Dec. 15, 2015

MY FRIENDS, STAY FOCUSED, WE SERVE A RISEN SAVIOR!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.” My friend, what a life we lived when the flesh ran rampant.

And Satan had us bound together on a road with so many traveling in the same direction. In addition, we had no thought that we were on “a train which seemed the whole world was on board…the conductor, whom all the passengers looked up to and reverenced.

[But none of us realized] “Satan, was the conductor, and we were traveling at lightning speed to perdition.” (E.G. White Early Writings) But now “we serve a risen Savior”  and most of us have no physical signs that we had been in a war zone.

Life was not so complicated while bound to perdition, before we allowed Christ to enter our life. But the real war has begun the controversy within us continues to rage. It may not be adultery, but it’s lust, it may not be stealing, but the idea of paying tithe becomes complicated at bill time.

But my friends remember we belong to God now. We must never fill we have reached the final frontier and begin to feel fatigue and battle driven “for the battle is not ours, but God’s.” In addition, we must realize the flesh will always have a natural inclination for attacks.

So Satan waits for the opportune time. Luke 11:21-22 (KJV) Says, even a strong man cannot protect his house if someone stronger comes along. “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world.

In Romans 7 Paul presents his personal struggles with the flesh of the body, and how hard it is to control the rage of sin from within. “For we all recognize that the law is holy and good but we are carnal from within, bound under the sin of the flesh.

Only satisfied when it is controlled by the forces of evil.” So as A Christian the battle rages daily so the flesh must die along with self daily. We must be honest with ourselves today, Paul tells us.

Our members will always weaken by outside factors if we allow them too. In the 21 century it’s what we watch on TV, and the Internet, what we read, where we go, what we listen too, and who we allow into our lives.

Paul’s discovery as should be ours is that every time we try to do good, evil is always present! No matter what we want to do for the Lord especially in regards to serving Him and doing His will, the forces of evil will always present an alternative plan.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and victory can only occur if we are continually abounding in the Lord. And continually growing through His word and Spirit.

And continually falling on our knees with heartfelt supplication crying out “not my will but thy will be done.” Sanctification is a life-time process. It becomes a binding contract, one that can never be broken if  we only “seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God……

And not on things on the earth. For [self is now dead], and our life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3 (NKJV) And now our faith should tell us “we serve a risen savior” and tho at times our heart grows weary we will never despair,” only endure; because we know our Savior is leading us to the promise land.

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

Dec. 14, 2015

MY FRIENDS, FOLLOW ME CHRIST ASK, BUT DO WE HAVE THE FAITH?

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us….Eph. 3:20-21 (NIV) My friends, Genuine faith is a transaction which allows us to join into a covenant relationship with God.

Genuine faith has to be a way of life and a passion from within. Genuine Faith tells us the rough side of the mountain we may never conquer but we will never stop climbing until Christ says “well done thy good and faithful servant.

Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matt. 25:21 (KJV) My friends faith does not always make things easy, but it allows us to keep our eyes focused on Calvary “as we press toward the goal [which is] the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:14 (NKJV)

Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it!” 2 Kings 13:18-19 (NIV)

My friends, how many times have we stop short of our blessings because of our unbelief in what God is able and willing to do for us. If we are God’s chosen, faith has no barriers. Neither does God’s love, grace  and his desire to give us what we ask.

So our prayers must be prayers of passion, and a heartfelt belief that God will supply all of our needs. Faith is studying God’s word daily and diligently as we seek understanding and direction as to which way God is leading us on our journey to the promise land.

In addition, supply all of our needs is not a personal debit card we have with God that we pull out and use when we seek the finer things of life. “You do not have because you do not ask. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:2-3 (NKJV)

My friends, we must never forget our life and what we accomplish and gain throughout our life must be all about God and His will for us as we give Him all the praise glory and honor. Remember the rich young ruler kept God’s precepts.

“All these things I have kept from my youth.” He tells Christ. Christ then responds “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow Me.

He then became very sorrowful because he was rich” Luke 18:18-23 (NKJV)  My friends, key words are, follow Me. The problem was not that the ruler was rich but that he could not see beyond this world.

He could not see the Man he was speaking to descending from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: He could not see the dead in Christ rising and those who are alive being caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” Thess. 4:16-17 (KJV)

And he could not imagine 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) What about you my friends.

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

Dec. 12, 2015

MY FRIENDS, ARE YOU PROCLAIMING THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD?

Do you love the lord my friends, if you do then tell the world. Tell them “there hope is built on nothing less than Jesus love, His blood and His righteousness.” Shout the good news to everyone because “the Spirit of the Lord is upon us.

And our Savior has anointed His chosen to proclaim the good news of the gospel to the poor; He has sent each of us to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind.

To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”  Luke 4:16-21 (KJV, paraphrased) My friends let’s focus today on the words “acceptable year of the Lord” and what God’s word is trying to tell us.

“Acceptable year. That is, the gospel age, when those who feel their spiritual need (the poor in spirit), those with contrite hearts (the brokenhearted), those who have been captives of sin and blinded to spiritual things, and those who have been wounded and crushed by the evil one, may expect release from sin.

The “acceptable year of the Lord” is reminiscent of the year of jubilee, when slaves were freed, debts were canceled, and entailed land was turned back to its original owner” (SDA Bible Commentary pp 729)

My friends, nothing else should matter in our life but serving God and telling the world of the “acceptable year of the Lord” when we will be free from sin forever. For “The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.

Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Rev. 21:26-27 (NKJV) And then God will wipe away every tear from our eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.

There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Rev. 21:4 (NKJV) But first they must know that love grace and mercy was triumphant at the cross, which allows that “acceptable year” to take place.

“And all who believe will triumph with Him. In addition, “in every one of His children, Jesus sends a letter to the world. If you are Christ’s follower, He sends in you a letter to the family, the village, the street, where you live.

Jesus, dwelling in you, desires to speak to the hearts of those who are not acquainted with Him. Perhaps they do not read the Bible, or do not hear the voice that speaks to them in its pages; they do not see the love of God through His works.

But if you are a true representative of Jesus, it may be that through you they will be led to understand something of His goodness and be won to love and serve Him.” (E.G. White Steps To Christ pp 115)

My friends, this is our commission, Christ has done His part, He died so that “all who believe and endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” So tell the world of the “acceptable year of the Lord” which will last throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.

Tell the world that Jesus saves, shout it “from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. From the mighty mountains of New York. From the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. From the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

From the curvaceous slopes of California. From Stone Mountain of Georgia. From Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. From every hill and molehill of Mississippi.” And throughout the entire world. (Martin Luther King, excerpts from I have a Dream Speech)

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

Dec. 11, 2015

MY FRIENDS, DO WE NEED A MOUNT CARMEL EXPERIENCE WHERE VICTORIES ARE WON?

Ahab is now king of Israel. “He marries Jezebel, the daughter of a heathen king while turning completely from the true God as he begins worshiping the false god Baal, even setting up altars in a temple built for this false god.

And then enters Elijah the Tishbite, God’s prophet for just such a time, sent to defend the worship of Yahweh over the false god Baal. And the climax will occur on Mount Carmel, a place where victories are won.

In 1 Kings 17:1 (KJV) Elijah warns Ahab “there will be years of catastrophic drought where dew will not even fall “except at his word,” which his word is a mandate from the creator of the universe because Ahab and his queen stand front and center of all the kings of Israel who are said to have “done evil in the sight of the Lord.”

And then the Lord tells Elijah to disappear until further notice. For three years Elijah stays away while God gives Israel time to realize, “He alone is God! And there are no other gods; no one is like Him.” Is. 46:9 (CEV)

So now God gives Israel a chance for victory through His Spirit on Mount Carmel after three years. Oh the love, grace and mercy of our God not hoping that “any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)

But, had the Spiritual character of Israel changed after three years? My friends, what about you and I, there is a Spiritual drought in the land, and in our homes today. Iniquity continues to abound, the love of many waxes colder and colder as “breaking news consumes our headlines.

So if we seek God’s kingdom we need a Mount Carmel experience and victory where we must decide like Israel when asked “How long will we falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, we must follow Him; but if it is the god of this world, then we should follow him.”

God has given us that choice, so if our desire is Salvation through God’s word and Spirit this is where we must gain the victory over everything that is an abomination to God, all of our Baal’s must be laid aside.

In addition, if we decide to keep them let’s just cry out to our Baal’s to wake us up each morning. Let’s cry out to our high definition TV’s for food, shelter, clothing, finances and good health.

And like Elijah as He mocked the false prophets of His day on the mount, the message is the same. Let’s “cry aloud, to our TV, our money, our clothes and anything else we may worship as our god; and if they don’t answer, then we must ask.

Are they meditating? Or maybe they are busy? Or maybe they are on a journey? Or perhaps they are sleeping and must not be awakened?” My friends, no other gods woke us up this morning but God.

No other god but God had a begotten Son to die for our sins. And no other god but Christ said I will go and die so that all who believe and endure may receive life eternal in a place “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which the only true God has prepared for those who love Him”1 Cor. 2:9 (NKJV)

My friends, Only a mount Carmel victory will allow us to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, so that we may finish this race with endurance that the true God has set before us.

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

Dec. 10, 2015

MY FRIENDS, CAN A CHILD OF GOD BE RADICALIZED?

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant, and coming in the likeness of men.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth.” Phil. 2:5-10 (NKJV) “

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” As God’s chosen, would that statement be the beginning steps of radicalization into His army? Radicalization by definition is the “process by which an individual or group comes to adopt increasingly extreme political, social, or religious ideals and aspirations.

They also (1) reject or undermine the status quo or (2) reject and/or undermine contemporary ideas and expressions of freedom of choice.” My friends I need you to focus on the second part of that definition that states “reject and/or undermine contemporary ideas and expressions of freedom of choice.”

That tells us, if a Child of God becomes radicalized he or she must also reject the idea of freedom of choice, which is that one aspect of our journey that would eliminate us from understanding a God who would give the world His only begotten Son.

And a Son who was willing to die so that “the heart of His faithful could plan our own way, as the light of His Spirit guides our steps into all “truth and understanding.” In the tribe of Zebulun, there were 50,000 who went out in the army.

In addition, they could draw up in battle formation with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David with undivided hearts.1 Chronicles 12:33 (KJV) 50,000 soldiers with undivided hearts.

My friends let’s focus first on what is means to have an undivided heart? Does it mean they were radicalized into thinking David’s way, a man after God’s on heart was the only solution to victory or does it mean they were Singleness of purpose?

In addition, not wavering on the standards of God’s precepts? Not allowing any other gods to come before their Lord and Savior? “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.” Acts 2:1-2 (KJV) As God’s Children, oh what power God has promised His chosen who have undivided hearts.

Enduring, never wavering on the standards of God’s precepts, not allowing any other gods to come before us, remaining focused as we finish the course God has set as we prepare to enter the promise land.

My friends we must understand radicalization removes that choice which then places all of our actions into the hands of the god of this world whose only goal is to keep us from the loving arms of Christ.

Which then allows the forces of evil to destroy us from within thus causing us to lose our just reward and the blessed hope of that place Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things our loving Savior has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NKJV)

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

MY FRIENDS, WILL DONALD TRUMP KEEP US SAFE?

“Breaking News” GOP Voters Trust Donald Trump to Keep Our Country Safe.” And that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. Of course this is the rhetoric of all of the presidential candidates, each attempting to tell us as president, they have the solution for peace.

America will finally be a safe country to live in once again, we will all be able to move about with no fear of retribution from outside forces. But my friends if we believe God’s word it tells us “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His.”

So my friends, God is in charge as the plan for mankind plays out within “the breaking news” of the day. And to those who do not know that God is in control including some of our “Spiritual Shepherds” God gives a different scenario for our interpretation of peace.

His warning is, “sudden destruction will come upon this world as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and all [who have not allowed their lives through God’s Spirit and word to be transformed into the image of Christ will] not escape.” 1 Thess. 5:3 (ESV)

So friends, it is only in God’s word where we can find answers and hope if we will only believe. That is why we have to know what we believe, and why we believe, and what are the benefits in having this knowledge.

In addition, “He who called the fisherman of Galilee is still calling men [and women] to His service. And He is just as willing to manifest His power through us as through the first disciples. However imperfect and sinful we may be, the Lord holds out to us the offer of partnership with Himself, of apprenticeship to Christ.

He invites us to come under the divine instruction, that, uniting with Christ, we may work the works of God.” (E.G. White, Desire of Ages, pp 297) So as partners with Christ He also challenges us to tell the world “nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (NKJV)

But “many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matt. 24:11-13 (NKJV)

And one day soon our Savior will come to take His faithful who have endured, to our new home. Up until this point we can say we have been in a marathon but it has now become a sprint, History is moving rapidly So God tells His chosen.

“Son of man, prophesy against the [false prophets and those who tells us there will be peace]. Prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe (judgment is coming) to even His spiritual shepherds who have been feeding themselves!

Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat [the choicest of meat], and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the best of the livestock, but you do not feed the flock. You have not strengthened those who are weak.

In addition, you have not healed the sick, you have not bandaged the crippled, you have not brought back those gone astray, you have not looked for the lost;…” (Ezekiel 34:2-4 AMP) My friends  if you are a Child of God You are also a Shepard of God and he is asking us to love as He loves and feed His flock and our reward He brings with Him to give according to our deeds.

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

Nov. 6, 2015

MY FRIENDS, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION

“The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (ESV) In addition, no matter how far Satan has taken us. God waits.

“Not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) And “when he came to himself, he said, I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.…….And he arose and came to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” Luke 15:17-20 (NKJV) My friends, “but while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion.

Faith and our reconciliation to God, a God who’s love has no limits in-spite of how far we have drifted away. But “only in Christ can a sinner find acceptance with God (Phil 3:9 KJV) a safe and familiar place in the arms of Christ who tells us to “Abide in me, and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4 (ESV) My friends, let’s ask ourselves what lays dormant in our heart that will take us away from the same place Satan has been barred for life from?

Remember Satan’s message remains the same I will be “like the Most High” With that message he was able to convince a third of the angels in heaven that he had a better way, no law of love would they ever have to keep, he would be there new god.

My friends, sounds familiar. But God says “Thou shalt have no other gods before me…..thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,” Ex. 20:3-5 (NKJV) meaning God, and God along is who we give all of our time talents and money to.

Satan has made this world a complicated place to live where it seems there is no way of escape, only a continuation into the abyss where even the desire to escape become blurred. All these things [of the world] will he give us, if we will only fall down and worship him.

And Christ message to Satan must be ours “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Matt. 4:10 (ESV) But my friends if we live by those words then the gate to the kingdom will be narrow and the way is hard that leads to Life Eternal and Gods Kingdom, and those who find it are few.”

But the reward my friends, life eternal in a place no eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor has entered into the heart all that has been prepared for God’s faithful who will endure to the end. So our focus must be on Calvary and all that our Savior has done for us.

Time as we know it is about to end and God needs workers today who are willing to make a complete transformation of body and mind through His Spirit and word. But if we have other plans and we seek other gods, then the road that will be traveled, the gate will be wide and the way will be easy because it leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many.” Matt. 7:13-14 (ESV)

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