Freely Forgive

The amplified bible reads in Colossians 3:13, "as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must also [forgive]." 

Forgiveness is a free gift from God.  This is what Jesus was sent here to do, die on the cross so our sins can be forgiven.  Because our sins are forgiven, we can live in heaven with Him forever. 

Even though God freely forgives sins, we must do two things.  One is we must forgive others.  Jesus tells a parable of the unforgiving servant.  That parable is in Matthew 18:23-35, if you want to read it.  At the end of it Jesus said, "So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart his offenses",  (Matthew 18:35 amplified version).

In a nut shell, the parable is about a man who owed a lot of money to the king.  When he couldn't pay, the he begged for forgiveness and the king forgave the debt.  Later that day, the man had another man who owed him a few dollars (in today's terms) and when this new man begged forgiveness, the other man (the one who the king forgave) didn't forgive him.   When the king found out what happened, he imprisoned the man who owed him money until he could repay his debt. 

We are to freely forgive others as Jesus has forgiven us.  The other thing we need to do is to ask for the forgiveness.

If someone does something wrong to you, forgive them.  Freely forgive them, from your heart.  In the NIV version, Ephesians 4:26 reads, "do not let the sun go down while you are still angry."  Many times that may be hard, but we need to do it.

Put yourself in this situation.  If you did something wrong to someone, wouldn't you want them to forgive you?

Good

In the King James Version, Romans 12:9 reads, "Abhor what is evil; cleave to that which is good."  The amplified version reads the same verse, "hate what is evil [loath all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good."

If we are going to be fishers of men, we need to do just that.  We need to hate/abhor evil (thoughts, desires, actions, suggestions, attitudes, etc.).  We must 'loath all ungodliness.'  In other words, if it is evil, you should want nothing to do with it.  Look at your life, hold on to a good attitude, good thoughts, actions (such as helping others), desires, etc. 

Does this mean we are to be perfect?  We are human, that isn't possible.  We do need to do our best.  We need to ask God for help, and when we slip we need to ask for forgiveness.  That is why God sent Jesus in the first place, so we could be forgiven.  If it wasn't for Jesus coming, we would all be doomed.  If God didn't love us, why would be have sent His only begotten Son to go through all that Jesus went through.

Stand Firm, Stand Tall

Jesus said in Matthew 24:13, "but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."

Before saying that, Jesus is talking about wickedness and many people's love will grow cold.  This entire section is in the NIV, headed as, "Signs of the End of the Age."

We need to love one another without setting conditions.  Romans 12:9 reads in the King James, "let love be without dissimulation."  The amplified version reads it this way, "[let your] love be sincere (a real thing)."  We, a fishers of men need to stand firm until the end.  Stand firm in your love for one another.  Make sure your love is a real thing! Let's pray this together.

Dear Father I pray in the name of Jesus, Thank You for loving me everyday no matter what.  Please fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to love one another.  Help my love to be sincere towards one another.  Thank you Jesus!  Your will be done Father, In Jesus' Name I pray, amen.

Remember to stand firm in love of one another until the end.

God's Gift to Us

The following is from Luke 2 in the NIV version:

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to

Mary Told of Jesus's Birth

Luke 1:26-38 reads, 'In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.'

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.'

'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?'

The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 'For nothing is impossible with God.'

'I am the Lord’s servant,' Mary answered. 'May it be to me as you have said.' Then the angel left her." (These verses were copied from bible.cc)


I know that was a lot today, so we will break this up.  In the beginning of these verses, Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary she will be the mother of Jesus.  This is the same angel who spoke to Zachariah about John the Baptist.

Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary she will be the mother of Jesus.  Before Gabriel came to her she had absolutely no idea, to my knowledge, she would give birth to God's only begotten Son.

This would be a miracle because, well, because birth is a miracle in itself.  Besides that, she was a virgin.  How can a virgin give birth?  Mary had faith.  She believed.  The angel Gabriel even said, "for with God nothing shall be impossible." (Luke 1:37) 

Once he said that, Mary basically said, let what you say come true.

Giving this Year

Many people have had a rough year.  In Florida alone there are over 1 million people that are out of work.  I became one of those back in February.  God has provided me with temporary work here and there and has provided me with plenty this year.

As Christmas rolls around this year, everyone's wallets tend to take a hit, because remember Christmas rolls around only once a year.  There is no need to compete with others this year; only buy what you can afford.  It is the thought that counts.

When you are giving, take time to give Jesus a little extra this year.  The bible says, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."  I suggest giving a little more financially this Christmas or give more time.  Invite someone to your home who will be alone on Christmas. Even if you are alone, invite someone because when they come, then you won't be alone.

Read Luke 2:1-20 Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day with whomever you share Christmas with.  Even if it is just Jesus.  Have a Merry Christmas.

I say Merry Christmas

Popular thing to say in the recent years is "happy holidays."  This is so we don't offend people.  Bologna! Garbage! When we don't say Merry Christmas I feel it is us offending God.

I want to celebrate Jesus' birth, not some mid-winter celebration.  I would rather offend men than God.  When someone says 'happy holidays' reply 'Merry Christmas' to them.  If they are Jewish, with them Happy Hanukkah.  Jewish people are God's people so there is nothing wrong with Merry Christmas of Happy Hanukkah, but NEVER participate in taking Christ out of Christmas by saying happy holidays.  Remember that Christ is in Christmas.  Celebrate Jesus' birth this year.

Away

Sorry I have been having tech problems.  Will be back within a few days.

The Rapture

What many of us refer to as 'The Rapture' can be found in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 which reads, in the Orthodox Study Bible, "behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet..."
It will happen in a moment. Are you ready?
I know I am. I asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life, I made Him my Lord and Savior, I repented of my sins, and I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and your sins to be forgiven and that He rose on the third day. Thank You Jesus! Glory to Your Name! If you want to become saved and have eternal life in Heaven with Jesus please pray the below prayer out loud and with your heart.
Dear Father I pray in the Name of Jesus, please come into my life. Forgive me of all my sins. I believe that You are the Son of God and You died on the cross and rose from the dead to make a way for me. Thank you for loving me enough to die for me on the cross so my sins can be forgiven. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Please come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. I love you. Thank you Jesus! In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.

Were Adam and Eve Alone on Earth?

I do not believe so after reading Genesis 1 and Genesis 4.  In Genesis 1, God made man.  Genesis 4:16-17 reads, "and Cain went out from the presense of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.  And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch..."

To this point, Adam and Eve only had Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-2).  Genesis 4:25 reads, "and Adam knew his wife again; and she bare...Seth:  'for God,' said she, 'hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.'"  This verse implies that there were probably none between Abel and Seth.

Genesis 3:3-4 reads, "and Adam lives... and begat a son in his own likeness... and called his name Seth:  And the days of Adam after he begat Seth were 800 years and he begat sons and daughters.

I feel that God opened my eyes to see through all these verses that there were more than just Adam and Eve on earth.  Adam was who God breathed the breath of life into.  How could Cain leave his parents and get married at the time he did if Adam and his wife hadn't born any daughters?  There must have been others around.

Obey Jesus

Jesus said in Luke 6:46, "and why do you ye call me, Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say?"

Since we believe that Jesus is Lord, why don't we obey everything He says?  Doesn't make any sense not to.  When God shows you something or gives you a command, do it!  He knows what's best for us.  He is King of kings and Lord of lords.  We need to give Him praise every day of our lives.

Honor your Father and Mother

This is the fourth commandment.  You can find it in Deuteronomy 5:16.  This is one of those commandments that is straight forward.  Obviously if your parents tell you to jump off a cliff that isn't something you should do, but within reason, honor your father and mother.  When parents tell you to make your bed for example they are teaching you discipline.  When God designed male and female He instructed us to replenish the earth.  Due to this, God gave parents the ability to take care  of their children and to raise them with the fear of the Lord and to be ambassadors or Christ.

Saved from what?

Romans 10:9 reads in the NIV version, "that if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart God rose Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Unfortunately in today's world many are confused by 'saved.'  A Greek Orthodox Priest I know in a sermon he gave years ago said something along this line, "when I was younger a boy rode his bike up to mine and asked me, 'are you saved?'  I answered him, 'saved from what?'"  The rest of the sermon as I remember it went down hill.

That remark flabbergasted me.  My thinking is, 'saved from what?  The fires of hell.'  I used to think that was common knowledge, but I found I was very wrong.

Let me tell you right now, straight forward we need to believe and confess Jesus is Lord, He died on the cross and God rose Him from the dead so our sins are forgiven so we are saved from hell and the lake of fire for all eternity.  Those of us who are saved are going to heaven with Jesus.  Let's remove any doubt from your mind.  Please pray the below prayer from your heart and out loud so you will have eternal life in heaven with Jesus.

Dear Father I pray in the Name of Jesus, please come into my life. Forgive me of all my sins. I believe that You are the Son of God and You died on the cross and rose from the dead to make a way for me. Thank you for loving me enough to die for me on the cross so my sins can be forgiven. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Please come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. Please make me a new creature in Christ. Please write my name in the Lamb's Book of Life. I love you. Thank you Jesus! In Jesus’ Name I pray, AMEN.

Please check out On the Fence before you leave.

On the Fence

John the baptist gives his testimony of Jesus in the Gospel of John 3:25-36ish, but John 3:36 reads, "he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

We need to believe and confess Jesus is Lord.  I don't know about you, but I definately want eternal life.  I believe when John said "life" in this verse, he meant eternal life in heaven after we pass away on this earth.

The second part of the verse is now the other end of the coin.  You can either believe in Jesus or not.  If you chose not, you will not see eternal life with Jesus in heaven.  If you don't go to heaven, then you are going to hell.  Why risk it?  Believe Jesus is Lord.

Now the choice is yours.  Do you believe Jesus is Lord or not?  If you want eternal life with Jesus in heaven and to be part of His family please pray the below prayer sincerely and from your heart.

Dear Father I pray in the Name of Jesus, please come into my life. Forgive me of all my sins. I believe that You are the Son of God and You died on the cross and rose from the dead to make a way for me. Thank you for loving me enough to die for me on the cross so my sins can be forgiven. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Please come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. Please make me a new creature in Christ. Please write my name in the Lamb's Book of Life. I love you. Thank you Jesus! In Jesus’ Name I pray, AMEN.

Romans 10:9 reads, "that if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."  Saved here means to me saved from eternal hell, but that is a whole other topic that will be discussed tomorrow.  Before you leave please leave a comment and check out Creation.

Bless Them

Romans 12:14 in the King James Version reads, "Bless them which persecute you: bless and curse not."

I know that is going against society, but think about it.  If you do something nice for someone who was just very mean to you, you are showing kindness and forgiveness (which is God's will for us) and this, most likely will irk them that you have the capacity to be nice after they are mean.  Romans 12:20 reads, "therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head."  Luke 11:13 reads, "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"  We need to be fishers of men and lead a Christian life.  Living Romans 12:14 is another way to do that.

The First Commandment

Deuteronomy 5:7 is where the first of the 10 commandments is found.  Many of you say, "I do not worship any other gods...I'm a Christian (or Jewish)."  Stop a minute and take a look at your life.  If money is your top poriority you have put money before God.  This could hold true for many different things:  food, clothing, money, gambleing, your car, your church (the church building itself), your religion (you can place a misguided teaching of a religion above what is in the bible), etc.

Make sure God is first.  The rest of, well, everything, needs to come after Him.  He is our Father in heaven.  He is our Creator.  He is the one who gives each of us our lives and every breath we breathe.  He is the one who sent His only begotten son so whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).  Thank You Lord...Thank You Jesus!  Glory to You or Lord!

Speak the Truth

In the Orthodox Study Bible, Proverbs 21:3 reads, "to do righteous things and to speak the truth are more pleasing before God than the blood of sacrifices.

Back at this time period when proverbs was written, Jesus had not been born yet.  God's people offered animal sacrifices to Him at the time.

From what I get from this verse is God would rather you do the righteous thing first than not to do it and have to ask forgiveness later.

Speak the truth.  This is another place in the bible where we are told to speak the truth.  If we are leading a Christian life and being the witnesses we are supposed to be for Jesus, we should speak the truth.  Telling the truth is the ninth commandment also.  Deuteronomy 5:20 reads, "you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Speak the truth today.  Glory to God our heavenly Father.

Before you leave please check out The Rapture.

The Son of God

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). God's Son is Jesus Christ. Jesus was born from the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:30-35 & Luke 2:7). He was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:4). Once baptized by John the Baptist, it was Jesus Whom the voice from heaven came and spoke, "this is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). It was Jesus, who overcame the temptation of the devil in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-15). Check out the below bullets to see but a taste of the miracles Jesus preformed:

• Jesus cleansed the leper (Matthew 8:1-4)
• Jesus healed the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-13)
• Jesus calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23-27)
• Jesus walked on the water (Matthew 14:25)
• Jesus cast out the unclean spirit (Mark 1:23-25)
• Jesus rose Jairus' daughter from the dead (Mark 5:35-43)
• Jesus fed the 4000 (Mark 8:1-10)
• Jesus rose the widow's son from the dead (Luke 7:12-15)
• Jesus healed the demonic boy (Luke 9:38-45)
• Jesus healed one of His capture's ears (Luke 22:50-51)
• Jesus fed the 5000 (John 6:1-14)
• Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-11)
• Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:38-43)

Although these are not even close to all the miracles Jesus performed, you can see they are truly miracles. Jesus is King of kings, Lord of lords, Name above all names. Just think about it; He fed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. It actually was more than 5000. The 5000 was not including all the women and children there. He is Lord of all. He calmed storms, healed the sick, cast out demons, walked on water, raised the dead, fed multitudes, and turned water into wine.

Not only did Jesus perform miracles, but He always had the best answer no matter whether He was tempted by the devil or tested by the Pharisees. When the devil tried to get Jesus to turn stones to bread, Jesus answered, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). In Matthew 7:29 it is written that Jesus taught as One with authority unlike the scribes.

In John 6:35 Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life. He that comes to me shall never be hungry, and he who believes...on Me will never thirst anymore." In John 8:12 Jesus is the Light of the world. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). In John 14:6 Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father except by me."

The absolute most important thing that Jesus did was to die on the cross and raise from the dead. He was crucified on the cross. Before He was crucified, the soldiers mocked Him, spit on Him, beat Him, put a crown of thorns on Him. They crucified Him by hanging Him on the cross (John 19:17-18). Just before He died He said, "It is finished" (John 19:30). What was finished? Isaiah 53:5 reads, "but He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for out iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." His stripes were from being whipped. So what was finished? Sin was finished. Sickness was finished. Death was finished. The Good News is that JESUS RESSURECTED! Because of this our sins are forgiven. He conquered death, sin, sickness, etc. John 11:25 reads, "I am the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live."

Another way we see that Jesus is God the Son is because who else being in so much pain hanging on the cross would say, "Father forgive them: for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). There Jesus asked God to forgive those who had done all that to Him. Jesus truly is the Son of God. He is ALIVE! Jesus is my/our Lord God and Savior who died on the cross so that my sins and your sins can be forgiven. Our God is an awesome God. He is a mighty, powerful, and majestic God. Give Him praise and worship and glory everyday.

Thank you Jesus! Glory to Your Name!

Compassion

In Jonah 4 we find that Jonah is disappointed that God had mercy on Nineveh. To me, the way God speaks in Jonah 4:11 when He said, "and I myself not take pity upon Nineveh, the great city, in which more than one hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand or their left..." tells me the people pf Nineveh didn't know anything about Him.

Once Jonah preached in the city there was a great revival. The people changed their ways.

We need to have compassion for others.

If you have a prayer request please leave me a comment and let me know so that I and all our readers can join you in prayer also.

Cling to Good

In the Orthodox Study Bible and the New King James version, Romans 12:9 reads, "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." We should abhor, detest any evil. Do your best never to give into it.

Hold on to what is good. Keep doing good things, the right thing and God's will no matter what.

Remember, God loves you:)

Grace

Romans 6:1-2 reads, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly now! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?"

As true Christians, those of us who have truly accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, repented of their sins, and asked Him to be the Lord of their lives, we should not want to sin. Does that mean that we will never sin? No, we are human and therefore we make mistakes. Paul himself, wrote this in the book of Romans 7:15, "for what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." As Christians we should try our best not to sin, but be the best witnesses for Christ as possible.

Dead to Sin

In the Orthodox Study Bible and the New King James Version, Romans 6:11 reads, "likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." The Amplified version reads the same verse as, "even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus."

I say this sometimes when I start to be tempted or start to think things I shouldn't, "I'm dead to sin and my relation to it is broken, but I'm alive to God in Jesus Christ." I also sometimes say, same conditions apply, "I'm dead to sin and relation to it is broken, completely, never to be mended again. But I am alive to to God in Jesus Christ." The original concept of these sayings I got from a Joyce Meyer teaching, but I changed them somewhat.

Once you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, repented of your sins, and asked Him to be the Lord of your life, consider yourself dead to sin.

Romans 6:20-23 reads, "In the past you were slaves to sin, and goodness did not control you. You did evil things, and now you are ashamed of them. Those things only bring death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord," (combination of the New Century Version and New King James Version).

Anyone who sins will pay the price of death, but we who are born again, have the gift of God because of Jesus Christ. Why? Jesus came and died so our sins can be forgiven. He died so we don't have to. The Good News is that Jesus is risen. We were "bought at a price," (1 Corinthians 7:23 & 1 Corinthians 6:20). The price is Jesus dieing on the cross. We all need to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. If we do we are dead to sin and have eternal life with Him in heaven forever.

I asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life, I made Him my Lord and Savior, I repented of my sins, and I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and your sins to be forgiven and that He rose on the third day. Thank You Jesus! Glory to Your Name! If you want to become saved and have eternal life in Heaven with Jesus please pray the below prayer.

Dear Father I pray in the Name of Jesus, please come into my life. Forgive me of all my sins. I believe that You are the Son of God and You died on the cross and rose from the dead to make a way for me.  Thank you for loving me enough to die for me on the cross so my sins can be forgiven. I accept you as my Lord and Savior.  Please come into my heart.  I make you my Lord and Savior.  I love you.  Thank you Jesus!  In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.

Proof Jesus is Lord

1) If Jesus was not Lord, why would the devil himself spend so much time trying to tempt Jesus in Luke 4?

The devil tried to tempt Jesus once in the wilderness for 40 days. If Jesus isn't the Son of God, why would he spend so much time trying to temp Jesus. The second time is when He was in Gethsemane. Jesus must have been resisting temptation very strongly to the point He was sweating blood (Luke 22:44).  read more

Prayer

Philippians 4:6 reads, "...let your requests be made known unto God." Yes, the bible says, 'let your requests be made known to God,' but how do you do that?

Prayer. Prayer is mentioned many times throughout the bible. One is Timothy 2:8 which reads, "I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy

Halloween

This is the day when many children and teens will go out to tirck-or-treat. This is also the night when many people will go to places having large events like "Family Fun Night," at Christ the Rock Community Church. Have fun tonight with what ever you are doing and remember to keep God first. Pray for those who are out tonight in dangerous neighborhoods.

Something else that may be done tonight are wigi boards and witchcraft. This SHOULD NOT be done at all as it is extremely dangerous. Never give the devil or any evil spirit a way to be released or to come into your life. These things should be avoided at all cost. Many of you think that you are playing games, but it is real and extremely dangerous.

May Jesus be with each of you today and throughout this weekend.

Wait!!! before you leave please leave a comment and check out, Is the Bible the Absolute Truth or Creation.

Creation

In the King James bible version, Genesis 1:1 reads, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." We did not evolve, but were created by our God in heaven. In Genesis 2:7 God formed man out of dust and breathed the breath of life in his face.

Do you realize that it would take more faith to believe the crazy theory of evolution than it would to believe in God? Think about it. What is the chance that just the right thing happened at just the right time to cause the big bang...and by the way, what caused the big bang?

What's more is the nonsense of evolving from a single cell organism. What is the likelihood of that organism to evolve into so many things and us humans coming out as we are today. The chances are infinitely impossible.

In the Greek Orthodox Church Divine Liturgy that he held every Sunday throughout the year in the Greek Orthodox Church, they recite the Nicene Creed. The creed starts out, "I believe in one God, Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible."

God's Plan For Me

In the Orthodox Study Bible, Proverbs 8:23-25 reads, "the Lord created me in the beginning of His ways for His works; He established me in the beginning before time. Before He made the earth, and before He made the abysses, before the going forth of the foundations of waters, before the mountains were created:"

To me, this verse tells me that God has a plan for each of us. Not only does He have a plan for us, but God knew His plan for each of us before time...You do your part and let God do His.

On a personal note, My grandmother came home yesterday. She still isn't her ole self, but she is much better. Thank God...and thanks for joining me and my family in prayer.

Please Pray

Thank God today my grandmother has been moved out of ICU. I will resume normal posting very soon, but I want this to show up on top of this blog so people who haven't been here in a while can join us in prayer. Please spread the word about this blog so more can join us in this prayer...If you have a prayer request please leave a comment so we can join you also in prayer...Thanks to all who have joined me in prayer already...Check back soon for updates....

I have a prayer request for each of you please. My grandmother is in the ICU due to a stroke, I think (I am really not 100% sure what it was), and is in need of our prayers...the bible is very clear in Matthew 18:20 which reads, "for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Please join me in this prayer.

Dear heavenly Father I pray in the Name of Jesus. I thank you for my life today. I ask of you to please heal Michael's (KingsKid777's) grandmother. Please touch her so that the she has a full recovery. I ask You that THIS DAY, whatever the spot was on the scan she got, shrinks until it is gone so that she is completely healed. Please give her a full recovery. Please Jesus, touch her, or say the word so that she is completely healed from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. Lord, I thank You that she is one day closer to being healed completely. I believe that You have the power to heal and I believe you can perform this miracle for her. I believe and accept the healing on her RIGHT NOW in Jesus' Name. Please bless, be with, and comfort her husband, children, and the rest of her family and friends. Lord, I also thank You for all those who have joined me and are joining my family in this prayer or any other for her. Please be with and comfort anyone else who may be in the same or similar situation. Your will be done. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen! Thank YOU JESUS! Glory to You O'God!

I thank each and every one of you who have joined in this prayer. Please if you have joined in this prayer with me for my grandmother, leave me a comment saying so. I greatly appreciate it. May God bless each of you who join me and my family in this prayer. Also if you have a prayer request please type it out, so we can join you.

We need to remember Galatians 2:20 which reads, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." It is Christ that lives in us (those who are born again and saved) and He has the power over sickness and pain, death, evil, etc. Below, look at how I sometimes command the devil away from my family, and I do this now, even for the situation you just joined me in prayer about. We are weak, but Jesus is strong. I heard Kenneth Copeland after giving a sermon at a prison or jail cast the devil away from God's people in a similar way to what I have typed below for my family...(you can say it for yours and mine if you so desire).

In Jesus' Name, satan, I BIND YOU, in the MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST and I COMMAND YOU TO TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF GOD'S PROPERTY IN MY FAMILY IMMEDIATELY!! Thank You Jesus!!! Your will be done Jesus, AMEN!

Honor the Lord

Proverbs 7:2 reads, "my son, honor the Lord, and you shall be strong, and fear none other but Him."

Keep God first in your lives always. If God is in our lives and we are with Him, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 reads, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Intimacy

I have been asked, 'where does it say you can't have sex before marriage in the bible?' Proverbs 5:20 is my answer; this verse reads, "do not be intimate with a strange woman, neither cling to the embrace of a woman not your own."

Strange woman is anyone who is not your wife. When it says "woman not your own," that, to me means your wife. This verse can have an effect for women too. If you are not a woman who belongs to a man (your husband) he doesn't belong to you and therefore you should not sleep with him. If you are not married practice abstinence. If you are married, only sleep with your spouse.

Kids

In New King James Version and the Orthodox Study Bible Colossians 3:20 reads, "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord."

As a child, teen, and young adult we should obey our parents because most likely they have, 'been there, done that.' I even notice that my parents still, for the most part obey their parents (my parents are in their 50's). This is another example of how you can be a fisher of man... Again, be the witness Jesus wants you to be.

Whatever You Do

Colossians 3:17 reads, in the King James, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." Certain parts are a little more stressed I think in the Amplified version which reads, "and whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him."

Whatever you do, do everything to the best of your ability and then thank God for the ability to do whatever it is you are doing. This can be one example of how you can be a fisher of man. Be the best example you can be for Christ.

The Rapture

What many of us refer to as 'The Rapture' can be found in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 which reads, in the Orthodox Study Bible, "behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet..."

It will happen in a moment. Are you ready?

I know I am.  I asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life, I made Him my Lord and Savior, I repented of my sins, and I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and your sins to be forgiven and that He rose on the third day.  Thank You Jesus!  Glory to Your Name!  If you want to become saved and have eternal life in Heaven with Jesus please pray the below prayer out loud and with your heart.

Dear Father I pray in the Name of Jesus, please come into my life. Forgive me of all my sins. I believe that You are the Son of God and You died on the cross and rose from the dead to make a way for me.  Thank you for loving me enough to die for me on the cross so my sins can be forgiven. I accept you as my Lord and Savior.  Please come into my heart.  I make you my Lord and Savior.  I love you.  Thank you Jesus!  In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.

Stupid Thinking...Why Worry?

When you pray do you find yourself wondering or worrying if God will do whatever you prayed for the way that you want it? Do you worry that God doesn't know what you need? Do you worry that God might not get something or someone to you on time? Do you worry that God doesn't know how to give you the desires of your heart? Do you worry about anything at all? If the answer is yes to any of the above you are involved in stupid thinking.

If you are thinking, wondering, or worrying about something having to do with the anything already mentioned I have good news for you. God is NOT new at being God! He has always been God and as such has had a lot of practice. Remember our God is all-knowing. Jesus said in Matthew 6:8, "...Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." Jesus taught in Matthew 6:25-26, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or...what you will wear...Look at the birds of the air...your Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable then they?" Jesus is telling us that we are more important than birds in His eyes and He will take care of us. Jesus is our provider. Jesus goes on in Matthew 6:27 which reads, "who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" I'll let you answer that one. I find that the less I worry, the more at peace I am. Don't get me wrong I am not saying not to care, I am saying not to worry; God provides. There is nothing that God can not handle. That in it self is just another way that God is great.

Can You Show Me an Example From the Bible?

Of course! Look at Joseph. In Genesis 37 Joseph is sold by his brothers as a slave to Ishmaelites. At that time he obviously had plenty to worry about, but God was with him. Later in Genesis 39 Joseph was thrown into prison for something he didn't do. Again he now had more to worry about, but God was still with him. In Genesis 41 Joseph is placed second in command over all Egypt (directly under pharaoh). Egypt at that time was the most powerful nation in the world. In Genesis 42 Joseph sees his brothers again and in Genesis 46 Joseph is reunited with Jacob (his dad) and all his brothers. He had plenty to worry about, but God took care of him. In the end he was reunited with his family and was put second in command of the world superpower of the time.

Do You Worry?

I usually do not worry. Occasionally I start to get into this stupid thinking mode, then either I remember or am reminded that God will provide the answer or whatever it is that I am worried about and I usually calm down. Always remember that God is not new at being God. Something recent I have experienced was not knowing what to do now that I have graduated from college. I was worried about making the wrong decision, not knowing what God's plan was for me, and not knowing whether I should go back to school for my masters. I live in South Florida and I don't speak Spanish so the places where I can get a job are very limited down here. I recently got laid off from the only place that hired me, a few months ago. Prior to that job, I had been looking for three years for one [that paid above minimum wage] and was turned down every single time or got no response because I do not speak fluent Spanish and/or have a lack of experience, or some other reason. Through those three years I was applying I was working at a restaurant that hired me my last semester in high school. You know what all that worrying got me? NOWHERE! Now that I look back at it, all I needed to do was be patient and trust that God would provide me with the answer. Now look where I am. I just recently started this blog and am in the process of starting another about investing. It is called ThunderTrading.com; it is still under construction, but I will inform you all when it is complete. I now feel quite content again. I know that I have nothing to worry about because I know that Jesus is with me. Thank You Jesus! Glory to Your Name! Remember God loves you, so don't worry. Make Jesus the Lord of your life.

Why Should I read the Bible? Is the Bible the Absolute Truth?

The last two questions posed link to each other so I combined the answers. By reading the Bible you can get to know God. Specifically reading the New Testament and the Gospels you can get to know Jesus Christ. You can see how awesome our God is. One thing I keep putting in posts which applies here, too, is get to know Jesus. Get a personal relationship with Him. He is our Lord God and Savior. He is King of kings, Lord of lords, Name above all names. He loves each and every one of us unconditionally.

Does God Answer Prayers?

I guess you could say that this question and answer links with yesterday’s. In one answer, yes. Isaiah 30:19 reads, “How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as He hears, He will answer you.” Read the rest of this entry.

Know God

I know that I still have more questions to answer, but last night while I was reading Jeremiah two verses really stood out, Jeremiah 9:23-24. It reads, "Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing Read the rest of this entry

How do I get to Heaven?

This is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to know. John 3:3 reads, “verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:5 reads, “verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 3:17 reads, “For God sent…His Son…that the world through Him might be saved.” John 6:47 reads, “verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” Mark 1:15 reads, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: Read the rest of this entry

Does God Love Me Even Though I Did So Many Things Wrong?

ABSOLUTELY! God's love is unconditional. Remember John 3:16, "For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish." John 4:10 reads, "this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." Jesus was Read the rest of this entry

Who is God? Part 3

In the Old Testament God used prophets. When Jesus was born, He lived among us. The Holy Spirit lives in us. This is what Jesus meant in John 14:16-17 when He said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.” The Counselor and the Spirit of truth are what Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit. Even in the Old Testament God said in Read the rest of this entry

Who is God? Part 2

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). God’s Son is Jesus Christ. Jesus was born from the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:30-35 & Luke 2:7). He was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:4). Once baptized by John the Baptist, it was Jesus Whom the voice from heaven came and spoke, “this is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). It was Jesus, who overcame the temptation of the devil in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-15). Check out the below bullets to see but a taste of the miracles Jesus preformed: Read the rest of this entry.

Who is God Part 1

God the Father

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). He created everything visible and invisible. Our God is the God who when Abraham was about 100 and Sarah was about 90 (Genesis 17:17) gave them a son. His name was Issac (Genesis 21:1-3). He is the One who in Genesis 41:14 brought Joseph out from prison and made him ruler over all Egypt (Genesis 41:41). God basically in one day brought Joseph from prison to one of the most powerful men alive at the time. He is the God who allowed Pharaoh's daughter to find Moses and have compassion on him (Exodus 2:5-6). He spoke to Moses through the burning bush (Exodus 3). Our God is the one who sent the plagues to Egypt (Exodus 7-12) and freed His people from Egypt's bondage (Exodus 12:31). He lead His people with a cloud by day and fire by night (Exodus 13:41). In Exodus 14:21 God parted the Red Sea. In Joshua 6:20-21 He caused the walls Jericho to come tumbling down. In Judges He gave Samson great strength. In Samuel 17:48-51 He caused David to defeat Goliath. In Kings 3:12 He gave Solomon great wisdom. This is only but a taste of who our God is. Our God is an awesome God. He is mighty, powerful, majestic, and merciful. Read the rest of this entry

Perseverance

Perseverance hopefully will pay off. My brother got his first book published last week and is now available for sale. If you are interested in ordering it please visit his Modern Knights website. This is something that has taken him about 6 years to accomplish, and well it required a lot of patients and perseverance. Revelations 2:2 reads, "I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance." To me, this verse taken out of the chapter says something by itself. God is watching you and He knows what you are really doing. Are you being lazy? Are you trying to slide by? Are you trying your best to do God's will? Think about it. If you are trying something, don't give up, but pray, be patient, and have faith. Obviously my brother has been very patient, and has faith. My brother told me that he prayed about this book he wrote almost every night. Now look it paid off. Proverbs 3:5 reads, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart." Never give up.

Questions

This morning after praying and studying the BIBLE I thought of these questions that everyone should know the answers to. Answers to follow in future posts. Read the rest of this entry.

Thank You

The words, ‘thank you,’ are not used today often enough. Many take to many things for granted. For example have you thanked God today for anything? Don’t use the excuse, I have nothing to be thankful for, because if you can think that thought that means that you are alive and that alone is something to be thankful for. If you can read Read the rest of this entry

Worship

Our God alone is worthy of worship. The bible says to worship the Lord in many places. Psalm 96:9 reads, "worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness." Jesus says in Luke 4:8, "It is written, 'worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'" Jesus is very clear that we are to only serve Him and that we are to worship Him. Think about it though. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). He is the one who gave you your life. He is the one who gives you every breath you breathe. He is the one who sent His only begotten Son to so we should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). It was Jesus who was mocked, beaten, whipped, spit on, humiliated, crucified on the cross, and is now resurrected so that our sins could be forgiven. Look around, think about it, if it weren't for God, where would you be today? Read the rest of this entry.

God's Love

I have good news for you today; God loves you. He wants you just as you are. John 3:16 reads, "for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. God's love is unconditional, unfailing, and always there. He is waiting for you with open arms. No matter what it is that you are going through, always remember that God loves you. Jesus loves us so much that He came and died on the cross after being humiliated, beaten, spit on, whipped, and mocked. Take time out today to thank Him for that. Read the rest of this entry.

Healing

Our God is an awesome God. He is a mighty God. He is a powerful God. Jesus is King of kings, Lord of lords, Name above all names. Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected on the third day. He conquered sin, pain, sickness, and all evil once and for all. We need to trust in Him. Never give up. Always pray and have faith and hope. Click here to read the rest of this entry.

Christian Organizations

Whether a ministry, church, TV station, radio station, or business, I feel that as Christians we should support any type of organization that is Christian based. For example, when you want to send flowers to someone for a birthday, anniversary or whatever occasion, why not give your business to a flower shop owned by Christians such as Cypress Gardens. Read the rest of this entry.

Your World

Did you know that each of us has a job? Jesus is talking to us, His disciples, in Mark 16:15, where He said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." As Christians, we are supposed to do exactly that. Spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Read the Rest of this Entry

Thank You

The words, ‘thank you,’ are not used today often enough. Many take to many things for granted. For example have you thanked God today for anything? Don’t use the excuse, I have nothing to be thankful for, because if you can think that thought that means that you are alive and that alone is something to be thankful for. If you can read this post or hear someone read it to you be thankful that you can hear and/or see. Read the Rest of this Entry