Will He Know You?

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:40-46 NIV

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’  “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’  Luke 13:24-27 NIV

There is so much more to being a Christian and entering into heaven than just going to a building to be with other believers and learning to quote scriptures. Sadly, from what we can see today, that’s the extent of some who claim to be Christians which I have determined is simply a label they choose to wear, but not a lifestyle they choose to live.

From The Word–we see that Jesus expects us to take care of the poor and needy, the vulnerable, the defenseless, and the homeless. He expects us to love one another for in another passage of scripture, He tells us we shall be known to each other by our love for one another. If we have not love, can we say we belong to Him or that we follow His ways?

The two commandments that He gave us to encapsulate the ten–Love God with all of our heart and soul and to love one another as we love ourselves–means we have to love unconditionally, as He loves, but we do not have to accept the foolishness exhibited by others. If we love God–we will live according to His Word and principles; if we love one another–we will not harm others in any way.

Today–we are seeing church leaders condone sexual assault committed by others wearing the label, not living the lifestyle by saying we have to forgive them. Franklin Graham, Mark Burns and so many others are enablers–pure and simple–since they won’t condemn the behavior of Roy Moore and others like him in positions of leadership within a church. Unfortunately, those who enable others by overlooking their sins are probably guilty of the same behavior and women and men are afraid to speak up. This should not be so!

Women have to stand up and speak out against ANYONE who has molested them, assaulted them or harassed them in order to humiliate or denigrate them. We are not objects for which man can use and abuse at will and we will not stand by and allow the continued objectification women have suffered for decades. The time has come for all who have committed sexual assault of any kind–to CONFESS, REPENT AND RESIGN from positions of authority and leadership. It’s PAST TIME for women to defend themselves and for the rest of us to stop–re-victimizing women who do speak up.

Is our final destination heaven or hell? Will He know us by our deeds that glorified Him and allow us to enter into heaven or will He shun us the way we shunned living for Him and turn us away? It is up to us as to where we spend eternity and many who are simply wearing the Christian label will be surprised when they hear–“Depart from me–I never knew you.”

Empowering women to stand up and speak out against harassment and other inequalities should be the goal of every person seeking an elected position, now and forevermore. I stand with all the women and men who have been sexually assaulted or harassed and will work to make sure their lives are not further diminished simply because they chose to tell it–no matter how long it took them to tell it.

 

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Resurrection!

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:1-8 NIV

Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. Luke 18:31-34 NIV

It is comforting to know that everything prophesied about the Coming Messiah has been fulfilled–just as it was told.

Because of His obedience and willingness to sacrifice His life for love; we all have an opportunity to live with Him for all eternity–just as He said we would.

There are many things that have been said throughout the past week and will continue in churches all over the world today, but the most important thing that can ever be said is, “He rose from the dead so we might have life.” It is through His resurrection that we gain grace–unmerited favor–to live with Him, not because of how good we are.

Actually, our entrance into Heaven has nothing to do with our being good, but on how we live that demonstrates we belong to Jesus.

Are we loving and forgiving?

Are we defending the rights of the poor and the needing?

Are we seeking God for direction in all we do or are we allowing the dictates of man to control us?

No one has demonstrated love with the ultimate sacrifice of giving their life so we might live other than Jesus.

No one has died and rose again–just as He said He would–returning to the Father–preparing a place for us–other than Jesus.

So take a few minutes or the entire day or the rest of the your life and think about what His Resurrection really means to you and enjoy the celebration!

Happy Resurrection Day!

Living With Him!

Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. Hear my voice when I call, LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27 NIV

Take heart and know that God’s Word is true and nothing has escaped Him. He knows everything that is going on in the hearts of all those in the White House and in our houses. When we know Him–have a deeply, personal, intimate relationship with God–we can rest assured of His goodness and nothing will occur without Him warning us in advance.

Therefore, we must be vigilant in hearing and obeying His voice, not the voices of those who would deceive through guile and buffoonery, lies and skepticism–gas lighting attempts to convince a person to doubt what they see or hear that reveals and exposes truth for all to see.

Beware of the Trojan Horse that entered the White House on January 20, 2017 sheltering all manner of evil and evil doers; those who lie and have no integrity. God saw it and revealed it to many, but the gas-lighter–through claims and proclamations that Mass Media cannot be trusted has convinced some to believe only the fake news from those who “honor him and his lies.”

Fortunately, many of us can see beyond the smoke and mirrors and because we seek God’s wisdom–know exactly how the gullible America is being played and how it end badly if efforts are not made to stop the madness now.

When I leave this earth (and not on a space flight), I know I’ll live with Him for all eternity, but while I’m here, I expect to see His Goodness in the land of the living. We can all experience His Goodness when we seek His wisdom in knowing how to live on this side of Heaven.

Don’t give up your mansion for the sake of incurring favor from the wicked; stand firm on God’s Word and keep moving in the direction in which He is guiding, not those who don’t know Him. Though we may be moving slow–we know–only those who endure to the end, will understand victory in Jesus’ name. Keep going and doing all that needs to be done for the sake of righteousness, not profiteering.

Remember the most important mission for us who know Him–He loved us enough to die for us; we must love Him enough to live for Him.

Who Will Enter?

LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the LORD; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken. Psalm 15 NIV

I am so thankful that God loves me–loves us all–for He did not come down to save just me, but all who would accept the gift of salvation through His shed blood.

There’s a song that many churches–especially in the Black Community –sing, “Down through the years, God’s been good to me,” and when I look back over my life, I can sing that song with reverence because He has been so good to me. Not that I’ve been perfect–there are no perfect people–but because I recognize Him for who He is and I try to live according to His Word.

In order for anyone to live according to God’s Word, they must first know it. When we get into The Word–we learn how God wants us to live–and if we’re honest with ourselves–we see The Word as a mirror–reflecting back to us who we are and where we fall short. Even when we fall short–His mercy and grace–sustain us–renewing our determination to get living right for Him. It is because of His mercy and grace–that we can know without doubting, whether we will enter into His presence at the end of our journey on this side of Heaven.

When David wrote the few verses above, He understood–not because he had read a bible as we know it, but because of the teachings from a child–by his family about God’s goodness and what He had always done for the Children of Israel. David was not a perfect man, but he was a man after God’s own heart in that he recognized when he was wrong and repented, seeking God’s forgiveness.

If a person never recognizes when they are wrong and won’t do anything to correct the wrong, they will never enter into God’s presence.

When John–the Baptizer–was on his journey throughout the region, “crying in the wilderness” as we’re told, “Repent, Repent, for the kingdom of the Lord is at hand.” He was the precursor for Jesus–warning people that they must admit being or doing wrong and setting things right. Though John was beheaded for telling the truth–he knew where he would spend eternity.

Do we know? Can we know? I know there’s a mansion in heaven with my name on the door plate and I have determined that nothing and on one is going to impede my arrival–I will enter my promise–as Jesus told it.  “For in my Father’s House are many mansions.”

Now think about this: we who are laborers for The Lord–the little people–the caring people, the benevolent people, the people who given generously to those in need, the people who give of their time and talents to fight injustice and to defend the rights of the poor and needy, we have a right to enter in and know with assurance we have a place for all eternity as a reward for the sacrifices we’ve made to help others out of obedience to God.

Then there are those who have done nothing for anyone, but expect everyone else to do for them. They are self-centered, thin-skinned and think the world revolves around them. They are quick to criticize others, but get angry when others criticize them. In their minds, they are the only ones who are right and everyone else is wrong. And that’s a description of the Tweeter-in-chief who feels like it is “his right” to be president, when all the evidence surfacing reveals he got to that point–by corruption and deception.

He believes he is above the law and in fact thinks laws were not meant for him and unfortunately, the so-called religious, family values group of lawmakers are doing nothing–at this moment–to correct his thinking. What they are doing is allowing him to think, he can change our democracy into a dictatorship ruled by Putin with him as his puppet.

Will they enter into God’s presence at the end of life’s journey? Not according to His Word. I don’t know where they will spend eternity but I do know that liars will be thrown into the lake of fire for eternity.

Where will you spend eternity? I’d love for all I know to spend eternity with me in heaven, but that is not my choice; it is every individual’s choice and all I can do–is to make sure all I know–have been made aware of their options. Jesus is Lord and He loved us–each and everyone–enough to die for us and I am determined to love Him enough to live for Him. Will you join me?

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for loving us enough to come down from heaven, living in the likeness of man, experiencing all that we would experience in life, and yet willing–with all the flaws you saw in us–looking ahead through the years–and yet still decided to hang a cross for our sins. Forgive us for not understanding how much You love and teach us daily how we’re to live and treat others. Encourage and embolden us to always speak truth as You give it to us, no matter what others may think. And for any who have not already accepted You as their personal Savior, move upon their hearts to receive You, now. In Jesus’ name we pray and thank You, Amen!

Ignoring The Obvious!

Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them. However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out. The LORD will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him. The LORD will plague you with diseases until he has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess. The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish. The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron. The LORD will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder; it will come down from the skies until you are destroyed. The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will come at them from one direction but flee from them in seven, and you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth. Deuteronomy 28:14-25 NIV

When we choose to ignore God, we choose to be the recipients of His Word–whether it is a blessing or a curse; it is our choice that determines what happens to us in life.

For the unbelieving–they won’t care because they don’t believe and won’t believe; God’s Word means nothing to them except to be an object of scorn and derision. And Believers–true Believers (not those professing to be Christians but have no demonstrable fruit as proof of who they are), should know we cannot afford to ignore God–and the obvious–the benefits or the consequences. For God’s Word was given to man for our benefit that we might stand in righteousness and be a beacon of light and hope for the unbelieving. The problem is–if our behavior and conduct is no different than what the unbelievers do–why would they pay attention to us?

Let’s look at the world of the unbelieving–they lie to get what they want, will cheat others, plot conspiracies to destroy reputations, in the corporate world and in communities. People get caught up on wanting titles and positions and status and will do anything to get what they want. Hollywood accentuates the life of the unbelieving as the means to crush the opposition and to control what others do.

In every day life–we see the results of corporate corruption and greed and when greed needs to be fed, everything in its path becomes food to soothe the craving. Big companies swallow up the little ones without regard to the people who must eek out a living–the best they can and when that becomes problematic, the people–turn to whatever is available–drugs, alcohol, bribery, more corruption–just to survive. And if they ever had a conscience, many turn to suicide–not willing to face themselves or what they’ve done or others and what they’ve done.

In the church buildings (because many have forgotten they are the church), many end up making the church leaders their god, and will do everything the leader wants them to do in order to maintain an avenue to move forward. Those claiming to be Christians will lie and mislead, promoting untruths to pacify a leader who has turned aside from God. Church leaders have been guilty of predatory behavior, sexually and financially; they have cheated the people they lead and planted the seeds of corruption by convincing others to do what they say and to treat others with disdain. The behavior of the leaders have led to public scrutiny and lawsuits and growing unbelief in the leaders, church and God.

Why is this occurring across the land? We have ignored the obvious–we stopped obeying God and chose to obey the lust of the flesh and to follow the leaders who don’t know God. So we should not be amazed that the consequences of our actions are bringing the Word to life in a way that we can no longer ignore God’s Word. If we ever plan to see a change in this world, it is time to turn aside–from everything and everyone–from ignoring God. We can no longer afford to not make God a priority in our lives.

But is it too late? Have we already set the stage for the next act that brings about our destruction for all the world to see? We are on the precipice–overlooking a cliff–with a depth we cannot see with our physical eyes, and once we go over–there is no help, no return–no other chance to get things right with God.

God has said in His Word that only a remnant will be saved from the destruction the enemy has plotted for all who ignore God. Are we included in the remnant? Have we maintained a right relationship with God, securing our destination and eternity to live with Him? Or have we ignored the obvious by choosing to make men and women our gods, following them instead of God?

Though The Word of God applies to anyone who Believes it–regardless of nationality or ethnicity–I believe we can see God speaking directly to Americans at this intersection in our history. Which way will we go? Will we continue to follow lying leaders or will we rise up and take a stand to give God His rightful place in our lives and speak up for justice?

It’s up to us–we all have to choice to make and I pray our choice is God, not men, and we will stop ignoring the obvious.

As Long As God Is

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 NIV

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,  he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23 NIV

I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. 2 Corinthians 7:4 NIV

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. Psalm 37:3-13 NIV

This day and every day, we need reminding that as long as God is still on the throne, we can trust Him to keep His promises and we have no need to fear man. And while we have no need to fear man, we do need to be watchmen and warn others of the impending dangers. That is the role of the watchman and everyone who proclaims that Jesus Christ is Lord–is a watchman.

The Lord has encouraged my heart and reminded me that as long as I hear Him and obey, He will continue to bless me. Therefore, this morning after I woke up and before I got out of bed, I heard Him say, As Long As He Is…we can make it.

As long as God is the authority in our lives, we have no need to fear what man or woman should say or do.

As long as God is the Alpha and Omega in our lives, we have no need for mere man to guide us in anything.

As long as God is the light we see in the midst of darkness, our hope shall overcome anything the wicked attempt to do.

As long as God is the answer to every question, we shall continue to encourage one another in His love.

As long as God is hope of glory in the heart of every Believer, we have no need for anyone to control us or have any authority in our lives.

As long as God is the only self-existing, self-sufficient One in our lives, we have no need to depend on others who are dependent upon Him.

As long as God is the voice of reason to which we hear and obey, we shall not fear what the enemy does for our reward for living according to God’s Word is secure with Him.

As long as God Is, we have no need to depend upon the voices of others that waver and promote fear instead of love.

Though there may be clouds in our lives and darkness attempts to shut out the light, when we know our relationship with Jesus Christ is what it should be, we will survive and thrive, watching how God shows Himself so all will see.  He is the light in the midst of darkness; He is our hope and as long as we know, we are strengthened by His joy in us, we can make it!

As long as God Is not a man we know will never lie to us or mislead us, we can rest–assured of His love and His faithfulness.

As long as God is the Great Shepherd in our lives, we can trust Him and have no need for those who won’t do as He does.

Throughout the Bible, we are reminded of His love for us, His faithfulness to us, and His mercy and grace that are poured out upon us, daily! If we are more dependent upon His Word and a right relationship with Him, He will keep us from being misled by the words and works of the enemy.

We know He is love and will only promote love.

We know He is light and will not attempt to hide who He is in darkness or dark ways.

We know He is truth and cannot lie.

And we know that there is no other name by which we can be saved– other than Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

 

 

 

 

Maintaining Our Focus!

I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. LORD, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the LORD your God.” So they all praised the LORD, the God of their fathers; they bowed down, prostrating themselves before the LORD and the king. 1 Chronicles 29:17,18, 20 NIV

Do we know who our God is that we can keep our focus on Him?

Our God–the One who created all things and without whom–nothing was ever created.

Our God--the God of heaven and the bible.

Our God–who is love and loves us so much He willingly sacrificed Himself when He came in the flesh of man–His Son–to take our sins upon Him, that we might have eternal life.

Our God–the One who provides for our every need.

Our God–the One who provides us with wisdom from Him, and never thinks little of us because we asked for more wisdom.

Our God–the One who heals all our sicknesses and diseases.

Our God–the One who forgives our sins when we repent and seek Him.

Our God–the only One who has prepared a place for us to spend eternity with Him.

David understood the significance of making a distinction when talking about The Lord, Our God, because so many were worshiping gods they made with their own hands and thought those things they made had power. They worshiped their gods with human sacrifices and burning children–thinking (influenced by the god of this world–Satan) that their sacrifices would mean something or save them from something. They did not realize that nothing made by the hands of man has the power to save anyone from the wrath of God–who removes His hand of protection when we choose to go our own way–rejected Him and His wisdom.

It is not that God destroys anyone or anything, but that He allows the destruction because of our disobedience. And there are some now who think we are headed for destruction because of this election cycle. This election cycle–has proven and revealed where the hearts of people really are. Satan has truly blinded some to the truth by wrapping up the wolf in the guise of being a Christian–who doesn’t even know what the term means. More hatred and vitriol has been spewed towards others who disagree with the candidates and their supporters than I’ve ever seen.

I am absolutely sure–God is not pleased with our behavior and I am just as sure that we shall all feel His wrath when He removes His hand of protection and we find ourselves captured–held in bondage-by allowing the enemy to influence our decisions.

So, what do we mere mortals do? We maintain our focus on God’s Word and living it so others will know who we are–not by what we say, but by what we do--aligning our lives with The Word. We stay positive and when the negative nannies throw venom our way, we stop the flow with love and correction, turning the focus to Him, not us.

God is love–and for any who do not know how to love those walking the earth, they cannot love God. My choice in this election cycle is following the dictates of Holy Spirit who will only speak as God directs.

Soon And Very Soon!

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. 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. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:3-8 KJV

When we understand the vision John had and know deep within our hearts that God always has our best interests at heart–we can find comfort in His Word, not fear.

We can be comforted in knowing that no matter how foolish men and women act life, there will come a time when all will stand before God and give an account of what we’ve done.

We can know–with assurance–that it won’t be long now–not based on our calendar days, but in God’s timing–before we begin our second life–living with Him for all eternity.

Looking at all the turmoil and violence in the world–with all the confusion about “everything” I can only cry unto the Lord, “Come quickly!”

We know that God is not the author of confusion and since He is not–Satan is.

We know that God does not promote hatred and fear and since He does not–Satan does.

More importantly, we know that when people ignore God or refuse to obey Him, He allows the enemy to wreck havoc in our lives–until we reach the place where we understand, we can do nothing without Him.

We are our own worst enemy when we refuse to obey Him in all things.

All of the foolishness over which people get angry and rebellious will soon pass away.

There is no politics in Heaven for the King of Kings is sovereign. There are no religious banners denoting which denoting different denominations hanging in Heaven for there is but One Lord!

There is no sickness and disease in Heaven and no reason for there to be pain.

There is no difference of opinion in Heaven for only the like-minded in Christ shall reside there.

There is no black or white or red or brown or any other barrier in Heaven that will separate humanity (in its glorified body) from enjoying The Lord!

Hallelujah! Soon and very soon!

Encourage One Another With These Words!

“According to the Lord’s Word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage one another with these words.” (I Thessalonians 4:15-18 NIV)

On a subject that not many care to discuss, but should–death. There is one reality that all must face–we are born to die, unless the Lord returns before that event occurs. However, though there is a physical death, we can look forward to rising upon His return so that we will be with Him forever.

On a secular scale–most people simply see death as a natural occurrence–and it is. But for those of us who are living a Spirit-filled life, we know that physical death is simply part of the transition to getting into heaven.

For those who are truly Believers, death should never frighten us; especially if we have lived our lives to please God. While there are those around us who are dying daily, from sickness and disease, and we’re praying–we should be mindful that when a person dies who has suffered pain and anguish, death is also a form of healing for when they are gone–their suffering ends. 

And while we miss loved ones who go before us–if they knew the Lord, we can be thankful that they, too shall reign with Him when He makes His glorious return.

For this reason–so all will rise at the sound of the trumpet and command–Believers should be a witness of God’s mercy and grace, telling all they can the Good News about the work on the Cross. When we become saved–our job is just beginning–for the Lord would have all men to be saved and once we have accepted the sacrifice Jesus made for us and are living for Him, we should want everyone we know to know the Savior who loves us. And we should keep telling the good news until we reach the stage of our own transition.

Therefore, death as a conformity of life–should not be feared, nor should we spend time grieving over much for those who have made the transition, but we should rejoice in the knowledge that one day–they shall rise and reign with us, all with The Lord. Though our hearts may hurt for a time, our spirits should soar and heal the hurt–remembering all the good things and continuing to spread the Gospel until we are finished with earthly works.

While we yet have time to do so–and we must make the most of every hour we have–we need to share the love of God and encourage all to Believe in our Risen Savior so we won’t have to be sad when they depart this earthly realm. We encourage others to get into The Word of God, develop a relationship with Him, and know that when we’re gone–they will seek The Lord for comfort and be assured of our rising from the dead upon His return–before all who are left alive–whose hearts belong to Jesus.

Therefore, when we experience consoling someone who has lost a loved one or even if we lose a loved one, encourage all with these words–their end is not The End–if they know The Lord.

Believers’ Instructions for Daily Living (Part 4)

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation” Then you will shine among them likes stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.” (Philippians 2:12-16 NIV)

Did you ever think about the phrase–“when the cat is away the mice will play” and what it means? In this analogy, the cat is the authority and the mice the subservient to the cat. So, while the cat is in their presence, they do what they must do–play hide and seek to keep from being destroyed. When the cat is away–the mice roam freely and are totally unconcerned about being caught.

Some people honor the authority in their lives only when the authority is present–right there–can’t be missed. Employees will do their jobs while the boss is in their office, but if the boss is out of the office, many can hear a collective sigh of relief and most get lazy and lounge–doing absolutely nothing.

When teachers are out of their classrooms for a day or days–a substitute teacher can count on not getting anything done because the students have determined–the teacher isn’t here and we don’t have to do any work–even if work was left for them to do. I’ve heard all the stories–“the sub lost it; I didn’t know we had to turn it in, the sub didn’t give us any work, I took it home and forgot to bring it back.” Students make up so many excuses for not doing work that they could have saved themselves some time by simply doing the work.

Paul understood that when he was around, the people honored his presence and he’s commending them on doing so and encouraging them to keep on doing the right thing–whether he’s there or not. And that is what all Believers should be doing, right now. Living like we know (because it’s true) that God is present–in our midst at all times–and we should do the right thing at all times.

I know many won’t understand this because they’re thinking on a carnal level. “I can’t be good all the time.” Yes, we can. When we know God’s Word and have a relationship with Him, we can be good all the time. The thing that keeps us from being good is our flesh–when we give in to temptation to fit in with others who don’t know Him. I’m guilty–not intentionally, but guilty nonetheless. Sometimes, my flesh overrides my spirit and I’m immediately impressed by Holy Spirit that I need to repent for the things I allow to escape through my lips. “Grieve not the Holy Spirit” I hear every time I mess up. The bottom line is–I’m more careful to not mess up, but when I do, He reminds me–He’s right there and hears everything I say and sees everything I do.

The biggest problem for Believers is when they tend to act like God can’t see or is deaf. He’s always in the midst of everything we do and yes–He can see and hear it all. Now, we have a decision to make–to honor Him at all times, recognizing His presence or to act like He’s only around in church on Sundays. It’s our choice, and the world needs us to make it right now–for our time on this side of eternity is almost over and we have many souls to introduce to Jesus before He returns. Let’s do all things as unto The Lord, desiring to please Him only!