My Book Draft
CHAPTER 1
JANUARY
January 1
DID YOU GO TO THE GARDEN THIS MORNING?
Did
you go to the garden this morning where Jesus was waiting for you? Did
he greet you there, with your burdens and cares, did he bid you to give
them to him?
When you met with the Lord in the garden, did he tell
you that all would be well, If you only believe, and his love would
receive, And that no one could take you from him?
When you walked
in the garden with Jesus this morn in the cool of the day, did he tell
you of Heaven, his home up above? Did he tell you that he was the way?
If
you did not go to the garden, this morn at the breaking of day, to meet
with the Lord who was waiting for you, To take all your burdens away:
Then you have missed a great blessing that could have been yours, had
you worshiped at his throne of grace. He wanted to comfort and give you
sweet rest, and wipe all the tears from your face.
Had you met
in the garden with Jesus, This morn at the breaking of day: Great peace
would be yours, After hearing his voice, saying child you have nothing
to fear:
For all will be well if with me you will dwell, And walk in the garden with me.
I
went to the garden this morning, where Jesus was waiting for me. We
walked and we talked and we had fellowship there. He showed me His plan
for today. One day at a time, each moment I’ll find his guidance
sufficient for me, If I will but trust in his holy word, and be led by
his spirit, you see!
Oh friend won’t you come to the garden, each
morn at the breaking of day, where the roses are fresh with the dew of
the morn, and the birds sing so sweetly of love,
To walk with him there, and so to prepare to live in his presence above.?
O
who then will come to the garden to pray, where Jesus is waiting for
you? He waits for you there to show you the way, and show you the depths
of his love
For you see, he’s not willing for you to be lost,
and be cast into eternal hell. All your sin debt was paid when he died
on the cross, He carried your guilt all away.
And when he arose
on that first Easter morn, how fresh was the breaking of day! The dew on
the rose, and the song of the birds, in the garden they met Jesus
there. Sins debts were paid, death was destroyed when Jesus came out of
the tomb. Forever there will be, for you and for me, ,a place by his
sanctified throne.
With these
morning thoughts still fresh in our hearts, let us walk with him all
through the day. As he guides us along and shows us the way, Let us but
trust and obey. Then when the shadows of night come along, and we come
to the end of our day, we can rejoice and lay down to sleep with
assurance of eternal day.
January 2
Hunger And Thirst After Righteousness !
We
as Christians ought to hunger and thirst after righteousness.
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for
they shall be filled.” Math 5:6
Christ
has imputed his righteousness to us if we are saved. He made the
first step toward us by offering his righteousness to all who will
receive it. Righteousness is simply being right in our actions, and
thoughts and attitudes toward God. Our Lord and Savior was and still
is the only person who could measure up to this requirement.
Righteousness has its’ rewards: Righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 11:4 By right thoughts and actions toward God, we are not only
delivered from spiritual death, but often we will prolong our life on
earth because we will have avoided those things that can destroy us.
“The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way.” Proverbs 11:5
When our mind and our thoughts are in harmony and agreement with the
mind of God, the Holy Spirit will direct our paths so that we follow a
lifestyle that is good for us.
“The righteousness of the upright shall. Deliver them.” Proverbs 11:6
Being right with God assures our escape from the penalty of sin, and
guarantees a sure place in Heaven because: “Righteousness tendeth to
life.” Proverbs 11:19 The seed of the righteous shall be delivered.”
Proverbs 11: 21
Even
our children and grandchildren, and future generations will reap the
rewards of our righteousness, but on the other hand, they will also reap
the penalties of our wickedness if we are wicked.
“The
desire of the righteous is only good.” Proverbs 11: 23 When we are
right with God, when our thoughts and actions toward God are right;
when we seek God with all our heart; then we can trust that the desires
of out hearts are from God. When we delight in the Lord, he gives us
the desires of our heart.
“The righteous shall flourish as a branch” Proverbs 11:28 and “”The
fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is
wise. Proverbs 11;30. A good tree grows tall and spreads its’ leaves
and branches and provides shade. It provides a nesting place for birds
and other creatures. It provides food and offers protection
May we each live and have our being as a tree of life in thee, oh Lord, and win others to thee.
January 3
God's Enemy And Our Adversary
The King Is Coming
There comes a time when babies must stop eating soft food and drinking
only milk, and they must begin to digest solid food. Likewise, there
comes a time when Christians must put aside the milk and soft food of
the word of God, and start to digest and absorb the meat of the word,
and to think about and watch for and prepare for the future kingdom of
Christ.
We will not always have to put up with corrupt and sinful governments
on earth. We have the promise of God that one day, the righteous God,
the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, will rule from the throne of
David with a rod of iron.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name
shall be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting
father, the prince of peace. Of the increase of his government and
peace, there shall be no end, and upon the throne of David and upon his
kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment, with justice from
henceforth and even forever. The zeal of the Lord of host will perform
this” Isaiah 9: 6-7.
“And the seventh angel sounded, and there were
great voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ: and he shall reign forever and
ever.” Rev 11:15
Let us have our wicks trimmed, and our lamps filled with oil and
burning, as it were, and let us be listening for the sound of the
trumpet, and watching for our Lord’s return for his own, then seven
years later for him to return with his own to establish his
kingdom. Praise God! We have his promise that the King is coming.
January 5
A Child of the King
Once
I was dead in trespasses and sin, but now I am alive forever more. Once
I was blind, but now I see. Because of the richness of God's mercy and
grace, I have been made alive in Christ, and sit with him in Heavenly
places, all to the praise of his glory.
I could never buy, nor repay the cost of my redemption and deliverance
from the lost world of iniquity from which I have been delivered.
"For
by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:
8,9
It
is God who formed my body from the dust of the earth, and it was God
who breathed into this lump of clay the breath of life and caused me to
become a living soul. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should
walk in them." Ephesians 2:10
I
am no longer a stranger in the household of God, but a fellow citizen
with all the saints and apostles. I have access through Christ into the
very presence of God.
God is no respecter of persons. That which he has given to me, he will
give to all who will believe his word and receive the Lord Jesus Christ
as Lord and Savior. If you have not already done so, I invite you to do
so today and be born again into the family of God.
January 6
Our Record is in Heaven!
Has anyone ever told you to “go to Hell”? Have you ever told anyone to
“go to Hell”? Have you heard any “jokes” about Hell? Have you told
any “jokes” about Hell? My friend, allow me to tell you and warn you,
by the authority of the Word of God, the holy bible, that Hell is no
joke and is not to be trifled with and taken lightly.
Hell is a
real place, even as earth is a real place, and Heaven is a real place.
Hell is a place of continual fire, kindled by the anger of God: “For a
fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest Hell and
shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the
foundations of the mountains.” Deuteronomy 32: 22.
Hell is a
place prepared by God for the devil and all the rebellious angels who
followed him, and the eternal abode of all who willfully reject the love
of God.
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand,
depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil
and his angels.” Matthew 25:41.
No one will automatically go
to Heaven; but everyone WILL automatically go to Hell unless they are
SAVED. There is no middle ground where we receive a second chance.
Someone has rightly said: “Going to Hell requires no decision, and no
reservation is necessary.
Unless we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ: that he is God manifested
in the flesh, Emanuel, God with us, and that he came to offer himself a
sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins, and unless we confess that we
are all sinners and need a Savior and recognize Jesus Christ as our
redeemer and rescuer, and call upon him to have mercy upon us and save
us, our destiny will be to spend eternity in that horrible, eternal
place called Hell. Being in Hell forever is the natural state of
mankind without God, just as cold is the natural state without heat,
and darkness the natural state without light.
To be condemned
by God and separated from him forever means Hell, indeed! The bible
says: “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, and this is the condemnation, that light is
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil.” John 3: 18, 19
My friend, if you would
rather “hide out” as it were, in the darkness of sin, and rebellion
rather than to enter into God's light of love; if you are a lover of
this world rather than a lover of God, then on the authority of God's
word, Hell is your inheritance forever. When our blessed Lord Jesus
Christ walked on the earth, he taught and warned of the dangers of Hell
fire more than the
glories of Heaven. Hell is a place of continual,
everlasting sorrow, grief, anguish, pain and suffering; it is a place of
perpetual darkness where there is “weeping and wailing, and gnashing of
teeth”, and as the scripture says: “the worm dieth not” - that is – the
fire is never extinguished, the thirst is never quenched, the pain is
never eased, the loneliness and despair of being forever separated from
a loving God and godly loved ones is never abated. - See Matthew 8: 12
and Mark 9: 43-48.
“The children of the kingdom shall be cast
out into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,”
“If thy hand offend thee, cut it off it is better for thee to enter
into life maimed, than having two hands to go into Hell, into the fire
that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire
is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better
for
thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast
into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. And if thine eye
offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the
kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell
fire, where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.”
The Lord Jesus Christ confirmed the fact that Hell is a real place of
fire and eternal punishment, and gave us warning that it is to be
avoided at all cost
There is a great gulf fixed between Heaven and Hell, between the good
and the evil. That gulf cannot be crossed. No one is able to go from
one to the other. God is kind, and merciful and long suffering, but he
has warned us that “his spirit shall not always strive with man.” Gen
6: 3. One day God will close the doors of Heaven and all who have
refused to hear his call will be shut out, and then all there is left
is Hell forever. Today, the door of Heaven is wide open, God is
calling. If you hear his voice, answer his call and be saved: “Now is
the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians
6: 2.
Tomorrow may be too late. The door might be shut.
In Luke's gospel chapter 16, verses 19-31, Jesus told of one who was
rich in this world's goods and thought he had no need for God; but when
he died he went to Hell: “And in Hell he lift up his eyes being in
torments, and seeing Abraham afar off and Lazarus ( a poor beggar, who
in his lifetime knew and trusted God), in his bosom, he cried and said,
father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip
of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this
flame” Now it was too late for him to repent. The door had been
closed. He was there in Hell forever, forever to be tormented.
Don't fool yourself, my friend. Don't take foolish chances, and gamble
with your eternal destiny. Any moment could be your last on earth, and
then where will you find yourself, in Heaven, or in Hell? “It is
appointed unto man once to die (young or old, rich or poor), and after
this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. Where will you stand at the
judgment? If you were to die today do you have the assurance of Heaven
or is the mouth of Hell gaping wide open , waiting to receive you into
everlasting habitations and torment? Death is not the end of your
existence, my friend, but commencement, as it were, when you are either
promoted to Heaven, or consigned to Hell forever. When God created you
and me, he gave us a life that would go on forever. You and I will
spend eternity some place, either in Heaven or in Hell.
The bible
says. “ It is appointed unto men once to die” (that is – our spirit and
soul is to be separated from our physical body), “ and after that the
judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. How will you be judged when you find yourself
before the judgment throne of God? Jesus said: “At the end of the
world, the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the
just and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be
weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13: 49-50.
. How will you be judged, as among the wicked or among the righteous?
In the book of Revelation John tells us: “And I saw the dead, small
and great stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book
was opened which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of
those things which were written in the books, every man according to
their works.And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and
Hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged
every man according to their works, and death and Hell were cast into
the lake of fire. This is the secomd death, and whosoever was not found
written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation
20: 12-15.
“The fearful and unbelieving and the abominable,
and murderers and whore mongers, 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.
My
friend, is your name written in the lamb's book of life? Have your sins
been forgiven? Have you believed since you heard the Word of God? Have
you asked God to show you his loving kindness and tender mercies and
apply the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ to your account so that
you might be declared righteous in his sight? As you read these words
and hear his voice, the opportunity is still available to you, but
consider the awesome alternative that lies before you if you refuse.
My friend, don't expect to party with your drinking “buddies” in Hell.
Hell fire always burns, but never consumes. A split second after you
leave this physical body, if you find yourself in Hell, it will be a
terrible unnecessary situation because God in his love and mercy has
provided a way of escape from the horrors of Hell to enjoy the pardon of
God forever.
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end,
I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of
life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be
his God, and he shall be my son. “Revelation 21: 6-7.
The good
news is that God himself so loved you and me that he took upon himself
human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and came to earth to rescue
from Hell, and to save all who will believe and trust in him.
“God
so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:
16.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved
and thy house.” Acts 16: 31. Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners. “As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one.”
Romans 3: 10.
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory
of God.” Romans 3:23. “The wages of sin is death (separation from God
in Hell forever), but the gift of God is everlasting life (with God
forever in Heaven) Through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6: 23.
“What must I do to be saved?”, the Philippian jailer asked. “Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house.” Acts
16: 31 was the answer.
My friend, while there is still time
for you to avoid the horrors of Hell forever, won't you heed the
warning? Hell is no joke: it is a horrible certainty for you unless you
believe God, ask for his mercy , and trust in his promises.
If you
have read thus far in this message, if you have in your possession a
copy of the Word of God, the Holy Bible, and if you have ever heard the
preaching of the Word of God, perhaps the Holy Spirit is tugging at your
heart, even perhaps
causing you to be quite uncomfortable and
miserable, convicting you of the truth of what you have heard and
read, and if that is so, then this is good evidence that God is drawing
you to himself to be saved. The bible says that no one can come to
Christ except the Father draws him. No one can earn salvation by any
amount of good works or good intentions or good
deeds, for salvation is a gift from God.
“For by grace are ye saved, through faith and that not of yourselves,
it is a gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.” Ephesians
2: 8 ,9
My friend, God sends no one to Hell willingly. God is not willing
that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. If you
go to Hell it will be because you have trampled on the love of God and
the prayers of Christian loved ones and friends, the shed blood of
Jesus Christ, and the working of the Holy Spirit. Don't be a fool.
“The fool hath sai in his heart, there is no God.” Psalm 53: 1.
Believe the gospel that - “Christ Jesus died for our sins according to
the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the
third day according to the scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15: 3, 4.
“Wherefore
he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him,
seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7: 25.
He is able to save all who will come to him by faith, and admit their sins and by faith ask for his forgiveness.
Will you dear reader consider doing this if you have not already done
so, before the door is eternally closed and it is everlastingly too
late, and you learn for sure that Hell is no joke because you find
yourself there? When you have
received Christ into your heart, and
have become a born again child of God, confess him with your mouth. The
bible says that “With the heart man believeth and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:10.; Tell your friends,
your wife, your husband, your children, your parents and co-workers.
You ought to seek the fellowshipof other believers in a bible believing
fundamental church where the bible, and the bible alone is the sole
authority for faith and practice. You ought also, after you are
saved, follow the Lord in believer's baptism as a testimony of your
new life in Christ.
Read your bible and pray every day, and walk by faith in the spirit with the Lord
May the Lord lead you and bless you and save you from the horrors of Hell which otherwise you will find is no joke.
January 8
A Solemn Warning!
The palace of a wicked king shall crumble and fall; but the tent or hut
of a righteous person shall abide forever.
The comedian is very often sad and burdened with a heavy burden, though
he pretend with witty utterances.
"The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle ( tent
or hut ) of the upright shall flourish. “There is a way which seemeth
right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is
heaviness. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways:
and a good man shall be satisfied from himself." Proverbs 14: 11-14
January 9
Eternity - What does it mean? - Where will we spend it?
I
want to share some thoughts with you this morning with a thought
provoking question. Where will we spend eternity? The bible warns us to
seriously consider eternity and what it may hold for each of us. "Lord,
make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I
may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as a
handbreadth; and my age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at
his best state is altogether vanity. Selah" Psalm 39: 4,5.
We can
have a good forever in eternity if we will, God gives us a choice as to
where we will spend eternity, by God's grace, it is up to us. "I call
heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before
you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that
both thou and thy seed may live." Deut: 30:19 The bible teaches that
God has promised to all who have truly accepted Christ and have been
born again - eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his
only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but
have everlasting life." John 3:16
The bible also teaches that
God has promised to all unbelievers and Christ rejecters - eternal
damnation: "He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he
that believeth not the son shall not see life: but the wrath of God
abideth on him." John 3:36
Eternity - what does it mean? I
searched several dictionaries to see how they define it. The answer:
"endless or limitless time, where time as we know it does not exist.”
"Having no beginning or ending of existence" "Lasting forever -
continuing on without interruption -unchangeable" To be eternal means to
be deathless - cannot die - fadeless - never grows old - unending,
cannot be destroyed.
The word "eternal" is used in two senses in the bible:.
Figuratively - denoting existence which may have a beginning but will
have no end. For example: angels are created beings - having a beginning
but will have no end. The human soul having been created but will have
no end.
The literal sense :denoting an existence which has neither beginning nor ending like that of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
That
which we call time has past, present, and future - eternity does not.
Eternity is of infinite duration - without any beginning, or limit - an
ever abiding present. Eternity is always NOW, no past, no future, always
TODAY.
Things change, clock hands move, our bodies change, all
these changes occur IN eternity. In the light of eternity, it is today
that we are born, and for all practical purposes, as far as we are
concerned, it will be today when we die.
What is eternal? What
has no beginning or end, what is deathless, fadeless, and unending? The
bible says:":While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal
(only temporary - lasting only a little while): but the things which are
not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18
When you look around,
what do you see? You see earth, sky, sun, moon, stars, trees, birds,
fish, animals, buildings, automobiles, planes, people, etc. These are
all temporary - will be all gone some day.
When you look at me what
do you see? When you look at me you see a body, you see the house, or
the space suit, if you will, that God has given me to live in while I am
here on earth. It will be gone back to dust someday. You cannot see the
REAL ME because the REAL ME which you cannot see is soul and spirit
which is eternal.
When I look at you, I can see the body or house
which God has given you to live in on earth, but I cannot see the real
you who lives in that house. No one but God has ever seen the real
spirit and soul of another human being, and the bible says: THAT WHICH
CANNOT BE SEEN IS ETERNAL.
Therefore, all human beings must be
eternal creatures, which means that once we are created or born, our
spirit and our soul which is the real us will continue on endlessly
forever.
To think about eternity - just imagine that eternity is
a long line of time stretching out forever and never ending. Let us
suppose that you live a very long time on earth - say perhaps as long as
Methuselah who lived nine hundred and sixty years according to Genesis
5:27, or even longer: compared to the long line of eternity, this would
take up a very small space. Then, after the nine hundred sixty or more
year have come to an end and you die, or leave this body or house in
which you live while here on earth, there is an endless eternity where
you will live forever.
There are only two places where we can
spend eternity. One of those places is where Jesus is - a place of peace
and joy and happiness in the presence of God in heaven, or a place of
suffering, pain, misery, and torment called hell, with the devil and his
angels. Where we spend eternity is determined by what we do with the
Lord Jesus Christ who has offered himself to be our savior, by the
shedding of his blood, and by taking the blame and punishment of all our
sins upon himself. He is willing to forgive us and cleanse us from all
our sins if we will ask him to do so.
God is eternal - God is
spirit - cannot be seen with human eyes, but can be spoken to, and can
and does hear our prayers and is aware of us and cares for us and meets
our needs each and every day.
"The eternal God is thy refuge, and
underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy
from before thee; and shall say, destroy them." Deut 33:27 God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is one God, and God has his
existence in eternity. "For thus saith the high and holy one that
inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy
place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive
the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
Isaiah 57:15
Jesus, our Lord and savior who inhabited
eternity and who came from his high and holy place in heaven to seek and
to save the lost, created for himself a human body to live in so he
could be just like us while he was here on earth. Not only did Jesus
come to die for us, but he is also the greatest teacher who ever lived,
and he came to teach us about God and our life hereafter in eternity.
Jesus taught in parables. A parable is an earthly story with a
spiritual meaning. Jesus taught about two possible places where a person
might spend eternity. Where we spend eternity is decided by what we do
with our life here on earth, and what we do with Jesus Christ who came
to save us. Jesus told a story of two men, one was a very rich man, who
had the best of everything that money could buy. He had the most
expensive clothes to wear, and the biggest house to live in. His table
was filled with their most delicious food to eat, and he had a banquet
feast every day. He had all the money he could ever spend in his entire
lifetime. He thought that he would never have need of anything or
anyone. He was, in fact, very rich in material or temporary things.
Because of his great riches, he probably did not pay much attention to
the condition of his soul. “There was a certain rich man, which was
clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every
day....."Luke 16:19 He was so concerned with the temporary things of the
world, that he gave little thought to the fact that all these riches
could not buy his way into heaven. He thought he was rich in spiritual
things as well as in material things.
At the same time there was
another man whose name was Lazarus, who was very poor, and very sick, he
had very few material things to get along with on earth. Every day he
sat by the rich man's door begging, and hoping that someone would drop
him a crumb or two of bread. ".......And there was a certain beggar
named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate full of sores. And desiring to
be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover,
the dogs came and licked his sores." Luke 16: 20,21 He knew that he was
poor concerning the things of the world, but he also knew that he was
poor in his spirit. He knew that to be poor spiritually was far worse
than being poor materially. He knew that he was a sinner and needed
Jesus to forgive his sins and save him, and even though every day he had
to beg for his living, his mind was on the things of God, and he
thought of how good God was, and he was thankful to God when one little
crumbs of bread fell his way.
Jesus said that after a while,
Lazarus became sick and weak and died, and when he died, the angels came
from heaven and carried his invisible soul and spirit into the presence
of God in Heaven.
"And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was
carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and
was buried." Luke 16:22 Now, there in heaven, Lazarus was no longer a
beggar - no longer sick. In Heaven he was now enjoying all the riches
and glory of his father in heaven. He was now in eternity. He had
eternal life.
Jesus said that after a while the rich man died
also and was buried. No angels came to carry him into the presence of
God - he went to hell. Jesus said: "and in hell he lift up his eyes,
being in torment, and seeing Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
And he cried and said, father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send
Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my
tongue: for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, son remember
that thou in thy lifetime received thy good thing, and likewise Lazarus
evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented" Luke 16:
23,24,25 God was saying: you thought only of yourself, you only wanted
to enjoy all the things in the world that you thought would make you
happy. You never admitted that you were a sinner and needed a savior.
You were too busy with your riches and toys to pray and seek after God.
You never thought of the needs of others, and you were selfish with all
that you had on earth. You thought that you would never need anything or
anyone. Lazarus had all the bad things happening to him, but even in
his poverty and suffering on earth, he thought of God, and took time to
pray, and he admitted that he was a sinner and asked Jesus to save him.
So now, Lazarus is enjoying all the joys and blessings of heaven, and
you are being tormented. "And besides all this, between us and you
there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to
you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."
Luke 16: 26 God was telling him that between heaven and hell there is a
great ocean of space so that no one can pass from heaven to you, and
you can never get out of hell to come to heaven.
"Then he said, I
pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's
house: for I have five brethren: that he may testify unto them, lest
they also come into this place of torment. "Luke 16:27,28 God the
father said unto him, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear
them.
What do you think God meant when he said they have Moses
and the prophets? He meant that they have his word, the bible to read
and study. There is no excuse for anyone being lost and going to hell if
they have the word of God to study and believe.
The rich man
said no, father, but if one went to them from the dead they will repent.
And God said if they will not listen to what the bible says, they will
not be persuaded though one rose from the dead.
Jesus has risen from the dead and yet, there are many who will not believe.
The rich man, the unsaved sinner was now in eternity - in an eternal
hell full of flames and suffering and torments and pain, separated from
all that was good, and separated from God forever,. He was not there
because he was rich on earth, but he was there because he had never been
sorry for his sins and asked Jesus to save him. Those who would hate
you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you for
preaching to them and trying to get them saved, will, once they go to
hell, beg and plead with you to go and preach to their brothers and
sisters and loved ones. Both the rich man and Lazarus were now in
eternity. Lazarus enjoying himself in the presence of God and the rich
man suffering all the torments of eternal hell.
How about it
folks, where will we spend eternity after we die and leave this body of
clay ?Do you realize that by yourself you are poor in spirit and need
Jesus to come into your heart and save you? Are you like Lazarus - poor
in spirit and hungry and long for God to fill you ? Or, are you like the
rich man and would rather have all your fun in this present sinful
world now? Whatever you decide will determine where you will spend
eternity.
Remember, I am simply the deliverer of this message
from God's word, I cannot judge you, but God's word is true and all that
he says will come to pass.
January 10
One Day At A Time!
We
should make no definite promises or commitment for tomorrow,
tomorrow, at this point in time, is non existent. We may say, should
another day be given to us by the grace of God, we would like to do this
or that thing, or go to this place or that, if our Lord is willing for
it to be so; always praying that his will be done. In the light of this,
we should carefully consider whether or not it might be a bit
presumptuous on our part to contract debts for which we must make
definite commitments far into the future, not knowing what the future
holds for us, or what God's plan for our future may be.
This is the day that the Lord hath made and has given to us, we ought
to rejoice and be glad in it, knowing that for this one day at a time,
God has promised to supply all our need.
We ought to take the things
that we have and use them for the glory of God, and be thankful and not
be covetous.
If our Lord wants us to do something, then nothing on earth can stop us
from doing that thing that God wants done. If God wants us to have
something, then no power on earth or under the earth, or above the
earth, can keep it from us. The most secure position a child of God can
know is to be right in the center of the will of God.
If we have to really struggle to make something happen or to obtain
some object of our desire, the chances are, it is not the will of God
for us. The things that God wills for us will flow easily to us as we
delight in him; as we keep our mind and heart stayed on him; and as we
seek first the kingdom of God.
"Be content with such things as ye have,"
Jesus told his disciples. "I know how to be abased, and I know how to
abound, in all things giving thanks," the apostle Paul said.
Presuming on God is a sin. It is presumptuous to enter areas of future
commitment for which we have no guarantee of fulfillment. Let us not
presume upon God. "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not
what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1
"Go to now, ye that say,
today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year,
and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on
the morrow, for what is your life? it is even a vapor that appeareth for
a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, if
the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that, but now ye rejoice
in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore, to him that
knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4: 13-17
January 11
Prescription for health and well being!
For the prevention of aids, and other sin related diseases transmitted
sexually, the following prescription , prescribed by God almighty, is
highly recommended:
"My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow
thine ear to my understanding: That thou mayest regard discretion, and
that thy lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of a strange woman drop
as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: but her end is
bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two edged sword. Her feet go down to
death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path
of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. Hear me
now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
Lest thou give thine honor unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labors be in the house
of a stranger; and thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body
are consumed, and say, how have I hated instruction, and my heart
despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor
inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! I was almost in all evil
in the midst of the congregation and assembly. Drink waters out of thine
own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy
fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let
them be only thine own, and not strangers with thee. Let thy fountain be
blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the
loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times;
and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son be
ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? For
the ways of man are before the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.
His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden
with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction; and in
the greatness of his folly he shall go astray." Proverbs 5
Much misery and anguish would be avoided in our lives if we would just take heed and obey the word of God.
January 12
Why?
Why do we write these things? Why do we preach these things? Why do we
plead with people to take heed to the warning of the word of God? Why
are we so concerned with those who do not really want to hear what we
have to say and what God has to say, and may even resent us and hate us
for it?
It is because we, who have, by the grace of God experienced the love of
God, and have been pardoned from our sins, and come to know the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit and have been taught by God through the
Lord Jesus Christ, and have been commissioned by him to "speak the truth
in love" and warn the wicked.
Who are the wicked? All of us, whether
we are now saved, or have not yet come to the truth, could at one time
or other, fall into this category.
What is truth? There is one absolute truth in all the universe, that is
- almighty God and God's word.. Who is God? "I am, that I am, the
almighty", God told Moses
. There is no other God. "Look unto me and be
ye saved all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none
else." Isaiah 45:22
. Immanuel - God with us in human flesh in the
person of Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Christ, The Messiah.
God has revealed himself to us in nature, by the things he has made.
"the heavens declare the glory of God". He has revealed himself in the
Holy Scriptures, The Holy Bible. "All scripture is given by inspiration
of God" holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit".
God has revealed himself to us through his living Word, the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Christ is confirmed to be who he said he is and be accepted by
God the father by his resurrection, which is an established fact of
history, having shown himself alive by many infallible proofs, and being
seen by over five hundred people at one time after his resurrection.
Wicked people are all those who will not acknowledge these absolute truths, and humble themselves before a loving heavenly father and accept his gift of love in the sacrifice of Christ for their sins
. The fool
says in his heart: "no God for me" Psalm 53. This kind of fool is a
wicked person, and God's absolute word tells us in no uncertain terms:
"The wicked shall be cast into hell and all the nations that forget
God." Psalm9: 17
Those of us who claim to be Christians, have been commissioned by our
Lord to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature and
warn the wicked. If we have little or no concern for the state of the
wicked and those who are lost without Christ, then our Christianity is
weak indeed. We who know the truth have a responsibility to our friends
and neighbors for their safety, whether it be physical or spiritual,
then it is our responsibility and duty to answer his call for help, and
to break down every barrier to get to him and snatch him from the fire.
Likewise, when I see my friends and neighbors in danger of hell fire
because of willful neglect of God's call to them, then it is my duty to
do every thing I can to snatch them from the fires of eternal hell, even
if they become angry at me for doing so. Besides, I have to give an
account to God if I neglect to do this.
"If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small, if thou
forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death and those that are
ready to be slain: if thou sayest, behold, we knew it not; doth not he
that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul: doth
not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his
works?" Proverbs 24:10-12
If we are truly the children of God who have been born again through
our faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God did not leave us here
on earth just to brag, as it were, of our salvation, and sit in church
Sunday after Sunday, and sing hymns and pat each other on the back and
tell each other how wonderful we are, this is good and something we
ought to do, but God has a bigger job for us to do, even as he told the
children of Israel in Ezekiel’s day. He has commissioned us to be
watchmen to warn the wicked and the lost of our day so that they might
be spared the judgment of God.
"Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel:
therefore, hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me, when
I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not
warning nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked ways, to save
his life: the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood
will I require at thine hand. Yet, if thou warn the wicked, and he turn
not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his
iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again when a righteous man
doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a
stumbling block before him, he shall die: because thou has not given him
warning, he shall die in his sins, and his righteousness which he hath
done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine
hand, Nevertheless, if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous
sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live because he is warned:
also thou hast delivered thy soul." Ezekiel 3; 17-21
We do not want to stand before God almighty and give an account for not
sharing our testimony of personal salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ. We would like to see all men and women, boys and girls, turn
from their wickedness and seek God. This is why we write these things,
and preach these things, and plead. God said -"So shall my word be that
goeth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall
accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto
I send it." Isaiah 55:11.
January 13
Gratitude!
Are we truly grateful for all that the Lord has done for us?
We ought to truly love him because he first loved us, and gave himself
for us. Where would we be right now if the Lord Jesus Christ had not
left heaven and come to this earth to lay down his life for us, and then
to take it up again to be our intercessor before God the father?
"And
if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins.
Then they who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life
only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now
is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that
slept." 1Con 15: 17-20.
Stop and think for a moment. Without Christ, what would you have? What
would you have to look forward to for the future? Is there a better hope
for us anywhere in the universe than what God has to offer us? He
offers us forgiveness and freedom from guilt, love, joy, peace, clean
living; well kept bodies; sound minds; as well as a supernatural
knowledge that God give us of spiritual things once we have been indwelt
by the Holy Spirit. He gives the power to live victoriously, and
overcome all adverse circumstances. He supplies the love we have and
share with one another, because the Holy Spirit draws us and attracts us
to one another. Can you find some better hope to offer than that which
we have in Christ?
Without
Christ we would be nothing more than glorified animals, biting and
devouring one another, and all that we would have to look forward to
would be death. This is the condition of all the unsaved, and it was our
condition before we were saved.
As the apostle Paul said - " if Christ be not risen from the dead then
we are of all men most miserable," because there is simply no other plan
of salvation in the universe. But because Christ is risen, and because
we have been forgiven and born again and redeemed, and because we do
have abundant and everlasting life right here and now, and because we do
have the only plan of salvation available to mankind, we ought to have
such love and gratitude for our risen Savior that we would want to give
him nothing but the very best. We love him because he first loved us and
gave himself for us.
Read
Luke 7: 37-50. "And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when
she knew that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee's house, brought an
alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him, weeping,
and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hair
of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment."
This woman was so grateful for what Jesus had done for her that she
brought to him the very best she could find to offer him. Not only did
she give him the very best she had, but she stood at his feet behind him
weeping. How long has it been since you talked with the Lord ? How long
has it been since you have felt such a deep gratitude in your heart for
what Christ has done for you that it brought tears to your eyes, and
gave you the desire in you heart to fall down at the feet of Jesus and
worship him as this woman did? Washing his feet with tears, and drying
them with her hair is symbolic of true worship.
Are we so grateful for our salvation that we worship him in this manner?
Are we willing to give to the one who gave his all to us ,the very best
of everything that we have?
What is the very best we can offer him? He wants our total life and
commitment. When he has our total life and commitment, he has our life,
our love, our time, our talents, and all our ambitions.
If we are truly grateful and show gratitude, we will open our mouths and
speak for him, and about him, and our lives will be consistent with
what we say
January 14
Our Greatest Asset
If you were asked what you considered to be your most valuable asset,
no doubt you would look about you and think for a moment, then you would
probably list your property, savings, home, health and family. These
are indeed, great assets to everyone, but wait, there is something that
made all these things possible, that something is freedom – freedom to
work, to accumulate savings; to build your home, and live happily with
your family. Without this freedom we would be denied the right to speak
or write our thoughts and express our opinions on important issues of
the day Our freedom which was fought for by the early American
colonist, and which men have fought and died to preserve is one of our
most cherished heritages. It is something which we must never lose
sight of, for if we do, then the nation is doomed to totalitarianism
like so many countries of Europe.
We must grasp this freedom
and keep hold of it like a mother might grasp a small infant to keep it
from falling from her arms When we are going about our daily
routine of living, we sometimes take freedom for granted and fail to see
any possibility of losing it,; but remember, it could be suddenly taken
from us as easily as a piece of candy could be taken from a small
child; therefore, we must all join hands and work hard to preserve that
freedom. We must guard it with our lives, and if necessary , fight for
it. How can we ever hope to preserve our freedom when there are
people that hate their neighbors because they have a different colored
skin or a different accent in their voice from theirs, or perhaps they
may go to a different church?
When the colonist fought for
freedom, they not only considered it a thing for men of the same color
skin and nationality, but for all men, regardless of their race, creed,
or color. If we foster prejudice and racial discrimination, then we
have no freedom. If we refuse to have anything to do with a person just
because he happens to be different from us, we are doing the same thing
that the Nazis or the so called “master race” did. When we do this, we
are gradually building up hatred in our own country. In a country
where there is hatred there can be no freedom, and without freedom we
cannot expect peace and the many comforts which we take for granted
every day; therefore, we must get rid of intolerance and racial
discrimination. Not until we do this can we ever hope for world peace
and the end of dictators.
Remember that our great country was
discovered by foreigners and built by foreigners. If we eliminate men
and women of different races, colors, and religions from our country,
then we shall have little left.
If we want peace we must strive
to keep our freedom. The first step in keeping our freedom is to
recognize the author of all freedom, he who created all men to be equal
and to have equal rights, and honor him and give him thanks, he who is
the great lawgiver of the universe. Without law there can be no real
freedom, yet there are those who would bar from public view, those
fundamental laws upon which our common laws are founded, namely the ten
commandments handed down by almighty God to Moses.
If there be
no God whose commandments are to be respected and obeyed, why are the so
called atheist who want to keep the laws of God out of public view, so
afraid to have them seen? It seems to be quite ridiculous to be
afraid of something non existent. Prayer and bible reading is being
forbidden in our schools and public places, and we expect to preserve
our freedom? No! My friends, whether we like it or not, the infallible
word of God tells us that: “The wicked shall be turned into hell and
all nation that forget God.” Psalm 9: 17
A much quoted
scripture which is very true says: “If my people, which are called by
my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn
from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sins, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7: 14.
Every day
it seems that we are losing more and more of our freedoms, We are being
told what we can and cannot do in the very privacy of our own homes.
Even our foods are being laid out for us and we are being told what we
should or should not eat. A call goes out to the children of God to
come out of your closets and be identified as lovers of God, and lovers
of freedom for all men. Humble yourselves and pray and seek the face of
God and abide by his laws.
If we want peace and freedom we
must strive to keep freedom, and in order to keep freedom we must join
hands with our neighbors whether they be black , white, yellow or red,
and realize the fact that we are one nation under God, and under God's
laws, and that a separated people are -
January 15
RoommateDo we who claim to be "born again" Christians commune and visit with our spiritual roommate, the Holy Spirit, throughout the day, or do we just accept the fact that he is present with us and just ignore him? He wants to be a vital part of our life; he wants to be our counselor and guide. The bible tells us that when we are saved, he moves into our body which is his holy temple, and bears witness with our spirit, (that is- he makes himself and the things of God known to us in a real way).
How fortunate we are as Christians that wherever we are, and wherever we go, our roommate goes with us to be our companion; to keep us sealed unto salvation; to be our physician to keep us healthy and well; to be our lawyer; to keep us out of trouble with God the Father; to be our teacher and to show us the things of God our father and Christ our Savior. He is our Lord's promise to us after his resurrection that when he ascended into heaven, he would send us another comforter who would abide with us forever..
Let us not neglect him, but include him in all our conversation and daily activities.
The Godly Man Ceaseth !
“Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth: for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things; who have said, with our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is Lord over us? For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord, I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them. O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever. The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted." Psalm 12
This psalm could very well describe the era and the times in which we live. It is difficult, at times, to find anyone out in the world who fears God, and lives according to God's laws; but we can be assured that God knows those who are his own, be they ever so few, and he has promised to help and give victory to all who will honor him with their trust and devotion. God's word is true, and his promises sure to all those who will believe.
Sometimes when we have problems and trials, it seems that either God has forgotten us and abandoned us forever, or that he doesn't even exist. Satan, our enemy would like to have us believe this lie; but we know that God is true and eventually we shall rejoice in our salvation and sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with us.
Hungry and Thirsty ?
We who are Christians ought to hunger and thirst after righteousness "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6
Christ has imputed his righteousness to us if we are saved. He made the first step toward us by offering his righteousness to all who will receive it. Righteousness is simply being right in our actions, and thoughts, and attitude toward God. Righteousness has its' rewards: "Righteousness delivereth from death." Proverbs 11:
By right thoughts and actions toward God, we are not only delivered from spiritual death, but often we will prolong our life on earth because we will have avoided those things than can destroy us.
"The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way." Proverbs 11:5
When our mind and thoughts are in harmony and agreement with the mind of God, the Holy Spirit will direct our paths so that we follow a lifestyle that is good for us.
"The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them." Proverbs 11:6
Being right with God assures our escape from the penalty of sin, and guarantees a sure place in heaven because:” Righteousness tendeth to life." Proverbs 11:19
"The seed of the righteous shall be delivered." Proverbs 11:21.
Even our children, and grand children, and future generations will reap the rewards of our righteousness; but, on the other hand, they will also reap the penalties of our wickedness if we are wicked because we are a living example to them and they tend to follow our example.
"The desire of the righteous is only good." Proverbs 11:23
When we are right with God; when our thoughts and actions toward God are right; when we seek God with all our heart: then we can trust that the desires of our hearts are from God. When we delight in the Lord, he gives us the desires of our heart.
"The righteous shall flourish as a branch." Proverbs 11:28 and: "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." Proverbs 11:30
A good tree grows tall and spreads its' branches and leaves and provides shade. It provides a nesting place for birds and other creatures. It provides food, and offers protection.
As a tree of life, let us live and have our being in thee, we pray oh Lord, so that we can be instruments in your hands to provide help for others.
Teach The Children
Those of us who are parents, grandparents, senior citizens, the old and the gray headed, ought to be speaking from experience, and,constantly showing forth to this present generation, and every one that is to come, the great power and strength, and righteousness of our Holy God. We ought to show our young people what it means to trust in God who is REAL and not just a fantasy, who cares, and who is willing and able to meet all our needs, both physical and spiritual. We know not the number of our days; therefore, every day ought to be precious to us, and we ought to utilize it wisely to honor God, and with great joy and gladness, magnify God before this younger generation so that they may seek and long after God.
It seems that Satan is out to capture the minds, the souls, and lives of our children through his many diabolical devices. Satan is not as he is pictured in medieval literature as a red suited character with horns and pitch fork, whose habitation is hell. No! The bible describes him as an angel of light who goes about seeking whom he may devour. He uses many seemingly innocent schemes and devices to capture his prey. He sometimes uses people who know not the true God of eternal life and salvation to promote his programs.
The word of God, the Holy Bible warns us not to have any fellowship with the works of darkness: nor to seek after the occult, nor to seek after familiar spirits. It tells us to “sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and dread.” Isaiah 8: 13.
“And when they shall say unto you, seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God; for the living to the dead?” Isaiah 8: 19.
“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consultant with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.” Deuteronomy 18: 10-12.
There are many other scripture verses which warn of the same thing, but there is not room enough here to list them. In spite of all these warnings from God, it is sad to observe that even Christian parents are allowing their children to pursue these demons of darkness in the literature and films they are allowed to read and watch. Why should we encourage or allow our children and grandchildren to worship the so called heroes of darkness – witches, wizards, familiar spirits, monsters etc., when we ought to be introducing them to wholesome, uplifting literature and films which honor and glorify God?
The Holy Bible is full of great adventure stories for young children, adolescents, and even adults - Stories of Moses, Joshua, the children of Israel in the wilderness, the story of Daniel, of Ruth, stories and predictions of the prophets, and stories of great kings and kingdoms, and best of all, the stories of Jesus and his great plan of redemption and salvation.
I have to wonder how many children and young peo0ple today in our society, even among so called Christian families, can relate to us these great adventures, and how they may apply them to our everyday living. I also sadly wonder how many parents, or grandparents, including Christians, would “camp out” overnight at a bookstore or public library, to hear the stories of these great bible heroes, as some do when the latest occult novel is being released. Our world is going to be governed by the upcoming generation and the generations following them. Who will be in control, Satan or God? We all know the final answer, the ultimate victory is God's, but oh! What a price we will pay in the meantime if we do not teach our children right things.
“My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness, and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the number thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord God. I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only, O God, thou hast brought me from my youth; and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous strength unto this generation, and thy power to everyone that is to come.” Psalm 71: 15-18.
What is most important to you, mom, dad, grammar, grandpa? How do you teach your children?
January 19
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