"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18).
Pride. That five letter word that is the beginning of just about every sin we commit against God. You can be on a mountain top and still fall flat on your face several times every day, falling down the steep grade that leads to God, His grace, His love and His mercy.
But "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23). His mercy is new every day, so why not take advantage of that mercy, love and forgiveness? What is it that holds us back? Why do we keep sliding when we don't have to?
You see I have been the victim of pride many times. The devil uses it in our lives to keep us from the grace, love and mercy of God, sometimes for years at a time. It is hard to remember sometimes just to pray, to ask God's forgiveness, but if we are faithful to Him, requesting that mercy anew every morning, mid day, or evening, or even all three times of the day, we can find peace and healing! All we have to do is humble ourselves and confess our sins! "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9).
So what is keeping you from the Lord? What has you mired in despair, hurt, loneliness, selfishness, anger, murmuring and complaining? What is the hurt, or sin that has you sinking like a stone? Peter walked on water, but the moment he looked away from Jesus he sank under the waves! What makes you think you are any different?
Put your eyes back in the right direction! Look to Jesus, the spotless, sinless Lamb who was slain so that we wouldn't have to suffer through our times of sinfulness! He is there all the time and He carries you when you are burdened, in despair, causing destruction in your own life, hurt by others or hurting others with whatever destructive behavior you might be doing to yourself. He has His angels fighting with the devil and his demons that work day and night to keep you from humbling yourself so that you can meet Him right where you are, and those angels are there protecting you from further harm, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12).
So put that five letter word back where it belongs! Humble yourself. Kneel and ask God to forgive you for taking your eyes off of Him. That's always our first mistake, thinking we can do things on our own when the truth is that we can do nothing without Him. The bible says, "I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:5). That makes it pretty clear doesn't it? We are human, born into sin and we are going to make mistakes, but even still, sometimes we just don't seem to understand that we are nothing without Him! "As for man, his days are as grass, as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more." (Psalm 103:15-16).
Please come home? He's waiting! He wants to put salve on your wounds, wipe your tears, and hold you in His arms. Let Him. He's there, waiting for you to put your pride behind you and walk with Him in freedom again. He wants you to be full, till your cup runneth over! He has it prepared and waiting for you! All you have to do is reach out to Him, and accept His grace once again, or even for the first time! "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies, thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over." (Proverbs 23:5).
I am so deeply in love with the Lord that He is all I need! I am sincerely amazed, humbled, and on my knees in gratitude that He would call my name. Out of all the people on this planet, and I know I am not the only one being drawn close in these last days, for I am not special in any regard. "
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons." (Acts 10:34).
I don't think of myself as better than anyone else, and the bible makes it clear that we should be careful about those kinds of thoughts because the Lord does not play favorites! "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem each other as better than themselves." (Philippians 2:3).
In April, the Lord drew me close once more, and I put my pride away! I still fall flat on my face. I do it every day, but I ask His forgiveness, sometimes several times a day. The Holy Spirit prompts me constantly when I do something God doesn't like! The coolest thing is that I feel free! I feel that I am safe and at home! Finally and forever.
Thank you Jesus. You are my redeemer, the lamp that lights my path, "God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble." (Psalm 46:1b). Lord Jesus, you are my everything. I am nothing without You, and the joy I feel in my heart outweighs all the pain I am going through, and all the pain I have ever gone through throughout my entire life! It is a never ending joy, full of blessings that will unfold before me throughout eternity! Thank you Lord Jesus! I love you with everything I am, everything I have is yours, even in my poverty, I am full of joy, love, mercy, and peace. Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord for your salvation is the greatest gift I have or will ever know or receive! It is a fountain of life that springs forth constantly and I praise you constantly for it!
May God Bless all who read this post and may He grant you a humble spirit so that you might know the joy of His mercy, grace, love and the peace that comes with it!
I'm hurting. A lot of people are hurting. The world is Satan's playground and he is causing more havoc than usual. From fractured marriages to men and women losing their husbands and wives, or a 25 year old Missionary coming home from Africa only to find out she has a brain tumor. Those are just a few things I know of personally and then there is the usual fare of murder/suicide, armed robbery, mayhem of all types including senseless violence, senseless abuse, verbal, physical and otherwise....so many things that are bad. It makes you just want to crawl into a hole and pull it in after you!
On the days that I feel overwhelmed and frozen, numb to the point that I feel like I can't move forward, I try really hard to remember what Christ went through on the Cross for me, for you, for all of us. He didn't want us to go through trouble, defeat, sadness, strife or any kind of pain or horrible circumstances alone. He did what He did so that the Holy Comforter, the Holy Spirit would be there for us to grab onto so that we would feel His protection and His love.
We must guard our hearts in Christ. "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23). Even when we are pushed passed the limits of what we think we can handle, we have to remember that He can handle anything and He will handle it for us if we just ask Him to step in, hold our hand and walk with us through whatever it may be that holds us hostage from moving forward and living our utmost for His highest!
When you find yourself empty and in despair, just remember that "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7). He can do anything. Even if you're tired of waiting, keep being patient, because He will reward you for it! "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:36).
No matter what you are going through, there are others on this planet who are going through far worse. No matter how battered, bruised and helpless you feel in your situation, know that it could be worse and just be stronger than you have ever been before. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!" (Philippians 4:13). This should be just one verse we bring to our minds on purpose the minute we wake everyday. The other one is, "This is the day that the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24). These two verses will automatically set your mind on Christ which will change your mindset for the day. If you learn how to change your "self-talk," you will already have a head start on the evil one!
I've got a lot of issues right now that have me up against a wall, but Jesus is standing between me and the problems I face so that they are not allowed to swallow me whole, destroying me and my ability to witness to others for Christ. He holds my heart, my mind and my soul, and He is never going to let go. If you believe that? Then no matter how tired, no matter how battered you are by this life, just put down your sword, and come and sit with Him for awhile. Let Him hold you, Let Him know your pain, because He does care. "Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you!" (1 Peter 5:7).
Talk to the Lord. I speak to Him out loud like He's my best friend sitting right next to me! I talk to Him constantly, in order to continue on in this life waiting for the day when He will come and carry me away. "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
If you need to be filled again because you feel like you're runnin on empty? Come to Him now. He is there waiting for you. He wants you to feel His love for you. Let Him love you. He will help you get to the finish line. "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." (1 Corinthians 9:24).
We are all running a race, but when we run towards Christ in every situation, giving Him praise in the good times, and running towards Him as fast as we can in the bad times, the problems will seem to slip away into the ether. Even if it's just for awhile, He is still giving us relief from the problems that overwhelm us so that we can continue to "run so as to win" the race.
Wherever you may be on your journey, up or down, remember He is there and that He wants you to come to Him when you need Him. Don't miss out on the greatest friendship you will ever have.
Come and drink from the wellspring of life and be refreshed so you can make it through another day. He will be waiting!
Years ago in a multi-level marketing company I learned a principle of how to sell my product. It was called "The Three Foot Rule." The Three Foot Rule basically means that you needed to approach everyone who was within three feet of you, and tell them about your product. I was even told that it takes 10 no's to get a yes. I had no idea at the time that God was training me to be an Evangelist, and I want to teach you the process so that talking about Jesus isn't such a burdensome thing to you.
Jesus was the first multi-level marketer to walk the earth. He recruited the 12 disciples, and taught them how to spread the word, recruiting others, telling them about who He was and what He could do for people if they would just believe in Him!
I have a challenge - call it "Evangelism in Reverse." All you need to do is be bold. Speak with confidence, the confidence you get in Christ, "Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God." (2 Corinthians 3:4).
There are just three questions that go along with The Three Foot Rule. #1 - "If you died today, do you know whether or not you would go to heaven?" Explain there is a way to know for sure. Then ask the 2nd and 3rd questions. #2 - "Let me ask you this, if you walked outside and got hit by a bus, and were suddenly standing before God and He asked you 'Why should I let you into my heaven?' What would you say?" Most people will immediately go to "Well, I've tried to.....be a good person, not sin against my brother...a plethora of ideas will jump to their minds. The ones who answer 'Because I trust Jesus who died for my sins,' are our brothers and sisters in Christ and should be encouraged with a hug or some such greeting of encouragement! Teach them the 3 questions! RECRUIT THEM!
Then there is the final and best question of all...#3 -"Say you were at Niagra Falls and some lunatic was walking across the falls on a tight rope. He gets to your side and asks 'How many think I can make it to the other side and back again?' Of course all the people will cheer him on. When he comes back, he's got a wheelbarrow with him. Then he asks, 'How many think I can get across and back with this wheelbarrow.' The crowd, again, will cheer. What would you do if he asked, 'Can I get a volunteer to get in the wheelbarrow?' You probably wouldn't get in the wheelbarrow would you? Well....what if Jesus was pushing that wheelbarrow? Would you get in?"
Suddenly you have changed the game, pulled a fast one, and basically explained the entire story. If they don't know who Jesus is, you will have to explain how he died for all of our sins, descended into hell to set the captives free, took the keys of hell from Satan, and then rose again from the dead 3 days later, appeared to many and then after 40 days, ascended into heaven, giving us the "Great Commission."
"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
If you are bold enough, are gregarious enough, to talk to people in person, be nice to them, start up a conversation with them while you wait for a prescription, or sit together at a concert, or on a bus, in the doctor's office, anywhere there are people within three feet of you, then you can be a "Three Foot Evangelist."
The key to the effective Three Foot Evangelist is to NOT DOUBT GOD! When God sends you with a message, he means for you to speak the message. Jesus gave us the message, He gave us the product, Himself. If you have the ability to talk about a product, then you can certainly talk about Jesus!
I wonder sometimes why people are so afraid to do that? Is their walk right with God? Well...is it? Do you trust the Creator? Do you trust His son? Do you feel the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Then what is the delay? We are in the last days. It is evident. So be bold and courageous. We were made to be prophets, and do even more than Christ. Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do,
he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go
to the Father." (John 14:12).
So you Three Foot Rule Evangelists, get movin. Everyone within 3 feet of you needs Jesus. If you need encouragement moving forward with the gift of evangelism, I have it. I will coach you - just call! I'm always answering the phone for somebody! I take prayer requests, I encourage other Christians and I save the lost with these posts and praying the prayer with those who call upon me as as friend in Christ, or just as a friend.
We don't have to talk about religion. I just want to talk about Jesus! He is the way the truth and the life, and no one comes to the father but through Him! (John 14:16). We need to get that message out - we are in the last days! The time is short! Jesus will return for His bride very soon!
I have to say it again, since April, I feel as if I am born again, again. There is no way to describe it. God just reached in and ended my sorrow, filled me with His joy, gave me His grace and made me want to fill the world with music, His word, and His love. I make sure to spread the word every where I go.
Kneel to Him again, be refreshed. Be born again. Give it all to him! "Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7).
God Bless you all. Be a Three Foot Evangelist. LIVE THE LIFE! THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THEY WILL KNOW! God wants for us to trust in Him, and when you are trusting in Him, He will make things happen in your life! I AM LIVING PROOF! I TRULY FEEL LIKE I'M LIVING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE!
Go get em! Let's bring them into the Kingdom. Let's Bring Them All HOME!
Ever had a bridge so difficult to cross that you couldn't figure out a way over it? Maybe the rickety bridge was unstable, maybe it wasn't safe to cross so you just stood there looking at it, paralyzed, not able to move forward, backward, or any other way, knowing that you must cross it, just deciding not to.
Wondering what to do, perhaps you came to the conclusion that you could do it alone. So without any help, you devised a way to cross, but you were still unsure of whether you would make it, taking a huge risk, knowing that the bridge may not be sound enough to make it even half way before the bridge collapsed from under you.
Sometimes, we forget that God's bridge is always there. The bridge created by His mercy when He gave His only son Jesus, who walked the earth for just 33 years until he was crucified, taking all of our sins upon Himself. He is the one who built us a solid, sturdy and unshakeable bridge that connects us directly with our Creator and it is the only way to God.
Jesus told us, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me." (John 14:6), which means there are no other ways to God but by faith in Christ. "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).
Some believe there are many pathways to heaven and God, but there is only one. "For
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after
their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching
ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3-4). In essence this means that "They have exchanged the truth of God for a lie." (Romans 1:25).
We can build or fashion the bridge any way we want. We can build it with works, or years of service to the church, but without faith in Christ, a true belief in the fact that he bled, died, and rose again from the dead paying the ultimate price for our sins, we shall not stand with Him in eternity.
Without faith in God and the redemptive work of Christ on the cross, done on our behalf, the bridge we have built ourselves will crumble into pieces, leaving us hanging with no way out. And instead of Indiana Jones, who always finds a way, we will fall to our eternal deaths because we simply failed to trust Him! "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham,
and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God, and
you yourselves thrust out." (Luke 13:28).
Why take the chance? Only you can make the choice to live, or to die. The days are growing shorter, as we watch the Middle East exploding around the tiny Nation of Israel, who is prepared to launch against Iran, who is 5-6 months away, some believe, from having a nuclear weapon.
It is time to awaken church, to the fact that there are non believers everywhere around us, even sitting next to us in the pews, who will all go to hell if you don't speak up! The days of trouble are upon us. It is time to stop worrying about what we wear, or how cool we look. It is time to think on the eternal things, rather than the temporal. This is a temporary life, just as it always has been from the moment you breathed your first breath! Nothing but the Word of God, Jesus, will remain.
Wouldn't you rather walk through a revolving door into Heaven with Jesus than get left behind on this earth for seven years of hell known as the Tribulation? In Revelation 4:1, the prophet John, who was being held in chains on the Island of Patmos because of his faith in Christ, was told to "Come up Hither," by God who showed him the things that were to come and he wrote the account, which is the entire book of Revelation. I will admit, it is frightening to read about the wrath God is going to pour out upon this earth, but wouldn't you rather read about it than live it? We will be called up to Heaven before it starts, so again, why take the chance?
If you don't know Him, ask Jesus to forgive you for your sins, and to come and dwell within you, to help you live your life for Him. It can be hard at first, but find yourself a church with true Bible believers and they will help you in our brand new life and walk with Christ.
Remember, the bridge was made solid by Jesus Christ. He was the builder, so there is no way you can go wrong with Him. He is the cornerstone that was rejected. Go to Him with your sin, rejection, defeat, pain fears and suffering and you will find your way. You will find joy, happiness and above all, you will finally have peace with Jesus as your savior. When times get tough, call upon His name, and He will save you!
There is a cross to bridge the great divide. Jesus built it for us so that we wouldn't have to suffer. He died so that we might live and have life to the full. So go have that life to the full that He so graciously and wondrously promised us! He is there...He is waiting for you!
We've all seen the blow up in the Middle East this week starting on 9/11. We know it is not because of a Coptic Christian in Egypt who put out an anti-Islamic movie 6 months ago.
The Taliban/AlQueda have been planning the coordinated protests and the attack on the American Embassy in Libya for several months. All Marines stationed at all Embassies are basically left defenseless by a bright foreign policy that does not allow them to carry guns with live ammunition!
The Embassy in Libya was a transitional facility, and had no contingent of Marines, but was staffed by State Department and Libyan Security Officers. The Libyan's took our Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, a California Native, Graduate of Piedmont High and UC Berkley, and 3 others, including 2 Navy Seals to a safe house, then the Libyans gave up where they were. Our Ambassador was unaccounted for for 8 hours. They drug him through the streets, already dead. The photos make that very obvious, and I have a friend in high places who made it very clear, he was executed. In the end, 4 American's were dead and 3 others persons were injured. My prayers go out to all of the families, especially our Ambassador Chris Stevens, a fine American.
You may be asking does this have anything to do with 9/11? All I can say to that is DUH? It was the 11th anniversary. Of course this was all about 9/11 from the very beginning, but the White House and the State Department want to blame a film maker who made a film 6 months ago and our Liberal's with by lines, (the main stream media), want to blame Mitt Romney!
After speaking with an intelligence official who happens to be a very reliable source, friend, and great American this evening I believe it is time that America's Church's begin looking into either Security details, or having congregants permitted to own and licensed to carry a firearm in order to protect their congregations, their pastors, and anyone who might attend their church.
I don't speak much of my background, but I was a paralegal for a few years, and worked criminal law. I know the laws in the state I live in, California and anyone with a permit to own a gun can obtain a license to carry in public. If you have such a permit, get licensed to carry and start protecting your congregation, and please, urge all pastors to look into purchasing a bullet proof vest. It is completely legal for a pastor to wear one in the state of California. Other states, have different laws. If you are not in California, call your local police department, or check your State Government websites for information regarding the laws in your state.
Church's, Christians, they are coming to get us next. WE ARE SOFT TARGETS! If you think the violence is over there, and is not going to touch us over here, think again. It is not a matter of "IF" anymore, it is a matter of "WHEN!" They have 40,000 trained Hezbollah terrorists in this country, who came through the southern borders of Arizona and California and are now situated all over the United States. Sensitive targets in each state should be on high alert.
This message is a warning. Please, don't let this information slip from your hands. I know the law in my state, check the laws in yours and please, protect yourselves and please stay safe.
God Bless you all, God Bless the United States of America and above all, God Save the Church, her Pastors, Priests, Preachers, Praise/Worship Teams, Congregations and Visitors. Amen.
