Watermelon Time

Sometimes there are things that happen in this world that are beyond explanation. That was the case yesterday. I am STILL amazed by this particular example as I write this.

Have you ever lost one of your most favorite things? I have. I'm sure you have too. What we wouldn't give to have that lost treasure back again.

Last year I was teaching a kid's disc golf class in the community where I live. We were on the last hole on the last night of class. Long story, short, I left my favorite disc on that hole, and it was gone. I was pretty sad.

That disc did whatever I asked of it. Plus, it was a fundraiser disc for a friend of mine.

It took a while to recover from that loss. Long enough for my wife to notice. As Christmas rolled arond, she went on Ebay and found a replacement. How sweet of her to do that! I had another watermelon 🍉 disc in my bag for this year. Still, everytime I looked at it, I thought about the one I had lost.

Our salvation is like that watermelon disc, only it's far more valuable. When we repent of our sins and place our hope in Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit. We become saved.

I've seen some videos where people are wondering if they can lose their salvation. Wouldn't that be a terrible thing to lose? It's absolutely priceless!

Thankfully, we cannot lose what God so freely gave to us.

"When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession - to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14

Amen!

Yesterday, I was working at our local course when two players came through. They were both league players and friends of mine so I stopped working to talk with them. That's when I noticed that one of them was carrying, you guessed it, a watermelon disc, just like the one I had lost. 

"Is that a watermelon disc?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Where'd you get it?"

"Oh, I found it out here."

"Where? Was it on Hole 18?"

"Yeah, I think so. Why?"

"I think that's my disc!"

My friend gave me the disc right then and there. In return, I've got a few drivers I'm going to be giving him. 🥏 The original watermelon disc, the one that came back home to me, is back in my bag. And the one my wife gave me? It's on the wall in my office, to remind me just how much she lives me.

I lost that disc almost exactly one year ago. Yet, it wasn't really lost, was it? No. God was just waiting for the right moment to reunite us.

Discs are a thing of this world. They can provide both happiness and sorrow. "But the gift of God is salvation through Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). We can NEVER lose that, if you believe with all your heart and submit to His lordship.

Our salvation is a gift from God. It is nothing that we have done. It's always been Jesus. Place your faith in Him today. Then have a slice of watermelon today and celebrate this great country of ours.🇺🇸 Another great gift from God. 😊❤️🙏

And . . . Action!

Have you noticed how quiet things have gotten with China and Russia lately? Yeah, there's occasional news stories about Russia vs. Ukraine or China tormenting Taiwan, but other than that, all is quiet. TOO quiet.

Some things we need to remember: 1.) Both China and Russia are allies of Iran. They cannot be pleased with what's going on in the Middle East. 2.) China gets (got) most of their oil from Iran. Trump's blockade denied several Chinese ships access to much-needed oil shipments. 3.) Both China and Russia are nuclear powers.

Here's a sci-fi, action, end-times movie plot for you, made up from my own demented mind:

Iran makes a deal with China and gets a nuclear weapon. China gets lots of oil in return. LOTS. China also promises to help Iran against Israel and the U.S. (they're already doing that. So is Russia).

Iran would like to use their new weapon against Israel but Israel is too close, and with the prevailing westerly winds, it would be unwise as Iran lies to the east of Israel. So, the target becomes the United States. But when?

This Saturday is the 4th of July, America's 250th birthday. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Why does Iran keep delaying the peace talks? 🤔 It is not in their nature to make peace with their enemy. It's victory or death for them. They have become experts at dragging things out. They are simply re-arming themselves and licking their wounds.

Meanwhile, back to my movie plot. Russia is not just waiting in the wings. With the U.S. cleaning up Washington D.C. after the blast, Russia will invade Latvia. That will give them a much needed sea port, and it will isolate Estonia, their next target. They will be satisfied with what they have gotten from Ukraine to date. For now.

NATO will do absolutely nothing. The U.S. will drop them like a hot potato. Russia has already fired drones into Poland. Putin will be licking his chops. And then there's Turkey and North Korea, but that will be in the sequel. 

The thing that China and Russia will be forgetting of course is the God of Israel and the followers of the Lord Jesus.

The climax of the movie begins when Jesus takes all of His children out of here. The restrainer will then be removed and the lawless one revealed. The seven year tribulation period will begin. And then things will REALLY get ugly.

The thing about scary movies that makes them REALLY scary is when the story is something that could actually happen.

Back in the 70's two sci-fi movies came out - Star Wars and Close Encounters. Both were good entertainment, but only one was actually believable. Like it could actually happen during that time period.

Hopefully my movie plot will never come true, but according to the Bible, some of it will. And the scary thing is, it COULD happen. Would anything surprise us anymore?

We were surprised on September 11, 2001. No one ever dreamed that could ever happen. Yet, it did.

“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book." - Daniel 12:2

And should this movie plot ever make it to reality, there is one way to survive the coming wrath: Repent, Believe, then Forever Receive.

All of us were sinners at birth. We need to acknowledge that, and believe in the one who sacrificed Himself on our behalf - satisfying our Just Judge. Only then can we enter in to the promised land and receive all of the blessings that God has promised.😊❤️🙏

Earthquakes

In the Book of Matthew, in the 24th chapter, Jesus is asked by His disciples, "Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus then gives them an entire checklist of things that will happen.

"Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. ⁶You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸All these are the beginning of birth pains.

⁹“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. ¹⁰At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. ¹²Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, ¹³but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. ¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." - Matthew 24:4-14

Are any of those things happening now? Well, all of them are. This past week there were two earthquakes in Venezuela over 7 (7.2 and 7.5). One right after the other. They are still sorting through the rubble, but there are already over 1,400 among the dead, with tens of thousands more among the missing.

To be clear, there are measurable earthquakes every day, but big ones like this stand out. And Jesus said these are just "the beginning" (v8).

Then he said this in verse 9:

"You will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me."

Who is the "you" in this verse? Well, Jesus is talking to the disciples, but as history has shown, ALL Christians will suffer because of their faith in Christ. The key words are "because of me."

As of Saturday night, there were 40,000 people still missing after this week's earthquakes in Venezuela.

When there us unrest in the Middle East, and things like this begin to happen, it's always a good idea to pray and then wait anxiously for His return. Wars and rumors of wars, peace, peace, when there is no peace. It's all happening.

Yet, come, Lord Jesus!

"He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" - Revelation 20:20

"When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” - Luke 21-28

Choose

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." - Proverbs 14:12

Life consists of a series of choices. Left - right, up - down, in - out. We make a choice and go on from there.

Sometimes we choose poorly. We turn left when we should have turned right. That particular bad choice will most likely have bad consequences. We may be late for a meeting, or, worse yet, become completely lost.

Some choices can have rather long-lasting consequences. While a wrong turn on the highway can be corrected, other choices in life can lead to dead ends. Literally.

A woman makes a choice to have unprotected sex. That "choice" has consequences - a sexually transmitted infection, or an unintended pregnancy. And infection can be treated, but a pregnancy? Either it comes to fruition, or it is terminated.

Everyone must make a choice when wrestling with the question of God and/or Jesus. Either you believe, or you don't. And, in the case about Jesus, even doing nothing has consequences. As someone once said, "Not to decide, is to decide."

Whether we decide to follow Christ or not, our decision has lasting consequences. 

There is one single verse, found in the Book of Romans, that lays out our choice options when it comes to our faith, or lack thereof. 

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23

The choice is right there. If we choose to lead a sin-filled life, we will surely die. But a life "in Christ" promises eternal life. All we have to do it repent of our sins and believe. It seems like a no-brainer. The choice is obvious. Choose Christ and live!

Come To Jesus - Chris Rice

A Spiritual War

Have you ever had one of "those days"? A day when nothing seems to go right? Well, take heart. There's a cure for that.

Monday was such a day for me. Just feeling down, for no apparent reason. "What's going on?" I asked myself. The answer, as per usual, is in the Bible.

The final straw, the thing that pushed me to take action, was when my wife and I were watching the news at supper time. It was a story about Iran.

"What is with those guys?" she asked. A very logical question. In my mind, there was a very logical answer, so I offered it.

"It's a spiritual war."

"And why does everyone hate Israel?" Another logical question. Because it certainly seems that way.

"And what's up with Tucker Carlson? What happened to him?" She's making good observations and asking the appropriate questions. So, what's happening? What is causing all of this turmoil? What is the root cause of all this grief, unrest, depression, anxiety, and angst? Let's take a look.

"We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." - 1 John 5:19

"In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." - 2 Corinthians 4:4

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ²in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work." - Ephesians 2:1-2

Satan, "the evil one" in the 1st John verse, is now at work in the world. He has been working since Eve gave Adam some fruit to eat. HE is the cause of all this trouble.

The next two words after that Ephesians 2 verse above are, "But God." Oh, those two beautiful, wonderful words! God is the cure!

I got up out of my living room chair, went downstairs to my office, and played some worship music. After that, I slept like a baby.

What is the answer to all of Satan's evil schemes? The pain and suffering he causes? It's Jesus! Embrace Him, receive Him, love Him. Submit to Him, abide in Him, and worship Him.

When we do that one thing, worship, with all of our heart, all of our problems fade away. Thank you, Lord! Our wonderful, merciful Savior.

Wonderful Merciful Savior - Selah

Covenant

Did you see the news story about the San Francisco Giants pitching staff? They got into a little bit of trouble with Major League Baseball during the league's "Pride Month" celebration.

The team had modified the logo on their baseball caps with wonderful, happy rainbow colors.

But then the Giants pitchers wrote something on the cap. "Genesis 9:13-16." What is that?

"And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: ¹³I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, ¹⁵I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. ¹⁶Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” - Genesis 9:12-16

The rainbow was created by God and therefore belongs to God (v13). Humans have taken God's symbol of a covenant and used it to symbolize something else. Something that God calls sinful and "an abomination."

Back in the Old Testament there is a verse that is repeated a few times. Because of our society's desire to please everyone, it has made obvious its straying from God's Word.

"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit." - Judges 21:25

And that's the problem with this "anything goes" culture we are living in. It has no king. If it did, if it truly knew Jesus, I would not be writing this story today. We would not be in danger of incurring God's wrath.

There are churches that embrace sin and do so in the name of social justice. This is wrong. As a prominent pastor once said, "There is no such thing as SOCIAL justice. Only JUSTICE."

When we decide to embrace things that are outside of God's commands for us, we enter into the danger zone. And that never ends well.

"Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁹How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? ³⁰For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” ³¹It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." - Hebrews 10:28-31

 

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." - Jesus, Matthew 10:34

The Biggest Lie

[This is part of a Bible Study lesson for our youth group. Enjoy!]

The following is a short 2-minute clip. Please watch it. It is a perfect metaphor for the world we live in today.

The Woman In The Red Dress - The Matrix

In the video you will notice two of the film's characters, Morpheus and Neo, walking through a sea of people. Morpheus (whose name means 'to change') has no problem navigating through "the world," but Neo (whose name means 'new') bumps into just about everyone available.

Morpheus, at least in MY mind, represents the Holy Spirit, while Neo represents the new believer. He represents you and me.

Morpheus explains, "Most of these people are not ready to be unplugged." How true that is regarding the world in which WE live, and the people in it. Remember this from Jesus....

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them." - John 6:44

The title of this story is "The Biggest Lie." What is the lie? It's the world we live in. And he who controls it is the biggest liar.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:2

The Holy Spirit "unplugs" us from "the world." Only when that happens can we truly see. We who believe are not of this world.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." - 1 John 2:15-17

We watch the news and the stories they feed us. We spend time scrolling through our social media feeds. We interact with non-Christian friends. It's just part of a system that tries to control us and direct us, just like in the movie. And those who are not believers in Jesus, well, they are the enemy.

But we who have been "unplugged" are not of this world. Here's some encouraging words from Jesus.

"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." - John 15:19

The biggest liar is Satan. Speaking to the Jewish leaders, Jesus said: 

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:44

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have been unplugged. Your eyes have been opened. You are a new creation. Your name is Neo.

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Amen!!

The Parable of The Campfire

One thing being in Boy Scouts taught me when I was a kid was how to build a fire. You start small with the tinder and get the fire started with a spark from a piece of flint and steel bar. Once the spark ignites into a flame, we put on dried pine needles or birch bark to build it up. Then came sticks and eventually the firewood. Our faith in kind of like that.

The spark is the moment we come to believe and we receive the Holy Spirit. After that the fire grows as we find a Bible-believing church, get involved in a Bible study, and immerse ourselves in God's Word.

But what do we do if our faith becomes stagnant? We can't just sit around waiting for our faith to be renewed, for it to catch fire again. We must fan the flames somehow. Blow on it. Add some more wood. Poor a little gasoline on it! Read the Bible, pray, go to a Bible study. Do something! The Bible says that Jesus stands at the door and knocks. That's true. But WE have to open the door. WE have to do something.

Our Scout Leader had a wonderful concoction he called Boy Scout Juice. It was half gasoline and half kerosene. That got the flames burnin'! Lol!

I have heard people say, "I feel so distant from God." Listen, God hasn't gone anywhere. He is everywhere. WE have left HIM and wandered off.

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way." - Isaiah 53:6

Searchin'

A series of events has been happening in my life lately which makes me wonder, "Is the Lord trying to tell me something?"

In Genesis 24, Abraham sent his servant to get a wife for his son Isaac. The servant prayed for a sign to happen. And when it did, the servant knew that the woman at the well (Rebekah), who was watering his camels, was the right one for Isaac.

"Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. ¹³See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’ - let her be the one YOU have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” - Genesis 24:12-14

Have you ever had that happen to you? Prayed for something, and then received a confirming sign?

I am beginning to wonder about a task I am working on. Things have been happening that are impeding my progress. Are these events from the Lord? Or, are they from the devil? Hard to tell.

So, how can we find out if something is from the Lord?

1. Pray - Ask God for answers to your questions.
2. Is it according to God's will? - Is what you are doing something that God would desire?
3. Consider the fruit - What will the outcome be? Does it bring glory to God?
4. Seek Godly counsel - Talk to your pastor or a brother or sister in Christ about it.
5. Trust and Obey - Wherever the outcome of the above steps leads, trust it.

We can't be so fixated on doing something that we forget who we are doing it for - God. 

A friend of mine once told me, "It's hard to turn a parked car. Take a step. Move! If it's the wrong direction, you'll know."

So, whether you are thinking about switching jobs or starting a new ministry, begin to move in that direction. If blessings occur, continue on. But if nothing happens, perhaps more prayer is warranted. It may not be what God wants you to do.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." - Matthew t:7-8

Searching So Long - Chicago

The Battle Is The Lord's

Christian theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968) once said, "We must hold the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other." That's good advice. Especially these days with Iran, the U.S. and Israel trading missles and drones every day.

So, why aren't the world leaders reading their Bibles? I'm not sure. If they did, and inquired of the Lord, perhaps the "conflict" could have ended already, one way or another. However, this is not your stereotypical war. It is a spiritual battle. 

"All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.” - 1 Samuel 17:47

That was King David ranting against the Philistines shortly before he killed Goliath. Trump and Netanyahu should read rheir Bibles every morning before breakfast IMO. Maybe they do, but their actions say otherwise.

Have you noticed how Iran talks the big talk and rattles their saber every chance they get? They are like Goliath. They are all about delaying and delaying while they restock their ammo and rebuild their defenses. They don't negotiate for peace. It's merely a tactic. They negotiate to delay.

“Because they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, ¹¹therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall." - Ezekiel 13:10-11

And Trump is more interested in his team winning the November election than in obtaining victory in the Middle East. Let's negotiate! He wants to be portrayed as a man of peace come November. He should have finished the job, but he won't. 

Have you noticed how Trump posts on social media on Thursday about a peace deal so the market can soar a thousand points before the weekend?

Persia (Iran) will still be there in the final battle. Meshek and Tubal (Turkey), and many others are also mentioned in Ezekiel 38.

This present-day skirmish is a Satan vs. God battle. What we are witnessing today is just a stirring of the pot. The ingredients have all been added. And soon it will come to a boil.

Want to know how the story ends?

"Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. ¹²He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. ¹³He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.

¹⁴The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses. ¹⁵And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. ¹⁶And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." - Revelation 19:11-16

The time is short my friends. Jesus has promised to return for His bride (The Church). Are you a member? Have you repented? Do you abide in Christ?

He Was Pleased?

There are many different translations of the Bible's ancient manuscripts. This can sometimes cause confusion. Here is one such example from the Book of Isaiah.

"Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand." - Isaiah 53:10, NIV

Here's the same verse in the New King James Version:

"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand." - Isaiah 53:10, NKJV

I can understand it being God's will to "crush" Jesus for our sins (NIV). He is a just judge. But honestly, I struggle with the NKJV, saying it PLEASED God to do it.

Also, "crushed" vs. "bruised." Would you rather be crushed or bruised? Personally, I'd choose to be bruised rather than crushed, but that's just me.

Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death." That sounds more like "crushing" than "bruising."

Anyway . . . why would it PLEASE God to kill His only begotten Son? I have no idea.

One thing to consider is that Jesus is part of the Trinity. Jesus IS God. Jesus is LORD and LORD is the name used in the text, so really Jesus pleased Himself.

Look, God loves His children. He loves Israel and all of the Gentile believers who have been "grafted in." Yet every one of us is a sinner, doomed to destruction witbout Jesus and His sacrifice. Here's a thought.

What if Jesus, who assumed human form, lived a perfect life, offered Himself as a spotless sacrifice for all of mankind. Do you suppose THAT would please God the Father? Jesus sacrificing Himself so that we could live?

We, God's creation, would then receive eternal life and could commune with God, just like Adam did at the very beginning.

"And they heard the sound of the LORD God, walking in the garden in the cool of the day." - Genesis 3:8

And could "bruising" Jesus, rather than crushing Him, be equated with a temporary death? Because a "bruise" heals, and Jesus was resurrected. 🤔

Or, perhaps it's because that, after thousands of years, God's plan of redemption was finally revealed to His children, in Christ on the cross. I could see where that could be pleasing.

I'm no biblical scholar. Maybe there's a perfect explanation for these differing translations. But I DO know this: God is perfect, His plan is perfect, and it doesn't really matter what we think. All things happen according  to His will. And I'm okay that.

The Parable of The Fawn

The Scene: Central Wisconsin, early June, another beautiful day. I was nearly home, driving my big, noisy F-250, when out of the woods came a slow-walking doe. I slowed down, and then stopped. So did the doe. We were both waiting. And then there it was - a newborn fawn.

This little one was brand new! Maybe a couple of hours old. I watched as it approached the edge of the road and stopped. I looked at the mom. She was watching her baby. Then, with utmost confidence, the fawn crossed the road. Extremely wobbly, yet determined, it went. It's goal? Just to get to mama. It didn't care about the big, noisy truck. It's focus was on it's goal. Mom, or perhaps breakfast.

When the fawn had disappeared into the tall grass, the mom looked directly at me, as if to say "Thanks for stopping." Then it turned and was gone.

There is a hidden story here. I encourage you to stop and wait for it, like I did with the fawn the other day. Are you ready?

We are all born into this world. Wobbly and uncertain at first to be sure. But eventually we are walking and finding our way. Our goal at such a young age is to be with with our mother. She has the nourishment we long for. We also find peace and security in her presence. Life is good.

There is also a second story, hidden in the tall grass. One of a SECOND birth. You and I are the fawn. Our "mother" is Jesus. 

We too must "cross over". Jesus waits for us on the other side. When we place our faith in Jesus, we can hold our head high, confident of our destination, in Christ.

We must keep our eyes focused on the goal, then step into the grass, to be with our Lord, forever.

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." - 1 Peter 1:8-9

"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made." - Romans 1:20

Perfect Love

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." - 1 John 4:18

There is a desire within the human heart to be loved. You have that desire. So do I. When we are loved, our hearts are filled with joy. When we are NOT loved, no amount of sunshine can brighten up our day.

"A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another." - John 13:34

"No one is perfect," says the world. Is that true? Of course not! The world does not know Jesus. If it did, we wouldn't have any of these horrible, divisive stories on the news every night. What would the news media do then?! Lol!

Jesus demonstrated His love for us by sacrificing His own life for us. Think about that for a moment. Think about a world filled with His unconditional, sacrificial love!

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

One might say, "A world filled with that kind of love is not possible." To that, I would say, "All things are possible . . . with God." - 

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:26

My friends, if you are not feeling loved, if your world is filled with darkness and pain, please consider Jesus. He beings light to the darkest day. He brings hope to the lost, and love to those who have none. Be perfected in love. The love of our Savior.

Great Are You Lord - Casting Crowns

Really Moses?

"The Lord was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance." - Deuteronomy 4:21

Really Moses? Was God really angry with you because of the Israelites? Let's turn back to Numbers 20 and take a closer look.

"Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. ³They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! ⁴Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? ⁵Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

⁶Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. ⁷The Lord said to Moses, ⁸“Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.” - Numbers 20:2-8

God said, "SPEAK to that rock." What did Moses do? Let's keep reading.

"So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. ¹⁰He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” ¹¹Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank." - Numbers 20:9-11

Moses didn't get to enter the Promised Land because of his OWN disobedience. Yes, Moses was angry with the Israelites, and the were a stiff necked people, but they didn't keep Moses from crossing the Jordan. His sin did.

When we examine our own lives, can we find things that might keep us from enjoying God's blessings? What about the infertile woman? The Bible says that he closes and opens rhe womb. Upon occasion, God allows Satan to cause us problems. All for His ultimate glory and our good.

Sin is a bigger problem in our lives than most of us are willing to acknowledge. Our next step should be repentance, and let Hod take it from there.

Is there something in our lives that needs to change in God's eyes? Do we need to eliminate certain foods and drinks to live a healthier, happier life? Perhaps it's a relationship that needs to end.

We should be constantly examining ourselves, searching for ways to become more holy. That's a very basic command from God.

"Be holy, for I am holy." - Leviticus 11:44, 45, 19:2, 20:26, 1 Peter 1:15

Why Speak At All?

Let's face it. We're all different. We look different, act different, and even think differently. Why should it surprise us then when we don't agree? And why does it matter so much to some when we don't?"

Look at our country's government for example. It is run by people who cannot seem to agree with one another. Only rarely does that ever happen.

Some people's opinions are so important to themselves that they lie and cheat and even kill to get their own way. Why?

Why should we Christians care when someone doesn't believe in God? I mean, we're chosen, right? Our future is secure for all eternity.

The reason is this: it's Christ, in us. It's the Holy Spirit. We have compassion and mercy for the lost because of what we have in us.

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. ²⁰We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." - 2 Corinthians 5:17, 20

It seems as if we are to be certain of conflict as we try to speak to those who don't want to hear what we have to say  The reward however is worth the fight.

Yesterday in church I saw a young family talking with our pastor after the service. There were smiles on everyone's faces. The center of attention seemed to be their oldest daughter. Could it be that this young soul wanted to be baptized at our church picnic in August? It could!

And that is the reward. The crown we lay at the feet of Jesus. This girl must have heard the Gospel enough times to finally connect. What a wonderful thing to behold.

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." - Romans 10:14, 17

We must never stop sharing the Gospel. Who knows. One day, you may be the one who the Holy Spirit uses to deliver His nessage of hope and love at just the right moment. And, in that moment, someone crosses over from death to life, and they become saved - forever changed.

Only The Lonely

I played a song for my wife the other night. She was unimpressed. Yet the song reminded me of something . . . something. But what was it?

I played it again just the other night after seeing it pop up in my YouTube feed. Again. Then it came to me. It was a Bible verse.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even their own life - such a person cannot be my disciple." - Luke 14:26

That was Jesus telling us that if we don't hate everyone on earth we cannot be His disciple.

What?!? Why does Jesus want to us to hate everyone? Wasn't He the one who told us that we were supposed to love our neighbors as ourselves?

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22:39

The operative word in this verse is "hate." So, what does this mean? I'm confused.

Basically, the Greek word translated as 'hate' means 'to love less.' The context surrounding the verse is about the cost of discipleship. We must be willing to leave everything for Jesus.

With that concept in mind, we can begin to see how discipleship is a game that 'only the lonely can play.'

In another place a rich young man came to Jesus and asked, "What good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth." - Matthew 19:21-22

Jesus must be #1 in our lives - our highest priority. The question we must ultimately ask ourselves is this:

"Do you love me more than these?" - Jesus, John 21:15

That's a tough question to answer, given the world we live in today. Do we love Jesus most of all? Our answer must be, and HAS TO BE, "Yes, Lord! I love you with all of my heart. Sacrificially, unconditionally, with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength."

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹(and) . . . ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12:30-31

Only The Lonely - The Motels

Hate Father & Mother -

 GotQuestions.org

Go To Your Room!

"But your dead will live, Lord; their bodies will rise - let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy - your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.

²⁰Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until His wrath has passed by.

²¹See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed on it; the earth will conceal its slain no longer." - Isaiah 26:19-21

What did we just read? Yes, it was the prophet Isaiah. But what was he talking about? It sounds like he is describing God's wrath (v20), but he also has God telling his people to "enter your rooms" until God's wrath has passed. 

And in verse 19 Isaiah prophesied about the dead rising. This is the Resurrection!

Two verses immediately come to mind.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ²My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴You know the way to the place where I am going.” - John 14:4

And also . . .

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

And previously, in Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica, we find this . . .

"Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. ¹⁴For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

¹⁵By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. ¹⁷After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

¹⁸Therefore encourage one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

Why is this not preached from every pulpit, every Sunday?! This is incredible news!!

I encourage you to watch the following video (from which the inspiration for this story came). It's an hour plus, but fast forward to the 30-minute mark. Interesting discussion!

Live Free - Josh Howerton w/ John Bevere

Big House - Audio Adrenaline

Long Ago Far Away

Traditionally, Memorial Day is a day of remembering service men and women who have sacrificed their lives while defending our country. It's good to have a day for that, but honestly, that should be EVERY day.

Today however, I am thinking about another group of "soldiers." They too have sacrificed their lives for something they believed in. Jesus. They're called martyrs.

Blessed are those soldiers, who not only sacrifice their lives for this country, but also willingly suffer death for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. Probably the best-known martyr for the Bible was Stephen.

"When they (the Pharisees) heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. ⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, ⁵⁶and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

⁵⁷Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; ⁵⁸and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep." - Acts 7:54-60

Each of us makes our own decision about how far we are willing to go for Jesus. Some fold when they are persecuted by society. Others leave the faith when they are hurt by their own churches. But then there are those who suffer many things for Christ and refuse to yield to Satan and his minions, no matter what. We need to be one of those.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:35-39

Remember . . .

Remember - Harry Nilsson

Aaron's Staff

I recently had a conversation with someone about The Ten Commandments movie (clip below). It involved the staff that Moses threw down in front of Pharaoh. In the movie, Moses says, "Aaron, cast down my staff." and hands his staff to his brother Aaron, who threw it down. What does the Bible say happened?

"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ⁹“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.”

¹⁰So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake." - Exodus 7:8-10

It was Aaron's staff that turned into a snake, not the staff of Moses.

Later on, when God instructed Moses and Aaron to turn the water into blood in front of Pharaoh, God told Moses, "Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt." - Exodus 7:19

Once again, it was Aaron's staff.

What about the plague of frogs? That came next.

"Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’”

⁶So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land." - Exodus 8:5-6

Now, there was no staff involved at all! It was just Aaron! And he keeps going! Exodus 8:16 and the plague of gnats - Aaron and his staff. But things changed at this point. Now, in Exodus 8:21, God alone performs His wonders with a plague of flies.

‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. ²¹If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will be covered with them.

²²“‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. ²³ I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.’” - Exodus 8:20-23

Finally, in Exodus 9, Moses' staff gets involved.

"When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground." - Exodis 9:23

My point is this: we should not be getting our theology from Hollywood.

Did you ever see Aaron with HIS staff in the movie clip? No. Yet God had Aaron to use it extensively in the Bible. It was Aaron's staff that budded in Numbers 17, not the staff of Moses. But whether it was Aaron or Moses that Pharaoh encountered, it was ALL the power of God at work.

Finally, in my opinion, any movie about biblical times and people should be watched with a Bible in your lap and a steaming cup of discernment in your hand.

Let My People Go - Ten Commandments movie

Still They Ride

I was reminded of a Journey song this week. It's one of those "power ballads." I love that kind of song. Powerful, yet very moving.

In the song, there is a line that reads, "day rules the night."

Still they ride

The strong will survive

Day rules the night

I'm reading the Book of Genesis right now. Is it any surprise that God uses all things for His glory?

"And God made the two great lights - the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night - and the stars." - Genesis 1:16

I KNEW I'd heard that somewhere. That got me thinking. As the Journey song says, "day rules the night." That brought to mind another verse.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:5

The light that John wrote about is Jesus. He shines brighter than anything.

When we have those moments of sorrow in our lives - those times of darkness - we tend to wallow in them, feeling sorry for ourselves. Why do we do that?! Turn on The Light!!

Read the Bible. Pray. Talk with a brother- or sister-in-Christ. When we walk into a dark room, don't we turn on the light? Well?

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me." - Revelation 3:20

Open wide the door! Let Him in!

"Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in." - Psalm 25:9

[My biker friends have been prayed for this morning: David, Matt, Sam, Mary, Tim, Alex, and anyone else who rides. And also for my Journey buddy Elijah.]

Still They Ride - Journey

Purpose For Pain

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” - John 3:8

That was Jesus talking to Nicodemus about the Holy Spirit. This is from my study Bible.

"Jesus' point was that just as the wind cannot be controlled or understood by human beings but its effects can be witnessed, so also it is with the Holy Spirit. He cannot be controlled or understood, but the proof of His work is apparent. Where the Spirit works, there is undeniable and unmistakable evidence."

That last sentence is huge.

It reminds me of a song by Sidewalk Prophets - Live Like That. There is a line in that song that asks, "Is there evidence that I've been changed?"

Have we been changed by the Holy Spirit? There should be noticable evidence - a "before" and an "after" of some sort.

Do you remember the band Creed? They were playing to sold out stadiums at one point but then they broke up. Twice. Their lead singer was named Scott Stapp. I watched an interview of his this week where he credited God for the change in HIS life.

"One thing that's great is God can take our messes and turn them into a message. He can take our pain and give it purpose." - Scott Stapp

Scott now speaks to mens groups about their struggles with addiction, child abuse, and depression. In the interview he mentioned a song he had written called Purpose For Pain. This is from that song:

There's gotta be more, 'cause life is insane.

Gotta turn this around and find the purpose for pain.

If we look at our own lives, have we suffered pain? Did a purpose arise from it? That purpose, the result of all the pain and suffering, is the proof that we've been changed. That change is the evidence that the Holy Spirit lives in us.

What then? Is there evidence that we've been changed? Does that evidence bring glory to God? It should. If there has not been a noticeable change from the pain in our lives, perhaps it is time to make a change.

Just remember, God makes amazing changes through His Holy Spirit. Any man-made changes can be subject to failure. Ask God to make a change in you today. And do it for HIS glory, not your own.

Purpose For Pain - Scott Stapp

Live Like That - Sidewalk Prophets

The Life Preserver

What does love look like to you? Most of us tend to picture a young couple, walking along the beach at sunset, holding hands. Or perhaps a young mother, holding her newborn child to her breast.

"See how much they love each other," we say. "Look how much she loves her child!"

God commands us to love one another. And we DO have that ability within us. But we tend not to love those who are against us or who are not interested in hearing the Gospel message.

How can we NOT share the Gospel? Considering what awaits those who have not come to a saving faith in Jesus, it is the ONLY loving thing we can do.

"So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" - John The Baptist, Luke 3:7

The example I always use is someone drowning at the beach. They need help. If they don't get that help, they will soon be dead. Are we just going to stand there and watch them die? Or, do we throw then a life preserver?

"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." - James 2:26

Every human needs a life preserver, and His name is Jesus. Without Him, we will be eternally dead, spending our forever life after this one in hell. But, in Jesus, we can have eternal life, free from pain and suffering, surrounded by love.

"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - Jesus, John 13:34

It seems so simple. So, why do people not want to hear our message? Why do they choose to spend eternity in anguish? They don't believe our message.

We can do nothing to change their hearts. But we CAN love them, and pray for them, and share  the message of hope with them.

We are ALL sinners. But, if we repent of our sins and trust in Jesus, we WILL be saved.

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the Gospel!” - Jesus, Mark 1:15

So then, this is love . . .

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." - 1 John 4:10-11

Our departure for our new home is approaching. We best be found busy when He comes.

This Is Home - Switchfoot

The Beast System

If you are familiar with the prophetic writings of Daniel and John in Revelation, you have probably heard the term 'Beast.' In Daniel, four beasts are mentioned. In Revelation there are three.

Daniel's beasts are empires or countries. In Revelation, these beasts represent people. Both are symbolic in nature and take place during a future time. The time of The End.

These empires, countries, and rulers, all exhibit power.

“After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns." - Daniel 7:7

The beast's "victims" are people like you and me - Christians. All who are unwilling to submit to the authority and power of The Beast - the Antichrist.

He will establish power and authority over all nations and people, and will be controlled by the ultimate "beast " - Satan. In order to maintain control this Antichrist will set up a government or "system" to help him maintain his dominance. This has become known as The Beast System.

As we look at the world today, can we see any such thing taking place? Some kind of system of worldwide power and control? The United Nations perhaps? Maybe. But the actual means by which control will be established?

How about Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)?

It is already here and growing in both power and scope. Think about it. We are all plugged into this system already with our phones, computers, cars, and TV's. Any device that is "smart." How can Alexa answer unless it is always listening?

Did you know that all 2026 cars have the authority to surveil us? This system will watch us constantly, warning us if it thinks we are falling asleep or are impaired in any way. AI already parks our cars for us and slams on the brakes for us if it thinks our car is going to hit something.

When you go online to company websites, we often encounter AI "assistants," asking us, "How may I help you today?"

"How about by turning yourself off and going away?"

"I'm sorry. I can't do that, Dave."

"The system" is here and growing in power and knowledge at an exponential rate. Robots are running marathons and beating humans. Armies around the world are using drones. Ukraine is already deploying robots on the battlefield. This is all happening right now. What do you think will happen when The Antichrist comes to power and takes control of AI?

One good thing about all this - we won't be here to see it. God will remove all of the Christians according to the Bible. We will never know who the Antichrist is, and we won't really care. This is not our home anymore. Our home is with Jesus. We're just waiting and watching.

"And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. ²He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. ³He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore." - Revelation 20:1-3

Safe Passage

There is a parable playing out on the nightly news. Have you seen it? Let's call it The Parable of Safe Passage.

There are lots boats in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman right now. They are all wanting to get from Point A to Point B. Yet very few of them are wanting to go through the Strait of Hormuz. Why not? Because Iran will shoot at them or attack them with speed boats, armed with a 50 cal.

Iran and the U.S. are having a "disagreement" right now. Some are calling it a war while others are referring to it as an "operation." Either way, no one is getting anywhere, oil shipments are being disrupted, and no one is having any fun whatsoever.

How is this a parable? Well . . .

Think of the boats as humans. They too want to get from Point A to Point B, only they call Point B Heaven. Someone doesn't want the humans to get to heaven. That would be Satan. Iran plays Satan's role in this present day parable.

If you've purchased gas for your car recently, it's easy to see the effect this skirmish is have on the world. Gas prices are nearly double what they were last year. Our pocketbooks need a savior. Sadly, there is nobody playing the role of Jesus in this parable.

Without someone to intervene, the fighting will continue, gas prices will remain high, and all of the boats will just continue to float out there with nowhere to go.

Now, imagine this situation going on indefinitely, like for all eternity. That would not be good for anyone. The world needs someone to step in. A man proclaiming "peace and safety" perhaps.🤔

"While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape." - 1 Thessalonians 5:3

It will be a false peace.

There are so many "end times" events playing out right now. One would almost think that the end times were upon us.

Well?

What To Say

"Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

“¹²But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. ¹³And so you will bear testimony to me. ¹⁴But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. ¹⁵For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict." - Luke 21:10-15

Why is my heart troubled these days? Why am I downcast? I feel like David right now. Why?

"Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? 

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. 

My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you." - Psalm 42:5-6

Well, I am remembering God right now. I am remembering how Jesus told His disciples not to worry about what they should say because Jesus would give them words to say.

In all of my "what if's" and "shoulda said's," I must remember what David said. I must "put my hope in God" and "praise Him."

I become troubled when I remember all of my friends and family members who don't know Jesus. It saddens me because I know what awaits them. I don't want to see that happen to them, or anyone. I love them!

These are the words that I would say:

I believe in God, and I also believe He is perfect. "In Him there is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5)

God demands perfection from all of us (absolutely no sin allowed in heaven).

Our problem is that none of us is sinless. As Peter said to Jesus, "Who then can be saved?" (Luke 18:26) The answer is that no one can be saved, apart from God's grace.

The Bible says that, "without blood, there is no remition of sin" (Hebrews 9:22). There has to be a sacrifice.

Enter Jesus. He led a sinless life while here on earth. And He died for OUR sins. A spotless, sinless lamb, sacrificed for OUR sins.

This is where God hits it out of the park - John 3:16. 

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

That's it. We have to repent of our sins and believe in Him. And that's the snag for many, including many whom we love. They're too busy, or the lifestyle they have chosen is more important to them. It's frustrating. Our hearts break. I keep hearing the words of Isaiah in my head. "Here I am Lord. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8).

But really, the only solution is prayer. We cannot change people's hearts. That's the Holy Spirit's job. The Holy Spirit draws people to God. And that is what we should pray for. And we should "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Instead of feeling bad about this situation, I need to be praying about it! Won't you please join me?

The Words I Would Say - Sidewalk Prophets