2006 begins !

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1967413,00.html

I think 2006 is going to prove very interesting for many of us who follow Jesus Christ, not in a lukewarm state, but in a uncompromising, unswerving determination called FAITH.

This news article that was sent to me reminded me of when Paul was brought before the Roman council (government) concerning his faith in Jesus. He said to the council: "of the hope and the ressurection (of the dead ) I am called into question". (Acts 22)

{Take note that the real question is not for anyone to take on the task to prove to governments, or anyone for that matter, that Jesus Christ exists. The real question according to the Word of God is instead do they have any shred of faith to utterly believe in Him lest they perish? }

God knows those who have faith in His Son from those who do not."Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his." (1 Titus)

And he has and will continue to warn the children of God (as He did Paul) of all who will persecute & seek to harm us. He said to Paul: Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

I suppose there are many reasons why I have not read any news articles of various other world religions being called to give proof of their gods. The main reason being that their god(s), whether known or unknown as Peter said, - never resurrected and are dead. Who would question a dead god? JESUS CHRIST is the only Saviour, and the One True Living God, (God of the living & not of the dead.)

You will find that in a very true sense, this lost world will never question false dead gods at all, instead they reveal themselves for who they are. They seek to persecute the Christ, the One True Living God, and his followers, even as in Paul's days.

They do not realize how their own actions & everything they do is in fact the proof they are seeking! That He does exist, not only now, but eternally, and that they have not faith at all to recognize Him in their midst & believe in Him. (their eyes are dimmed and they have no hearing lest they would "see" and "hear" as Paul said and be converted)

Have a great 2006 :-)

Escaping from the Theology of Babylon

Carter Conlon's sermon called
Escaping from Babylon is excellent !!
December 4th, 2005 @

http://www.timessquarechurch.org/sermons/index.htm

JEREMIAH 51:

THE WAY OF ESCAPING THE THEOLOGY OF BABYLON IS TO HAVE A HEART FOR THE POOR. WE ALL NEED TO BE CHALLENGED AS JAMES SAID TO NOT DESPISE THE POOR. FOR THAT IS THE VERY HEART OF GOD. REMEMBER PETER AND PAUL DID NOT HAVE SILVER AND GOLD, *THEY WERE POOR* BUT STILL, THEY WENT INTO THE TEMPLE, HAVING OFFERED THE LAME MAN THE GIFT OF THE SON'S DELIVERANCE & HEALING. HOW OFTEN DID THAT POOR, LAME MAN LAY AT THE TEMPLE GATE?

MAY THE GIFT OF GOD'S KINDNESS BE UPON US THIS CHRISTMAS, AND EVERYDAY, SO THAT WE MAY BE KIND & GENEROUS TO THOSE WHO ARE NAKED, POOR, CONFUSED, ARROGANT, THE MISGUIDED, INDEED TO ALL MEN, TO ALL WOMEN, TO ALL CHILDREN, THAT THE KINDNESS OF THE LORD MAY BE UPON OUR HEARTS, OUR MINDS, OUR LIPS, THIS CHRISTMAS, THE VERY LAW OF KINDNESS WRITTEN UPON THE HEARTS, IN JESUS' NAME.

FEAR NOT ....

A beautiful photograph was emailed to me, you can find it @ www.kingdomoflight.org It's location and date is unknown. But please check out the picture, (I have not read the content of the site) however, this picture clearly shows the hands of God pulling back the clouds to let the LIGHT shine through.

These scriptures follow the picture: Luke 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

These Words were Jesus' words, spoken around 70 a.d. Jesus spoke deliberately in parables, in other words he deliberately hid the Truth from the wise & proud religious people of His day. Why did He do this ? I think He did it because He knew their heart, that they already thought they knew the Truth, and they were arrogant & full of hypocrisy, so Jesus hid the Truth from them. They were so full of themselves they did not recognize the One standing in front of their face. Jesus is with us, in these days, to lead us, to show us what is happening upon this World, if we will but humble ourselves & seek Him and acknowledge our need for Him.

So it is the same today ! Jesus is still deliberately hiding himself from the proud & the hypocrites. As was the case then, is still the case today, that those who actually want to know the Truth (of what is happening) will search it out diligently (with all their heart) rather than proudly think "they know". That is why the disciples would seek out Jesus privately, to reveal the parables to them. It seems the many of the multitudes could have cared less, but the few disciples did and so they would seek out Jesus and ask Him to explain what He was (hiding through the parable.) This is still the case today and the Word of God is hidden to us until we humble ourselves. It takes faith first of all to believe the Word of God, and then diligence & humility to approach Christ so that He would take the veil off of our darkened minds so that the Word of God can be revealed to us. Truly until this is done, it is hidden.

I have been told that the phrase FEAR NOT, which is a commandment of the Lord, is stated 365 times in the New Testament, one for every day of the year. (I have heard people tell me now that they are full of fear) Jesus knew that fear is the opposite of faith. It is my prayer that many would seek the Lord during these "fearful times" to remove the veil, so that they can truly begin to 'FEAR NOT', which can only happen through HIs Word to Us. Instead maythe many find comfort and peace through HIs promise of Eternal Life. You cannot say you have faith & be full of fear. Diligence & the Truth of the Word of God can only destroy our fear & deliver us from being a fearful nation to a people grounded and established in Faith.

The beginning of sorrows ...

Even the media are talking about all that is happening! This world is being shaken, one disaster falling upon the heels of yet another.

It is obvious that we are in the birthpangs spoken of by Jesus Christ in Matt. 24.

"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these [are] the beginning of sorrows ... Matt 24: (7,8)

Verse 9 that immediately follows describes the end result of these "birthpangs" in diverse places: the end result will truly be that the Kingdom of this world will set out to destroy those who belong not to the Kingdom of this world, but instead to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." Matt. 24:9
Some will scoff at that I am sure ... But nevertheless, we are hated because we carry about within us a spiritual seed of Jesus Christ. We will continue to experience more persecution, as well as certain imprisonment all because we who pursue righteousness and peace and faith & trust through Jesus Christ ALONE are considered narrow minded, (have you been called that these days?) Along with narrow minded, is that nasty title of being, well, intolerant !!! , there I said it !! Intolerant to believe in the Bible and to suggest to anyone that God will judge sin, ungodliness, wickedness, etc... ( I am considered intolerant & narrow minded because I believe only in what God says, I believe what "He" declares - That is why Christ says also that 'ye shall be hated of all nations for MY NAME'S SAKE'. ) They actually rebel against Him when they proclaim their judgments of narrow-mindedness & intolerance)

It was no surprise this morning to hear that the government is seeking to put in place a "law", apparently now in our courts, to control the internet, to eavesdrop on private phone conversations, to read private emails, ... You see, it's all because the world and it's governments have no faith in Jesus Christ, they do not really believe in Him nor serve Him. Their faith is actually in their laws, in their (cough,cough) justice system. All they know is law. They are being moved to enforce whatever laws they deem necessary, incl. police monitoring, police activities that will all of course surely be enforced in the mistaken hope of gaining control over the evil, over the wickedness, lurking in mankind's hearts and reaping destruction. They keep thinking (in error of course) that if they can just get these laws all in order, all passed and enforced, with whatever power & actions deemed necessary of course, that somehow, magically, (yet tragically) the world will just get better and better by and by.

They fail at one insurmountable fact: There is no law that can ever be passed, that can ever be enforced, that is capable of uprooting evil out of man's heart. The LAW OF THE OLD TESTAMENT served this one purpose, to prove this simple truth over and over again. Thus they were required to make their sacrifices over & over again to remit their sin. ("For the law having a shadow of things to come, ... can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect, For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there IS a remembrance again made of sins every year." (Heb 10:1-3, their year sacrifices simply proved their sin remained)

However, the power of Jesus Christ can change a person's heart, thus the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ was offered up ONCE and for all ! There was and is no need for a further sacrifice. ("But this one man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins FOR EVER, sat down on the right had of God" Heb. 10:12 )

Only the Grace and power of the Lord Jesus Christ can truly bring lasting change in a man's heart, and truly, in the destruction and chaos of this world because it is a result of sin. Only Jesus Christ can give mankind a new heart, full of mercifulness & kindness and love for all of mankind.

Things are moving now so quickly towards greater tribulation. I just want to encourage you : We must set our hearts upon Jesus Christ, our Saviour, who is not moved nor is He taken by suprise by what is happening all around us. He holds this "whole world in the palm of His hand".

In fact - history was made "complete" , i.e. framed completely by the Word of God even before time ever began. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed: by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. " Heb. 11:3. All things were set in motion by the Word of God long ago, and all of the Word of God will be perfectly fulfilled.

Christ is not moved by mankind's attempts, again - which will fail to bring stability & peace to a world that is being shaken. He does not dwell in time, for He is Almighty God and sitting upon His throne which shall endure forever and ever , and every eye shall see Him truly as He is! He reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is not moved from off His throne. He is perfectly exalted over all things as the One True Living God.

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty" Rev 1:7.8
One day all inhabitants of the world will bow their knee to the Lord and wail because of Him, because that they would not honour Him as Romans says, and so their minds became darkened, their hearts became foolish, "professing themselves to be wise, they (instead) became fools." That will be the sad, end result.

We must not shaken by the panic and destructions as they weave their deceptive thread on the minds and hearts of mankind. It is an invisible thread of panic, weaving it's darkness through the hearts & gripping the minds of society, government, media, families, children. Like a spider, who weaves it web unnoticed and undetected ...

All I can say is I am very thankful that I am a member of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. I know that I am only passing through on this earth for a short time as a foreigner for one day I will rest in my ETERNAL HOME. The greatest joy that I desire is to be with the Lord and to worship Him forever & ever.

In closing, I was reading about world seismic events on Mark Watson's website and I came across his Oct. prophetic newsletter.

I hope you will take a few minutes to read it,

Til next time ...
here it is :
http://www.markswatson.com/wtii1005.html

The Greatest Part of the Journey ,, FORGIVENESS frees my soul ..

Quotes:

Know all and you will pardon all. --Thomas A’Kempis

We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually pardon each other our follies
--Voltaire

A mature Christian has capacity to absorb the offenses and weaknesses of others, not just demand they perform up to the code of ideals. --Stephen Crosby

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.—Unknown

Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were. --Cherie Carter-Scott

He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.--George Herbert

Resentment is like a glass of poison that a man drinks; then he sits down and waits for his enemy to die.—Unknown

A Christian will find it cheaper to pardon than to resent. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, and the waste of spirit. --Hannah More

Forgiveness means that you've decided not to let it keep festering inside even if it only comes up once in awhile. --Doc Childre and Howard Martin

Forgiveness is giving up the possibility of a better past. --Unknown

Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting. --William A. Ward

You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well. --Lewis B. Smedes

It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend. --William Blake:

Forgiveness is . . . accepting God's sovereign use of people and situations to strip you of self importance, and humiliate your self love. --Martha Kilpatrick

Without deep humility, true forgiveness is impossible…and will never happen. --Martha Kilpatrick

Forgiveness is me giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me. --Anonymous

Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it foregoes revenge, and dares forgive an injury. --E. H. Chapin

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?-- Abraham Lincoln

There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness.-- Josh Billings

Always forgive your enemies--nothing annoys them so much.-- Oscar Wilde

To err is human; to forgive, divine.-- Alexander Pope

Humanity is never so beautiful as when praying for forgiveness, or else forgiving another. --Jean Paul Richter

The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness. --William Blake

Yes, this is what good is: to forgive evil. There is no other good. --Antonio Porchia

A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers. --Robert Quillen

Forgiveness is the final form of love. --Reinhold Niebuhr

One forgives to the degree that one loves. --Francois de La Rochefoucauld

'Tis the most tender part of love, each other to forgive. --John Sheffield

Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness. --H. Jackson Brown

We are all on a life long journey and the core of its meaning, the terrible demand of its centrality is forgiving and being forgiven. --Martha Kilpatrick

Forgiveness is the giving, and so the receiving, of life. --George MacDonald

Receiving His Joy & searching out His Wisdom ...

Praise the Lord on High this morning !

It is wonderful to know that God reigns over every circumstance of our lives. It is wonderful to know One who lifts us up and gives us great joy, gives us wisdom! All the Life that so flows, that so freely flows from the Son to us, His Children, is not dependant upon our circumstances or on our trials, we can know Joy, we can know peace, peace that surpasses all understanding. Peace is a person, Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace.

A fav scripture of mine (paraphrase): Even as sin came into this world through one man (Adam) even MORE SO life flows to us through JESUS CHRIST! Here it is: "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ" Romans 5:17

I think one of the most amazing (my fav Word to describe my Saviour) I'll say it again, one of the most amazing things I have learned, and constantly am reminded of & learning, is that my Life is truly hidden with Christ in God. This means that I am free from sin, I am free to live in Him each and every day, through the abundance of His grace towards me. I constantly am reminded that He lives, He lives. I embrace the Lord with every part of my being, & I turn towards the beauty of His presence, and I truly bow before Him and Honor Him, He truly is Lord of Lords & the Almighty God.

One other thing to share with you is that the Word of God is Wisdom. I so need wisdom, raising children, with every decision that life brings ... How this world, how our children, how I need wisdom! I am searching for it, and I am finding it and desiring it more & more. May the treasure of wisdom grow within us as we search the scriptures diligently ... we so need wisdom ... we so need to offer wisdom to others who are enslaved to the ravages of sin & darkenened foolish minds deceived by pride & selfishness... they need to know the hope & love of the Saviour ... and that He can bring a wisdom that comes from above into the confusion & hopelessness so many face daily .... Read the book of Proverbs ... search out Solomon's wisdom ... Solomon's wisdom touched all the people in His kingdom .... people came from all over to hear His words of Wisdom.

God Bless you as you meet with Him & surrender to His love for you. Walk with Him & He will guide and instruct you to receive the manifold riches of His Son !
til next time !!

Judgment turns to righteousness !!

This is an awesome sermon by Carter Conlon (Sept. 11th ) :

"When Judgment Returns to Righteousness" >>>http://www.timessquarechurch.org/sermons/

Please take time to listen, these are some points he makes:
The church is called to carry the mercy of God upon this earth. God has given us a great grace which should fill & renew our minds, so that we can be his eyes, his hands, his heart to a darkened generation upon this earth. There is an ongoing justice with the church, as well as a coming day of judgment for the World, a definitive appointed time when all will be judged . Justice is ongoing for the church, i.e. every time the Word of God goes forth in power, we are either in agreement with it, or in denial cloaked of course with "good" religious excuses - therefore, the more we deny the Word of God, the more we justify our error, the more we become filled with things that are entrenched within us that absolutely offend God.

(hardened to the conviction but totally justified through false theologies in their mind, )

Only God, thru Christ himself, can take these offenses out of our hearts, circumcize & our hearts & minds.
Judgment begins at the house of God (as Peter said) judgment already begun for the church of God, through His Word, which is not to condemn us, but to return us to righteousness. True Christians will embrace the judgment of God in our lives...Paul says in Corinthians that we are to judge ourselves, if we do we will not be condemned with the rest of the world. John 3 :17 the heart of a true Christian welcomes an ongoing judgment by bringing his dealings to the Lord, speaking openly of what is in his heart in his relationship with the Lord, knowing he is not condemned of course, but set free when he deals in such an open & honest way with the Lord, he lets everything be exposed to the light of scripture. Not looking to be condemned but to be like Christlike more & more. When he goes to prayer, he brings all conflict & unknowns to the light, and when the light of Christ exposes the facts of the conflict, the Holy Spirit will indeed use scripture. If conflict continues, contention can be due to pride in one's heart.
Proverbs 5 is the sad end of a person who does not allow reproof & instruction in their heart.
Our heart can sadly get to the place where we will not turn our hearts & nor open our ears to those who are sent to bring Truth to us. We begin to feel we are above all others & justify our lack of humility. Many will not realize this sad state until the last day before the judgment seat of Christ , how sad is this. Then Carter goes through many scriptural examples of Christ bringing judgment, which was many times to the effect that they would no longer see him. Matt. 23 Jesus was so unwelcomed by the religious leaders, he was challenged by them! The same way a prideful arrogant Christian will get so annoyed & agitated when someone empowered by the H.S. will come to speak to them.
Matt. 21 - the temple had become a place of thieves, blind were not seeing, lame were not being healed, etc. etc.
Matt. 28 - Jesus proclaimed judgment & that the temple would be left desolate. They would no longer "see" him any longer until within their heart they would repent & be judged by the Word of God . Just think of those that day who carried on their ministry, the sacrifices that continued, etc. they did not know nor accept that the judgment that was proclaimed was just, they continued to close & harden their hearts to the Truth, so Jesus left them. For He knew the true state of their heart and that they would no longer see Jesus,Jesus turned himself away from them. Jesus blessings comes upon one & all when we repent & He turns people away from their sins.