Jan. 25, 2017

MY FRIENDS, WE MAY BE WEARY IN GOD’S WORK, BUT NEVER OF IT!!

“The Life of George Whitefield,” September 29th, 1770, one day being exceedingly weak and ill, but bent upon the continuance of his preaching work, Whitefield set out to Boston from Portsmouth. Upon his arrival a friend say’s “Sir, you are more fit to go to bed than to preach.” “True, sir,” replied Whitefield, and then, clasping his hands and looking up to heaven, he added.

“Lord Jesus, I am weary in Thy work but not of it. If I have not yet finished my course, let me go and speak for Thee once more in the fields, seal Thy truth, and come home and die.” And from there Whitefield went and preached. (Jackson Dodd, The Message and the Man p. 38) My friends because we are human and our battle is not against “flesh and blood”  but against a “vigilant, determined leader” who commands the forces of evil. The journey takes it’s toll, many will even surrender.

But, all who continue are probably battle weary, fatigue, and if not weary from bodily exhaustion, mental exertion from the battle. But, paraphrasing the three Hebrew boys our attitude must be, “but even if [my God does not come in my life time], I want the world to know, that I will not serve or bow down to any other gods but will stay focus until Christ says personally, well done, faithful servant!! Remember this is Christ battle.

The same Battle over our Salvation that was won at Calvary “while we were still sinners.” In addition, today, and until He comes and we see him for “whom our soul yearns” through our many tears and sleepless nights, we must never get weary of seeking souls for Christ.

And If we are serious about our Salvation and serving Christ there can be no reservation about where God needs us the most. Look around my friends the world is “like sheep without a shepherd.” Christ tells us personally, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matt 9:36-37 (ESV)

And those laborers are you and I. But we must have a deep passion to seek Gods Spirit daily through His word which then leads each of us to a personal relationship with Christ and a deep commitment to love and serve because Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends which is what Christ did for you and I. and this love must transcend from Him, through us, to the “lost sheep.”

“If someone says he has faith but have no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you say to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:14-26 (ESV) So as Christians our faith and works guide us as God’s Spirit, convicts, instructs, restores, and empowers each of us to be witnesses for Christ, first in [our communities then throughout] the uttermost part of the earth. And then my friends, “the end will come.”  

July 29, 2016

MY FRIENDS, I DO NOT REGRET THIS LIFE GOD HAS CHOSEN FOR ME!

Its personal my friends, so now I need each of us to look back over the course of our life and focus on our friends, family love ones and even our enemies, focus on ever situation and circumstances that got us to where we are today and then look at God’s hand guiding us and even though God knew the plans and direction He had for us,…..plans for [our] welfare and not for evil, to give you and I a future and a hope.” Jer. 29:11 (ESV) we still lost focus on where God was taken us and how we were going to get there.

And because the road we traveled had a few rough areas, and what seemed like a straight road only became a “complex system or arrangements that caused bewilderment, and confusion,” we panicked. Then God’s mission for our life was aborted from our own choosing. But now is not the time to regret this life God has chosen for us because the statute of limitation has not run out and “to everyone who believes in the name of Jesus and the power of the cross, the war is over.

And the season of our life we are in today, God needs for us to tell the world it is over. And tell the world Satan has no power over anyone if they believe. And tell the world the “Prince of Peace” Jesus Christ, brought the battle to planet earth where Satan had claimed as His dominion six thousand years ago from Adam, and won. And my friends, He won, not with a legion of angels, or with weapons of mass destruction but He won only with the power of the cross which was love.

This my friends is  what God has chosen for us to do and it is the same mandate that was always before us and because most of us chose a different route to get here, God still never left nor forsaked us but guided us in every situation and circumstances of our life that was not of His choosing along with every rough terrain and high mountains and low valleys that got us to where we are today. And His promise is the same.

And that promise tells us to “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at [what lies ahead], for the LORD our God is the one who goes with [us each day and] He will [never] fail nor forsake us.” Deut. 31:6 (NASB) My friends, we cannot continue to live as those “who have no hope” and regret the life we lived because it was not the perfect life. Remember, it is not the perfect life that prepares us for the kingdom of God but the constraints and contentions, the mountains and valleys the despair and heartaches that advances us in our Christian journey.

But, at the same time we must continue to yield to the will of God. “Like a piece of tapestry our life has many twist and shapes but if we will “continue to forsake all others” mainly self for the glory of God and serve God with all of our heart and soul, with His own hands He will produce a final design or a character that is pleasing in His sight.

A character that He can say with no reservations these are my chosen and they are “safe to save” for that 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) So let’s allow our Faith in God and His word and Spirit to guide us, to such a place.

MY FRIENDS, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN SURGERY?

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ps. 139:23-24 (NKJV) My friends, only an all-knowing God knows our “innermost thoughts” and “the way that [we will] take; when he has tested [us]“ Job 23:19 (NIV) that is why we must ask God to search us and make an evaluation on our character compared to His and then with no reservation, He will tell His Spirit there is lot of work to be done let’s get started.

My friends, the God I know never gives a diagnosis of incurable, no hope. But That is what the doctor usually says when a person has stage four cancer and they operate just to see if there is any hope. But once they go in and see the cancer is to advance, it has spread in to many areas of the body. The saddest words the patient will hear when the doctor comes into the recovery room is, there is nothing we could do you have about two too three months to live.

But my friends, Christ gives a different diagnosis as he looks at every area of our life where the cancer of sin has spread, and says; I died so that this
patient can have a complete recovery because “in Him His faithful “have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” Eph. 1:7 (KJV) When we go to God with a broken and a contrite heart even when the world says there is no hope, God has searched us and He sees we are willing to “forsake all others.”

And we are willing to “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires.” Gal 5:24 (KJV) And we are willing to let self-die and the life which we now live in the flesh we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for you and I.” Gal 2:20 (NKJV) And we are willing to look at all ten of God’s commandments and understand “If [we] love [God we will], keep [His] commandments. And He will pray to the Father, and He will give us another Helper, that He may abide with us forever the Spirit of truth…” John 14:14-17 (NKJV)

My friends, “it is the darkest right before dawn and this might just be the [darkest] and hardest Season we will ever experience, But It’s not over, It is only the beginning when God is in it. because He will make all things new.” (Israel & New Breed, It’s Not Over When God Is In It) But we must submit to the will of the one who gave it all for our Salvation because “Christ is the source of every right impulse.

He is the only one that can implant in the heart enmity against sin. Every desire for truth and purity, every conviction of our own sinfulness, is an evidence that His Spirit is moving upon our hearts…. Christ manifested a love that is incomprehensible; and as the sinner beholds this love, it softens the heart, impresses the mind, and inspires contrition in the soul.” (E.G. White, Steps to Christ pp 26,27)

And then in the recovery room of redemption, Christ comes in and says; you will live because “I died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” 2 Cor. 5:15 (NASB) And to live for Christ is to go into all the world with the good news of His soon return “for He is even at the door”

August 12, 2013

The Rumble In The Jungle

The Rumble in the Jungle was a historic boxing event that took place on October 30 1974, in Kinshasa Zaire. It pitted a 28 year old Foreman who seemed an overwhelming favorite against the 32-year old Ali. After being stripped of his license and title in 1967 Ali once again was given a chance to fight for the world championship. Ali had told everyone that he had a secret plan for Foreman. A plan strategy Ali later dubbed the rope-a-dope.

As a result, Foreman spent his energy throughout the fight throwing punches that either did not hit Ali or were deflected in a way that made it difficult for Foreman to hit Ali at all. As the fight drew into the eighth round, Foreman’s punching and defense became ineffective as the strain of throwing so many wild shots took its toll. The fight showed that Ali was capable of taking a punch and highlighted his tactical genius, as Foreman struck Ali with hundreds of thunderous blows, to no effect.

No one, least of all Foreman, anticipated that Ali would do what he did, which was to demonstrate so passionately his burning belief in his own ability to meet and master any other man on any terms. Six thousands years ago Satan thought he had stripped Christ of all rights to call this world His domain saying in his heart ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God… I will be like the Most High. (Isa. 14:13,14)

But God told us all, He had a plan for man’s salvation, and the victory would be won, not in KinshasaZaire, but on a site called Calvary. And no matter how many thunderous blows Satan would throw, they would be of no effect for in Gen 3:15 my Savior states “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.

“And now the Lord of glory was dying, a ransom for the race. In yielding up His precious life, Christ was not upheld by triumphant joy. All was oppressive gloom. It was not the dread of death that weighed upon Him. It was not the pain and ignominy of the cross that caused His inexpressible agony. Christ was the prince of sufferers; but His suffering was from a sense of the malignity of sin, a knowledge that through familiarity with evil, man had become blinded to its enormity. Christ saw how deep is the hold of sin upon the human heart, how few would be willing to break from its power. He knew that without help from God, humanity must perish, and He saw multitudes perishing within reach of abundant help.”(White)

So because of Calvary and Christ love for us “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. (Romans 8:38) But Satan never realized what lengths Christ would go through to demonstrate so passionately his burning belief in his own ability and love for us, for

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7,8) So that we can live throughout eternity with Him. So if Christ was so willing to fight this battle on our behalf, what should our responsibility today be to show our love for Him. And how do we repay the one who did it all for us.

Maybe we can show our gratitude by our works, but once again salvation is free, and we must never forget that. While the one who lives by faith is not saved by his works, his works show that he lives by faith. His faith is revealed in his works, and thus he is promised life eternal. Gods work here on earth can only be finished by dedicated Christians who are willing to give it all for the Master.

We don’t have any time to squander it away on what this world has to offer because what this world has to offer will surely pass away but Salvation is Eternal. “The closer we follow our Lord and Savior, the more we care about the things He cares about and the Cross we must carry, as He carried.

If we have little interest in sharing His AGAPE LOVE with others which is, A SELFLESS, SACRIFICIAL and A UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. It may be because we are following Him at a far distance and need a personal, and closer walk with Christ. My Friends Today He is calling you Want you please listen. Want you please focus on What He is trying to give you today.

So once again let me tell you my friends focus, and ENDURE, the journey is worth it 1 Cor. 2:9 is a promise my faith will forever hold on to, until I can see my Savior face to face….. “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him.

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

http://activemindbodyandsoul.org/18645-2/

June 3, 2016

MY FRIENDS, FAITH IS SIMPLY TAKING GOD AT HIS WORD, AND THEN TELLING OTHERS!!

Yesterday I talked about “every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver.” (White) Christ sowed a seed to a Samaritan woman at Jacob well. From there she went and also sowed seeds through her witnessing to friends and family. “The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, [and women] “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did……….

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified.” John 4:1-45 (NKJV) Then Christ and His Disciples leave Samaria after two days of sowing seeds in that town. “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ.” From Samaria, Christ and His disciples go to Cana of Galilee. “And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.”

When he herd Jesus was in town he searched for Christ. Upon finding Him he tells Christ that His son is sick and at the point of death. Please come he petitions Christ and heal him before He dies……….Then Jesus said “Go your son lives. ”And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way” John 4:46-53 (NJKV) My friends, a nobleman was a man of noble birth or rank; probably part of the royal family Herod.

But because of what he had heard through other witnesses in the area, he had the faith of a mustard seed, which tells you and I, if we say “to this mountain, move from here to there, it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matt. 7:20 (NKJV) “For faith is not sight, smell, taste or touch,” it is simply taking God at His word and not like God speaking directly to Abraham or Moses but only through His holy word.

Acts 27:25 (KJV) tells us, “wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” The bible tells us, that the nobleman believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. If you noticed Christ did what the nobleman requested, but not in the way that was requested of Christ. My friends, For God tells us “My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways.” Is. 55:8 (NKJV)

So this tells us that God will save and answer prayers to all who call upon him, but not always in the way in which we may desire. My friends the key is, we must always have faith even if it is as small as a mustard seed. In addition, we must believe that God’s grace and life eternal is a free gift from God, and “our Father which art in heaven” has the right to give it to anyone that He desires to give it too.

Because His gifts are giving to all that will promote His glory and honor as we seek life eternal. But the story does not end there. From there the nobleman goes out and sows many seeds by witnessing to others. My friends, only heaven knows how many more seeds were planted because of his faith. “And he himself believed, and his whole household.” (v, 53)  My friends, we must go into all the world and sow seeds, go to our families, our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers and tell them through our faith what God has done for us.

June 2, 2016

MY FRIENDS, ARE WE TELLING THE WORLD WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US?

Today my friends we are going to John 4 where Jesus is telling His disciples after they had come back from going “into the city to buy meat.” Upon returning they said, “Master, eat” then in (v, 29-36) “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. ………..behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” My friends even during Christ leisure time His focus was on the Salvation of others. While the disciples were gone He had been witnessing to the woman at the well.  My friends, it becomes personal today because there is no time where we take a vacation from the work of the Lord because it is all about sowing seeds for His kingdom. And once He had witnessed to Her, she left Christ and begin to witness to her friends.

Come, see a man she says, “which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?……..So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would remain with them: and He abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word.” “As soon as the woman had found the Saviour the Samaritan woman brought others to Him. She proved herself a more effective missionary than His own disciples.

The disciples saw nothing in Samaria to indicate that it was an encouraging field. Their thoughts were fixed upon a great work to be done in the future. They did not see that right around them was a harvest to be gathered…….The woman represents the working of a practical faith in Christ. Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver.

The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life.” (E.G. White Desire Of Ages, pp 195) My friends, there is no time to tarry; tarry meaning “to delay, be tardy or linger.” For our meat must be to do God’s will. Every waken hour of our day we must “Lift up our eyes, and look on the fields; [and realize] they are white, [and ready for] harvest.”

My friends, if you are a child of God you are a missionary for His Kingdom and you are now able to say to the world I know a Man who has made a difference in my life. difference meaning “I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more.” In addition, we continue to say how we were forced by Satan to go as far as possible until we had completely submerged into the abyss, because Sin will always take us farther than we ever thought we would go.

Then we must praise God from whom all blessing flow as we tell them; “the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry” and He reached down and rescued me. And he will do the same for all who call out, Help Lord. Friends, His reach is unlimited no matter how far we have fallen in sin.

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

June 1, 2016

MY FRIENDS, LOVE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you LOVE, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Gen 22:1-2 (KJV) This my friends, is the first time the word LOVE is mentioned in the bible and after that another 309 times.

But now the bar is set, and it is set very high in regards to it’s meaning. So if God is love, why not just begin His word by saying “in the beginning LOVE created the heavens and the earth” and as humans the meaning will become very personal and at times you will understand because of sin you will feel LOVE is just not enough or I am not enough. But my friends LOVE begins my word and LOVE will end my word.

And if you will just have faith and believe all 783,137 (KJV) words. And 1,260 (KJV) promises in my word you will understand the true meaning of what LOVE means from the beginning and throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. So my friends, God had a plan and it all begins with a test of our faith which one day we all must go through in order to prove if we can love as God loves, and sacrifice as God sacrificed.

For God, it all begins with a Fathers love for His Son, as the greatest love. “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you LOVE” and then He was told once you arrive at your destination you must then offer your son as a sacrifice. My friends, how could we understand the word Love without understanding the cost of such a word and that it is just not a word we can use like other words in the English language because LOVE is a sacrifice and at times LOVE is pain and at times love hurts but we don’t question it.

Abraham never said if you want my only son Isaac whom I love to die then You kill Him. I will not have any part in your cat and mouse game. But my friends, by faith “Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son;……to the place of which God had told him.” Oh what a sacrifice God is asking of Abraham.

But this my friends is where the story begins for our salvation for it was all about each of His children understanding the enormous price that must be paid because sin entered the world. In addition, God loving us so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that we would not have to pay that price. And a Son who was willing to give up His own life on Calvary “While we were still sinners” so that we would understand what the plan of redemption was all about.

“In the beginning.” God’s greatest precepts is to LOVE Him with all our heart and soul. “And the second is like it: [we] shall love our neighbor as ourself.” Matt. 22:37-39 (NKJV) and we do it selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. And as heirs to His kingdom, if we have faith and believe, that God has made our life to be as that of a “man or woman after His own heart;” then we do understand LOVE.  Because Whoever does not understand LOVE, “does not know God, BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE.” 1 John 4:8 (KJV)

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May 31, 2016

MY FRIENDS, ARE WE LUKEWARM IN THE SIGHT OF GOD?

“And to the angel of the church of Laodicea……..I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked……” Revelation 3:14-21(KJV) My friends we are going to personalize the church of Laodicea.

Remember the church is only a structure, made of brick and mortar. So it is not the church that is lukewarm but each of us that sit in the pews each week and allow the Holy Spirit to entertain us. Yes, it is God’s children that have lost our “significance and savor,” because the god of this world have occupied our minds with the things of this world, which then causes us to lose sight of the saving grace of the Master.

In addition, we have become more concern with materialism, consumerism, individualism, and did you see the last episode of Empire. This is why we have a lack of knowledge and faith. And this is why we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked and neither cold nor hot and because we are neither, God just wants to vomit us out of His mouth. But it is all about building upon our faith as we study the word of God. Jeremiah tells us, “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart.”

My friends, Jeremiah knew in digesting God’s word, that would allow a child of God to understand “the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; and The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. [And His word is] more to be desired…than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; and Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Jer. 15:16 (NASB), Ps. 19:9-10 (NKJV) So now, because our God loves us so much, and is so patient with His children, (v, 19-21) of Rev. 3 tells us to anoint our eyes with eye salve, that [we] may see.

[Because] as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” And as we study God’s word we then begin to allow God’s Spirit to transform us into the likeness of Christ.

Consistent with this, as we look at the “breaking news” of our world each day and realize the grace of God is gradually being remove from this earth. We need to ask ourselves, what is it about this world and the things in it that gives us the desire to choose Death over life eternal in 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)

My friends, it will be a tragedy to get to that point in our life we have waited for so long, when Christ says “well done good and faithful servant.” And we only hear, “I know you not,” because our focus remained on the things of this earth and not on the things above.