God Will Finish What He Starts!

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23,24 HCSB

I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 HCSB

In spite of all the obstacles and hurdles one must endure in order to stay the course–the end result has already been written. Whatever God has called you to do–when you keep your focus on Him and not allow the outside world to interfere–He is faithful and He will accomplish all that He has desired to accomplish in you.

The only thing that He desires from us is acceptance of His love and complete dependence upon Him.

If we remember to trust Him and not think we have all the answers, He will use us to glorify Him and when we glorify Him, we please Him and when we please Him, He will give us the desires of our heart. No mystery–just God being God!

We must live to please Him, not the world–and do all we can to obey Him in all things and that includes–upholding His Word, no matter what the government may say. We must love–unconditionally–the way He loves, even the unlovable for God is Love. We must pray–consistently–for the household of faith (in Him, not self) and when those of us who claim to belong to Him, repent of evil, and obey, He will hear and answer our prayers. He is faithful to His Word and He does not change–no political correctness with Him–just Godly righteousness.

When we do all we have been called to do–living by faith for Him and doing all He has called us to do–He will finish what He started in us through us.

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Spiritual Israel!

“So the LORD will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day; the elders and dignitaries are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray” (Isaiah 9:14-16 NIV).

Sometimes, when trying to understand the events of the day, we have to look at the events of the past and know that the same God who allowed things to happen then, is the same God of today and tomorrow. When God is angered due to our disobedience and refusal to heed those who warn us, His wrath falls–upon everyone–until a remnant returns to Him.

God has always used the few to save the multitudes. He had Gideon cut down the size of his army from thousands to mere hundreds. He saw the faith of Joshua and Caleb who were bold enough to speak out of faith rather than fear.. He used Elijah to cut down false prophets. There has always been a few–faithful and committed to pleasing God–who turned to Him and He heard their pleas and honored them.

We are Spiritual Israel–every Believer has been adopted into the family and are spiritual descendants of Abraham. So, whatever happened to Israel in the past, is recurring today and as long as the multitudes defy the Living God, tragedies will continue to happen, until God chooses to hear the remnant, again.

There are some days when I only want to write “positive, uplifting, encouraging” words, but when I know that God is speaking to my heart, I have to be a voice–speaking what He says, reminding people that He is yet alive and sees all that is happening in our midst and for the most part, He is not pleased.

Therefore, I will remind the leaders–of all nations–that God is watching everything that happens and He is not pleased with those who deliberately mislead and cause the people to follow evil and wickedness. This includes elected officials, dictators, church leaders, and heads of households. Anyone in a leadership position that is not leading the masses per God’s instructions shall incur His wrath. Those of us who know God and how He sees things must be the remnant to seek God’s wisdom and intercede on behalf of the masses.

We are His people–called by His name–and we shall continue to pray–that all will hear and obey and seek His face and do all things according to His wisdom. He will hear us when those in leadership repent and confess their error in misleading people and then, He will heal the land and we shall abide in His peace! Glory Hallelujah! For all who are Spiritual Israel and know what we must do in this time–for all of Israel. For whatever happens in Israel shall happen to the world.

If we don’t turn to God we shall see His wrath unfold in even greater events that lead to destruction of the masses for He will not allow His chosen to suffer long. Spiritual Israel–The remnant that knows–it is time to seek Him, turn from our wicked ways, and obey Him, only!

Don’t Blame God! Bart!

Earlier today, I had an interesting interaction with Bart@sluckyducky on Twitter. He was apparently upset with me because I posted a tweet thanking God for the 1+ million readers I’d asked Him for and standing in faith to receive.

Okay, there were a number of questions he asked that I’ll try to answer. Why not pray that no more children die of starvation? He accused me of caring more about getting readers than ending rape, cancer, murder, etc. While I understand that his primary purpose was to goad a debate or argument, I refused to engage. My faith–in whatever I’ve asked for–is based on my relationship with Him and faith in God is accessible to any who choose to believe. Now for people who choose not to believe, that’s on them. Don’t blame God for all the ills of the world when those ills were caused by greedy people, selfish and self-centeredness, and lack of moral compasses.

Hungry children–when people cannot afford to feed their children they should consider that fact before having them. When governments care more about keeping the rich, rich and care nothing about the poor, that’s on the governments. When droughts occur that keep crops from growing and deplete appropriate animal feed and care–let the scientists explain it for you since you do not believe in God.

And that’s the other thing–why are you blaming God when you don’t believe He exists? How does that work? Are you choosing to blame Him for things that people do because it is so much easier to blame “a non-existent God” than to hold people accountable for their actions?

Bart said,”I have a Master’s Degree in Theology and ‘was’ as Christian for 30 years.” Apparently, something happened in Bart’s life that he never forgave God for. Perhaps, it was guilt over his own inadequacies, or hurt because of a loved one being lost or a host of other things. Bart–God did not do anything to you or anyone you loved. God is a spirit and He is love. Whatever happened in your life to make you hate God and deny His existence is between you and Him and I pray you get it straightened with Him before the end comes.

But let me get back to The Word and my prayer life, which is no secret. As I said to Bart earlier, my prayer tweets are a matter of public record and I have prayed for peace, calm, wisdom and the end of abuse and neglect of children, the end of senseless violence and hatred, as well as for “readers” of my books. God doesn’t have a problem with what I ask Him, so I don’t understand why you do?

When I ask God for anything, I ask–once, in faith–believing I shall receive that for which I asked (which is why I thank Him in advance of receiving it) and He always delivers. I don’t doubt Him for a moment for if I doubted He would do as I ask, I would receive nothing. But do know this–God does not force anyone to do anything. Obeying Him is always a choice. When our relationship with Him is right, we hear Him when He speaks and when we obey Him, we can have what we want from Him.

When people feel powerless in events over which they have no control, instead of seeking God for wisdom in how to respond to the situation, they simply blame God and then deny His existence. That’s not going to solve anything. The root of the problem is the individual’s unbelief and lack of faith. If they were to exercise their faith in God, without doubting, they would see the same results I get.

People play the lottery because they have faith in a lottery. They go to casinos because of their faith to win. They go to race tracks because of their faith in a horse. That is where their faith is. My faith is in God and since I don’t have a problem with people who have faith in other things, why on earth do you have a problem with my faith in God? Is it envy, jealousy, guilt, remorse, what?

Whatever it is or was–Bart–you need to get over it and stop trying to project your guilt over a situation onto others who choose not to share your lack of faith. And if it’s that deep–seek Him and get it right. The fact that you “say” you don’t believe He exists doesn’t change His existence for all who believe. You believe what you want, and so will the rest of the world, and that certainly includes me.

God loves you so very much that He willingly came down and hung on a cross for your sins (and everyone else’s). Was His love in vain? Are you so callous that you cannot see the sacrifice He made for you and me? Are you so overwhelmed with guilt that your heart has hardened and you have no room for love? If you cannot receive God’s love, you certainly are incapable of loving anyone else and that includes yourself. Let Him into your heart and stop hating Him for those things that happened that you could not control. Don’t blame God! He’s innocent! It is people–whoever created the problem for you–that you should be angry with, but you should also forgive–so you can go and have the best life God intended for you to have.

God loves you and so do I and your lack of faith in Him–will never change my complete faith in Him and all He does for those who believe that He is and will do for those who do not doubt Him.

I entreat every Born-Again Believer who reads this to pray for Bart–that he’ll seek God, forgive God, and receive God’s best in his life. God knows who he is and the real problem and He is able to do all things well.

Jesus–The Only Way!

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NLT)

One of the reasons I love the Gospel of John is the very personal–close-up–we get of Jesus. Now, some might say (if they are scorners) that Jesus is very arrogant. There is a difference between being arrogant and confident and here–Jesus displays His confidence in knowing who He is!

“I am the way!” The way to having eternal life and the path we all should follow for the abundant life, right here on earth, that He promises in the tenth chapter.

“I am the truth!” He is the truth–revealing the character and attributes of God in person. Every thing He did was because of the Father’s DNA in Him.

“I am the life!” He is the life–the personified life of the Father, who loves us so much that He willingly gave His life for us that we might be saved from ourselves. No one else can make that claim, truthfully!

“No one can get to the Father except through Him!” That’s a pretty bold statement. Basically, what He’s saying is that it doesn’t matter what else you believe or who else you believe or not–the only way to come into the presence of God is through Him.

Let me take this a step further. Jesus said that whatever we asked of the Father–in His name–He would do. Using the name of Jesus in our communications with God, brings us into His presence and we have the boldness–empowered by the name–to ask what we will (aligned with The Word) and have a right to expect it to come to pass.

Nowhere in The Word are we told to “pray” in another person’s name or pray to another person. When we do–we negate our ability to be in His presence, and have no confidence in our prayers which is why some people–never see prayers answered. We are not told to “repeat words”–ad nauseum–to receive forgiveness. We are not told to go through Mary to get to Jesus. We are not told to pray to statutes or to expect answers to prayers by rubbing beads, or stones or any other man-made item. The only way (and He is the way) we can confidently pray (communicate with God) and expect answers is when we ask of God–whatever it is–in the name of Jesus!

If anyone is teaching anything other than what God has said in His Word–they are liars and the Truth is not in them. Muhammad is not the way, Buddha is not the way, Mary is not the way, Jesus is the Only Way–we come into the presence of God! Hallelujah!

Be Still and Know!

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).

Why does it seem like the enemy is winning the battle of good and evil?

Why do parents abandon and abuse children?

Why do predators exist and keep preying on the vulnerable and weak?

Why is it that those who attempt to do good–always, seem to have more difficulty in life than those who do evil?

Why is that we often lose loved ones to sickness and disease and yet those who never do anything right, continue to live?

Why is it some will always hate others for no other reason than they are different?

Why can’t the human race (not the white, black, brown, or red, but all) just get along with one another and stop hating?

Why do children die young, before they have opportunity to live life?

Why can’t our government stop feuding long enough in their attempt to promote personal agendas and see the needs of the people?

Why do we have to maim and kill one another?

Why can’t we all just learn to exist–peaceably–on the one planet in which we must stay?

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,” He has just allowed us to enjoy His goodness on earth for a number of days (that number which we do not know), so why don’t we--just enjoy it and give Him praise for it? There is going to be a time and that time is soon when all knees will bow and declare His goodness! He will be exalted among those who claim to never have known Him.

There are more questions than answers to explain life and living, but this one thing we can be sure of–if we just get quiet and stop trying to figure things out that God has already worked out–He will get the glory in the end. Because He love us, when we are obedient to Him–no matter what–we will receive all of His promises. All we have to do is–be still and know that no matter what is going on around us–He is still God–of the righteous and the unrighteous, the just and unjust, the saved and unsaved–God of all at all times!