Humility Is Not Being A Doormat

Yield to Advance, Part Two.

So last time, we talked about Pride. We discussed how God sees the proud. We talked about the Scriptures tell us we should be humble. Many think that being humble, means being a doormat. Being someone that others can walk all over. Some even quote this Scripture..

Matthew 5:

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Also found in....

Luke 6:

29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

We will discuss the Sermon on the Mount next time in depth. Then you will fully understand this saying. Jesus is telling you, you should be a living example of the Grace and unconditional Love of God. In many places, the Word tells us we should imitated Jesus himself. God also told us this...

Proverbs 25:

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.

23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

And in Romans 12 Paul writes this:

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Now is Jesus telling you that if someone comes to hurt you or your loved ones, that you should just lay down and let it happen? Of course not. What he is saying is that if someone strikes you unjustly, you should not fight them. You should forgive them, and allow God to repay their evil. Trust me, I understand that this is a hard concept, but to say I know this from experience, would be an understatement. Trust me, God can repay far better than you.

What Jesus and the Word is telling you, is that you should be humble. In...

Philippians 2:

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Do you remember what Jesus told Peter, after Peter cut off Malchus's ear, when Malchus reached out to seize Jesus?

Matthew 26:

52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

Then in...

John 10:

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

You see, Jesus, the same Jesus that cast out devils, healed the sick, and raised the dead, IS the ultimate example. He could have, with a word, cast those that sought to kill Him into an abyss. He could have at any time, shaken the very foundation of the Earth. Remember, Jesus IS Lord. He IS the flesh of God.

The Jews did not crucify Christ. He allowed Himself to be crucified. He allowed it to happen. He, although possessed the power to stop it at any point, was faithful to US enough, to allow it to happen. Think about that. He allowed those present to strip Him, beat Him within an inch of His life, and nail Him to the Cross.

I have news for you. You possess the same power. Yup. I said it. You possess the same power and authority as Jesus. It is few that come to this realization. Even fewer that are wise enough to know when to use it. It should never be about you. If it is, then you fall into the Sin of the devil himself. Pride.

I do not tell you these things to puff you up. I do not tell you that you are equal to Jesus, so that you go out there and attempt to raise the dead. I tell you this simply because it is true. You ARE equal to Jesus in all ways. The same Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is in you. He is in you and you are in Him. The things He did, you can do also. But it should never be about you. In...

James 4:

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

God is the source of the power. If you are serving Him. Doing what He asks you to do, then that unlimited power is at your finger tips. It is there. Ready. But you must rely on Him. Remember, the first time Jesus sent the Twelve out to Preach the Kingdom and heal the sick? First, it was He that gave them the ability to do these things. He send them on a mission, if you will, and equipped them to do it. In...

Luke 9:

1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

So God knows who you are. He sets up a plan and destiny for your life. He then calls you. Gives you the abilities to complete whatever it is He called you to do, and then He glorifies you. You need simply follow what God tells you to do. Rely on Him, not on other creatures or even on yourself. He is with you.

So many times, we think we are the best thing since sliced bread. We think we are cool. We think we are great. We receive praise among men and we want to continue to receive it. So we start relying solely on ourselves. We turn it to be about us. It is NEVER about us. It is ALWAYS about others.

This is what Jesus was talking about when He told us to "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added onto you." You must have faith that God will meet your needs. Remember, Jesus warned us, that there would be those here on earth that will hate us for His name sake. Again, He told us to rely solely on Him. In....

Mark 13:

11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

You see, you are the most powerful force in the universe. But it is not you, but He in you. Some examples....

Psalm 68:

35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

Acts 3:

12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

Romans 1:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Faith in God, understanding of His plan and purpose of your life, is key. Trust in Him is your strength. "With men it is impossible. But not with God, for with God, all things are possible." You are a blood bought Child of God. You are chosen by God for His purpose. So He is with you. If God is for you, who can be against you? As a Child of God, who should have no fear of anything.

However, God does not want you to be prideful or boastful. He wants you humble. He wants you meek. You can chose to do this, or God, can chose it for you. Remember when Moses came down from talking to God and the Jews were worshiping an Idol? Remember they forgot God and became all about themselves? In...

Deuteronomy 8:

2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.

Let me share with you a true story. When I first got saved, I was all puffed up with Pride. I will never forget this one day. This was, I believe, shortly after I lead my first person to Christ. I said to God, I give this day to you. I will get in my car, I will put the Bible on my seat, I will go wherever you say and do whatever you say for me to do.

I got in my car. Put the Bible on the seat, and drove off. I got to the next town over, and said. OK God. I'm going to stop here a get coffee. Then tell me where you want me to go. Then something else got my attention. Well, I will do this, then God, the rest of the day is yours. Then something else. Then my car broke down. I ended up walking three and a half miles home. I did not have a car for three days.

You see, I told God what I was going to do. I gave the day to God, then took it back. God in turn, took three days from me. Do not tell God what you are going to do. Ask Him what He wants you to do. Then have the faith you need to be able to do it. I learned my lesson. I have, and never shall, do that again.

The Meek shall inherit the Earth. Blessed are the humble. For they are truly the blessed of God. Although you have all this power, true wisdom is knowing how to use it. In God's time. For God's purpose. The Saints did not know what laid ahead in their journey. No one knows when they may be required to speak the Word of God to someone until it happens. No one knows what comes, until it is there. If you are too busy attempting to cast perils to swines, you will miss the true person that you are meant to meet with. The person you are meant to help. You are in the middle of an argument with someone, you miss the person passing by.

Moses was meek. According to the Word, "above all the men which were upon the face of the earth." Yet, God called him and he lead God's people out of bondage. He parted the sea, and boldly stood before Pharaoh, preforming signs and wonders. David was meek and small in stature. He was a Shepard. He killed a giant, and became one of the greatest Kings to ever live. Peter was a Fisherman. He became "this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Did Moses say, I am humble according to the Word, so I will not do these things? Or David say, according to God, we are to be humble, I will not fight the Giant? Did Peter say, I must allow others to walk all over me?

Think about these men. None of them were prideful and boasting. They were simple men, living their lives. They became a savior, a King, a Church. Peter walked on water with Jesus, briefly, and Peter's shadow healed people when it touched them.

True humility is knowing who you are. Knowing the power you possess, and being willing to yield yourself to the desires of you, and follow God and His plans. Jesus washed His disciples feet. The Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings, stripped off His cloths, knelt down, and washed their feet. Remember what He told the disciples when they were arguing who would be the greatest in Heaven?

Matthew 18:

1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Why? Because a child believes whatsoever the Parent tells them. They trust the Parent whole heartily. They rely on the Parents to meet their needs. They do not care what others think or say.

For those of you who are Parents, you know this to be true. If you were to tell your child that they could go up on the roof, and jump off, and they will not fall. No. You tell them to jump and they will fly. They will climb that roof, and they will jump. Why. Daddy or Mommy, said we could fly. 

The difference is, you, do not have the ability to give them this power. God does. God is a far greater Father to His children than we are to our's. He is fully capable of giving us the power and authority we need to do whatever He asks us to do.

This is how God wants you to trust in Him. He wants you to live your life and be ready for when He calls you to do whatever it is He wants you to do. He wants to you love Him, and seek His wisdom and truth. He wants to prepare you for whatever it is He has planned for you. Again, at the Last Supper, the Saints were arguing amongst themselves who would be greatest.

Luke 22:

24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

They wanted to be Kings themselves. They wanted people to serve them. Jesus told them that they needed to serve others That this was the path to being great in the Kingdom. As He, Jesus was, so should they be. No thought of themselves, even to the point of death. But their thoughts should be on God and His plans and His Will.

You must yield yourself to your desires and your ideas. Give yourself to the Lord and allow Him to show you His Will. Then and only then, will you truly advance in the kingdom of God. Then and only then, can God use you to be what He wants you to be.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Are you sure? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Lets Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now you need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}You need to be humble and willing to follow wherever God may lead you. It's not about you. It's always about others and God's Will. Want to be great? Then be ready to serve.

Until next time, be blessed, and Jesus IS Lord!

Yield To Advance

Today, many tell you, they know the way.

They tell you they have the path to improve yourself. They tell you you must have Pride. Pride in yourself. Pride in your accomplishments. Pride in your abilities. They tell you that they can improve your Self Esteem. They tell you that through the power of their teachings, you will be, and you will focus on, Number One. For just $79.95 They will show you how to advance in finances, health, and general well being. You will be the envy of all others. You will be the Big Cheese. The Top Dog. You will be all that you ever wanted to be. Just send them the money, and they will show you the light.

What they are telling you, is the wisdom of the world. Oh it can work, for some, for a time. But the end result? There is a better way. A God way. Sometimes you must actually yield to advance. I understand that is opposite of what the world will tell you. But we already know what God thinks about the wisdom of the world. God calls it foolishness. True wisdom starts with God. Just a few examples?

Psalm 111:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 2:6

For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

Isaiah 33:6

And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.

In Paul's first letter to the Church at Corinth, he talks about the difference in the wisdom of the world, and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:

17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

So the world, who rejects God, tells you, you must be all about you. Full of Pride. Well, what does God say about Pride?

Proverbs 13:

10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

Think about that. ONLY by Pride, comes contention. What is contention? It is a point of argument. It is to become the winner in a debate. I am better than you. Or I have the right to this or that. I am the better player. ETC. It's all about me. I, I, I. It's all about Pride.

Truth is, there is nearly always someone better than you. Smarter, Wiser, Stronger, Faster, More Skilled. Whatever. True Wisdom is understanding this fact. I go to the gym. I work out. I lift weights. I'm pretty strong. I see other guys watching me from time to time. Looking at the amounts of weights I'm using. I have even seen some, not even half my size, attempt to lift the same. I could feel Pride about that. Think to myself, I'm the strongest in the world. I'm the King of the Gym. until that 7 foot, 350 pound guy walks in. He can lift double what I do. Pride? I go up to him and say I'm stronger than you. Wisdom is, accept I may not be, and ask if it actually matters either way. So it is only BY Pride that contention comes.

In....

Proverbs 16:

18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

 Also....

Proverbs 29:

23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Now lets talk about the ultimate example of Pride. In the beginning of the early Church, there were strict guidelines to be met. If you wanted to become a Bishop, Check out this list of requirements to be a Bishop in the first Church. He had to be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, able to teach. He could not drink, fight, nor desire things of others. They would also check out his house. How is he raising his family? How does he treat his Wife and Kids? For if he does not run his house well, how can he then run a Church? But then, the last requirement is this, he can not be new to the Word and the ways of God. In,,,

1 Timothy 3:

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

You see, as a Bishop of a Church, you have a whole lot of power. People will come to you for their needs, looking for you to answer them. In most areas, the Church's word on anything, was final. Thought to be the unadulterated Word of God. So if you were no one before, not understanding the TRUE ways of God, now you have all this power and control? You get the point. Remember that story about the fall of Lucifer? In..

Isaiah 14:

11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.

19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

The Theory Of Lucifer's Rebellion.

Now there are two primary theories of when this took place. I subscribe to one, I will share it with you, and your can decide for yourself. This is a theory. It does have a lot of Biblical facts backing it up. However, believe in it or not, it really doesn't matter to, well, anything. It's just an interesting thought exercise.

The theory is, that there is an original Heaven and Earth. The first creation. This is where Lucifer and the rest of the Angels lived. When Lucifer became envious of God, and wanted to become God, he stood, wherever he was, and said "I will ascend into heaven." You cannot enter into something if you are already there. 

I'm in a building right now. I cannot say, "I will enter into it." I'm already here. I can say, I will ascend into the Eiffel Tower, and go all the way to the top, because I'm nowhere near it. So I can say I will do that. So Lucifer was not in Heaven.

A third of the Angels followed him on this quest. God cast him down. God wiped out the original Heaven and Earth with a Universal Flood. This caused Him to start over. There is a gap between Genesis 1, and 2. Then God creates Man. Us. But we turned over all our authority back to Lucifer. So God was about to do it again when He found one faithful. Noah. You know the story.

There is obviously a lot more to the theory. But I do not want you to get to sidetracked here. The other theory is that Lucifer fell because God made Man and put these "talking monkeys" over the Angels. I do not believe this is accurate for a whole host of reasons. But all this is for another time.

Like I said, it matter not an iota to your Salvation, faith, or daily life. Just an interesting study. The point is, Lucifer's Sin was Pride. He is the ultimate example. Through him and his pride, and the Pride of Adam, wanting to be God himself, Sin entered into the world. God does not like the Proud...

Proverbs 16:

5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

1 Peter 5:

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

We will continue this series next time, talking about examples of the humble and the meek. Not to mention, the ultimate example of the humble. Of the meek. Jesus Himself. Pride is a world concept. Pride starts rebellions and wars. Pride leads to hatred and murder. Pride is evil at it's core. Remember who is the author of Pride. Remember Adam's sin. Remember the Tower of Babel . All these are the same Sin. Pride. Do not be Proud for Pride sake. Forget what the world tells you. From in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said this..

Matthew 5:

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Are you sure? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Lets Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now you need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}You are now an Heir to the Kingdom of God itself, and the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, from this day on. Remember what Jesus said about those that follow after He leaves?
John 14:12

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

That's you. You are not something that is not capable of doing anything. Jesus said GREATER works than even HE did, will YOU do, because YOU have receive the Spirit of God. We will talk about this power you now have, and the proper knowledge of what this means, next time. Remember, even though Jesus was God in the flesh, and more than capable of calling down a legion of Angles to wipe out those who sought to kill Him, HE laid down His life, for you.

Until next time, be blessed, and Jesus IS Lord!

The Coming Of The Going

Death is not something to be feared.

Not for Christians. Life on Earth is like everything else on Earth. Life on Earth is temporal. It is for but a time, then it is on to the next stage of existence. Death is as natural as birth. It is as natural as living itself. It will come for all living things.

I understand that many fear death. It is natural to fear the unknown. But it doesn't have to be the unknown. As a Child of God, you know what to expect. You should understand, that when that time comes for you, it is not a punishment. It is not a horrific event. It comes because it must.

In.....

Ecclesiastes 3:

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

In other words, Death will come. There is an appointed time. We all must face our immortality in this temporal world. I truly believe that we do these things out of fear. Fear of what comes next. Jesus tells us what comes next...

John 14:

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

In Revelations, it tells us what the capital, if you will, of the new Earth looks like. In....

Revelation 21:

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Now this is after the Tribulation. The end time. But I want you to think about this. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." And "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Imagine that. It is a far better place to that of which we go, than this of which we live. A place where God Himself will wipe away our tears. A Place where there will be no more sorrow, pain, sickness, death itself. You see, it is appointed to man {Humans} to die twice. Yup. Twice.

The first is a physical death. The body will die. As stated in Ecclesiastes 3: 2

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

The second is a spiritual death. The old man is put away. In Revelations, it declares.....

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

This is the aftermath of the White Throne Judgement.

Revelation 20:

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

So lets look at the two deaths. And how do you get your name written in the Book of Life? First is obvious. A physical death. The body fades away. From dust to dust. Every living thing faces this death. The second, is Spiritual.

First, you must remember, because of one man, we have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. We are born into sin. We are born into the family of the devil. We are NOT all children of God. We are all God's creations. But not all Children.

John 3:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

 Remember, he was talking to the "religious folks" in...

John 8:

43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Just because they were religious, doesn't mean they were saved. Doesn't mean that they were Children of God. He called them the Children of the devil. The only way you can become a Child of God, is through the adoption of the Spirit. In.....

Romans 8:

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Then, and only then, can you be called a Child of God. Do you know for certain, you are, without doubt, a Child of God? If not, please say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. More on that in a second. Say this Prayer....

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now you need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. But you are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10} You have now officially died. You have allowed Jesus's death to be your death. Yet rather His Resurrection to be your's. Your name has now, this very minute, been written in the Book of Life. You will no longer be required to stand before the White Throne. You are now saved.

Continuing in

John 14:

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

From the beginning of time, man has sought out ways to extend his life here on Earth. They seek immortality. They want to live forever. However, would that be a blessing or a curse? Have you really thought about that?

We know that the Word declares "Absent the body, present with the Lord." If you do not leave your body? You can not be with the Lord. For the Lord and the kingdom of Heaven is Spiritual. The body is material. It's physical. We are in physical bodies to enjoy this gift God gave us. Besides all that. How long would you want to live in a place where there IS sickness, disease, sorrow, pain, etc? One hundred years? Two hundred years? Remember, for God, our time on Earth is nothing. Even time as we know it. The world as we know it, WILL come to an end. In...

2 Peter 3:

8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

This is why Jesus tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God. We are His Children, He will meet are needs. All this "Stuff" the World has to offer is nothing. It's here one moment, and gone the next. As a Child of God, you ARE immortal. You are going to live forever.

But what about the sorrow we feel when a loved one passes on. I hate funerals. I really do. The person laying in the box, is not there anymore. They are not at their own funeral. Funerals are for those left behind. The deceased is gone. If they were a Child of God, they are with Him. If they weren't. It's too late for them. Whatever God decides in the afterlife, is between them and God. I think the Word makes it pretty clear. But remember what Jesus said...

Matthew 8:

21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

And in 

Luke 9:

59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Again, Jesus is tell us that once we become Children of God, nothing else matters. Those that did not accept the Spirit of adoption, they are dead already. They have no part in the Kingdom. But you DO. You are a Child of God. You should never worry about the past. You have no past. You are a New Creature. A new Man. A new Woman. You ARE a heir to the Kingdom of God. Your Name is written in the Book of Life. You should have no fear.

So when a Child of God, "dies" what really happens is that they are transformed. They leave the physical and become Spiritual. They go to a place where God Himself will wipe away their tears. Who is better off? Us? Or them? I summit to you, they are. By FAR.

Death is a time of celebration for a Child of God. Of course you will have sorrow. That is normal. I get sad, if someone I love takes a trip. I miss them. I know I will see them again in time. But I miss them. When a loved one dies, they are simply taking a very long trip. But the good news is, if they are a Child of God, as are you, you WILL see them again. Celebrate their passing, and look forward to seeing them again. Live on and seek first the Kingdom of God. Continue to spread the Word. Your time will come as well. As well will the time come for the end of everything. But as a Child of God, these things are not to be feared, but things to be looked forward to.

Until next time, be well, be blessed, and Jesus IS Lord!

Do Not Worry, About Thing You Can Not Change

Worry, can lead to much worse, than that of which you are worried about.

In life, as the old saying goes, stuff happens. Stuff always happens. Things go wrong. Things turn out to be "bad." People worry. They worry about the little things, all the way up to, and including death itself. So today, I want to talk about worrying about those things you can not change.

I have been in a position of authority. I was a Manager of a major Hotel Brand for ten years. One of my many jobs was to increase profit for the Hotel. Fill rooms, make guests happy, keep payroll to a minimum. One of the things I learned early on, was I could not think about it too much, when the time came to let someone go. Every person I fired was a real person. They had families. They had bills to pay. They had hopes and dreams. Just like me. Just like you. However, there came a time, when my Job stated I had to let them go.

The company or organization you are working for is at the mercy of profit. If they do not make money, they can not afford to pay you. Do to economic situations, you may go into work on Monday, and find you no longer have a job. They need to find ways to keep the company going, and if that means cutting you, you will be cut. Now do they do this for a personal reason? No. It just happens. You were costing the company or organization more than they could afford to pay you. I understand, it really is hard not to take it personal. But for the most part? It really isn't.

So here you are, driving home, fearful of the future. I know some that go to work every day, fearful that it is their last. Is there anything you could have done to stop the loss of your job? Probably not. Is there anything you can do driving home, to change the fact you lost your job? Nope. So why worry about it?

You have an unfair advantage. You really do. Remember, you are a Child of God. Remember, God promised you, your needs will be met. Remember.....

Luke 12:

22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

You see, as a Child of God, The God of gods, the King or Kings, the Creator of all that is, was, or ever will be, is your Daddy. You think He will not meet your needs? Think of the Rich man. Would he not give all he has to his Son or Daughter, if they became in need? Of course. God is far richer than the richest man. So you do not have to fear the loss of a job. You also do not need to kill yourself trying to make that next dollar. As a side note.

When you think about what reality really is, and you come to the recognition of who you are as a Child of God, a job is nothing to worry about. What about those that worry about War? World Peace? Famines in other parts of the world? Worry about the End of the World? What about those that worry about what others think of them? Worry about crime. Worry about sickness. Worry about the choices their loved ones make?

Truth is, none of this really matters. You do not control world governments. You do not control sickness and disease. You can not make the decisions your loved ones need to make on their own. Even your kids. You do not control crops. You do not control the world.

Truth is, what is important for you to think about, is who you are. Learn who your Father is. Did Noah control the flood? Nope. He built an Ark to ride it out. He obeyed God. Did Job worry about losing everything, including his health? Nope. He endured it. Did Jesus Himself control His torture and Crucifixion? Nope. He endured it, because He knew it must come to pass.

I do not have enough money to pay the bills and to Tithe. I'm worried about what the people in my church think of me. What did Jesus say about paying taxes? "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." Trust me, that 90 percent after tax will go far further than that 100 percent would ever come close to.

I worry about what others will think of me. This whole Faith thing. So many pick on it, and call people that have Faith names and think that they are stupid. I do not want to be thought of this way. Remember what Jesus told His Disciples, He is telling you also, that many will not hear His Word. But that is no excuse for telling them the truth. In....

Luke 10:

1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

God is your Daddy. In most cases, He is NOT their's. Who is smarter? You are a Child of God. As Romans 8 declares...

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is nothing that a thief can do. Nothing any other human can do, to separate you from the the love of God. There is nothing anyone can do to you. including the taking of your life. Remember what Jesus said about fearing those that can take your life?

Matthew 10:

28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

And in.....

Luke 12:

4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

If someone comes up to you, points a gun at you, and pulls the trigger, they may end your time on earth, but the Word declares, in...

2 Corinthians 5:

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Like I said, we will talk more about death next message. But I want you to think about this. Jesus is telling you that you should have no fear. The worse thing anyone could possible do to you, is end your time here on earth. They can only do this, if God allows it. After that? What more can they do? Nothing.

This is because, once you become a Child of God, you become an Heir to the Kingdom. I use Colossians 3:10 when I give the Prayer of Salvation, because it makes it clear. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." The new you, is immortal. You will be in a far better place. You will be in Heaven. With the Lord. So who wins?

Do you remember When Jesus was talking to Peter? He told him that the devil wants him. In...

Luke 22:

31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

I can not even imagine what Peter was thinking here. He I am, with the Lord of Lords. The King of Kings. Here I am with Jesus himself. I have watched Him walk on water. I walked on water with Him. I have watched Him raise the dead. I have watched Him do miracles. He just told me that Satan wants me. I have no doubt He said "No, you can't have him. He's with me." Nope. Jesus said "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." So in essence, He said OK? What? Wait. What?

Temptations will come. The devil will tempt you. Bad things will happen. These things will happen, if you believe them or want them, or not. But God knows who you are. He knows your heart. He will strengthen you. He will comfort you. He will forgive you. But do not think that as a Child of God, you will not have to face trials and tribulations. No. Greater than you did before, you will now. Don't worry about them. You can't change them. All you can do is endure. Learn from them. Strengthen others afterward.

Now the last message was Luke 21. The end time. You can find Jesus talking about this in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, and of course, you can find it in detail in The Book of Revelation. Jesus comes right out and tells us, there WILL be wars, sicknesses and diseases, famines, natural disasters, and.....

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

All these these things are coming about. We can see these things all around us. But Jesus said "be not terrified." He is forewarning us that these things will happen. We can't change them. We can't stop them. There is nothing we can do. So why should we worry about them.

When the end does come, we should look up.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Yeah, it's the end of the world. But we need to look up, because our "redemption draweth nigh." We will soon be with God Himself. A time of celebration, not of fear.

People worry about the silliest things. We really do. What is not in our control, we should not worry about. We must trust in God. He knows our hearts. He knows our minds. He knows what is going on in our life. He knows more about it than we do. Do you know, right now, there are two coworkers or yours, talking on the phone, and plotting how to get you into trouble, because of whatever reason? God does. Did you know that your car is about to break down. The computer chip is going to fail today on your way home? God does. Did you know the devil is going to meet you today, and tempt you with something that sounds incredible? God does. Do you know if you will give into the temptation? God does. Do you know right now that there are Governments plotting and planning attacks on each other? God does. God is God. He knows all things always.

Some things in life, some moments in time, are completely fixed. They MUST come about, for whatever reason. You can't stop them. You can't change them. You cannot even avoid them. They WILL happen. How you chose to deal with them, will effect you more, than the events themselves. Why worry about the things that you cannot change?

Trust in God. He is your Father. Have Faith in Christ. He is your Savior. Listen to the Holly Spirit. He is in you. You are a blood bought, duly cleansed, Child of God. Worry? "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Some things are not ours to change, but for us to endure. Why worry about them? But as a Child of God, endure you can.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Are you sure? Are you comfortable knowing that the signs are there, and we may see that cloud with Jesus returning in our lifetime? If you have never done so, say this Prayer? Say it in your own words. Mean it from your heart. Remember, God KNOWS your heart.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now you need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. But you are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10} Now stop worrying about everything. Your Daddy knows best.

Until next time, be blessed, and Jesus IS Lord!

Luke 21

Time for you to look around.

One of my favorite chapters in the entire Bible is Luke 21. It is a quiet moment, when Jesus is, presumably sitting with His Disciples in a Synagogue, attending Church if you will, and He is simply having a conversation with them.

It starts off with the Widow and the two mites. All these rich people are putting in large sums of money. They are giving their Tithes and Offerings. Some very large suns of money. And here comes this poor Widow who puts in two mites or about $2.00 bucks today.

Now you know, just like today, if people are dropping in Hundreds and Thousands of dollars, and this woman comes in and puts two bucks in, people are going to stare. They are going to think bad thoughts about her. Jesus, as He does often, corrects us, in the simplest way.

Luke 21

1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

Yeah, I know. I've been there. I've shared the story before. I was blessed with a good Job, making good money, and manageable bills. I was seeking first the Kingdom of God, and all these things were indeed added onto me. So one year, when I got my tax refund, $1800.00, I had no real need for it. So I walked into a Food Pantry, and handed them a check for $1800.00.

I'll never forget that day. I was so happy and excited to go there and give them the check. Until I got there. Here I am, in a expensive Suit and Tie, full length Wool Coat, and nice shoes, walking by people that had little to nothing. They are all standing in line, hoping to get some food to feed their families. Here I am, walking right past all of them standing in line. Torn and worn cloths. Old sneakers. Hoping that the Food Pantry had enough so they would not have to worry about their next meal. I felt about 2 feet tall.

I walk in and hand the ladies the check. One chased me out into the parking lot and asked me if this was real, or perhaps I made a mistake? I told her no it was real, I was blessed, so I wanted to bless others. She gave me one of the biggest hugs I have ever gotten to this day. While all these people watched on.

Now do I have anything to feel bad about? No. Did I have anything to feel ashamed about? Of course not. I was doing a good thing. I was truly blessing others. Yet, somehow, I did feel uncomfortable. I knew that some of those people were thinking to themselves, "Look at this big shot. Who does he think he is?" Truth is, they most likely were not giving me a thought at all. They were more concerned with their needs being met.

What Jesus was saying here, is yes, I will get praise and glory from man. Hugs, and admiration. but in reality, what have I done? What sacrifice did I make? Nothing. None. What about the woman that walks in the pantry and gives them a check for $100.00. She only makes say $200.00 a week. Now, who do you think will be honored more by man? Who do you think will be honored more by God? That's right, the one that makes the bigger sacrifice.

A Tithe is a Tithe. Ten percent. So if you make $200.00, your Tithe is $20.00. If you make $100,000.00 Your Tithe is $10,000.00. Who gives more? Neither. Ten percent is ten percent. Now if that person who makes $200.00 gives $50.00, and the person that makes $100,000.00 decides that the $10,000.00 is enough? Who gives more? You get the point.

When Jesus is talking about this, someone looks up and starts admiring the Synagogue. They most likely commented on the beauty. Jesus said this...

5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Jesus was not impressed. So here you are, in Church, with The Lord, literally, and He says, this do not be impressed with the beauty of the building you are in, for it will be destroyed. Huh? Wait. What? So they ask Him about it. I can imagine, I would have too.

7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

Now I want you to read the rest of this, all the way through, uninterrupted. While you read this, I want you to think about it. We will discuss it a bit more after. But just read the rest of the way through first, thinking about the World today.

8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.

38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

Now lets talk about these things Jesus said. Again, I want you to think about what is going on in the World today.

9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

Russia is back in the control of Putin, who wants to bring back the good old days of the USSR. He is attempting to gain back territories that Russia has lost. He is reinstating the KGB. He is returning to rhetoric against the US. He is showing signs of starting another cold war. Look at North Korea. Look at China. Iran is building a nuclear bomb that they WILL use against Israel, and us. Look at this President and his administration. He is giving more and more of our sovereignty away to the UN, and giving money and aid to the enemies of both our allies and ourselves. The world is a dangerous place, growing more and more dangerous as time goes on.

11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. In the past 30 days?

M 3.4, 0km WSW of Beverly Hills, California Friday, September 07, 2012 07:03:09 UTC
M 5.6, 1km SW of Jiaokui, China Friday, September 07, 2012 04:16:30 UTC
M 5.6, 6km SSW of Jiaokui, China Friday, September 07, 2012 03:19:42 UTC
M 7.6, 12km E of Hojancha, Costa Rica Wednesday, September 05, 2012 14:42:07 UTC
M 6.2, 244km S of Sidorukun, Indonesia Monday, September 03, 2012 18:23:04 UTC
M 7.6, 88km E of Sulangan, Philippines Friday, August 31, 2012 12:47:33 UTC
M 6.8, 88km NW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Thursday, August 30, 2012 13:43:25 UTC
M 4.1, 3km NE of Yorba Linda, California Wednesday, August 29, 2012 20:31:00 UTC
M 7.3, 131km S of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador Monday, August 27, 2012 04:37:18 UTC
M 5.5, 5km NNW of Brawley, California Sunday, August 26, 2012 20:57:58 UTC
M 5.3, 4km NNW of Brawley, California Sunday, August 26, 2012 19:31:22 UTC
M 6.6, 140km WNW of Tobelo, Indonesia Sunday, August 26, 2012 15:05:37 UTC
M 6.3, 53km SSE of Palu, Indonesia Saturday, August 18, 2012 09:41:52 UTC

Tropical Storms and Hurricanes are said to be increasing in number and strengths. We just had Tropical Storm Isaac hit Florida.

There are food wars going on in parts of the world. For many reasons, from droughts, to man-made causes, food in increasing in price and in scarcity Entire countries are starting to have issues with being able to feed themselves.

14 September 2012, Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo, 12 September 2012

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome – Yosemite National Park, United States of America, 8 September 2012

Cholera in Sierra Leone, As of September 11, 2012, 48 states in America, have reported West Nile infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes. 2,636 cases in people, causing 118 deaths. Just to name a few.

12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

All throughout history, the world has hated God's chosen people. First the Jews, now the Christians. Look at what is happening. Christians are being sold into slavery. They are being hunted down and killed. Churches are being burned. It is increasing in severity and occurrence, all around the world.

Now I know, many will say, there have been wars and rumors of wars, natural disasters, diseases, and famines all throughout history. What makes this time different than any other? Israel.

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

Look at the middle east. Iran is building a bomb. It will use it. Egypt has been taken over by an Islamic regime that declared Israel their number one enemy as their first official act as a ruling party. The advance of Islam and Sharia Law all throughout the middle east, attacking our embassies, murdering ambassadors, burning flags, etc? Israel is completely surrounded by those that see to destroy it.

Now Israel will not simply lay down and go away. They will fight back. When this happens, we will have a choice to make as a country. If we get involved to help them, others will get involve to stop us. World War Three.

Gas prices? Skyrocket and become scarce. Fuel to heat your home, run power plants? Skyrocket in price, and become scarce. Food? Prices skyrocket and become scarce. People will do whatever they have to just to survive. If that means stealing, and even killing, depending on how bad it gets, they WILL steal and kill, just to get food. Not just in other parts of the World, but right here in America as well.

23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

All these things are lining up You can see many interesting and curious things happening in the Sun, Moon , and Stars today. We know our Weather has been unusually odd as well. Add this to the sickness and disease outbreaks, famine, and things forming in the middle east, and you have cause to pause and think about it.

Now do not be mislead. I do not know an exact date. No one does. If they tell you, oh, I don't know, December 21st 2012, at midnight, the world will end. Do not believe them. Jesus made this clear in

Matthew 24:

36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And also in....

Mark 13:

32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

So in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and various other mentions, Revelations of course, it tells us these thing will happen. It tells us these things are planed, and guaranteed. It really is not a question of if, but when. What does this mean then? Why would Jesus tell us these things. He is telling us for three reasons. 

1 - The importance of sharing the Gospel. The importance of telling others the good news. That as a child of God, they no longer have to worry about what happens. They have true Salvation.

2- To comfort us. Telling us that these things will happen, before they happen, so we are not deceived. Letting us know that we are different than the rest of the world. That even though the world itself will end as it is now, we can take comfort in the fact, He is coming for US.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.

38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Does he tell us to go hide in a cave with canned food? No. He tells us to occupy until He comes. Live life. Enjoy the good things. But keep watching the World and the Signs He warned us about. Follow His Word. Live for God. Seek first the Kingdom of God. "For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark." Be as you are. But be watching and ready.

3- Do not worry about things you cannot change. We will talk more about this, next time. In some cases, perhaps more importantly, do not try to change them. Trust in God. For these things must come to pass.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you said the Prayer? Are you a Child of God? If not, please say this Prayer now. It only take a second to change your very life forever.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now you need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. But you are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10} You no longer have to worry about these things. Are we facing World War Three? I believe we are. Will Nuclear Weapons be involved? Perhaps. Will this bring about the end of the world? Possibly. Possibly not. But the Fig Tree does appear to be "shooting forth." Why wait to be sure, it will no longer matter to you? As a matter of fact, it could be a time of rejoicing and celebration. Our Lord, Jesus The Christ, could be coming back, sooner than the world knows. He will be coming for YOU.

Until next time, be blessed, and Jesus IS Lord!