How Long?

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Last night while driving home from work, I was pondering the things that I've been looking into...things like "transhumanism", and "channeling", and the new age infiltration into "the churches", and the violence and rampant deception, and the thought "How long, Lord? How long is this going to continue until your return?"
... and then the answer that the Bible gives came to mind:

" and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." Rev. 6:11

I think that time will be coming soon...praying for the strength and perseverance of  the saints, and praying for the grace and blessing and honor to be counted among that number...

Mat 20:20  Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
Mat 20:21  And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Mat 20:22  But Jesus answered and said,

 Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 

They say unto him, 

We are able. 

Mat 20:23  And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.



Come quickly Lord Jesus!

Romans 9

 Kent Clark

"God didn't choose you because you were different because Romans chapter 3 says you were no different" - Pastor Kent Clark.

I love this sermon...and listening to it again last night it made it a little more clear, that there is nothing I do that makes me right with God, nothing. It's what He does. He draws me to Himself, and He changes me from the inside out. He transforms me into something new, and it is completely His doing, not me. To God be all the glory. :)

 Excerpt:

"....and out of nowhere when you least expected it GOTCHA!  And I know what some of you are thinking...some of you are thinking 'That is the MOST unsophisticated church service I've been to in my life.' You can go to hell sophisticated. I'm not trying to get us sophisticated here. I'm telling you that  there's a  big God, who knows the heart, and He didn't send His Son down here for you to be religious. He came down here to die for somebody. And He's dead serious about Who gets the glory. You're not going to praise the church....You're not going to praise the preacher....You're not going to praise your baptism....if you get to heaven, you are going to praise HIM."

 http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=31512735540

Prayers of the Saints

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(this link focuses a bit too much on evil for my taste, but I like the picture)

“the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever” (Revelation 14:11)

A few years ago I had read something somewhere which talked about the contrasts in the Bible; the juxtaposition of opposites regarding good and evil, and light and darkness, etc. I've been wanting to explore that more, just one of those things that I have said I would get to someday...and then a few mornings ago, I couldn't stop thinking about that phrase about the smoke of their torment, which then got me thinking about it's opposite, the prayers of the saints.

Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

Rev 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

The prayers of all the saints are rising from the fire on the golden altar before the throne of God. The angel takes some of that fire that the prayers are rising up from, puts it into a censer, and throws it into the earth! And these verses come just before the 7 angels with 7 trumpets are introduced.

That fire brings this to mind:

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Again we see that contrasting of “us” and “them”. They speak evil of the name of Christ, but the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us and we glorify His name! The fiery trials that cause the world to curse, causes us to rejoice, because we can pray, and call upon His name, and He rescues us from our time of trouble, and this brings to mind another phrase regarding “them”:

“There but by the grace of God go I”

For anyone who has doubts about there being a hell, I would recommend reading this link.

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More links:

 http://www.gracegems.org/Miller/sweet_fragrance_of_prayer.htm

 http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Prayer/prayer.html

 http://apprising.org/2011/03/08/the-endlessness-of-hell/

This next link touches on opposites as contrasted in scripture, as well as some interesting thoughts on symbolism:

 http://home.comcast.net/~pastorbob/adultssclass/biblicalmotifs/bmtwo.html

This next one comes with a huge disclaimer, in that, I appreciate the list of opposites from the book of Revelation that is given on this page, but the website promotes "Bible codes" which I have heard is not a good thing (and am inclined to think it probably isn't, but having not fully researched what this site has to say about it so I cannot truly say anything except to "test all things" and pray). Therefore, if you'd like to look at this list here is the link, please do so prayerfully:

http://www.bible-codes.org/letters-contrast-devil-beast-lamb-God.htm

Bible links to what is known about the traits of being saved vs. the unrighteous:

 http://www.godswordforyou.com/bible-studies/developing-christian-community/593

Contrasting the old and new covenants:

http://www.bibletruths.net/archives/BTAR182.htm

How Deep Does God's Grace Reach?

image link (be sure to check out this link)

Or an alternate title for this post is:

Quit Trying and Trust

How deep is my sin? How deep is your sin? God's love and grace and forgiveness reaches as deep, and deeper than that!


Kent Clark is my pastor. My dear hubby and I found him through Sermon Audio, and have had the fortune of being able to visit his congregation a couple of times to hear him in person. He teaches about God's grace...and only that...Grace, Grace, Grace... and you'd think that would get tiresome and repetitive, but it isn't. God's grace is glorious, amazing, and so much greater than your sin or mine. It IS all about God's grace.

In the following Sermon Audio selection, Kent preaches on an introduction into the 5 points of Calvinism, about our sin, the complete horror of how deep and terrible and disgusting to God our sin is, how it reaches even into and beyond our genetics, and therefore SALVATION is ALL ABOUT HIS GRACE, and has nothing to do with any of our ability to do anything. We cannot even look up without HIS GRACE. His strength is what strengthens us. His glory empowers us. His mercy forgives and reaches out to us.

Check my pastor out here:

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=222121111157

Isn't God's grace AMAZING?

More Than Dreams

Just saw this on CBN website, and have viewed these stories before, they are beautifully done, and tell a few of the stories of how Jesus is touching some Muslims to bring them to understanding the truth about Himself. You can see the full videos online, and recommend them very highly:

http://www.morethandreams.org/index.html

It's a Pity

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The way I see the word "pity" used these days brings up an image of someone who disdains the unfortunate by having a haughtiness while looking down at other people's misfortune.  I've often seen it used in such a way, and also that it is wrong (politically incorrect) to pity other people's misfortunes, that to feel pity is somehow demeaning. More and more it seems that it is more acceptable to be cold and unfeeling rather than to feel pity.

Merriam Webster's definition of the word "pity":

1. sympathetic sorrow for one suffering, distressed, or unhappy b : capacity to feel pity

2. something to be regretted <it's a pity you can't go>

1. She has had a hard life and deserves your pity.
2. I felt deep pity for the lost dog.
3. He didn't live to see his daughter grow up, and that's a pity.

I think God pities us, I think Jesus pitied Jerusalem when He wept (see link for image above).  I think the word "pity" has become distorted just as the word "charity" (God's perfect love) has devolved to now mean giving your cast aways and left overs to the poor. 

I think it would be good if we all felt a good dose of pity for the weak, the perishing, and the lost. Did "pity" get a bad rap because of "Mr. T"?

Mr. T

Love Your Enemies

Mat 5:43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

I think  we've all heard preaching on this topic, from the Beatitudes, and the story of the good Samaritan. But can we be honest a moment? Who of us actually loves those who are nasty and cruel and hateful towards ourselves? I get a failing grade here. It's easy to be a "good Christian" to those who are nice, and who treat us with love and respect. Not so much with that other kind of person, the ones who would spit in your face given half a chance.

God has tested me over and over on this one, and I fail each time.

In another situation, Jesus disciples asked Him:

 Mat 19:25  When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?



 and I take comfort in Jesus' answer (I know this isn't a salvation issue....):

Mat 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.