Have you noticed lately that God's moving on the earth and in his people? Hopefully you've experienced him moving in your life personally lately in deep and powerful ways. That is my prayer for you. Recently after dropping my wife and daughter off at the airport I experienced that very thing. Usually for me it begins with a worship song and that's how it began this time as well. When I arrived home I felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness knowing how I'd miss them until the day when they would finally return. I also feel a similar pain and longing within often for family and friends who have moved on in life. I long to be reunited with them all one day in person as well.
Isn't that the way it is often for you and I as believers? If we really love the Lord we miss him dearly and long for his return. The closer we get to him the more we miss him and want to see him. He's done it all for us and we want to thank him and worship him in person at his feet. I eventually ended up that morning on my knees sobbing simply overwhelmed realizing just how much I would really miss them. It was through those tears I felt God's presence and comfort in a very powerful and wonderful way. He made himself real to me once again like only he can do!
I love what the apostle Paul wrote about the comfort God gives us in all our suffering in his second letter to the church in Corinth when he said this, "ALL PRAISE TO GOD THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. GOD IS OUR MERCIFUL FATHER AND THE SOURCE OF ALL COMFORT. HE COMFORTS US IN ALL OUR TROUBLES SO THAT WE CAN COMFORT OTHERS. WHEN THEY ARE TROUBLED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE SAME COMFORT THAT GOD GIVES US. FOR THE MORE WE SUFFER FOR CHRIST, THE MORE GOD WILL SHOWER US WITH HIS COMFORT THROUGH CHRIST (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)." Paul goes on to say how that as a result of the overwhelming trouble he faced in Asia Minor he learned to patiently endure by relying totally on God who raises the dead!
I recently heard a powerful and humbling message by Ray Bentley. He's the Pastor of Maranatha Chapel in San Diego, CA. He was teaching on the suffering of the church in Smyrna. He shared with us how today in Tehran, Iran young Pastors there ministering in Evin Prison are suffering great persecution. They are risking their very lives for the sake of the gospel as are many others there in the region and around the world. Look what Jesus said in his letter to the church in Smyrna, "I KNOW ABOUT YOUR SUFFERING AND YOUR POVERTY BUT YOU ARE RICH. I KNOW THE BLASPHEMY OF THOSE OPPOSING YOU. THEY SAY THEY ARE JEWS BUT THEY ARE NOT BECAUSE THEIR SYNAGOGUE BELONGS TO SATAN (Revelation 2:9)." Please pray for the believers in Iran and those around the world as well being persecuted today for their faith. And whatever you're personally suffering today know he's there for you too! Trust in Jesus he loves you he'll see you through.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thank You For Visiting!
Greetings to you here in the US and to you in the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Poland, Russia, Canada, France, Iran, Germany, Sweden, Hungary, Denmark, Austria and the Netherlands! We're so glad you found us from wherever you are today. God loves you and he sent his one and only Son to prove it. We're saved by grace through faith in Christ alone not by works lest any man should boast. We're praying for you and for those nearest and dearest to you. Please visit our website to learn more about us and about God's love and plan for your life. We encourage you to read all of our recent blogs posted here at your leisure and we pray you are truly blessed by them. Thank you for visiting us may the LORD bless you and keep you and cause his face to shine upon you!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Truly Risen Totally Forgiven-Shawn Smith
As believers we celebrate Easter Sunday this month all around the world rejoicing in all that God has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ. But before we can truly appreciate all he accomplished for us Easter morning we need to again seriously ponder the depth of his love while suffering for us all on good Friday. Nothing was good at all however about that day two-thousand years ago for Jesus as he willingly hung there in agony all day for you and for me. To appreciate his divinity we need to also understand his humanity. Jesus came to earth the first time as a sacrificial lamb fulfilling his Father's will completely totally surrendering his life. Jesus will return to earth a second time soon but this time he will appear as conquering King!
Because Jesus became sin for us we are now completely forgiven by putting our faith in him. Many today want to try and add to what he's already fully accomplished for us by his death on the cross. When he hung there for us God was demonstrating his love for the whole world to see through his Son hanging up on a tree! Nothing else was or is ever needed to fulfill God's requirement for salvation and so boasting is never allowed. Other religions require rigid fleshly sacrifices and legalistic observances. Thankfully and wonderfully not so for all true believers who know that they're totally forgiven because he's truly risen. There's nothing you or I or anyone can ever do to add to what Jesus has already done for us. Incredibly just before his last breath on the cross he said, "IT IS FINISHED (JOHN 19:30)." He died and rose again paying the penalty himself for all of our sin!
Did you know the apostle Paul said that there is a "crown" awaiting those who eagerly look for the appearing of Jesus Christ (2 TIMOTHY 4:8)? It's obvious then that those who don't believe that he rose from the dead sadly won't be watching for him. In fact Jesus wondered if he would find faith on the earth when he returned (LUKE 18:8). Many today are ignoring the many signs pointing to his return and are not preparing themselves to welcome him. Many also continue dismissing what Paul called a "mystery" in his first letter to the believers in Corinth. And to the church in Thessalonica where referring to believers who had died and also to those who will be alive Paul said this, "THEN TOGETHER WITH THEM, WE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE AND REMAIN WILL BE CAUGHT UP IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. THEN WE WILL BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER (1 THESSALONIANS 4:17)."
Many today are distracted and deceived and they simply don't believe. Here's what Jesus himself had to say about his appearing one coming day, "BE DRESSED FOR SERVICE AND KEEP YOUR LAMPS BURNING, AS THOUGH YOU WERE WAITING FOR YOUR MASTER TO RETURN FROM THE WEDDING FEAST. THEN YOU WILL BE READY TO OPEN THE DOOR AND LET HIM IN THE MOMENT HE ARRIVES AND KNOCKS. THE SERVANTS WHO ARE READY AND WAITING FOR HIS RETURN WILL BE REWARDED. I TELL YOU THE TRUTH HE HIMSELF WILL SEAT THEM, PUT ON AN APRON, AND SERVE THEM AS THEY SIT AND EAT. HE MAY COME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT OR JUST BEFORE DAWN. BUT WHENEVER HE COMES HE WILL REWARD THE SERVANTS WHO ARE READY (LUKE 12:35-38)." Will we be ready that day or distracted caught looking the other way?
Because Jesus became sin for us we are now completely forgiven by putting our faith in him. Many today want to try and add to what he's already fully accomplished for us by his death on the cross. When he hung there for us God was demonstrating his love for the whole world to see through his Son hanging up on a tree! Nothing else was or is ever needed to fulfill God's requirement for salvation and so boasting is never allowed. Other religions require rigid fleshly sacrifices and legalistic observances. Thankfully and wonderfully not so for all true believers who know that they're totally forgiven because he's truly risen. There's nothing you or I or anyone can ever do to add to what Jesus has already done for us. Incredibly just before his last breath on the cross he said, "IT IS FINISHED (JOHN 19:30)." He died and rose again paying the penalty himself for all of our sin!
Did you know the apostle Paul said that there is a "crown" awaiting those who eagerly look for the appearing of Jesus Christ (2 TIMOTHY 4:8)? It's obvious then that those who don't believe that he rose from the dead sadly won't be watching for him. In fact Jesus wondered if he would find faith on the earth when he returned (LUKE 18:8). Many today are ignoring the many signs pointing to his return and are not preparing themselves to welcome him. Many also continue dismissing what Paul called a "mystery" in his first letter to the believers in Corinth. And to the church in Thessalonica where referring to believers who had died and also to those who will be alive Paul said this, "THEN TOGETHER WITH THEM, WE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE AND REMAIN WILL BE CAUGHT UP IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. THEN WE WILL BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER (1 THESSALONIANS 4:17)."
Many today are distracted and deceived and they simply don't believe. Here's what Jesus himself had to say about his appearing one coming day, "BE DRESSED FOR SERVICE AND KEEP YOUR LAMPS BURNING, AS THOUGH YOU WERE WAITING FOR YOUR MASTER TO RETURN FROM THE WEDDING FEAST. THEN YOU WILL BE READY TO OPEN THE DOOR AND LET HIM IN THE MOMENT HE ARRIVES AND KNOCKS. THE SERVANTS WHO ARE READY AND WAITING FOR HIS RETURN WILL BE REWARDED. I TELL YOU THE TRUTH HE HIMSELF WILL SEAT THEM, PUT ON AN APRON, AND SERVE THEM AS THEY SIT AND EAT. HE MAY COME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT OR JUST BEFORE DAWN. BUT WHENEVER HE COMES HE WILL REWARD THE SERVANTS WHO ARE READY (LUKE 12:35-38)." Will we be ready that day or distracted caught looking the other way?
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Fervent Prayer Always There-Shawn Smith
Have you ever had one of those mornings when you woke up real early and had the quiet all to yourself? I recently did and after reading my Bible the silence was eventually replaced by the sound of groaning for the people of Japan as the reality of their disaster finally hit me. Maybe you're experiencing the same thing too lately. The apostle Paul wrote about this once long ago and here's what he had to say, "IN THE SAME WAY THE SPIRIT HELPS US IN OUR WEAKNESS. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE OUGHT TO PRAY FOR BUT THE SPIRIT HIMSELF INTERCEDES FOR US WITH GROANS THAT WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS (Romans 8:26)." Often in prayer we just don't know what to say but he's always there to help us pray.
As a pregnant mother nears her delivery due date she experiences intense labor pains causing her suffering that's simply beyond description. With each birth pang the intensity increases so she knows she's closer and closer to finally delivering her baby. The latest earthquake and tsunami in Japan is clearly another wake-up call to us all. The earth is groaning and travailing and we need to take heed. The apostle also said that the "whole creation" has been groaning in the pains of childbirth up to the present time. With numerous natural disasters around the world in recent years it's clear the end is near. Not to mention sadly all the corruption and evil of our day.
Many today are trying to predict exactly when Jesus will return. One thing we know for sure is that he's coming soon. But Jesus himself said that no one knows the day or the hour. In the gospel of Luke he warns, "THERE WILL BE SIGNS IN THE SUN, MOON AND STARS. ON THE EARTH NATIONS WILL BE IN ANGUISH AND PERPLEXITY AT THE ROARING AND TOSSING OF THE SEA. MEN WILL FAINT FROM TERROR APPREHENSIVE AT WHAT IS COMING ON THE WORLD, FOR THE HEAVENLY BODIES WILL BE SHAKEN. AT THAT TIME THEY WILL SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD WITH POWER AND GREAT GLORY. WHEN THESE THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, FOR YOUR REDEMPTION IS DRAWING NEAR (Luke 21:25-28)." Did you notice there that he said when these things "BEGIN" to happen?
Many today are also speculating on the rapture of the church as well trying to prove whether it's before, during, or after the great tribulation. We should really spend our time preparing ourselves to meet him not predicting when we will! One way or another we'll all answer to God one day. Jesus tells us to always be ready here's also what he had to say, "BE CAREFUL OR YOUR HEARTS WILL BE WEIGHED DOWN WITH DISSIPATION, DRUNKENNESS AND THE CARES OF LIFE. DON'T LET THAT DAY CATCH YOU UNAWARE LIKE A TRAP FOR THAT DAY WILL COME ON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. ALWAYS WATCH AND PRAY THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ESCAPE ALL THAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, AND THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN (Luke 21:34-36)." Are we watching and do we still pray when we stand before him one day just what will he say?
Monday, March 14, 2011
Call On The Lord-Ed Welch
Here's what Jesus himself said concerning end-time events in the gospel of Matthew. His warnings are pertinent to those of us living today. The Lord Jesus Christ warns us not to be deceived, not to let our love for God and man grow cold, and finally to endure unto the end. Prayerful study of the Word of God helps us from being deceived.
Prayer and Holy Spirit lead action helps us to keep our love for God and man growing even in difficult times. This keeps our love from growing cold. Both the apostle Paul in ROMANS 12 and the apostle James in JAMES 1 give us godly advice on how to conduct our lives. If we do so, we do well and should grow in our love for God and for man thus pleasing our Lord.
"AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM 'TAKE HEED THAT NO MAN DECEIVE YOU. FOR MANY WILL COME IN MY NAME SAYING I AM CHRIST AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY. AND YOU SHALL HEAR OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS SEE THAT YE BE NOT TROUBLED: FOR ALL THESE THINGS MUST COME TO PASS BUT THE END IS NOT YET. FOR NATION SHALL RISE AGAINST NATION AND KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM: AND THERE SHALL BE FAMINES, AND PESTILENCES AND EARTHQUAKES IN DIVERSE PLACES. ALL THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS.
AND MANY FALSE PROPHETS SHALL RISE AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY. AND BECAUSE INIQUITY SHALL ABOUND, THE LOVE OF MANY SHALL WAX COLD. BUT HE THAT SHALL ENDURE TO THE END, THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED'(Matthew 24:4-8 & 11-13)."
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee. The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace (Numbers 6:24-26).
Prayer and Holy Spirit lead action helps us to keep our love for God and man growing even in difficult times. This keeps our love from growing cold. Both the apostle Paul in ROMANS 12 and the apostle James in JAMES 1 give us godly advice on how to conduct our lives. If we do so, we do well and should grow in our love for God and for man thus pleasing our Lord.
"AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM 'TAKE HEED THAT NO MAN DECEIVE YOU. FOR MANY WILL COME IN MY NAME SAYING I AM CHRIST AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY. AND YOU SHALL HEAR OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS SEE THAT YE BE NOT TROUBLED: FOR ALL THESE THINGS MUST COME TO PASS BUT THE END IS NOT YET. FOR NATION SHALL RISE AGAINST NATION AND KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM: AND THERE SHALL BE FAMINES, AND PESTILENCES AND EARTHQUAKES IN DIVERSE PLACES. ALL THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS.
AND MANY FALSE PROPHETS SHALL RISE AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY. AND BECAUSE INIQUITY SHALL ABOUND, THE LOVE OF MANY SHALL WAX COLD. BUT HE THAT SHALL ENDURE TO THE END, THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED'(Matthew 24:4-8 & 11-13)."
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee. The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace (Numbers 6:24-26).
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