Category: Salvation

What can we do?


In a manner of speaking, that is the question being asked all over the country this year. What can we do? Specifically, what can one or more of the candidates for the Presidency do to get our country turned around? Is there anything that we, as Americans, can do to help get our country turned around in the economy and other areas?

Truthfully, I don’t see individuals being able to do much more than vote with a Biblical mindset, meaning vote with your Spiritual conscience and much prayer going into the election. God is in control and the person that He wants to be in that office will be voted in, but if our country and her citizens don’t turn back to God and ask for healing and forgiveness, we may get a more punishing outcome than we were expecting. The outcome of the past two election cycles has been more people out of work, more racial divisiveness, more problems with terrorists, more economic problems in many areas of healthcare and other industries.

Why am I bringing politics into a site which usually has uplifting, spiritual messages? Because, we as Christians cannot sit idle on the sidelines and just “wait until Jesus comes”! God expects us to get involved with telling others about Jesus and the wisdom contained in God’s Word! We are supposed to be doing the Master’s business until He does come,not just sitting on a pew singing hymns and praying! Those are nice things to do and they do much good for us spiritually and for those who we are praying for BUT there are other important tasks for us to do.

Search your heart and discuss these things with your friends at church and in group Bible studies. Pray about it and ask God for His advice in all areas which you feel the need to get something accomplished and then get to work! We are supposed to be God’s ambassadors and priests, examples to those who need Him and helpers to those who are in need. By God’s grace and favor we can do this, but it requires more than just sitting around praying that things will get better.

Think about it, pray about it and then get up and DO IT!

Preoccupied with what exactly?


It seems that in our daily lives, regardless of our religious faith or lack thereof, we are preoccupied with all sorts of things. Some of it is relevant to our lives, some of it is not but most of it seems to be of very little value in the scheme of our lives and those around us. We, and I say this openly, worry more about our twitter feeds and our Facebook friends than we do the homeless man who sleeps under a piece of cardboard to stay warm. We chase after our phones far more than we seem to chase after our spouses or our children. We worry more about our status on social media pages that we “belong to” more than we worry about our relationship with Jesus Christ! Technology has become an addiction for many people. From games and game systems to phones and tablets which many of us didn’t even have fifteen years ago because they weren’t available or were too expensive at the time.

Now, they are so cheap that Amazon is selling a five pack of Kindle Fire tablets for 250 dollars! Everyone in your family can have one so that nobody will pay any attention to each other when we all have our heads buried in our tablets! Most will be used for games, although as the saying went thirty years ago for Playboy “I just read the articles (books).” The problem with all of this preoccupation with games and electronic books and distractions is that we aren’t paying any attention to EACH OTHER!! And we aren’t paying any attention to God or His message because in many churches, they are using tablets and apps to spread the message as well! It is good that the message is getting out to more people this way, but many will just ignore the alerts from the church app just like they do any other alert.

We need to be talking TO each other more, not AT each other which is what happens when technology gets in the way. What can be done about this? Unfortunately, not much. The generation which came along around the turn of the 21st century called the “digital”generation has never lived without technology of some kind and they have always had access to the Internet. If something like an Electromagnetic pulse bomb or a nuclear explosion were to happen and cut off our technology for weeks or months or more, many people would go through such a withdrawal that it would be like a nation of drug addicts all going cold-turkey at once!

I know this sounds like a rant against technology, and I am using technology to write this but I do have a point to make. That point is this: we need to get our collective selves BACK into God’s Word, the Bible! A digital version will be better than no Bible at all, but a written one would be better because it wouldn’t need to be charged up to read and it wouldn’t be affected by a nuclear electromagnetic pulse which might send us back at least one hundred years technologically speaking. Our world and every person in it needs to get to know God, not Allah or any other pretender! The God of the Bible and specifically His Son, Jesus, because without Him you are doomed to an eternity of being out of the presence of God which will be hell.

God loves each person who reads this and He does care about every little thing in your life, but He doesn’t like the lifestyles that some of us live every day. If you have not given your heart and life to Him, then ask Him to help you with the decision…He will. Remember John 3:16,17: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

End or beginning?


Humanity tends to look at life as that time which we have here on Earth and that it mostly ends when your life ends. Some believe in reincarnation, some believe that when you die that’s it and there is nothing more…but for a Christian this is just a rehearsal for our eternal life, the life that we will have with Jesus. The one that never ends and that we will be with Him and our Christian brothers and sisters forever. Does life end with your last breath? This physical life on Earth does, but if your heart belongs to Jesus then your spirit goes on to everlasting life in God’s home, Heaven.

I can’t tell you anything about that wonderful place beyond death, except the things which I have read or the descriptions found in the Bible. Even those descriptions pale because human sight and comprehension just aren’t enough to tell others about that which lies beyond this life. It would be like trying to describe a color, any color, to a blind person who has never seen or experienced seeing a color such as a purple sunset or a clear blue sky. Words just don’t describe and can’t describe that which your eye sees! Like the boy who was in the movie “Heaven is for real!”, when he tried to describe someone or something that he saw it was just more…more real, more colors, more than he could describe with words.

Heaven is more than our imaginations can imagine accurately at least because there are colors and textures and gold which is so pure that it is clear like glass. We don’t have a reference for anything like that in our minds. Eternity is more than we can believe or imagine, but we will be there IF we belong to Jesus! For the first weeks or months we will likely be discovering far more than we could’ve thought or imagined that our life in eternity might be like. After we realize that we have been there longer than we thought, time won’t mean anything anymore!

Seek Him out, learn about Him, give your life to Him and ask Him to come into yours because this time on Earth is just a training period for the real thing!image

Why do we push God away?


This is a question which I have wondered about for many years. I know that many who don’t want Him in their life do this. The problem is that many Christians seem to do it as well. Oh, they come to church and go through all of the motions of being a Christian but they usually leave God and their Bible even sitting on the pew when they go home. We wouldn’t even do that to our cell phone, why do we do it with God? He is far more important and able to help us in everyday life than a piece of plastic and circuits and glass ever can.

The world, our country and many people in it have been pushing God away for a very long time. That is no way to keep a relationship alive, especially with your Creator! You wouldn’t expect your wife and family to put up with that kind of treatment, so why should God? Because He loves you far beyond any measure of human love or compassion, that is why. He is patient and loving in ways that we just can’t understand because His ways are not our ways, they are incomprehensible to us.

We just can’t understand Him or His Word, so many of us just quit trying. If we would put as much effort into reading and understanding the Bible as we do working on our taxes or following the Super Bowl, our country and our world would be a very different place. Our lives would be much better as well because we would be following Jesus, and His path is always the best.

Seek Him in order to know Him, why? Because He loves you more than you can imagine!

Life…


GodisInterestedinYouDo you know the Author of Life? The Creator of Life? The Way to Life everlasting?

The Person Who is all of those and more is Jesus the Messiah. He came so that we might have Life, so that we could have forgiveness of our sins and enter into eternity with Him. There is no other name under heaven by which we CAN be saved.

Today, we see all sorts of bad things or atrocities in our world. Things which most of us have never seen or heard about. Most of them so horrific that we can’t imagine anyone living in the places where they are. But, it is happening. In some areas in America but mostly overseas in the Middle East and Africa.

Life is not respected or revered in any culture anymore, whether it is the life of a child in the womb or your life and mine on the street. It seems that nobody cares about each person’s life, except their own. They, each of us it seems, only care about what is in it for me. Selfishness is rampant, and this is dangerous. Why? Because when things get really bad, everyone will be only looking out for themselves and no one else but them and possibly their immediate family.

God loves all of us and He hasn’t forgotten anyone, but there are so many who have forgotten Him…just turned away from Him and His wisdom. Whether they actually ever knew Him or not, that is between them and God and no one else knows about their salvation or lack of it besides Him. Nobody is condemned to Hell unless they reject His offer of grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

It is a sad fact that many people do just that and never really think about it much, until they really need Him, and by that time their lives may be nearly over or they die before then. With death, you forfeit your chance at redemption because your chances for that are while you live here and now. Unless you make that decision while you live, there is no second chance once you are standing in front of Him. Your life is your chance, don’t throw it away or ignore the offer.

In spite of the questions in the picture about God’s interest in you, He really is. He cares enough for us that He knows how many hairs are on your head and mine. If He cares enough to even know that detail, then the rest of your days and your life is included in His knowledge of you as well.

Prayer and faith


Praisethelord Yes, both are necessary for a Christian and for our world too. Why do I say this? Because there are so many people who don’t want to admit this or hear it. Prayer and praise go together with faith and all of it is needed today. Because life and living today is hard enough without having faith in a future with Jesus. Prayer and faith go hand in hand, but it seems that many people don’t believe in having faith in a God which they can’t see. You can’t touch or see any of the “gods” which are worshiped in the world today, many of them are actually dead and in their graves yet people still think that they are “gods”. If they were then they wouldn’t be dead!

Satan is a fallen archangel, a guardian seraphim and one that once lived on the “mount of God” but pride brought him down because he thought that he could be like God and take God’s place. No one can do that but he convinced enough of the angels to follow him until there were a third of the angels thrown down from Heaven. We don’t know how many this was, but considering how much our world is in such a mess today it was a LOT!

Today it seems that nobody wants to acknowledge God as the Creator, but He is and He is NOT dead! Seek Him out while there is still time to do so. Read John 3:16,17; Romans 8 too, because they tell you what and Who you should know and why.

Movement…


It seems that everyone wants some sort of “movement” today. A movement to legalize this or that, one to discourage this behavior or that behavior. Why?

God moved toward us when He sent Jesus to be the substitute for our sacrifice, for our deserved punishment because of sin. He caused a movement in the world because of His love for us which has been making a difference in people’s lives for about two thousand years. Yes, there have been some missteps by those who considered their view of “christian” living and worship to be the only one that was valid but when you step into exclusivity for anything that is the direction you are going.

The only exclusive part of Christian life is that Jesus said  “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” John 11:25. He is the Life and the Way to Heaven, there is no other path to take which can get you there. Jesus is our exclusive and inclusive way to eternity.

Why do I say that He is inclusive when there is so much division in the church all over the world? Because it is not the sinner which God and Jesus hate, it is the sin and the lifestyle of sin which they hate. You are loved by God as if you are the only person on Earth but if you are living in a sinful life, it is the lifestyle and the sins that you are committing which God hates…not you.

He created each of us as a person whom He could have a relationship with. He came down and walked with Adam before the fall in Eden and that is what He wants to do with you. Knowing about Him, listening to sermons, reading the Bible and going to church are wonderful in and of themselves BUT those things will not save your soul! Belief in Jesus and in His life and that He died for your sins is what will save you. Follow Him daily, confess your sinful life and repent of those sins so that others can see a change in your life that they will want in their life!

If there is no change in your life, then it is likely that a change has not occurred in your heart! God loves all of us, but He requires obedience and always has! Words and attendance of a church service or two don’t count. Reading the Bible is good but if you have not believed in the One Who wrote those words,,,it is just a book. Living your life according to a “code of conduct” is a great thing as long as the One Who wrote the code is our Creator and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

You can live by a moral code which many people do. One that is acceptable to the world, such as the so-called “golden rule”, but living by that rule will not save your soul. Being a peace-loving person and doing no harm to anyone is nice, but it will not save your soul…only belief in Jesus will do that. Yes, Christianity is a movement and it is one which is not accepted by many in our world today because it is a movement toward God and away from sin. It is a movement which causes us to reject the “accepted” way of living for the life of a servant of God.

It does require repentance from your old habits and ways and turning toward God  and His ways.

God is in control


JesusWhether the magazines or the newspaper agrees with that statement or not, He has always been and He still is in control. He allows us to make our mistakes and our choices, but in the end He is still in control. It doesn’t matter how much money that you have or how little you have, your treasure here and in your heart should be your family.

Why do I say that? Because money can’t buy happiness or joy. It can’t extend your life nor can it give you peace about life. Sure, having money helps in many of these situations, but money is only a tool which is why the Bible says that “the love of money is the root of all evil”. We are to put our faith and our trust…our love into loving our Savior, Jesus, because He is the One Who can bring you joy and peace and He can give you eternal life. Money is just a tool and that is all that it is, yet we put our lives and our happiness on the line for our careers and our business ventures in order to have more.

God is and always has been the most important person that you will ever know. He is the One that you need to get to know because HE is the Creator Who gave you life and formed you in the womb. He knows what you are capable of and what you can do today, but He also knows what you will do tomorrow. Nothing takes God by surprise.

He loves you, regardless of what you have done in the past or may do in the future. He already knows about it, so it isn’t new to Him. Why not allow Him to show His love for you by bringing you into a relationship with Him? You only have eternity to gain and the loss that you will have is the loss of the guilt from sins and the penalty for them. Jesus already paid that price so that we wouldn’t have to. Give Jesus a chance in your life and you will see a very different person in the mirror afterward.

Seek Jesus out and learn about Him, because He is the only way to get to Heaven.

Inspiration comes in small doses


inspiration5Some days I see a picture or just a few words in a comment here or on my FB page. Some days the inspiration comes from reading God’s Word or while I am in prayer for our country or the community that I live in. God uses little prompts, soft nudges which, if you are paying attention, you will be inspired by to write down something which comes to mind. Some days, it is a sunrise or sunset that brings inspiration with it.

Life itself is an inspiration to me. When I see a child running with all the abandon of childhood, it blesses me. When I see a sunrise like the one above, God is having a great day! He does this every day because HE can see what is going to happen before it happens. His days are never surprising to Him, they may be to us but as long as you begin your day with Him, the day will be a good one.

So much of our life is taken for granted, especially today. We look forward to tomorrow or next month, even when we have no idea if we will be here at that time. I know, expect to live tomorrow because expectation is a part of a faithful life. But, making plans without consulting God about those plans is foolish. He may have some other place or person in mind for you. His plans may not fall into the same time frame as yours.

Consider that He holds yesterday, today and tomorrow in His hands and He can see the outcome of those decisions that you make, with or without His consent. The direction for your life, in business and at home, always turns out better when He is part of it. God created you to be a part of His creation, His Kingdom and He is the One Who holds you and your life together.

There is a molecule called laminin that is part of our cellular structure and it is described as the glue which holds all of our cells together. Here is part of a wikipedia page quote which tells about these molecules: The laminins are an important and biologically active part of the basal lamina, influencing cell differentiation, migration, and adhesion.

Here is a picture of that molecule: laminin

It explains itself in a way. Jesus went to the cross to save us from our sinful nature and to give us eternal life through Himself. He also placed within our bodies a representation of that cross in the form of a molecule which is part of our structure which holds our cells together. God is present in all of the details of your life and mine, whether we know it or not. Ask Him to make Himself known to you through His Word and to become a part of your life from this day forward.

He will and your life, here and into eternity, will be more meaningful and more peaceful because of it.

How many times…


In your life and mine, how many times have you wondered about your salvation? How many times have you questioned whether you are saved or have given your life and heart to Jesus? How many times have you asked the question, whether in your mind or in person at church, “Can Jesus save me?”

There are many people who have asked these questions and many more like them. The answer to some of those questions is dependent upon your response to the Spirit of God when it touches you. When you felt it at a revival or a church service or even while listening to a television ministry, did you respond to it? How did you respond to Him because it was the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, which touched you when you felt the need to accept Jesus, so? What did you do?

Some people just shrug it off. The say to themselves, “I have plenty of time to make that decision, after I get my life straight.” Really? What if you have a wreck on the way home tonight? What then? Yes, I am trying to scare you because IF you don’t make that decision when you feel the prompting of God in your heart, you may not get another chance. God loves you, but He also knows exactly how many days or weeks or years that you have left!

He knows what you can do for His Kingdom and how many people you can have an influence in their lives while you are here. We are here for a certain number of years. For some of us, it may be fifty years or less, then again it may be for ninety years or even one hundred. In that time, you can have an enormous influence in your children’s lives and their children’s lives too. You can have an influence over many friend’s lives and people who come in contact with you at work or in a store or restaurant.

Some of us may get chosen to come to salvation while we are children and will be able to touch the lives of many people in our lifetime. Yet, some of those may die when they are only eighteen or twenty years old so their lives will be short but it still may have a huge effect on the people who knew them. God can use your talents and your time in ways that you don’t imagine and can’t imagine, until He does it. I never thought that I would be a pastor of a church, but I am. It is a small church but those in it may have a big impact on the world one day.

This blog and the others that I write for is also part of my ministry and many people can find the words which God gives me to write here. I don’t use this site to make money, all that I am doing is bringing the message of salvation to those who may be looking for it. God loves us all, even if He doesn’t like the sinful lives that we live. I still make mistakes and commit sins every day. To some the sins which I commit may not count as “big” sins, but to God ALL sins are the same. A lie told to your child, even those we call white lies, is still a lie. If you hate someone, Jesus said that was the same as murdering them. No one is immune to sin, except Jesus, because of our nature. We are HUMAN and we are sinful people.

The best part of salvation is that when you accept Jesus and believe what HE did for you to become a child of God, then your old sins are wiped clean and you are given the righteousness of Christ. Of course we will get some dirt on our clean robes afterward, but ask Him to forgive you and help you to do better. Read the Bible, learn of His ways and how God looks at our life and our sins so that you can learn to be more in tune with Him. Pray and thank Him for waking you up in the morning and He will help you to sleep better at night. Start each day with Him and end it with Him and you can’t go wrong.