Date: Wednesday, September 03,
2014
Today's Chapters: Ezekiel
17-19
Message Title: Rooted In Christ
Hello My
Friend,
There is no better gift than the gift of eternal life.
Amazingly, once we get saved we are always saved, no matter how many times we
mess up. If you were to walk away from God right now, you would still see Him
when you die because you are trusting only in Jesus Christ for your salvation,
not by any good or bad that You have done. Praise God! However, eternal life
does not mean that a person living in sin will not face consequences of those
sins. Christian's are not perfect by a long shot, no one is, but we can learn to
live the way God wants us to live so we can enjoy life on earth before we get to
heaven without the added pain and suffering for living in sin.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith
Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an
occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” - Galatians
5:1,13.
When God sent the Jews
to Babylon He did so in order to turn them
away from their sin, and back to Him. Some people
escaped the capture and were intent on doing what they wanted
anyway. God was not please and used Ezekiel to
tell them what was
about to happen as the result of their breaking their covenant with
Him. Still talking about vines, God gives a parable about two eagles,
Babylon and Egypt, and the dead branches of Israel, which would be cut off.
Within this warning comes a promise, a goodly
tree, one they could dwell in and be saved. “Thus saith
the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will
set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will
plant it upon an high mountain and eminent: In the mountain of the height of
Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be
a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow
of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall
know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree,
have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD
have spoken and have done it.” - Ezekiel
17:22-24.
Trees, as beautiful and essential as they are, we underestimate
what a tree can do, apart from becoming wood or paper, trees clean the air,
produce much needed oxygen, and provide food for all of God's creation. In order
for trees to flourish they need to
have good roots, the second the root get damaged the tree begins to die.
Amazingly, dead roots can be separated from living and
with proper care they will begin to flourish once again. The root to man
is it's soul, but the one who gives life to the soul is the true vine, Jesus
Christ, if we are not rooted in Him, we will die. Sin can
damage our roots, but Jesus can give us the proper care to remove them, and help
us flourish. “Abide in
me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in
the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the
branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much
fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” - John
15:4,5.
There are
people who live in the world who are honestly good people, they are quick to
help those in need, try to do the right thing, and even believe in God. However,
there is one big difference, they do not know Jesus. We will all stand before
Jesus one day, those who
know Him will be in
heaven, those who do not will be in hell. This is where a lot of people
reject God, they cannot understand how God can send a good
person to hell when they have done nothing wrong. The truth is, we have all done
something wrong at one point in our lives, it is
pride that keeps us from admitting that. Whether we
feel we deserve it or not, God says the punishment for sin
is hell. Through Ezekiel, God explains why the
wicked can be saved, the good can end up in hell, and why none
of our own righteousness can save us.
“Behold, all
souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine:
the soul that sinneth, it shall die. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The
son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the
iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and
the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from
all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which
is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his
transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in
his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. But when the righteous
turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth
according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All
his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that
he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he
die.” - Ezekiel 18:4,20-22,24.
Since
God is our Creator, He has control over our souls, we can do whatever we want
with our body but in the end, the soul is God's, and He decides where it will
end up when our flesh dies. Sin is any
wrongdoing that we have ever done from the time we knew we can
get away with something, sin is sin in God's eyes, whether a person has
killed someone or lied, it is still sin, and the punishment is
hell. That is why righteousness cannot save us, the second we sin
again, all of the good gets cast out.
It's like when you make one mistake and it's only the mistake people remember
for years to come. There is only one way to be redeemed
and saved from hell, and that is making Jesus Christ your Saviour.
“Not by works
of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by
the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace,
we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal
life.” - Titus 3:5-7.
God gives commands so we
can live the best life we can live here on earth and not have to suffer too
much, it is sad that so many people think that His laws are unjust and cruel.
While we are no longer subject to the laws of Moses, they do hold some merit
because it is things that we should be doing anyway. What is wrong with having a
little discipline in our lives, to live a moral life that does not defile our
bodies or anyone else's? We are children of God, He lives inside of every
believer, yet, day after day many chose to defile what Jesus sacrificed His life
to save. God does not want to see anyone one of His souls end up in hell, no
matter what wrong they have done, but it's time we repent, turn away from our
sins, and turn back Jesus.
“Have I any
pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he
should return from his ways, and live? Again, when the wicked man turneth away
from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and
right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away
from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he
shall not die. Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one
according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all
your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all
your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and
a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” - Ezekiel
18:23, 27,28,
30,31.
A soul with
out Jesus Christ is a dead soul, it has no life to it, it wanders around looking
for some kind of life, but cannot find it. A soul that has Jesus Christ is a
living soul, it has life to it, but it too can wander, looking for life, and
until it submits solely to Jesus Christ it cannot be found. “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath
no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in
that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be
dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not
sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts
thereof.” - Romans 6:9-12.
Today's
Prayer: God, I know
that I have done wrong in my life, but thanks to Your mercy, grace, and sending
Your Son to die for me, all the wrong is now erased, since I made Him my Saviour. Lord, forgive me for subjecting my mind, body, and living soul to things that
are shameful, and
or an abomination to You. Lead
me and guide me, show me the path to take that leads me to the godly, Christ
filled, joyful life that brings life not only to my soul, but mind, spirit, and
body too. I love You, Lord and ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless
You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Jesus
©2014 I'm Following Jesus
Friday, September 5, 2014
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Date: Sunday, August 10,
2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 6-8
Message Title: Tampering With God's Word
Teachers are meant to, well, teach, to give us the correct information that is needed to learn, understand, and do what it is that they have been taught themselves on a particular subject. Just because someone is teaching something that does not mean they teach the truth of what they are teaching. Since God created man, people have been teaching His Word, and not all teach it correctly. Still today His words are removed, added to, distorted, and taken out of context to get people to believe that what they are teaching is truth. We have been warned about tampering with God's Word. “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” - Revelation 22:18,19. Besides being our Savior, Jesus came here in the flesh to teach us not only which doctrine to believe, but what we are to do for God and man from it. Through Jeremiah, God has a warning to those who listen to the false teachers and how it pains Him to see them believe them over the truth. “To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” - Jeremiah 6:10,13-16.It grieves God to see people turning from His ways and listening to these lies. The worse part is they seek God in their lives, but instead of learning the truth through God's Word they rather learn the lies through man. Sadly, they will only have themselves to blame when they receive the same fate as the liars . “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” - Revelation 21:8.
Even before Jesus came here in the flesh, salvation has always been given by faith in Him alone, the sacrifices God required were not for their salvation, but a picture of the blood required for their atonement of sin. If it were not for Jesus giving His life for us we would still be offering up lambs and calves to seek forgiveness from God. Through Jeremiah, God warns us not to trust in or even pray for those who tell of any other way to get to Him. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.” - Jeremiah 7:3,4,8-10,16. No profit comes from believing in and trusting anyone or anything, but Jesus. They are not victims because they knew the truth, but refused to accept it. I have said it before, and I will say it again, ignorance does not save us, we all suffer the same fate whether we know of Christ or not, only those who have received Christ will be saved. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” - John 3:17,18.
Many people want God's blessings, and they try to do good things to get them, but they want to follow God on their terms. Rather than make themselves feel convicted every time, they justify sin by making up their own set of rules and putting God's name on it. This is very dangerous and something God despises. Through Jeremiah, God warns what will happen to those who keep deceiving people. “How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.” - Jeremiah 8:8-12.
Guess what, we are all human, we all make mistakes, we are not always going to agree with the person teaching God's word to us, but God's Word is infallible, meaning it is not written in vain, does not deceive, and does not change. Why do you think there are so many different versions of the Bible? Here is your answer, wise men living in sin, willfully, rewriting Scripture in vain. Their fate along with Satan is to be cast down to hell and in the lake of fire, imagine all those false prophets having to face the ones they deceived in hell. I am so glad that I do not have to witness that. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” - Revelation 20:10.
Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for guiding me along the path to Your Son, Jesus Christ. Of all the people in the world You chose me to be one of Yours and for that no words of gratitude can express my thanks to You. Lord, now that I know the truth, let me not get caught up in strange doctrines that would hinder my walk with You. I trust in You, Lord, let me not be put to confusion, but see clearly all that You are trying to tell and show me. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
ChristinaAre You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's PriceLike Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
©2014 I'm Following Jesus
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 6-8
Message Title: Tampering With God's Word
Teachers are meant to, well, teach, to give us the correct information that is needed to learn, understand, and do what it is that they have been taught themselves on a particular subject. Just because someone is teaching something that does not mean they teach the truth of what they are teaching. Since God created man, people have been teaching His Word, and not all teach it correctly. Still today His words are removed, added to, distorted, and taken out of context to get people to believe that what they are teaching is truth. We have been warned about tampering with God's Word. “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” - Revelation 22:18,19. Besides being our Savior, Jesus came here in the flesh to teach us not only which doctrine to believe, but what we are to do for God and man from it. Through Jeremiah, God has a warning to those who listen to the false teachers and how it pains Him to see them believe them over the truth. “To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” - Jeremiah 6:10,13-16.It grieves God to see people turning from His ways and listening to these lies. The worse part is they seek God in their lives, but instead of learning the truth through God's Word they rather learn the lies through man. Sadly, they will only have themselves to blame when they receive the same fate as the liars . “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” - Revelation 21:8.
Even before Jesus came here in the flesh, salvation has always been given by faith in Him alone, the sacrifices God required were not for their salvation, but a picture of the blood required for their atonement of sin. If it were not for Jesus giving His life for us we would still be offering up lambs and calves to seek forgiveness from God. Through Jeremiah, God warns us not to trust in or even pray for those who tell of any other way to get to Him. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.” - Jeremiah 7:3,4,8-10,16. No profit comes from believing in and trusting anyone or anything, but Jesus. They are not victims because they knew the truth, but refused to accept it. I have said it before, and I will say it again, ignorance does not save us, we all suffer the same fate whether we know of Christ or not, only those who have received Christ will be saved. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” - John 3:17,18.
Many people want God's blessings, and they try to do good things to get them, but they want to follow God on their terms. Rather than make themselves feel convicted every time, they justify sin by making up their own set of rules and putting God's name on it. This is very dangerous and something God despises. Through Jeremiah, God warns what will happen to those who keep deceiving people. “How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.” - Jeremiah 8:8-12.
Guess what, we are all human, we all make mistakes, we are not always going to agree with the person teaching God's word to us, but God's Word is infallible, meaning it is not written in vain, does not deceive, and does not change. Why do you think there are so many different versions of the Bible? Here is your answer, wise men living in sin, willfully, rewriting Scripture in vain. Their fate along with Satan is to be cast down to hell and in the lake of fire, imagine all those false prophets having to face the ones they deceived in hell. I am so glad that I do not have to witness that. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” - Revelation 20:10.
Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for guiding me along the path to Your Son, Jesus Christ. Of all the people in the world You chose me to be one of Yours and for that no words of gratitude can express my thanks to You. Lord, now that I know the truth, let me not get caught up in strange doctrines that would hinder my walk with You. I trust in You, Lord, let me not be put to confusion, but see clearly all that You are trying to tell and show me. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
ChristinaAre You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's PriceLike Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
©2014 I'm Following Jesus
Knowing Your A, B, C's
Date: Tuesday, September 02,
2014
Today's Chapters: Ezekiel 15-16
Message Title: Knowing Your A, B, C's
Hello My Friend,
The word equity means the impartial (unbiased) distribution (dividing) of justice, in other words, it's equal justice. It is only by the mercy and grace of God that He does not give us what we do deserve. He is no respecter of persons, we all face the same judgment, and we all get the same pardon if we receive Christ as our Saviour. From Adam, to Moses, to Mary, to Paul, to we who are saved, we are all sinners, saved by the grace of God. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” - Romans 3:10-12,22-24.
Since we are all a creation of God, He makes salvation as easy as knowing your A, B, C's, A: Admit that you are a sinner, B: Believe in Christ, and C: Confess Jesus as your Saviour. So what happens to those who do not know their A, B, C's? Through Ezekiel, God explains by the example of a dried up vine tree. “Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest? Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon? Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” - Ezekiel 15:2-4,6.
A vine tree is a grape vine, vines dry up, and are useless, in this rather blunt illustration, God tells the people of Jerusalem that will not repent that they will be cast into the fire. Part of knowing your A, B, C's is knowing the true vine, Jesus Christ. He is the vine that gives life to a dead soul, the second a person receives Him as their Saviour they branch out as one with Christ. Those who rely on false religion or false gods will die and be cast into the fire. We cannot be saved from the fire unless we get attached to the true vine. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” - John 15:5-7.
A, B, C's are one of the first things we learn as a child, without them we would not be able to read. Now, anyone can scrape by if they cannot read, but they are going to have a lot of struggles in life, mainly because they must rely on others to tell them what things mean. Through an odd illustration of a mixed marriage (a marriage of two different religions) , God reminds them of their current troubles because they mixed with the heathens. “Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.” - Ezekiel 16:2-6.
Blood, it's amazing thing, without it, we would literally die. It's not enough to just have blood, we need to take care of it, and feed it things that are essential for our blood. Tainted blood makes you feel weak and lifeless, in order for it to be lively and energetic it needs to be removed of it's contaminates. When we receive Christ as our Saviour He cleanses our blood, and removes all the contaminates from sin that make us weak and lifeless. Christ gave His life to give us life, but many, many, will die because they do not want to accept that it is as simple as A, B, C.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” - Proverbs 1:7,23-25,31-33.
God not only has a warning for the unsaved, he has a warning for the saved as well, repent. God is unchanging in His character and He will not bless those who assume He will overlook their sinful lives because they are saved. Only when we turn to Him and repent can we see His mercy, grace, forgiveness, and blessings. God does remind us of the new covenant He made with them, an everlasting covenant. “Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD. For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.” - Ezekiel 16:58-63.
Those of us who know Jesus Christ personally as their Saviour ought to be living their lives in a way that the world see Him through them. Sadly, that is a rarity these days as some are living more wickedly than those in the world. This is what God is talking about, that is all He is talking about in the Book of Ezekiel, His people are more corrupt than the world and they need to repent. “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” - 1 Peter 1:16-19.
Today's Prayer: Jesus, You want us to live the best life that we can live, one that is fruitful and honorable. When we struggle it can be hard to abide in You, but I know that a life without You is unfruitful. Lord, give me Your power to live my life in a way that not only honors You, but brings others to You. Let me not wither as a dead vine, feed me with the spiritual food I need to stay healthy and fruitful. Never let me forget of the life I lived before knowing my A, B, C's and let me be a witness and testimony for others. In Your name Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's PriceLike Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
©2014 I'm Following Jesus
Today's Chapters: Ezekiel 15-16
Message Title: Knowing Your A, B, C's
Hello My Friend,
The word equity means the impartial (unbiased) distribution (dividing) of justice, in other words, it's equal justice. It is only by the mercy and grace of God that He does not give us what we do deserve. He is no respecter of persons, we all face the same judgment, and we all get the same pardon if we receive Christ as our Saviour. From Adam, to Moses, to Mary, to Paul, to we who are saved, we are all sinners, saved by the grace of God. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” - Romans 3:10-12,22-24.
Since we are all a creation of God, He makes salvation as easy as knowing your A, B, C's, A: Admit that you are a sinner, B: Believe in Christ, and C: Confess Jesus as your Saviour. So what happens to those who do not know their A, B, C's? Through Ezekiel, God explains by the example of a dried up vine tree. “Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest? Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon? Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” - Ezekiel 15:2-4,6.
A vine tree is a grape vine, vines dry up, and are useless, in this rather blunt illustration, God tells the people of Jerusalem that will not repent that they will be cast into the fire. Part of knowing your A, B, C's is knowing the true vine, Jesus Christ. He is the vine that gives life to a dead soul, the second a person receives Him as their Saviour they branch out as one with Christ. Those who rely on false religion or false gods will die and be cast into the fire. We cannot be saved from the fire unless we get attached to the true vine. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” - John 15:5-7.
A, B, C's are one of the first things we learn as a child, without them we would not be able to read. Now, anyone can scrape by if they cannot read, but they are going to have a lot of struggles in life, mainly because they must rely on others to tell them what things mean. Through an odd illustration of a mixed marriage (a marriage of two different religions) , God reminds them of their current troubles because they mixed with the heathens. “Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.” - Ezekiel 16:2-6.
Blood, it's amazing thing, without it, we would literally die. It's not enough to just have blood, we need to take care of it, and feed it things that are essential for our blood. Tainted blood makes you feel weak and lifeless, in order for it to be lively and energetic it needs to be removed of it's contaminates. When we receive Christ as our Saviour He cleanses our blood, and removes all the contaminates from sin that make us weak and lifeless. Christ gave His life to give us life, but many, many, will die because they do not want to accept that it is as simple as A, B, C.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” - Proverbs 1:7,23-25,31-33.
God not only has a warning for the unsaved, he has a warning for the saved as well, repent. God is unchanging in His character and He will not bless those who assume He will overlook their sinful lives because they are saved. Only when we turn to Him and repent can we see His mercy, grace, forgiveness, and blessings. God does remind us of the new covenant He made with them, an everlasting covenant. “Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD. For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.” - Ezekiel 16:58-63.
Those of us who know Jesus Christ personally as their Saviour ought to be living their lives in a way that the world see Him through them. Sadly, that is a rarity these days as some are living more wickedly than those in the world. This is what God is talking about, that is all He is talking about in the Book of Ezekiel, His people are more corrupt than the world and they need to repent. “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” - 1 Peter 1:16-19.
Today's Prayer: Jesus, You want us to live the best life that we can live, one that is fruitful and honorable. When we struggle it can be hard to abide in You, but I know that a life without You is unfruitful. Lord, give me Your power to live my life in a way that not only honors You, but brings others to You. Let me not wither as a dead vine, feed me with the spiritual food I need to stay healthy and fruitful. Never let me forget of the life I lived before knowing my A, B, C's and let me be a witness and testimony for others. In Your name Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Foolish Prophets
Date: Monday, September 01,
2014
Today's Chapters: Ezekiel 12-14
Message Title: Foolish Prophets
Hello My Friend,
Currently, I drive almost an hour to get to church, I literally pass by eight to ten churches on the way, and I am there three times a week. You might think that's crazy, but I have learned one thing over the years, find your church, and build your life around that. Aren't all churches the same? A BIG NO. Churches are not the same. Too many churches, run by foolish prophets, are claiming to know Christ, and people are being deceived because they do not know any better. “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” - Ephesians 5:6-8.
The idea of God's decision to send most of Judah to Babylon for seventy years was to get them to turn back to Him and worshiping only Him. While many did, in fact, turn from their wicked ways and back to God, most of the elders did not, they continued to worship false gods, idols, and mix in with the world. God sends Ezekiel to give them a message. “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house. Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries. But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.” - Ezekiel 12:2,3,15,16.
I have noticed something the past couple of weeks, people really do enjoy going to church, and there really is no better place we should be on Sunday morning. To hear an uplifting message and sing praises to God really does something to motivate us and make us feel good. The problem is, everyone wants to feel good, but no one wants to feel convicted, which by the way, we all need sometimes. Foolish prophets mask any sort of conviction by removing the truths of God as much as they can. The only one benefiting from the lies are the ones reaping all the fame and fortune by those who are being deceived, but there will come a time when God will put an end to all the foolish prophets. And He has a message for all foolish prophets a.k.a, false prophets.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD. And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies? Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” - Ezekiel 13:3-5,8,19,21.
There is a billboard sign on one of the busiest areas of the interstate that reads, “God Is Not Angry”, every time I see it I want to contact the people and tell them what liars they are. However, God knows that a fool cannot be corrected, so, I know that it would be a waste of my breath. The truth is, God is angry, and not at the ones who do not know any better, or His faithful, or even His backslidden, He is angry at the ones who claim to know Him, deceive others into believing they know Him, but are liars. Ignorance and even being deceived does not save us from hell, their only salvation, Jesus Christ. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:9-13.
I am learning something else in my walk with Christ, just like any family, we do not all get along, we do not all want to follow our Father's rules, and we are all stubborn when it comes to changing our ways. Listen, I know about traditions and rules, I grew up Catholic and to this day I still catch myself trying to follow their traditions. This is why so many people rebel when true prophets try to show us the truth, we have foolish prophets to thank for that. Let me tell you, God does understand and knows that we can make some bad decisions based on what we have been taught, but He also knows there does come a time when we can no longer pretend we do not know. God gives Israel yet another chance to repent, and not just Israel, but all.
“Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself: And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” - Ezekiel 14:6-8.
If people want to remain in sin, God has no power to stop them, but He will keep them around either. Oh, it may look as though He has no control over the world, or that He is no where to be found, or even that He will never fulfill His promise that Jesus will return, but never underestimate the power of God, including His wrath. All will face Him, only a few will remain. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” - 2 Peter 3:9,10.
Today's Prayer: God, As much as we would like to hope that everyone that passes away today knows Jesus Christ personally as their Saviour the harsh reality is, unless they personally called on Him to save them they are not. It's their choice to believe and accept and there us nothing that we or even You can do to make that decision for them. Lord, open the hearts of those who have been deceived, help them to see that there is only one way to You and help us who are saved be bold to tell the truth and not be afraid to offend. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's PriceLike Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
©2014 I'm Following Jesus
Today's Chapters: Ezekiel 12-14
Message Title: Foolish Prophets
Hello My Friend,
Currently, I drive almost an hour to get to church, I literally pass by eight to ten churches on the way, and I am there three times a week. You might think that's crazy, but I have learned one thing over the years, find your church, and build your life around that. Aren't all churches the same? A BIG NO. Churches are not the same. Too many churches, run by foolish prophets, are claiming to know Christ, and people are being deceived because they do not know any better. “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” - Ephesians 5:6-8.
The idea of God's decision to send most of Judah to Babylon for seventy years was to get them to turn back to Him and worshiping only Him. While many did, in fact, turn from their wicked ways and back to God, most of the elders did not, they continued to worship false gods, idols, and mix in with the world. God sends Ezekiel to give them a message. “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house. Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries. But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.” - Ezekiel 12:2,3,15,16.
I have noticed something the past couple of weeks, people really do enjoy going to church, and there really is no better place we should be on Sunday morning. To hear an uplifting message and sing praises to God really does something to motivate us and make us feel good. The problem is, everyone wants to feel good, but no one wants to feel convicted, which by the way, we all need sometimes. Foolish prophets mask any sort of conviction by removing the truths of God as much as they can. The only one benefiting from the lies are the ones reaping all the fame and fortune by those who are being deceived, but there will come a time when God will put an end to all the foolish prophets. And He has a message for all foolish prophets a.k.a, false prophets.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD. And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies? Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” - Ezekiel 13:3-5,8,19,21.
There is a billboard sign on one of the busiest areas of the interstate that reads, “God Is Not Angry”, every time I see it I want to contact the people and tell them what liars they are. However, God knows that a fool cannot be corrected, so, I know that it would be a waste of my breath. The truth is, God is angry, and not at the ones who do not know any better, or His faithful, or even His backslidden, He is angry at the ones who claim to know Him, deceive others into believing they know Him, but are liars. Ignorance and even being deceived does not save us from hell, their only salvation, Jesus Christ. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:9-13.
I am learning something else in my walk with Christ, just like any family, we do not all get along, we do not all want to follow our Father's rules, and we are all stubborn when it comes to changing our ways. Listen, I know about traditions and rules, I grew up Catholic and to this day I still catch myself trying to follow their traditions. This is why so many people rebel when true prophets try to show us the truth, we have foolish prophets to thank for that. Let me tell you, God does understand and knows that we can make some bad decisions based on what we have been taught, but He also knows there does come a time when we can no longer pretend we do not know. God gives Israel yet another chance to repent, and not just Israel, but all.
“Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself: And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” - Ezekiel 14:6-8.
If people want to remain in sin, God has no power to stop them, but He will keep them around either. Oh, it may look as though He has no control over the world, or that He is no where to be found, or even that He will never fulfill His promise that Jesus will return, but never underestimate the power of God, including His wrath. All will face Him, only a few will remain. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” - 2 Peter 3:9,10.
Today's Prayer: God, As much as we would like to hope that everyone that passes away today knows Jesus Christ personally as their Saviour the harsh reality is, unless they personally called on Him to save them they are not. It's their choice to believe and accept and there us nothing that we or even You can do to make that decision for them. Lord, open the hearts of those who have been deceived, help them to see that there is only one way to You and help us who are saved be bold to tell the truth and not be afraid to offend. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's PriceLike Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
©2014 I'm Following Jesus
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
The Mark Of Christ
Date: Sunday, August 31,
2014
Today's Chapters: Ezekiel 8-11
Message Title: The Mark Of Christ
Hello My Friend,
When Jesus walked the earth in the flesh, He lived among the Jews, as He was born into a Jewish family, He would walk from town to town, find a few believers, but the majority of them would reject Him. Today, it is not much different, many still reject Him. A converted Jewish missionary said that Orthodox Jews only read the first five books of the Bible (Torah), then they stop there because the rest states the connection of Jesus. Perhaps they, as well as the rest of the people who believe in God, but reject Christ, hope that their ignorance will justify their actions. What they fail to realize is that the entire Bible is connected to Jesus, after all, He is the Word made flesh, and He is the only hope. “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” - Proverbs 30:4-6.
After the fall of Jerusalem, and most of Judah had been carried off to Babylon, many of the Jews from Assyria that had been scattered since their fall flocked to Jerusalem, and they brought all their abominations with them. Through an amazing revelation, God comes to Ezekiel and shows him the horrible state of Jerusalem as His people forsook Him for their false gods. “And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.” - Ezekiel 8:3,4,9,12.
The Book of Ezekiel is the Book of Revelation for those living in Old Testament days, it was designed to show the Jews that even though God chose them to be the first people to be known as His people, they are not exempt from judgment either. I imagine God grieves and weeps every day over the abominations He sees, He has no choice, but to turn His eyes away and cover his ears to the horrible sounds. I tell you, the longer I serve God the more abominations I see and can understand why He turns His head. Even the things I catch myself doing still today remind me of how merciful God is to have spared me from the judgment I should be receiving. “Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.” - Psalms 119:155,156.
A mark is an impression, something that symbolizes who or what you are, we all have a mark of some kind, that is what makes us all unique from one another. God chose to put a special mark on the forehead of His children. God takes Ezekiel on a gruesome journey to see the fate of all, Israel included, who do not have this mark. “And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not. And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.” - Ezekiel 9:4,5,8-10.
Ezekiel saw first hand the anger of God toward those who reject His Son, He knows we are all sinners, and He is merciful to us, but He will have no mercy on those who reject Him. No matter who you are, man, woman, or child, any person who fully understands right from wrong, and does not have the mark upon them will be destroyed in the fire. The mark God is looking for, the blood of Christ. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:6,7.
The word recompense means to compensate, to repay what is due according to any thing given, for instance, a person who works a job get compensated or paid for the work they have done. Whether people realize it or not, God sees everything, and we get compensated for the work we do. Ezekiel, was so overwhelmed by what he saw he just knew that all of Israel was done for, but God gave him some hope when he asked if He was going to destroy all of Israel. “Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.” - Ezekiel 11:16,20,21.
The same God of Israel is the God of America, China, Rome, Egypt, and every other nation, only those who have the blood of Christ, upon them will be saved and brought to Israel to live there when He reigns as King. Those who reject Christ, Jew or not, will be compensated with hell and the lake of fire. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” - Revelation 21:7,8.
Today's Prayer: God, It's scary to see all that is happening in the world today and realize that judgment is coming. Lord, open the hearts of those who are looking to their false gods and religions to save them from Your wrath. Keep us strong and protected against all the corruption and wickedness of the world, give us Your power to stand strong in our faith, tell others the truth, and not be pulled into the likeness of their standards. Help us to be a witness and a testimony and keep us looking to You so we do not get caught up in the world. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's PriceLike Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
©2014 I'm Following Jesus
Today's Chapters: Ezekiel 8-11
Message Title: The Mark Of Christ
Hello My Friend,
When Jesus walked the earth in the flesh, He lived among the Jews, as He was born into a Jewish family, He would walk from town to town, find a few believers, but the majority of them would reject Him. Today, it is not much different, many still reject Him. A converted Jewish missionary said that Orthodox Jews only read the first five books of the Bible (Torah), then they stop there because the rest states the connection of Jesus. Perhaps they, as well as the rest of the people who believe in God, but reject Christ, hope that their ignorance will justify their actions. What they fail to realize is that the entire Bible is connected to Jesus, after all, He is the Word made flesh, and He is the only hope. “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” - Proverbs 30:4-6.
After the fall of Jerusalem, and most of Judah had been carried off to Babylon, many of the Jews from Assyria that had been scattered since their fall flocked to Jerusalem, and they brought all their abominations with them. Through an amazing revelation, God comes to Ezekiel and shows him the horrible state of Jerusalem as His people forsook Him for their false gods. “And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.” - Ezekiel 8:3,4,9,12.
The Book of Ezekiel is the Book of Revelation for those living in Old Testament days, it was designed to show the Jews that even though God chose them to be the first people to be known as His people, they are not exempt from judgment either. I imagine God grieves and weeps every day over the abominations He sees, He has no choice, but to turn His eyes away and cover his ears to the horrible sounds. I tell you, the longer I serve God the more abominations I see and can understand why He turns His head. Even the things I catch myself doing still today remind me of how merciful God is to have spared me from the judgment I should be receiving. “Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.” - Psalms 119:155,156.
A mark is an impression, something that symbolizes who or what you are, we all have a mark of some kind, that is what makes us all unique from one another. God chose to put a special mark on the forehead of His children. God takes Ezekiel on a gruesome journey to see the fate of all, Israel included, who do not have this mark. “And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not. And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.” - Ezekiel 9:4,5,8-10.
Ezekiel saw first hand the anger of God toward those who reject His Son, He knows we are all sinners, and He is merciful to us, but He will have no mercy on those who reject Him. No matter who you are, man, woman, or child, any person who fully understands right from wrong, and does not have the mark upon them will be destroyed in the fire. The mark God is looking for, the blood of Christ. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:6,7.
The word recompense means to compensate, to repay what is due according to any thing given, for instance, a person who works a job get compensated or paid for the work they have done. Whether people realize it or not, God sees everything, and we get compensated for the work we do. Ezekiel, was so overwhelmed by what he saw he just knew that all of Israel was done for, but God gave him some hope when he asked if He was going to destroy all of Israel. “Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.” - Ezekiel 11:16,20,21.
The same God of Israel is the God of America, China, Rome, Egypt, and every other nation, only those who have the blood of Christ, upon them will be saved and brought to Israel to live there when He reigns as King. Those who reject Christ, Jew or not, will be compensated with hell and the lake of fire. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” - Revelation 21:7,8.
Today's Prayer: God, It's scary to see all that is happening in the world today and realize that judgment is coming. Lord, open the hearts of those who are looking to their false gods and religions to save them from Your wrath. Keep us strong and protected against all the corruption and wickedness of the world, give us Your power to stand strong in our faith, tell others the truth, and not be pulled into the likeness of their standards. Help us to be a witness and a testimony and keep us looking to You so we do not get caught up in the world. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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A Rich Beggar
Date: Saturday, August 30,
2014
Today's Chapters: Ezekiel 5-7
Message Title: A Rich Beggar
Hello My Friend,
Poverty, when you hear that word you imagine someone who is a beggar, no home, no job, and pretty much living in the worst conditions possible. The word poverty means, destitution or absence of property; indigence or nakedness; want of convenient means of subsistence or money. When you think about the actual meaning, we could be the richest person on earth and still be in poverty. God wants us to live the life of a king, but much too often we live the life or a beggar. “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.” - Proverbs 11:24,28.
Fourteen years had passed after Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah and taken the Jews captive and into Babylon. Ezekiel was one of those held captive in Babylon, but God miraculously used him to show the Jews there what was going on back in Jerusalem. Ezekiel saw some amazing, yet heartbreaking, visions of God leading him through Jerusalem were it was full ruin and corruption. It was then that God told Ezekiel of the judgments placed upon them. “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations. And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations. Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity. So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.” - Ezekiel 5:8-9,11,15.
You know, as merciful and forgiving as God is, He is disgusted over His saved, born again children, living wicked lives and putting Him in the middle of it all. While we are all sinners save by the grace of God and still sin, this is riches gained by deception. They say God is in their lives, yet live wicked and immorally, they make up religions to justify what they are doing, change God's Word to hide their sin, and somehow convince the unknown to follow them. Amazingly, God is still merciful to His children, even if they never change their ways.
“I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” - Revelation 2:9-11.
Yes, God is merciful to those who have accepted Christ as their Savior, we are not saved by works, nor are we required to live a righteous life to keep it, but will suffer here on earth. God gives hope to Ezekiel and all of us that while, many will die for their sins, a remnant will survive. “And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.” - Ezekiel 6:3,8-10.
Christ's judgment is coming, no amount of money, possessions, serving God, or people can save you, only Christ can save you! Too many religions are worshiping a false form of God, and stress the importance of these things, but they are all vain, and sadly, it is going to be too late when many realize that fact. “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” - Ephesians 5:6-8.
God gives Ezekiel a grim warning of the end of life as we know it, but also a glimpse of hope for those who will escape the judgment. “Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land. Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all thine abominations. And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.” - Ezekiel 7:2-4,16.
There is going to be a time in every persons life when they realize that their wealth is worthless, and they are in fact, living in poverty, poverthy from God. Wealth itself is not sin and can be a means to bring about miracles with spiritual and eternal values, but wealth is never meant to be something we aim for. Sooner or later all who choose wealth over God will find out the hard way that they really need Him. Sadly, that is when it will be too late, but it is not too late now. “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” - Luke 16:13,15.
Today's Prayer: God, We are weak and fearful people apart from Your Holy Spirit that makes us strong as we live for You. Our struggle is not physical, but spiritual, as the powers of a wicked and corrupt world draw us in every direction. Lord, this conflict will not end until we unite with You in heaven, so, keep us looking to You, ready, and prepared as we do battle with our enemy. You are the captain, and we will be victorious as we follow Your every command. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's PriceLike Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
©2014 I'm Following Jesus
Today's Chapters: Ezekiel 5-7
Message Title: A Rich Beggar
Hello My Friend,
Poverty, when you hear that word you imagine someone who is a beggar, no home, no job, and pretty much living in the worst conditions possible. The word poverty means, destitution or absence of property; indigence or nakedness; want of convenient means of subsistence or money. When you think about the actual meaning, we could be the richest person on earth and still be in poverty. God wants us to live the life of a king, but much too often we live the life or a beggar. “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.” - Proverbs 11:24,28.
Fourteen years had passed after Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah and taken the Jews captive and into Babylon. Ezekiel was one of those held captive in Babylon, but God miraculously used him to show the Jews there what was going on back in Jerusalem. Ezekiel saw some amazing, yet heartbreaking, visions of God leading him through Jerusalem were it was full ruin and corruption. It was then that God told Ezekiel of the judgments placed upon them. “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations. And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations. Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity. So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.” - Ezekiel 5:8-9,11,15.
You know, as merciful and forgiving as God is, He is disgusted over His saved, born again children, living wicked lives and putting Him in the middle of it all. While we are all sinners save by the grace of God and still sin, this is riches gained by deception. They say God is in their lives, yet live wicked and immorally, they make up religions to justify what they are doing, change God's Word to hide their sin, and somehow convince the unknown to follow them. Amazingly, God is still merciful to His children, even if they never change their ways.
“I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” - Revelation 2:9-11.
Yes, God is merciful to those who have accepted Christ as their Savior, we are not saved by works, nor are we required to live a righteous life to keep it, but will suffer here on earth. God gives hope to Ezekiel and all of us that while, many will die for their sins, a remnant will survive. “And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.” - Ezekiel 6:3,8-10.
Christ's judgment is coming, no amount of money, possessions, serving God, or people can save you, only Christ can save you! Too many religions are worshiping a false form of God, and stress the importance of these things, but they are all vain, and sadly, it is going to be too late when many realize that fact. “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” - Ephesians 5:6-8.
God gives Ezekiel a grim warning of the end of life as we know it, but also a glimpse of hope for those who will escape the judgment. “Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land. Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all thine abominations. And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.” - Ezekiel 7:2-4,16.
There is going to be a time in every persons life when they realize that their wealth is worthless, and they are in fact, living in poverty, poverthy from God. Wealth itself is not sin and can be a means to bring about miracles with spiritual and eternal values, but wealth is never meant to be something we aim for. Sooner or later all who choose wealth over God will find out the hard way that they really need Him. Sadly, that is when it will be too late, but it is not too late now. “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” - Luke 16:13,15.
Today's Prayer: God, We are weak and fearful people apart from Your Holy Spirit that makes us strong as we live for You. Our struggle is not physical, but spiritual, as the powers of a wicked and corrupt world draw us in every direction. Lord, this conflict will not end until we unite with You in heaven, so, keep us looking to You, ready, and prepared as we do battle with our enemy. You are the captain, and we will be victorious as we follow Your every command. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's PriceLike Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
©2014 I'm Following Jesus
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