God's Warnings To A Sinful Nation

Date: Saturday, July 25, 2015
Chapters: Isaiah 1-3
Message Title: God's Warnings To A Sinful Nation

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Isaiah is the twenty-third book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains sixty-six chapters. The author of the book is Isaiah and it was written to Judah and all believers. The timeline of these events took place approximately 766 BC to 679 BC. The purpose of the book was to teach correction and reproof to all believers. What we are to learn from the book is that rebellion leads to destruction, but repentance leads to restoration. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” - Isaiah 1:18.

The Book of Isaiah is actually a mirror of the entire Bible. The Bible has 66 books, Isaiah has 66 chapters, the Old Testament has 39 books covering the history and sin of Israel, the first 39 chapters of Isiah cover the same. The New Testament has 27 books describing the ministry of Jesus Christ, including the new heaven and earth, the last 27 chapters of Isaiah describe the same. The book of Isaiah begins with God in deep mourning over the sinful and corrupted state Israel, He pleads with them to change their ways and return to Him before it's too late.

“Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” - Isaiah 1:4-6,9,19,20.

If you ever wondered why God allows so much evil to remain in the world, it's because His very own people are living wicked, sinful lives. He's done with chastening them, they must deal with the consequences of their sins on their own. Now, He does want them to repent, in fact, He encourages them to turn from their sin, but He's not wasting His time trying to convince them to do right when they only rebel more. If it were not for His faithful few, who will not bow down to the devil, our nation would be destroyed right now. “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” - Romans 1:28,32.

All throughout the Old Testament we learn of Israel falling in and out of sin, getting themselves into trouble, seeking God's help, only to fall worse the next time. God will forgive us a million times if we are truly trying, he knows our hearts and what we are really doing, but He will not be mocked. While He is gracious and merciful, and gives all a chance to repent, there does come a time when He stops. God gives Isaiah a glimpse of Christ, who will judge every one of us.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” - Isaiah 2:2,10-12,20-22.

What a day it will be when Jesus reigns as our King, and every nation will bow to Him, and live peaceably and uncorrupted for eternity. One way or another, every knee will bow to Christ, and we will give an account of our lives. Those who are saved will account for what they did after they were saved, those who are not, everything including the times they rejected Him. “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” - Romans 14:11,12.

God was about to take away every bit of support He had given Jerusalem and Judah, the city where He shined was to be completely destroyed. Through Isaiah, God foretells His judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem, and encourages them to repent before that day comes. “For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory. The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.” - Isaiah 3:8-13.

There is only one person who can save us from judgment, Jesus Christ. When we receive Him as our Saviour we are under His watch and protection, even if we are in the midst of a nation no longer under God. While we will never be cast into the lake of fire, we are accountable for our actions until God takes us to heaven or Jesus comes to get us. People who worship God in vain suffer deeply until they repent, but those who remain faithful to Him will have much more to enjoy we join Him in His Kingdom. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” - Hebrews 10:36-39.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank you for sending Your Son Jesus to make the atonement for our sins a permanent one. We no longer have to seek atonement continuously because we are redeemed by the precious blood of Your Son upon our souls. Our redemption does not give us a free pass to live in sin and not suffer for it. Lord, lead us and guide us, help us to seek Your truths and live by them so we can be One Nation Blessed Under God. Put Your hedge of protection around Your faithful, and give us the strength and courage to boldly proclaim Your Son to the world. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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My Beloved

Date: Friday, July 24, 2015
Chapters: Song of Solomon 5-8
Message Title: My Beloved

Hello My Friend,

Beloved, to be loved or greatly loved, we all long to be beloved, there brings no greater joy than to for someone to share their love. Quite often, we do not feel beloved at all, in fact, we feel unloved and unworthy of even being loved. The truth is, we are loved, no greater love is shown than in Jesus, who gave His life to save us from a burning fiery hell. Much more than that, we are His and He is ours, in Him we love and are loved. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” - John 15:13,16.

Sometimes the things we go through make it seem as though Jesus is no where to be found, perhaps we are holding on to something from our past or even have some hidden sin we fail to bring up that's causing us to lose sight of Him. Let me tell you, when we do not let go of the past or even let the smallest sin remain prominent in our lives, Jesus will withdraw Himself from us, and we are left wondering where He is as things get worse. “I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?” - Song of Solomon 5:6-9.

Here we have a wife speaking, not to her husband, but of him, and it is a sad song, she sings of the distress she was under after her husband walks away because she neglected him. This is an illustration of a saved soul who neglects Christ after being saved, when we receive Christ as our Saviour He cleanses us and removes all the filth of sin from our lives, including not letting go of past sin that He has already forgiven us for. Those who remain living in sin lives with no effort to remove the sin will seek Christ, but not be able to find Him. While Christ never leaves us He will step back and let us deal with the consequences of it all on our own. It's not to see us suffer, it's to get us to repent. “If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.” - Hebrews 6:6-9.

Getting through hardships caused by sin makes the believer understand the love of Christ, and that only through the grace of God we are even saved. Once we belong to Christ, nothing can separate us from Him. It's sad that so many saved people will never understand just how much He loves them. God's mercy and grace upon us is just amazing, but if we do not acknowledge it, then we will always be wondering where He is. “Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee. My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.” - Song of Solomon 6:1-3.

Jesus is never too far that He cannot be found, all we have to do to see Him is turn around. Jesus loves us, He feels our pain and does not want us to suffer, but we do need to come to Him if we want to turn things around. “I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves. The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.” - Song of Solomon 7:10-13.

A vineyard, miles and miles of grapes on vines, a beautiful sight to see when the grapes are ripe. Jesus has a vineyard, and we are a part of it, as long as we abide in His vine we will be fruitful, break off of Him and we will wither and pretty much die. “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. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” - John 15:5-8.

Let me tell you, when we are not showing Jesus that He is our beloved we can get jealous of those who are being blessed that are. “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee. Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it. Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.” - Song of Solomon 8:5-7,13,14.

Can I tell you, we cannot blame God for anything that happens to us, yes, He does have the power to intervene, but He will never intervene with mans free will. And we cannot get jealous or envious over those who are making sure Jesus the love of their lives and reaping the rewards for it. It's time to stop coveting over what others have, get right with Jesus, and make Him your beloved. Only when we love Jesus as He loved us can we see Jesus working in and through us. “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” - John 15:9-12.

Today's Prayer: Jesus, You showed us how much You love us by sacrificing Your life on the cross, and offering eternal life to all who believe in You. No matter how much we resist, no matter how many times we back away from You, You are right there, patiently waiting for us to come to You with all that we are going through. You want to comfort us, guide us, and give us hope through all the circumstances we face. You knock and knock, but we tend to neglect You and lose the sense of Your presence in the process. Lord, open our ears and hearts, help us to get past our circumstances and turn to You for all things, I know it is only by coming to You that I can truly know Your love and love You. In Your name Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Marriage Of The Lamb

Date: Thursday, July 23, 2015
Chapters: Song of Solomon 1-4
Message Title: Marriage Of The Lamb

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Song of Solomon is the twenty-second book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains eight chapters. The author of the book is King Solomon and it was written to Israel and all believers. The timeline is approximately 1014 BC. The purpose of the book is to show the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Church as demonstrated by the intimate marriage relationship between a husband and wife. What we are to learn from the book is that the divine model of love between a man and his wife is the pattern for the relationship between Christ (Man) and the Church (His Bride). “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.” - Song of Solomon 2:16.

The Song of Solomon begins with the brides love for her bridegroom, she anticipates the day she becomes his wife. “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.” - Song of Solomon 1:2-6.

The love of a husband and wife is quite like the love of Jesus and His bride, there is a sweet savor that gives off something unforgettable. The soul who lives nearest to Jesus in sweet communion with Him will feel convicted when it discover the sin in its life, but rejoice in the fact that it is one with Jesus and He never leaves them. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” - 1 Corinthians 6:19,20.

The white lily, pure, and delicate, is a genus of plants of many species, it produces bell-shaped, white flowers with streaks of pink in them. Its beauty and fragrance foreshadow Jesus Christ to His Church. We see here, the special attention made of the lily. “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice. My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” - Song of Solomon 2:1-3,8-10.

Jesus stands at the door of every persons heart, He knocks, peaks in the window, looks around the back in hopes that His love will let Him in. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” - Revelation 3:20,21.

The soul, you cannot see it or touch it physically, but you definitely know it is there. A lonely soul is probably the most noticeable as it never rests until it finds it's one true source of happiness. We get an illustration of the brides lonely soul seeking her one true love. “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.” - Song of Solomon 3:1-4.

This is a great illustration of a lost soul that finds Christ, once it finds Him they become soul mates, Jesus grabs a hold of it and never lets it go. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.” - John 10:27-30.

God, our great owner has constituted His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Shepherd. He has all that care of His people that a good shepherd has of his flock. In His care, the true believer is eternally secure for eternity, we are one with Him, bound by a marriage that cannot be dissolved. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” - Revelation 19:7-9.

Today's Prayer: God, You long to have a one on one relationship with us, one that is full of faith, trust, and honor, just as a husband and wife do when they vow to be one. While nothing is sure in life, one thing is sure, nothing can separate us from You. We may find some dark pathways, but You will always shine the Light to bring us back home. Lord, give me Your power to know You and love You with all my soul, heart, and mind. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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What We Treasure

Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Chapters: Ecclesiastes 9-12
Message Title: What We Treasure

Hello My Friend,

Treasure, it is amazing to learn of the things that one treasures. Some people treasure what the world gives them, such as wealth and fame, while others treasure people. Some treasure things that are given to them, while others treasure what is in their mind. What we treasure the most is determined by what our heart desires. If we are seeking godly things the heart will long for those, likewise, if we are seeking worldly things the heart will long for those. Interestingly enough though, when we give our hearts to God He places new desires upon them and gives us treasures that nothing here on earth can compare to. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” - Matthew 6:19-21.

Solomon went through a great deal of pain to know how God works regarding the poor and the rich, although he was no closer to an answer than when he first began, he did come up with one conclusion, God's hand is in it all. “For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.” - Ecclesiastes 9:1-5.

Poverty and riches come to both the saved and the unsaved, God's hand is in all His people, whether He gives us poverty or riches. Why does He allow some of us to become wealthy while others struggle to make ends meet? God does not look at our pockets to show us how wealthy we are, He looks at our faith. He's going to trust us with what we are able to handle, so if you are someone who struggles, count it a blessing because God sees your faith in Him. By the way, the saved living in poverty are wealthier than the unsaved richest on earth. Why? The richest man will die and end up in hell. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” - Ephesians 2:4-8.

Solomon realized that one day we will all be judged for our actions as adults. In our youth, it's easy to fall for the things of the world because we are learning and growing, but as we grow everything we do, whether we are saved or not is eternal. “Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.” - Ecclesiastes 11:7-10.

The saved may not be cast into hell, but that does not mean we will not accountable for what we do here on earth after we are saved, our judgment comes before God takes us home. The unsaved are going to do what they want, yeah, they may be extremely wealthy, but their judgment comes when they face Jesus. It often takes sorrow to bring us to the knowledge of Christ, and that is why some of the wealthiest people face some of the biggest tragedies, but sadly refuse to acknowledge Him. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” - John 5:28-30.

Solomon spent his lifetime searching for treasures from every worldly source he could find, money, women, work, possessions, wisdom, he used the word vanity over thirty times in the Book of Ecclesiastes and concluded that ignoring the Word of God was vanity of vanities. “The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” - Ecclesiastes 12:10-14.

When we begin to seek the things that are in the world, our heart turns away from God and toward our flesh. There comes a time in our lives when we must grow up and stop seeking pleasure in something that will never truly satisfy. It is only when we give our hearts completely over to God that we will find true treasures, not only here on earth, but in God's Kingdom as well. “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” - 1 Peter 2:1-3, 9-11.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for Your treasure chest of riches, salvation, wisdom, and knowledge, among the least. You love Your children and want the best for us, nothing brings You more joy than seeing Your children joyful and happy, but sometimes we can lose sight of our true treasures for the pleasures of the world, especially when we are struggling. Lord, lead us and guide us, keep us looking to You and not our circumstances, for You will supply us with all our needs. As we walk by faith and not by sight, give us at peace and comfort in our times as we hold to the true treasures that can only come from a life with You. Keep our eyes and hearts on You as we await the amazing treasures You have for us here on earth and in Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Vow To Trust God

Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Chapters: Ecclesiastes 5-8
Message Title: Vow To Trust God

Hello My Friend,

If we take a look at our lives, none of us can honestly say that we are where we really want to be. Sin, sickness, reckless lifestyles, or circumstances will take a dream and turn it into something completely different than what we imagined with our lives. Sure, we may be happy, but deep down there is something we wish we did or didn't do in hopes that things would have turned our differently. Can I tell you that we can't do anything about the past, but we can do something about today. The first step is thanking God for a new day, He has you exactly where He wants you to be, and He will turn any situation around if we just trust Him. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” - Romans 8:28,29.

Sin, as much as most of us do not want to sin, it's in our nature, and that is why God does not base our salvation upon our good works, but upon His Son, the one and only person who never sinned. A vow is a bond upon the soul, when we accept the Lord, Jesus Christ as our Saviour, God vows to save our souls from death and hell, no matter how many times we sin after we are saved. Many times Christians get caught up in lifestyles that are not as they planned because they make vows to follow Christ, but live a worldly life.

“When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.” - Ecclesiastes 5:5-7,18.

Of course, God wants to give us things and loves to see us enjoying the things that He gives us, but we can take it too far. We can lose sight of God, and do things that we know are wrong just to get the things we want, thinking they will fill that void. When that happens, God will place some problems in our lives to get us to see that what we have now is not so bad. “Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?” - Ecclesiastes 6:9-12.

Life can end in an instant, we can't keep dwelling on the things or life that we do not have, we have to learn to make the best out of what God has given us at this moment. God does have a purpose for allowing the things we go through in life, and believe it or not, it's not a punishment, it's a test. He is testing you to see if you will trust Him in all this. We're going to face stuff whether we are saved or not, we can trust God and let Him help us through it. “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” - Romans 5:3-5.

Patience, it is our lack of patience that causes us to make some unwise decisions sometimes. When we tire of waiting for something, especially if we have been waiting a long time for it, our spirit becomes broken. When our spirit is not right, naturally we are going to become more impatient, and that's when God puts a halt on things and waits for us. “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.” - Ecclesiastes 7:8-12.

God has no problem waiting for us to come to our senses before He starts showing back up in our lives. Of course, God is always with us, even when it appears He is not, and yes, He places those circumstances in our lives to get us back on track. Some of us figure it out, some do not, but thank God for His patience because we would all be in trouble. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” - Hebrews 10:35-37.

Christians can get into the world and get pretty wealthy in doing so, but eventually all of that will take a toll on us. Like it or not, we are not of this world, and because of that we are going to suffer more than them, sin brings death even upon the Christian who continues to live in the world. No, we will not end up in hell, but we will suffer here before God takes us home if we live sinful lives. “Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity. Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.” - Ecclesiastes 8:12-15.

Christians are by far sinless, but they do know God will be there for them when they acknowledge and confess their sins to Him. The worldly Christian cares less about what God thinks, let alone what we think, they are in it all for themselves. In the end, we who love and honor God, even though we may have thrown in some different ingredients, will have a great cake for Him to enjoy. “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. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:7-9.

Today's Prayer: Jesus, You are a treasure that is rich beyond measure, the things that You have done for me and continue to do are numberless, especially since I do not deserve any of them. I want to live my life the best I can, giving You the recognition, honor, and praise that you deserve. Lord, as I allow You to live in and through me make me a vessel of honor to not only remain committed to You, but bring others to You as well. Give me patience to wait for the things You have for me as I endure my trials for Your glory. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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More Is Less Without God

Date: Monday, July 20, 2015
Chapters: Ecclesiastes 1-4
Message Title: More Is Less Without God

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Ecclesiastes is the twenty-first book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains twelve chapters. The timeline is approximately 977 BC. The author of the book is King Solomon and it was first written to the Jews, but it is addressed to all believers. The purpose of the book provides a description of the quest for life apart from God, to prove that no matter how much one has, is vanity (worthless) and vexation (distressing) of the spirit if God is not apart of life. “For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.” - Ecclesiastes 2:26.

King Solomon was brought up by King David, a man known as the apple of God's eye. He was taught to love the Lord His God, with all his heart, mind, and soul. Solomon did very well in the beginning, because he loved God he prospered, and not only became the wisest, but the richest man in the world. The word Ecclesiastes means, the preacher, he wrote this book in his old age after realizing all the mistakes he made, the most valuable lesson he learned was that too much of anything is a vexation of the spirit.

“What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” - Ecclesiastes 1:3,4,8-10,16-18.

While we may think that the things of today are the newest and best or worse, it is nothing that God has not already seen. I always say the difference between now and then is technology, we get a little more smarter over the years, but less gets done because the flesh is never satisfied. Solely working for the pleasures of this world will never satisfy us, the more we get, the more we want, and this is what Solomon is talking about.

“I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.” - Ecclesiastes 2:1-3,13-16.

You know the saying, “The less you know the better.” When we start to learn things it causes stress because we have to work harder to get the same result. I know there are some things I learned that I would be better off not knowing, they haven't made my life any easier nor increased my riches, all I got was vanity and vexation of the spirit myself. We are all going to die one day and none of the wisdom or possessions we own are coming with us, so we must learn to be content with what God has given us. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” - Hebrews 13:5,6.

The truth is, the more we do without God, the more we seek the things of the world, the more we seek the things of the world, the less grateful we are of what we already have. True happiness is not found in as much as we can possess while we are here, the richest person on earth knows this, but they will never admit it because they fear losing the things that they have. True happiness comes from realizing that God is the source of everything that we possess, and thanking Him for it. “What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.” - Ecclesiastes 3:9-13.

Yes, the more we work, the more we are going to reap the benefits of our labor, but we must not forget that God is our source for everything. Just as He increases our wealth and earthly possessions by walking with Him, He can decrease them if we lag behind, forget about Him, and we may lose everything. It's not about what we get here on earth that we need to be concerned with, it's what we are doing to get it, we must build everything on His foundation or it will crumble eventually. “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” - Matthew 7:24-27.

There is a say, “Many hands make light work”. While we do need knowledge, and to make an effort to work, we must not lose our dependence on God. We need Him to get us through everything, even when things are going well. We also need to learn to depend on others once in a while, Solomon realized that we cannot do everything ourselves, and many hands do make light work. “Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” - Ecclesiastes 4:4,8-10.

If we are not building that career upon the foundation of Christ, it will fail, if we do not a build marriage or any other relationship upon the foundation of Christ, it will fail. It's not an insult, it's just that we were not made to carry so much weight all on our own, and if we fall we have no one to help us. Christ is the strength of every Christian, the Holy Spirit is our Comforter, if we do anything in our own strength we will always fail. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.” - 1 Corinthians 3:11-14.

Today's Prayer: God, As much as I try to do everything with Your Son guiding me I know I fail miserably at it. Sometimes I think I can handle it on my own and that You do not want to deal with such petty things, but I know You want to be in every part of my life, even when I am doing simple chores. Lord, give me Your power, strength, and guidance, help me to build everything upon Your foundation so I cannot fall. If I do fall keep me looking to You and for the blessings that come from my experience. Let me use my knowledge to glorify You so I will not grow to hate the things I love to do and they are not a vexation on my spirit. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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From Oppression To Success

Date: Sunday, July 19, 2015
Chapters: Proverbs 29-31
Message Title: From Oppression To Success

Hello My Friend,

The word oppression means imposing unreasonable burdens on others either in taxes or services, hardships, or depression. I will admit that I have been having a rough year, it seems that no matter which way I turn I have another burden to bare, but everyone around me is being blessed. This also has been a year in which God has really shown Himself in my life, and I realize how much I have been taking Him for granted. It's not what God gives me that I have been taking for granted, it's making use of what He has given me. We must never make light of anything that God gives us, even the struggles, they are all given for one reason and one reason only, to get us to see that He is our source for all things. “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:5-7,19.

Have you ever known someone who appeared to rich and successful, but had less than you? They are usually critical and judgmental about your accomplishments, but do not have much to show for their own? This is an example of a poor man oppressing the poor. The only reason they want you around is because you are the source of what they actually do have. Once you wise up and take it away from them they are quick to run to someone else. One thing I have learned by being someone who has, thank God, been the one being oppressed, they might get you to go astray for a while, but God will bring you back to Him, and they will fall into their own pit.“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not. The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” - Proverbs 29:18,22-25.

Oh my goodness, how true are the words here? Successes and accomplishments in life happen because we had a vision. When we have no vision we do perish, life has no meaning, you lose the passion and strive you once had, and you just keep going with no ambition. Let me tell you, not one person, not even God, can change a persons situation until they see life in their future. Things happen that take visions and life out of people, but we cannot let those things trap us in our own pit. If we want things to change we must make an effort to heal our spirit, and that is something that only Jesus can do. “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:10,15,26-28.

I have learned that people follow the Word of God in one of three ways. They read it and accept it as it is written, read it and alter it to fit their needs, or do not read it at all and learn of it by what others tell them. We all fit into one of these categories, and if we want to truly want to see the light, we need to read and accept all of it, word for word. “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. Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” - Proverbs 30:5-9.

Oppression often comes when we are not living by every word that God has given us and get angry at Him when things are not going our way. When we do not live by every word of God, we are short changing ourselves, God is our guide, teacher, and provider, we will never have a fulfilled life if we do not know what God does to fulfill it. Serious consequences will come from those who alter God's Word to suit their lifestyles. “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” - Luke 8:16-18.

Often throughout the Bible you read about men being blessed living by the Word of God, but once in a while something pops up to remind women that they too need to live by every word of God, perhaps even more than men. A woman has a great deal of influence on a man, one who is wicked destroys the man, but a virtuous woman, one who lives by every word of God and is a godly example, uplifts the man and is blessed. “Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” - Proverbs 31:3,10-12,25-27,30.

A virtuous woman meaning a woman who is morally good, being in conformity to God's Word, is in command of her own spirit, she walks with God daily, is a help meet to her husband or prepares herself to be a godly influence on her future husband. She is a good teacher to her children, and stands by the principles of God’s Word. A virtuous woman is honored by God and is prosperous in all that she does. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.” - 2 Timothy 2:19-21.

Today's Prayer: God, You want us to trust You to provide us with everything we need and desire, and with that trust You give us these things, but we do tend to forget that You are our provider. Lord, I need You, I know I am nothing without You, and that everything I have comes from You. Forgive me for forgetting to acknowledge that, for complaining about what I do not have, and for not being grateful of what I do have. I know that You can turn my oppression to success by living a virtuous life. Give me Your power and wisdom to go where You want me to go. Lead me and guide me to be a godly influence on those around me, open my heart, give me the desire to live by every word You give us, let it be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. In Jesus' name, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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