What God told me last night!

As I ponder tonight about the souls of the people I know and love, I am carried away by emotions of discernment. I am Called and Ordained by Jesus Christ to Proclaiming the Awesome Message of Salvation and Deliverance offered to all mankind, including all I know and love, through the Death, burial and Resurrection of Christ! The discernment came about while pondering Christmas and the mad rush to buy and get more stuff. Jesus gave me this thought by way of the Holy Spirit; “William, there is not enough money or stuff in the World that can fill the vacuum in your heart, That is why I sent the Holy Spirit.” Wow, that was an unexpected proclamation! To a seasoned Christian this proclamation may seem mundane but for someone like me Spectacular! I must share this with everyone. Why seek stuff that is hear today and gone tomorrow? Why not seek Substance that will enrich your life and the lives of those you love? That Substance is the Indwelling Christ! Do you know Him? Do you feel Him moving upon your heart? Do you hear His voice? Does the Holy Spirit speak with your spirit, confirming your are Saved? If you can respond to those questions with an affirmative yes, then you need not this Devotion. If you have not or cannot answer these questions yes, then please read further.

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” These words from Jesus keep ringing in my ears! Happiness, He says, comes from hungering and thirsting for Righteousness! To be filled with the Holy Spirit is the result of that pursuit! The Holy Spirit is what brings Happiness and Substance into my life, not Material possessions! 1Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” So why do we seek stuff to fill our lives when it shall be gone, soon? Listen to this Wisdom from God's Word; Ecclesiastes 2:22 “What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun?
23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. 24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

Let us not Chase after the wind! Let us find and follow Hard after Christ! Let us seek Him with our whole heart! For He has said you will find! I would like to challenge each of you dear readers to humbly ask God to help you discover His Substance! Take this challenge if you dare. Grab a tablet of paper and right down where you spent your time the previous hour. Do this for a week. This will not be easy, but I can assure you it will show what your Pursuing in your life! Do you want to mature in your Christian faith? Do you want True Joy in your life? Do you really want Happiness? If not, then continue to Chase after the wind!

After Thanksgiving, now what?

Now that Thanksgiving is over what’s next? I would like to suggest something. In America we have a wonderful thing that was set up, maybe by inspiration or not, called the Holiday’s. Think about this: Thanksgiving comes first to turn hearts to giving thanks to God for all His Blessings from the past year. Then comes Christmas, which offers the opportunity for people to focus on the awesome gift of Redemption through the Birth, life and works of the Savior Jesus Christ. Then comes New Year which gives people the opportunity to start afresh. What a great opportunity to finish the year well and look forward to the next Year to worship and seek the Will of God. 1). Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and serve Him in every aspect of our lives. 2). Always give Thanks in every situation that arises in our lives. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year, what a time to reflect on our relationship with God and our fellow man. Think about this passage of Holy Scripture; Psalm 119:9-18 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”
Let us all remember that stuff can never fill the emptiness in our souls but only the indwelling Christ! Happiness comes not in the possession of materials, but in the substance of Faith! People are empty inside, that is why are homes are full of stuff! As I watched the news last night and heard of people camping out at Malls and shopping centers for hours and sometimes days, I felt within my spirit a groaning for their souls. Some of these people never give Thanks for what they do have and would never come to a Church for a Faith lift! Always they have a desire for more stuff! Always have a need to get the best deal, even at the expense of running up debt! I would like to suggest a passage of Scripture to encourage all who will read this blog; 1Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” There is not enough room in your home to put stuff as you pursue Materialism! Has Christ no place in your life? Mark 8:36 “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." I pray we will pursue Christ First in our lives, then material possessions will seem less important! Christ shall provide all our needs according to His Riches in Glory!

Need a Faith-lift?

A Psalm of Thanksgiving!

Let us all consider the bounty we enjoy and to Whom we owe our Thanks. I am not sure who will read this blog entry but I know whom I give Thanks! I know that Atheist have no one to thank and will not admit the bounty they enjoy comes from a source other than man. I dare not try to convinced them of their folly. But for all who read this and know there is a God, this blog entry is for you! I will attempt to illuminate a deep need in our Churches today. Where is the Gratitude? Where is the shouting for joy? Where is the crying with happiness? Where is the Love for our Creator? Maybe you do not see a problem with your Church. My observation of the people within my parish is somewhat discouraging. I hear more complaints and murmurings than rejoicing and contentment. Church seems to be a place of joy suckers rather than joy givers! I do not intend to feel sorry for myself or belittle the folks within the Church, but only to point to a great need! Psalm 100 is the focus of this devotion.

1 A psalm. For giving thanks. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
To giving thanks is the simplest of things. Did you know that it is the Will of God for you to always give Thanks? Every circumstance and situation should be first handled with Thanksgiving. Trouble, heartache, illness, pain and even death can be a time to give Thanks. It says SHOUT for JOY to the LORD. Maybe we as Christians need to get a little rowdy at times as we shout to the Lord from the gratitude of our hearts! The Hebrew word for joy is; to split the ears (with sound), i.e. shout (for alarm or joy). Making a joyful noise to the Lord does not count if only you can hear it. I am not saying that God is deaf, only that many around you are when it comes to the Lord! We as God’s people should be the most joyful people on the Earth for the Great Things He has Done! He has bestowed upon us Salvation through His Son Jesus Christ without cost to you! God has given us His Holy Spirit to work in and through us to bring about His Will and Purpose for our lives, which includes Joy. Here are a few thoughts about ingratitude and complaining. 1). Constant complaint is the poorest sort of pay for all the comforts we enjoy. -Franklin 2). Ten minutes’ praying is better than a year’s murmuring. -Spurgeon 3). Ingratitude dries up the fountain of all goodness. -Richelieu 4). A pessimist is one who feels bad when he feels good for fear he’ll feel worse when he feels better. -Anonymous Let us be Thankful and Joyful and not be joy suckers!

2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
The Hebrew word used for worship denote being in bondage. Worship or serving the Lord is the Purpose of our existence! If we fail to be enslaved by the Glory of God in Christ Jesus then we fail at Worship. Jesus is the object of devotion to Christians! Christ gives us the Eternal Spirit to lead us into True Spiritual worship of the Eternal Father. John 4, teaches us this awesome Truth! Now to address the attitude of gladness. Think for a moment about your personal worship time, not corporate worship with other believers, but intimate worship. Soul Worship! Do you come to God with gladness? The Hebrew word for gladness is; blithesomeness or glee, (religious or festival):–X exceeding(-ly), gladness, joy(-fulness), mirth, pleasure, rejoice(-ing). Notice, when we come to God it should be festive and pleasureful! There is a time for brokenness and sorrow in our hearts, but not when it come to worship! Make a joyful noise unto the Lord! Sing with Glee! Triumph full worship will lift your soul beyond the physical and elevate your relationship with the Living God!

3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
When we do come before His Glorious Presence in worship let us always remember the He is God. That He is Holy, Pure, Righteous and the Bestower of Grace and Mercy! He is our Creator and He alone through His Son Jesus Christ gives us Substance! He bought us with His own Blood, shed on the Cross, and we are His! Jesus has given access to His Father and the Comforter for our Empowerment! Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” That is why we are here! Jesus is our Shepherd. He leads us beside Still waters. He Restore our Souls and fills our cups! Know Him or die is the theme of the Bible. So, do you know Him?

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Make no mistake, Jesus and only Jesus, has given us the Freedom to enter the Throne of Grace. We cannot enter the Most Holy Place without first being Washed in His Blood! So when we enter, come with Thanksgiving! Prayer is the topic of this verse and we should, as Jesus instructed us in His Model Prayer, come with praise on our lips. His court is set and His Holiness is Ruling on our behalf by the Righteous acts of His Son! Hallowed is His Name! If there was ever a pressing need within the hearts of men, this is it! Reverence and Praise are due His Name! Let us never come to His Throne with grumbling’s and complaints without first giving His due!
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
The Lord of Heaven, Lord of Earth is always GOOD! Everything He does is for our Good. He never acts out of Character. His Character is always Holy, Pure, Gracious, Merciful, Just and Loving! No one is good, no not one is the theme of Romans 3. But through His Great Love for us He sent His only begotten Son to carry our sins to the Cross and shed His life’s Blood to make us the Righteousness of God the Father! He alone is Good! He alone is Loving without strings! He alone is faithful to all mankind! This is for all time, from Eternity to Eternity, without end! So, have you giving Him Thanks yet? Do you know Him who Created you? Praise His Holy Name! Jeshua, Jesus, Master, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace is whom I serve, whom do you Worship?

Homosexuality and Christianity

What about homosexuality and being a Christian? Is this possible? Is living in sin and being saved from the penalty of sin even possible? Woe to a people who calls evil good and good evil! We all have sinned, yes. We all will from time to time fall into sin. What does God’s Word say about this. 1Jo 3:4-6 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Again 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Now read this article that lays out a scenario. “As more states-like Iowa-approve same-sex “marriage,” conservatives are claiming that freedom of religion is in peril. Same-sex “marriage” supporters accuse them of engaging in hysterical gay-bating. Who’s telling the truth?
Let me share some stories with you from an excellent news broadcast produced by National Public Radio. Then you decide.
Two women decided to hold their civil union ceremony at a New Jersey pavilion owned by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. This Methodist group told the women they could not “marry” in any building used for religious purposes. The Rev. Scott Hoffman said a theological principle-that marriage can only exist between one man and one woman-was at stake. The women filed a discrimination complaint with the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights. The Methodists said the First Amendment protected their right to practice their faith without being punished by the government. But punish the Methodists is exactly what New Jersey did. It revoked their tax exemption-a move that cost them $20,000. Then there’s the case of the Christian physicians who refused to provide in vitro fertilization treatment to a woman in a lesbian relationship. The doctors referred her to their partners, who were willing to provide the treatment. But that wasn’t good enough. The woman sued. The California Supreme Court agreed with the woman, saying that the doctors’ religious beliefs didn’t give them the right to refuse the controversial treatment. In Massachusetts, Catholic Charities was told they had to accept homosexual couples in their adoption service, or get out of the adoption business. They chose correctly-get out of the business.
In Mississippi, a mental health counselor was sued for refusing to provide therapy to a woman looking to improve her lesbian relationship. The counselor’s employers fired her-a move that was backed up by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In New York, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University refused to allow same-sex couples to live in married student housing, in keeping with the school’s orthodox Jewish teachings. But in 2001, the New York State Supreme Court forced them to do so anyway-even though New York has no same-sex “marriage” law.
In Albuquerque, a same-sex couple asked a Christian wedding photographer to film their commitment ceremony-and sued the photographer when she declined. An online adoption service was forced to stop doing business in California when a same-sex couple sued the service for refusing, on religious grounds, to assist them. Convinced? Clearly, homosexual “marriage” and religious liberty cannot co-exist-because gay activists will not allow them to. As marriage expert Maggie Gallagher puts it, same-sex “marriage” advocates claim that religious faith “itself is a form of bigotry.” I know this may sound alarmist, but it’s true. If we don’t work to stop this juggernaut, we may soon find ourselves hunted down at work, at school, and even at church-as others have been-by those determined to force us to accept as a moral good what God calls evil. Our attitude toward all sin must change. All sin will lead to Hell! May the Holy Spirit give all of us reading this conviction to view sin the way God does. Let us truly be Born again in Christ Jesus!

Consider prayer and think of the possibilities.

Consider prayer and think of the possibilities. “Prayer should be the breath of our breathing, the thought of our thinking, the soul of our feeling, and the life of our living, the sound of our hearing, the growth of our growing.” Prayer in its magnitude is length without end, width without bounds, height without top, and depth without bottom. Illimitable in its breadth, exhaustless in height, fathomless in depths and infinite in extension.- Homer W. Hodge God can help us. God is a Father. We need God’s good things to help us to “do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God.” We need Divine aid to act brotherly, wisely, and nobly, and to judge truly, and charitably. God’s help to do all these things in God’s way is secured by prayer. “Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Behind every prayer of a believing soul is faith. This is why holy men and women of old were commended! Heb 11:32-40 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. So have you considered the power and possibilities of faith based prayer? The Holy Spirit can and will help us in our weakness! Listen to E.M. Bounds “What a mighty Christ of prayer is the Holy Spirit! How He quenches every flame in the heart but the flame of heavenly desire! How He quiets, like a weaned child, all the self-will, until in will, in brain, and in heart, and by mouth, we pray only as He prays. “Making intercession for the saints, according to the will of God.” Better to pray than to fret. Better to pray than to talk about praying! So let us pray in faith.

Honor God by Honoring thy Mother!

Do you have Moral principals that guide your world view? Everyone sees the world through preconceived moral principles. What is right, what is wrong and who or what determines that foundation. Listen to God; “Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” Wow what a principle and a promise! I would like share a thought about Mothers day. First off I think Mothers day is under rated. What is my problem with that idea? The World views mothers as a means to an end, money. Can you put a price tag on your mother? Proverb 31:10 “A wife (or mother) of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.” I am blessed to have such a mother that all the flowers, gifts and money in the World could not replace a hug, kiss and a I love you. To show honor to my mother daily and not yearly brings more wealth to my soul than all the money in the World! I must say shame on you if you cannot honor your mother who gave you life. Besides the fact God’s promise is void for those who do not honor their mother. It is incomprehensible to me that one day a year is set aside to honor mothers. If I cannot honor my mother everyday than I need to be shamed! One good mother is worth a hundred schoolmasters. There is none, in all this cold and hollow world, no fount of deep, strong, deathless love, save that within a mother's heart. I think Lincoln said it best “No man is poor who has had a Godly mother. Proverb 31:27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: If I could recount the numerous times my mother spent praying for my safety and health it would add up to years and I thank God for such a mother as this, she is BLESSED! I must say to my mother; "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Some refuse to praise the Lord for their mother, but for those who have a God fearing mother knows that Mothers Day is everyday!

Do you desire Enlightenment?

Great Day I am in need of the Sunlight of the Spirit! Everyday brings more trouble just as Jesus instructed. I would like to offer a prayer Enlighten me, good Jesus, with the brightness of internal light, and take away all darkness from the habitation of my heart. Enlarge my heart and my desire for your Holiness. Restrain my wandering thoughts and suppress the temptations which attack me so violently. Fight strongly for me, and vanquish these evil beasts — the alluring desires of the flesh — so that peace may come through Your power and the fullness of Your praise resound in the holy courts, which is a pure conscience. Command the winds and the tempests; say to the sea: “Be still,” and to the north wind, “Do not blow,” and there will be a great calm. Send forth Your light and Your truth to shine on the earth, for I am as earth, empty and formless until You illumine me. “Pour out Your grace from above. Shower my heart with heavenly dew. Open the springs of devotion to water the earth, that it may produce the best of good fruits. Lift up my heart pressed down by the weight of sins, and direct all my desires to heavenly things, that having tasted the sweetness of supernal happiness, I may find no pleasure in thinking of earthly things. Snatch me up and deliver me from all the passing comfort of creatures, for no created thing can fully quiet and satisfy my desires. Join me to Yourself in an inseparable bond of love; because You alone can satisfy him who loves You, and without You all things are worthless.” Thomas E. Kempes. Satisfy my longing with your Goodness, Mercy and Grace. Lead me in the Way Everlasting, for the Glory of the Holy Child Jesus! Amen

Consider the Risen Christ!

Up from the grave He Arose, with a mighty Triumph over His foes! What a wonderful thing to know that Jesus did not just pour His life’s Blood upon the Cross of Golgotha’s Hill but overcame the power of sin and Death by His Resurrection from Hades (abode of the dead). It has been over a week since the Church celebrated that marvelous Victory, but what now? Is it Church as usual? Are Christians going to put Jesus back in a box until next year? I pray the answer is Absolutely Not! So many Christians get caught up in the Pagan celebration of Easter with little emphasis on Christ. They mention the Resurrection of Jesus and go about their lives until the next Easter bunny time! I want to challenge you to examine your Easter Celebrations. What does the Easter bunny and egg hunts have to do with the Resurrection of Christ Jesus? Have you ever studied what Easter really means? Did the early Church in the Bible celebrate the Resurrection by having egg hunts to reach children? Best question to ask is; would Jesus go to a Easter egg hunt at His Church? I know this goes against the grain of most people. The only motive of writing this is to ask; is Jesus enough? This World that is in darkness sees what we followers of Jesus are doing. Does the World see the Resurrected Christ exemplified in the Church or only a side issue? Are we as believers putting Jesus first or are we blending the ways of the World with Church? James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. All I can say is Christ is Risen and has overcame the World! So Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Jesus is ENOUGH!