JUST MORE PROOF

JUST MORE PROOF

The upheaval in Ukraine is simply more proof

that Jesus Christ knew what he was talking

about when talking to the disciples in Matthew

chapter twenty four.

"Nation will go to war against

nation, and kingdom against king-

dom.  There will be famines and

earthquakes in many parts of the

world. But all this is only the first of

 the birth pains, with more to come."

(Matthew 24:7,8 NLT)

This has been somewhat the situation 

most of my life.  And the last couple of

decades in this country, and the world,

have proven Jesus' further statement:

"Sin will be rampant everywhere,

and the love of many will grow cold.

But the one who endures to the end

will be saved."

(Matthew 24:12,13 NLT)

There has been a very popular doctrine

the last two hundred years that I believed

because that was what I had been taught.

That the Christians were going to escape

the worst that is still coming.  But there

are not two words put together in all of

the Bible to verify it.  It is simply the 

twisting of Scripture by men to make 

things more pleasing to the flesh.

"For there will be greater anguish

than at any time since the world 

began.  And it will never be so great

again.  In fact, unless that time of 

calamity is shortened, not a single 

person will survive.  But it will be 

shortened for the sake of God's 

chosen ones."

(Matthew 24:21,22 NLT)

DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

TAKE YOUR BIBLE OUT AND READ

IT THE WAY JESUS GAVE IT.

 

TODAY'S PROMISE

"For he has rescued us from the kingdom

of darkness and transferred us into the

Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased

our freedom and forgave our sins."

(Colossians 1:13,14 NLT)

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

WHAT CAUSES CLIMATE CHANGE?

"If you carefully obey the commands

I am giving you today, and if you love

the LORD your God and serve him with

all your heart and soul, then he will

send rains in their proper seasons -

the early and late rains - so you can

bring in your harvests of grain, new

wine, and olive oil.  He will give you 

lush pastureland for your livestock,

and you yourselves will have all you

want to eat.

"But be careful.  Don't let your heart

be deceived so that you turn away from

the LORD and serve and worship other

gods.  If you do, the LORD'S anger will

burn against you.  He will shut up the sky

and hold back the rain, and the ground 

will fail to produce its harvests.  Then you

will quickly die in that good land the

LORD is giving you."

(Deuteronomy 11:13 - 17 NLT)

Passing a new law will not help Climate 

Change.  Creating a new tax will not 

help climate change.

Only a change in relationship with the

one who controls the climate will create

an improved climate change.

"He changes rivers into deserts,

and springs of water into dry,

thirsty land.

He turns the fruitful land into

salty wastelands,

because of the wickedness of

those who live there.

But he also turns deserts into 

pools of water,

the dry land into springs of

water." 

(Psalms 107:33-35 NLT)

 

TODAY'S QUOTE

“… holiness requires waiting on God.

Without spending time in the presence

of the Holy One, no one can become

holy - for God alone is the source of

all holiness.”

- Y.P. Yohannan -

 

SEEKING APPROVAL.

 

You have been in offices where there were

certificates hanging all over the walls.  The

owner of the certificates wants recognition

for his/her/it's abilities.

They may be well earned and - true, sometimes

necessary.  Or consider how much of the social

media is nothing more than trying to show off

and get the attention and praise of other people.

You know, what a pretty girl or what a manly

man etc.

There were some religious people in the time

of Christ whom God had to say;

“For they loved human praise

more than the praise of God.”

(John 12:43 NLT)

Can we not see the danger there.  Human praise

or approval can only last while we are here on

earth.  But the praise of God will effect our 

"forever".

TODAY'S PROMISE

"We can rejoice, too, when we run

into problems and trials, for we

know that they help us develop

endurance.  And endurance  develops

strength of character, and character

strengthens our confident hope of

salvation." 

(Romans 5:3,4 NLT)

 

WANT TO BE HAPPY?

"This who love pleasure become poor;

those who love wine and luxury will 

never be rich." 

(Proverbs 21:17 NLT)

"But the widow who lives only for pleasure

is spiritually dead even while she lives."  

(1 Timothy 5:6 NLT)

"You have spent your years on earth

in luxury satisfying your every desire.

You have fattened yourselves for the

day of slaughter." 

(James 5:5 NLT)

Is that the price you want to pay?

O GOD,

“You will make known to me

the path of life; In Your presence

Is fullness of joy; In Your right

hand there are pleasures forever.”

(Psalms 16:11 NASB)

Why do we seek them anywhere

else?

TODAY'S QUOTE

“O how heavily does time pass away

when I can do nothing to any good

purpose; but seem obliged to trifle

away precious time!”

- David Brainerd -

O God may we have more people 

like that.

 

TESTING TIME

I spent over a quarter of century as a professional

auto technician.  I remember yet one of the young

mechanics was given the job of putting a power

steering pump on a Lincoln LS.

The boy put the pump on and parked the car.

But when the customer came to get the car

he could not steer it.  The boy had not even

tested it.  That went over real big on a fancy 

car like that.

Every thing should be tested.  A cook will often

taste things to see if it tastes right.  A woman will

move something in the house and then stand back

and look to see if it looks right.  You taste things

to see if you even want to eat it.  Hey!  Even God

tests things.

Consider:

"Until the time came to fulfill his dreams,

the LORD tested Joseph's character."

(Psalms 105:19 NLT)

No.  I do not like being tested by man or 

God.  But that is part of our existence.

So, with God's help I'll try to work with

him instead of against him when I'm tested.

"Dear brothers and sisters, when

troubles of any kind come your

way, consider it an opportunity 

for great joy.  For you know that 

when your faith is tested, your

endurance has a chance to grow.  So

let it grow, for when your endurance

is fully developed, you will be perfect

and complete needing nothing."

(James 1:2-4 NLT)

 

TODAY'S PROMISE

 

“My health may fail, and my 

spirit may grow weak, but

God remains the strength 

of my heart; he is mine

forever.”

(Psalms 73:26 NLT)

SO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD

"You say you have faith, for you

believe that there is one God. Good

for you!  Even the demons believe

this, and they tremble in terror."

(James 2:19 NLT)

How many people do you know that profess

to be "Christians" because they believe in God.

But there is nothing any different between them

and everybody else in the world.

Consider what Jesus said to the crowds that

were following him:

"Not every who calls out to me,

Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom

of Heaven.  Only those who actually

do the will of my Father in heaven

will enter.  On Judgment day many

will say to me, 'Lord! Lord!  We

prophesied in your name and cast

out demons in your name and per-

formed many miracles in your

name.'  But I will reply, 'I never

knew you.  Get away from me, you

who break God's laws.'"

(Matthew 7:21-23 NLT)

This is the "scariest" portion of Scripture

I know.  I've never cast out any demons

or preformed any miracles and if they 

can't make it how can I?

The first thing we need to see is that 

all these great works were done "in the

name of Jesus."  And a close study of 

the Scriptures will show us that the power

is in the name of Jesus.  Not the person

using it or because they were extra close

to God.  The power was in the name they

were using, that is JESUS.

Second you will notice that Jesus is 

telling them they were not obedient to

him.

Third Jesus said, "I never knew you."

Simple, we have to be in a relationship

with Jesus Christ.

Knowing that there is a God or about

God is simply not enough.  We need

to snuggle up close to Jesus and the

starting place is being obedient to him

making him LORD of our lives.

Meet me at the feet of Jesus.

 

TODAY'S QUOTE

 

“O how heavily does time pass away

when I can do nothing to any good

purpose; but seem obliged to trifle

away precious time!”

- David Brainerd -

O God may we have more people 

like that.

SO HUMAN LIKE

 

"Then answered Peter, and said

unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to

be here: if thou wilt, let us make

here three tabernacles one for thee,

and one for Moses, and one for 

Elias.

While he yet spake, behold a 

bright cloud overshadowed them:

and behold a voice out of the cloud,

which said, This is my beloved Son,

in whom I am well pleased, hear ye

him."

(Matthew 17:4,5 KJV)

Peter was so much like you and me.

He wanted to do something good.

Peter wanted to do something to please

God.  Peter wanted to show himself a 

true disciple, etc., etc., etc.

But what did God the Father want?

"hear ye him."

In our churches today we have a lot of 

activity, ritual, retinue and even preach

real loud.  But very little of it is the way

God told us to do it.  When will we ever

start listening instead of living our own

way trying to show ourselves "Christians."

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Trust in the LORD and do good.

Then you will live safely in the

land and prosper..

Take delight in the LORD,

and he will give you your

heart's desires.

Commit everything you do to

the LORD.

Trust him, and he will help you."

(Psalms 37:3 - 5 NLT)

 

GETTING GOD'S BLESSING

"God blesses the one who reads

the words of this prophecy to the

church, and he blesses all who listen

to its message and obey what it says,

for the time is near."

(Revelation 1:3 NLT)

To get God's blessing; read and obey

the book of Revelation.  What can 

we learn from the churches of Revelation?

Ephesus; Jesus said;

"I know all the things you do.

I have seen your hard work and 

your patient endurance."

and Jesus lists a long list of very good

things the Church was doing.  I wish

that the Church circles I run in could

do as well.  But he continues;

"But I have this complaint against

you.  You don't love me or each

other as you did at first."

They have drifted into a form of 

"Pharisaism".  The emphasis is more

on the correct doing that on the loving

and unfortunately I'm seeing a lot of

that in the circles I run in.

Thyatira; Jesus said:

"I know all the things you do.

I have seen your love, your faith,

your service, and your patient 

endurance."

"But I have this complaint 

against you.  You are permitting

that woman - that Jezebel who 

calls herself a prophet to lead

my servants astray."

Look in today's Churches.  Look at

all the "Jezebels" painted up and 

exposing themselves to get attention.

And read the news about so many getting

getting caught in immorality in the 

Churches.

Sardis; Jesus said:

"I know all the things you do,

and that you have a reputation

for being alive -but you are dead.

Wake up!"

Just like many of today's Churches.

Lots of activity.  Large crowds,

but about as Spiritual as a ball game.

Laodicea; Jesus said:

"You say, 'I am rich. I

have everything I want.  I don't

need a thing!'  And you don't

realize that you are wretched

and miserable and poor and

blind and naked."

Just like today.  Churches full of people 

who are after all the prosperity they can get.   

But they are like the prodigal son.  They want

their inheritance now, here on earth.  Yes, 

they are still sons.  They will be welcomed

home.  But they have wasted their inheritance

here on earth.

For true prosperity study what attitude

Jesus Christ himself had toward material

things.

Then study the Apostle Paul's attitude

toward the things of this world.

I chose to follow Jesus and Paul.

Not today's preachers.

TODAY'S QUOTE

“… renewal is possible anywhere

people dedicate themselves to

prayer. …”

“… prayer has been the key to every

revival in the history of Christianity.”

- Paul Y. Cho -