Sep 25, 2015

MY FRIENDS, THE BATTLE RAGES ON, SO CONTINUE TO STAND FIRM!!

“Free, I long to be free. I long for the day I’ll believe That all you say you see in me is true. That’s hard for me to do, It’s hard for me to die to myself and Entrust my life to someone else. So come empty me out because I’m no good without You inside of me, so come and fill my soul with strength to carry on. (Avalon. Come and Fill My Heart)

My friends, the road has been long and rugged. And to a Christian, winter seems like the only season of the year. But my friends, this story is not over, the seasons are changing but we want notice the change until Gabriel blows his horn.

Oh the daily emotional pain, distress of broken hearts and human efforts that forever seem ineffective. These are sometimes the feelings of God’s chosen vessel, His elect who at times looks at life and says “It really is difficult to let self completely die and entrust our life to someone else.”

But my friends, we cannot allow the pain and heartache of our life to gain the mastery over our faith and where God is taking us. A few days ago I spoke of “Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors of David and how they were fighting the Philistines, but then David’s troops retreated.

But David and Eleazar took their stand in the middle of the field and defended it and they struck the Philistines down and the Lord brought about a great victory.” 1 Chron. 11:12-14 (NIV) King David’s troops fled, the text tells us.

I would hope they did not realize their King was still in the middle of the battle? And then you asked yourself, why didn’t they? This was their king they left in the middle of the battle? In addition, why did David and Eleazar continued to fight? I can’t say why His troops retreated. But with David, it was all about His faith.

He knew the field he was defending was God’s, he also knew the power of God. He just needed to hold on to that faith and stand firm. And like David, we have a field to defend also and that field is our families, friends, love-ones, co-workers and our communities and if we stand firm, the Lord will bring about a great victory like He did for David and Eleazar.

We are in the middle of this battle, as we try and defend God’s field, many of the troops God has put to sleep, but some have just fled like David’s troops at the thought of what is required to stay until God gives us the victory. But we are God’s chosen, we must stand firm.

My friends, we are closer than we have ever been before. Victory is assured, if we believe and endure. Yes it’s difficult to die to self and turn our life completely over to Christ. But my friends, there is salvation in no other, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (NKJV)

“All that Christ was to the disciples, He desires to be to His children today; for in that last prayer, with the little band of disciples gathered about Him, He said, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word.” John 17:20. (E. G. White, Steps To Christ pp 75) Key words my friends “believe on me through their word”

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

Sep. 22, 2015

MY FRIENDS, WHAT SEPARATES THE WORLD AND A CHRISTIAN? THE GOOD NEWS AND A VISION!!

“350 years ago a shipload of travelers landed on the coast of America. They established a town site. And elected a town government. After being there awhile the town government made plans to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness.

But the people protested because they thought it was a waste of public funds to build a road five miles westward into a wilderness. Why is the question they asked? Here were people who had the vision to see three thousand miles across an ocean and overcame great hardships to get there.

But were not able to see five miles into the wilderness,” (Lynn Anderson) simply because they had lost their vision to go any further. Friends what about you as a child of God. We have come this far by faith. Do we have a clear vision to continue?

And if we do continue, do we have a vision as to the direction we must travel to finish this journey, as a chosen vessel of God? And have we lost sight of Christ and His promises in His word? My friends soon “the bridegroom cometh and those who will be ready will go in with him to the marriage feast; and the doors will be shut.”

So, “Where there is no vision the people perish” prov. 29:18 (KJV) And if you are a child of God, and you know that the only thing that separates the world from you is the good news of the gospel and a vision, then we must respond immediately.

Starting with taking the good news to a world who has no vision, therefore has no hope because Satan is destroying lives by whatever means necessary because we have not responded to their needs and shared our vision of a God who gave his only begotten Son on Calvary so that all who believe and endure may live in that city, called Glory, throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.

A city whose “wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

And 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.” Rev. 21:18-21 (ESV) but before we can share that vision, there must be a passion from within us that radiates the light of our Savior through us, out into the world.

But we must seek diligently this power, because it is a great time to be alive and to have been chosen by God to finish up His work before He comes but, we must also realize if we are a vessel of God and He has given us a vision, along with that vision comes an awesome responsibility.

Martin Luther King Jr. says it best when he said “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.” In other words what separates the world and a Christian is the good news and a vision and as God’s chosen we must proclaim them both.

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

Sep. 21, 2015

MY FRIENDS, WE ARE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS CONFLICT, HOW FAR WILL WE GO?

The question comes closer still: how may the controversy in my own heart, the strife between inflowing selfishness and outgoing love, be settled in the victory of good, and settled forever? What does the bible say? What has God to teach us about this eternally important question? (E.G. White, The Great Controversy, Preface)

These are all questions that we must realize are at the foundation of our Salvation. But they are also questions that we must have a passion to find out by seeking God’s presence each day through the study of His word as the Spirit guides us into all truth and understanding.

To each of God’s children who seeks His kingdom daily, “Jesus is the Savior of the entire world, the only name by which we can receive salvation and He is always available. His power is always available which assures victory if we are willing to step out on faith and endure until the battle is finished and we receive our reward, eternal life.

So how far will we go to make that happen? Or will we stop just short of victory because the road gets a little rugged and we loose site of our goal? “These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshe′beth a Tah-che′monite;….. he wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he slew at one time.

And next…. was Elea′zar the son of Dodo, son of Aho′hi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines…..He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand cleaved to the sword; and the Lord wrought a great victory that day…2 Sam 23:8-10 (NKJV)

My friends, Elea′zar the son of Dodo, son of Aho′hi. who fought so hard his hand cleaved to his sword, Is not a fictional character out of Hollywood to entertain us,  Josheb-basshe′beth a Tah-che′monite really did kill eight hundred men that is why the bible must be our road-map to finish the course, because this same power is available to us if we believe.

The question we must ask ourselves is, do we have enough faith to carry out the same feat as we hold God’s sword or His powerful word until it cleaves unto our heart “and the Lord wrought’s a great victory through us as we move out and serve”?

Our only defense is the Word of God and His Spirit against the enemy. But first we must “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”Heb. 12:1 (KJV)

But God’s word and Spirit must be a part of us, inseparable to the point that we become bonded as one along with our Faith and endurance. My friends we can do this because God has given us all the “authority [we need if we believe,] to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt [a Child of God]. Luke 10:19 (ASV)

In addition, Incredible things begin to happen when the passion of God dominates, as we model the way while Inspiring a shared vision to the promise land within others, always reminding the rest of the field, what awaits, once we cross that finish line.

And that vision is a sea of glass that leads into that city called Glory and when we enter those gates all we can do is cry out, “Holy, Holy, Holy, as the angels carry us from mansion to mansion, Oh the sites, “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man or woman what our God was preparing for His faithful who endured while on this earth.

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

Sep. 20, 2014

MY FRIENDS, GOD HAS A WAY OF CHANGING OUR DIRECTION, DON’T RESIST

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV). It would be amazing if we could travel without interruption on this Journey God has placed us on.

But at times, we wander in a opposite direction from what God has designated for us. But our God does not forsake us. Isaiah 42:16 (KJV) tells of His promises to His faithful “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.

These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” This Journey at times does become a “confusing network of intercommunicating paths” that seems to have no escape route, because as stubborn Children we fill we can move away from our Fathers guidance.

And that is when life becomes very confusing as we begin to experience the mountains and valleys of life with no idea of which direction makes sense. But through it all as His chosen God still has his guiding hand on us.

He see’s every valley created by unwise choices that we have made throughout our life. But as long as our focus stays on the Journey Christ tells us “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,” John 8:12 (KJV)

My friends, the light of God’s presence will forever remain within us if we continue to “Look to the Lord and his strength; and seek his face always Ps. 105:4 (KJV). Since no one has seen the elements above open and the Son of God appear through the clouds of heaven, that tells us the end has not yet come so we must finish the course that Christ has set before us.

But it must be all about God and his will as we die daily. God has made his purpose clear there is work to be done before the bridegroom comes and takes His children home. Yes I know we all lone for a better place as we awake to a world each day where Satan seems to have full control.

But we don’t have time to think about regrets or what life should have been, or could have been, if we just had done it this way. Oh but the love and grace of God. No matter what length of time we have resisted, God’s promises is still sure, they never change “for It is the Lord who goes before you.

He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deu. 31:8 (KJV) And then one day, we will cross that “sea of glass” into the promise land. At that time “We would have fought life’s final war with pain.”

And then, as death gives way to victory, we will see the light of glory and then all of the promises our faith held on to throughout this life will then be right before us as we enter those pearly gates and all we will be able to say is, it was all worth it!

And because He lives, we will now be able to live throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, but until that day comes our faith and endurance must never waver as we carry out our “marching orders,” while staying focused as we take God’s message to all those who seek hope.

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

Sep. 19, 2015

MY FRIENDS, IS IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR SELF TO COMPLETELY DIE?

My friends what we will never understand until our journey takes us into the Promise land is the hurt that our God must feel when He sees one of His Children going through the storms of this life and He must remain silent.

But He knows if our character is to be “safe to save” for His kingdom we must take responsibility for our actions in allowing self and the god of this world to control our destiny. But No greater love, then our God who looks beyond today and sees how He can shape our Character in preparation for the promise land.

“So when we don’t understand and when we don’t see his plan when we can’t trace his hand or Feel His presence or hear His voice please trust His heart, because he sees the Master plan because He holds our future in his hand, (Babbie Nason)

“So don’t live as those who have no hope.” For God is our only hope but He is also preparing us for eternity. But remember as we seek the presence of God in His word, it becomes a mirror to our lives and how we should be living.

Consistent with this, as we look back and focus where God has brought us from, we must then realize as we continue to look in that mirror, how far short we have fallen from the glory and purity of God and of the high standard set for us by Christ because self is still alive.

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. James 1:23-24 (NASB)

So God sometimes in His silence is only trying to get us to see we still have things in our life that is not in accordance to His will, because somehow we have allowed self to re-enter our life when at one time He was dead.

Luke 11:21-22 (NASB) tells us how that happens, “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder.”

So we must never fool ourselves into thinking we can out think Satan “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world.”

So “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, [or woman] he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. [and so he returns]” Luke 11:24-25 (NKJV)

But my friends, the god of this world returns and brings self with him only because we have become inactive and complacent. If we truly seek God’s presence, we must realize serving God and spreading His good news and studying His word daily is the only way self will completely die and then the life we live is through the faith we have in Christ Jesus.

In addition, we must remember, with self dead, “as Children of God; it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”1 John 3:2 (NKJV) Oh what a day my friends, what a day.

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

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Sep. 19, 2015

MY FRIENDS, THERE SHOULD BE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY!!!

My friends let’s close our eyes and  focus on Jesus Christ as we follow him from the upper room where He took a towel, and girded himself and performed a servant’s duty by washing His disciples feet.

Then to the garden of Gethsemane along with Peter James and John where he tells then  to “pray that ye enter not into temptation. He then withdraws from them about a stone’s cast, knells down, and prays, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

“And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:40-44 (KJV) My friends, now “He seemed to be shut out from the light of God’s sustaining presence. Now He was numbered with the transgressors.

The guilt of fallen humanity He must bear. Upon Him who knew no sin must be laid the iniquity of us all. So dreadful does sin appear to Him, so great is the weight of guilt which He must bear, that He is tempted to fear it will shut Him out forever from His Father’s love.” (E. G. White Desire of Ages).

He is then betrayed by one of His own Disciples for a mere 30 pieces of silver and arrested. Then our Savior is brought before Annas who was the head of the officiating priestly family and scrutinized like a common criminal.

Then we travel through the Court of Caiaphas the High Priest where the charges of blasphemy or claiming to be God were brought before him. He is then found guilty, slapped and spat upon as He is led through the Roman halls of justice as the Jewish rabble rang out crucify Him, Crucify him.

He is then scourged in the sight of the multitude, clothed in purple, and  a crown of thorns, placed on His Head as the rabble continue to taunt and salute Him, Hail, King of the Jews. This my friends, all for you and I.

The Creator of the universe led “as a lamb to the slaughter.” Then down The Via Dolorosa, the path that Jesus walked, carrying his cross, on the way to Calvary to die not only for the sins of those who will crucified Him, but the sins of all humanity.

My friends, it’s very personal now, close your eyes and picture our Savior nailed to that cruel cross with a crown of thorns on His head, dying for you and I “Suddenly the gloom lifted from the cross and in clear, trumpet like tones that seemed to resound throughout creation, Jesus cried, “It is finished.”

“Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.” A light encircled the cross, and the face of the Savior shone with a glory like the sun. He then bowed His head upon His breast, and died. (E. G. White)

How far did those out stretched arms on the cross reach to rescue each of us today? How deep in sin had you gone when He pulled you to the shores of safety into His loving arms? How long had he pleaded before we heard His voice say, Come “I am the way the truth and the light.”

Or have we ignored His voice and not allowed self to die, while living our life only through Christ as we carry our own cross? My friends, if we have responded to His voice, there is nothing else to be said except, to continue crying out!!! Lord, not my will, but thy will be done!!!

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

Sep 17, 2015

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

Our God saw that in 2015 “Amazing Grace would always be our song of praise. For it was grace, that brought us liberty and we shall forever lift our eyes to Calvary, to view the cross, where Jesus died for you and me. How marvelous, His grace that caught our falling soul as “He looked beyond our faults and saw our need.”

A story is told; one night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, “Jump! I’ll catch you.”

He knew the boy had to jump in order to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flames, smoke, and blackness. He was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: “Jump! I will catch you.” “Daddy, I can’t see you, he cries out.”

The father replied, “But I can see you.” And my friends, that’s all that matters. And so he jumped to safety. On this Journey to the promise land most of the time we are traveling in blind faith, all we see is flames, smoke, and blackness along with every other obstacle and trap that the god of this world has provided in our life to discourage us from continuing.

But all that matters is our Father sees us. His focus on us never wavers. I can remember when my son was no more than eight or nine years old, he’s thirty six now and even though he had some physical and health issues I still tried to teach him how to walk to school on his own.

So the journey begins. After walking with him several times, I finally decided, along with a hesitant mother to let him make the journey on his own or so he thought. Every tree along the way I hid behind as he walked thinking I’m a big boy now.

But he was never out of my sight, not even for a moment until I could see him safely walk into that school.  And if we are faithful and endure, Christ never loses sight of where on this journey we are at, even when the flames, smoke, and blackness of this world are all around us.

In addition, He will continue to watch over us until we can enter that place “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man and here his voice, enter, well done my faithful servant.”

Let’s now make it personal as we focus and look throughout our hectic schedule today, whether we are in a office or driving a tractor on a farm or a forklift in a factory, we all spend our days in very unique, unusual and chaotic ways.

Each day only brings a whole new set of issues and problems. And if we are a child of God, there should be no reservation that His focus is always on us. But today and until we can run our fingers across the scars in his hands and brow I need each of us to focus on the movement of Christ and fully understand where he is leading us.

And if we seek his presence with a passion, I can assure you it is not in the direction most of us are going. Because if we are seeking him with a passion, we have also allowed self to die while denying everything in this world that the god of this world has told us we cannot do without.

In addition, we are also carrying our very personal and unique cross that Christ has custom made for each of our unique characters and daily, not just when it is convenient, we are following Christ wherever He leads. My friends, your decision. your salvation.

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

Sep. 15, 2015

MY FRIENDS, GOD’S GOT ENOUGH POWER IN THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT TO SATISFY OUR NEED!!

“God’s got enough power in the hem of his garment to satisfy our need.” But we must step out on His word and have faith that our God is most capable. “He can do the impossible, Reach the unreachable, Save the unsavable.” (Vicki Yohe)

“He has inscribed us in the palms of His hands. Our walls are continually before Him.” That is the God we serve! So Focus today as you close your eyes and just meditate on those words “God’s got enough power in the hem of his garment To satisfy our need” if we believe.

“A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse, after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.

For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.” Mark 5:25-29 (NASB) Immediately my friends, when she was still on her knees.

Immediately, when she was still in heartfelt pray and supplication with her Savior, she was healed.

Crawling, hyperventilating, oh what passion as she reached out her hand and touched His garment as He passed her and Immediately she was healed. Yes my friends, that was all it took. She did not have to have a long conversation, about her problem or how long she had been sick.

“Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up” Immediately her prayers were answered. My friends, what about your prayers while you are pleading, Lord I am sinking hear, there is quicksand all around me and I don’t see how I will survive.

“Lord, you have examined me and know all about me. You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts before I think them. You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. Lord, even before I say a word.” Ps. 139:1-4 (KJV)

So Jesus, please don’t pass me by. Every Situations and circumstances in my life tells me I have no hope, “but I here in your touch, “there is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary and love for the broken hearts. There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing.” [if we just reach out in faith] (Third Day )

Yes our Savior will meet His Children wherever in our life we are, but we must believe that He is “the way, and the truth, and the life.” In addition, God will meet us there with outstretched arms.

And when the wind and rain, beats against the very fiber of our existence, He will be there because, His power grace, and mercy knows no bounds and all that is required is that we reach out in faith because, “God’s got enough power in the hem of his garment To satisfy our need”

So today “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding or knowledge”. And then one day as we walk down the middle of the street that is made of pure gold.

And on each side their is a crystal clear river, we will be able to continue to reach, but only it will be in the very presence of God, as we reach while picking “from the twelve crops of fruit, that yields its fruit every month” in Gods pure and holy kingdom.

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

Sep.14, 2015

MY FRIENDS, PLEASE, PLEASE STAY IN THE BOAT!!!!!

“He who upholds the unnumbered worlds throughout immensity, at the same time cares for the wants of the little brown sparrow that sings its humble song without fear. When men go forth to their daily toil, as when they engage in prayer; when they lie down at night, and when they rise in the morning;

when the rich man feasts in his palace, or when the poor man gathers his children about the scanty board, each is tenderly watched by the heavenly Father. No tears are shed that God does not notice. There is no smile that He does not mark.” (E.G. White Steps to Christ pp 86)

My friends we must have faith that God is not overwhelmed with anxiety in trying to figure out how to solve our problems. Our God sees us when we first wake up and start our day as we fall on our knees in the morning and say.

God please have mercy on me today and please continue to let your grace abound within me for I have no idea what lies ahead. All I know is where I was before you found me and then “I looked hard at this world to learn how Heaven could be gained Just to end where I began, where human effort is all in vain.”

Then, “were it not for grace, the free and unmerited favor of God,” Unmerited, meaning we do not deserve God’s love or grace. My friends I need you to pull back that curtain today and imagine the world we live in without God’s Grace or unmerited favor, “a time like never before.”

Acts 27 and 28 tells of Paul’s voyage to Rome as a prisoner and a violent storm arises. I will use Paul’s words speaking to the prisoners in relationship to our lives today as we are also in a violent storm, and it is called life.

“As we are being violently storm-tossed, and neither sun nor stars has appeared for many days. Men, and women I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the things of this world we hold so dear, but also to some of our lives.

But, I urge you to hold on to your faith and endure, for I believe in the God we serve. And with no reservation my faith tells me this storm will turn out exactly as we have read in His word. But, “Unless you remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.”

Today my friends, God’s saving grace and His word are the ship that we all must stay in if we are to be saved. In addition, as we move deeper and deeper out into the open waters of life, and the rain and storms seems to never cease.

Satan beckons us to seek refuge in him and get out of the ship. That is when we study, study and study more then ever God’s word as we ask for His Spirit to guide us into all understanding because we are only safe when we stay in the ship and keep our eyes focused on the one who paid it all for our Salvation.

“God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary [and life eternal]” Heb. 6:18-19 (ESV)

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

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