Words

There is a verse in God's word that says let no unwholesome word come out of our mouth. Words are important to God. Not only should we not use cuss words, or take the Lord's name in vain, but in addition to that, all words should build people up. Wow... that's a lofty goal. This means no complaining. This means no gossiping. This means no negativity. This means no venting. Only words that are edifying and build people up. Obviously, humans cannot do this without God's help; without Him being inside of us and helping us to do this. The only good in us is God.

If we did what this verse says with our children alone, imagine how quickly the world would become a better place. Words hurt more than hitting does, "sticks and stones..." And I am talking to myself first. This will be my goal.

I hope you'll try too...

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;

He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:

His truth is marching on.

(Chorus)

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,

They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;

I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:

His day is marching on.

(Chorus)

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:

"As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;

Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,

Since God is marching on."

(Chorus)

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;

He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:

Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!

Our God is marching on.

(Chorus)

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,

With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:

As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,

While God is marching on.

(Chorus)

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,

He is Wisdom to the mighty, He is Succour to the brave,

So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of Time His slave,

Our God is marching on.

(Chorus)

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Glory, glory, hallelujah!

Our God is marching on.

Israel

The United States has had a blessing on us since we have supported Israel over the years. God has kept His hand of protection over us. His word says, "I will bless those that bless thee (children of Israel) and curse those that curse thee (same.)" Israel is the apple of God's eye. It's where Jesus, God incarnate lived. It is where Armageddon will take place. And it's the Holy Land, literally. We must never stop our friendship and support for Israel, or God will lift His hand of protection.

And you don't want to see what that looks like...

Time

Is it just me, or is the world spinning faster than it used to? The Bible says that the days will be shorter in the end times, and I believe this is what's happening. I know with some of the weather happenings in the last couple of years, that the scientists said the earth is actually revolving faster. This would make the days shorter.

I'm just saying...

RAISED FROM THE DEAD

Home

Sometimes I just want to go home... Where I feel protected. Where I feel loved. Where I have freedom. As these days get tougher and tougher, it's clearer that "home" is in heaven with my Father. This world is fleeting. My house here is very small but Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you. In my Father's house are many mansions." Life on earth is hard and stressful since satan is allowed to rule this world. But some day I'll go home. Home with my Father, and home with my family. Where there will be no more tears. Yes, heaven is God's reward for those that endure.

It's going to be paradise...

Promises

Recently I was awakened at 5:30 a.m. with terrible chest pains and thought I might be having a heart attack. I said, "Lord, I don't want to go to the hospital and go through all those tests..." So I got up with my Bible and started claiming the promises from God to His children. Like, "By the stripes of Jesus, we were healed." And, "many are the afflictions of the righteous, but He delivers me from them all." And, "they shall lay hands on the sick and they SHALL recover." You see, God's Word is truth and He cannot lie. These promises are for His children to claim.

After an hour, the terrible pains subsided.

As He would have it, my annual cardiologist appointment was that afternoon. They did the heart tests and could find nothing wrong.

Yes, God never lies. He still heals. The promises are still true today.

Become one of His children, and you can claim the promises too.

Super powers

I think Super heroes are so popular because we're all looking for someone to save us. And we're all looking for super powers, but many are looking in the wrong area. There are only two forces in this world -- Good and Bad. God and satan. Black and white. Witchcraft, like satan, is deceiving. You can get God's power through the infilling of the Holy Spirit or the devil's power through witchcraft. But the latter will send you to hell.

God's power isn't lame; it's the most powerful. It's not the watered down gospel most western Christian churches preach these days.

The same power is available to you today that was available to Jesus' disciples. When you give your life to Jesus, your entire life, He will give you the gift of the Holy Spirit with the power. In Acts 1:4, Jesus commanded His disciples AND OTHERS to wait for what the Father had promised. They needed the power to go out and be a witness; they could not do it in their own strength. God had to be IN them. It has to be HIS power. (see Acts 1:8)

Read about Jesus' disciples before and after they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts 4:13. They were completely different men. The town people remarked about it that these were uneducated men who were now eloquent. God gave them all they needed.

He will for you too, just ask Him.

Super

Was thinking about the TV show "Undercover Boss," where the boss is so big that the employees don't even recognize him when he goes 'undercover' at his own business to do the day-to-day tasks.

I guess this is what it was like when God sent Jesus "undercover" to planet Earth. The Jews were expecting a king, a man who seemed presidential and was wealthy. The last thing they expected was a baby born in the poor part of the country. There was a saying at the time, that 'nothing good ever comes from Bethlehem.' Maybe it was like the Bronx or the ghetto.

And no woman had ever become pregnant without a man before. The virgin birth was a one time occurrence, so that the Holy Spirit would be the father.

And Jesus didn't hang out at all the finest places with all the finest people either. He met with the lowly, the sick and the sinners. From all accounts, he had average looks for someone Jewish in that day. And he was born a baby and had to grow up. He didn't preach until he was 30, when Jewish custom said a man becomes an adult.

He healed on a Sabbath, talked to Samaritans and talked to women - all of which were taboo with Jews of the day. It's the understatement of the world to say the Messiah was not what they expected. And ultimately, the only reason anyone started believing Jesus was the son of God was due to the attesting miracles. You can't argue with those. And you still can't today.

That's why Mark 16 says, "And these signs (attesting miracles) shall follow them that believe..." It's still the litmus test. It still takes the SUPERnatural to convince. People still need to see God's power at work.

God still heals. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He's still in the miracle making business. And He's still not what people expect.

Too many people get caught up in the pomp and circumstance of 'religion.' But Jesus wants a relationship - a living relationship. He's real. He's powerful. He's the creator of everything. He's love. He's truth. He's the beginning (Alpha) and the end (Omega.)

Life with Jesus is exciting. It's outside the box. Outside the laws of nature.

It's SUPERnatural.

Power

In Mark 16: 15-18, God's word says,

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel (good news that Jesus saves) to all creation.

He who has BELIEVED and has been BAPTIZED shall be SAVED;

but he who has DISBELIEVED shall be CONDEMNED.

And these signs (attesting miracles) WILL ACCOMPANY those who have BELIEVED;

in My name they will cast out demons,

they will speak with new tongues;

they will pick up serpents,

and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them;

they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Once you are filled with God's Spirit, you will have God's power.

Our pastor told a story from 15 years ago today. He and his family had stopped at a convenience store to get some drinks, but pastor saw a big man walk in as he drove up, and God told him to watch this man. He told his four children to stay in the car, and locked it as he got out. As he went in, the man started waving a huge (larger than butcher) knife at the woman behind the counter, and she was running toward the door, as pastor was opening the door, he yelled, "Everybody out!"

Since this was before cell phones, he went in the adjoining phone booth, and called the police and the dispatcher asked him to stay on the line. Then he heard yelling. It was his oldest son sticking his head out of the car window, yelling, "I rebuke you devil!! In the name of Jesus, I bind you from doing any harm." Pastor was flabbergasted and delighted all at the same time. Then, the man (who had been waving his knife through the window at pastor) put his knife down, and climbed on the counter and just sat there until the police came and arrested him.

His son, John, age 12, knew the truth, and was using God's power to bind the demonic spirits in this man. John had a lot more faith than most adults did.... and you can too.

Ask Jesus in your heart today.

Physical/ Spiritual

Just a tidbit that I've heard at church a lot recently. That what happens in the physical world also happens in the spiritual world. Right now the area where I live is finally getting rain after years of drought. God has also said in prophecies that He is bringing spiritual rain. When the oil spill was gushing, the Lord told me that it was a metaphor for the sin that was pouring into the USA and the entire world.

Watch for the signs...

God is still on the throne

No matter what is happening around you, God is still on the throne, He's still the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We all have free will... until Jesus comes back.

Then, His word says, "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord."

Depressed?

Are you dealing with depression or know someone who is?

There is a cure... go down to the nearest homeless shelter and see how much worse someone else has it than you. Try volunteering there for awhile. Try helping someone else. Put someone else's problems before your own. Give to the needy.

Stop comparing yourself to your currently fortunate friends. Make a list of all the things you're thankful for. Can you walk? Hear? See? Smell? Taste? Do you have a roof over your head? Don't take these things for granted.

Except by the grace of God, there go you.

Freedom

In case you didn't know...

depression is a spirit

lust is a spirit

sexual sins are spirits

gluttony is a spirit

Anything bad you can name... it's a spirit

The good news is Jesus can DELIVER you from your bondage.

He can set you free if you allow Him to.

He can break you out of your chains, your addictions, your afflictions.

There is hope. He is real. He delivered me and He can deliver you...

Mammon

Yesterday's sermon was about debt. It's choking the whole world...

The Bible has a lot to say about not being in debt, and to be a lender rather than enslaved as a borrower. Debt is an enormous problem - our national government is in trillions of dollars of debt and continues to print money, borrow from other countries, and say we can spend our way out of our troubles ( which makes NO sense.) Our states are in trouble and our citizens are in trouble.

But this is the symptom. The problem is greed. No one can live within their means. Few are saving - very few. And the nature of politics has only fed and worsened the situation. Politicians 'buy' votes and then reward them from slush funds. It's alarming.

First of all we need to give our 'first fruits' to God - our tithe (10% off the top.) And God promises to take care of our needs. This is key! We must be faithful to God. It's a covenant - you do your part and He will do His. And we need to work our way out of debt. When we are paying 20% to credit card companies, this is irresponsible and wasteful, since the money could be going to God's work.

It's going to take discipline, but it's the right thing...

Worship the same God?

Nine years ago today, our world in America changed forever. Innocence lost. When I was growing up, it was the Soviet Union that was scary. To me, it was the Good Guys versus the Bad Guys, and their communism seemed so strangling. Well, in a short time, the 'wall' fell and the Soviet Union broke up into separate countries again, and the world seemed to get some hope back. Until 9-11-01...

A new radical faction had reared it's ugly head, and just because we are free and don't believe like them, we were attacked. When the shock had sunk in, I found it to be bazaar, because we were not fighting an actual country with an army, but we were fighting radical Muslims lead by a man thought to be hiding in caves....

When I grew up, there were Muslims, but they didn't kill the 'infidel.' I don't know when it changed, or why or how, but it did. And 9-11 was the wake up call. It made me angry that the majority of the non-radical Muslims did not speak out about this horror. Was it because they too were afraid? Or was it that they, too, believed this way but let others do the killing? I still don't know.

I know as a Christian, that I would like to tell others about Jesus, and how He will save them from eternal hell and make their life on earth better. But then I will leave it at that. Then the 'ball is in their court.' The Muslims are opposite, or at least the radicals are. They don't have the same principles as we do.

We base our laws from the Judeo-Christian belief system - the 10 Commandments. We believe that killing, lying and stealing are wrong. We believe in respecting women. And we believe in freedom. The Muslim faith does not. They believe lying and killing the infidel are okay. They treat women horribly. And there is no freedom at all.

There's the difference. And they want to conquer the world and FORCE everyone to comply with what they believe.

Well, Obama is wrong. We don't worship the same God. The God of the Bible says different things than what Allah tells Muslims.

Now THAT is the truth...

Godspell - Day By Day

Number 1

Put Jesus number one in your life. "Seek you first the kingdom of God and all other things will you then be added." Commandment #1 in the Ten Commandments is, you should have no other gods before Him. His word says He is a jealous God. As His church, we are referred to as His bride. Like lovers, we want our spouse to be faithful and to love us the most.

Think about it.

Peace

I don't know how anyone makes it in this life without Jesus... I know I tried for many years. It's why so many people are so hopeless and depressed. They find so many crutches to get them through, but it only makes things worse. Crutches like drinking, drugs, smoking... actually anything, such as sex addictions like Tiger Woods. Or exercise addictions like many jocks. Or plastic surgery addictions like many Hollywood celebrities. But it all ends up as vanity...

Jesus is the only thing that will bring you peace. Peace in your soul. Peace that passes all understanding. Jesus said, "I came that you might have life and have it more abundantly."

I wish for you... peace.

Tongues

When Jesus baptizes with the Holy Ghost, the evidence is in speaking in 'tongues.' It's a foreign language that God gives you to talk to Him. It comes from the gut, like when you sing, and it just bubbles out of your spirit. It is such an awesome thing to talk to God in His special language. And it's for everyone that wants to, just ask Him.

Are you ready TODAY?

It seems most of us live for tomorrow. We're planning. We're organizing. We're thinking everything is later. We're saving for college, retirement, vacations, etc. Lately, I've been wondering if Jesus came back, like today, that all that planning, all of that saving, would really be in vain. I know. If I don't do it, it might be later than I thought, so I probably have to stick with the planning.

But it begs the question, are you ready TODAY? Seriously. Think about it. If you die today or if Jesus comes back today, are you ready? Are you in the right relationship with Jesus that you will be in heaven with Him for eternity? Do you have 'fire insurance?' Jesus died on the cross to take our punishment. We have to accept His gift. And we have to give it all over to Him. And then we have to let Him 'drive.'

In the Book of Acts, the people saw Peter's boldness after Jesus was resurrected, and they had received power from the Holy Spirit, as Jesus had commanded them to do. They were 'pierced to the heart' and asked, "What shall we do?"

In Acts 2:28 it says, "And Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself."

Repent means to turn away from, like an about face in the military. Turn away from the wrong things; do an about face from them.

Confess your sins (agree with God that they are wrong.) His word says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Get ready. You never know when your time on earth is done.

Relativity

Happiness is based on us meeting our OWN expectations.

Joy comes from God and is spiritual.

If you are unhappy, change your expectation.

Stop comparing yourself to the people that seem to have it all, and compare yourself to the people who seem to have it the worst. There will always be someone richer than you and better looking than you. But there also will be a much worse story too.

And THEN you will say, Thank You God, that you are not in that same terrible situation.

By the grace of God...

Abba means Daddy

Remember that people will let you down, but God never will. People are still human but God is perfect. One of the hardest things for a person is when a parent lets them down. Parents should be role models, and yet still fall short of what they should be in many cases. But God is our heavenly Father and will never leave us or forsake us. 

When I was growing up, my (earthly) father told us (his children) that he wished he would've never had children. He didn't come to our events. He was verbally abusive. The list goes on.... I would imagine at the time it was like climbing in a tree, and having the limb sawn off - often. I longed for a dad that would think I was beautiful and let me sit in his lap. 

I tell my heavenly Father this now when I talk to Him. I often wake up and tell Him, "Please hold me, Daddy (Abba), I need You." And He finds one of His children to hug me when I need a hug. It is possible to come out of the worst home situations and be one of the most productive for God. For me, the verse, "He who is forgiven much, loves much" certainly comes alive for me. 

Justice

I like it that God is a just God. Isn't that what we all want? Fairness? It gets so frustrating because satan rules this world and life isn't fair. The wicked people get ahead and it's hard to watch. I find comfort that some day EVERY knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

There WILL be justice...