Are you ready?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB09F2PdXMw

In reference to the video above and Matthew 24.

Maybe the exact date of Jesus’ return is unknown because no one knows the exact hour or date as He stated in Matthew 24:36. So it can be September 23 or 24 or the following week or the following month or the following year. One thing is sure: He will come back as He stated in Matthew 24:22-35 and Revelations 22:20. The question is: Are you ready? It would be wise to be ready at anytime as advised by Jesus in Matthew 24: 42-51.

For all who claim that there is no God or believe in Jesus Christ or second coming: what if you are wrong? Are you willing to take that risk? It is for eternity. Just because you don’t believe in something or someone, it does not cease to exist. Gravity exists whether we believe in it or not. Seek the truth and you shall find it.

For all who await His return patiently: Maranatha! “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus,” Revelations 22:20 latter.  

How is your heart?

Biblical reference: Exodus chapters 1-12

During the famine of Joseph’s time, the Israelite clan moved to Egypt; Genesis 46. They thrived there. That generation died and Joseph with all he did was forgotten. The Israelites were enslaved by the new Egyptian king / Pharaoh. They needed a savior. Moses was sent. But Pharaoh wasn’t going to give up easily especially since he didn’t believe in God. He thought of himself a god. He believed the Israelites were being lazy and didn’t want to work. He employed magicians who can imitate some of the signs and wonders performed by Moses and Aaron (his brother) by the power of the true God. So Pharaoh’s heart became hard. God informed Moses of Pharaoh’s heart hardening ahead of time as an encouragement to stay in the bitter, long battle. After all, why would a king let a people go who are doing his country a great service at a fraction of the cost? It would be a terrible business decision. He was obsessed with their service regardless of the capacity of Egypt’s destruction caused by the plagues. The first two plagues were reproduced by the magicians. They could not replicate the rest and proclaimed to Pharaoh that it was the finger of God. He was unmoved. By the eighth plague, his officials attempted to persuade him to let them go for Egypt was ruined. Pharaoh did not regard their cry. All throughout the plagues, the Israelite communities were not affected. After the tenth and final plague, Pharaoh relented. He ordered them out of the country for his firstborn was dead. In fact, every first born son was killed whose house was not covered by the blood of the lamb. After letting them go, Pharaoh pursued them in the desert and into the Red Sea where he died with all of his fighting men. With this, the Israelites gained their freedom from Pharaoh once and for all.

There are many lessons to be learned in this story. 1) Pride comes before the fall; Proverbs 11:2, 16:18, 29:23. The fall or destruction not only affects the prideful person, but also those associated with him / her. In the story above, all of Egypt was affected. 2) God can and does protect those who take shelter in Him no matter how awful the storm is. He was able to protect the Israelites from all plagues. 3) God wants to set His people free from the bondage of Satan. All of us are born with a sinful nature that we inherited from Adam and Eve when they disobeyed God.  Pharaoh symbolize Satan. He won’t let people in his grip go unless they seek a stronger opponent; Jesus Christ. 4) The lamb sacrificed to protect the firstborn is symbolic to what Jesus Christ did in the New Testament. He died so we do not have to. He suffered to pay for our healing. He resurrected to resurrect us with Him. And in the process, He took the victory over Satan and death. He bestows this victory on whoever cleaves to Him.  

Dear Reader, please do not harden your heart and cause your downfall and of those around you. Stop believing Satan’s lies. He does not love you. He wants you to spend all of eternity with him in hell. He is a cruel master. If you give him an inch, he thinks he’s a Ruler. Why follow him when you can choose another who loves you very much? His name is Jesus Christ.   

To choose or not to choose?

Biblical reference is Genesis chapters 13 through 19.

Abram and Lot were traveling together. Both have been prosperous. The land could not support their livestock which caused their quarreling. Abram suggested they’d separate to opposite directions. Abram yielded and allowed his nephew Lot to choose which direction he preferred. 13:10 mentions that Lot looked up at the land. It looked good to him which was the basis for his decision. They parted company. Then God told Abram to look up at the land in verse 14. God promised the whole land to Abram.

Lot chose based upon appearance and he reaped. He chose to be associated with Sodom and Gomorrah. He chose to be part of an established city with walls as protection. The very next chapter a war breaks out against Sodom and Gomorrah because they rebelled against the king they were subjects to. Lot and everything of his were carried off. Abram rescues him, all of his household, and belongings. Six chapters later Sodom and Gomorrah are burned to the ground. Lot and his two daughters are rescued. His wife turned into a pillar of salt for looking back and longing for Sodom and Gomorrah. There was no mention of his possessions which were the subject of contention back in chapter 13. He lost everything. So Lot and his daughters were taken out of Sodom, but Sodom was not taken out of his daughters. They each bore a child by Lot when he was drunk because of a thought the eldest had; Genesis 19:30-38.

Abram chose passively and he reaped. He chose to be associated with God. He lived in tents. Yet no harm came to him. He was not subject to any king or land. He rescued Lot from the hands of four kings and their armies by a mere 318 trained men born in his household; Genesis 14:14. He didn’t need to rent out an army. God made a covenant with him that still lives on today. He is the father of all Israelites / Jews through his son Isaac. He is the father of all Muslims through his son Ishmael. He is the father of all believers / Christians through his faith in God and His promises; Romans 4:16-17. God visited Abram and told him what he planned to do in Sodom and Gomorrah. Fearing for his nephew Lot, Abram pleaded for the righteous. God answered his prayer by rescuing Lot.      

What can we learn from their choices and consequences? There are many lessons; only a few will be mentioned. First: to make an actual choice is the same as letting another choose for you. They both reap consequences and not making a choice is a choice in itself. Although Abram did not choose, a choice was made for him. And he reaped the consequences. Second: choosing based upon appearance alone will have a negative impact on self and those associated with the choice. Lot found himself in a lot of trouble. Abram was troubled as well for he had to rescue Lot more than once. Third: associations have the potential of being a blessing or a curse. When Lot was with Abram, he thrived. When he associated with Sodom and Gomorrah, he lost everything.

Why did Sodom and Gomorrah reap war and fire? They rebelled against the king they were subjects to. They also adhered to a different lifestyle. God created Adam and Eve. He does not make mistakes. He did not change his mind after creating them. A man and a woman were created in God’s image. One without the other cannot bear children. When a thought is dwelt upon in a person’s mind whether truth or otherwise, it takes root. From this root, behaviors arise. I can believe myself to be a goat. Then I will start to act like a goat. I may even start to look like a goat. Am I a goat? Did God create me to be a goat? When I walk away from God, I am susceptible to many lies. Lot walked away from God and Abram. He did not succumb to the lies of the towns he lived in. But his daughters did.

Dear Reader, life is full of choice making. Some are easy and require no second thoughts. Some require much thought. One of these is eternity. Some claim there is no God, no heaven, no hell, no satan. Some claim all of them exist in one form or another. If people want to have a better future, they go back to college and earn a bachelor’s, master’s, and / or a doctorate’s degrees. All of this just so they can have a better future which may last 40, 50, or 60 years. What about eternity? There is no time limit for it. It goes on and on and on. Isn’t it worth the effort to know the truth? Seek the truth and it will be found by you. Think for yourself. 

Abundant Life

I get beaten every day. But that is okay. I thank my Lord Jesus Christ that I have another day. The following day is always full of surprises. Does this mean I am always smiling or happy? Not in the least. But I have to do what I have to do.

You see, the battle is not with the disease. The enemy / thief wants my mind and choices to be his. I refuse to succumb to his tactics. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  Some say that the full starts in the eternal. I disagree and this is just an opinion. 

As human beings, we have three facets: spirit, soul, and body. The spirit lies dormant until rebirth. Only spirit gives birth to spirit. There has to be a higher power / spirit to give birth to another spirit. Jesus Christ is the only one who has authority to give rebirth. God is spirit. (John 4:24) Jesus and God are one. (John 14:10; John 8:58) How does this rebirth start? A simple prayer which includes thanking Jesus for his redemptive work at crucifixion, requesting that he’d forgive past sins, and requesting to be accepted into his family. The soul contains our emotions and thoughts. The soul is very sensitive and can be affected by either the spirit or the body or both. It can feel like a battle because, it is. The enemy is vying for the emotions and thoughts; the soul. If he can control the mind; another name for the soul; he controls the person. The way for the enemy to win is through lies. It is stated in latter John 8:44: for he is a liar and the father of lies. For example: you’d get a thought that God does not love you. If you dwell on the thought and agree that God does not love you, enemy won this battle. But if you refuse to dwell on the thought and refuse to believe it, enemy loses. So our choices are very important for our well being. We can choose to be more like Jesus. How? By spending more time with him in prayer, reading of the Bible, attending church. True Christianity is about relationship and not religion. It is the relationship between God / Jesus Christ and the born again Christian. There is also the physical body which all of us are aware of.

God wants to heal on all levels. He heals the spirit through rebirth. How can you describe the color sky blue to a man born blind? Where would you begin? What if this same man was to have his eyes opened and he sees the sky for the very first time? Can you imagine the awe? Yes … it is like that. You have to experience it. This rebirth shifts one from one kingdom to another. With it, one becomes a son or daughter of God. With it, one becomes a new creation. With it, one has a new eternal dwelling where it’ll be spent with Jesus Christ. I never regretted this decision no matter how difficult life has been. Every born again Christian I know never regretted it either. God heals on the soul level. He is the wonderful Counselor stated in Isaiah 9. He wants to heal the pains and hurts of the past and the residue these leave on our personalities. He paid the price of our healings when he suffered and was crucified. So why should we? He wants to heal the body. I know he does. When Jesus walked the earth in human form, he healed everyone who approached him for healing. He approached very few to heal them. For complete reference, check out the previous post, “Who were healed?”  I also know he has a specific will for each of his children’s lives. Sometimes he has a purpose behind the illness. Once the purpose is finished, he may heal the body in earthly form or he may perform the complete healing.

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” I Corinthians 15:55. For the born again Christian, there is no sting of death. It is taken away. There is hope for eternity. He is Jesus Christ. It is no longer death, but a passover from one life to a much, much better one. The fear of death is taken away as well. No need to fear death. The limitations of the physical body are temporal. We ought to be faithful with our physical health for it will serve us as long as we occupy earth.

Life to the full starts with the rebirth. We have resources to guide and help us when we need such as the Bible and other believers. We have a constant companion in Jesus Christ. We are not in it alone. And the choice is ours. I hope and pray we all choose wisely.

So knowing what I know about the battle I am in, I chose life whether here or there depending upon God’s will for me. With this in mind, what do I have to lose? And you, my friend, what will you choose? 

Merry Christmas!

It has been said, “This person has the spirit of Christmas.” Or, “That person does not have the spirit of Christmas.” What does the spirit of Christmas mean? Is it the spirit of giving? How about joy? What about peace? Or is it about celebration? It is all of that and much, much more. Christmas is a celebration of the approximate birth date of Jesus Christ. It is a bit more complicated. He is eternal, but He took the form of human flesh and was born in that flesh on or about Christmas time. Mary was visited by angel Gabriel to tell her the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of God will overshadow her in Luke 1:35. God is able to do the impossible. ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty; in Zechariah 4:6 latter portion. Mary was pregnant just like any other woman who was pregnant and had babies. It was an ordinary day just like any other, according to the world. But the heavens were celebrating in Luke 2. The angels were singing in heaven. Jesus’ star appeared in the sky according to Matthew 2:2. He was born in Bethlehem. It took Caesar Augustus to issue a decree for everyone to go back to their hometowns to register in the census; see it in Luke 2:1-3. Otherwise, He would have been born in Nazareth. However, prophecy had to be fulfilled.

Who is this child that caused heaven to rejoice over? Isaiah 9:6-7 stated, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Why were we given this child? The answer comes in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” We were the reason Jesus Christ was born. He loves us and wants us reconciled with the Father. What is the spirit of Christmas? It is the spirit of love. He is the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ. I wish you the fullness of Jesus Christ this Christmas. Ephesians 3:14-19 says, “… I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Gloomy season

Moderator: Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen to another talk with Beth and Father. Good to have you both as always.

Beth and Father: Thank you, good to be here.

Moderator: Beth, I understand you are currently experiencing an illness that took the lives of many women. You are being treated for it as we speak. It is the subject of our talk today. Please share.

Beth: Thank you, Moderator. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer on April 24^th. Surgery has taken place on May 1^st. Chemotherapy began a month later. It all started on March 30^th when my stomach became bloated and nothing helped to relieve it. My abdomen became distended and that is when I went to see several doctors, done many tests to come to that conclusion.

Moderator: Wow. Everything took place in such a short time. How did you feel all throughout this ordeal?

Beth: It was an emotional roller coaster. I cried a lot. I laughed a lot. I daydreamed a lot. I struggled with my will to live. I had pity parties. I celebrated life in all of its shapes and sizes. I sometimes pretended to be well for the sake of those around me.  Other times, I was well without pretension. I regretted a lot of things. I regretted time wasted. I was thankful for everything and anything especially the hard times. I tried to figure out what I did wrong. I repented of anything and everything even things I’ve never done just to cover all of the bases. I asked Father many, many questions and not getting answers fast enough. I asked Him, “Why me?”

Moderator: Yes, why you?

Beth (smiling): I don’t know. Some tell me that I am strong and able to handle it. But the true source of my strength is Jesus Christ. Others tell me that Father is seeking to bless me. Amen, whether I live or die, I am His. I think He wants to be glorified through all of His children, not just me. All will be revealed in His time.

Moderator: How did you overcome the emotional turmoil?

Beth: I didn’t. I am suspecting it will be a part of my life for now. I liken it to an unhealed wound. It takes time. It will get better.

Moderator: Thank you. Please go on.

Beth: During all of this time, by the grace of Father and the prayers of my brothers and sisters, He would give me words from the Bible to strengthen me.   

Moderator: What is the very first verse He gave you?

Beth: Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Although, He did not cause this illness, He allowed it. Since He allowed it and He makes no mistakes, I had to learn to trust Him and thank Him for this illness. I also have to praise Him for He is still in control and He does not change no matter how much I change.

Moderator: And the journey continues?

Beth: Yes, indeed.

Moderator: Thank you Beth and I wish you the best. As always, Father, it is a pleasure and a privilege to hear from you.

Father: Thank you, Moderator. It pleases my heart to talk with one of my children. I have a plan for each of my children that fit perfectly. My plans are good as everything I made is good. These plans are to prosper you and not to destroy you. The enemy wants to destroy you because he hates everything I love. Then he tries to convince you that I am to blame for your misfortunes and that I do not care about you. I allow misfortunes in your lives for you to realize many things. This world is temporal. There is life after the transition that many call death. Unhealthy attachments to material things hinder your progress. There are many important things to focus on. Increase your heavenly bank account and not your earthly bank account which can disappear in a moment. I care about you. I care about your spirit, heart, soul, and life. You are very precious to me. If you want my involvement in your life, you have to invite me. I will not force myself on anyone. If you want answers, ask me. I will respond in due time. If you want my will for your life, trust me. I want a relationship with you and not just dutiful service. Come close to me and I’ll come closer to you. Do you feel unable to come closer? Ask me to draw you closer to me. I love that kind of request because I love you. Thank you, Moderator, for inviting me here.

Moderator: You are welcome here anytime, Father.  As long as we are alive, we experience different seasons. Some seasons are dark and gloomy. Some are bright and beautiful. Some are a mixture of the two. But the Son will always shine. Until next time, stay blessed.