When famine comes, where will you turn?

Satan is not your friend

The Beauty of a Changed Heart

The Role of Mothers and Discipline in the Home

The right and wrong way to worship

The ruler of this world desires to rule over you

Patient in Prayer

Freely give thanks to God

The wisdom of Agur

Proverbs 30:8b--Give me neither poverty nor riches...

     In a world in which many strive for riches, Agur's wisdom declines the desire.  Why would he choose such a path?  Could it be that he knew it may cause him to fall into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition?(I Timothy 6:9)  Could it be that he was concerned that he may stray from the faith because of his love of money?(I Timothy 6:10) Yes, and yes.  In the following verse (Proverbs 30:10), Agur states that riches would cause him to be full and deny God, saying, "Who is the Lord?"

     Today, I would like for you to consider one simple thought.  Do you understand the grip money, the love of money, can have on your soul?  It can utterly destroy you.  II Corinthians 2:11 informs us that Satan can take advantage of us if we are ignorant of his devices.  I would like for you to ponder this concept.  Satan mainly uses two methods to distract individuals from Christ: pain and pleasure.  Through pain he causes people to doubt whether God even exists, and if He does, why does He not intervene.  We can see that happening in some cases around us.  But I believe by far, Satan has been much more successful at taking the eyes of humans off of Christ by giving them pleasure.

     Pleasure causes people to feel that God is not needed.  He is forgotten.  They can trust in riches, or their health, or their medicine, or their property, or their friends.  All things that are vain and passing away.  Have you fallen prey to this device of Satan?  Can you say that money and possessions have no grip on you? 

     May we learn from Agur's wisdom and ask God for neither poverty nor riches.  May we turn our trust over to God instead of our pocket book.  May we be wise to Satan's devices and recognize that the way of the cross(suffering and self-denial) leads us to God.

Catholicism and the Bible part 2

Catholicism and God's Word part 1

Pentecostalism and God's Word

Anger and your new name

Angels...what role do they play and should they be worshipped?

Mt. Moriah and your redemption from Genesis 22

The tongue and Genesis 21

Answering a Jehovah's Witness/Paradise/Hospitality/Genesis 19

God is so good

Romans 2:4--Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (NLT)

     Many, sadly miss this amazing truth...God is so good!!!  We tend to focus on getting the short end of the stick or being treated unfairly, and we overlook the fact that God is so good, He does not give us what we deserve.  Instead of hell, He gives us heaven.  Instead of suffering and shame, He gives us grace and glory.  Instead of malice, He grants us mercy.  My hope is that you will come to understand how good God is, and never cease to praise Him for such goodness.  May His praise continually be on our lips.

     Kindness/Goodness.  Titus 3:3-5 says, "For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit..."  Everyone of us have lived a life of serving our own lusts and pleasures.  We have been disobedient and hateful, deserving of damnation.  But, God did not give us that as our only option.  Our actions merited hell, but through His kindness, he offered us salvation.  Never forget that your eternal blessing was secured by His goodness, not yours.

     Tolerant/Forbearing.  Romans 3:25 says, "whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed."  When a catastrophic event occurs in the world, often times the question is asked, "How can a loving God allow such terrible things to occur?"  Maybe this is the wrong question to ask.  Maybe we should be asking, "Why aren't more terrible things occurring, because we are sinful people, spitting in the face of a righteous God?"  We must understand that we are not good people, we do not deserve peace and comfort.  God is tolerant and merciful, for a time; but judgment will come.  As Acts 17:30 tells us, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent..."

     Patient/Longsuffering.  II Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."  God desires none to perish, no matter the sin they committed, but that they all come to repentance.  We should be forever grateful that God was patiently working in us to draw us to Himself, not leaving us to destruction.  May we praise Him for His patience with us still.

     May His goodness lead you to repentance. 

Standing on the Promises of God

II Corinthians 1:20--For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.(ESV)

     God's Word is full of promises, which many believers have heard, but do not truly grasp.  Over the next few weeks, I would like to highlight a few of the great blessing our Father has promised to those who have put their trust in Him.  If you find these promises attractive, but are not a follower of Christ, surrender your life to Him, plead for His forgiveness and begin walking in the promises He has provided.  The Lord's promises are sure and steadfast, never to waver or be broken; our responsibility is only to trust.
     Do not worry, God will provide.  Matthew 6:33-34a says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.  Therefore do not worry..."  With all the stresses this world provides, it seems impossible to not worry.  The deadlines, the bills, the job, the children, etc., are we not in a system where worry and anxiety flow easily?  Yet, God instructs us to not worry and to be anxious for nothing.  How can this be done? 
     Focus on the spiritual, not the physical.  Matthew 6:25b says, "Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"  To be certain, many of us focus our time and attention on the physical things of life, forgetting that those things will not endure forever.  II Corinthians 4:18 says, "while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."  The promise of provision happens as we take our eyes off of the temporary and focus them on the spiritual...seeking the kingdom/will of God and His righteousness.
     Stand on His promise of peace, set your mind on things above(ie. Scripture) and you will begin to notice that worry will dissipate and all your needs will be provided.  "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
     If you would like, you can visit our church at www.lighthousefamilyfellowship.com  There you will find many messages and articles that can help you on your spiritual journey.

Confess your sins

Matthew 4:17b-- Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

     Many today seek for joy and happiness, and many others have given up looking, since it seems to always evade them.  Is it possible to have true joy and sincere happiness?  Is it something that is to be attained or just something people speak of, but never achieve?  Today, I would like to express to you the formula for finding such elusive emotions, and it begins and ends with repentance.

     Sin enslaves.  Genesis 4:7 says, "If you do well, will you not be accepted?  And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.  And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."  Sins desire is for you, to enslave you, to take you captive.  All have fallen prey to this beast, and have suffered the pain of guilt and anguish.  The inner battle was initiated, and we lost.  And as sinners, we continue to lose, finding discontentment, bitterness and hardness of heart our reward for failure.  The beauty of it all is this...we do not have to continue in this state.

     The Savior frees us.  John 8:36 says, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."  Jesus Christ came to set us free from sin and death, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  Sin, and the results from it, no longer has to have dominion over us.  But, how can we receive such a gift?  What must we do?

     Confess your sins.  I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Confessing that we are sinners, in need of a Savior, welcomes the gift of forgiveness and salvation into our lives.  This practice of repentance must continue throughout the course of our lives, continually recognizing when we fall short of God's plan.  By doing this, we can continually be refreshed, renewed and full of joy and happiness.

     Surrender to Him today.  Acts 3:19 says, "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."

What is your ambition?

II Corinthians 5:9--Therefore we make it our aim(ambition), whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

     In the context of this passage the words present and absent deal with our physical position on this earth.  If we are absent, we are physically dead; if present, we are alive and well.  In both scenario's, Paul states that it is His aim(ambition) to be well pleasing to the Master.  It is obvious to say, that once in Heaven our whole-hearted desire will be to please Him, but what about our time here on earth?  Is it our ambition to please Him now, while living?  Do we consider our actions and ponder His perspective of us?  Today, I would like to give you three areas you can practice, knowing that by doing so, you are pleasing Him.

     Have faith.  Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."  Not only must we believe that God is God and able to do all things, we must also believe that He will reward those who diligently seek Him.  Jesus states in Luke 18:8b, "...when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth."  Do you have genuine faith in Christ?  That He can provide all of your needs?  Do you spend time worrying and fretting, or trusting and waiting?  By having faith, you can be assured that you are pleasing Him.

     Don't be entangled.  II Timothy 2:4 says, "No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."  Our commander has enlisted us as His soldiers.  To be effective, we must not allow the things of this world to weigh us down and choke out our life.  Hebrews 12:1 tells us to,"... lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that is set before us." Luke 8:14 explains that the cares of this world, the desire for riches and the pleasures of life can choke out our growth.  To please Him, we must submit to His directing, allowing Him to aid us in being whole-hearted disciples.

     Obedience.  John 8:28-29 says, "Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.'" Jesus always pleased the Father, by always doing what God desired.  Jesus did nothing of Himself, but only what He was directed to do.  As we listen for the leading of God through His Word and prayer, we are to follow.  Its not our will, but His be done.  He must increase as Lord and we must decrease.  Understanding that the standard of perfection is unattainable continually, we must be quick to ask forgiveness and turn from those sins.  By doing so, the Father will be pleased, knowing we are desiring to stay in constant communion with Him. 

     May it be our continual ambition to please the Father in all that we do.

    

President Obama...True Christian?

 

Matthew 7:19-20--Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

 

     Deception.  It comes in many different forms, but has the same agenda...lead people away from God and His Son Jesus Christ.  Spirituality is one form of deception that is running rampant in our current culture.  It leads people to believe that they are safe from destruction because they have some form of faith.  It has caused many to call themselves "Christians" or "followers of God"  when in reality their future residence is hell.  I must be clear, it is not my desire, nor aim to begin stating who is and who is not a born-again believer(that is God's role).  My aim is to take people's fruits (words and deeds) and see if they line up with God's Word.  I will show three areas that cause major concern, bringing into question the thought that President Obama is a true Christian. 

 

     One way to heaven.  In a 2004 interview with Cathleen Falsani, Obama said, “I believe that there are many paths to the same place.” Obama also said, “All people of faith—Christians, Jews, Muslims, animists, everyone knows the same God.” Is this possible?  When God's Word states in John 14:6 that Jesus is the, "way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" is there room for many paths?  Is it possible to believe that Muslims worship the same God as Christians, when Jesus is only looked upon as a prophet by the Muslims, but God by the Christians?  There is only one God and one Mediator, between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.  I Tim. 2:5 
 

Homosexuality is sin.  As you have probably read or heard, Obama has attempted to twist selective scriptures to advance the non-Biblical lifestyle of homosexuality; using the golden rule to justify supporting such behavior.  Romans 1:18-32 is very clear that those who practice homosexuality are unclean, dishonoring their bodies, have a debased mind, are shameful and will receive the penalty of their error.  I Corinthians 6:9-11, Ephesians 5:3-5, Galatians 5:19-21 and Revelation 21:8 are very clear that those who practice unrepentant homosexuality will go to hell, having no inheritance in heaven.  No matter what man, or what society says, God's Word is clear that homosexuality is sin, and those who call themselves Christians, must believe the same.

 

Abortion is murder.  President Obama has stated,“I have consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America.”  Choice.  That is what we desire.  We desire the ability to do as we please, act as we want, with no regard to God's law.  President Obama seems to follow that train of thought here.  God's view of the child in the womb is much different than those supporting abortion.  God says he forms the child, making he/she something special (Jer. 1:5), others say the baby is just a glob of cells.  No matter how you slice it or try to describe it, abortion is murder and should be stopped.  Again, God hates it, but our President, who claims to be a "Christian" endorses it.  That is a problem.

To close, my aim is to encourage each of you to take the light of God's Word and use it as a guide against those claiming to be followers of Jesus.  If there words and actions do not match up with the Standard and there is no desire of repentance for such failure, beware.  Deception is all around.  Be not deceived. 

 



Pope Francis...True Humility?

 

 

     Possibly, you've seen the picture of Pope Francis washing the feet of 12 inmates on Maunday Thursday, reenacting Jesus' actions for His disciples.  You may also have seen headlines that described the Pope as humble and servant-minded.  My aim today is to take the actions of the Pope and the Catholic church and compare them to Scripture, seeing if humility is truly the correct label.

    

     Matthew 6:1 says, "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them.  Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven."   Upon seeing this photo, my first thought was not directed towards the act, but the approach.  While feet washing is a wonderful display of humility and servitude, doing so in front of photographers and videographers is anything but.  Colossians 2:18 warns us to beware of those who take, "delight in false humility."  False humility has an appearance of righteousness, but inwardly is destructive pride.  Do not be deceived, any human (even the Pope himself) who does his good deeds to be seen by men, is not walking in the steps of Jesus.

     Luke 20:46 says, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces. the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts."  Do any of these descriptions fit Catholic leaders?  The attire that is worn and objects that are carried by Popes and other church leaders is appalling, especially when they are to be the picture of Christ and humility.  To see people bow to the Pope and kiss his ring, as though he were some god, cause me concern.  Have we not read how Paul and Barnabas responded when those in Lystra began to worship them?  Acts 14:15a says, "Men, why are you doing these things?  We also are men with the same nature as you."  Even the angel in Revelation 22:9 would not accept such treatment, saying, "See that you do not do that.  For I am your fellows servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book.  Worship God."  It would do us all well to remember such words.  God alone is to be worshipped and bowed down to.  All others are men, fallen men, who are worthless without our Savior.
    
     We must open our eyes to understand what true humility and servitude is and what it is not.  Without the aid of Scripture we can and will be easily misguided.  Neither the Pope nor the Catholic church promote Scriptural meekness, but a pride that is veiled in false humility.  May your eyes see clearly to discern right from wrong. 

Protecting our children from judgment by preparing them to be friends of God--Gen. 18

Jehovah's Witness and God's Word

God's Covenant with Abram applies to you

Counsel without Scripture is corrupt

Ichabod...The name your church doesn't want

I Samuel 4:21-22--Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel!" because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.  And she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."

     Ichabod, what an inglorious name.  Sadly, it is a name that could be written over many church doors today.  The glory, or presence, of the Lord has departed from their midst.  They have chosen to ignore the pleas of the Spirit and to turn their ears away from His rebuke.  So, in turn, He has departed.  What do you call a Christian without Christ?  A church without God?  A fellowship without the Spirit?   Dead!  That is the state of modern Christianity...Dead!  John Piper once said, "If you erect enough regulations and build a big enough endowment, an institution can endure for decades after the spiritual dynamic that brought it into existence is gone."  Need an example?  Look to Yale and Harvard University.  Both started by Christian men, desiring to further Christian teaching.  Would you say they have the same desire today?  Far from it.  How can this mess be fixed?  How can a church that desires to have the Presence of Almighty God be sure He is present?  Let me provide one suggestion from Scripture.

     The Sure Foundation.  Matthew 16:18 says, "An I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."  What is the "rock" that Christ will build His church upon?  Verse 16 tells us that it was the confession that Peter made saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Every true church must be built upon this very confession, that Jesus is the Christ(Anointed One), the Son of God.  How could one tell if this is the foundation their church is built upon?  What is their view of Scripture and how often is it used in the service?  Many groups today view the Bible as outdated, unreliable, and corrupted by man.  Some view it as a book of good moral stories, lacking authority or power to change man.  It is these groups that should be very concerned about the presence of the Lord.  Where would your church rank?  Do you fellowship with those that view His Word as living and powerful or dead and worthless?  Are your "brothers" in Christ more concerned about the predicament of the society or the predicament of their soul?  Examine to see if the name Ichabod would fit in your fellowship.

     May the Lord dwell richly in those that call upon the name of the Lord with a pure heart.

Deception

Our shield is faith

The Jesus Deception

     John 9:48--Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"

     Many "churches" today have a wrong understanding of who Jesus is.  Some say He is the first being that God created, others say He is the 1/2 brother of Lucifer, some that He was just a good man, others, that He is like Santa Claus, one who we ask things of and expect to give nothing in return.  It is amazing to me to see how well Satan has accomplished his goal of blinding the eyes of mankind on who Jesus truly is.  This blindness is not new, but has been around for thousands of years.  Let us spend some time getting to know who Jesus really is and what He has accomplished for us.

     He is God.  John 1:1-3 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."  In verse 14 we learn that this Word became flesh and dwelt among us, Jesus.  Jesus was in the beginning with God and He is God.  Making Jesus lower than God causes all types of problems, mainly your salvation.  Romans 10:9 says, "because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (ESV)  To be saved, one must acknowledge and surrender that Jesus is LORD Jehovah.  I am deeply concerned that many believe they are saved, when in reality they have yet to surrender to the first command.
     Please understand that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. (Phil. 2:10-11)  Do not be in the crowd that makes this acknowledgment too late, and misses Heaven.  Surrender your life today to the King of kings and Lord of lords, the One who created you and desires your worship....God the Son, Jesus Christ.

     May Christ bless you richly.

Land of Pleasure vs. Land of Promise

What do you do in secret?

     When you consider your secret life, the life you live when no one is looking or around, are you content?  Do you feel that you are consistent in how you talk, how you think, what you look at and what you say?  Today, I would like to express to you the importance of your secret life and what it should and should not look like.  May you be challenged and encouraged by God's Word, as it pierces into our hearts.

     Secret Sin.  John 3:19-20 says, "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."  Every human has this in common: their flesh loves darkness.  Within each of us is a nature from Adam that strives against God and longs for temporal pleasure.  And as unbelievers(and sadly believers are here too), there is a desire to keep our sin a secret.  Whether its by doing sin behind closed doors, so no one can see, or by covering it over by justification or explanation, sin enjoys the darkness.  As one matures in Christ, victory over pride begins to be won and honest acknowledgment of sin occurs, leading to victory over such sin.  Now, I would like to show you what your secret life should look like.

     Secret Giving.  Matthew 6:2-4 says, "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.  But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."   The life of the believer should be one filled with secret giving.  One that looks not for praise from men, but praise from God.  Do you have a heart that longs to give to others secretly? 

     Secret Prayer.  Matthew 6:6 says, "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."  Having secret fellowship, communion and communication with the Father is essential to spiritual growth.  The temptation is to do all spiritual activity in the open (at church, Bible Studies or Christian get togethers), and forget the importance of doing it when no one is around.  Again, this gets back to attempting to please men, or please God.  Your neighbor may be truly captivated by your powerful prayer, but if it is not backed up by continual communication with the Father in secret, God is not impressed. 

     Secret Fasting.  Matthew 6:17-18 says, "But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."  Discipling our bodies in any area is difficult, and as humans, when we face difficult situations we tend to want others to know about it in some way.  Check your heart.  When you sacrifice for the Lord, do you desire others to know of it?  Do you look for their approval or praise?  Seek the approval of Christ and then practice it in secret.

     As you strive for holiness, remember it is God who sees in secret, both our sin and our sacrifices.  May He be well pleased with our humble acknowledgment of our struggles and our strict silence of our sacrifices.

Deception from within

Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding..."

     How important it is for each of us to not lean on our own understanding or thinking, because deception will soon follow.  We must wholly lean on the Holy Scriptures for our continued guidance.  The trouble is, the distancing from God's Word is not only occurring in the world, but in the church.  We have groups that profess to be Christian that formulate doctrine and teachings that are not based on Scripture.  This is sad.  What is even sadder is that millions of people follow such teaching, thinking it is genuine.  Do not be decieved.  Study God's Word.  Be a worker that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  II Timothy 2:15
     May God richly bless you as you move from leaning on your own(or others) understanding and trust only in the Word of God.

Mennonite teaching and God's Word

One question you must answer correctly

     With so many different doctrines, so many different denominations and so many different religions it is essential that we come back to one simple question that is basic and fundamental to the Christian faith.  One that will help all people distinguish whether or not they are "in the faith" or not.  To answer "yes" signifies that a person understands where the door to salvation is(whether or not they have stepped through it is another question).  To answer "no" signifies that a person is uneducated of the truth, ungrounded in God's Word and most definitely an unsaved at the core.  What is such a question.....Is Jesus Christ the ONLY way to get to the Father(God)/heaven?

     John 14:6 says, "Jesus said to them, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"  Clearly spoken are the words of Jesus.  Entrance into the presence of the God of the Universe cannot come through alternate sources or made up gods or prophets, but through the only true King of kings and Lord of lords.  Do you believe this?  Does this mean that Buddhists that don't believe that Jesus is the way will not go to heaven?  Sadly, yes.  How about Hindus, Muslims, Mormons, Catholics, Mennonites, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians?  Yes.  No matter what group you associate with, what banner you come under, if Jesus Christ is not your gateway to the Father, you are on the wrong path. 

     John 10:9 says, "I am the door(Jesus speaking).  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."  For genuine salvation, one must go through the door.  Verse 1 of this chapter tells us that there will be some that attempt to "climb up some other way."  They are called thieves and robbers, not believers.  In today's all accepting society a true believer must stand and not waver on this essential tenet.  You cannot and will not be saved by going through some other source.  Yes, this may seem rigid, close-minded and mean, but it is the truth; and as Jesus said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

     I Timothy 2:5-6a says, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for us all..."  As sinners, entrance into the God's realm cannot be achieved on our own, we are disqualified.  We are in need of a Mediator, one who can go between the two(God and man) and reconcile them to one another.  It is through the blood of Jesus Christ that the gap was bridged.  You must surrender and accept this blood bought gift to find your home in heaven and your name in the Lambs Book of Life.  Have you genuinely done that?

     Praise be to the God of heaven and earth, who saw sinners, and was willing to send His only Son to die for us.  Do not be deceived, there is no other way to God, but through His precious Son, Jesus Christ.  Do you know Him today?  Please don't turn Him away.

Christ-placed position

John 11:48--If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.
     Fear.  II Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."  After reading John 11 today, two very simple messages were given to me: be confident in where God has placed me and if God sends someone more gifted than I, more over. 

     As a minister, the simple fact that God has called and positioned you in the place you are in is very comforting.  The trouble arises when one may not be certain that their position was Christ-placed.  Possibly they are in a place because the pay was good, the perks were nice, or the community was appealing.  Maybe they chose the location because they were afraid no other church would take them.  Not being assured of the fact that God placed them where they are can cause all types of problems.  When this fear arises, ministers can become territorial and very concerned with keeping the power they feel they possess.  Others within the church can be viewed as competitors instead of companions.  Having others speak or share during a service would be looked on as a threat or challenge.  This all stems from the uncertainty of a firm, Christ-placed position.  When one truly understands that God has placed them where they are at, the fear of replacement is of no concern.  Such a minister realizes that God's will cannot be overcome by any person or group of people.  Are you such a minister?  Do you feel threatened by others that desire to share?  Do you struggle with power and desire clear lines of authority to be set?  Or do you rest at ease, knowing that you were placed by God, and that His plan is irrevocable?  

     The second lesson I learned from John 11 is that if a more gifted minister comes along to preach the Word, I should be humble enough to step aside.  One must remember that God is not into building our ego, but His church.  Being a minister of the One True God is not about us at all, but about Him and His glory.  Just as John the Baptist did not resist Jesus, but acknowledged Jesus as ranking higher than he (John 1:27), we also should not resist the more gifted preacher. 

     We must not forget how weak we are and how quickly we can revert back to the attitude that was displayed by the religious leaders of Jesus' day;  concerned with our name and our position, instead of the name and position of Christ.  May we never forget that we are His vessels, and that we can feel totally secure when we are in a position that is Christ-placed.

LHFF--Common Salvation Myths and Gen. 12

LHFF--Go Out!!

Salvation Deception

III John 4--I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

     We have an epidemic, a huge issue that must be addressed.  Our problem today is a misunderstanding of true salvation.  Many have been taught, or chosen to hear a version of salvation that is both unScriptural and false.  Churches are full of people headed to hell, when they may truly feel they are headed to heaven.  How can this be?  Let me first explain the deception and then the determining factor to true salvation.

     The deception.  Luke 11:35 says, "Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness."  Genuine fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit(I John 1:3) has been replaced with nominal fellowship within a social group.  Teaching the whole counsel of God(Acts 20:27) has been exchanged with seeker-friendly, non-offensive, psychological talks that only aim to make congregants feel good about themselves.  Being encouraged to read and memorize God's instruction manual(Ps. 119:11), the Bible,  has been swapped with a degrading of God's Word as inaccurate and unreliable in today's culture.  Is it any wonder how deception crept in??  Take away the Trinity and the Textbook and your left with millions of deceived souls.  People in church today love such a gospel, because it accepts their sinful passions and practices and refuses to call them to repentance or sacrifice.  If you are under such a gospel, come out and recognize what it truly means to be saved.

     Eternal life with Christ/salvation.  John 17:3 says, "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." After genuine repentance and conversion is made in an individuals life, the new believer strives and seeks to know, and be known by, his Savior.  That believer will read God's Word to learn more about Him, hungering and thirsting to live a righteous life, that his Maker may be pleased.  During this time such a fellowship will be created, as His Spirit confirms with their spirit that they are a child of God. (Romans 8:16)  This fellowship and intimacy only grows as the believer draws closer and closer to God.  They begin to understand what it means to be transformed by the renewing of their mind, they begin to practice the teaching of denying themselves daily and taking up their cross.  Growth is obvious. As sin is left behind, new traits are continually adopted.  Repentance is frequent, not because they want to rid themselves of a guilty conscience, but because they understand that their continual sin can separate them from the close relationship that they long for.    Do you have such a relationship?  Do you know Him like that?  Because that is true salvation.