Category: End Times

Trust – Not So Much!

​  “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord , the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.” – Isaiah 26:4 NIV

Trust. That’s a tough one for people who have been mislead into trusting deceivers, liars and cheaters. Why would we trust someone like that? Like the ultimate liar and deceiver, Satan, they become skilled at their deceptions, pulling in those who are innocent, or hurting, and those needing someplace – someone – to put their faith. 

The following passage is called “The Cost of Following Jesus.” Without that complete trust that Isaiah talks about, we’ll find it difficult, at best, to follow Christ. 

  “As they were walking along the road, a man said to Him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”  Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”   He said to another man, “Follow me.”  But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”  Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”   Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”  Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” ” – Luke 9:57‭-‬62 NIV

Parts of me want to protest, and say “No! That’s too harsh.” I can’t even comprehend that level of trust. There are great examples throughout history of this complete trust. Starting with Matthew, who was by all accounts a successful tax collector, and Luke, a physician, to Florence Nightingale or Mother Teresa… they left comfortable lives to follow Christ. The idea of walking away from my family, especially when my dad died, without a goodbye, well, I can’t imagine how much pain it would have caused me.

So does God really expect all the people who accept Jesus as their Savior to just walk away from their homes and jobs and families? 

I don’t believe so, although many do choose that path. Look at the many foreign missionaries who give up their lives here in the U.S. to serve in nations and impoverished areas, full of physical dangers and spiritual warfare. The Holy Spirit speaks to each person to show us our personal mission field. For some, it is becoming a missionary. For others, it may mean pastoring a church, or serving in other roles within the body to provide or maintain a place to worship in. School teachers have a vast mission field. It might be the witness you provide at your job, or to family members. Whether you are a janitor or CEO of a major company, if you claim to be a Christian, your mission field is right there. 

Trust in the LORD. Don’t bow to the world and let it shake you. God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, will never leave us or forsake us. No matter how badly we have been treated, or mistreated, God is Supreme,  and He Rules…… I’ve read the back of the Book, and I KNOW Who wins!!

(http://bible.com)

Me or Jesus 

It must be important when two very different Apostles quote Jesus this way:

​  “Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men Lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’  But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.  Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.” ” – Luke 22:25‭-‬27 

  “But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world Lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.  But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” ” – Matthew 20:25‭-‬28 

Servants. Not exactly the job title most of us want. In fact, I would be surprised that anyone would willingly take on that role – and yet many do it daily. From the highest paid surgeons to the lowest aide, teachers of all sorts, the clerk at the corner store and the waitress at the diner, these are all servants. The greatest servant role belongs to mothers, especially single ones, and single dads. Whatever your job or occupation, chances are you have found yourself in a servant role at some point in your life. I’ve been in a number of servant roles throughout my life. Many were quite unpleasant, while others – the ones I chose, were even enjoyable. Unfortunately, we don’t always get to choose our situations, but wherever we are, we need to have faith that God is with us.  

  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His Will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” –Proverbs 3:5‭-‬7 

In the most unpleasant situation, God wants us to rely on Him. I confess that if rarely looked for God’s Will during most of my adult life. There were occasions when I turned to Him, but it was mostly to ask Him to fix whatever bind I had gotten myself into since I didn’t bother to ask Him about it beforehand. Obviously, I was quite impressed with my own “wisdom,” and my choices were rarely very smart! Have you ever done that? Be honest; you know you have!

Trusting the LORD can be hard. There are so many situations that we find ourselves in that are quite out of our control. If you have ever been in a robbery or break in, you know first-hand how helpless it feels. Rape victims know helplessness. Veterans in combat know the out of control feeling of being vulnerable to attack. Life is full of instances of helplessness, and I think everyone experiences them. Through it all, know this: “The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.” – Proverbs 15:3. He is watching the leader who lies and cheats, the person with authority who abused their position, the abusive spouse or parent….

Here is our Hope:

  “Arise, O LORD! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless! Why do the wicked get away with despising God? They think, “God will never call us to account.” But You see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in You. You defend the orphans. Break the arms of these wicked, evil people! Go after them until the last one is destroyed. The LORD is King forever and ever! The godless nations will vanish from the land. LORD, You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.” – Psalms 10:12‭-‬18 

We have the LORD’S Promise of justice. It may not be immediately, or even in our lifetimes, but justice, REAL Justice, will be served upon those who hurt others. That’s worth remembering. 

(http://bible.com/116/NLT)

Rely on Who?

“I can do it!” Sound familiar? We usually start saying it around the age of 2, and it carries into our adult lives. Even in circumstances and situations where it was quite obvious to everyone around me that I needed help, I hung onto to that prideful, stubborn thought. “I can do it and I don’t need/want anyone’s help.” The irony throughout my life was that even when I was yelling the loudest, what I desperately wanted was someone to save me, and all along, the One Who alone could save me was right beside me.

  “Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust Him, and He will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.” – Psalms 37:3‭-‬6 NLT (http://bible.com/116/psa.37.3-6.NLT)

Here’s the thing. God, the LORD, is the ultimate gentleman. He doesn’t take over and force us, instead, He waits patiently for us to ask. Even though He doesn’t impose His will on me, He has kept me from disaster a number of times, picking me up enough that I haven’t drowned in the muck of sin. I know He saved me from certain death on more than one occasion – so why is it so difficult to to commit everything to Him, as the psalmist says? “Trust Him, and He will help you.” Trust…. I have placed my trust in many people, and it has been broken every time. Even those who honestly love me and care for me, just as I have broken trust with them. We’re human; that’s what we do, even though we know the pain of of broken trust. We know how wrong it is, but we still do it, often without even realizing we’ve broken trust until it is done.

 Like the psalmist, and like Paul, I have to let go of my pride and my stubbornness and embrace the LORD. As Jesus promised, when we submit to Him, He will send the Holy Spirit to dwell in and with us, 

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19 NLT (http://bible.com/116/php.4.19.NLT)

  “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.  All who are Mine belong to You, and You have given them to Me, so they bring Me glory.  Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to You. Holy Father, You have given Me Your Name; now protect them by the power of Your Name so that they will be united just as We are.” – John 17:3‭, ‬10‭-‬11 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jhn.17.3-11.NLT)

AMEN.

Religion or Salvation? 

​I am just beginning to understand the truth and depth of this statement: 

  “I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.” – 3 John 1:4 NLT

SO thankful for the prayers of my parents! 

Today I’m reading in 2 Timothy 3. This is eye-opening, at the very least. Remember, this was written over 2000 years ago, but it is absolutely spot on for today. 

  “For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” 

These next two verses hit me like a slap in the face….

  “They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.)  These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith. But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres.” {Tradition says these were the 2 chief magicians of Pharaoh when Moses challenged him to let the Jews leave Egypt.} “Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.”- 2 Timothy 3:2-9, 12-13 

Could anyone today pen a truer statement of the state of the world? I don’t see how. How grateful we need to be that God has provided us with a way to transcend this world and all of the evil in it! His inspired Word is available to anyone, either in print or electronic format. But listen to this!

  “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

I was one of those people; one of those women. By the Grace of God I am no longer a victim and I strive to be the opposite of the type of person Paul is warning Timothy about. I don’t want anyone to see me as a religious person, but I pray that the healing and grace of our Lord shows in my life. The reality is that I am far from perfect! I am a broken vessel with many flaws, and that is exactly how Christ shines through me. My brokenness is His Glory. Not for anything I have done or could do; He is the repairer of my heart and my soul. All Hope comes through Him, and all Glory goes to Him.

[All scriptures are from the Bible app http://www.YouVersion.com]

One Way

​  “Jesus told him, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. NO ONE can come to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jhn.14.6.NLT)

Sound harsh? If you believe that Jesus was nothing more than a good person, a teacher, prophet, or a mad man, then yes, it is harsh. But if you know the truth and acknowledge that He is Who He says He is, the Son of Man, Messiah, Deliverer, immortal part of the Triune God, you know that it isn’t harsh at all. He is stating the simple truth. 

You say that Mohammed was also a good man? Maybe he was, although his teachings that tell his followers to rid the world of the infidel certainly aren’t good! I thought that perhaps the Quran might actually have a peaceful message, but what I found shows a message of violence against anyone not professing Islam. It’s true that in the Bible, specifically the Old Testament, the Jewish people were led to conquer certain lands that God promised them. Overall, the violence was done to people who had left the moral ways of God, and for the Jews to regain their homelands. Each battle was fought for a specified area, and outside of those battles that God commanded, violence was condemned. God then sent Jesus, Messiah, as the ultimate sacrifice, and at that time He commanded no more violence against others. Jesus taught that we are to show love and forgiveness to those people who are not followers of Him. He condemns violence against others, and teaches to not only turn the other cheek, but to give them the shirt off our backs if they need it. 

The verse at the beginning is a simple statement of Truth. Without Jesus, we have no future. With Jesus, we have an incredible, indescribable future. It’s a simple matter of accepting Him as your Savior. No violence needed or wanted, and you don’t have to worry about “karma” or having to go through life multiple times to reach nirvana. We have one life, and one death, and one eternity. I know where I’m going, do you?

(For information purposes, I copied the following from http://www.thereligionofpeace.com. Interesting reading: 

  “The Quran contains at least 109 verses that call Muslims to war with nonbelievers for the sake of Islamic rule. Some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding. Muslims who do not join the fight are called ‘hypocrites’ and warned that Allah will send them to Hell if they do not join the slaughter.

Unlike nearly all of the Old Testament verses of violence, the verses of violence in the Quran are mostly open-ended, meaning that they are not restrained by historical context contained in the surrounding text (although many Muslims choose to think of them that way). They are part of the eternal, unchanging word of Allah, and just as relevant or subject to interpretation as anything else in the Quran.”)

Fall, Falling, Fallen

🍃 Interesting word, Fall. It can be both a noun and a verb; a thing, or an action. “I love Fall”; “I will fall if I stand there.”

We use it to define the third season as the earth prepares for winter. Leaves fall from trees, creating an inviting cushion to walk on and play in. Seeds fall from plants to lie fallow on the ground until the time of renewal, and grains and fruits and nuts ripen to feed all manner of creatures. The sun moves lower in the sky and the nights grow longer as the earth rests before its renewal in the Spring. 🍁

In scripture, we read that Lucifer, whom God called  and the angels who rebel against God “fall” from heaven. “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.” – Isaiah 14:12 NLT (http://bible.com/116/isa.14.12.NLT)

Adam and Eve fell from God’s Grace when they sinned in the Garden. Because of their action, all humanity is banned from the garden and have fallen into sin. No matter how hard we try to be “good”, we constantly fall because of our imperfect nature. Because of their action, all of the earth has fallen from the perfection God created. 

  “But You, O LORD, are a Shield around me; You are my Glory, the One Who holds my head high.” – Psalms 3:3 NLT (http://bible.com/116/psa.3.3.NLT)

By ourselves; through our “goodness,” We are nothing. It is only through God by way of Jesus Christ that we are anything. “For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw His Majestic Splendor with our own eyes when He received Honor and Glory from GOD the Father. The Voice from the Majestic Glory of GOD said to Him, “This is my dearly loved Son, Who brings Me great joy.”  We ourselves heard that Voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding,  or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.” – 2 Peter 1:16‭-‬21 NLT (http://bible.com/116/2pe.1.16-21.NLT) 

Whether you choose to stay among the fallen star, satan, or stand up with Jesus, the Morning Star, is up to you. God gave us free will to make our choice. Have you made yours? It’s not too late! 

  “GOD raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now He {Jesus} is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s Right Hand. And the Father, as He had promised, gave Him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today…. Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to GOD, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” – Acts of the Apostles 2:32‭-‬33‭, ‬38 NLT (http://bible.com/116/act.2.32-38.NLT)

Trust

​  “You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible Joy. The reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls.” – 1 Peter 1:8‭-‬9 NLT (http://bible.com/116/1pe.1.8-9.NLT)

Some people envy the disciples of Jesus; the men who got to spend time walking and talking with him. They could reach out and touch his shoulder or his hand, and He looked them in the eyes when He taught them. Remember His encounter with Thomas after Jesus rose from the tomb?

  “Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Put your hand into the wound in My side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing Me.” ” – John 20:27‭-‬29 NLT (http://bible.com/116/jhn.20.27-29.NLT)

Because we believe without having seen Jesus in the flesh, we are especially blessed. Peter was right in his letter – we are blessed with an indescribable Joy through believing in Jesus, the Son of God, and that He conquered death and hell so that we could spend eternity with Him.

Do you believe in Him, trust Him? Is He right about sin and death and the Great White Throne Judgment, or are you willing to bet He’s wrong? I don’t just believe, I know it’s true. Not only did God created the universe (His ‘big bang!’), but He, as the triumvirate God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – sent His Son to serve us. That’s mind-boggling. Here’s what the Apostle John wrote about the ultimate judgment: 

  “And I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from His presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:11‭-‬15 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rev.20.11-15.NLT)  

There really isn’t anything difficult here. So I will ask again. Do you believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? Do you trust and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, and that He came to earth to conquer death for you?

Start reading in the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 1. It’s not difficult to read. Think about it; do the right thing. In John 14:6-7 Jesus answered Thomas by saying, “I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.  If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” – John 14:6‭-‬7 BOOKS (http://bible.com/31/jhn.14.6-7.BOOKS)

The time for debate is over. It is time to decide to believe. 

 

Election Day U. S. A. 2016

  [Daniel] said, “Praise the Name of GOD forever and ever, for He has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; He removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.” – Daniel 2:20‭-‬21 NLT (http://bible.com/116/dan.2.20-21.NLT) 
Whatever happens, whoever wins these elections today, no matter what the outcomes, GOD is still in control, and He still wins the war.


  “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT (http://bible.com/116/2ch.7.14.NLT) 

There is a God

Afternote: This has been a significantly difficult post to write. When typing words, they morphed into completely different words than I was typing. As I  have gone back to re-read this, I have found words and odd misspellings randomly interspersed throughout. Why? I can only guess, but I expect that it the enemy doing his best to undermine my efforts to glorify God. Satan, GET BEHIND ME. Jesus is my Joy and my Salvation! 

  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” – Genesis 1:1 (http://bible.com/116/gen.1.1.NLT)

THERE IS A GOD.

He defies explanation and description.

How do I know there is a God? Easy. I open my eyes and look around me. I close my eyes and listen to the symphony of His creation. I reach out and touch. Babies have a distinct smell and their skin is incredibly soft. The various types of fur and hair of the animals is almost like a signature, and the plants of the earth are distinctive in smell and touch. Even the earth itself, from the highest mountain peaks with their rocks and crags to the deepest valleys; soft sandy beaches and the endless plains to the darkest forests…. add the warm dark loam of a fertile river valley and the smell that can overwhelm your senses.

Look at the stars and the planets. Hold a baby. Pet an animal. Hug someone. See the flowers and grasses and trees and rocks and sands of the earth. Look in a microscope. Can you say where it all of this came from? Very intelligent people maintain the “Big Bang Theory” – and I love the show by the way – but my question to them is this: where did the ‘ingredients’ for the Big Bang come from? If 2 atoms colliding made all this, where did the atoms come from? Who made them?

The “Big Bang” is a theory. Evolution is a theory. A theory defined is “… possibly true … but not proven to be true …” Although I respect the intelligence of the scientists who believe this theory to be true, I challenge them to prove the theory so they can stand on fact, rather than standing on supposition. I stand on the reality of this earth. God created this incredible universe and all that it contains, including us humans with all of our senses. In addition, He set us to be in charge of the care of the earth and all of its inhabitants . … and we aren’t doing a very good job being caretakers. It seems that if we could take the energies of all the people who spend their days trying unsuccessfully to prove God doesn’t exist, and channel that energy into ways to save our planet, we would all be much better off!

Whether or not you agree, GOD exists. Not a god, but GOD, the God of the Universe. Creator of all things. The reason bad things happen is because as humans with free will we have chosen to live outside of God’s Love and Mercy and Grace. When we are outside of His shelter, we are susceptible to the lies and coercion and manipulation of the enemy of God, who is Satan. So live your life as you choose to today, but remember this fact: Jesus is returning, and we don’t know when it will happen. Our lives can end in an instant – no matter how healthy or carefully we live, we can die at any time. 

So, how will you live? What do you choose? Who do you choose? A theory that cannot be proven, or the awesome creation around us and the Creator of it all; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? I choose God.

  “For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do.” – Hebrews 6:10 (http://bible.com/116/heb.6.10.NLT)

AMEN.