Psalm 36

Psalm 36

1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.

4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

5 Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.

7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

10 O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.

12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.

The Coming Of The Going Revisited

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 3:1-22

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. 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.

I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

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. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

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. 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. 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.

All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? 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 14:1-3

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 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.Revelation 21:1-27

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

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

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

On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 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. 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. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 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;

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. 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. 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. 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. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 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

"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.....

"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 20:10-15

"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. 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. 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.

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. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 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 3:15-18

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

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 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 8:43-45

"Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 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. 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 8:13-18

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

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 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. 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 14:4-31

" And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 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? 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. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

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

If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 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.

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father,, and ye in me and I in you. 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.

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 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. 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. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

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. 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. 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. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 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 3:8-18

"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.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.

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

Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 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; 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.

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. 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 in Matthew 8:21-23

"And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him."

And in Luke 9:59-62

" And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 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, be a blessing, and Jesus IS Lord!

Psalm 35

Psalm 35

1 Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

22 This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

Walking in Spirit, Perseverance

Are you in it to win it?

Who said this?

"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do."

Edson Arantes do Nascimento. Who? Pelé, who is widely regarded as the greatest Soccer Player of all time. What does he mean? Perseverance? Never give up. Never give in. Never forget the Prize. Never waver. Be always striving to be the Best. To Win.

When you read the Word, you will see this word, Perseverance, translated Steadfastness, Patience, and Endurance. Paul writes this in his letter to the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 9:23-25

"And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible."

Salvation and the Glory of God is not a cushy, floating around, not a care in the World, reality. It can be incredibly hard. Jesus tells us,,,

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." {Matthew 7:13-14}

This is one of those Passages in The Word that scares people. Scares people so much they do not read it often, dwell on it. Think about it. Many of our Churches do not even teach it. Like this one, so is this, Jesus said...

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." {Matthew 7:21-23}

That is a scary thought. Wait, what? You mean I may go to Heaven, thinking I am Saved, and be told I am a worker of iniquity and Jesus Himself will cast me out of Heaven? Yup. More people than you think. Jesus tells us this..

This is why it is so very important that you DO have a One on One relationship with Jesus. Why it is SO VERY important to be doing the things Jesus tells us to do. Why it is so VERY important to read God's Word and understand God's Way.

Oh you are going to have some, uh, issues? You are going to have some Trials and Tribulations. Jesus told us that just because we love Him and are now Adopted into the Family of God, we will, we WILL, no doubt, we WILL be Hated of the World. Jesus said this in Matthew 24:9-14

"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

Mark records Jesus telling us about the end of days this way in Mark 13:14-23

"But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things."

Jesus tells us "take heed." Other Translations say "be on your guard," "you must watch!," "Be careful," "pay attention." Why? Because these things WILL happen. Jesus was telling us, "Hey, this is coming, get ready. Not may. Not Possibly. This WILL happen. You can also find this depicted in Luke 21

Peter writes this in 1 Peter 1:3-6

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness"

James said this about Patience in James 1:4

"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

Again, Perseverance, Steadfastness, Patience, and Endurance. all these things depict a long journey. Not just say a quickie Prayer and float through Life without a care in the World. Oh you will have some GREAT Times. Times of Rejoicing and Celebrations. But you will also have Trials and Tribulations. Just always remember,,

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? 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. Let us 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 go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} 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}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord..

Psalm 34

Psalm 34

1 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Walking in Spirit, The Right Mind

You Laid the Foundation.

Now what? How do you now, start to walk more in the Spirit than in the Flesh? You have started reading The Word. You have started Praying. Spending time with God. But how do you now apply it to your life? You MUST have the right Mind..

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." {Colossians 3:2}

You have to get your mind in the right place. Forget what the World tells you is right and wrong, grey, or acceptable. Start learning, or relearning, what God says. The World is a world of flesh, and the things therein are for the flesh. It is opposed to God or anything Spiritual. As Paul wrote to the Churches in Roman in Romans 12:2

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

You must learn how to "walk by faith, not by sight." {2 Corinthians 5:7} To listen to God, To trust in God. To understand His Word. If you claim that you are a follower of Jesus, then should you not be following Jesus?

This is why it is so very important that you take the time to lay the Foundation. Now you have a source to go to. Pretty hard to think, "What would Jesus do?" if you have no idea who Jesus is.. Right? Or, what does God think about this or that, if you have no idea who God is. God is not a totally Mystery. He tells us PLAINLY what He thinks. He tells us PLAINLY what He is opposed to and what He loves. Think Exodus 20. Think John 3:16. So on and so forth.

Now you know, and now you have the ability to learn, you MUST start to focus on these things. One of the hardest things for a new Child of God to do, is overcome the cares of the world. So much so, that it can take away the very Blessings that God wants to bestow on them. You see, even though you are a new creature, you are still living in the flesh.

The flesh is always subject to the things of the flesh. The flesh is always subject to the physical world. We are still in the World. However, now as a Child of God, we are no longer OF the World. This can be a hard concept for some to understand. This is one of the reasons that Jesus Himself told us about this in Matthew 6:25-34

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

Always remember thoughts lead to actions. When you start to think on something, play it over and over again in that Movie Theater of the Mind, you allow the Good, or the Temptation to take hold. Let's say you were an Alcoholic. Or a Smoker. Or someone that used to look at Porn. You give it up. You really want to remain free of this bondage in your life. God sets you free from it. Yet, you see a Commercial, or a Movie, or an advertisement in a magazine, it puts an imagine in your head. Does that make you revert back to it? No. How you chose to deal with it is what matters.

You could immediately reject that thought, cast it out of your head. Or, you can dwell on it. Remember how much fun you think you had when you were doing these things. You remember the taste, the feelings, the "good times" with friends or whatever, that you can associate with them.

Then your mind will start telling you how good you have been, and that there is nothing wrong with one cigarette. There is nothing wrong with one beer. People smoke and drink everyday. There is nothing wrong with checking out just one picture. No one will know. Then you do it. One leads to two, leads to you being right back where you started.

You see, the end result of Sin is death. According to Galatians 5:19-21

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

The works of the flesh manifest, which means, the thoughts you are having, become actions. Those actions become Sin. That Sin, keeps you from the promises of God. But if you allow your thoughts to be on good things, these are manifest into good things. Continuing in this same passage....Verses 22-26

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."

Just like feeding your body, Garbage in garbage out, when you feed your Mind, your Spirit, what are you feeding it with? What you put in there, is the type of thing you will receive out. Plant Tomato seeds and expect to get Watermelons? Of course not. Eat a bunch of Candy and expect to be healthy? Of course not. Feed your Spirit and Mind with Drugs, Alcohol, Porn, and Negativity, and expect to grow in Faith of a Holy God? Of course not.

I have heard it said that people go through certain things in their lives because God is Tempting them. Remember what James said?

"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." {James 1:13-15}

Again, you have a choice as a Child of God. A choice that the world does not have. For the world is against God. They are not of God. Therefore, they obey the things of the flesh and make manifest the works of the flesh, for they know no better.

But you are not like these. You ARE a Child of God. You have the Spirit of God in you. You have the ability to put these thoughts away, and the faith to understand that it is all about God. That you, as a Child of God, not longer have concern to worry. In Philippians 4:7-9

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

Remember, "seek those things which are above," "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Life is far more than working until you die, just to pay bills and watch TV. FAR more. Where is your Mind? Where is your Heart? Where are you walking?

Have you been adopted into the Family of God? 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. Let us 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 go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} 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.

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord..

Psalm 33

Psalm 33

1 Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

2 Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

4 For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.

5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

10 The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

13 The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.

14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.

15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.

16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.

21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

Walking in Spirit, First Foundation

You MUST have a Solid Foundation.. 

What does it mean when people tell you, or you read in the Word, that you must Walk in the Spirit? Take Galatians 5:16-17 as an example..

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."

What does that mean? Walk in the Spirit? Well, in order to do this fully and righteously, you must have three things. A Solid Foundation. The Right Mind. Perseverance. We are talking today about the Foundation. After all, how can you have the Right Mind if you know nothing of God, Jesus, The Word, etc? You truly can't. First you must have a solid Foundation. What does it mean Spirit? Who is God? Who is Jesus? Is this stuff real? Did Jesus REALLY rise from the dead? Without a Foundation you will never grow in Faith..

Jesus tells us that there are very few types of people. We all fall into one of these catagories. When giving us the Parable of the Sower of the Seed, He explained this....

"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
{Matthew 13:18-23}

As a Child of God, you are a Sower of the Seed. However, what were you before? You see, you will meet all these types. Of course, the Way Side people are those that don't have any time or desire to even hear what you have to say. Theses are the mockers, and theses are those that want you to just keep your "Religion" to yourself. These are those that fight to keep God out of public life. The sad truth is, they cannot hear God's Word because they are not of God. If you have your Bible, turn to John 8:42-47

"Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

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. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."

They ARE there. These people are in your life. It does not matter who these people in your life might be. Sadly in a lot of cases, they are your Family Members and Loved Ones. They may be your Best Friends. They are in all our lives. Remember, when you first become a Child of God, those nearest you, remember who you were before. You Sinned right there with them. You used to do all the things they are STILL doing. Now you are a New Creature, but they are the same as they have always been. Some of them WILL come to hate you. I know I know. But they truly will come to hate you. Why? Because now they think, you think, you are better than they. They have no time for that "God nonsense." Jesus literally tells us that the devil himself comes and steals the Word away from them.

Then you have those that are the Stony Places, and the Thorns. Truth is, this describes many Christians and may even describe the way you were in the beginning. Many hear the Word and receive it with great joy. They get on fire for God. They want to go out there and tell everyone about Him and Jesus, and Salvation. But they know little. They have not set for themselves a Solid Foundation. They are like a Soldier that just becomes a Soldier and wants to go out into battle. So they put on their Helmet, and run into the battle. Problem is, beside that Helmet, they are naked. The do not have any other Armor. No Protection. No Weapons. No back up. Nothing.

These are those that will go out and attempt to tell others about God, but when the others confront them, and ask them questions, they have no answers and they themselves may become confused. Then, when they see this not workings, or they start questioning the "Contradictions" and the concept that the Bible was simply "written by man." they fall away. Or, the cares of the world, the love of money and stuff, come in and the little they had received dies.

If you are not well Founded in the Word, in God, in Faith, you are not being filled., replenished, you will fall away. Only with a Solid Foundation and Faith in God, can you be filled and grow in Faith. Only then, can and will you  understand that there are NO Contractions in the Bible. There are however many misunderstandings by some that read it. I could read a book on quantum physics, but I will not understand much of it. I have no foundation in that area. Get the point?

When you are a Child of God, there will be those around you who will test you. You know what another Sad Truth is? Some of them TRULY want to "free you" from this "nonsensical" belief in God. They love you and do not want you to be "foolish." Jesus tells us that along with the Good Seed, there will be Tares...

"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." {Matthew 13:24-30}

Have you ever wondered why God allows Evil people to be in the world? He does so because of His promise to Noah. He promised that He would not wholly destroy His Creation again. He will not totally wipe out everything because of His Love for His Children. Whenever you see a Rainbow, you are seeing a sign of that Convent. Why? Because if He did, He would be destroying the Good with the bad. Jesus explains this a bit latter 37-43..

"He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

The importance of the knowledge of Truth. If you do not know the Truth, if you do not have a Solid Foundation, you will believe a lie. Truth is this, as long as something sounds right? A whole lot of people will believe it. You want to know one of the biggest lies straight from the evil one? "We are all God's Children." Sounds right? Sounds just? Sounds fair? "We are all God's Children. So who are you to judge? Let them alone. What is right for them, might not be right for you, but we are all God's Children. So just accept all, and love all."

There is no compassion in the acceptance of Sin. The only way you are a Child of God is through the Adoption of the Holy Spirit. The only way to be Adopted is if God calls you to accept Christ. As a Child of God, the only way you can be Righteous, is by doing the Will of God.

YOU build for yourself, a solid foundation. YOU do. God is not going to do it for you. YOU build yourself a solid foundation by reading the Word, and doing the Will of the Father. YOU build your house either on the Sand or on the Rock. Depending on what YOU do, decides what happens when the storms of life come. It is only by The Word, and spending time with God, allowing the Holy Spirit to commune with your Spirit, that you may build a solid foundation for yourself. The Word gives you peace. The Word answers all your questions. The Word gives you Hope. Romans 15:4 declares...

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."

Do you want to be that "Good Ground" that Jesus tells us will bring forth a mighty harvest? Do you want to be at peace with whatever may come into your life? Do you want to be sure, that you can over come all things, and all your needs will be met? Do not run into battle wearing nothing more than a Helmet. Put on the WHOLE Armour of God. How do you do that? Build yourself a solid foundation.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? 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. Let us 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 go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} 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}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus IS Lord of all!

Psalm 32

Psalm 32

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

5 I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.

11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.