

Thus their character is marred, and their life made a weariness. In order to gratify ambition and worldly desires, they wound the conscience, and bring upon themselves an additional burden of remorse. The continual worry is wearing out the life forces.

Our Lord desires them to lay aside this yoke of bondage. . . . He bids them seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and His promise is that all things needful to them for this life shall be added. (Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 330.)

My friends we can’t keep telling ourselves, I will just let this conflict from within continue. Paul’s battles from within he recognized but in, 2 Tim 4:6-8 (NIV) he tells us, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

My friends, even though, those battles seem to continue to rage in our lives each day, we must live like it is our last day on earth, and even though, “what we are doing, we do not understand; for we are not practicing what we would like to do, but we are doing the very thing we hate.

Somehow friends, we must allow God’s Spirit to penetrate the unknown places of our life we have never allowed him to go before, and don’t let Him leave until we can say as Paul, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me, life eternal.

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

Nov. 18, 2014

MY FRIENDS, WHY SHOULD WE WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING, IF OUR GOD DOES NOT WORRY?

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,….Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matt. 6:25-27 (NIV)

My friends as God’s chosen, each day that we travel along this journey Christ has placed us on, as we face the many difficulties, the battle continues to rage on, if we attempt to fight each one, all at once, and by ourselves, we are sure to suffer defeat.

But if we trust God and take our trials one by one, to Him, we will find “that we can only know the power that he holds, when we truly see how deep our weakness goes. His strength, it must begin when ours comes to an end, He hears our humble cry and proves again His strength is perfect when our strength is gone He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.

Raised in his power the weak becomes strong, because His strength is perfect when our strength is gone” (CeCe Winans) In every situation and circumstances of our life, why should we worry if our God does not worry? Health issues Matt 8:6-8 (NKJV) tells us

“Lord, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word and my servant will be healed. My friends, do we have such faith, for He is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.

What about financial problems, Matt 17:27 (NIV) states “go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

In addition God tells us to “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.” Mal. 3:10 (NKJV)

Our God tells us to try Him now in this, He doesn’t worry about money, why should you “For every beast of the forest is His, “the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.” Ps 50:10-11 (KJV)

Problems filling our pantry once we have paid our tithe and bills Matt. 14:17-21 (KJV) says “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” “Bring them here to Me,…. And He directed the people to sit down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves….

And the disciples gave them to the people…….The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.” “for I am Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides.” Have a problem with Satan Mark 5 tells us. Immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit………

When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him, and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? …..” For Christ said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”……”

In addition, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” If we have connection from above,  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7 (ESV) My friends our God is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our banner, for He will give us Victory over everything we feel we have to worry about and in the end we will be more than conquerors through him who loved us.” and never worries.

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

Nov. 17, 2014

MY FRIENDS, HOW DOES THIS STORY END?

“As God’s Chosen many have failed to receive all of the power God is willing to give us through His Spirit, during this probationary period before His soon return.

We expect that what we are lacking in faith and endurance, will be supplied, like some magician that pulls a rabbit out of his hat, instantly it appears. We feel when the richest and abundance of God’s grace is bestowed, we can then open our hearts to receive, after self is taken care of.

Oh I am ready now Lord, where is that Spirit you were telling me about. That my friends is 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 …”(E.G. White) In Acts 3:18-20 it tells us “But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer.

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you even Jesus.”  My friends “the times of refreshing.” Those are the key words we as Christians must seek.

If our mission for the Master is to be completed in our lifetime. The complete transformation of the power of God’s Spirit should be going on in our lives right now as we allow His power to convict, instruct, guide and empower each believer who is seeking God’s kingdom.

And Friends there should not be any doubt, as we look at the world today, that our Savior will soon be here. The question we all must ask ourselves is, will I personally be a leading vessel for Christ during this time. For Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 4:5-7 (KJV) “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

There must be a constant development of Christian virtue, a constant advancement in a Christian experience. This we should seek with intensity as we  “receive power when the Holy Spirit come [upon us]; and we will be Christ witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NIV)

My friends we have to make a decision today for tomorrow is not promised to us. And that decision must be. Do we allow God’s transforming power through His Spirit to take full control of our Characters, as we become passionate about spreading the good news about Christ soon return and how His presence has made a difference in our life, to a world where sin abounds deeper and deeper each day.

As Christians we must first be on one accord in mind and body with Christ and the body of believers. For it was only when the Disciples came together on one accord  through God’s Holy Spirit that allowed the day of Pentecost to happen. Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV) gives us the climax of a body of believers coming together on one accord for the finishing up of the work of the Master.

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Today my God’s grace is still extended to each of us. But remember the ending of this story will soon take place, it was set on Calvary When Christ said it is finished. and the final credits will read. Jesus wins, Satan loses!!!

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

MY FRIENDS, “DO WE LINGER,” WHILE GOD TELLS US TO “COME OUT OF BABYLON”?

“But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked….. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.” Ps. 73:2-17 (NKJV)

David tells us he almost slipped, because his focus went from the presence of God, to being fixated on the one who said, “I will make myself like the Most High.” this is when he “went into the sanctuary of God”

My friends, the world has so much to offer “that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Prov. 14:12 (NIV)  Trying to stay focused “on things above, not on things on the earth” is a challenge that will take heartfelt and sincere prayer to stay focused on our Salvation.

God tells Isaiah in Is. 3:10-11(NIV) “tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them they will be paid back for what their hands have done.”

We must all look back on where God has brought us, and where this journey he leads us on, will take us, as we realize The Good Shepherd must be our fortress against the god of this worlds attempts to lead us away from His presence.

Satan will keep us thinking that the world owes us, so we must keep pursuing after it. In addition, we continue to acquire the things of this “world that passeth away, and the lust thereof….” 1 John 2:17 (ASV)  Let’s focus today my friends at the fate of the wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah.

First God reveals to Abraham in Gen 18 that He will destroy Sodom and Gomorrah “And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

Then Abraham pleads to the Lord “Suppose ten should be found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten. Oh the grace of God. We now go to Gen 19 God has now revealed to Lot, Get out of this city and take your family with you, because I will destroy it.

“So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying,

“Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.

And while he lingered, this my friends shows us the marvelous grace and mercies of God, because in spite of Lot and his hesitance to leave all of his belongings and go. My friends Abraham pleaded, “if only 10” would you save Sodom, there were only three.

His wife almost made it, but her focused remain on the things of this earth. Today do we linger as Christ pleads for us “to come out of Babylon” remember “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NASB)

My friends, please take time each day and seek God’s presence in your sanctuary. Like David once he went into the sanctuary, he understood the wicked’s fate of destruction and the redeems eternal reward” and like David who “told everyone about the wonderful things God does.”

As God’s chosen, we must also tell the good news to a world of the mercies grace and love of Christ. and about his soon return and what he has prepared for all who have faith and are willing to endure and believe in the saving power of Christ who died for all.

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