Tag Archives: Jesus

Stop and Think

Dear Christian, stop and think before you move forward.

I have wondered why followers of Jesus of Nazareth will cross over sunset to sunset, day in and day out, making decisions, but forget to stop, think, pray, and test the spirit in a situation.

“My loved ones, I warn you: do not trust (believe, agree with) every spirit (everyone, every person, everyone who claims to have something good for you, everyone who claims to follow God).

Instead, examine them carefully (pray, test them, weigh and examine what they tell you) to determine if they come from God (or come from something else, not everyone who talks about God actually comes from God),

because the world is (corrupt and) filled with the voices of many false prophets (people who lie, people who give false statements, false testimony, false teachers, lying preachers).”  1 John 4:1

Why are people more afraid of what other people think of them (at work, church, clubs, community, family) than they are concerned with what Father God thinks about a situation?

The devil is deceitful.

The devil will try every which way to deceive people into following him.

He lures them into opening a door or window in their life for his demons (and people filled with his demons), to enter.

The devil wants you to trust him (or trust someone or something he has set up) for something you need.

He is Santa (s a t a n) with a big red bag of tricks and lots of elves (demons, ‘hel’pers) at his beck and call.  He knows all about you.  He roams the universe.  He roams back and forth through the heights of heaven to the earth looking for the people he can deceive.

“Keep your mind clear, and be alert (be watchful, be sober, be vigilant, self disciplined, temperate, on guard, spiritually awake). Your opponent (enemy) the devil (the accuser) is prowling around (walking about) like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour (trick, attack, surprise, deceive, defeat, catch, swallow, eat, trap).”1 Peter 5:8

Be careful what you wish (hope) for dear brothers and sisters.

It looks good.  It looks innocent.  It might smell and taste good.  It might push you closer to achieving your goals.  It might bring in money.  It might result in people looking up to you. It might fill your every dream.

But understand this, everything the devil gives you has a price.  Like credit, you get it now and he collects on it later.

The devil makes wishes come true for the price of tormenting and trapping your soul.

So what can you do?

One step you can take that will make a big difference is praying to Father God and asking him about a situation and whether or not you should participate.

Another step you can take is research.  Look closer.  Ask these questions:

Who is making the offer?

What is their character?

Who is their god?

What are the possible outcomes of agreeing to the task or working with them?

Is this a distraction or could it become a distraction?

The bible says that because of the pure sacrifice of Jesus of Nazareth who full-filled the law, all things are permissible (except blaspheming the holy spirit), but not all things are beneficial.

Jesus of Nazareth, Yahusha HaMeshiac, pointed out many things that are not beneficial:

trusting in other gods

having other loves or idols

money

following traditions of men

disobedience of the 10 commandments (He came to full-fill the law, but He did not do away with the law)

divorce

self preservation

self determination

lack of charity

and more

Test the spirit and ask the hard questions.

How will this situation benefit the kingdom of God?

How will this situation benefit your relationship with God?

If after taking time to pray and research a situation (a task or relationship), and you don’t see how it will be beneficial in your relationship with Father God, then it would be better to walk away than to proceed.

Take time to stop and think.

Pray and seek the Father, from sunset to sunset.  Trust Him and allow Him to lead the way each and everyday. 

Be wise and be blessed!

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Ocean Waves

I am at a loss for words to describe the power and beauty of these ocean waves…

So I thought I would share a few scriptures about the Creator of the sea, our Father God.

Psalm 93:4  “The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.”

Isaiah 51:15 “But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name.”

Jeremiah 31:34-35  “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.  Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name.”

Luke 21: 25-26  “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.”

May you be blessed today with knowing our Father God who is the Creator God.  He created you and me and the ocean waves.

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Temptation and Adversity

Be encouraged.

Whether we realize it or not, we are all dangling on the cliff of eternity, our soul in this human body, but this place is not our eternal home.

For those who trust Father God, Yahuah, He is our rock, and his son Jesus Christ, Yahusha Ha Messiach, is our lifeline.

Hold tight! He has got you in his grip!  Tune out the surroundings.  Fix your eyes on his eyes, and see and feel his out stretched arm as it embraces you, and tune your ears to the frequency of his voice.

Do not be afraid. Though this place is not our home, He is with you and He will hold you.  Like a child who trusts, trust him, he has a hold of you and will not let you fall.  He will support you through the adversity.  As you walk through life on this earth and the valley of the shadow of death he will hold you. He will deliver you out.  He will deliver you from evil.  Do not fear.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”  Mat 6:13

You will bring him glory because you trust him. Your testimony will shine as a beacon of light in a dark world and others will come to know him because of your faith in him to do the impossible, to do what no man or other god can do.  Only He can heal you, only He can save you.  When you trust Him to heal you and save you, you give him glory as the one true God.

I looked up the “verse of the day” this morning before writing you. I have spent all day asking Father God for the words to say in this moment, when you need to hear a word of encouragement from Him.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” James 1:12

Then my conversation with him went something like this: Wow, Father, this is a great verse, thank you, and I can’t wait to receive the crown of life and I love you with all my heart.  BUT how is “he that endureth temptation” a word of encouragement for this dear sister who is hurting and asking for prayer?  How dare I tell another Christian to endure temptation and wait for their crown?  Then he told me to look closer at the verse.  I realized there must be a bigger meaning to the words written there because I could not understand how “enduring temptation” applied to folks going through illness or difficulties that were no fault of their own.

Stumped, I went to the dictionary to find the meanings.

Dictionary meaning of “temptation”:

1. temptation is the act of tempting; enticement or allurement.
2. tempation is something that tempts, entices, or allures.
3. temptation is the fact or state of being tempted, especially to evil.
4. temptation is like the temptation of Christ by Satan, (Matthew 4).

Ok, so this is what I understood temptation to mean.  It is what I was taught.  According the dictionary, it means being tempted to sin, the act of being enticed and allured to sin, and it even references when Jesus was tempted by Satan to bow down to him.  However, this still did not make sense how going through an illness and a failing body organ such as a kidney, or someone loosing their job, or losing their home or their child, could be related to temptation…

Still stumped, I went to find the biblical meaning of tempation.  So I went to the Greek translation and Strong’s concordance for a biblical understanding.  Again, I prayed for the Holy Spirit to give me understanding.

My eyes were opened to the meaning of the word temptation. It has more meanings than what we are taught and different meanings than what is provided to us in our dictionaries.  Yes, it can mean being tempted by sin, as mentioned in the dictionary, but this is only one of several meanings that the dictionary neglected to give.  No wonder we as Christian’s miss the message so often.  We do not understand what is being said.

Biblical meaning of “temptation”:

Temptation is to “try” or to “test”
1. Temptation is to try or test one’s faith,
2. Temptation is to try or test one’s virtue,
3. Temptation is to try or test one’s character,
4. Temptation is an experiment, attempt, trial, proving, trial of man’s fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy, a putting to proof (by experiment (of good), experience (of evil), solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity.

Now when we read this verses from James 1:12 it makes sense:

Going through a difficult experience, such as an illness, can be a temptation or test of one’s character and constancy of our trust in him during the adversity.  When we love God and stay constant with our love and trust in him (to save, heal, deliver, provide)  as we endure the difficulty we will receive the crown of life that he has promised.

I prayed for the Holy Spirit to guide my words.  I have faith that when I pray and ask, he gives the answer.  In the bible, Jesus said the Holy Spirit will give us the right words to speak at the time it is needed.

Temptation is a trying of one’s faith.

Temptation is a test of one’s character.

Temptation is an experiment of good and evil.

Temptation is adversity and difficulty in our daily walk and proving of our character.

This is exactly what Job went through.  The devil, the accuser, who goes around the earth like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and brings accusation against the followers of God.  He got permission from Father God to attack Job, to bring adversity, in many different ways all in an attempt to tempt, test, and “prove” Job’s trust in Father God as having all authority, and to prove Job’s character.

Who won? Who won the showdown between Father God and Satan?  Father God won.  Father God knew Job’s character.  He even told Satan, “there is none like Job.”  Job didn’t succumb to temptation during his illness and loss of family, wealth, employees, and friends.  He continued to say, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away as He sees fit.” He refused to play god in his own life, or to try to change the outcome or seek out someone else to try to change the outcome, and he refused to curse Father God for the bad things he was going through.

Satan lost the battle with Job.  He was only allowed to go so far to “try” to “prove” otherwise, but God knew that Job could handle this attack on his body, family, and wealth, and he knew when to end the trial and restore Job and everything Satan had tried to steal and ruin.  God received the glory, because of Job’s temptation and “trying of this faith” through this adversity.

Now we can have a better understanding in our life today. Temptation is the trying of our faith, it is the testing of who we place our trust in, and our love of Father God.  Temptation is our faith put on trial.  Temptation is the testing of our faith in who we patiently wait on to deliver us from evil in adversity and difficulty in our daily walk and temptation is the proving of our character.

Jesus told us to pray like this:

“After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”  Matthew 6 : 9-13

When we rely on Father God, he will provide a way through the temptation during adversity and protect us from evil.

May you be encouraged to put your complete trust in him today.

Be blessed!

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Keep The Sabbath Holy

Father God established His calendar in the beginning.  Specific events are listed during the first week of creation that show He set his calendar in motion.  On the first day, He established that “evening” and “morning” equal a “day”.  On the fourth day, He established the method of keeping track of days.  On the 7th day of creation, He established the Sabbath day.

Genesis 1:1-5  “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. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

Genesis 1:14-19  “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”

Genesis 2:1-3  “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”

Later, when he had chosen a people for himself to be set apart from the world, he gave them 10 rules to follow called “commandments”, and He told them to remember the special Sabbath day and to keep it holy.

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make idols.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

He wrote these rules into stone with his own finger, and He signed them with his name “Yahuah” as a covenant between them.  There are 8 “Do Not” rules and 2 “Do” rules.  He said if they chose to obey them, it would bring life and blessings.  If they chose to disobey them it would bring curses and death.  He encouraged them to teach their children these commandments and pass them on to each generation.

The 4th commandment is to remember to obey His Sabbath day and keep it holy.  This is His Sabbath Calendar.

#4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

When is Sabbath and how do we keep it holy?

Exodus 31:13  “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.”

There are 4 Sabbaths each month.  A month is about 29 evenings mornings (days) long on Father God’s Calendar.

The sighting of the moon by two witnesses begins the month, next work 6 days, then rest 1 evening and morning (Sabbath day) and repeat this cycle 3 more times to complete the month.

The next month begins with sighting of moon by two witnesses, next work 6 days, then rest 1 evening and morning (Sabbath day), repeat cycle 3 more times to complete the month.

These are the cycles of the Sabbath Calendar!

We are instructed to keep the Sabbath day holy!

Exodus 20:11  “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

The scriptures tell us the New Year begins when the barley is ripe for harvest and the next sighting of the moon takes place (this usually takes place during mid March-April time of year on the Gregorian man-made calendar).  The first appointed feasts of the year begin during the first biblical month according to the barley harvest and the sighting of the moon.  The following  months of the year continue the cycle of the Sabbath calendar by sighting the moon each month to establish the days for work, Sabbath rests, and any appointed feasts for that month.

There are 7 appointed feasts that are to be celebrated on specific dates during the year according to the scriptures.  These are “appointed” dates Father God has scheduled and are not man’s calendars and man’s traditions for holidays.  One must understand and obey the Sabbath days to understand when to keep the appointed feasts.  We will go over these in the next story about Father God’s Calendar.

Faith in Father God’s only begotten son, Jesus, Yahusha (Yahuah saves) brings us into a right relationship with Father God, and because we are forgiven and have been adopted as his children, we can walk in a right relationship with Father God.   We walk with Father God as we love him, think about him, and obey his commands.

He established the calendar schedule for blessings and life.  We are to Work, Sabbath Rest, and Celebrate appointed Feast Seasons with Father God at the days and times he established.  We do not need a blood sacrifice, ritual, building, or man-made tradition to meet with him, because of the perfect gift of Jesus Yahusha.  He is Lord of the Sabbath.  He said the Sabbath was created to bring blessings into the life of those who keep it.  Obeying Father God’s commandments and calendar is where blessings and power flow into the lives of those who will believe and obey.

Jesus said that if you accept and obey him, the same spirit that dwelled in him will also dwell in you.   The Holy Spirit of God worked through him to do all of the miracles he did during his time on earth, and raised him from the dead on the third day.   This spirit is able to work through you and empower you to do even more miracles than he did.

However, I believe the reason the followers of Yahuah Father God today have very little blessing and essentially no power in their daily life to help others is because they don’t follow His calendar and obey the true Sabbath and appointed time for Feasts.  Instead they have put a different calendar created by men in it’s place.  They choose to worship on Sunday, or Friday, or Saturday instead of the true Sabbath.

Jesus told us to continue with the way he showed us freely giving in love because it had been freely given to us.

Are we doing the “great commission” Jesus gave us by healing the sick, casting out demons, feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, setting the captives free, and meeting the needs of those around us, and sharing the good news with all those we meet?

Or are we unable to fulfill his instructions?  Are we too far in debt, financially lacking, too physically feeble and weak in our own lives to meet this command of Jesus?

Why?  Jesus said “Man’s traditions nullify the power of God in people’s lives.”

We need to understand the importance of keeping the true Sabbath in honoring Father God.   We need to implement keeping the Sabbath day holy.   What does Father God want from a Sabbath?  The same instructions Jesus Yahusha gave us.

Read Isaiah 56-58.

Read Matthew 25:31-46

The sighting of the moon begins each month’s Sabbaths and the barley harvest begins each year’s cycle of Sabbaths and Feasts with Father God.  Check out the next post about the Calendar of Father God.

Be wise and be blessed!

Maranatha!

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As You See The Day Approaching

These encouraging words were in my bible study today.  The words “as you see the day approaching” really stood out to me.

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,

by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

and having a High Priest over the house of God,

let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”            Hebrews 10:19-25

A few encouraging notes I gleaned from these verses are:

  1. We can boldly enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus.  He is the living way, he is the door, he is the gate keeper, and he is our passport and ticket in to the holiest place with Father God.
  2. Jesus is our high priest and he gave his pure and sinless body as a living sacrifice, and one time ultimate payment, of our sin.  He cleanses us and forgives us.  When you ask accept his sacrifice with an honest heart, and ask him to be Lord of your life and forgive you of your sins, no further sacrifice is needed to be in a right relationship with Father God.  Jesus paid the price and is the high priest.
  3. We can have faith and fully trust in him because he is faithful.
  4. As we see the day of his return getting closer and closer, we are to consider each other’s needs, we are to meet together and spend time together, and we are to encourage one another and stir each other up in love to do good work.

His return is closer now than ever before.  His return is fast approaching, and as we see the day approaching, may we be ready and wise.

Be blessed!

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Come, Ye Blessed Of My Father

If Jesus Christ showed up in your life today, at your church, job, or neighborhood, would you recognize him?

Would he stand out?

When he came the first time, he was of no reputation.  He didn’t stand out.

He didn’t hand out business cards.

He didn’t dress like a wealthy man.

“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:7-8

Would you notice him?

Would he look like the perfect gift to you?

Would you see the treasure that is in him?

Or would you ignore him?

If he asked for a drink of water from your water bottle, would you freely offer it to him?

If he asked you for money, would you walk on by or would you reach into your pocket and give him some dollar bills?

If he had no where to go, would you buy him a hotel room for the night? Or would you invite him to stay at your home on your couch for a night or a week or indefinately?

If he didn’t look dressed for church, or the office, or presentable to go to dinner, would you sit next to him?

Would you avoid him or try to prevent him from sitting in the most desired seat, where the wealthy in your community, or church, or the most esteemed in your job or neighborhood sit?  Would you willingly give him your seat?

Would you stop him from walking to the front of the church and taking the microphone to read the scriptures out loud?  Would you stop him from speaking from the pulpit, or leading the church in singing?

If he tried to share his gifts and talents would you let him?  Would you have eyes to see the perfect gift of God?

Would you have room in YOUR ministry for him?

Would you pass over his gifts, would your mind be clouded by his appearance and lack of degrees and fame?  Would you prevent him from handling the offering plate, or greeting others at the door, or even sitting up front in a noticable seat?

If he tried to speak up and tell you that he must share his gifts anyway possible, would you let him?  Or would you let him know he is not a good fit for your church, let him know you will pray for him, and wish him luck to move on and find a church he is a “better fit” for?

Do you even know the voice of the master?

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

Would you recognize him?

Would you recognize someone he sent in his place?

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was hungry, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and fed you? or thirsty, and gave you drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and took you in? or naked, and clothed you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and came to visit you?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.”   Matthew 25:34-40

 

I pray that each of us can recognize each and every opportunity to be a blessing to those in need, and that we can see Jesus Christ in each person.  I pray we are found worthy and faithful servants, and we will hear those precious eternal words, “Come ye blessed of my Father.”

Be wise and be blessed!

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Reborn

Would you like to have eternal life?

From John 3:2-21

“The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

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.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

 

This birth day is worth eternity!

Choose this day to believe in the Son of God, to be forgiven of your sins and be reborn in the spirit, and be saved!

Be wise and be blessed!

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What God Has Your Attention?

Where is your focus? Does Father God have your attention or are you focused on other things, little gods that can’t save you? Because that is what this life is truly about.

Who do you serve? Who has your focus? Who has your time? Who do you trust? What has your mind and heart?

Jesus said: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24

If you focus on material things (money, house, job, apparel, cars, computers, things you can buy, things you can make, etc) instead of focusing your time, heart, mind, and resources on Father God, it will lead you to hate and despise him.

“if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.” Exodus 23:33b

However, if you focus on Father God, that will lead you to hate and despise materialism, money, houses, job, apparel, cars, computers, other gods, people worship, cultural man-made traditions, things you can buy, and things you make with your hands. If you love him, and serve him as your master, then you will choose to literally separate yourself from things of this world.  That is what the word “Hebrew” means, it is “a child of God who has separated himself from the world” and serves only the one true Creator Father God.

“Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfill.”  Exodus 33:24-36

It is going to be one way or the other. But it cannot be both.

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

Let us choose this day and everyday to separate ourselves from the lusts, desires, materialism, gods and idols of this world, and serve our only Father God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and choose to make him our focus by loving him first.

Be wise and be blessed!

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Of No Reputation

Profound!

 

With all the “puffing up” everyone does to make themselves look important,

the one who is True, the one who is Life, and the one who is the way to the

Kingdom of God, that we are to follow and live our lives as he did,

surprisingly didn’t puff himself up.

 

He did not boast, he did not create the smartest resume, or attain the

highest college degree, or wear the latest fashion.  He did not try to impress

anyone, he did not have business cards to hand out. He didn’t sell anything.

 

He simply came in His Father’s name, spoke truth in love, healed others and

met their needs, and only asked that they believe in and obey Father God

and believe that he sent his Son to save them through the gift of his life.  

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8

 

May we learn to be more like Him, humble, filled with love, while we serve

each other in the Father’s name, as we trust, obey, and believe each day.

 

Be wise and be blessed!

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Closer Than Before

Are we are closer than before to the return of the Son of God?

I think we are.

When he was asked about his return, he had a lot to say.  Some of his words about his return can be found in the book of Matthew.  There are also many other verses in the bible that talk about his return too, especially the book of the Apocalypse also called Revelation.

Matthew 24:6-30

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.

But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  See, I have told you beforehand.

“Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.  For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

There is so much going on in this world that points to his soon return.  This generation is truly in a high watch time.  I encourage you to read and re-read the scriptures, especially about his return, as the time is now closer than before.

I hope you are waiting and watching with expectation.

Be blessed!

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