Nov. 22, 2015

MY FRIENDS ALL WE WILL REMEMBER IS CALVARY!!

God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” And with God’s DNA comes the power of the cross through God’s Spirit. So now we realize more than ever, the significance of the text.

“For God so loved the world,” yes my friends, we are the world and all of his promises goes to all who believe, “that He gave His only Begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (KJV)

That makes us heirs and a part of this “dynasty that will forever reign,” Today my friends, I need you to focus beyond the “breaking news” of the day, and feel the same passion, and excitement that keeps me focused on life eternal.

That keeps me thinking of  “that long white robe that I will put on soon,” as I tell the story of how I got over.” And every day it gets that much closer to reality, and God’s children, seeing the clouds open up, as Christ comes to get His faithful who have endured, “to always be with the Lord.”

“Always to be with the Lord” meaning infinite, forever, with no ending. And then the redeemed, will sit at the banquet table with the redeemer, as we “lift our hands in total admiration.” We then proclaim our personal journey of how we made it over.

But the story will not be a sad one with the daily “breaking news” and the tribulations of this world. But the Story of how we got over will start at Calvary, and it will end at Calvary. Because My friends, nothing else will matter when it is all over.

We will try and remember beyond Calvary, we will try and remember Satan telling us “all these things I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” We will try and remember the pain and misery of what those words meant.

We will try and remember, the darkness before the dawn, but now the light of the Son is all that matters. He has “wiped every tear away” and now the Son who went to Calvary so we can be there, is our guide.

And maybe that is why Calvary only comes to mind and the price that was paid so we could walk on the “sea of glass” and cry Holy, Holy, Holy. And now our home is a place no eye had ever seen before, nor ear had ever heard, or had ever entered into the heart of any man the things which is now home.

Prepared only for those who loved Him enough to allow Calvary too be our only hope. My friends, “no greater love then our God. His promises keeps reminding us Before we knew our name He knew our every breath.

Before we found our way. He knew our every step. Before we knew everything that we needed to make it over, He gave it all to us. No greater love than this that He should lay down His life for a wretched sinner like us.

And now we will spend a lifetime in the beauty of Heaven. Always knowing there is no greater love than this. We never understood how merciful love could be, until we felt His flame Light on every part of you and me.” (No Greater Love, by Eaton, Chris/becker, Margaret.)

And it is at that point when we gave everything to the one who gave everything to us. And now we are saved, yes, we are saved and that is why all we will ever remember from this earth will be Calvary.

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

Nov. 21, 2015

MY FRIENDS, HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED GOING BEYOND THE VEIL?

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters [beyond] the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever…” Heb. 6:19-20 (NASB)

My friends, beyond the ordinary beyond the “breaking news” of the day, beyond the rough terrain, and the storms of our life, beyond the adversity, and reproach of our enemies, beyond our pride, beyond our selfish desires.

Beyond the passions of the flesh and the love of  worldly pleasure that we find so appealing in this world. Today we keep moving until we get to “the veil” then stop. Because now we “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, as we prepare to run with patience the race that God set’s before us.”

In addition, we allow the grace of Christ full control. It’s personal today my friends, today it must become an experience with Christ and His Spirit that takes us on a Journey that leads to a total commitment and what Christ wants to accomplished through a tarnished but in the Good Shepherd’s eyes chosen vessel.

This is where we will stay always within the boundaries where God’s love can reach and bless His child. And once we decide to go “beyond the veil”  “new mercies will be given, as we thank Him for every miracle manifested, great or small as we praise Him For every door now opened, every pathway cleared.

We thank Him for every one of our needs that He has already supplied, as we praise Him. Yet there is one thing our soul longs for and that is to worship Him face to face, this is our earnest prayer, this is our earnest plea.

Bid us now to come yes “beyond the veil”  because “beyond the veil”  is where we witness all of Your glory Seated on your throne in majesty and power as we lay prostrate before You Oh King.

In this place of sweet communion we have entered Your gates with thanksgiving we’ve entered Your courts with praise Yet we hear You say, Come closer Step into this Holy place And because the blood of Christ for each of His children, It continues to prevail. Now we are standing in His presence, face to face “beyond the veil”  (Daryl Coley Beyond The Veil)

My friends I hope today we all seek such an experience because the “Lord, has searched each of us and  He knows each of us personally! “He knows when we sit down and when we rise up; He discerns our thoughts from afar… He searches out our path He is acquainted with all of our ways.” Ps. 139:2-3 (KJV)

As God’s chosen vessel let’s also search out our Saviors path, and get acquainted with all of His ways “beyond the veil”  for He is more than our Savior, He is also our friend. For knowing Christ personally “beyond the veil”  is what transforms our life in preparation for His kingdom.

And this experience is never about location, but about the experience one receives just being in the presence of Christ. It could be in the hiding places on a mountainside, or in our car on our way to work or it could be in the solitude of a room at Home.

But once we make that decision to go “beyond the veil” it’s never our will anymore, but God’s will being accomplished through our life. Until that veil turns into clouds above and we are saying “lo this is our God who we have waited for”

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

Nov 19, 2015

MY FRIENDS, CHRIST LEADS, SO WHAT ARE YOUR MARCHING ORDERS?

“I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I’d rather be His than have riches untold; I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands; I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand than to be the king of a vast domain or be held in sin’s dread sway; I’d rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today.

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom; He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb; He’s all that my hungering spirit needs; I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead” Yes my friends, because our Savior has set the pace, for His children to follow.

We then become the anchor leg of which becomes the fastest or most experienced on Christ team. It is our responsibility to make up ground on this race if those before us falls behind. God has ask us to preserve the lead that was secured by His Son on Calvary.

We have an awesome responsible that Christ has placed upon His chosen. My friends this becomes unchartered territory but we must not delay any longer because many are “like lost sheep without a shepherd and they wander aimlessly with a feeling of no hope.

And as Christ disciples, He is calling us to the challenge for “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Matt. 9:36-37 (NKJV) And as one of the few, we must step out in Faith, knowing Christ “will never leave nor forsake us.”

“Day by day, through faith in God, his hope and courage may be renewed. “The just shall live by his faith.” In the service of God there need be no despondency, no wavering, no fear. The Lord will more than fulfill the highest expectations of those who put their trust in Him.

He will give them the wisdom their varied necessities demand.” (E.G. White, Prophets and Kings, p 387) So we need only to step out in Faith and continue to endure until we can say “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”2 Tim. 4:7-8 (NKJV)

A story is told about the duke of Wellington who was once present where a party of Christian men were discussing the possibility of success in a missionary effort among the heathen. They appealed to the duke to say whether in his judgment such efforts were likely to prove successful, proportionate to the cost.

The old soldier replied: “Gentlemen, what are your marching orders, Success he said, is not the question for you to discuss. If I read your orders, they run thus, “go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

My friends, we have to obey our marching orders, because the secret to every Christian’s success as to God’s commission for his or her life, will be found in the harmonious and daily workings of all Christians, along with the Holy Spirit in the finishing up of Gods work regardless of what this world deems as a success story.

Remember, success as a Christian for Christ is our willingness to carry our cross across the finish line as we yield ourselves to the cause of God on the front lines of the battle field because every excuse we my come up with for the reason we cannot do God’s will and serve, was challenged and answered at Calvary.

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

Nov. 15, 2015

MY FRIENDS, A VISION OF HOPE YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED FOR THIS PURPOSE!!

 As God’s chosen it is our responsibility to influence all towards a common goal. And that common goal is to help finish God’s agenda here on earth as we present a vision of hope through God’s word. This is the purpose we have been called for, everything else should be secondary, but centered around our Savior’s needs.

And we must move out and let the world know that God “knows the thoughts He thinks towards them, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give them a future and a hope.” Jer. 29:11(KJV) And to all “who accept the teachings of God’s word will not be wholly ignorant of what that hope is.

For “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 Corinthians 2:9 (KJV), Human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous and it will be known only to those who behold it. Now my friends that is hope but it must become a shared hope and a shared vision.

In addition His word in our “heart must become like a fire, a fire shut up in our bones that we cannot hold in” and along with that fire the Lord will be with us like a mighty warrior if we believe and endure and give our all for His glory and honor.

My friends, this is Gods purpose, this is God’s plan for our life as we move out on the front lines of the battle field, and as God’s chosen and as we influence others to give their lives to Christ, self must continue to die daily as we carry out God’s commission by going into all the world and preach of a New home not of this earth.

We all have been strangers in a city or community at some point in our life. After a while we become comfortable. We adjust, as we begin to adapt and conform to the customs of our new surroundings. But scripture warns us not to become comfortable here on earth and we must warn others against adapting to the wicked conditions of this world also.

But as strangers, we must continue to influence others to seek Christ first, as we together make Christ our focal point on our journey to God’s kingdom because the Spirit of God is gradually giving man “over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.” Ps. 81:12 (NKJV)

So we must “work the works of him that (sent each of us), while it is day: for the night cometh, when no man or woman can work. John 9:4 (KJV) and each day as we look at the “breaking news” that surrounds us, we must ask God what is your will for me today?

Peter says it best in 1 Peter 2:21-25 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;…….”

But as our influence and territory increases and our vision becomes more real the closer we get to Christ second coming. Salvation and life eternal must continue to be a passion from within as we become witnesses to all the world as a transformation process also becomes real to them through God’s Spirit

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

Nov. 14, 2015

MY FRIENDS, LET’S GO ON A JOURNEY, CHRIST TRANSFIGURATION!!

Matt. 16:13 (NKJV), you have Jesus coming into the region of Caesarea Philippi, asking His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” and Peter the last to be ask, answers in verse 16. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus responds in verse 17, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” Peter is then praised, and told, one day He will do great things for the gospel of Christ.

Then He commands His disciples, “tell no one” His mission must remain silent. For I will “go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day” Matt. 16:21 (NKJV).

But Peter, the “political activist” wasn’t having it, “Never Lord.” he tells Christ, as if he could stop the plan of Salvation. After three years with the Master He nor any of the other disciples understood Christ real mission.

“Get behind Me, Satan! Jesus tells Peter, the same Peter only a few moments earlier had been praised by Christ as the future of the Christian church. “You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

I would imagine Christ humanity recognized how little the Disciples understood of His mission, so He tells them their mission. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Matt. 16 :24-26 (KJV)

My friends, it’s all about the cross that we must carry which identifies our faith, endurance, loyalty and trials we will encounter on our way to the promise land. And friends, we will never enter without our cross in hand, because it’s a seal of loyalty, a privilege, bestowed on God’s faithful.

But it is also a responsibility of commitment and sacrifice as a soldier in Christ army. How long have we gotten up on Saturday or Sunday morning, telling ourselves we are blessed and howly favored as we enter the doors of the sanctuary.

Thinking somehow we have some special “endowment given to us by our Creator, that gives us certain unalienable Rights,” to His Spirit because we claim to know God with no signs of any actual transformation taken place in our life.

Beginning in Matt 17 Jesus takes the best of the best, Peter James and John with “Him on a high mountain by themselves; at this time He is transfigured before them.” transfigured meaning to “Change into another form” or to transform.

This is one of the occasions where divinity flashed forth through Jesus humanity, as the disciples witnessed this miraculous manifestation. But it was not until the day of Pentecost before the disciples realized this same power was also available to them.

And my friends, it is also available to us if we will allow God’s Spirit to take full control and transform our lives. Then the disciples recognize a heavenly visitation, Elijah and Moses who are sent to comfort Christ before His Crucifixion that must take place for all humanity.

Elijah and Moses now become “a type of the glorious kingdom in which the ransomed of all ages will be with Christ in glory; those who will see death like Moses and those who will not like Elijah.

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

Nov 12, 2015

MY FRIENDS, WE ARE JUST BEGINNING THERE IS A LATTER RAIN, NOW WHAT?

Yesterday I spoke of the early rain, But that is only the beginning for God’s chosen. “There must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have, will they receive greater light.

Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it….

Here are “the times of refreshing” to which the apostle Peter looked forward when he said: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus.” Acts 3:19, 20. ( E.G. White)

And that overall process starting with the early rain, only comes about when we have decided, not our will, but God’s will be done as we “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 by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Because He is the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross……” Heb. 12:1-2 (KJV, paraphrased)

“and let us run with endurance.” My friends, our faith will be stretched to the limit which will require endurance. But if we fail at the start of this race we will never be given greater light to finish.

In triathlon competition, the swimming being the first event before bicycling and running, if you fail, and somehow are not able to finish the first leg of the race the swimming. You are then unqualified to continue the race, so you are made to move to the side with the onlookers.

And that is the same way with the Latter Rain if we have not studied God’s word, and allowed His Spirit to Guide us in all understanding. We will never finish the Journey to the promise land, because a lack of preparation and faith will keep us frightened and ill prepared to go any further.

Paul tells us in, 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV) “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” to finish this race.” Daily He knocks at our heart to come in, are we listening?

Or have our focus been constantly on the things of this world instead of the presence of the Good Shepherd. Today let’s ask ourselves what keeps us 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.” 2 Chron. 16:9 (KJV)

My friends, it starts with our faith in Christ to guide us. For the latter rain is that power the Savior places within us through His Spirit to finish up His work in our life time. “In the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams” Acts 2:17 (KJV)

“For the latter rain will come, and the blessing of God will fill every soul that is purified from every defilement. It is our work today to yield our souls to Christ, that we may be fitted for the time of refreshing, the presence of the Lord, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.”(E.G. White)

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