Oct. 6, 2013

THOU SHALT NOT KILL (Exodus 20:13, God’s six commandment)

As Children of the king we would never think of taken the life of another human who God has created in His own Image. But Christ, in looking down through the ages knew His commandments of love, must always be about love, and how our relationship with God and one another would always be the central motivational factor that influence each individual towards redemption and sanctification Through His Word and Spirit.

Matthew 5:21-22  tells us“You have heard that the ancients were told, You shall not commit murder’ and Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, You good-for-nothing, shall be guilty before the supreme court;

and whoever says, You fool, shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” (NASB) Mrs White Say‘s it Best in the Desire of Ages “Salvation is like the sunshine. It belongs to the whole world. The religion of the Bible is not to be confined between the covers of a book, nor within the walls of a church.

It is not to be brought out occasionally for our own benefit, and then to be carefully laid aside again. It is to sanctify the daily life, to manifest itself in every business transaction and in all our social relations. Jesus takes up the commandments separately, and explains the depth and breadth of their requirement.

Instead of removing one jot of their force, He shows how far-reaching their principles are, Murder first exists in the mind. He who gives hatred a place in his heart is setting his feet in the path of the murderer, and his offerings are abhorrent to God. Anger or resentment are opening the heart to Satan. Bitterness and animosity must be banished from the soul if we would be in harmony with heaven.”

John tells us in 1 John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. Hatred is A Spiritual Cancer that eats at us from within the soul and mind. Cancer cells in your body manages to move throughout the body destroying healthy tissue in the process,

and once it invades your system that cell manages to divide and grow, and it continues the process until it has destroyed all good cells leaving your body totally contaminated with the disease. So with Hate, as it invades your system it divides into bitterness, resentment, and strife, eventually taking control of your entire body and causing one to loose sight of the saving power of Christ.

In Heb.12:15 it tell us to “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.” hate and anger mentally allow’s Satan to take full control of our Heart and Mind as it eats away every good cell that God has instilled into us from above.

My friends The entire basis for discrimination is hatred. Hatred allow’s for the insane reasoning of A fellow Human to be separated from another Human simply because of their gender, color of there skin, or religious beliefs. “Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity and cohesiveness.

Hate destroys the foundation of our Character and distorts our ability to think or function rationally as a Child of God who‘s only focus should be on the kingdom of God, and not what the world deems as acceptable behavior “Hate destroys a man’s sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly,

and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. (Martin Luther King, Jr.) Hate has slowly lead the U.S. and the world to the point where Satan has been trying to get us to for 6000 years, and now today I can say without A Doubt He has succeeded to the point in that Hatred in our world today is more prevalent then the love of God.

But I can also say without A doubt that God is still in Control, and one day He will stand up and say IT IS FINISHED “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11 But as we look at the world today,

and we near the closeness of Christ soon return, we must let the world know the good news of His return, and that the Cancer of hate can go into remission with the power of Love, for Love can naturalize and destroy all Hate from within Paul tells us in

1Corinthians 13:4-8 that “ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily ANGERED, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…… And it can never fail because God can never fail, and love is greatest gift from God to the world through His Son who died on Calvary to save man from the penalty of sin.

If you would give a gift so rare,
To one who means the world to you,
But wealth and fame are not your fare,
Don’t hang your head and don’t be blue.
While the world is wrapped in festive bliss,
Go join them and remember this,
The greatest gift all else above is LOVE.
Behold a mother and her child,
An aged couple side by side,
A creature racing through the wild,
A young man with his blushing bride;
Then look to Him who gave His son,
The greatest gift to everyone,
And give the greatest you can give:
LOVE, LOVE while you live.
(Eleanor Wright)

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

l

Oct. 5, 2013

RED BLOOD, WHITE ROBES!!!
Psalm 51:1-2 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. As Christians in the 21st century is it really possible to allow Christ to Penetrate every fiber of our being.

Can the guiding hand of the Master take full control, in the transformation of our Character, as He eliminates the dirt that has accumulated in our life throughout the years, and make us clean by the shedding of his blood. how is it possible that the purifying power of God’s Word and The blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse us from all sin.

1 John 1:7 tells us “…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” “There is a stream that flows from Calvary, A crimson tide so deep and wide. It washes whiter than the purest snow.” And if we keep our eyes stayed on Christ as we continue to allow Him to transform our heart and Character like His, we will one day Inherit Eternal life.

John tells us in Rev 7:13-14 “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

In this passage from Revelation, John of Patmos observes a great multitude, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands, worshiping and praising God. These are the saints, who, he goes on to say, have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

How does the blood and death of our Savior make the Dirt and mire of A sinner’s character A candidates for God’s pure and Holy Kingdom. Well His death at Calvary summarizes Christ infinite love for everyone. And once we as His Children  have been washed in His blood, we must also love as He loves.

We can not eliminate anyone no matter what economic background, or race they may be a part of. Revelation 22:14 tells me “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” ” Blessed are those who wash their robes,”

What makes the two verses  the commandments of God, and the blood of Christ link together as one is, the abiding love of the sacrificial Lamb to shed His blood on the cross for all. My friends we as candidates for God’s Kingdom must realize as we look into our mirror’s today, Have I allowed our lives to be purified by the One Who Died for everyone.

Remember Christ disciples were from every economic background. Peter, Andrew, James, Phillip were Fisherman. Matthew He was a publican or tax collector. Bartholomew Nathanael son of Talmai,Tradition says he was a mis­sionary in Armenia A number of scholars believe that he was the only disciple who came from royal blood,

or noble birth. His name means Son of Tolmai or Talmai (2 Sam. 3:3). Talmai was king of Geshur whose daughter, Maacah, was the wife of David, mother of Absalom. My friends The believer who longs to have his robe washed in the blood of Christ  must also love as Christ loved. accepting everyone in your  lives as you begin to wash and purify,

while confronting ungodly attitudes, carnal living, and selfish motives. and each day as we purify our lives by the standard of Christ we will stay in line with what Jesus is trying to do in our lives. The secret of truly washing our robes in the blood of Christ is having a close and personal relationship with Him.

It seems strange that red blood can make A robe pure white “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18 But the answer is very simple. Once you have been in the presence of Christ, you stand in the atmosphere of his love.

And by accepting that love, we accept everyone Because God loves everyone and it is all about love.To be washed in the blood of the lamb is to draw close enough to the cross of Jesus to be caught up in His love for everyone and the desire for everyone to be saved, while allowing our focus to be on what Christ wants and not what we want,

As we increase our territory in seeking souls for Christ Pure and Holy Kingdom. We as Children of God must seek daily total access to the abiding fellowship and love of Jesus Christ in order to wash our robes in the blood of Christ, and have A Character of Christ. And once we have that personal revival through Christ in our lives,

then we give it all to the Master in order to have the purity and love of Christ. My friends today please wash your Robes in the purity cf the blood of Christ. while  allowing Him to transform and make your lives as pure and white as his from the blood that He was shed for all.
So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY

Oct 4, 2013

JUST CLAIMING IT

I first wrote this devotion July 10, 2013 but the subject fits in with my three part devotional on stretching your faith to the limit through Christ. Tomorrow it will end with JUST CLAIMING IT ll, PLANTING THE HEDGES FOR GOD

Increase my territory Lord Out of All of Gods promises I ask for. Good friends are at the top of the list, and not for the sake of having friends. But Godly Christian friends, friends who will always encourage you in Gods name and His name only. Who’s mission on earth is like yours and that is to finish up God’s work here on earth, so we who believe and have faith in a Crucified, and risen Savior may live throughout eternity in His pure and holy kingdom. 

Today, it was good Christian friends of mine who were the inspiration for my title for my Devotional,  JUST CLAIM IT, As they conveyed their unique story about CLAIMING IT, and how through there Faith and dedication to Jesus Christ and Him Crucified there prayers and vision was answered.

It begins with them looking for a new home, upon finding one it was already occupied by someone in fact it was designed and built by the developer who built the subdivision where the house was located, so With him being a builder, and a developer it had everything a family could ask for.  Soon He died and his family moved in.

But a year later they put it up for sale. My friends applied to get the house along with many others who were interested, but as Christians they claimed it in Jesus name, but not saying the other potential buyers were not Christians either.

Each day they would go to the house walk around, sit on the porch, and at times wave at there soon to be new neighbors sometimes at the door greeting other potential buyers as they came in. They even went so far as to take the measurement for curtains and other accessories for there JUST CLAIM IT new home.

But to make a long story short God blessed them with this beautiful home, and at a price that only God could have  taken over the negotiations. But they were not too surprised because they had already CLAIMED IT in Gods name.

Today I go to Joshua to one of God’s promises when I think of my friends story.Joshua 24:13-15  “So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant. “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness………..

then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…….. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” My friends our God is so willing to bless your life and open doors for you that you did not think would ever be possible. Paul say’s in Ephesians 3:20 “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.” Luke also states in Luke 11:9-10…… “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” But it is all about CLAIMING IT in Gods name.

John  15:7 says If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. The good news today! There is a king of kings and a Lord of Lords who is named Jesus Christ. And He has declared that every blessing recorded in His word is available to you for the asking.

But most of the time, You have not because you ask not. Ask now and receive the blessings that God the Father ordained specifically for you since the beginning of time. but there is another side to JUST CLAIMING IT also. When you do ask God for something. The key to you getting it most of the time is, it needs to be all about God and His glory.

James states it best in James 4:3 “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” So my friends today have faith  in our God and  start living a life saturated in overwhelming blessings that focuses on Gods needs and not yours.

Each faithful follower of Christ is born with a pure connection to God. But As we move around in this sinful world and we become more attached to earthly things, that connection weak­ens, and is some­times bro­ken. That is why our focus must be forever on Christ, His word, and Him Crucified.

So each day remind yourself that Salvation is a gift if we choose to accept it. Life will always bring it’s chal­lenges, but there is always Gods blessings. Some of the many blessings God gives could be just a heartfelt knowl­edge of yourself and learn­ing that you are stronger than you thought, because you gave it all to the Master,

Or it could be that God is teach­ing you grace in a way you never expected. Or it could just be a beautiful house, that each day you wake up and realize it was a gift from God and your thanks to Him will be to  serve Him, and give Him all the glory and honor each day of your life.

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

Oct. 3, 2013

THE ROAD TO CLAIMING IT

Today is starting A three day devotional series on Faith, Tomorrows topic is A previous Devotional Just claim it 1. Then the final on Sat. will be, Just Claim it ll Planting the Scrubs. I Hope each of you will decide that as we enter into the last days of this life’s history, That our Faith must be stretched to the limit if we are to receive the blessing of God Spirit that will fill every soul that is purified from every defilement. So my friends remember there is no limit to God, He is Eternal. if we Have Faith and believe. “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Ps. 100:5

Christ Is calling His Children to the point of unrestricted dependence on Him. He continually allows what seems or is humanly impossible to become totally possible through Him. And  as Christians we must each day determine with some conclusion what we cannot possibly justify or explain on this Journey God has placed us on.

But with our faith, simply say it was all God, So I will just close my eyes, and CLAIM HIS PROMISES. Our only focus must be on the power of God, And His promises through His word, because God’s promises are always a promise to permanently accept you and welcome you into his presence, if you have Faith and believe.

“Faith doesn’t necessarily know where it’s going, but it does know Who’s leading. “(Kent Crockett) And it is always God “For we walk by faith, not by sight:” The story is told of A student who had A good friend in graduate school who was blind. When he arrived he was given a tour by a campus representative.

We, his friends, also walked various routes with him to help him get acclimated on campus, in town, etc. He navigated by cane and not a service dog. Within days he was on his own. He explained that he counted his steps, he had “mapped” various soundscapes in his mind, could tell his position by echoes, non-echoes, as he became familiar with street crossings, stairwells, etc.

As Christian we must take A spiritual attitude of discernment, using the Blind student as our example and how he got from place to place, only using God as A Guide. However faith in itself is not blind; because it is based on God’s promises in the Scriptures, and our personal experiences in walking with God every day.

But what becomes sightless is the million of ways that our God has to provide for His Children, and what way He will use at any particular time in our lives. Because each step in the life of A Child of God has been”ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” oh what A good feeling to know my God is happy to lead and guide A sinner like me.

How He will do it, is where we become sightless, and our assurance in His promises takes control. Yes my friends As Christians, we must map our steps backward and see where God has brought us. Because as His Children we Grow in Faith daily like any child, but we will never develop  into full maturity until Christ one day looks into our Character,

and sees we have stayed focus by faith, and endured to the end and then, He will tell us Himself. “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” My friends we can never forget that Jesus, is “the author and finisher of our faith.”

Yes that only means He has PREDICTABILITY throughout His word and my life. but it all revolves around our faith, and if we are willing to claim His promises even if it means stretching our faith to the limit and beyond when we do not know exactly where He is trying to take each of us. Paul tells me in Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God,

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Today my friends we have true faith warriors in Gods word whose experience gives us all strength. David facing Goliath, Daniel in the lions den, and the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace and many others. And once I take what is in God’s word,

with what God does for me each day as he guides me in all, situations, circumstances, concerns, trials, fears, hope, and joys. Then I can CLAIM HIS PROMISES FOR MYSELF. God‘s “SAVING FAITH is not merely some firmly held persuasion, but unwavering confidence in what God’s word specifically states, whether promise or warning, a blessing for this life, or for the life to come in Gods pure and holy kingdom”. (Ben J. Elston,)

My friends faith to me and I hope also to you. is surrendering it all to the Master not from what we can see all of the time, but what we believe because  “the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8. And I can  be confident of this, that he who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

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

Oct. 2, 2013

LIES, GOSSIP, AN ABOMINATION TO GOD!!!

God’s ninth Commandment  “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” Ex. 20:16

Without Honesty where is the honor , and without trust, A true relationships has no, binding power, or foundation. lives are ruined by what comes out of your mouth. Jesus taught us the importance of truth as He described it as one of the essential ingredients on his Journey here on earth:

“…..To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37  And as I look at it, it must be all about love, For how can one love if lies and gossip controls the mind. For Paul tells us in

Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.” As I look at the world today there is such a grey area in our mind, but certainly not God’s, about lying. A policeman stopped me the other morning, A headlight was out.

upon telling me why he had stopped. At one time in my life my mind, reflex reaction would have been to say; oh officer did not know, will take care of it right away. But as A Child of God who seeks heaven as his home, I had A Christ reflex reaction, in which I said; yes I know it, I will have to get it fix.

He checked my license, gave me a warning and sent me on my way. As Children of God how could we justify anything else coming out of our mouth. Now let’s talk about A problem most of us have and that is gossip, especially at the dinner table after Church. Once we have talked about everything else on God’s day except God we start, our real, idle talk and rumor searching,

which in most cases is hurtful or malicious. Could you imagine Jesus telling His Disciples you know I just saw a Samaritan woman at the well, and she is such a floozy been with all kind of men. Or rumor searching about Mary Magdalene. That harlot had seven demons I had to cast out.

Friends as Children of God, we have to begin removing every weight of sin that does not allow us to walk in the footsteps of Christ. Heb. 12:1 tells us “….let us 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, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;..”

My friends remember before you say anything about another child of God ask yourself as A Christian “Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?” And would God approve of what I am saying about another He has shed His blood on Calvary for. A story is told about A young lady going to a dance as a teen.

“My mother was waiting for me when I came home,” she wrote. “But instead of telling her I had a great time, I regaled her with a scathing description of some incredible nerd who’d tried to dance with me. In essence, I said that this guy had a lot of nerve to expect anyone to dance with a person as weird and ugly as he was.

“When I finished my tirade, my mom said, ‘You know, this boy you find ugly and weird is some mother’s pride and joy. She waited for him to come home, just like I waited for you, hoping to hear he’d had a nice time at the dance. But when he came home, she saw his face, she knew someone hurt him, and it broke her heart.

So the next time a boy asks you to dance, before you turn him down or make fun of him, just remember: Every boy is some mother’s son.” So My friends everyone is A child of God who He died on the cross for. Paul tells us in Romans 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Also in 1 John 3:1 John tells us See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are… My friends lying, Gossiping is A abomination to God. For in Proverbs 6:16-19 it tells us There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:

haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”’ “for the latter rain will come, and the blessing of God will fill every soul that is purified from every defilement.”

THE KEY WORDS ARE PURIFIED FROM EVERY DEFILEMENT. So today seek God Presence and Spirit in your life through His Holy Word. And Look within yourself and ask “what must I do to be like Christ.” And remember what John tells us in John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

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

Oct. 1, 2013

THE PARTY OF LOVE, AND SALVATION

Because of the extremism of A few members of Congress and there policies they have decided to shut down the U.S. government and destroy the full faith and credit of the U.S. Well my friends the first official Government Shutdown was six thousands years ago. when God told Adam and Eve first To the woman he said,

“I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” Then to Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you;

through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Gen. 3:16-19

My friends what dramatic consequences that shutdown had on the Government of God for Paul tells us in Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” But the God of the universe devised A plan for such A shutdown, and He called it Calvary.

As He told the leader of the Party of LOST HOPE That “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Yes my friends Calvary would reopen God’s Government and save all who were willing to join His Spiritual party which goes by the name LOVE AND SALVATION.

The Good Shepard is the head of this Party,”He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” and as members under the Party of LOVE AND SALVATION , our faith allows Him to rescue each of us from the clutches of Satan and the effect sin brings about in our life.

Yes The Good Shepard continually builds a fence around His faithful children to protect each of us against Satan and the forces of evil, who’s only goal is to destroy the full faith and credit of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, with the intent in getting every Child of God to join the party of no hope, and destruction.

As party members for Christ, we must all be willing to carry the banner of a risen Savior, as we recruit others and tell them the good news that Christ will soon return to take us home. For this world is not our home; we are just passing through. Hebrews 13:14 tells us “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.”

As Party members our responsibility is to be good stewards of all resources God has given us especially our time. As members, we must also have a passion for the salvation of a world lost in sin, as we are forever seeking to tell others of Christ and His saving Grace. And once we have Carried out our commission as party members.

Then the Spirit convicts the searching soul, as He transforms hearts and bodies into the likeness of Christ, that we have help lead to Salvation. My friends A lot of work is still remaining before Christ soon return “The harvest is plentiful, but the volunteers are few.

Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest THAT AS A MEMBER OF the party of LOVE AND SALVATION that you will never cease to have A PASSION FOR THE SAVING OF SOULS and you WILL NOT cease to work, UNTIL THE GREAT CONTROVERSY HAS ENDED with Eternity our reward for being faithful Stewarts.

Who stayed focused, and endured to the end, as we become one unit, and one body through A crucified and risen Savior. So my friends please let’s establish through God’s Word and Spirit, Genuine Party unity, sustained in a spirit of humility, and love, in acknowledging each individual’s differences and joining together shared visions,

and goals, that leads to finishing God’s commission. And once our focus stays on finishing God’s work here on earth and creating Party unity. Our personal mission statement must be a mission statement for the entire Party of believers. As our goal remains to recruit a world lost in sin. and then when “I (Jesus Christ) am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people, and communities to myself.”

And then, on one accord, in adoration, throughout the heavenly courts, we will all give God the praise, glory and honor, for we will forever recognize, without Satan and His Party of lost Hope, telling us otherwise, the Love grace and mercy employed in the salvation of mankind on this earth that were ready to parish, until God sent His only Begotten Son, to die on a cruel cross, so that we may all be saved from the penalty of sin.

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

Sep. 30, 2013

THE LATTER RAIN, NOW WHAT!!!

Deuteronomy 11:13-14. “And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 then I[a] will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.”

“It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now. Then the human agent had only to ask for the blessing,

and wait for the Lord to perfect the work concerning him. It is God who began the work, and He will finish His work, making man complete in Jesus Christ. But 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 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. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions.

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. (20 E.G.White)

”The power Christians should be looking for, can only come from within when we have decided, through God‘s Word and Spirit, to“…..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,

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:1-2  AND LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US. Endurance is the key.

My friends our Faith must be stretched to the limit. But if we fail at the start of this race we will never be given greater light. A few years ago when I did my first triathlon the swimming being the first event before bicycling and running. Well at the time I was ill prepared for open water swimming.

I had only practiced in swimming pools. So when the event got started, about 50 feet into the swim, I heard a voice say, you will never make it, so that unknown voice made me very fearful of the unknown, or what it would take to finish the swim. So I called for the little boat to come get me.

As soon as I Arrived at the dock the officials, snatched the monitor off of my ankle, because I was not permitted to go any further in the race, since I had not completed the swim. My friends that is the same way with the Latter Rain if we have not studied God’s word,

and allowed His Spirit to Guide us through the Early Rain. We will never finish the Journey to the promise land. Because A lack of preparation, and faith will keep us frightened and IL prepared to go any further.

The next year I did Finish The race, because I studied, and practiced in open water. I even joined A triathlon Club that prepared my confidence in open water for the Journey to the finish line. My friends God wants to give us His power. For Paul tells us in,

2Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Friends He knocks at our hearts Door Daily Are we listening or is the TV up to loud for us to here Him. Have our FOCUS been constantly on the things of this world instead of the presence of the Good Shepherd. Today ask yourself.

What keeps me 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” But it starts with Faith. For the latter rain is power the Savior places within us Through His Spirit To finish up His work in the final Days of This life’s History.

Soon My Friends Your Faith and God’s Spirit if you walk with Him Daily, will allow you to be the beneficiaries of the LATTER RAIN, as A revival will take place from within as you finish up God’s mandate to take the gospel to all the world. But today you must have A passion to seek the showers of the latter rain;

“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.”(White)

My friends as Children of the king. I hope, and pray, you are able to remain FOCUSED on this Journey we all must take, As God prepares to bestow upon us His Power of the LATTER RAIN. Remember the ending of this story will soon take place, it was set on Calvary When Christ said IT IS FINISHED. and the final credits will read. JESUS WINS, SATAN LOSES!!!

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

Sep. 29, 2013

SEEKING THE EARLY RAIN

Deuteronomy 11: 13-14 “And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.”

“Many have in a great measure failed to receive the former rain. They have not obtained all the benefits that God has thus provided for them. They expect that the lack will be supplied by the latter rain.

When the richest abundance of grace shall be bestowed, they intend to open their hearts to receive it. They are making a terrible mistake. The work that God has begun in the human heart in giving His light and knowledge must be continually going forward.

Every individual must realize his own necessity. The heart must be emptied of every defilement, and cleansed for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit …”(E.G. White)

In Acts 3:18-20 it tells us “But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,  and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.” 

My friends The TIMES OF REFRESHING. Those are the key words we as Christians must seek. starting first with the Early Rain, and there can be no either, or, when it comes to the Early, and Latter Rains.

The Early Rain God has promised to His faithful must  supersede  the Latter Rain. If our mission for the Master is to be completed in our lifetime. The Early Rain should be going on in our lives right now as we Allow the work of

“God’s Holy Spirit each day to convict, instruct, guide and empower each believer in our churches just before the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.” (M. Finley) And Friends there should not be any doubt, as we look at the world today,

that our Savior will soon be here. The question we all must ask ourselves is, will I personally be A leading vessel for Christ during this time. For Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 4:5-7 “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

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

“The latter rain, ripening earth’s harvest, represents the spiritual grace that prepares the church for the coming of the Son of man. But unless the former rain has fallen, there will be no life; the green blade will not spring up.

Unless the early showers have done their work, the latter rain can bring no seed to perfection. There is to be “first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.”

There must be a constant development of Christian virtue, a constant advancement in Christian experience. This we should seek with intensity of desire, that we may adorn the doctrine of Christ our Savior.” (E.G.White)

My friends we have to make A decision today for tomorrow is not promised to us. And that decision must be. Do I allow God’s transforming power through His Spirit to take full control of my Character,

While becoming passionate about spreading the good news about Christ soon return, and how His presence has made a difference in your life, to your families, love one’s, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and a world that has lost it’s spiritual compass.

But we must be on one accord in MIND and BODY with Christ and the body of believers in our churches. For it was only when the Disciples came together on one accord  through God’s Holy Spirit that allowed the day of Pentecost to happen.

Acts 1:4 tells us “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.”

 Acts 1:12-15 tells us further “Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying……They all joined together constantly in prayer….

then Acts 2:1-4 gives us the climax “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,…

My friends as Children of the king. I hope, and pray, you are able to FOCUS through the Spirit of God the Journey we all must take if we are to endure what God is preparing for us. Salvation is free, but as Christians we show our love for the Master,

for The miracle of transformation that He has allowed to take place through His Word and Spirit in our lives. Today my God’s grace is still extended to each of us. But remember the ending of this story will soon take place, it was set on Calvary When Christ said IT IS FINISHED. and the final credits will read. JESUS WINS, SATAN LOSES!!!

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

Sep. 28,2013

WHAT WILL IT REALLY TAKE!!!

Today I ask myself? should my faith and my love for my Savior who died on a cross for my sins be measured by whether I like your photo, slogan or post on Social Media. Each Day each of us including myself, generate devotionals, e-mails, text messages, chain-letter, Conference calls, etc, etc,. The world is now flooded with a click and share mentality towards Salvation.

Believe me God cares about every aspect of our lives. Luke 12:7 tells us But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. also in Ps. 139:15-16 it says “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”  But As A Child of God I don’t believe the SOCIAL MEDIA is A high priority of my Savior if it does not involves our Salvation.

I really do Love Jesus more then life itself. So I ask myself, in creating A click and share, if you love Jesus, or a Chain-letter, would that really allow A fallen world that desperately needs the transforming power of God’s Spirit to know Him. Or does it just allow me to have a hands off approach to Christ Mandate to me when He tells His Children to.

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel.” My thoughts are, anything less, would Cheapen that command. “According to the first chapter of Acts, 120 believers met in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. This is a ratio of 1 Christian to approximately every 500,000 to 580,000 people in the empire.

From a human standpoint, Jesus’ command to preach the gospel to the world seemed unthinkable. The Christian church exploded in growth. Tens of thousands were converted. The message of Jesus’ love was carried to the remotest parts of the empire. It reveals that in a few generations Christianity had invaded nearly every level of society even in the remote provinces. “(Mark Finley)

And this was actually done without the Social Media. Millions died so a world could receive the good news of Christ Salvation Persecution of the Christians started with the Emperor Nero in the summer AD 64. At that time Christians were a small underground group among the slaves and poor people, making them the perfect scapegoat.

Nero blamed the fire of Rome on them, and ordered all Christians to be persecuted. Christians were thrown to wild beasts and eaten alive in arenas throughout the empire, others were crucified. The more they killed the more the church grew. So Satan laid his plans to war more successfully against the government of God by planting his banner in the Christian church.

The great adversary now endeavored to gain by artifice what he had failed to secure by force. Persecution ceased, and in its stead were substituted the dangerous allurements of temporal prosperity and worldly honor. Idolaters were led to receive a part of the Christian faith, while they rejected other essential truths.

They professed to accept Jesus as the Son of God and to believe in His death and resurrection, but they had no conviction of sin and felt no need of repentance or of a change of heart. With some concessions on their part they proposed that Christians should make concessions, that all might unite on the platform of belief in Christ.

Most Christians consented to lower their standard, A union was then formed between Christianity and paganism. But thank God many Christians chose to die before they would deny their Lord. So the millions who did so came to be called MARTYRS, which means “WITNESSES.”

Matt. 24:9-14 says For……….Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. ….but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

That verse did not say all I would have to do is Click and share, or pass on A chain letter on to the next person, to show my love for Christ. It told me I will have to endure something that I know deep down in my heart I am really not prepared for right now.  So How do I prepare myself and others to Finish this race and endure until the end.

Well first Matthew tells us in Matt. 25:13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Next in John 7:38-39 it says “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. By this he meant the Spirit,” Then in

Romans 10:17  it says “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” then in 1 Thess. 5:17 it tells me to”pray without ceasing;” Keep watch or stay FOCUS , being convicted of Gods Spirit, keep the faith through Gods word, and never stop praying. So my friends that is what it will take to endure till the end.

And once you have allowed Christ to transform your Character you will be convicted to tell others what Christ has done for you, as you spread the good news of Christ soon return. My friends The final Chapter of the Controversy between GOOD and EVIL Is being written Right now the climax will be at Jesus Christ Second Coming to take His faithful Children Home.

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

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Sep. 2, 2013

THOSE DAYS WILL BE SHORTENED

Ezekiel 16:49-50 declares, “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me…”

As Christians we attempt to explain away the biblical condemnations of one sin over another. The area where Sodom and Gomorrah was, is now uninhabited wasteland. Sodom and Gomorrah serves as a vigorous example of how God feels about sin in general.

Satan would like for us to think, one sin in Sodom, was greater than the other. Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 64:6 “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.

Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.” Paul also tells us in Galatians 5:19-21 “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery,

hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,  envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”

God told Jonah to “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”  After Jonah got himself together, and finally did what God ask him to do in Jonah 3:4 it tells us

“Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” So let me get this straight only 40 days to repent and be saved, or everyone will be destroyed.

My friends God did not categorize their offensives, or determine their destruction by social class, or race, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, “ So we now go to Jonah 3:5 “The Ninevites believed God.

A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.” Key word here is ALL OF THEM the murderers, the fornicators, the thief’s, the liers. The adulterers, those who coveted, those who worshiped other Gods,

the homosexual, those who used the lords name in vain, those who did not keep the Sabbath, even the gossiper, Yes my friends All repented. And it did not take long, once you let Christ into your life He then takes full control.

The Ninevites did it in 40 days the man on the cross, in an instant. For others A lifetime “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)

So today my friends if God gave you 40 days to repent and be saved where would you start, gossiping maybe, Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

What about wasting God’s time. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:16-17 Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” My friends I could continue,

But the question is not about the sin itself, but how, or when, do you give it all to the Master. When do we recognize what the psalmist tells us in Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.

When do we as sinners placed our life up against the Saviors and see how far we have to go to have the character, mind, and body of Christ as we seek His word and Spirit each day. For in Matthew 7:21-23 it tells us

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven….” My friends I look at the world we live in today and tell myself Oh my God!!!

Everything I have been taught all of my life about what will happen right before the coming of the Lord is happening right before our eyes even as I write. Christ told us Himself in Matt. 24 “wars and rumors of wars, nation will rise against nation,

kingdom against kingdom,famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows…..Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come…… For then there will be great tribulation,

such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”

KEY WORDS MY FRIENDS THOSE DAYS WILL BE SHORTENED. I PRAY FOR EACH OF YOU TODAY THAT YOU WILL STAY FAITHFUL, FOCUS, ENDURE TILL THE END, AND SEEK GOD’S SPIRIT AS YOU TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THE SAVING POWER OF CHRIST WHO DIED ON THE CROSS FOR ALL SINS.

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