May 5, 2015

MY FRIENDS, LET HIM WHO IS WITHOUT SIN AMONG YOU BE THE FIRST TO THROW A STONE!!

Moses, Paul and David were murderers. Thomas was a doubter, Peter denied Christ three times, Abraham and Jacob were liar’s, Judah was a Whoremonger, John was self-righteous, Mary Magdalene had been released from the power of seven demons, Noah was a drunk and committed incest with His Daughters.

My friends, what a list, along with their abominable transgressions beyond what we ourselves, in most cases would ever imagine doing. But these individuals are some of the bible’s A team, the very elect who we will see in God’s kingdom, if we have the faith and endurance to be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, as each of these bible characters did, in spite of.

In addition, we also must look deep within and understand we “have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” Rom. 3:23 (NSAB) But we also have a Savior. For Christ “Himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; and by his wounds [we] have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

My friends, “Like a grapevine branch, we are not always producing fruit in our life. That would be unnatural. For a significant portion of a grapevine’s life is nothing but a dry, twisted stick, fruitless with no benefit to anyone. It is even useless for shade, worthless as timber, to all appearances it is only fit to be ripped from the ground, thrown in a heap and burned.”

“Yet those barren times are as vital in the life of the vine, as the season itself”. “If spring could tip-toe passed nature without stirring it from its winter slumber; if the sun could slip through the sky without dispelling the night; if rain could fall to the ground without bringing life to the desert, only then should you fear dry times, dark times, lean times.

Though you feel as useless as a fur coat in a heat-wave, the time will come when your warmth is treasured. For everything there is a season.”(Grantley Morris) Paul tell’s us in Ephesians 2:4-5 (KJV) “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved.”

My friends, it is now our season, our warmth is now, at this moment treasured to finish God’s mandate here on earth as we spread the good news of the gospel. There are many reasons why God allowed us to travel this road we have been on, but now we are on the final stretch, as we enter the threshold of the promise land and Christ is now looking for faithful vessels to serve him until his soon appearing.

So today He pleads, “behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him,……” Rev 3:20 (KJV) Remember the forces of evil looks over our life and accuses each of God’s chosen of all of our mistakes and tells us we could never produce any fruit. But my Savior starts at Calvary, and places us on our journey through life.

In addition, we all have different situation and circumstances, trials and tribulation, unique only to us, but thank God through His grace if we hold on and endure we will all end up at the same location and that is, at His soon appearing when He will say to His Children, “Well done good and faithful servants! Come and share your master’s happiness! In a place “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” and have kept His commandments.

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

May 5, 2015

MY FRIENDS, IS IT THE LIGHT WE ARE DRAWN TOO OR THE DARKNESS?

“Light is an electromagnetic radiation which encompasses X-rays, gamma rays, ultraviolet light, infrared light, radio waves, and visible light. But we as human’s only see one type of light: visible light. And without this light let’s say the sunlight no longer existed, then all photosynthesis on Earth would stop. In addition, all plants would die and, eventually all animals that rely on plants for food, including humans would also die.”

But today my friend, we need to focus on how do we create an opportunity for salvation through God’s visible light which is His word and Spirit, while at the same time this light along with His grace, seems to be getting dimmer each day throughout our world.

In addition, as God’s vessels not only maintaining this light from within but allowing it to also penetrate from God, through us, out into this world we live in, where God’s light is no longer visible to so many. So let’s start from “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Gen 1:1-4 (NKJV) Well one thing we do know is, Christ is the foundation or the beginning of all light, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 3:11 (NIV)

So with Christ the Son of God, the foundation of our light source, this my friends is what we must seek daily, the pureness and holiness of “in the beginning,” before sin entered the world, when the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters, and God said let there be light and following that, earth and man was created.

Also, this same Spirit and light is within our reach if our faith will allow us to give our all to the one who holds the light in His hand and is willing to allow it to shine within our hearts and from there out to others. But we must be willing to follow Christ and receive the light of life as we reject the darkness from the god of this world, which leads to death.

Remember I stated earlier without this light all life as we know it would no longer exist including us. That is why we must be wise, building our character on the solid rock who is the light of all life “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on our mind and body; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. The rock being Jesus Christ” Matt. 7 24-25 (NKJV paraphrased)

My friends, the darkness will continue to penetrate the world we live in, but our faith must be firmly rooted in Christ. “During this period of love, grace and mercy that is extended out to us from our Savior, we must first recognize Christ as our Savior and the light of His life from Calvary that leads you and I to life eternal.

We must also remember Christ is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Through His light” But one day if we are not grounded and rooted in God’s abounded love, as our Judge, the saddest words we will ever here once we cry out Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ will be depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! For I know you not.

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

May 3, 2015

MY FRIENDS, PASSION; THE OBJECT OF SUCH A FONDNESS OR DESIRE TO SERVE GOD!!

My friends, let’s make it personal as we go beyond any planet or galaxy that the human mind could ever conceive, beyond all boundaries of human intelligence, and once we have allowed this to happen, we need to develop a passion from within  that takes us all the way to the throne room, in the presence of “our father which art in heaven”

And once we have arrived, we then witness the heavenly host and the angelic beings singing “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”! And as we see with our on eyes who God is and the pureness of His love, we then develop such a passion to stay in the presence of God. In addition, we will also develop this same passion for the journey we are on, which keeps us focused on where we are going and what it will take to get there.

Remember God has chosen this generation as central participants in the controversy between good and evil, so our battle scares must produce a passion for the battle, along with a feeling, and a determination which can only be defined by our actions. The world is deteriorating before our very eyes. The battle is now over our Character.

But only you and I can decide the outcome, because the war is won, Christ will soon come to take those with the passion to forever stay in the presence of the heavenly host, to go back with him so “choose you this day whom you will have a passion to serve; whether the gods in whose land ye now dwell that one day will be destroyed: or will you have the passion to serve the true God and live throughout the ceaseless ages eternity.

Paul tells us in Gal. 5:24 (KJV) “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” now Paul is speaking of another type of passion that we crave through the influence of Satan, and with that type of passion your desire is only for a passion for the things of this world. but you cannot have two central passions “either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”

So if you have a passion for the things of this world then your prayers are not sincere, the study of Gods word is futile, and spreading the good news of the gospel will be bothersome. In addition, until we desire the passion of God’s spirit to transform our lives as we die to self each day, we will continue to live with the passion that only leads to perdition.

So as we continue our journey to the promise land, let’s all do as the demoniac did when he was sent home to be a living representative of our Lord and Savior and what had been done from the touch of the Master’s hand. Luke 8:38-40 (KJV) tells us The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with Jesus, but He sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.

”So the man went away and told all over town how much Christ had done for him.” now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.” My friends we must also have this same passion; the fondness or desire to serve God  as we receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us; as we become witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NIV) as we tell what God has done in our life.

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

MY FRIENDS, THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY, MAYWEATHER VS PACQUIAO OR YOU AND GOD?

Each day our problems moves up in a designated weight class and as we get older the main event always gets more and more dramatic, the trials more precise. Every situations and circumstances are anew as the injustices of life takes its toll; a disobedient child, an abusive husband, finances, unemployment, the list never ends.

But today it ‘s personal, the fight of the century is about to take place and it is not between Floyd Mayweather, or Manny Pacquiao. But we are in the ring and our opponent is God. So how can we a created being like Jacob, take on the Creator of the universe and win. Well first of all Jacob was prepared, remember he is going up against the great I Am, so there must be daily preparations.

My friends we cannot come to the fight, lacking in faith and prayer, intemperate in our eating habits, or maybe just “having a form of godliness but denying its power” Like Goliath who went into the ring with the Lord’s Anointed with only a sword, a spear and a javelin, we must be prepared to endure as our faith takes its toll, but we hold on, until God’s Spirit gives us the victory.

In addition, we must never focus our attention on the timing of why we haven’t succeeded against God because a lack of patience is only a lack of faith remember Jacob fought all night, 2 Peter 3:9 tells us “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Consistent with this, we must always remember God is preparing us for greater fights, but only against the enemy, fights we are unprepared to handle right now. For there will come a time in each of our lives, such has not been since the beginning of the world until this time….” Matt 24:21-22

So what I’m trying to get you to focus on today is, it may come a time when the presence of God is veiled from our face, and it will only be our faith, endurance and the promises of God that we have constantly studied in His word that will give us the strength to continue. “So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.

The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel,…”Gen 32:30-31 (KJV) My friends, what hope for each of us, “and the sun rose upon him.” Like God’s Son who rose on the cross for our sins. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” John 12:32 (NKJV)

But only if we believe and endure, and one day soon, we will be able to say we saw God face to face and it was our daily being in the presence of God that will allow us to look up and see the Son of God above us as “the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess 4:16-17 (NKJV)

“All who desire the blessing of God, as did Jacob, and will lay hold of the promises, as he did, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded. There is so little exercise of true faith and so little of the weight of truth resting upon many professed believers because they are sluggish in spiritual things.

They are unwilling to make exertions, to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for the blessing, and therefore they do not obtain it. That faith which will live through the time of trouble must be daily in exercise now.

Those who do not make strong efforts now to exercise persevering faith, will be wholly unprepared to exercise that faith which will enable them to stand in the day of trouble.” (E.G. White Story of redemption)

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

April 30, 2015

MY FRIENDS, EVEN THE VERY ELECT ARE VULNERABLE!!!

“It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem…..and one evening, [David a man after “God’s own heart”] “got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace.

From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”2 Samuel 11:1-4 (NKJV) Isn’t it amazing even the elect are vulnerable when God’s precious time is not spent wisely, and our focus is not on His presence in our life.

The world we live in today is so saturated with visual enticements that go straight at seducing the mind. Mrs. White says it best, in Letters to Young Lovers when she says, “Those who would not fall a prey to Satan’s devices, must guard well the avenues of the soul; they must avoid reading, seeing, or hearing that which will suggest impure thoughts.

The mind must not be left to dwell at random upon every subject that the enemy of souls may suggest. The heart must be faithfully shielded, or evils without, will awaken evils within, and the soul will wander in darkness. Those who would have that wisdom which is from God must become fools in the sinful knowledge of this age, in order to be wise.

They should shut their eyes, that they may see and learn no evil. They should close their ears, lest they hear that which is evil and obtain that knowledge which would stain their purity of thoughts and acts. And they should guard their tongues, lest they corrupt communications and guile be found in their mouths.”

As with David His initial lust went from adultery, to murder and then too lying, but thank God it also lead to repentance, confession and a renewed commitment to the will of God with these words of sorrow he states “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to the multitude of Your tender mercy and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:1-2 (KJV)

As a Child of the King we must forever stay focused while maintaining the mind and thoughts of Christ while continually sending our petitions to the Good Shepard for strength through His Spirit for we must “Put on the full armor of God, so that we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes.

For our “struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, we may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ep.6:11-13 (KJV)

My friends Christ never lost focus of His goal which was Calvary, but each Child of God can walk in the same footsteps of Christ if our focus is steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”1 Cor. 15:58 (KJV)

In addition, we must always allow our faith to be limitless in every situation and circumstances. Through Christ, every battle was won for us at the cross, so now our journey has been set and our hope and salvation remains our choice. “So choose you this day whom you will serve.”

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

April 28, 2015

MY FRIENDS, GOD KNOWS OUR STORY THAT IS WHY OUR PRAISE IS FOR REAL!

As we look back over our life, we can’t help but say our worship is for real. Praising God is what we do best, because He has never left us, or forsaken us in spite of the decisions we may have made in our life that had nothing to do with Christ or His will for us.

We all should be able to say with no reservations that our God has done what seemed like the impossible, and performed miracles, and healed our broken heart, and cured our diseases and cast out demons, and fought against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, and watched over our life in places that even today we say to ourself, hmmmm did I really go there and do that.

And our Savior did all of that just so that we may have an opportunity to love as He loves and one day live in a place “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man [or woman], the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”1 Cor 2:9 (KJV)

So today, we all can praise his name, while knowng with all of our heart that God know’s our story He knows that it was He who allowed us to go through and to continue to go through the battles of our life with very few signs of battle fatigue. So my friends, our worship is for real because we wake up daily, and see with our eyes the sun rising, we can hear the birds singing with our ears, we have two legs to stand up in church service and wave our hands as the praise team sings.

yes my friends, our health and strength is not what it used to be, but all of that will change soon, at God’s soon appearing and “then in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Cor. 15:52-54 (KJV)

In addition, today we all can truly say we are blessed and highly favored by our lord and savior who gave it all for us and as sinners we can all say at some point in our life we were prodigal sons and daughters because the god of this world had us believing that his “way appears to be right, but [now we know] in the end it [only] leads to death.”

But our God reached as far as we had gone and brought us back home and made us “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.“ 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

So today if you are a child of God, praise His name day and night because God knows our story and our worship is for real, because our story is for real so “shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:1-5 (KJV)

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

April 26, 2015

MY FRIENDS, ARE THE MOUNTAINS IN OUR LIVES TOO HIGH TO GET OVER?

Forgive me, Jesus I thought I could control Whatever life would throw my way But this I will admit Has brought me to my knees, I need you Lord and I’m not ashamed to say Sometimes it takes a mountain Sometimes a troubled sea Sometimes it takes a desert To get a hold of me Your Love is so much stronger Then whatever troubles me Sometimes it takes a mountain To trust you and believe. (Gaither Vocal Band – Sometimes It Takes a Mountain)

Mountains, the subject is infinite when we think of one’s problems within the interaction with our day to day life and how we as Christians relate or handle each situation and circumstances that arises in our life. When characterizing our journey it is probably safe to say that our Faith has been stretched too an unbearable limit.

in addition, If our destination is the promise land, than our personal story never ends. So through our faith we hold on some how because we understand “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

In 1Samuel 17:45 (KJV) David has a pretty high mountain to climb when he goes up against Goliath “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.

This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. My friends we must know our God and what He is capable of doing for His faithful children.

The size of the mountain did not matter to David because he knew the God he served “is exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, The One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth”? Psalm 113:4-8 (NIV) Psalm 55:22 (KJV) also tells us to “Cast our cares or Mountains on the Lord and he will sustain us; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”

My friends what about your mountains and your trials, How far must your Faith be stretched before you realize that our God is an infinite God who has no limits. He tells us in Jeremiah 23:23-24 (KJV)Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the lord. do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the lord.

But today maybe you can not reach the top of your mountain because “your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear” Isaiah 59:2 (kJV) But if your desire is life eternal, then you must have the character of Christ and allow Him through His Word and Spirit to take full control of your life.

Jesus Christ on Calvary, when taken upon Himself, the full penalty of our sins. Oh what a mountain He had to climb, just that we would know “that with men [and woman trying to get over any mountain] it is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (KJV) and also, He let’s us know “to not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Is. 41:10 (NIV)

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