Have Compassion :)

Haven't posted in a little while. I was working on a message that most people would call "hard preaching". But God did something Sunday morning that I still can't get over. All week our church had been preparing for our 5 year bus anniversary and we had been praying, decorating the church, just trying to follow God's will for these children (and adults).

We had everything planned out perfectly. All the decorations were placed and our GRACE (God Rescuing All Children Everywhere) banner was up, signifying that we were honestly and truly dedicated to getting the help they needed to them.

What we didn't expect is when our guest pastor preached on Me-phib'o-sheth in 2Samuel chapter 9, that God would show up like he did. The invitation was given, and I am still in awe of what happened...

14 KIDS, TEENAGERS, AND EVEN ADULTS GOT SAVED!!!!

Yes you read that number right! Let your mind dwell on that for a minute or two.

That's 14 lives that no longer have fear of death. 14 lives that inherited Revelation 21. 14 lives that Satan wanted to keep trapped and stuck in a life of fear.

Now I mentioned that this is on compassion and I did not lie. That night after several gave testimony, I stood up and said that I STILL could not get over what had happened that morning. I then, opened my bible and read this :

Jude 23-24 : And some have compassion, making a difference. And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire...

14 lives were "pulled out of the fire" on Sunday morning 3/27/2011. I got 2 bibles I'm giving to 2 of them.

I had been reading the book of Jude a lot recently. I never thought that when I prayed that morning that God would show me, out of that same book, exactly what it meant. I have been working on the bus ministry for a few months now and there have been good days, and there has been rough days. I've been on there when we almost had no seats left when we ran our route to the days when we had 3 get on the bus. I've been on routes where I get off the bus and take 2 steps and a parent yells out the door "They aint comin today" or something of the like. I've knocked on doors and seen some of the conditions that these young kids are living in. Thank GOD for Godly COMPASSION. He showed up, and started pulling them out of the fire.

The joy of that day is still running through me. I made a comment referring to a song that one of my friends sings in church with this line in it : "I'm drinking from my saucer, cause my cup is already full".

I added in a little (with no rhythm whatsoever) :) -

"I've got a straw to the table cause God has filled my cup up so much that it AND my saucer is overflowing".

Even the pastor made mention to it in his message some what like this :

"That will fill your cup up, and your saucer, and your table... AND your living room".

I encourage anyone who reads this to keep the compassion for sinners. Nobody is too good to have no compassion for getting help for sinners and those who will die and burn for eternity in hell.

Nehemiah 8:10(end) - ...for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

All honor and glory to the Lord
Amen

Even the King...

Jonah 3:6 - For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

Hmmmm, a revival message. I like it.

This revival in Nineveh was the greatest revival ever recorded. All because Jonah (finally) followed God's word and went into the city and cried out to them the message that God gave him (3:3)

Hmmmm, a revival + street preaching message. I like it.

This was no ordinary (even though there really isn't an "ordinary" one) revival. The study bible I have here explains that Nineveh was one of the greatest cities in ancient times. So great that it would take 3 days journey to travel around the metropolitan area (confirmed by modern archaeology, by the way). In going through the entirety of chapter 3, you will notice that the preaching of Jonah stirred the ENTIRE city to revival. Most notably was the king's reaction. Instead of being high and mighty (like many "kings" are today who are too worried about everything), he himself joined in the revival. He told all the inhabitants of the city to cry out mightily unto God and to turn from their evil ways. God noticed this (3:10).

Jonah was sent to cry against the city of Nineveh to God, for their wickedness had come before God (1:2). This revival did delay the wrath that God had for this city. For only about a century after that, the prophet Nahum prophesied the destruction of Nineveh. It was literally taken off the map because the destruction was that great.

It does us well to listen when the word of God is preached. Instead of just saying that all those God-fearing people are crazy, or don't know what they're talking about, listen next time. You're never "too good" or "too smart" or "too strong" to not need God, no matter who you are.

 Psalm 85:6 - Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee?

All honor and glory to the Lord
Amen

Strength in Numbers

I don't like fighting. I don't like arguing. I'm proud I serve a God that can take care of business for his children when he is called upon.

Numbers 10:9 - And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

It's war out there. Every day there is more and more brought against Christians who stand up for what is right. We are losing our nation, our families, our friends, even our rights. We are sitting back thinking that "everything is OK" and "don't worry, God is in control of everything so we don't have to do anything". He is in control, and he told us to go out and preach the Gospel to every living thing as well (Mark 16:15), not to sit back in our recliners and just let time pass.

I believe that there is no better time than now for all of the Christians that have placed their faith in God to take this verse I just quoted and applied it. Look at it this way : If we were to all sincerely PRAY (blow an alarm with the trumpets), cry out on the Lord to help us in this truly desperate time of need, wouldn't you believe that the same God that promised these people that followed Moses that he would deliver them out from their enemies would save us as well? He's still the same God.

Psalm 35:1 Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

All honor and glory to the Lord
Amen

Don't forget me...

Deuteronomy 6:10-12 - And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Always count your blessings we are told. Never forget that when the Lord saved you, he brought you out of a "personal" Egypt. We sometimes forget in this day and age that God works throughout the day in our lives and we should be ever-thankful. Something I see happen often is in people's lives they seem to only cry out to God when it's bad. When you're down and out (I'll even admit of being guilty of this) it's easier to see and realize that you NEED God. It's evident because we can see our lives falling apart everywhere we look. Well can I tell you that we should be as much in prayer to God when things are good? He is the reason we can get up in the morning, go to our job, and are able to do those things on a daily basis.

One step :
Took a breath
Bones didn't break
Heart still pumping blood
Sound mind
Able to talk
Have a loving family

And these are just basic things that most of us have/do on a daily basis. We can never thank God enough for his many blessings but we can remember to let him know that you love him and you thank him every now and again because we are a very blessed people.

Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD

All the honor and glory to the Lord
Amen

I'm NOT sorry

I mean what I say when it comes to talking about the bible. I'm not sorry if it makes someone mad, sometimes that is what leads to repentance of sin and such. Sometimes people need a lesson learned from the bible "the hard way" so that it wakes them up to what they are doing wrong. Paul did this. When he wrote his first letter to the Corinthian church, they were a very carnal (worldly) church that needed to straighten out their act. He wasn't sorry.

2 Corinthians 7:8 - For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.

My point exactly. They needed to straighten up and the first letter to them was for that very reason. But he had a reason.

2 Corinthians 7:9 - Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

"Godly sorrow" is conviction. It is for a saved person the reminder/feeling/conscious that what we did or are doing is wrong. To a lost person it could very well be God drawing them to confessing their sins and accepting Christ.


Conviction that you are a sinner and NEED Jesus is vital to being saved. If you feel this conviction, please don't ignore it. Being born again is the single most important decision you could ever make.

All the honor and glory  to the Lord
Amen

FOR EVERMORE!

So, I am kind of new to this "blog" thing (as you can tell by the "Test" post) but I feel led to it so I can share my beliefs that I have.

I wanted to start out with something simple, one of my favorite verses of the bible (and pretty much the entire theme of the blog).

Revelation 1:18 - I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

WHAT A WONDERFUL, INSPIRING, SPIRIT-LIFTING VERSE! For those who are saved, this should be encouragement NO MATTER WHAT you are going through.

Allow me to explain (somewhat) :)

I am he that liveth...
This verse, first off, was spoken by Jesus to John while he was in the isle that was called Pat'mos(Rev 1:9). It is a statement of who Christ is. The first part of this verse is a reference to the time that Jesus descended from heaven and became the sacrifice for ALL of our sins. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell us a great deal of his life and time here on earth.

and was dead...
Christ gave up his life OF HIS OWN WILL after 9 hours on the cross. Note that I said that it was of his own will, he was not killed by the cross.
John 10:17-18 - Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Simple as that. Jesus simply said that he has the power over his life.

and, behold, I am alive for evermore...
Three days after he was buried, he rose again.
Matthew 28:5-6 - And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Je'sus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Mark 16:14 - Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Luke 24:30-31 - And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
John 20:20 - And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
After he had shown himself to the disciples and others, he was taken up in a cloud (Acts 1:9) and sat at the right side of the Father (Mark 16:19)

Amen...
I don't know of anything else to put here other than that after you get a hold of what this verse entails, you probably won't be able to keep yourself from saying AMEN! After all, he just said that he IS ALIVE FOR EVERMORE!

and have the keys of hell and of death.
Simply stated, it means that Christ is in control. When he died, and rose again on the third day, he defeated hell and death.


Truly believing in what Christ did on Calvary, by him dying for our sins and becoming the final sacrifice for sin that will ever be needed, and by confessing him to be Lord is the key to salvation.
Romans 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Je'sus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

All honor and glory to the Lord
Amen

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