Category: End Times

In the Beginning 

From the very first chapter and verse of the Bible’s Old Testament, to the very end of the New Testament, God is acknowledged as the One Creator, the One Who made it all. 

 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” – Genesis 1:1‭-‬2 KJV

  “…. And He laid His Right Hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the First and the Last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am ALIVE for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” – 

Revelation 1:17‭b-‬18 KJV

Do you still doubt the Truth of the scriptures?  Read on….

  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.  In Him was Life; and the Life was the Light of men.  And the Light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” – John 1:1‭-‬5 KJV
I think that, among other things, John was a poet. The books he wrote present the Truth of Jesus so beautifully, as the words flow. These first 5 verses of John 1 are among my favorites, and just about anyone can tell you what John 3:16 says:

  “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.” – John 3:16 KJV

 If I know someone is struggling, especially if they have questions about God, or they are angry at God, I suggest John as a place to start reading. The KJV isn’t easy for new readers, and younger readers, to read because of all of the thee’s and thou’s, but these verses especially are so beautiful as they are written here. 
Amen.

(All scriptures quoted from http://bible.com)

Build Me Up, Then Cut Me Down

 “But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,  and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.” – Jude 1:20‭-‬21 NLT

I had a plan on what I was going to write today, based on verses 20-21, but it seems that God has another plan for today. Previously, I was writing about the dangers of listening to false prophets. Jude expands on this by talking about false teachers. It amazes me to realize that we – humans across the earth – can’t seem to grasp these truths after thousands of years ….. and even more amazed that our LORD, the God Who created us, hasn’t given up on us! Listen closely to what Jude has to say:

  “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. …. In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. …. But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.) …. What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion. …. These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want. …. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.” – Jude 1:3‭-‬6‭, ‬8‭-‬9‭, ‬11‭, ‬16‭‭, ‬18‭-‬19 NLT

It sounds familiar because it is familiar. From the beginning of man’s existence, we have rebelled against God, and to what end? I’ve said many times we have only two choices; two ways to turn in our lives. Right or wrong, good or bad, Love or hate, God….. or satan. What do we do about this; how do we fight against it? Jude gives some great advice here:

  “But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the Power of the Holy Spirit, and await the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will bring you Eternal Life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s Love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. Now ALL GLORY to GOD, Who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His Glorious Presence without a single fault. All glory to Him Who Alone is GOD, our Savior through Jesus Christ our LORD. All Glory, Majesty, Power, and Authority are His BEFORE all time, and in the PRESENT, and BEYOND all time! AMEN.” –Jude 1:20‭-‬25 NLT

We MUST build each other up! I wonder if the phrase “Hate the sin, love the sinner” came from reading this passage. As Jude says: “…. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.” (Jude 1:23b) In a sense, rhe phrase is correct, but remember his caution as well. It is so easy to be swept into behaviors that we know aren’t wrong, just so we can be accepted by our peers. I certainly can’t tell you how many times I have chosen inaction, only to be drawn into things I knew were wrong, or how many more times it will happen. After sharing my testimony for the first time, I was approached by people that I had known for about a year, and who were friends of a family member. They didn’t known me as THAT sister…. They knew me as a different person than they had heard about, and had judged “that sister” for her actions. Having heard my back story through my testimony,  they realized how wrong their judgment was. They hadn’t know my situation or what led me to the decisions I had made, or the truth of why I had given up my child. I say all this to emphasize what Jude said. Again, read verses 22-23:

  “And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.” 

We must show mercy, remembering always the Mercy we have been shown through Jesus Christ. We can’t know what has happened in someone’s life that led them to the decisions they have made, but we can reach out to them with the Love of Christ Jesus. That’s OUR choice as Christians. “Love Mercy, walk Humbly…..” (Mercy Me). 

Echo Canyon Amphitheater, Northern New Mexico 2016

(All scriptures quoted are from http://www.bible.com )

Who Knew?

When God said these Words thousands of years ago to the Israelites, He knew they would be true for us today. I substituted our nation in the following scriptures to show His Words to us.

“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the GOD of [America], says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of [the United States of America], trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, because they are telling you lies in My Name. I have not sent them …. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” ” – Jeremiah 29:8-9,11 NLT

There are so many false prophets today! Look at the messages being broadcast on national television, plus all of the other media out reaches there are. Giving money will not get you closer to God. Having a charlatan lay His hands on you and pronounce you healed won’t do anything to save you. Lavish sets and thousand dollar suits and dresses don’t show the gospel. Million dollar buildings can’t get you any closer to God, and expecting God to make you rich will only bring spiritual defeat.

Have I offended you yet?

A truly committed, saved by Grace pastor won’t waste his preaching and teaching time to exhort money from his flock. His burning desire will be to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone who will listen. He will be a humble man, and he will be more concerned with his people than the building where they meet. It is the Elders and the deacons duty to oversee the care and feeding of the flock, and the head shepherd (the pastor) to oversee it, but also to not be averse to doing whatever needs to be done. His focus should be God first, his wife second only to the LORD, thirdly his children, and then his church flock. That’s the example Jesus gave and lived.

I’m not saying all television pastors are false prophets, and there are great men of God leading some of the biggest churches. “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts completely. Great men are almost always bad men.” (From a letter written by Lord Acton, historian and moralistic, in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887.) Men called by the LORD don’t want control, they just want to preach as God called them to do. Having said all that, there still have to be funds to maintain the buildings, and to pay a living wage to the pastor in order for him to devote his life to spreading the Gospel. Nobody – NOBODY – needs millions of dollars to live, and many, many pastors work other jobs besides pastoring to they can provide for their families.

It is imperative we test our leaders, and that our leaders test tnemselves. Paul and John both wrote about this:

“…. but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:21‭-‬22 NLT

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from GOD. For there are many false prophets in the world. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.” – 1 John 4:1‭, ‬3 NLT

“Our actions will show that we belong to the Truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.” – 1 John 3:19 NLT

Look at yourself first before looking at anyone else. (“Look At Yourself” by Uriah Heap. Great song!) We are sinners, saved by Grace and not by works, according to the Gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ. Our preachers and teachers are human, just as we are, and they are not infallible. There will be times when they will stumble and even fall, and it is our job to help them. When Jeremiah wrote his words to the Israelites, I’m quite sure he didn’t know they would be read by me. I’m pretty certain he didn’t know they would still be true today …… but God knew.

Don’t judge them; PRAY for them instead.

(All scriptures quoted from http://bible.com)

KING Of Kings

 “Yours, O LORD, is the Greatness, the Power, the Glory, the Victory, and the Majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the One Who is over ALL things.” –1 Chronicles 29:11 NLT

Who am I to dispute this? 

C.S. Lewis, well known scholar, and author of the Narnia books, the Screwtape Letters and more, was a staunch atheist for many years. He began his study of the Bible so that he could disprove it, and instead, he was convinced of the existence of the Almighty LORD and the Sovereignty of Jesus Christ. He had disputed the validity of the scriptures, and after he studied them extensively, accepted Christ as his Savior.  Quite a change. If such a scholarly, well learned man could understand this Truth, who am I to dispute it?

Is it time you faced the truth? “EVERYTHING in the heavens and on earth” belongs to God. I belong to Him, and YOU belong to Him. I said yesterday that the idea of being a slave chafs me, but the truth of the matter is that regardless of my irritation I either belong to God or the world – i.e., Satan, the enemy. We often choose the enemy because of the illusion of beauty and power He presents to us. The idea that we can control our destiny is mesmerizing, and it is false. Throughout life, we are constantly faced with choices, and every choice has two sides. Right or wrong, God’s way or the enemy’s way. We justify our actions and decisions, but does that make them the right choices? Our human nature causes us to stumble continually because we take our eyes away from God and replace the “view” with desire for power. James says it so well:

  “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.” – James 3:13‭-‬17 NLT

There will be a Judgement Day. Each one of us will stand before the throne of the Almighty LORD, and hear of our shortcomings and failures as presented by the enemy. “…. every knee shall bow…” This statement brings me such HOPE! When Paul says “EVERY knee,” I know he means that nothing; NOBODY, will remain standing. ALL of God’s creations, including Satan, because he was created when God created the angels, will bow. No matter how much he fights, he ultimately loses.

  “…. at the Name of Jesus EVERY knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:10‭-‬11 NLT

I don’t know about you, but I don’t enjoy losing. I like being on the winning team, and that’s where I choose to be. As a child, I was often picked last for teams because I wasn’t very good at sports. With God, I know I am as valuable as any of the other team members. I know this because He sent His Son to suffer and die and return to life – for ME. He did it for you, too. Which team do you choose? Take a knee for Jesus!!!

(All scriptures quoted from http://bible.com)

I Am Selfish 

I like things to be done my way. There’s a little plaque sitting on the kitchen bar that says “I’m not bossy, I just know what you should be doing.” I’m sure some psychologist or psychiatrist or counselor will read that line and say, “Oh, she has control issues” …. and they will be correct in their assessment. Just don’t get too comfortable in that diagnosis until you have walked in my shoes for a bit. 

  “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” – Philippians 2:3‭-‬4 NLT

As far back as I can remember, I was trying to impress someone. My older brother and I are very close in age, and as children we were often mistaken for twins. I was thrilled to be seen as his twin; He detested it. My goal in life as a little girl was to be included in whatever he was doing, and I think his goal was to get away from his pesty little sister! Fairly typical, I would imagine …. not many boys want a ” lost puppy” little sister following them around all the time. 

That need to be accepted followed me into young adulthood. I was a Christian, having accepted Jesus as my Savior at an early age. In my childs mind, I wanted my brother to love me like Jesus did. Now I know how impossible that is. No human can possibly love like Jesus did, like He DOES! Instead of resting secure in the ccompleteness and Love of Jesus, I began a lifelong search for the impossible: a man to love me and take care of me, one I could physically hold on to. Boy, did I hold on! I made choices based on looks and on how they made me feel needed. After they got what they were after, whatever it was to them, I would be left adrift in a sea of despair and helplessness. My solution? Reach for another man. While I was wallowing in that desperation, I lost the ability to stay in contact with my family and friends. I lost people and things that were precious to me; I lost my health and I lost my SELF in all the mess. I kept on grasping at the people and things that were keeping me adrift instead of accepting the hand of my Savior, Who was standing right next to me the entire time. The Savior I refused to look at or acknowlege.

That’s about as selfish as a person can be. We keep ourselves so busy doing whatever we have decided is best for us, working on the most favorable impression to those surrounding us, wanting more and more “stuff.” (Have you seen the number of storage places around us???) How much more selfish can we be? Shouldn’t we be concentrating more on what God has to say?

  “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:9‭-‬11 NKJV

Am I exalting Him in my life, or am I exalting myself? Am I content, or still grasping for world ingredients regard and approval? Am I ready to worship the LORD instead of the world yet? I want to join in this song!!

  “And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power belong to the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” – Revelation 5:13 NLT

AMEN!

(Scriptures are from http://bible.com)

Lie or LIFE

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” – Genesis 3:4‭-‬5 NLT

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.” – Romans 1:20‭-‬23 NLT

I love traveling and watching travel shows; seeing the world through the eyes of other cultures. Temples and churches, chapels and cathedrals, ancient and modern, proliferate in the landscape of our earth, dedicated to gods and goddesses and animals; deities of all shapes and sizes. There are majestic, extravagant buildings, sometimes almost side-by-side with little humble structures. You might hear the bells of a great cathedral juxtaposed onto the chanting of an Iman, underlaid with murmurs of a group worshipping nature.

Can they all be right in their beliefs?

“For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity – the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.” – 1 Timothy 2:5‭-‬6 NLT

No, God is very clear on this. ONE God. ONE Mediator. Truth from the Creator, or the lies of a fallen angels who is lower than a worm? I chose God to be Lord of my life, and I am most humbled and awestruck that the Lord of all – ALL – creation, King of the world, the Almighty, chose me. He chooses you, too. All you have to do is accept the Love and salvation that He offers through the death and resurrection of the Son Jesus Christ. Pretty simple, but you have to chose, because He won’t force you. Not church, not religion, the choice is this:

Love or hate, beauty beyond belief or the ugliest ugly; Eternal Life or an eternity of death, Grace or eternal damnation…… if you don’t choose Love, then by default you have chosen death.

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2 NIV

I choose LOVE, Jesus Christ, and Eternal Life with Him.

Living in The Light

In the little church we attended in Santa Fe, we often sang this chorus:

“If we are living in the Light, 

 As He is in the Light, 

 We have fellowship 

 With one another.” 

 “But if we are living in the Light, as God is in the Light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:7 NLT

How do we know we are living in God’s Light? Are there spotlights from heaven, and brass bands and choirs of angels around us, pointing us out over all others? It’s much quieter and simpler than all that.  We know we are in His Light through the company we keep in the fellowship of His believers, and we know because we can hear His quiet voice speaking to us. 

Has God spoken to you lately?

  “While you were doing these wicked things, says the LORD, I spoke to you about it repeatedly, but you would not listen. I called out to you, but you refused to answer….. But my people would not listen to Me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward…..  But my people have not listened to Me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful—even worse than their ancestors.” – Jeremiah 7:13, 24, 26 NLT

I ask again, has God spoken to you? I’m probably the worst listener on the planet, too busy doing whatever I’m doing to listen to Him. Oh, I hear His voice; at least, I know He is speaking, I just don’t listen to what He is saying. FYI, looking back on my own experiences, not listening can be harmful to your health…. even now, I don’t really want to hear what He is telling me. I’m quite comfortable in my rut, even if I’m not particularly happy, it’s much more comfortable and easy to stay in it than to dig my way out. I’m tired of the financial struggle, and I’m tired of feeling like I’m running in place, not getting anywhere. 

And as I write these words, TobyMac comes on singing the amazing song “Move…” (These are just the beginning lyrics):

Another heartbreak day 
Feels like you’re miles away 
Don’t even need no shade 
When your sun don’t shine, shine

Too many passin’ dreams 
Roll by like limousines 
It’s hard to keep believin’ 
When they pass you by and by

I know your heart been broke again 
I know your prayers ain’t been answered yet 
I know you’re feeling like you got nothing left 
Well, lift your head, it ain’t over yet, ain’t over yet so

Move, keep walkin’ soldier keep movin’ on 
Move, keep walkin’ until the mornin’ comes 
Move, keep walkin’ soldier keep movin’ on 
And lift your head, it ain’t over yet, ain’t over yet

Songwriters: Bryan Christopher Fowler / Christopher E Stevens / Toby Mc Keehan

Move lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group

Sometimes God speaks through a friend, sometimes His Word, and sometimes He speaks through a song. It isn’t coincidental when the “right” words come through…. Go to your search engine and look for this song. It will raise your spirit, at least for a moment. Until Jesus returns, life isn’t over. As long as we have breath, we have the choice to listen to God and to live in His Light, even in deplorable circumstances here on earth. Focus at the prize at the end, instead of the dirt around us. God is still in control. Do you believe it?


(http://bible.com)

Wounded – And YOU Can’t Fix It

Yesterday, disciplined; today, wounded. Ugh.

  “An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” – Proverbs 27:5‭-‬6 NLT

When you are running as hard and as fast from God as you can, being disciplined and having friends and family confront you are the last things you want! Any kind of confrontation by family is, to an addict, like sandpaper and salt to an open wound. Until the addict chooses to hear, no one can reach them except the Holy Spirit. I know because I have been there, and because I have witnessed it with countless others. It isn’t just drugs or alcohol that a person can be addicted to. Add in the easy ones – cigarettes, prescription drugs, shopping, hoarding, lying. Then the “bad” things: stealing, burglary; sexual addiction, whether looking at pictures in a magazine or online; even as far as the violent, despicable crimes of rape, mutilation, murder…. did you know that God doesn’t distinguish sin? Any action can become an addiction; an escape from the real world.

Why? Why does God allow this? What causes people to do the things we know aren’t right, and what on earth could allow us to harm others?

There’s only one answer, and it isn’t one many people want to hear. Free will. God gave it to the first humans to pass down through the generations because He wants us to CHOOSE Him. Even the angels have the choice of loving God or leaving Him. 

  “How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths. Everyone there will stare at you and ask, ‘Can this be the one who shook the earth and made the kingdoms of the world tremble? Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland? Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?’ ” – Isaiah 14:12‭-‬17 NLT

Lucifer, the Shining Star of heaven, wanted to be greater than the Almighty, the Creator. When Lucifer chose his desires over God’s desires, he was kicked out of heaven and along with him were the angels who followed him. 

  “Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.” – Revelation 12:7‭-‬9 NLT

Satan has spent all of his time since being thrown out of heaven scheming to beat God. The only way he wins is by turning us away from our Creator LORD, and He is very vigilant about it. Michael threw Satan out of heaven, and it will be Michael at the side of Jesus when He returns for us. I want to live to see that day! There was a time when I dreaded the return of Jesus. I was always aware of the things I was doing that were sin in my life, and for years, I was powerless to change it. That answer to the “Why” questions, that free will, when given to Satan is impossible for us to get back on our own. The next question becomes “Why would anyone give SATAN control over their life???” 

Again, the simple answer is that he makes it look beautiful. Whatever the sin, whatever the addiction, he makes it looks pretty and easy… much easier than the “straight and narrow path” of Jesus. Even though I’ve done it, and left the path of Jesus, I still can’t explain it. It may be narrow, but His path is well lit. Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34 NLT

“Turn from your selfish ways….” And there’s the answer.

We turn away from Jesus because we are selfish and want things OUR way. There are only 2 ways to turn. Toward God, or toward the enemy, Satan. We are FOR Jesus, or we are AGAINST Jesus, and if we are against Him, we have chosen the enemy. Free will. That’s where our friends come in. When we become aware of a friend or family member slipping, getting into something we know is a bad thing, it is our duty as Christians to help them. Carefully, prayerfully, lovingly help. Being careful not to fall ourselves, or to wound unnecessarily. Remember:

  “How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” – Luke 6:42 NLT

Discipline with care. Rebuke with more care, and only after much prayer. We don’t want it to hurt the person, just to get their attention turned to God. He is the ONLY cure; our only Salvation. Amen.


(All scriptures quoted from http://bible.com)

Go

​  “Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.” …. “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.”  

  “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” …. “Everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before My Father in heaven.” 

  “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:1‭, ‬16‭‭, ‬28‭, ‬32‭-‬34 NLT)

Go! Go out into the world and tell people about Jesus. Let’s start with verse 16. We are being sent to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News, to the world, as “sheep among wolves.” Not a pretty picture. Then, to top it off, Jesus says to be “shrewd as snakes” – eeeeewww, gross; and “harmless as doves.” If nothing else, dove can be persistent! In spite of the picture I get from these verses, I find great comfort in verse 28a. 

  “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul.”  

I’ve made the statement (a number of times) that bad guys – thugs, gangsters, etc. – can’t hurt me, to friends who then try to correct me and tell me that I can be hurt. We are both correct. Someone might hurt this physical body, even kill me, but that isn’t what drives me. This body is temporary (thank GOD!) but my soul is eternal, and it belongs to God. I don’t want to be hurt, and I don’t like to hurt. I know that when I have been physically hurt in the past, I’ve done my share of crying and complaining. Maybe more than my share! The difference then and now is that I am no longer living in fear of hurt. I don’t consciously put myself in harms way, but I don’t cower in fear, either. 

I am confident that whatever happens, I will live on with Jesus, forever and a day. 

Going back to the scriptures, the last verse here is one of my favorite quotes from Jesus. He was humble and didn’t brag, and He allowed Himself to be arrested and tried, flogged and ridiculed, and hung on a cross. He also cleared the temple in Jerusalem, His Father’s house, in righteous anger, of all of the scammers who were selling goods there. He was humble, but He was not weak! Verse 34:

  “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.”

I don’t carry a sword; I carry the protection of my LORD. (A little target practice never hurts, either….)

The command stands. Jesus doesn’t tell us all to leave home and go to faraway places. Some of us need to stay home to reach neighbors and friends and family. Don’t be afraid of what man can do to you. When GOD sits on the great white throne and passes justice, everyone who has done evil to His children will face His wrath. If you have ever seen a human father or mother protecting their kids, just imagine how much greater is God’s protection and judgment! I can hardly wait!

  “Everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven….  And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of My followers, you will surely be rewarded.” (Matthew 10:32‭, ‬42 NLT)

(http://bible.com/NLT)