Maranatha - Awaiting Christ's Return

1 Cor. 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Author: Kate Plourde Page 24 of 59

Comfort During the End Times – Day 23

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On April 21, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Psa 138:1-2  A Psalm of David. I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.  (2)  I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Good morning! The past few days have been absolutely beautiful near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia! God’s handiwork is evident everywhere I look. Just imagine, the Creator of all things must absolutely love color! Just look around you! We are so blessed – and it reminds me of what life will be like when the Lord creates a new heaven and a new earth! (Isaiah 64:4, 1 Cor. 2:9)

You may think that this is way far into the future but, friend, it is not. We are seeing the birth pains of the end times. The Bible calls this the beginning of sorrows. (Matt. 24:8) Let’s see what Jesus said:

Mat 24:4-8  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  (5)  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  (6)  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  (7)  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  (8)  All these are the beginning of sorrows.  

We have seen many men proclaim to be Jesus Christ – one only needs to Google it and you’ll see the 20th Century had a bunch! Just like labor pains, there will be more to come. Wars and rumours of wars are all around us today. The Middle East is in such unrest at this moment! Israel is at war at the moment and we can see the building up of a great war to come! Jesus said that all these things must come to pass before the end comes. The Rapture of the church (made up of born-again believers) will happen before that 7-year Tribulation. It’s every Christian’s blessed hope as he/she awaits the return of the Lord, Jesus Christ, in the air! After the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will come as a conquering King and He will destroy the armies of the antichrist! (Revelation 19:11-16)

If you’re a scoffer, you’re part of that end times prophecy! (2 Peter 3:3-7) God’s Word WILL stand and all of the prophecies for the end times in the Bible will come to past because God magnifies His Word above His own Name!!! (Psalm 138:2) Every single prophecy in the Bible up until today has been fulfilled. Every single prophecy about the future will happen. God is not a liar. If you don’t believe now, you may not believe later because God will send a strong delusion and you will believe lies. (2 Thess. 2:11-12)

Does this disturb you? I hope it does if you aren’t saved. But to the born-again believer, it should be exciting because you know you won’t be here to experience the Tribulation. God loves the church, the bride of Jesus Christ. He will not cause her to experience the Tribulation – Christ will come for her and receive her to Himself. (John 14:3)

Despite the horrible things going on in this world at this moment, believers can rest because the best is yet to come for us!

This should bring you great comfort, even though you’re going through trials at this time. There’s always something for the Christian to be excited about when one thinks about the future! We have no need to fear!

Our job is to be a light to this lost and dying world. We need to give them hope as we have hope! Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 22

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On April 19, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! Today’s verse may lead you to wonder what this has to do with comfort. But just bear with me a bit and I’ll wrap it all up for you! 😊 There are days that I can repeatedly proclaim God’s goodness to me. There are so many ways God shows His love. He provides for every need imaginable. We should be grateful and tell Him so. I start out my prayer time with this. I acknowledge everything the Lord has done for me. Being thankful and acknowledging it to God strengthens our resolve for what’s in store for the day.

Watching the news or reading your news feed, however, doesn’t exactly give you a thankful heart for what is in store for this world.

In fact, when you dwell on the negatives and become fearful, you empty your heart of the thankfulness that you started your day with!

This is one of the greatest mistakes Christians make. They start their day with the Lord, pray and do their devotions. Their heart is encouraged and they feel they can conquer the world. But as the day wears on, the cares of this world weigh on them and they lose the joy they had when they left the house! They are no different than today’s verse in Psalms!

Psa 78:32  For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

Even after God provided manna, water and quail (and let’s not forget that He parted the Red Sea), the people still grumbled and complained!! They didn’t remember his wondrous works and were not grateful for what He had done for them. Friend, it won’t be any different in these end times. In fact it will be much worse!

If your thankfulness is minimal Reader, you will be even less as the days get more evil.

My series on the end times, the Rapture, and the Tribulation will put things into perspective for you. The antichrist and his one-world government will make the Holocaust seem like child’s play. God will be dealing with Israel during the Tribulation just as He did in the Old Testament; God’s desire is always to draw them back to Himself. The Old Testament is filled with Israel turning their backs on God, God punishing their unbelief, and Israel turning back to God. It’s a vicious cycle, repeating over and over. (Psalm 78:35)

Oh how patient and full of grace is our Lord!

Yet Israel was still hard of heart and was not “stedfast in his covenant”! (Psalm 78:37) God held back His judgment because He of that compassion and He remembered that they were frail. (Psalm 78:39-40)

It’s really not any different today, is it? Are you the fearful Christian or are you the Christian who has peace? I’m not only talking about end time events but I’m also referring to one’s day-to-day life. Do you have health issues? How are you handling those issues as a believer? Are you afraid of how serious your health will get? Are you fretting over it? God has promised us peace so any time you feel turmoil in your heart, you need to stop and seek God’s face. (John 14:27) It is no different if you have other issues, like financial problems. The Lord knows you have those problems and He will help you if you will only trust Him.

Don’t forget what you prayed about this morning when you thanked the Lord for your blessings! Don’t be one of those who forgets once you walk out the door; let praise be on your lips throughout the day. Remind yourself of those blessings, especially when bad news comes across your eyes and ears! There is always something to be thankful for, don’t you think? If you woke up this morning, that’s something to be thankful for. If you can’t think of one solitary thing to be thankful for that happened just yesterday, then thank Him for your salvation!

Sometimes we need a little coaxing to get our hearts renewed throughout the day. The hymn, How Great Thou Art will put you into the right spirit:

Oh Lord, my God
When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin

The world is watching how you handle your fears. Our job is to be a light to this lost and dying world. We need to give them hope as we have hope! If your coworker sees you in turmoil, he or she won’t want “what you have” because they can’t see the Lord’s peace in your life.

Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 21

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On April 17, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! It is so evident that we are in the end times, isn’t it? It seems something new comes into our news feed on a daily basis. So what is one to do? What do you do? Do you bury our head in your pillow and stay in bed? I see that we have two choices to make at that point:

  • Fret over it and get eaten up inside with worry over what’s going to happen next. What will your worrying accomplish? It is said that 99% of what we worry about never comes to past. Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 6:25-34!
  • Or, we can call on the only One who can remove our fears and let us rest in His care! (Matthew 11:28-30)

Friend, today’s verse shows how sinful we all are. Even if you think you’re not a sinner, I’m sure you have told at least one lie. Well, Reader, that makes you a sinner. We ALL are sinners because we were born that way. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned and were evicted from the Garden of Eden, their children were born sinners. It is called the “sin nature.” However, this verse speaks volumes to me because it reminds me of just who God is! The same God who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha, who parted the Red Sea, and who created everything in the universe, is the same God who is present in our lives if we are born-again! If you are not saved, you can have this same assurance by setting the matter straight with God.

I know you’re scared; I know you’re apprehensive over what is to come. But really, dear Reader, is anything too hard for God? If you’re a believer, your answer is No! If you’re not yet a believer, these verses will give you the answer:

(Genesis 18:14)  Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

(Jeremiah 32:27)  Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

And if you’re a believer, the way you respond during hardships is what the world is going to see! Do you share that you’re worried about what’s going on in the world with your lost family? Or do they see someone who is calm and trusting in the Lord to work things out?

You are a living testimony as to the peace that God provides in the midst of a tumultuous world!!

The Word of God is filled with guidance for the believer and there is so much wisdom between the pages, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21; it is more than we will ever comprehend. However, there is only wisdom to be had for those who want it. It is this wisdom that will help us to stand out in a world that has gone mad. We will be the only sanity people will see as the days get darker with sin.

(Colossians 4:5-6)  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. (6)  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

We are truly in the end times because we see all the signs that Jesus spoke of in His Word. Just read Matthew 24:4-12. Jesus wanted His followers to have peace in the midst of confusion and chaos. Remember the verses I quoted above in Matthew 11:28-30? He promised us peace! Everything that happens in our lives and around the world are allowed by the Lord. He knows the outcome and will provide exactly what you need, when you need it. The Lord won’t let you down!

Our job is to be a light to this lost and dying world. We need to give them hope as we have hope! Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 20

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On April 14, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, at least I pray it is for you as you read this! 😃 Have you had a rough, sleepless night? Were you awakened in the wee hours for no apparent reason? Or is there a reason? Are you worried about current events? Have you discussed your worries with the Lord? He hears us, you know.

After I heard about the school shooting in Tennessee, I was feeling the anxiety level rise within me. Is this how God wants His children to feel? Absolutely not! He provided everything we need in His Word and it’s up to us to search it out (Psalm 77:6, Proverbs 25:2) and encourage ourselves. The verses are just waiting to be found!

Psa 18:6  In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

God does in fact hear his born-again children, Reader. He is our Abba, Father and desires to calm our hearts and give us assurance that He is in control. He knows the past, He knows the future and everything in between! (Isaiah 46:10)

The only way we are going to have peace in the midst of the madness that is going on in this world is if we keep our noses in our Bibles and get educated!

The more you are in the Word, the more peace you will have. God knows what He is doing and there is nothing that catches Him by surprise. (Psalm 18:30) The shooting in Tennessee did not catch God by surprise! The evil men of this world who are trying to take control do not catch God by surprise! These occurrences are all in God’s plans and everything is falling into place. These things will all lead to Christ returning at the end of the Tribulation to set up His Millennial Kingdom!

We can trust in God because He has seen everything from the beginning to the end. Therefore, whatever He allows in your life is because He knows the outcome! I love this hymn, “Blessed Assurance” because it helps me to see that all the events occurring in the world are culminating to the final appearance of Jesus Christ, who will establish His Kingdom on this earth!

1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

2 Perfect communion, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight.
Angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love. [Refrain]

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest.
I in my Savior am happy and bless’d,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love. [Refrain]

The child of God rests safely in God’s bosom. He holds us in the palm of His hand and no one can take us out from His hand. (John 10:28) Jesus says we will never perish – it’s obvious He’s not talking about physical death here because our bodies do perish. Jesus is talking about eternal life with Him! Nothing can take this away from the child of God. It is our promise from God Himself! He never breaks a promise!

God’s way is perfect and it is up to us as His child to search for His way. When we are in the Word and obedient to it, God will provide us with strength to withstand the darts of the enemy. The Lord will also make clear the way He wants us to go! (Psalm 18:32) He wants us to remain on the solid ground of the Word and be stedfast! Don’t waver but stand on Christ, the Solid Rock!

(Heb 10:23)  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Our job is to be a light to this lost and dying world. We need to give them hope as we have hope! Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 19

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On April 12, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! Have the events of the last two weeks disturbed you at all? Do you see the very fiber of our country coming apart? I sure have. I thank God that I have the Blessed Hope of the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour to Rapture His church!! (Titus 2:13) Without this hope, it would be discouraging to say the least!

We are living in a world that has lost its mind!! Men claiming they can have babies, adding genders and requiring pronouns to identify one’s self, attempts to silence Christian voices on college campuses by hurting speakers, church school children and teachers being shot and killed! Friends, if we don’t speak out and we keep silent, we are actually making a statement that we agree with all of this. Why aren’t more people standing up and making their voices heard???? Where are the American patriots who still believe in Christian values and the principles on which our Country was founded? We are being led by the nose into the pits of hell! We must speak up and be heard before our country is destroyed.

We must let the world know how good the Lord is and how He has blessed us! (Psalm 105:1)

We don’t have to be afraid of what is going to happen tomorrow. God has given us His Word so that we are forewarned and prepared for battle while we are awaiting the Lord’s return to come get us and take us away! He will do so before the devil reveals his plans through the antichrist. Friend, we are to look for Jesus Christ, not the antichrist. But, in the mean time, we are to warn others that the time is coming for us to be raptured! (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

Friend, the Lord God promises to help us when we get discouraged and afraid like this! He does not leave us to our own devices because He knows how fragile we are. (Psalm 78:38-39) After all, He created us! The Lord has brought me through so many trials in my lifetime, and each time He has drawn me closer to Him through each and every trial. The song, “Through It All” has meant a lot to me during those trials. The lyrics are absolutely beautiful:

I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
There’ve been times I didn’t know right from wrong:
But in every situation God gave blessed consolation
That my trials come to only make me strong.

Refrain: Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God;
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

I’ve been to lots of places,
And I’ve seen a lot of faces,
There’ve been times I felt so all alone;
But in my lonely hours,
Yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus let me know that I was His own.

Refrain

I thank God for the mountains,
And I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms
He brought me through;
For if I’d never had a problem
I wouldn’t know that He could solve them,
I’d never know what faith in God could do.

Refrain

As the Bride of Christ, we are not to worry about what tomorrow brings. We are to trust our Groom, the Lord Jesus, and He will care for us. (1 Peter 5:7) Our job is to keep our garment spotless and be a light to this lost and dying world. We need to give them hope as we have hope! Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 18

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On April 10, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning! Spring has sprung and the temperatures are slowly warming up! This season has always been one that I love to compare with being born-again. The newness of the trees and budding flowers are always a spirit lifter! The Creator of all things “spoke” into being everything you and I look at every single day! Genesis 1:3 beings with “And God said,”!

Joh 1:1-5  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (2)  The same was in the beginning with God.  (3)  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  (4)  Joh 1:1-5  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (2)  The same was in the beginning with God.  (3)  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  (4)  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  (5)  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Jesus has not left us empty-handed in this world. He gives us His Word to light our way. Have you ever looked at a lighthouse and thought about the Lord Jesus? I sure have! Without these lighthouses, ships would run ashore at night and crash. In this same light, think of your Bible as a lighthouse to your heart and soul!

(Psa 119:105)  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

When I stay at a place I’ve never been to and get up in the middle of the night, I can be sure I’ll stub my toe on something I wasn’t accustomed to having in my path. Everything we go through in life can be compared to this analogy. We don’t know what to expect and so we proceed with caution. But what if you carried a lighthouse with you? I know it sounds silly but think about it for a moment. With its light shining, your path would be illuminated and you’d have a clear picture of which direction to go, amen?

It’s not any different with God’s Word, my friend. Psalm 119:105 is a beautiful picture of God desiring that His children have a “map” or a “lighthouse” to show the way. People need to know the way in order to know where they are going. Our Bible is a literal GPS for man. If we need to know how to be saved, the Bible point us to it. If we want to know about God, the Bible tells us. If we want to know what is going to happen in the end times, the Bible takes us there. It is a spiritual compass which directs us and teaches us. Even a child can learn as he reads the stories laid out in its pages!

Psa 119:130  The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The Lord Jesus doesn’t want us to be in the dark … ever! He gives us clear direction in the Bible so that we can never be lost. His very nature is “light” and He will always point you in the right direction. As we are living in the end times, we are bombarded with the enemy’s efforts at corrupting our world. We are seeing less light and more darkness as the days draw nearer to the Tribulation period. The Bible has everything we need to prepare ourselves, my friend. The Bible repeatedly speaks to us how God doesn’t want us to be ignorant on important topics; one of those topics is Christ’s coming for His Bride, the Church, before the Tribulation begins.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  (14)  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  (15)  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  (16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  (17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  (18)  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

When you read the Bible, read it with the intention that God is going to be shining and pointing to something that will help you. There is nothing in there that will harm you, friend! All of the Bible is there for our learning and for lighting our path. We are so blessed, especially in these end times! What book can you read where its prophecies all come true? It is not your local palm reader, but the words of the Living God. (John 1:1)

Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 17

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On April 7, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! How does today’s verse speak to your heart? Do you see the wilting roses as you think about your age? Or do you see that same verse and rejoice that the Lord renews your heart (the inward man) day by day despite of your body aging? It’s the proverbial cup half-full or half-empty, isn’t it?

Born-again believers have a wonderful relationship with God because we are covered under the blood of Jesus Christ and have been renewed. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Because we have been made new (born-again), we can now have the same intimate relationship with the Father as Christ does. The Father has become a personal Father. He is not some unreachable god.

Romans 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Galatians 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Just as Jesus spoke to His Heavenly Father calling Him Abba, Father, so can we! How exciting is that? For the Christian who was not raised with a father in the home, this speaks volumes! For the Christian who had no friends and was lonely, this intimate relationship with the Creator means everything! The word Abba (pronounced ab-bah’) means father; the word Father in the Greek is “pater,” meaning father, as a parent! So Jesus is actually saying Father, my Father/Parent!

Mark 14:36a  And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee;

For the born-again believer, I picture in my mind a child going to his own earthly father to plead his cause. This is exactly the point that Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6 are communicating to us. This tells me that we can now pray to the Father the same way Jesus did! We can now come boldly before His throne and talk to Him! So I, too, can address God as my Father, my Parent! I had a wonderful relationship with my earthly father and I praise the Lord for him. But now that I am saved, I can address my Heavenly Father/Parent in the same manner! As we acknowledge His power and majesty, we gain a healthy reverence of his love, as well as His holiness!

So why am I discussing this and not the end times and how to deal with them? We are not like those in the world who do not know God. We are His children and we know that when we get discouraged, we can go to Him and He is ready to encourage our hearts. David did this over and over in the Psalms he wrote! God never sleeps so He’s always on the job! (Psalm 121:3-4) That’s what today’s verse is about. (2 Corinthians 4:16) Even though we are getting older, our hearts can feel refreshed because of the living water from the Word of God! Turmoil can be all around us but the storm is calmed within our heart! Psalm 23:2 reminds us that God and His Word will refresh us as “he leadeth me beside the still waters”!!!! It’s hard to take a drink out of a water source that is tumultuous; our hearts must be stilled and ready to drink in the Word of God to encourage us during these end times!

Every day brings a different set of issues that have surfaced just in the last few months! Attempts to silence the conservative’s voice is happening daily. Are you watching? Are you preparing yourself? We are criticized at every turn because we take a stand on God’s values like abortion and the LGBTQIA+ movement. Friend, this is the spirit of antichrist! (1 John 4:3) We have to be vigilant and stand ready to defend God’s Word! The only way we can do that is by being close God and to diligently read the Bible so we are equipped to defend the faith!

Yes, the news is discouraging. Yes, we live in a world that is growing more evil with each passing day. Yes, the enemy is lurking around every corner of our lives waiting to pounce on us with temptations and hatred. But friend, we have the Spirit of the Living God within us and if we don’t tell others about salvation, who will? He places ears and eyes in our path for this very reason. No one comes to you by coincidence. Be bold in these last days. Allow the Holy Spirit of God to work in your life. He’s ready, are you?

You don’t need to be troubled because there is Someone who can take those worries upon His own shoulders and relieve you of that fear!

I love the hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”! The refrain speaks so sweetly about what the Lord can do during your trials if you just let Him into your life! Read the words – I hope they bless you!

1. O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

2. Thro’ death into life everlasting,
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion–
For more than conqu’rors we are!

3. His Word shall not fail you–He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

We know from the Scriptures that terrible times are ahead. But for those who do not know Him as Saviour, they’ll have to go through the Tribulation! The born-again believers, however, will be spared and won’t have to go through the Tribulation. This is why we have peace because God’s Word teaches this to us. Jesus Christ will come down from Heaven in the clouds and will call His Church to Heaven forever to be with Him. This is called the Rapture of the Church! This is what renews the inward man in every Christian. We can turn to the Word and be encouraged by it. We don’t have to tread the waters of darkness that the world treads!

As believers, we have so much at our fingertips to pull from for encouragement. We can read our Bibles, search out songs to encourage our hearts, and bow before the Lord of lords and Kings of kings in prayer! We can have intimate fellowship with the Creator of the universe!! But to the person who is not born-again, he has only himself to turn to and there’s no comfort in one’s own heart. The unbeliever doesn’t have the comfort that the believer does; they may be able to access the resources but that comfort just isn’t there. Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 16

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On April 5, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! Today’s Scripture verses pricks my heart! Most believers see the Heavenly Father as a God of love and judgment. But they don’t really see Him as a God who pities those that fear Him. Furthermore, the verse 14 says that God remembers we are weak, we are as dust. Of course He would know! He is the one who made us, amen?

When the world seems to be catapulting toward destruction and we wonder how much worse it can get, we should remind ourselves of God’s compassion and what His some of His other characteristics.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Does this not bless you??? We are not left alone to deal with the tragedies and trials of this life! As born-again believers, Christ’s Father becomes our Father! When the Father looks at us, He sees Christ and the blood He shed on the cross for our sins! We have become the “elect of God” and are able to go to the Father and plead for mercy and comfort during these difficult times! (Colossians 3:12)

In fact, the Father loves us so much that He has graven us on the palms of His hands, Christian!! I can’t help but get goosebumps when I read these verses!

Isaiah 49:15-16  Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.  (16)  Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Unfortunately, the one who is not born-again cannot claim this promise! The unsaved world is treading spiritual waters trying to stay afloat in a world that is going mad. Sadly, they will not stay afloat. They are treading toward the destruction of their very soul. 😥 The devil’s ability to blind the world is powerful. Many laugh at this and think it is foolishness, but the Bible specifically talks about it.

2 Corinthians 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

John 12:40  He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

The sad thing is that the lost will never know the comfort, compassion and love that the Heavenly Father has awaiting for them should they accept the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. They don’t understand that Jesus is God, and He made Himself flesh so that He could be born of a virgin, live a sinless life to become the perfect sacrifice to atone for the lost’s sins! God loves the world so much that He knew we could not gain entrance into Heaven on our own merit! (Romans 5:8, Romans 3:23, Romans 3:10) God lovingly provided a way for His creation to be able to come back into fellowship with Him! He lost that fellowship when Adam and Eve chose to sin in the Garden of Eden. God had made man to live forever and He provided for them a beautiful and bountiful garden in which to live! Adam and Eve gave it all up. But the Heavenly Father wants us to return to Him and for those who do, He will provide that fellowship once again! How much love and compassion is that! If you are not certain about salvation and don’t know what to do, please go here! If you sincerely come to salvation after reading this, please leave a comment and I will be happy to help you with the next steps!

As believers, we have so much at our fingertips to pull from for encouragement. We can read our Bibles, search out songs to encourage our hearts, and bow before the Lord of lords and Kings of kings in prayer! We can have intimate fellowship with the Creator of the universe!! But to the person who is not born-again, he has only himself to turn to and there’s no comfort in one’s own heart. The unbeliever doesn’t have the comfort that the believer does; they may be able to access the resources but that comfort just isn’t there. Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 15

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On April 3, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! What’s on your radar today? As with a typical radar, the center pointing out is you then anything that is in your life is on your radar coming toward you. As you look at your calendar, you see what has been planned and you know what is expected. But what about when the devil’s darts come your way? What about those things you weren’t expecting?

What does one do when the bombshell of all bombshells comes down on you? Do your emotions explode all around you? Do you react by blowing up or with peaceful assurance? Your Heavenly Father already knew this was going to happen and stands ready to provide you with comfort and peace?

Today’s verse speaks volumes! Two questions are posed and then the center of that verse provides the answers!

Psalm 42:5  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Psalm 42:11  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. 

Noah Webster defines the word “disquieted” as:

DISQUIETED, pp. Made uneasy or restless; disturbed; harassed.

When bombs fall on your day and you are upset, ask yourself the same questions David asked? Why am I cast down? Why is my heart uneasy and disturbed? Pinpoint what is bothering you and then go to the responses David wrote:

Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the HELP OF HIS COUNTENANCE.

David praised God despite losing his son, Absalom. There’s nothing worse than losing a child! Our children are supposed to outlive us. But in David’s life, this wasn’t the case. Yet what did David do? He praised God because he knew that God’s plan was perfect! There’s something about praise that changes our heart! It takes our eyes off ourselves and places them on the Lord. This is exactly what happened to David. David wanted the help of God’s countenance not his own. David ends the Psalm with almost the same words. However, this time David has seen an answer to his prayer. Notice that David says: “…for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of MY countenance, and my God.” God did not return Absalom to David. But God did give David that calm assurance that God was in control and David wanted that calm assurance to be reflected on his face.

This reminds me of the beautiful hymn, “He Leadeth Me”! The words are ever so beautiful and you can see that Joseph Gilmore had a lot on his heart when he wrote this in 1862. Our Country was deep into the Civil War and it weighed heavily on Joseph. Read the words and let them bless you!

1 He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Refrain:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me;
by his own hand he leadeth me:
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.

2 Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden’s flowers bloom,
by waters calm, o’er troubled sea,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me. Refrain

3 Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since ’tis my God that leadeth me. Refrain

4 And when my task on earth is done,
when, by thy grace, the victory’s won,
e’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
since God through Jordan leadeth me. Refrain

Oh I could underline the entire hymn because all the words mean so much to me. But Christian, what do these words mean to you? Are you able to say that God is leading you through your trials? Does the unbeliever see God’s hand leading you? You are a testimony to those around you, whether saved or unsaved.

As believers, we have so much at our fingertips to pull from for encouragement. We can read our Bibles, search out songs to encourage our hearts, and bow before the Lord of lords and Kings of kings in prayer! We can have intimate fellowship with the Creator of the universe!! But to the person who is not born-again, he has only himself to turn to and there’s no comfort in one’s own heart. The unbeliever doesn’t have the comfort that the believer does; they may be able to access the resources but that comfort just isn’t there. Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 14

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On March 31, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! What is pressing upon your heart this morning and frightening you? Is it the latest news on the war in the Ukraine? Is it the fact that America will suffer a food shortage in the next few months due to all the flooding in California? Or is it certain circumstances in your life? Whatever the reason may be, you must realize that God is well aware of it. Do you think God wants His child to be losing sleep over his financial problems or family issues? Friend, you are not alone. There are many who stay up worrying about what tomorrow will hold.

The key is to remember Who holds tomorrow!

These end times will bring turmoil on this earth that the world has never seen in the past. (Matthew 24:21) So what exactly does God’s Word say about worry and anxiety? Today’s verse says that the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed. If you want to learn to do something, you read an instruction manual or watch a YouTube video. Afterwards, it just takes practice until you get it right. Reading God’s Word is one thing but it’s what you do with what you read that is important. If you walk away and do nothing with what you have read, then you haven’t really gained anything, have you?

Psa 119:105  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Don’t you think Satan wants you to be side tracked with worry? Oh YES, he does!

God says that His children need not be anxious about what’s going on in their lives. Whatever is making you anxious or worried can be discussed with God just as you would discuss a problem with your spouse or friend. God is not some impersonal being that lords over His creation. Not at all! In my mind’s eye, I picture God sitting in a chair next to me. I feel his presence and know that He hears me. Years of reading God’s Word has given me the foundation to stand on in my Christian faith and His Word leads and directs me in my life. It truly is a light unto my path.

Philippians 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

The word careful in this verse is merimnaō in the Greek which means “anxious, take thought”! If a person doesn’t “take thought” or get anxious about what’s going on in his life, don’t you think that speaks volumes about how big his God is? Think about it for a moment and apply it to your life … right now … this very moment. What’s troubling you? Did you let God know about it during your prayer time? When you talk to God about it, you should know that the same God who parted the Red Sea is desiring you to talk to Him about it? He wants to handle that situation in your life! You may not see immediate answer to prayer but He is still working. He’s not asleep on the job! (Psalm 121:4)

I apply this to the goings on with the news revolving around the end times and the turmoil that our world is in. When I was first saved, I would have never thought that people would be confused about their gender! I would have never thought that babies would be murdered at the altar of convenience. Certain things were actually sacred back then!

Are you afraid that you will go through the Tribulation? If you answer yes, please go here to get the matter settled. The born-again believer will not go through the Tribulation period. A born-again believer is a member of the Church, the Bride of Christ, and will be raptured before that awful seven-year period occurs!

1 Corinthians 15:50-52  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  (51)  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  (52)  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Thessalonians 1:10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Matthew 24:39-42  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  (40)  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  (41)  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  (42)  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Friend, please, I beg you, if you are not saved, you will have to go through a period that NO ONE has EVER seen before! Don’t ignore the fear in your heart and settle the matter now before it’s too late.

Matthew 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

If you are a believer, release your fears to the Lord and share those fears with Him. He does not want you to be fearful of these end times. In fact, we should be looking up and excited that our Groom will receive the go ahead from the Father to come get His Bride!!! \o/ He does not want you to be fearful of anything in your life. You are a part of His Bride so just as you share your intimate feelings with God. He will listen because you are praying in the Lord Jesus’ name! God desires to give you peace, my friend.

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Times are getting worse and Christians may have to go through worse times before the Rapture. But rest assured that we won’t be here for the worst of what’s to come during the Tribulation period. Baby Christians are looking to you as an example of how they are to act during these horrible times. The unsaved world is watching you. If they see a fretting Christian, what does that tell them? They won’t want what you have if it doesn’t solve their problems. Only Christ can solve their problems. Be a light … be a testimony for the Lord … be the only Bible they may ever see!

As believers, we have so much at our fingertips to pull from for encouragement. We can read our Bibles, search out songs to encourage our hearts, and bow before the Lord of lords and Kings of kings in prayer! We can have intimate fellowship with the Creator of the universe!! But to the person who is not born-again, he has only himself to turn to and there’s no comfort in one’s own heart. The unbeliever doesn’t have the comfort that the believer does; they may be able to access the resources but that comfort just isn’t there. Friend, don’t be willfully ignorant of the end times. (2 Peter 3:5) If you are not born-again, confess your sins and repent of them. The time is coming when it will be too late for you to repent. You will remember each opportunity you were given by God to be saved; you will remember each time you laughed it off and ignored it. Please Reader, repent and accept Christ into your life. (Act 16:31, Rom 10:9) I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

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