Month: September 2011

Watch and do not be deceived


We are living in a time that is close to what is called the “end times“. Many people are asking and wondering what will happen next and the truth is that no one knows except God. I do not claim to have knowledge about any future events except what is contained in scripture, specifically the last book of the Bible, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Many say that this book is mostly metaphor or allegorical and not to be taken seriously, but that is not what the Bible says.

In the first few verses of Revelation it says: 3Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.   Rev. 1:3

The time is near and we need to be watching the news from the Middle East because that is where the first sign will come from that the time is near and is now. It may not be today or tomorrow, but be watchful and filter the news through the Bible’s prophecy about this time. Most of the prophecies concerning the end of the age have already come about and come to pass. Our Hope is coming and the whole world will see Him!

The god of this world knows that his time is nearing an end which is why there is so much deception and war and all manner of other problems which are in the world and the news daily. The one who is in our world and who goes around seeking those that he may deceive is Satan and his fallen angels. They are causing many to follow religions which are contrary to God, even if they seem to be Christian religions. He is the father of lies and can twist scripture so that many will believe his lies and think that they are following the truth.

God loves us all and wants all to come to Him but as many as he can prevent, that is what Satan will do regardless of how it is done. “He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. Luke 21:8

I know that there will be some who may comment that I am saying that the time is near and I am but the facts from the Bible itself and the prophecies concerning Israel bear the proof of what I am saying here. I am not trying to give a date that He will return because even Jesus said that only the Father knows when that time will be.

The only message that I am giving here is that we must be watching. Pay attention to the news, especially from Israel and the Middle East, because that is where the evidence will show first. Pray and read and study your Bible, listen to what is said about the end times in prophecy. If the King James is too hard to understand get a Bible in the New Living Translation which is modern English. We cannot be taken by surprise if we watch and pray. Check what I have here by comparing it to God’s Word so that you will know that it is true.

Four words that are hard to say….


In our society today, we don’t speak much anymore. We text each other, we send e-mails, occasionally we talk to each other but we never write a letter to one another or at least it seems that way. Why is that do you suppose? Is it because of technology or our hurried lives? We just don’t have time anymore to talk to someone?

What about your prayer life, do you have one? Many people don’t think about prayer, at least not until they have some trouble in their lives. Then they may pray to God or Jesus about it, but once the problem is taken care of in one way or another they stop. They may even be angry with God if the outcome wasn’t what they asked for, at which point they may never pray again. They just determine that God hates them and decide not to reach out to Him again.

It is sad when people choose to do something like this, but it seems to happen more often than it should because there are so many people who have given up on God. He hasn’t given up on us and never will for the most part. I say that because at some point you can harden your heart toward God to the point that you won’t come to Him, period.

If you haven’t come to that point, there is still hope but you must say four words that some people find hard to say, “I am a sinner”. Once you can admit that to yourself and to God, you are nearly there! At that point, just ask Him to come into your life and free you from the sinful life that you have led in the past. Then you are a new creature in Christ and your life in Him and through Him starts fresh and new!

Many people say things like “I’ve been too bad for Him to want me” but if He is knocking on your heart and you can feel His presence wanting you to come to Him, He wants you! He can use your talents because He knows what you can do, probably better than you do.

This reminds me of a story in the Old Testament about Naaman, the commander of Syria‘s army. There were four words that he didn’t want to say either, mainly because of pride and shame. He didn’t want to admit that “I am a leper” because of his high position and because of the disgrace it would bring to him. Yet a little child , one of the captives who was a servant girl in his household, knew of a prophet in her homeland who could ask God to heal him and she told him about it.

To make a long story shorter, Naaman went with many gifts and asked the king of Israel about this prophet and found him, but Elisha sent his servant to him and told him to wash seven times in the Jordan river and he would be healed. He was furious. That river is full of mud, he said and he stormed out and started on the way home. His servant told him that if the prophet had said to do some great thing he would’ve done it, so why not do what the prophet said?

When Naaman humbled himself and decided to dip himself into the Jordan river like the prophet had told him to do (seven times), he found that the disease that he had for so long was healed and his skin was like that of a child. That is what happens to our hearts when Christ comes in. Our heart and our life becomes like a child of God, new-born and cleansed from our sins. At this point, we can do anything through Christ and others will truly see Him through our example and our character as we mature in our faith.

Jesus does love us all and has paid the price for our sins, all we have to do is come to Him and humbly say “I am a sinner, please forgive me”. Six words that will change your life and the lives of those around you forever.

Is there a point of no return?


Many today believe that when things get so bad in your life that there is a point that you reach where there is no way back or out of the situation that you find yourself in. In a legal sense that may be true but I am speaking of your heart and your life as God sees it. It is true that the Bible says that there is a sin that is unforgivable, but that is referring to rejecting God’s call on your life repeatedly until your heart no longer responds.

If you have ever felt that tug on your spirit from God and just brushed it away as a fly, that is the call that I am referring to. When we brush God off many times and refuse to repent and come to Him, that is the sin for which there is no pardon. At which point, God will refuse to hear as you have done for so long. Our hearts can be hardened just as the pharaoh’s in Egypt were when God was about to liberate the Jewish people from their captivity.

When that happens, there is no argument or persuasion that will result in your salvation. It is at this point that God has turned His back on you just as you have done to Him. It is also a very sad and lonely place to be in your life because there is nothing that can help your spiritual condition at this point. It is one of those times that no parent or friend ever wants to see, but sometimes it comes and you just have to move on.

Why do we turn away from God? Usually the cause is a mixture of pride and our own arrogance. “I can do it myself”, “Christianity is too elitist”, “Their way can’t be the only way to heaven”, these are all arguments that I have heard or witnessed and they are all wrong!

The Bible says that “the only way to the Father is through the Son”, which is my paraphrase of John 14:6 which says:

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Belief and faith in Jesus is the only way to Heaven and everlasting life. I know that is a restricting way of saying so but it is true because the Bible is Truth and none of it is false. The world and the one who is in this world tries and succeeds in deceiving people into thinking that they can get by without God and without Jesus. It is true you can live your life without Him in your life, but the rewards of giving your heart to Him allow you so much more!

So much more life and effectiveness in this world and a future in the next one! I would never trade or attempt to return to my life before Christ because my life has become so much more alive with Him. God created us to have a daily walk with Him and that is what was restored when Jesus took our sins and paid the debt for us on the cross. All that we have to do is accept that, believe it and determine to follow His example and His Word in our life on a daily basis. He will give you the ability and show you what you are to do with your new life.

We are not just pawns to Him we are disciples, teachers, prayer warriors, preachers, evangelists regardless of where we work or live. These are our vocations once we are saved to be His. We are new creations in Christ and as such we are to boldly go out and tell others of how we became the adopted children of God! We also have the responsibility to mature into our new life by reading His Word and prayerfully accepting the truth that comes from the Spirit while reading it.

The Spirit of Truth which came down on the day of Pentecost to the disciples is the one that Jesus promised to us. We receive it at our conversion and acceptance of Christ, although it may not look like a tongue of fire when it arrives. Our life is so much more and can be much more meaningful with a relationship with Christ than it ever can be without Him. He wants all to come to Him if we will only believe in Him and what He did for us.

 

Small sins cause the greatest pain


When we do sin, even in the smallest way, we are breaking God‘s laws. Not that we are bound by the Laws of Moses since we are under the sacrifice of Jesus and under grace, but consider that God said that we are to be subject to our government and its laws. Every time we break the speed limit, even a little, we are breaking the law of God and man.

I know that many people don’t count those “little sins”, but God does. In the least, those “little sins” like speeding, lying to someone (just a little), cause problems with our prayers and with our relationship between God and us. If we are to call ourselves Christians, we should act like it, and that means obeying the law.

“For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth.” Leviticus 11:44

Christians and those who believe in God and who He is are called to be holy by claiming Jesus as our Saviour because He is the Messiah and the One prophesied about by the prophets in the Old Testament scriptures. We have to come to Him before it is too late because the only way to the Father is through the Son.

There will be a great falling away of people from their faith in God and Christ during the time of tribulation coming upon the world. Your faith in what you have been taught and in the Bible itself will be tested and the only way to hold firm to that is to claim it fully and completely. God does not want any to perish but if you cannot or will not accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus, that is what will happen.

I know this is a harsh message to read and hear but the time will come when these things are happening. It is prophesied in the Bible and God’s words are true!