"King of Righteousness"

 "For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;" (Hebrews 7:1 KJV)

  "When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, "Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don't torture me!"" (Mark 5:6-7 NLT)

 As many of you should know, even the demons know who Jesus is; they also know His followers! Yes, it is something that I have understood from the very beginning of this New Life in Christ: They know we are children of God, as soon as they see us! 

 I have shared this before, but it is something I experienced within a short while after I was saved. I was sitting outside a hearing room waiting for my early release hearing to take place. When these two big guards were bringing a man down the hallway, shackled hands and feet, and he looked very wicked. As they approached where I was sitting, I just looked down at the floor, when all of the sudden I saw they had stopped right in front of me. As I looked up, I could see that all three of them were looking right at me, and the demon possessed man was dog-eyeing me, and said, "I know Jesus too!", and then they continued down the hallway. 

 The reason I share this, is not just because we are known by those who are of the devil, but there is a connection in our spirit that can detect God's presence in one another. There is an obvious detection that Abraham knew this King of Salem was special, as it was for Nebuchadnezzar when he looked into the fiery furnace, saying, "I see four men in the fire, and the fourth looks like the Son of God." 

 There are many manifestations of Jesus Christ throughout the Bible; some of which are seen from the very beginning of Creation. The Light, the creation of man, the flaming sword that guarded the entrance of the Garden; we could go on and on, making a thousand things that are a representation of Christ.

 There was one that I had heard Pastor Jon share on, which was the ceremonial water basin that God instructed Moses to make for the Temple. Everything that God told Moses to have made, had some kind of measurement, except for the water basin, used for cleansing; it had no measurement because He cannot be measured... 

"A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!" Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?" Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered." (Acts 19:13-16 NLT) 

"Like Melchizedek"

 "This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against the kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him. Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle and gave it to Melchizedek. The name Melchizedek means "king of justice," and king of Salem means "king of peace." There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors - no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God." (Hebrews 7:1-3 NLT) 

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." (John 8:56 KJV)

 Regardless of what we might think, Jesus has always been, ever since the very beginning! It is not just a thought of someone who wanted to make a point, it is written throughout the Bible, from the beginning to the very end. 

 As I have said, over and over, I judge what translation of the Bible I will trust to read, by John 1:1. If that interpretation does not match the truth, I don't read any of that book; and I will not even consider it to be, The Holy Bible...

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word is God." (John 1:1 KJV) 

"More Over!" - Too

 "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek." (Hebrews 6:20 KJV)

  "I am writing to you who are God's children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one." (1 John 2:12-13 NLT)

 There really are some things that are easy to understand, one of which is the reason the cross means so much to the salvation that has been offered to anyone that is willing to receive it! How easy it is to see, but how difficult it is to share it to those who don't want to accept it, as if it takes something away from them, the things they just don't want to give up.

 We really need to know that God loves us, even in the broken life we might be in; because that is what we are, broken! There is nothing we can do to fix ourselves, only Christ Jesus can make us New and Improved! But even then, in this earthly body, we still are messed up; except now, it's a beautiful mess!

 When we accepted Christ into our hearts, we became justified, meaning, "as if we never sinned," as the blood of Jesus washed away our sins, each and every one! Now that we are new, does not mean that we will never sin again, because if we think that we won't, we make ourselves vulnerable to sin. As John says in 1 John 1:8, "If we claim we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves and not living the truth." 

 We cannot ever think we can do this on our own; we must always abide in Christ, keeping ourselves under the umbrella of God's grace... 

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit." (Romans 8:1-4 NLT)

"More Over!"

 "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:20 KJV)

  "Who will then condemn us? No one - for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us." (Romans 8:34 NLT)

 Before I get too far into this, I must clarify what I ended with yesterday, about need and want. We can see this illustration given in the Psalms 23:1, which says in the NLT, "The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need." Again, in the KJV, a more direct translation, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."

 Oddly enough, something that I see taking place in the Garden, when God caused Adam to name all of those animals, it caused Adam to see that he had a need for a mate. To which God was prepared to fill his need, saying, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him." (Genesis 2:18 NLT)

 Without getting too carried away, as to make something seem obvious to God's plan: this was God's plan all along, to give Adam the need to want. The Bible was made available for us to see and understand God's purposes, through both the good and the bad, knowing full well that man would need a Savior to make his heart turn towards Him. 

 Man was created to actually love God; as we see in the beginning, God gave Adam everything in the garden to enjoy and care for, with the exception of that one tree in the middle of the Garden, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Interestingly enough, God's second instruction for Adam, not to eat of that tree, was to name all of the animals. 

 Do I need to say more? I really don't think that I should! But this isn't about what God wanted to be happening, it is what God knew would already happen, and He was completely prepared to take care of it, as He always was and does...

"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you are saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-7 NLT)

"Our Anchor of the Soul" - To

 "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil:" (Hebrews 6:19 KJV) 

  "What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all be all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"" (1 Corinthians 15:50-55 NLT)

 I am certain that our most important task, without doubt, is to fully and completely believe everything we read in the Bible is ultimately true: The Written Words of God! We must not get fooled into thinking that there is one little bit of this Book that is not the truth, because everything has been written for us to believe and to have hope by faith, that there is no doubt! 

 If you start to have any doubt, then you need to stop thinking how these things happen and start focusing on the God who does all things! I really don't know how else to explain it, because without knowing and believing that God's Word is ultimately true, that He does not lie, and what He says will truly happen, we can and will lose hope! 

 Sorry for all of the expressions, but it bothers me that the devil can still get into our heads from time to time; the liar that he is, he can really cause doubt and discouragement in even the strongest of those who truly believe in the truth. It only takes something needful or something we want, to cause us to be vulnerable, and give into the lies. Just a little bit of want, and we can be deceived by need! 

 I really don't want to say too much, as it is, I think I have said enough...

"For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." (1 Corinthians 15:56-58 NLT)

"Our Anchor of the Soul"

"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;" (Hebrews 6:19 KJV)

  "Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me." (PSALM 62:5-7 NLT)

 Keeping with that same thought, whatever situation you might be in, whether it is a sickness or some sort of hard time financially, God is your fortress, protecting you from anything that will come against you! So you say, 'But I am getting no help; things seem to be worse; the harder I pray, the more difficult things seem to be.' 

 I truly believe that things happen for a reason; some of those reasons are the things we can't even see. But that is what faith is really all about! We might not see the light at the end of the tunnel, but that doesn't mean that it does not exist; it is faith that makes the light a reality, even though we might not clearly see how everything will work out for the good: God is always good! 

 Besides all of that, this is about our soul! This current life is not really the promise that Jesus has given us; as a matter of fact, Jesus has said: "In this life you will have tribulation," which basically means that things don't always work out the way we hoped that they would; but be of good cheer, it will all be good in the end...

""For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."" (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)  

"Persuasive Discourse" - Too

 "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" (Hebrews 6:18 KJV)

  "We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me." Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled." (Romans 15:1-4 NLT)

 Here is the thought about this title, "persuasive discourse," if you are interested in knowing how it works in and though our lives. Each and every one of us will at some time or another wrestle with the thought of what and why certain things happen; sometimes we might ever wonder if God is even in whatever it is we might be going through. God is always in the storm, just as He is in the victories! He watches over you, as you are His child; just like a new-born baby is watched over by a caring mother. 

 We must not forget this, even though we might feel as though we are being punished for our sins; our sins were removed at the cross! When we sin, God has not stopped loving us; as a matter of fact, He will do whatever needs to be done, in order to get on back on the right path. 

 In other words, this is what it means, "we might have a strong consolation," which tends to cause us to be encouraged, even though we might feel discouraged about something going on in our lives. I can't help but think about Jesus' discouragement in the garden, even though He knew the outcome, He still wept so hard, His sweat turned to blood!

 Even Jesus needed refuge! It was His choice to focus upon the will of the Father, thereby taking refuge in the only place where victory is found, the Father's loving arms...  

"Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?" (Isaiah 53:1 NLT) 

"Persuasive Discourse"

 "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" (Hebrews 6:18 KJV)

  "With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say." (2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 NLT)

 I can't help but rejoice in hearing and seeing the name of Christ Jesus being spoken of, with boldness and strong deliverance! It really makes me feel as though this might be the trigger, (no pun intended,) that sets up for that final calling, which will cause the Father to send His Son to bring us home! 

 Hopefully the work that He started will grow and get bolder and bolder; unfortunately, the enemy will be doing all that he can to stop it, as if he hasn't been trying already. Listening to some of those that are on the so-called left, they have really nothing good to say about that service that took place Sunday, except that it is over with. I pray that isn't the case, because our Lord and Savior must be shared to everyone, so that there is no one that can say they didn't know! 

 You should know by now that I believe God does not make mistakes; everything He allows to happen, He makes a way for even the worst things, to be used for good, in one way or another. We really have no clue how to understand His ways and thoughts; but there is one thought of His we cannot take for granted: His love for us! He loves us so much, more than we can even realize...

"Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. So he went and preached to the spirits in prison - those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 3:18-21 NLT)  

"Unalterable" - 2

 "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:" (Hebrews 6:17 KJV)

  ""I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you." says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "But you ask, 'How can we return when we have never gone away?'"" (Malachi 3:6-7 NLT)

 Just in case you were wondering about this title, "Unalterable", it is from the meaning of 'immutability,' which means that it is not to be transferred, it is fixed, unchangeable; in other words, God keeps every promise, no matter what! This includes the promise He might make for punishment and judgment of our sins! 

 Wow! How important is that promise, and how has God taken care of that? As I was watching the movie, "Unstoppable," last night, the part where Kirk explained the rainbow reminded me of this very thing: God provided a way to cover over our sins! The way Kirk explained it, was that the rainbow was God's bow, which He places in the sky; yet the arrow, which is to be shot from the bow, if it is fired, would be shot in His direction. 

 In other words, the next time God would perform judgment upon the entire world, as He did with the flood, it would be judgment upon Himself! Yes, Jesus took on the judgment of the sins of the entire world! Every single sin that mankind has ever done, His blood covered for it all. This is something that God had planned from the very beginning; as crazy as it might sound, it was what He saw needed to be done, even before He created the earth. 

 I really don't need to verify what I just said, the Bible clearly says it! But it is that reason I believe that God knows everything, even before it happens; He has already provided for it to worked out and to be part of His will and purposes.

 Case in point, King Hezekiah and his sickness. The children of Israel did not honor God's commands for the way they were to take care of the land they were given, among many other things. As it was, King Hezekiah really was a good king, and he really did serve God well. However, when God gave him 15 more years to live, his heart changed, and he became prideful. His pride was the thing God needed to happen, in order to cleanse the land that Israel refused to take care of, as per His commands.

 So, it was His perfect will all along! Even though it looks as though He changed His mind; it was King Hezekiah's heart that needed changing! I know that there are sometimes things that happen, we just can't explain, but God does not make any mistakes; everything is done for His will and purposes...

"Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God's mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone. Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!" (Romans 11:28- 33 NLT)  

"Unalterable"

"Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:" (Hebrews 6:17 KJV)

"But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir." (Galatians 4:4-7 NLT)

 There was more I thought I should share about yesterday's post, but I felt God wanted me to move on and make this a confirmation of what I ended with yesterday; just in case there were some doubters. From the very beginning of my New Life in Christ, I have learned to understand that God does not change His mind. It has always been my understanding that God knows all things, especially the things that involve our lives. 

 When I first started this journey, (this Blog,) I shared about God's will, verses His perfect will; without really knowing exactly what it actually meant, as if God has two different paths to choose from. To be perfectly straight with you, I have changed my mind and have decided that He does not change His! 

 The example that I shared with, over 15 years ago, was the case of God's actions with King Hezekiah's sickness and recovery. As you might have already known, Hezekiah was told to get his house in order because his sickness was going to kill him. So he turned his face to the wall and wept; telling God that he didn't deserve to die, because he had been faithful and did so many things to get the people to follow Him. 

 Then we see that God sent Isaiah back to tell Hezekiah that he would be healed and have 15 more years to live. Which makes things look as if God had changed His mind, deciding, "What the heck, I guess I'll let him live a little longer!" Does anyone think that is what God was thinking, knowing all the evil, the wickedness, and the bondage that would take place from Hezekiah's 15 more years of life? Not if you know and believe that God does not learn! 

 God doesn't save you, and then turn around and say, "I made a mistake with that one!" He knows all the things you do and will ever do! That has been my understanding from the very beginning, knowing that He loves me and has made me His child; and once I was made His, I am His for eternity. The real truth that I believe we will all see, is that we always were His, ever since the beginning...

""I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one - as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And they are in us so that the world will believe you sent me."" (John 17:20-21 NLT)    

"Confirmation"

 "For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife." (Hebrews 6:16 KJV)

  "It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. You may believe there's nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don't feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning." (Romans 14:21-23 NLT)

 Maybe it doesn't fit the thought, but I do believe it will make sense, once I can grab hold of the action. Real faith is something that requires commitment and believing that God is going to do everything that He promises. Without question, God's way of teaching us, may or may not seem pleasant, but it will be the perfect answer to anything that is wrong with us. 

 Of all the things I think we need more of, it is the ability respect and love one another as we should. I know that this message from Paul is about food and wine, but that is just issue of what someone else might think; and of us doing nothing to offend a brother or sister. Taking it to the next step, there needs to be more of treating others as you want others to be treating you. 

 Whether or not you get the connection, that is something between you and the Lord; because it is always something we set out to do, as if we really can; but in reality, we can only do it well with God's help! Look at it as if you are making an oath with God. When you make an oath with God, you must also make sure you are able to keep it; and the only way you will be able and willing to do it, will require His help. 

 I think sometimes we believe God wants us to do things on our own, as if He blesses us and then sends us on our merry way. The sad reality is that we need to constantly depend upon God's guidance, not our own! God should never be the Co-pilot: He must be the Pilot! When something doesn't seem right, then we are the ones who must change, it is never God. He never changes or makes a compromise!

 If you think He does compromise, you find out sooner or later that are not where or who you were meant to be. That said, as long as you have breath, you can always repent and change your direction...

"Seek the LORD while can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously." (Isaiah 55:6-7 NLT)     

"Never Lose Heart!" - 2

 "And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." (Hebrews 6:15 KJV)

  "Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God." (Romans 4:20-25 NLT)

 Oh my; I really don't know how else to explain this, except to say that we must, without question, believe in God and His Word! The more I read the Bible, the more I encounter the special details of everything it records and has written; things which specify certain dates and people, most of whom I don't know how to pronounce their names; but all of which God has listed for a specific reason. 

 It really is all about the details! Stange thing that is brought out from time to time, when someone says, "The Devil is in the Details," which might have some sort of connection, beyond what we think we know. There is nothing that can cause us to fall away, if we resist the devil's tricks and discouragement! That is by far the biggest issue we fight, day in and day out; even the slightest little thing, and we can flare up and feel offended or wrong about someone! Which, if you didn't know, is actually a sin. I need to pray and ask for forgiveness, several times a day. 

 Please don't judge me wrongly, it's not because I am a bad person, I just sometimes hate to be slowed down when I am in a rush. I can recall a certain message from a certain famous Pastor, as he shared about stopping at a Pharmacy, on his way to give a message at a church. He was happy to see only one customer in line, because he was in a hurry. But the one person in line was taking forever to pay for his items. What upset him the most was that the clerk seemed to not mind that the customer was taking so long to give her the money. However, when the transaction was complete, and the man turned around, the Pastor noticed that he had no hands. He then had a whole different sermon to preach! 

 It really is all about the details, but the details we must be focused upon are the ones that deal with Christ Jesus and the salvation He has given us! Much like this Scripture from Romans, which Paul so faithfully exposes. If you can believe in the written Word, then you can believe with faith, just like Abraham, which is plain and simple: God will also account us righteous! 

 It is all recoded for our benefit...

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:8 NLT)      

"Never Lose Heart!"

 "And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." (Hebrews 6:15 KJV)

  "So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, "I have made you the father of many nations." This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing." (Romans 4:16-17 NLT)

 Yesterday I heard something that I believe might be true, having heard it from someone that was very close to Charlie. What his friend said, was, "If Charlie knew that thousands would come to Christ by him being assassinated, he would most likely be okay with that, if it brought thousands to the Lord." Some of those who believe that God brings the dead back to life, would also feel that way, at least I know I would; if it meant that all those, I pray for every day, would be saved!

 As far as I am concerned, I am here to make sure that my wife is taken care of, once she is gone to be with the Lord, I hope that I will soon follow. Other than that, I, like Abraham, will patiently wait! I am sure that everyone knows by now that Abraham didn't stick around to see the promise fulfilled; but he believed that God would do what He said, by his faith...

"Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping - believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!" And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead - and so was Sarah's womb." (Romans 4:18-19 NLT)

"Certainly!" - Two

"Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee." (Hebrews 6:14 KJV)

  ""I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death to life."" (John 5:24 NLT)

 As I witness what is going on in this world, I have no doubt we are living in that day Jesus spoke about, when we that are His will be caught up, leaving this earth in the control of the evil one. I can only hope that everyone I know and love will be saved before that event happens; but if they aren't, I pray they will realize what took place and give their lives to the Lord, knowing that they will be persecuted. 

 There is something spectacular happening, in many areas all over: churches are starting to fill up, and those who want to follow Jesus are multiplying. Don't doubt that this isn't real, because there are more and more that are standing in line to get involved, hoping to make a difference! 

 The contrast between those who are for good and those who are for evil is being brought forth, at an amazing rate, almost as if the enemy knows that the time is near! It is not flesh and blood that we are fighting against, but the darkness that has corrupted the hearts of those who think it is okay to kill, just because they don't like what someone says. 

 Over the past several days I have felt as though there is nothing we can do, besides pray for those we love, that they see the evilness and realize that it is just that, pure evil! That is pretty much all we can do, because it is not really our words that will change their minds, it is only by the power of God, that a heart can be changed! 

 Besides that, we should know, the Good News is being preached...

"It is true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But other preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn't matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice." (Philippians 1:15-18

"Certainly!"

 "Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee." (Hebrews 6:14 KJV)

  ""Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world and more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth."" (John 17:13-19 NLT)

 Forgive me if I might get out of line, but I feel as though there needs to be some clarity into the things we see going on in this world. First of all, Jesus is praying for His disciples in the message above; yet even though it might appear He might be asking the Father to protect them, He isn't suggesting that they don't get harmed or killed. Basically, He is asking that they do not get harmed by the "evil one," which means the devil and the lies, deceptions, and worldly passions he might harm them with. 

 Don't think for a moment that this is not a real thing, because I have seen many strong and experienced men of God harmed by the devil's handywork, taking even the greatest, largest church leaders, and making them fall into his traps. Jesus knew full well that His disciples were not going to be safe in this world! But He also knew that they were mere men, that needed protection from the devil's bag of tricks. 

 I was listing to a message yesterday about the Apostle Paul, as he was expressing all of the things that he had to go through, expecting even more to come. There are certain things we see going on in this world, some of which are just pure evil. However, this is the work of the devil, pure and simple! Those who are saying things which are certainly wrong to speak about, really don't know what they are doing!

 That is that! Now let's get serious about following our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus...

"A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. But Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are coming when they will say, 'Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.' People will beg the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and plead with the hills, 'Bury us.' For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"" (Luke 23:27-31 NLT) 

"God's Promise" - Too

 "For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself," (Hebrews 6:13 KJV)

  ""Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other. I have sworn by my own name; I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess allegiance to me."" (Isaiah 45:22-23 NLT)

 Believe it or not, but there are certain things that might look to be something that is bad, but God can and will make it turn into something good! That is not only a hope, but also a fact; as He has promised it will be, for all those who are called by His name, and His purposes! 

 That is all I will say about that, as we just need to keep on praying for God's will to be done, and look for His work to be carried out. After all, He is the One that makes a way, even if there seems to be no way! I really hope that everyone who is His child believes that, because we must believe that all things are possible with God; absolutely and positively possible! 

 It felt so good to be home, as I have been out of town for a few days, missing being with my wife. This morning, I stayed in bed for a while, just so I could spend a little extra time lying next to her and telling her how much that I love her. There is nothing sweeter than seeing her peaceful face as I comfort her and express my love to her; something that I wish I had done more of, before her injury! 

 No matter what happens here on this earth, we that are followers of Christ, will be safe and secure with Him in Heaven; no more pain or sorrow; no more sickness or death! That is a promise, and we better believe it...

"I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."" (Revelation 21:3-4 NLT)      

"God's Promise"

"For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself," (Hebrews 6:13 KJV)

  "This is the covenant he made with Abraham and the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant: "I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession."" (PSALM 105:9-11 NLT)

  We have here today something that I believe I have shared many times, both in church, in this blog, and privately with several people. It is the covenant that God made with Abraham, which we witness taking place in Genesis 15:5-21. In this Contract between the two, as was the custom with those who made any binding contract, God told Abraham to gather certain animals, cut the large animals in half, kill to two birds, and leave them whole; and then he was to lay them out on the ground. 

 This contract was meant to represent their promises to one another, of anyone that was making a binding contract together; the whole point of which, was that both parties would walk through the slain animals, making their promises together, saying, 'May this happen to me, and more, if I do not keep my promise!' 

 I know it might sound rather much; but back in the day, a promise was meant to be a promise! However, Abraham did not walk between the slain animals! No, God signed the Contract for both Abraham and Himself! God took on the responsibility of the Promise, knowing full we that only He was capable of keeping a promise, unconditionally! 

 What was also interesting within this story, before God had signed the Contract, He caused Abraham to fall into a deep sleep, and then He showed him the fate of his descendants, as if to open up his heart to the reality of His promise, that through him a nation would happen. It was God's way of giving him a heart that cared for those descendants, which made them a reality within his heart. 

 As Abraham woke, he saw that God was moving among the slain animals, signing the Contract for the both of them...

"After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. So the LORD made a covenant with Abram that day and said, "I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River - the land is now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites."" (Genesis 15:17-21 NLT) 

"God's Promises Bring Hope"

   "For example, there was God's promise to Abraham. Since there was no greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: "I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number." Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

  "Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:13-20 NLT)

  "O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my sitting down and mine uprising; thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it." (PSALMS 139:1-6 KJV)

 One of the other important things that I have learned, in this New Life we have been given in Christ, is that He doesn't change His mind! Without getting too caried away, it has been my belief from the very beginning that God knows everything about me, both my past and my future; there is nothing about me that He does not already know!

 What that means, if you don't already know, is that when He saved us from our sins and made us His children, it was final and complete; His promises are never-ending! If He doesn't learn, as Pastor Mike always says, then when we mess up, at whatever stage of our journey, He is not surprised by what we have done, because He has already known that it would happen. 

 In other words, you are saved only once; you don't keep getting saved again and again, every time you repent for doing something wrong; but we do always must repent, knowing He will always forgive us, as He has promised! The other very important thing I have learned, is that we don't have the strength to keep our promises to Him; but that doesn't mean He doesn't keep His...

  "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah." (PSALMS 32:1-5 KJV)  

"Safe and Secure!" - Too

 "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." (Hebrews 6:12 KJV)

  ""Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he's the one to fear."" (Luke 12:4-5 NLT)

 Looking at this current world, there is still hope that there are people looking for God; having seen some of the clips from Charlie's debates, it is pretty obvious that he was not ashamed of the Gospel, and he was always ready to lift up the name of Jesus Christ, with sincere passion and authority. I pray that will be my reaction too, if I am given the chance to share my faith! 

 One of the first things I realized, almost immediately after I got saved, is that I no longer feared death or judgment from all of the sins in my life; there was a feeling of a heavy burden being lifted off from me, and I felt safe and secure, almost as if there was a powerful force that surrounded me. Not that I was ever all that scared of being in jail, because I really never felt anything else, but getting back home.  

 However, after I got saved, I still wanted to go home, but the time I was spending in jail all of the sudden became important. I was learning and sharing things that were far more important; almost as if that was where I belonged, because God was doing a work, and my life was filled with purpose. 

 Here we are, some 44 years later, and I still feel that my life has purpose! Yes, this was about the time I got saved, back in 1981. I really don't remember the date, but I remember the day and the time. It was on a Sunday, at around 11:00 am. Something that I remember, just like John remembered when he was first alone with Jesus! 

 They say that the Gospel of John was written between AD 90 - 100; which would make John about that age, around 84 to 90 years old. But even at that very old age, he still recalled the time of day when he first spent time with Jesus...

"The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!" When John's two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. "What do you want?" he asked them. They replied, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" "Come and see," he said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day."  

"Safe and Secure!"

 "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." (Hebrews 6:12 KJV) 

  "So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us." (1 John 2:24-25 NLT)

 Let me start by saying, My prayer is that God will raise up 100 more Charlie's! As if that was going to stop what he was so passionate in doing! I pray that there is going to be many more that will be motivated to get into the race, making his passion their passion, and giving God the glory! We all should know that he is now with the Lord; but that he will be missed, especially by his wonderful family.

 That said, we are living in some very interesting time, a time of Biblical prophecy; as it is being said, over and over: "There are those that call evil good, and good evil!" These are truly last day events, and we should be ready for the Lord's soon coming, to take us home. 

 We should all be paying attention to what is going on in this world, especially in the world around us. We cannot pretend that it is not any of our business! Right now, I am reading the Book of Esther to my wife, and we just finished chapter four, where Mordecai tells Esther, "Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?" 

 Just because you don't get involved doesn't mean you aren't in jeopardy of getting harmed or in trouble. As it was with Esther, she was a Jew, yet she kept it a secret; so she felt as though her life would not be in danger. Sorry to say, but that is not how the spiritual world we live in works...

"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm." (Ephesians 6:10-13 NLT)