Standing For God

Stand for something, or Fall for anything. 

The Supreme Court on Monday, June 4th, 2018, ruled in favor of a Colorado baker who had refused to create a Wedding Cake for a Gay Couple. The Court’s Decision States that a Private Business Owner can refuse to serve someone and not be compelled to do something, that goes against their Religion Views. You know, that whole annoying 1st Amendment thing known as Freedom OF Religion.

US Constitution Article [I] (Amendment 1 - Freedom of expression and religion)

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

In this Case, "Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, No. 16-111" in 2012, David Mullins and Charlie Craig visited Mr. Phillips’s Bakery, Masterpiece Cakeshop, in Lakewood, Colo. The two men were going to be Married in Massachusetts, and they were looking for a Wedding Cake for a Reception in Colorado. Mr. Phillips turned them down saying that he could not accept such a request because it may appear that he was in support of Gay Marriage which he is not. Due to his Faith in God, Jesus, and what the Bible says about Homosexuality, he believes it to be Sin.

Of course, the Gay Males took this Case to Court attempting to FORCE Mr. Phillips to violate his own Faith and comply with their request. I do not remember if the Court Fined the Bakery, or shut it down, but it ruled against Mr. Phillips saying he did not have the Right to refuse a request for Homosexuals, regardless of his Faith or Religion. He did not cave. It went all the way to the US Supreme Court which THANKFULLY upheld, apparently begrudgingly, Mr. Phillips's, and all other Private Business Owners's, First Amendment Rights.

Simply put. God says this, Homosexuality is Sin, against both Him {God} and also Nature. You can find some examples in Leviticus 18, Leviticus 20:13, Ezekiel 16:48-51, and Romans 1:18-32. It is pretty crystal clear how God sees Homosexuality.

However, just like all other Sin, God calls Sinners to come to Repentance. He does not call any of us to judge any other. I am not Gay. Does that mean I do not Sin? Of course not. You may not be an Adulterer. Does not mean you do not Sin? Of course not. Your Sin may not be mine. Mine may not be yours, yet, the Word declares in Romans 3:23

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

John warned us of this also in 1 John 1:8

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

Jesus also warned us that we should not judge others. For we all have Sin. He said this in Matthew 7:5

"You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye."

However, this is NOT what the Baker did. What the Baker did was go about his day. He was not outside, looking to hunt down and correct an Overt Sinning Homosexual. He was there, on his own Property, doing what he did every day. When Someone came to him. The Person that came to him, asked him to do something that he felt went against his belief in God, Jesus, and the Bible. He did not attempt to Convert the Person, nor was he rude. He simply told the Truth. He would not be able to help them. With this, the People that came to see him attempted to FORCE him to go against his Faith and Beliefs. Thankfully, Mr. Phillips stood for God.

Jesus told us this will take place near the end of times. Matthew 24:9

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake."

This should not come as a surprise to us because it hated Him first. John 15:18

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you."

Jesus talking to even the Religious Rulers of the day said to them. John 8:43

"Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word."

Why? Because they were too much in and apart from the World. They are not Of God, therefore they could not even Hear what Jesus said. John 8:47

"Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”"

Remember a Cardinal Mind or Worldly Mindset, cannot receive the things of God. They are Worldly and their end is Death. {Romans 8.} So when faced with a decision to Stand for God, or cave and simply comply with the World, he Stood for God. Would you?

There is coming a time when you may have to choose. Follow your Faith, take a Stand for God, or compromise and comply with the World. Whom will you choose? The Creation or the Creator. Trust me on this little fact. Whenever there is a discrepancy between God and Mankind, God is ALWAYS Right. Sorry. Just the Fact.

Get to know what God says about this and that. Feed your Mind, Body, and Soul with the things of Faith. Read His Word. Pray. Spend time with God. Spend time with the Church. Learn to Stand for something. Or reality is, you will Fall for anything.

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 105

Psalm 105

1 O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.

3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

7 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;

10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:

11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:

12 When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.

13 When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people;

14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;

15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.

17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.

20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.

21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.

23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.

25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.

26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.

27 They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.

29 He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.

30 Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.

31 He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.

32 He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.

33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.

34 He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,

35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.

36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.

37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.

39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.

40 The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:

44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;

45 That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord.

You Condemn Yourself. God Condemns No Human

You Condemn yourself.

Hello. Welcome, today. This is the last part of the Series entitled "You Condemn Yourself." If you have missed any of it, please go to the archives on the TAG Blog and get the rest of it. This is that important. We have Churches that have stopped teaching the fact there is a Devil, Hell, or even absolutes as to Right and Wrong. Good and Sin.

So far this Series we discussed that the Devil is very real. Yet? He is NOT a Red Faced, Horned Head, Pitchfork Wielding, Demon straight outta Hollywood. As a matter of fact, he is called the Son of the Morning. He is the Fairest of all the Angels. If he were to appear in the Flesh, he would most likely resemble something so beautiful and awe-inspiring, many would mistake him for Jesus Himself.

Then we discussed Hell is a very real place. Not some concept or idea set forth by Man, but a very real place Created by God, not for man, rather for the Devil, and his Angels. Why then do we have Churches that have completely stopped teaching these Truths? No Devil, then no Hell. No Devil, no Hell, no Sin. No Sin, no reason for a Savior. No Savior, no God. No Evil means no Good. No Hell, then no Heaven. No judgment for Sin, if there is no Sin. Simply, live as you will.

Then we discussed the fact that our God is a Loving God. He IS Love itself. Without God, there is no real Love. There is selfish Love. Lust. Along with other "Kinds" of Love, but not Real Love without God.

So then, WHY would anyone go to Hell? The simple answer is because WE CHOOSE to. We choose the Path we Walk. You do not have to go to Hell. God does not want you to go to Hell. It does not even matter what you have done in your Life. It does not matter where you come from. It does not matter what "Religion" you or your Family have been involved in. None of that matters to God.

As a matter of fact, did you know that there are only two states of Being? Condemned or Saved. Dead or Alive. There are not many forms of existence and or Being. Just two. The Simple Truth is if you have not accepted Jesus, you are already Condemned. John 3:18

"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

Think about that. You do not have to Murder Someone. You do not have to Steal, Rape, Beat up, Set Fires, or anything else. You do not even have to fail at being a good little {Insert Religion here} All you have to do to be Condemned is what? Not accept Jesus. Not believe in Him. Reject God's perfect Plan.

Remember, Jesus said this

"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}

Why? Jesus IS the Narrow Gate. Jesus IS the Door. Jesus IS the ONLY Way.

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." {John 14:6}

Look at that again. "No one comes to the Father except through me." There is no other way. He teaches us that He is the Door to Heaven in John 10:1-11

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him, the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

Without following the Way, without the Key, and going through the Door, you will NEVER enter into Heaven. Just a simple fact Folks. There are not many paths to God. Not all Religions are equal. As a matter of Fact, Religion is NOT Salvation. Sorry. It is really that simple. Being good will not get you there. Simply believing in God will not get you there. Religion will not get you there. There is only one way. Jesus. He is the Way. He is the Door. He is the Gate.

Here is the thing. Jesus is there. He is waiting for you. He is not waiting to Judge you. He is not waiting to Condemn you. He is no respecter of Persons. Either you come to Him, accept Him or you do not. The Chose is TOTALLY up to you.

I know, I know. Some of you may get offended at this. Or you may know someone that gets offended at this. However, it changes nothing. Philippians 2:9-11

"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

What does that say? "Every knee should bow." Also? "every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Every. Means what? Every. All. Whoever. As we discussed last time, this is NOT exclusive. This is actually all INCLUSIVE. Romans 10:9

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Who? ANYONE! EVERYONE! Whoever. Again, It does not matter what you have done in your Life. It does not matter where you come from. It does not matter what "Religion" you or your Family have been involved in. None of that matters to God. The only thing that matters to God is that you follow His Plan of Salvation. Which is what? Jesus The Christ.

All you have to do is say this Prayer. Right now. Right where you are.

"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!"

Then the Word tells us to go and Confess what you just did, or rather, what God just did for you. Romans 10:9

"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."

Hell is not a place set up by God, to send you, if you tell a Lie. Or you Sin really really bad. Or you Eat Meat on Fridays. Or whatever. He sent it up for the Devil and His Angels. He Created the kingdom for you. Matthew 25:34

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Remember, there are only two States of Being. Condemned, which you are Born into. and Saved. Which you must be Born again, into, through the Blood of Jesus Christ. If you said that Prayer, you are Saved. Saved from what? A very real Hell, and a very Devil. Now go and Share the Good News

If you want to 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 104

Psalm 104

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;

17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.

19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

24 O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

31 The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works.

32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

33 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.

35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.

You Condemn Yourself. God IS Love

God is real, and He IS Love.

I repeat, God is not some old Man, sitting on a Throne, waiting to see how many He can cast into Hell. He is not sitting there waiting for you to slip up so He can punish you. He never intended you to go to Hell at all. He created Hell for one purpose. "The Devil and his Angels."

He never intended Man, Mankind, Women, Children, or any Human at all, to go there. He wants as many to be Saved from that as possible. 2nd Peter 3:9

"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."

Remember, God, Loves us so much that He made the way simple and easy to obtain by all who seek Him. John 3:16-18

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

It really is this Simple. Romans 10:9

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Let's look at this in more detail. Jesus said "Whoever believes in him" Whoever = Whoever; Whatever Person. ANY and EVERYONE. Jesus means it when He says "Whoever." He did not say, "those who wear this or that and follow this or that Tradition." He did not say "those who are deemed good enough." He said "Whoever."

We just read in 2nd Peter 3:9 that God is longsuffering towards us and our Sinning Nature because He wants "all should come to repentance." All= the whole number of (used in referring to individuals or particulars, taken collectively) Whoever, EVERYONE. It does not say, "He is longsuffering so that those Catholics or those Muslims, will come to Repentance. It says "ALL."

I've used this analogy before. But I really think it best describes what God actually did for us. He laid down His Godhood, came to Earth in the form of a little Baby, yet still possessed all Authority. It would be like you walking out of your Home, and an Ant came up and tapped your foot, and said to you, "I'm going to kill you." You could easily, without much effort at all, simply raise your foot slightly, put it back down, crushing the Ant. The Ant, could run away and bring back thousands of more Ants. You would still wipe them out with little to no effort whatsoever.

I know people that declare war on Ants in their yards. They wipe out entire Ant Cities. Pretty much with a wave of their hand. This is how we are physically compared to God. Little more than Ants. He is Eternal. We are but Vapors. The average lifespan now is what? Something like 75 years? Let's say 100 years. How many Generations have come and gone since just this little old Country called America has existed? How many Generations? How many lives have come and gone since Creation?

Imagine what Jesus must have been thinking. Knowing that at any time, while they were Mocking Him, Beating Him, Whipping Him, Hanging Him on a Cross, and driving a Spear through His Side, at any time, He could have simply called down a Legion of Angels. With a Word, and wave of the hand, He could have totally wiped us all out. But He didn't. He CHOSE to endure.

Even on the Cross, what did He say? "Forgive them." He forgave a Thief. He Forgave those who did this to Him. He Forgave all of us for all the Sins we have ever committed. Then He what? He gave up the Ghost. He said, "It is Finished." He laid down His Life for us.

Remember, He even told us this when Peter attempted to defend Him in the Garden Gethsemane. Matthew 26:52-54

"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. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"

He could have stopped this at any time. This is why He made this Statement in John 10:18

"No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."

God is a God of Love. Not a God of Condemnation. Look at Romans 8 for a second. Romans 8:33-34

"Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us."

Who is it that Justifies or Saves? God. Out of Love for me and you. Who is it that Condemns. God.......Wait! No. Read that again.

"Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us."

Jesus is the Answer. God is the Answer. Not the Condemnation. No. A Loving God did NOT Create a place of everlasting Torment for all of His Creation as some kind of Punishment for disobeying Him. He came and Died to PREVENT that from happening.

Think about this. He Created all that Is Was and ever Will be. He Created YOU in His own Image. {Genesis 1:26} He Wrote down how you would be, then you were formed according to His own Words {Psalm 139:16} The Word declares that He Loves you so much, that He actually took the time to number the very Hairs on your Head. {Luke 12:7}

Without God, there is no real Love. There is selfish Love. Lust. Along with other "Kinds" of Love, but no Real Love without God. So then, if we have such a loving God, and He never intended us to go to this evil place of Torment, then why in the World would Jesus tell us this in Matthew 7:13-14

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

The simple answer is because WE CHOOSE to. We choose the Path we Walk. More on that next time. You do not have to go to Hell. God does not want you to go to Hell. It does not even matter what you have done in your Life. It does not matter where you come from. It does not matter what "Religion" you or your Family have been involved in. None of that matters to God. There is but one thing. His Name is Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12

"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must 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 of 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 103

Psalm 103

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

You Condemn Yourself. Hell IS Real

There really is a real Hell.

Last time we learned that the Devil is real. Yes, folks, I know this is not a popular teaching anymore, even in some of our Churches, but it is the Truth. Here is another. Hell is very real. We touched on this a bit last time. Why? No Devil, then no Hell. No Devil, no Hell, no Sin. No Sin, no reason for a Savior. No Savior, no God. No Evil means no Good. No Hell, then no Heaven. No judgment for Sin, if there is no Sin. Simply, live as you will.

It always amazes me when someone tells me that they believe in Jesus and a Loving God and yet they do not believe in the Devil or Hell. Uh? OK. Then what exactly is Jesus "Saving" you from? Makes no sense right? They do these things and teach these things out of fear. Fear of offending someone. Fear of being labeled this or that. Or simply fear of their own lifestyle.

Truth is Hell is a very real place. Listen to this teaching from Jesus Himself. Matthew 25:31-46

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

So there are two Resurrections. One into Glory, and one into Condemnation. We see this in John 5:28-29 again.

"Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."

Wait. Have you ever heard it put this way? "those who have done good, to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." Those who will not be Saved, will still have a Ressurection? "and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."

Hell is a very real place. However, let's look into what Jesus actually says.

"And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Wait. Stop. WHAT does Jesus say was Prepared for us from the Foundation of the World? "The Kingdom." Read that again.

"Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Then read this.

"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

See, He said He prepared the Kingdom for the Saved and Eternal Fire for the Sinners. Wait? No. Actually, He said this.

"Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

The Eternal Fire, AKA Hell, was Created for who? "The Devil and his Angels." God is not some old Man, sitting on a Throne, waiting to see how many He can cast into Hell. He is not sitting there waiting for you to slip up so He can punish you. He never intended you to go to Hell at all. He created Hell for one purpose. "The Devil and his Angels."

He never intended man to go there. He wants as many to be Saved from that as possible.

"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."{2nd Peter 3:9}

One of the reasons that many do not like to Teach, or accept that Hell is real, is that they do not want to think that there is Someone that they have lost there as we speak, being tortured continuously. I really believe that the Word Teaches us that although Hell is a real place, it is not open for business, if you will, yet. I believe it Teaches very clearly that Hell is future tense. Look at Job 21:30-32

"That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done? Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb."

Then this in 2 Peter 3:7

"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."

Remember Jesus Teaches us this in John 5:28-29

"Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

So no. Grandma is not burning up as we speak. Uncle Bob is not suffering endlessly for his Sins as you are eating Ice Cream on Sunday afternoons. It is a Future Occurrence. However, make no mistake about it, it IS coming. Revelation 21:7-8

"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."

Now, wait a second. What is the "Second Death?" More on that next time. Just be assured, that it is Real, and it IS Coming. Even though it was not intended for you, can you still end up going there? Yup. The Word makes this very clear too. Accept Jesus and Live. Reject Jesus and Die. Do not miss next time.

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.

Psalms 102

Psalms 102

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee.

2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.

4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.

5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.

7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.

10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.

11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

12 But thou, O Lord, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.

13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16 When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.

19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth;

20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

21 To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.

25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

You Condemn Yourself. There IS a Devil.

The Devil IS real.

Hello. Welcome, today. We will be starting a new series here at TAG entitled "You Condemn Yourself." We all do. You, Me, every Human that is cast into Hell, is cast because they CHOSE that outcome.

I know. I know. This is not one of those warm fuzzy Messages. I know, I know. This is not a Message that is taught all that much, even in some very well-meaning Churches. However, it is the Truth. It is a Truth that is inescapable. An absolute Truth that is a constant. Never changing, ever present, non-negotiating, Truth.

We are going to start today with a basic Truth that there really is a Devil. Yes, the Devil is very real. Though he may not be what you think.

One of the greatest accomplishments of the Devil is convincing the World that he doesn't exist. No Devil, then no Hell. No Devil, no Hell, no Sin. No Sin, no reason for a Savior. No Savior, no God. No Evil means no Good. No Hell, then no Heaven. No judgment for Sin, if there is no Sin. Simply, live as you will.

Jesus tells us the Devil is real. Luke 10:18-19

"And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you."

If he was not real, would Jesus warn us against him? Jesus told the Priests, and the Rulers of the Synagogues that reject Him {Jesus}, that,

"Ye are of your father the devil." {John 8:44}

The devil is very real. Let's go to Ezekiel 28:13-18

"Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise, they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee."

Who was God talking to? Lucifer. Son of the Morning. Some say the First Angel. The most beautiful Angel. In Isaiah 14:12-17

"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! 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: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 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; That made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?"

You see, the Devil is NOT, some red-faced, horned head, tail wagging, pitchfork wielding, a Demon straight out of a Hollywood Horror Movie. He is not a Creature so hideous, that you would run in terror if you saw him. He is "son of the morning." He is as beautiful as "every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold." Truth is, if he was to walk into a Church, many would fall down and Worship him, thinking he was Jesus Himself. He is what he is.

Second, he is NOT all powerful. This is an important fact for you to understand. The Devil IS the Lord of the Air. He is in control of this Natural Realm. As long as you are of this world, you are of him. You are in his hand. However, The Word tells us he needs permission to tempt the Children of God. We see this in Job 1 and 2. We see this when Jesus said to Peter,

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:" {Luke 22:31}

We see this in The Word when The Word declares this in James 4:7

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

It does not say, Resist the Devil and he MAY. It says  "Resist the devil, and he WILL flee from you." We see this when Jesus tells us we should not fear the Devil. Or anything, but God Himself.

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." {Matthew 10:28}

Of course, we see this in the end. When Satan is cast out and "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.?" So he is not all powerful. He is not a Creature that can simply come in and destroy you and your life and bring you into Chains to Torment you forever. That's Hollywood. Not the Devil.

But do not be misled. He IS very real. He is capable of many destructive things. He can ruin your Life if you let him. He works in the ways he knows and the Sin that brought him down in the first place is very much alive and well in this World. Pride. Think about this for a second. What was Satan's Sin? Pride, Greed, Envy, desire for Power. The desire to be God.

Look at the world. "He with the most toys at the end wins." People will Lie, Cheat, Steal, and even kill, for? Pride, Greed, Envy, desire for Power. The desire to be God. Mankind fell for Pride, Greed, Envy, desire for Power. The desire to be God. God told Adam not to eat of one Tree. The Devil told Eve what?

“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” {Genesis 3:4-5}

Truth is, it came into our Nature, Human Nature, then.

"that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart."

Truth is, we do not need the Devil to Tempt us. We are evil all by ourselves. We Create Evil Things. We do Evil Things. We are Evil. The Devil get's blamed for a lot of things we do, yet, the truth is, it is nothing more than Human Nature. It is who we are. It is what we do.

This is why it is important to be Adopted out of the family of the Devil, and into the Family of God. This is why it is so important to be "Born Again." To become a Child of God. For

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." {Romans 8:1-4}

Where the Spirit of Life is, the Spirit of Death no longer has any effect. The Devil can Tempt you. You can do Sinful things. But ultimately, you belong to God. Without the Spirit of Life, you belong to the Devil himself. He doesn't have to do anything. You are already his.

Also, think about this. The end result of the Devil is dead. He has already failed. There is a War going on. You are on one side or the other. Here is the thing though, unlike the Wars in the Natural, we already know who wins and who loses. God wins. The Devil loses. Who's side are you on? Are you sure?

God is not some old breaded man, sitting on a Throne, waiting to see how many He can cast into Hell. He is not sitting there waiting for you to slip up so He can punish you. He never intended you to go to Hell at all. He created Hell for one purpose. We will discuss this next time. He never intended Man to go there.

The Devil is real.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" {1 Peter 5:8}

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? He is the only way to be freed from the Devil. The only way to resist the Devil. The only way to Salvation. 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!