Coffee Break
"The Evil Gets Worse"
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." 2 Timothy 3:1,13
Last night I went to bed burdened about the things that are happening in our nation. My burden was primarily for the state of the nation and the evil that is being perpetrated against us-- by the enemy from without and within. I was also burdened for those who don't know Jesus Christ as their Savior; for those who are backslidden; for the prodigals. So, I am sitting here making another appeal to you to PLEASE get right with the Lord. Surrender your heart and life to Him and follow Him in absolute surrender. Don't play games, the stakes are too high-- your eternity.
The things we see happening are prophesied in the Bible. Evil men are getting worse and worse. They are deceived deceivers. They are lying to us in broad daylight. They aren't even trying to keep it a secret any longer or do their wicked deeds under cover. It is in the wide open and people are closing their eyes to it. They are laying out their plans to destroy us. Events are accelerating at such a rapid pace that you can't keep up with it all. The agenda of the wicked is not wasting time, it is pushing forward-- full speed ahead. (Because satan knows his time is short.)
There is one of two things that is going to happen. Either God will show us mercy for a short season or, because of our iniquities, He will allow us to be turned over into the hands and plans of these evil people. One of the two will happen. There will come a time when the Bible will be fulfilled and things will happen as the Lord has said. This could be the time. The stage is being set for the rise of the Antichrist, the Mark of the Beast, the Tribulation. But we must never lose sight of the fact that when those things happen, they are also setting the stage for the return of Christ to get His Bride. So, the latter gives us hope. Should this be the time of the fulfillment of all things, it means that the Bride is going home, the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God and His Christ, and the devil and all his accomplices will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever.
Should this be the time of the fulfillment of all things and we face the events that have been prophesied or should the Lord show us mercy for a little longer-- either way, PLEASE surrender your life to the Lord. Again, stop playing games, stop playing church, stop depending on the church and religious deeds to save you. Only Jesus can save you. If this evil is allowed to continue, you will never make it through it without Jesus. He is the ONLY safe place!! Don't put off your salvation. If this is the appointed time, things are going to really get bad. If the Lord shows mercy and it isn't, you don't want to miss being part of the Bride and enjoying eternal life.
Please, please, don't wait. Surrender your life to Jesus.
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
"Always Means Always"
"Always Means Always"
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:20
"I am with you always." What a comforting thought! This is not just wishful thinking, this isn't just hope so, this isn't just a verse, but it is a promise from God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. It's a promise that means just what it says-- "I am with you always!"
What does always mean? It means, simply, "always". It doesn't mean some of the time, part of the time, 99% of the time. It doesn't mean in the good times only. It doesn't mean just in times of sunshine, prosperity, blue skies. It means in times of darkness, distress, trials and tribulation. It means in times of want, need, suffering, pain, conflict, opposition. It means when you face the giants, the furnace, the roaring lions. It means when you are in the wilderness as well as the valley, the desert and the mountaintop. It means He is with you in the storm, in battle, in the depths of the sea, when it is so dark that you can't see. It also means when you are in the pig pen or the prison as well as the palace.
The dictionary definition of always is this: every time; on every occasion; without exception; all the time; continuously; uninterruptedly; in any event; at any time; forever. I think that pretty much sums it up. The Lord is with you always- not only when you feel like He is, and not only when your world seems to be at peace, and not just when you have a need that only He can meet. But He is with you ALWAYS!
Hold on to that "truth" because you won't always "feel" like He is there. Therefore, you need to make this truth an anchor for your soul and the bedrock of your confidence, so that you won't feel persuaded to believe at certain times that He is not there.
Have a great day. He is with you always-- all the time and forever.
For further reading:
Joshua 1:5; 3:7
Hebrews 13:5
Proverbs 18:24
Psalm 23:4
"I am with you always." What a comforting thought! This is not just wishful thinking, this isn't just hope so, this isn't just a verse, but it is a promise from God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. It's a promise that means just what it says-- "I am with you always!"
What does always mean? It means, simply, "always". It doesn't mean some of the time, part of the time, 99% of the time. It doesn't mean in the good times only. It doesn't mean just in times of sunshine, prosperity, blue skies. It means in times of darkness, distress, trials and tribulation. It means in times of want, need, suffering, pain, conflict, opposition. It means when you face the giants, the furnace, the roaring lions. It means when you are in the wilderness as well as the valley, the desert and the mountaintop. It means He is with you in the storm, in battle, in the depths of the sea, when it is so dark that you can't see. It also means when you are in the pig pen or the prison as well as the palace.
The dictionary definition of always is this: every time; on every occasion; without exception; all the time; continuously; uninterruptedly; in any event; at any time; forever. I think that pretty much sums it up. The Lord is with you always- not only when you feel like He is, and not only when your world seems to be at peace, and not just when you have a need that only He can meet. But He is with you ALWAYS!
Hold on to that "truth" because you won't always "feel" like He is there. Therefore, you need to make this truth an anchor for your soul and the bedrock of your confidence, so that you won't feel persuaded to believe at certain times that He is not there.
Have a great day. He is with you always-- all the time and forever.
For further reading:
Joshua 1:5; 3:7
Hebrews 13:5
Proverbs 18:24
Psalm 23:4
Monday, May 11, 2020
"Stay Obedient"
"Stay Obedient"
"And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:" Genesis 4:4
When we are living for and serving the Lord, we don't always see instant rewards to our obedience and act of service. This is when the accuser of the brethren comes and tries to tell us, "What's the use? There is no profit in what you are doing. Look at you, you are making all these sacrifices for God and they are to no benefit. God doesn't even notice."
Don't buy into his lies. I want to encourage you this morning that God does take notice of your faithful obedience. He sees and knows exactly what you are doing, even when it seems that He doesn't.
The blessing comes to those who are faithful and remain faithful. So continue to remain faithful in your giving of time, money and talents to the Lord. Stay faithful in what He has called you to do. Don't disregard your obedience to His word. Your obedience is your highest form of worship. And the Lord is seeking those who will worship Him, not only in spirit but in truth-- by being obedient to His word. Besides if He never blessed you for even one act of obedience, He has blessed you with more than you could have ever hoped for when He blessed you with eternal life through the sacrifice of His own Son.
So, "keep on keeping on". Remain faithful in your obedience to the Lord. Your labor is not in vain, you will be rewarded. And remember that we don't serve Him and sacrifice our lives in obedience for Him based on what He "will" do for us in return. We base it on what He has already done for us. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
Have a great day. God always honors those who honor Him through their obedience.
For further reading:
1 Corinthians 15:58
John 4:23,24
Ecclesiastes 11:1
Matthew 25:14-26
Genesis 4:1-7
2 Timothy 4:7,8
When we are living for and serving the Lord, we don't always see instant rewards to our obedience and act of service. This is when the accuser of the brethren comes and tries to tell us, "What's the use? There is no profit in what you are doing. Look at you, you are making all these sacrifices for God and they are to no benefit. God doesn't even notice."
Don't buy into his lies. I want to encourage you this morning that God does take notice of your faithful obedience. He sees and knows exactly what you are doing, even when it seems that He doesn't.
The blessing comes to those who are faithful and remain faithful. So continue to remain faithful in your giving of time, money and talents to the Lord. Stay faithful in what He has called you to do. Don't disregard your obedience to His word. Your obedience is your highest form of worship. And the Lord is seeking those who will worship Him, not only in spirit but in truth-- by being obedient to His word. Besides if He never blessed you for even one act of obedience, He has blessed you with more than you could have ever hoped for when He blessed you with eternal life through the sacrifice of His own Son.
So, "keep on keeping on". Remain faithful in your obedience to the Lord. Your labor is not in vain, you will be rewarded. And remember that we don't serve Him and sacrifice our lives in obedience for Him based on what He "will" do for us in return. We base it on what He has already done for us. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
Have a great day. God always honors those who honor Him through their obedience.
For further reading:
1 Corinthians 15:58
John 4:23,24
Ecclesiastes 11:1
Matthew 25:14-26
Genesis 4:1-7
2 Timothy 4:7,8
Friday, May 8, 2020
"The Gingerbread Man"
"The Gingerbread Man"
"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18
The Bible says that the Lord uses foolish things to confound the wise. Well, He spoke to me through one of those "foolish" things the other morning. Let me share it with you.
He reminded me of the children's fairy tale, "The Gingerbread Man". I had to look the story up because it has been years since I read it. The story starts off with an old man and his wife. The wife made some gingerbread and cut it in the shape of a gingerbread man. When the gingerbread was finished baking, it jumped out of the oven and started running. (He wasn't going to let them eat him.) The old man and woman started chasing it. The horse, the cow, the pigs and the chickens all ran after him. The more they chased him the more he would say, "Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man". Finally, he got tired and wanted to rest. A little further he came to a river. He wanted to cross. While he was trying to figure out a way across, he heard a voice. It was a fox. The fox offered to take him across. The gingerbread was suspicious and reluctant, but after continuing to listen to the fox's convincing words he decided to let the fox take him across the river. He jumped on the fox's back and began to cross the river. After a while the fox told him to get further up on his neck because his back was hurting. The gingerbread man complied. Then the fox convinced him to get on his snout because his neck was hurting, which he did. The the fox tilted back his head and gobbled the gingerbread man down.
The gingerbread man was full of pride. He bragged that no one could catch him and no one was going to eat him because they weren't able to run faster than he could. But then, he met a fox. The fox used cunning, crafty and convincing words to persuade the gingerbread man to trust him. The fox had plans to eat/destroy him all along. He deceived the gingerbread man into believing he was only out to help him. The same thing that happened to the gingerbread man can happen to us. Pride will deceive you into believing that "it won't happen to me".
Pride goes before destruction. Pride makes you vulnerable to deception. It causes you to let down your guard. It gives place to the deceiver. And it will destroy you in the end. We must pray and repent individually and as a nation of pride. Pride got satan kicked out of heaven. Pride was one of the sins that God destroyed Sodom because of. (Ezekiel 16:49) God opposes the proud. (James 4:6)
Ask Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any pride that may be lurking within. When He shows you, repent!! Don't hold on to it. Surrender it to the Lord. Ask for forgiveness and turn from it.
Have a great day. Don't be like the gingerbread man. Repent of pride.
"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18
The Bible says that the Lord uses foolish things to confound the wise. Well, He spoke to me through one of those "foolish" things the other morning. Let me share it with you.
He reminded me of the children's fairy tale, "The Gingerbread Man". I had to look the story up because it has been years since I read it. The story starts off with an old man and his wife. The wife made some gingerbread and cut it in the shape of a gingerbread man. When the gingerbread was finished baking, it jumped out of the oven and started running. (He wasn't going to let them eat him.) The old man and woman started chasing it. The horse, the cow, the pigs and the chickens all ran after him. The more they chased him the more he would say, "Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man". Finally, he got tired and wanted to rest. A little further he came to a river. He wanted to cross. While he was trying to figure out a way across, he heard a voice. It was a fox. The fox offered to take him across. The gingerbread was suspicious and reluctant, but after continuing to listen to the fox's convincing words he decided to let the fox take him across the river. He jumped on the fox's back and began to cross the river. After a while the fox told him to get further up on his neck because his back was hurting. The gingerbread man complied. Then the fox convinced him to get on his snout because his neck was hurting, which he did. The the fox tilted back his head and gobbled the gingerbread man down.
The gingerbread man was full of pride. He bragged that no one could catch him and no one was going to eat him because they weren't able to run faster than he could. But then, he met a fox. The fox used cunning, crafty and convincing words to persuade the gingerbread man to trust him. The fox had plans to eat/destroy him all along. He deceived the gingerbread man into believing he was only out to help him. The same thing that happened to the gingerbread man can happen to us. Pride will deceive you into believing that "it won't happen to me".
Pride goes before destruction. Pride makes you vulnerable to deception. It causes you to let down your guard. It gives place to the deceiver. And it will destroy you in the end. We must pray and repent individually and as a nation of pride. Pride got satan kicked out of heaven. Pride was one of the sins that God destroyed Sodom because of. (Ezekiel 16:49) God opposes the proud. (James 4:6)
Ask Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any pride that may be lurking within. When He shows you, repent!! Don't hold on to it. Surrender it to the Lord. Ask for forgiveness and turn from it.
Have a great day. Don't be like the gingerbread man. Repent of pride.
Thursday, May 7, 2020
"New Paths And Old Paths"
"New Paths And Old Paths"
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
The Israelites were getting ready to go into the promised land and make it there new home. These were people who had either lived in Egypt or the wilderness their entire lives. They were getting ready to leave familiar surroundings and enter into a new place- a place they had never been before. They didn't know what to expect, they didn't know what lie ahead of them, they didn't know what might come their way, they didn't know what they might face. But before they entered the Lord gave them this word of encouragement and promise- "I will be with you wherever you go."
Life takes us down many roads, including places we have never been before as well as old familiar paths. The promise that the Lord made to the Israelites is the same promise He makes to us today- "I will be with you". Perhaps you are embarking on a new venture today, remember, the Lord is with you. Perhaps your path today is a familiar one, one you have been down many times, you aren't excluded, He is with you also.
He was with the children of Israel everyday the entire forty years they were in the wilderness. What a wonderful thought! God didn't leave them out there by themselves. He didn't abandon them. He didn't say,"You got yourselves into this mess, so I will see you in forty years". No, He was with them every minute of every day- He placed His "tent" right there in the middle of their tents.
Are you on a "new" path today? Are you going down the path of divorce or maybe you are a newly wed? Are you getting ready to have your first child and are a little nervous? Are you starting a business or moving into a new position? Are you stepping out in faith to answer the call of God? Are you relocating to another city, which means new friends, new surroundings, perhaps a new school? Be encouraged and comforted this morning, the same God who has been with you in the old familiar places promises to be with you still-- wherever you go.
Have a great day. Whether we walk down old familiar paths or brand new ones, we don't walk them alone... the Lord is with us wherever we go.
For further reading:
Joshua 1:5; 3:7
Hebrews 13:5
Numbers 2:17
Matthew 28:20
The Israelites were getting ready to go into the promised land and make it there new home. These were people who had either lived in Egypt or the wilderness their entire lives. They were getting ready to leave familiar surroundings and enter into a new place- a place they had never been before. They didn't know what to expect, they didn't know what lie ahead of them, they didn't know what might come their way, they didn't know what they might face. But before they entered the Lord gave them this word of encouragement and promise- "I will be with you wherever you go."
Life takes us down many roads, including places we have never been before as well as old familiar paths. The promise that the Lord made to the Israelites is the same promise He makes to us today- "I will be with you". Perhaps you are embarking on a new venture today, remember, the Lord is with you. Perhaps your path today is a familiar one, one you have been down many times, you aren't excluded, He is with you also.
He was with the children of Israel everyday the entire forty years they were in the wilderness. What a wonderful thought! God didn't leave them out there by themselves. He didn't abandon them. He didn't say,"You got yourselves into this mess, so I will see you in forty years". No, He was with them every minute of every day- He placed His "tent" right there in the middle of their tents.
Are you on a "new" path today? Are you going down the path of divorce or maybe you are a newly wed? Are you getting ready to have your first child and are a little nervous? Are you starting a business or moving into a new position? Are you stepping out in faith to answer the call of God? Are you relocating to another city, which means new friends, new surroundings, perhaps a new school? Be encouraged and comforted this morning, the same God who has been with you in the old familiar places promises to be with you still-- wherever you go.
Have a great day. Whether we walk down old familiar paths or brand new ones, we don't walk them alone... the Lord is with us wherever we go.
For further reading:
Joshua 1:5; 3:7
Hebrews 13:5
Numbers 2:17
Matthew 28:20
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