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 25 of 59

Comfort During the End Times – Day 13

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On March 29, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! I hope this series has brought you some comfort during these difficult times. As I write this, there is extreme unrest in Israel. A Jewish brother in Christ says that Israel is on the brink of civil war. The prophecies of old and those of the end times revolve around Israel. It doesn’t matter what other countries do amongst each other; it matters what happens to Israel, amen?

The news is constantly filled with horrible headlines of famines, earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars. Jesus said this would happen in the end times and would get worse. (Matthew 24:6-8) But should the believer in Jesus Christ be eaten up with worry? Do you not think that God knows your heart and how worried you are?

How would you feel if your child stayed awake at night worried that someone would break into house? Wouldn’t it bother you that your child didn’t trust his parents enough to protect him? It is no different with God. If you are a born-again Christian, the Father in Heaven knows you so well. Friend, He actually knows your name!

Exo 33:17  And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

To an unbelieving world, events may seem chaotic where fear sets into the heart of man. This is exactly one of the devil’s goals. He does not want you to have peace in the Lord.

Satan wants mankind to be distracted and fearful.

This distraction and fear plays right into the devil’s plans to usher in the antichrist. The antichrist will appear to be the man of peace when he signs a peace treaty with Israel. But the devil is a deceiver and the father of lies. (John 8:44) He is known as an angel of light according to 2 Corinthians 11:14! The end times will be filled with lies, deceptions, signs and wonders, which will be so mesmerizing that it will seduce the world into believing he is God. (Mark 13:22) Friend, you should not take this lightly. The world will be sucked into this delusion!

1 Timothy 4:1-2  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  (2)  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

But before the antichrist can be revealed, the Holy Spirit’s influence on the earth (residing within every born-again believer) must be removed in order to usher in the devil’s total influence. (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8)

In the meantime, the Lord takes care of His sheep. His Spirit leads and guides us through His Word, the Bible! Although God is a God of judgment (as the world will see in the Tribulation), He is also a God of love for those who follow Him. As Christians, we know that the Lord not only loves us but He knows us intimately.

Luk 12:7  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

When God says that the very hairs on our heads are numbered, it reveals that intimacy! Not only does He know us intimately, but we are now His child because Christ’s righteousness covers us. When God looks at the born-again believer, He sees His Son’s righteousness over us, not our own! In fact, just as Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, God called Abraham His friend! Praise the Lord! Christ’s righteousness over us means that God calls us His friend also!

Jas 2:23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Not only are we considered a friend, we are Christ’s Bride. (Revelation 21:9, Revelation 22:17) The groom would never allow anything horrible happen to the woman of his dreams, right? Well how much more will our Groom protect us, His Church, from the Tribulation? (Revelation 3:10) Be encouraged, Christian. The same God who counts the hairs on our head, joys over us and calls us friend, is the same God who will give you peace during these difficult times!

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 12

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On March 27, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning! In a world that seems to have gone absolutely insane, do you feel the same as David in today’s verse? I sometimes wonder if God hears my cries. His Word assures me that my heavenly Father hears my every word!

Psa 40:8  I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

But what should you do if you don’t think the Lord is listening? Do you “keep on keeping on” or do you make an effort to change your thoughts? I’m definitely speaking to the choir here because I have been there. When times have been difficult for me during my husband’s illness, I can recall wavering. I recall crying and asking God why He wasn’t healing my husband! But Psalm 40:1 says:

I waited patiently for the Lord;

It’s not easy to wait patiently for the Lord to respond. Sometimes He doesn’t respond, or so you think. God always responds, my friend. It may not always be the answer you want, but it will always be God’s will. That is why it is so important to wait patiently for the Lord.

In today’s mixed up world, we may wonder how we can make a cause for Christ to those around us. The world needs Him now more than ever, friend! Their minds are being filled with the spirit of antichrist. (1 John 2:18, 1 John 2:22, 1 John 4:3 and 2 John 1:7) God does not leave us defenseless. He has left us His Word so that we can learn!

1 Peter 2:2  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Just as a baby pitches a fit until he is fed, so should we be until we get God’s Word in us! It should permeate our beings and fill our bodies so much so that we reflect it in our faces! People should see a difference the moment we open our mouths. They should see Christ through us!

We are living in a time where we cannot be silent. To a lost and dying world, silence means approval! We cannot and must not keep silence when it comes to the ungodly works of the devil! You cannot keep Jesus to yourself, Christian!

Psalm 40:9-10  I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.  (10)  I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

Are you afraid to declare God’s faithfulness and His salvation through Jesus Christ? He will give you the words to proclaim to those He puts in your life! He will provide the grace you need to speak wisely. We may be the only Bible that some people ever see! We may be the only preacher they will ever have in their presence!!

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 11

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On March 24, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning! It seems that each new day brings more and more troubling news across the globe! I follow an earthquake app on my cellphone and I’ve never seen so many earthquakes over 5.0 in one day in all my days of salvation! Jesus said in Matthew 24:6-8 that these things would happen in the end times but that these are just the beginning of sorrows (birth pains). Well we sure are feeling them now, aren’t we?

Does this trouble you? Are you fearing for what’s to come next? As Christians, we should actually be encouraged! How can I say that?

Psa 9:10  And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

The Lord our God does not forsake His own. As born-again children of the Most High, we will not see the Tribulation. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) Take comfort in knowing that the same God who protected Noah and his family from the earth’s destruction during the flood will protect you as well.

However, God will unleash His wrath on those who refused to listen to His warnings from the Bible and from preachers/evangelists all over the world.

Every person has an opportunity to hear God’s Word, even if that person doesn’t go to church. The internet is filled with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and can easily be found if one has the desire to do so. YouTube has thousands of messages showing the plan of salvation. There are also plenty of videos on the end times, as well as the Rapture! But as the end nears, men’s hearts are not only colder but God is not even a thought in their minds.

Psa 10:4  The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Jesus said that the end times would be just as in the days of Noah. (Matthew 24:36-37) It was during Noah’s days that God regretted having created man. Men in Noah’s days were so wicked that even his every thought was continually evil! Can you imagine how bad that is? Not one good thing was in men’s minds at that time. It is getting that way today. Once the Rapture happens and the Holy Spirit’s influence is removed, the devil’s influence will take over and mankind will progress as in Noah’s days.

Gen 6:5-6  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  (6)  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

You may think that God doesn’t pay attention to you, but He surely does. He sees every action; He hears every word; and He knows every thought!

Psa 10:11  He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

As born-again believers, we must desire to seek the face of Jesus, and live our lives as though He is coming at any moment! This motivates us to keep our garments spotless so we are ready to meet Him without regrets!

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!

Does God Hear/Answer Your Prayers?

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On March 22, 2023

In Hell, Miscellaneous, Prayer, Salvation

As born-again believers, we know that God hears their prayers. We also know that God doesn’t always answer our prayers because we are not praying in His will. However, does God hear the prayers of those who are not born-again? We should let the Bible answer this question.

We must first ask, “What is prayer”? Jesus taught us how to pray using the Lord’s Prayer as an example:

Matthew 6:9-13  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  (10)  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  (11)  Give us this day our daily bread.  (12)  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  (13)  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Before we cover this model prayer, notice that Jesus prefaced the Lord’s prayer with verse 6:

Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Many religions today teach their members to pray repetitious prayers as a way to get more “religious” and closer to God. But God says differently in the above verse!

How would you like it if your children came to you and only spoke the exact same things every single time they talked to you? That’s not a relationship nor is it fellowship. It is merely a recital.

Jesus went as far to say that these types of prayers were “vain repetitions,” meaning that there would not be any response from God – trying to communicate with Him is in vain. The end result would produce nothing! Furthermore, Jesus said, “…as the heathen do”! Ouch!

Therefore, Jesus didn’t teach us the Lord’s prayer so we could repeat it word-for-word. When the Pharisees prayed in public, they repeated “canned prayers” and recited them out loud so people would “see how holy they were”! But they were far from holy; they were hypocrites. They followed the “letter of the law” but did not follow the “Spirit of the law,” in Christ Jesus.

We do know God hears their prayers when they come to Him for salvation.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

But if they do not get saved, He does not hear their prayers because of their sin.

Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

Also, one can say they were “saved,” but if that person remains in sin proves that they did not repent of their sin. Repeating a prayer for salvation with an insincere heart doesn’t make one born-again any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. But a sincere prayer asking God for forgiveness of your sins and accepting His son Jesus as Saviour will save! (Romans 6:23)

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This is why the Bible says you must be born-again! You must separate yourself from sin after you are saved! THAT, my friend, is repentance. A person who steals will repent and steal no more after salvation; one who consistently lies will lie no more after salvation. The born-again Christian is not sinless but that Christian will desire to sin LESS because he wants to please the Lord. A person’s focus changes after salvation; his focus is on the things of God. If Christianity is a chore or labor for a person who has claimed salvation, then that person should check his heart. Loving God is never a chore or labor. It is a by-product of a grateful heart for the one who has obtained salvation through Jesus Christ.

John 3:3-7 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  (4)  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  (5)  Jesus answered, 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.  (6)  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  (7)  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Some reject God’s call to be saved but have put it off thinking they have plenty of time. Others just flat out refuse to be saved because they don’t want to be called religious fanatics.

Proverbs 1:24-26, 28 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;  (25)  But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:   (28)  Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

Do you know what God thinks of their prayers?

Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Zechariah 7:11-13 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.  (12)  Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.  (13)  Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:

The Lord’s prayer is to be used as an example. We pray to the Father in Heaven and recognize how holy He is. This denotes a relationship and a recognition that He is not only our Parent (our Father) but He is a holy and righteous Judge (who art in Heaven)! Just as you knew that you were in deep trouble when your mother said, “Wait till your father comes home,” so we know that our Abba Father in Heaven will mete out righteous judgment on His children if we do not walk in His will. But to the unsaved, God does not hear their prayers or answer them at all!

Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

When prayers are not heard, and the individual is not saved, that person will fall into the hands of God at the great Judgment and will suffer death twice! (The first death is when their body dies and their soul goes to Hell; the second death is when they appear before God and their name is not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life. This is where the second death occurs, and their soul is cast into the lake of fire for all eternity!)

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Your rejection of God and the Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ, will result not only in your punishment but will pass down to your children and grandchildren because they have watched your “testimony” and have seen that you are not saved. They will follow in the same footsteps as you and will end up in that Lake of Fire as well unless you repent of your sins and live for God. This should be motivation to get saved and live for the Lord so your family will have an example to follow! (2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.)

Comfort During the End Times – Day 10

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On March 22, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Psa 37:23  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

Good morning, Reader! Although Spring is here, it sure doesn’t feel like it! The budding trees and early blossoming bushes are beautiful but the temperatures are downright cold! These tines remind us that someone can be absolutely gorgeous or handsome on the outside but their heart is as cold as ice. A person can attend church, be well dressed, and be sweet to everyone they meet, but that doesn’t mean their heart belongs to the Lord Jesus. (Mark 7:6)

A true born-again believer knows his heart was desperately wicked at one time (Jeremiah 17:9) but when Christ came into his life, he was a new creature desiring to please his Saviour! (2 Corinthians 5:17) The believer now has the ability to choose not to sin because he has the power of the Holy Spirit residing within him! (1 Corinthians 6:19) God guides and directs each believer as we can see in today’s verse. His Word teaches us about every area of life (our steps are ordered) and God delights in His children when they obey it.

But for the unsaved, their path is obscured. They walk in a fog, not seeing clearly. The longer a person rejects the precious salvation that Jesus has provided, the denser that fog becomes. It gets to the point where they are blinded by the ‘god of this world’ that they don’t even care. (2 Corinthians 4:4) As well, they’re not quite sure about their destination, let alone their spiritual destination. When the Tribulation begins, my friend, you will be going through such horrific times that you will want to kill yourself, but won’t be able to succeed. (Revelation 9:6) Can you imagine what that will be like? We are talking catastrophic events that have never occurred since the beginning of the world! Some of those are:

  • Wars
  • Famine
  • Death of 1/4 of the population
  • Christians born-again in the Tribulation martyred
  • Devastating earthquakes
  • 1/3 of trees and grass destroyed
  • 1/3 sea life and ships destroyed
  • 1/3 fresh water poisoned
  • Demonic locusts
  • Additional 1/3 of population destroyed
  • Boils
  • All sea life now destroyed
  • All water now poisoned
  • Scorching sun during daytime hours
  • Deep darkness all other times
  • Euphrates River totally dried up
  • Battle of Armageddon
  • Earthquake so strong that the whole earth is affected and lands shift
  • Huge hailstones (100 lbs. each)

Do you really want to go through this? Will you avoid salvation today just so you can continue to “live it up” now? Friend, those end times are evident today and being ushered in. Anyone who is not saved can’t possibly have the Lord’s peace during these troubling times! (Psalm 37:39) The believer has assurance and peace because we belong to Christ! We have the blessed hope that Jesus will come for us (Titus 2:13) and that comforts us as we await His return! We are able to “handle” the horrible things that are happening today because the Lord gives us peace. Believers don’t have to worry about the Tribulation as we are focused on Jesus Christ’s return for the Church to take us to Heaven to be with Him while the horrible Tribulation period falls on the whole earth!

If you are reading this today and these end times disturb you, I’m glad! If you haven’t accepted Christ as your Saviour, hopefully this will be the topic that leads you to Him, just as it did me 43 years ago! If you’re already born-again and feeling nervous about the end times, now is the time to dive into God’s Word and draw close to His side through the reading of His Word and prayer. (James 4:8) God knows what you’re going through but He has promised that He will care for you.

Psa 37:18-19  The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.  (19)  They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

When you’re “in the Lord,” you are safe and secure in your salvation and He takes care of His children. He doesn’t promise that you won’t go through tough times, but He does promise that He will care for you! (Psalm 23) The words of this hymn bless me because they focus my attention on the One who cares for me and what He did for me so I could have sweet fellowship with Him. Robert Robinson wrote “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” 265 years ago and the words still pierce the heart today!

1 Come, thou Fount of every blessing;
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above;
praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of God’s unchanging love!

2 Here I raise my Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

3 O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.

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 9

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On March 20, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning! We are still in early Spring where the mornings are quite nippy. It’s beautiful, though and makes me long for the warmer days ahead! It should not only be days like these that prompt us to rejoice in the Lord or to give thanks! As believers, we should be doing this ongoing and also as we go through trials. Why do you think that is so? People are watching what you do with difficulties in your life. You may not think so but they do! If you are busy rejoicing and praising the God of great comfort, it is a testimony to those who are watching you.

Psa 126:2-3  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.  (3)  The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

Psa 33:1  Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

The doubting unbeliever watches the Christian for various reasons. It may be that they want to secretly catch you doing something where they can accuse you of being a hypocrite. It could be they are watching you so that they can see how you react when difficulties come your way. They think: will this Christian curse? will this Christian laugh at my dirty joke? Whatever the reason, people are watching. Before I was born-again, I worked with a lady that I had grown very fond of. She and I were two peas in a pod and loved to curse and tell off-colored jokes. I left work early on Tuesday and when I returned on Wednesday, I was a new creation! (2 Corinthians 5:17) I had been born-again and the Lord completely changed my heart! I no longer wanted to dishonor Him and curse His name. She saw me reading my Bible during break time and lunch time and I guess that peaked her interest. She stopped by my desk and pointed her finger in my face and said, “I’m watching you!” Little did I know that her born-again sister had been witnessing to her and now God had placed me in her life! She later became born-again and we were able to have sweet fellowship in our work place! God is soooo Good!

So let’s get back on track and look at the believer’s responsibilities when it comes to being a good testimony. One of the ways is to rejoice when you’re being tried. Each one of us has a cross to bear for Christ. Some believers are extremely sick and, like the Apostle Paul, are not healed. Why is that? Everything we go through should bring glory to God, yes, even illnesses. There are others who have lost a child. As you watch these believers, you see the cross God has called them to bear. You see God’s mercy and love through it all. Their face and actions do not reflect hardship but they trust in God and His will for their lives. They love their Heavenly Father and know that He will heal their heart! David was a good example of this. At his deepest and darkest times, he acknowledged the condition of his heart and corrected himself! How? He hoped in God and praised Him! Those efforts changed David’s heart and was reflected on his face; his countenance displayed joy. David knew that God was the only One who could encourage his disparaged heart and he turned to the Lord for healing!

Psa 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.

Psalm 42:11 reminds me of God’s abilities and that all His ways are holy and righteous! Nothing happens in our lives that He doesn’t approve! He takes our trials and turns them into lessons to teach His perfect will for our lives! Do you recall the hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Reginald Heber? This hymn was written in 1826 and oh is it still a wonderful hymn of praise. This song could very well be one of the songs sung by the saints in Revelation 4:10-11!!

  1. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
    Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
    Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
    God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
  2. Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
    Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
    Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
    Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.
  3. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
    Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
    Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
    Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.
  4. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
    All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
    Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
    God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Walking the Christian life is not promised to be easy. In fact, God allows these trials so we can help others who are going through the same thing! God, the great Comforter, wants us to be “Jesus with skin on” to others who need comforting. He wants us to show them how to obtain this great comfort through salvation. If you are no longer afraid of the end times and those uncertain days ahead, tell someone who is afraid how to release that fear!

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;  (4)  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.

Dear Reader, don’t let these end times create turmoil in your heart. Don’t let the devil convince you that there’s no hope! There is hope and we shall see the Lord Jesus coming in the clouds to take us to be with Him! His Bride, the Church, anxiously awaits this blessed event. We need to warn the unsaved so they can be saved and share in this blessing!

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.

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 8

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On March 17, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! I look at today’s picture and just seeing the rocks makes me think of this very verse! I see my God, my Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4), standing high above my tumultuous times in life and waving me to come to Him! I can be in the middle of the worst trials of my life, yet I can see Him from every angle! He truly is my high tower!

Think about today’s verse for a bit and meditate on what it means to you. I think of when Jesus motioned to Peter, who was on the ship, to come to Him as He was walking on the water. Peter stepped out on faith and came off the ship and walked on the water toward Jesus. But what happened next? A violent wind came along and Peter lost his focus. Not only that, his faith was shaken when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the storm. The good news is that once he began to sink, Peter cried out to the Lord to save him and the Lord immediately stretched out His hand and caught Peter! You can read all about this in Matthew 14:22-33.

The point I’m trying to make is that even though Peter had walked with the Lord, he was still human and became afraid when he saw the storm. Jesus’ compassion was evident in that Jesus immediately saved Peter. He didn’t hesitate – He knew that “His child” needed help!

What do you do during your turbulent times in life, Reader? Do you fret and worry? Are you afraid? Do you trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6) and rely on Him to carry you through? Today’s verse impressed upon me that God is firm as a rock (1 Corinthians 10:4) and His ways never change. (Malachi 3:6) The next noun in our verse is fortress – oh what a blessing is that word???!!! We can run and hide in Him! We can tell Him all of our troubles as we dwell in that hiding place for a while. Look what happens as a result? He becomes our deliverer! He may not take the problems away but He will deliver you from your fears and bring you comfort! Praise the Lord for His endless mercy❣

David knew where to turn and who to turn to when he needed help, amen? We have God’s Word to teach us what to do when we encounter situations as David did. Granted, we may not go to a physical war with people but there are spiritual battles going on all around us! (Ephesians 6:12) We, too, can run to our High Tower to deliver us from these times!

Psa 73:28  But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

When I meditated on the Lord being a fortress and a hiding place for me, I immediately thought of the hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”!

1 A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

2 Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing.
You ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same;
and he must win the battle.

3 And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

Yes, the English used in this hymn is old English, but if you really let this hymn permeate your heart, you’ll totally appreciate it. Did you realize that Martin Luther wrote this hymn in 1529? He was one of the prominent figures in the Protestant Reformation. We can almost see the reasons why he wrote the hymn as he was up against some of the Roman Catholic Church’s doctrines. He was up against the devil’s wiles but he knew where he could run to hide! His strength came from above and he did not wince or cower. Will you when your time comes to defend the faith in these end times? Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the East, Reader. We are seeing an uptick here in the United States, although we are not being put to death at this time. But there will come a time when we may be arrested for speaking the Word of God in public! We must get ready and BE ready for this!

It is up to you to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and change your current habits about your relationship with the Lord. Get serious about your walk with Him and allow the Holy Spirit of God to lead and guide you. 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 7

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On March 15, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning! It’s a beautiful crisp Spring morning near the Blue Ridge Mountains and the sun is shining. The sunlight is coming through the beautiful stained glass in my window and its reflection makes gorgeous designs on the walls!! Despite what is going on around me, I see God’s handiwork even through the darkest of times. I recently went through some health issues with my husband and times like these always prove God’s faithfulness! Praising God is a boost to a discouraged heart. The more I praise Him and thank Him for all He has done for me, it’s as if I am able to climb out of the discouraging hole in which I’ve placed myself. All I have to do is to look around me. I see God’s blessings through nature and in His Word! I see God’s goodness when I look at my husband and family.

So how does one praise the Lord in the midst of trials? When tears are flowing and your heart is breaking, something has to be done to get you out of your pit! It’s not easy – it is a learned habit as you grow in Him. The Book of Psalms is a great place to start when you’re feeling discouraged.

Psa 92:5  O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

You may be asking yourself why God allows these times! You may be accusing Him of even causing your problems. But stop and think for a moment. Once sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, there was no stopping its effects on mankind and nature. Mankind was no longer perfect, as originally created by God. Man made a conscious decision to disobey God, and mankind has paid the price ever since. Sins’ problems are caused by our own disobedience, so don’t be too harsh on Adam and Eve. We all choose to sin. However, not all trials are a result of our own sin. Sometimes God allows hard times in our lives to teach us to rely on Him.

When my children were little, I was walking alongside my son and he fell and hurt himself. Now I couldn’t prevent his fall and I most certainly didn’t want him to be hurt. But what I could do is to pick him up, kiss his booboo and comfort him. It’s no different with God. He gives us the “room” to live and when we hurt, He is right there alongside us, just waiting to comfort us and pick us up.

He also gives us His Word to prepare us and teach us about the dark days ahead. When we know what’s coming up, we aren’t so caught of guard, amen? The Apostles did their best to teach us about the end times so believers would not be caught unawares. Our hearts need to be prepared so when we see and hear horrible tragedies, we can handle them. There are also those around us who laugh at Christians and think we’re “off our rocker” because we anxiously await the return of the Lord to take His Church home to be with Him. Peter called these people “scoffers.” Unfortunately, even some church members are guilty of this as they don’t believe in the imminent coming of the Lord Jesus to rapture His Church!

2 Peter 3:3-5  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,  (4)  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  (5)  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

Don’t let scoffers and Christ deniers rule your thoughts. Get in the Word of God and feed yourself. Prepare yourself for those times because they will get worse. The Bible says that the worst of times are yet to come: times that have never occurred on this earth! We are blessed to have the Scriptures, the very Word of God, that gives us prophecies that have and are occurring as we speak! How great is that!!?? We can know the future end time events because we can trust God’s Word! Why? Because all prophecies which foretold Christ’s birth and resurrection in the Bible have come true. Therefore, there is no doubt that the future prophecies will also!! You don’t have to go to a fortune teller; in fact, as born-again believers, you should not be doing that! That’s what the world does; we are children of the King of kings and Lord of lords!

Friend, are you discouraged this morning, for whatever reason?

The only way you can work yourself out of that pit is to turn to the Lord, acknowledge that you are doubting Him and ask Him to guide you and to place you on that rock that is higher than you! (Psalm 61:2)

On that Rock, you will be able to see clearly because you will see what is before you! (1 Corinthians 10:4) You can trust Jesus Christ because He is God! Praise Him and thank Him for His constant care for you … He will walk beside you and lead you! The Rock is Christ, Reader! It is not an earthly person. It is the Lord Himself who will provide for you. He knows you intimately: every square inch of your entire body, soul and spirit! Who better to care for you than He!! Sing praises to Him and tell Him how grateful you are that He cares for you! One of my favorite hymns consistently creates in me a grateful heart! It gives me goose bumps thinking of how Great God is!!

How Great Thou Art!

O 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 Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour 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.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

It is up to you to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and change your current habits about your relationship with the Lord. Are you afraid? Do you doubt that God couldn’t possibly take care of your problems like He did when He parted the Red Sea? Get serious about your walk with Him and allow the Holy Spirit of God to lead and guide you. 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 6

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On March 13, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! As you look at today’s picture, does it stir anxiety within you or does it calm your spirit? For three years, I lived on the Central Coast of Oregon. There was nothing I found more comforting and peaceful than to stop at an overlook along the coastal route and listen to the power of the ocean’s waves. When I am watching nature “at work,” it reveals God’s power. It’s a wonderful way to meditate on His creation, His goodness and His bountiful blessings! It reminds me that the same God who made this powerful ocean watches over me! (Psalm 121:1-2)

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are promised peace; that’s Jesus’ desire for us. He doesn’t want us to be afraid and troubled! (John 14:27) The Lord’s mercy and love are so great! He knows that in the End Times, we will be going through trials and tribulations that will trouble us. Are you troubled today? Does the news have you fretting? Does it stir up anxiety within you to the point of nausea? I used to be this type of person! I literally would stay awake at night worrying about the bills and worrying about my job. But when I was born-again, the Lord took that burden away from me! \o/

Psa 31:24  Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

He truly strengthened my heart! Knowing that Jesus is going to Rapture His Church (His Bride) encourages me every single day. I long for that day and my desire is to help strengthen weak believers as well as to lead those who do not know Him to a saving knowledge of Him. I not only want people to get saved but I want them to be excited for His return!! (Acts 1:9-11)

So why do you think the Word says that God is our hiding place? Is there any place that you can go to that can actually change your life and your thoughts? You may have a weekend getaway place that temporarily relieves you of your cares. HOWEVER, it is a temporary fix and those cares will come back once you get back home. Jesus Christ is the only One who can help us through life’s trials. We can safely “hide” in Him and know that He will work everything out. (Romans 8:28)

If you are not a born-again believer (John 3:3, 3:7), you do not have the blessings from God’s Word to encourage you. The Bible is truly our hiding place, friend. Within its pages, we can witness history! Within its pages, we can find salvation. Within those same pages, we can be encouraged! Every aspect of life’s issues can be resolved within the pages of the greatest Book EVER written! The Lord did not leave this earth only to forsake us. No indeed! He left us with power from on high so we can be equipped! (Psalm 119:105, Ephesians 6:10-17)

Psa 32:7-8  Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.  (8)  I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

God says that we can hide in Him and talk to Him about what we need. Why do you think that God says we need a hiding place? There have been times I wished I could hide in a cave and get away from life! Haven’t you? He waits for us and desires to feed us from His Word so that we can sing praises to the One who delivers us from our cares! His light shines in the midst of the darkest times. He instructs us; He teaches us and He guides us! Everything we need can be found from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21!!!

But Kate, what does one do?

Isn’t it better to ask the One who gave us the Word? He will never leave us or forsake us! (Hebrews 13:5, 1 Peter 5:7) He has ALL the answers!

The Bible is SO needed during these times of uncertainty!! Many take it for granted … Are you afraid of what’s to come? If you’re a believer, you have no need of fear. If you are not a believer, then you should fear. You should fear where you spend eternity. You should be afraid of the influence you have over those around you who love you. They look to you for answers but you have no encouraging words to give them because you’re too afraid to be saved. You don’t know what the future holds and, therefore, you can’t guide them! Your fear is leading not only yourself but those you love straight to Hell!

But, friend, I know Who holds the future personally!

Don’t let your fear and apprehensions of getting saved stop you! When you stand before God at the White Throne Judgment, that excuse will not get you into Heaven. You can’t tell God you didn’t get saved because you were afraid of what your family would think! Everyone is responsible for his own choices. No indeed – it will be your choice to go to Hell. It will be too late for you at that point! Don’t let the devil win your soul, dear Reader! (1 Peter 5:8)

I’m not trying to be a negative Nancy but Scripture warns us of the end times and just what the devil will do in order to deceive the world. Therefore, it is up to you to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and change your current habits about your relationship with the Lord. Get serious about your walk with Him and allow the Holy Spirit of God to lead and guide you. 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 5

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On March 10, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Good morning, Reader! As I read through today’s verse and seek answers for my heart during these troubling times, I find myself thankful that I will indeed be in God’s house very soon. The Rapture could happen at any moment, my friend! God is patient and doesn’t want anyone to die and go to Hell. (2 Peter 3:9) He is leaving the door to Heaven open as long as possible so the Church, the Bride, can be added to as much as possible. (Revelation 4:1) His mercy will even extend to those who live during the Tribulation. He will give them every opportunity to be saved but, unfortunately, those people will go through the most terrible times ever to come to this earth. Most Tribulation believers will die for their testimony for Christ! (Revelation 13:7)

Notice on today’s verse that David mentions that he will seek after: (1) to dwell in the Lord’s house; (2) to behold the Lord’s beauty; and (3) to ask questions in the Lord’s temple. In these last days, friend, we should be seeking these exact same things:

Dwell in the house of the Lord: One cannot go to the Lord’s house (Heaven) unless one is born again. (John 3:3, John 3:7, 1 Peter 1:23) Only the saved will have the privilege of going to Heaven. (John 14:2, 14:3) Are you 100% certain that you will be going to Heaven? If you are not, then you need to make sure before you die or before the Rapture; whichever comes first. You don’t know the day, hour or even minute you will close your eyes for the last time and take your last breath! (2 Corinthians 6:2) Don’t wait, Reader!

Behold the Lord’s beauty: We know that we born-again believers are saved from the wrath to come which gives us a special fellowship with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 1:10) We see Him in a new light since our salvation. We understand what the Lord went through in order for us to be forgiven of our sins. Oh what mercy! We behold Him in our hearts as wonderful and beautiful! We long for the day where we can see Him face to face! (Isaiah 33:17, Psalm 50:2) I can just imagine when God the Father tells His Son to go get His Bride!! I will hear His voice and the trumpet call of God (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)! He will gather us in the clouds forever to be with Him! Just as I look upon my husband face-to-face, I will look on the Lord Jesus Christ face-to-face! Praise You, Lord! \o/

Enquire in the Lord’s temple: I know I will have a lot of questions to ask once I get to Heaven. I will be able to ask Jesus to tell me about all the times He appeared in the Old Testament to guide Israel. I’ll be able to ask Him anything and He will answer! But for the time being, I can go to the Father in prayer and talk to Him as I do with my husband. I can spiritually look upon His face through the Scriptures! The entire Bible gives a “picture” of Jesus Christ throughout each book! How blessed we are that the Bible is physically in front of us. Some of us have a dozen Bibles in our homes. Others use their electronic Bibles but I’m old fashioned and love the feel of the pages in my Bible. I know that a certain verse is highlighted in yellow and located on the top right of a page in a certain book! I’ve become intimate with my Bible and long to open its pages every single day! Today, we live in a time where we can easily access Scripture! \o/ There is coming a day where this won’t be so. The spirit of antichrist is alive and well and religious liberties are being taken away, bit by bit! I can enquire in the Lord’s temple right now – in my Bible. I can do searches in my e-Sword and find answers almost immediately. We are truly a blessed generation. THIS generation WILL see the Rapture friend! THIS generation WILL go through the Tribulation! (Matthew 24:4-51) But there is coming a time when the freedom of opening our Bibles will be taken away! It’s coming!

Briebart reports that the Chinese government in the Henan Province is now requiring people to get approval to attend church! Of course these are “state approved” churches, but nonetheless! China has underground churches and believers risk their lives attending services. Oh how spoiled we are in America! It won’t be long before this happens here as well, Reader! We currently have God’s Word to encourage our hearts. But there are believers all over the world that are persecuted and killed for their beliefs. Christianity is currently the most persecuted “religion” in all the world.

God does not forsake His own. He provides comfort where needed. As a believer, today’s verse comforts me because it is a promise to me.

Even though the world is falling apart around me, I know that there are better days ahead for the believer! It comforts me in troubling times.

You may be one who is afraid to get saved because your family will think your nuts! The Lord promises us in Psalm 27:10 that He will “lift” you. He will encourage you and comfort your heart in those times. He strengthens His children and doesn’t leave them abandoned! (Psalm 27:14)

Encouraging your own heart involves effort on your part, Reader. You don’t automatically absorb God’s Word through osmosis as you pick it up. You cannot leave this task to other people as they will eventually let you down. If you depend on the pastor’s message on Sunday to be “enough,” you’re sorely mistaken! It’s like getting food for your body only once a week. You’ll become grossly malnourished! But God never lets you down. Singing praises to Him does something to my heart. My discouraged heart begins to change and I am focusing my thoughts on God and not on my circumstances. My eyes get off my problems and look up to the One who can provide comfort!

It’s amazing how the Lord changes the heart when we praise Him! (Psalm 147:1) It is the best medicine in times like these.

Are you discouraged when you listen to the daily news? Stop listening to that and start listening to God’s Word. Let Him speak to you and heal you! (Psalm 147:3) He understands what you are going through and He will encourage you when you do your part. (Psalm 147:5)

For those readers today, anything worth having in your life is worth working for. Do you have salvation? If you do, then once the Rapture happens, you will be in Heaven when the Tribulation happens.😃 In the meantime, dive into God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to encourage you. For those who have not committed their life to the Lord Jesus, do so before it’s eternally too late. He is the only One who can bring you comfort and encouragement in the upcoming days. There are no guarantees that you will get saved during the Tribulation. In fact, most people will have hardened hearts going into the Tribulation and they will not seek after God.

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Don’t wait! Get comfort now and be encouraged now!

Remember, before the Antichrist can sign a peace treaty with Israel, there must be a war. We are heading towards that at the moment. The war in the Ukraine is stirring up the hearts of evil men and they will connive to come against Israel. The end times will revolve around Israel (Daniel’s 70th week). The Bible says that Russia and its accomplices will rise to this level. So friend, times are getting harder and every aspect of life is changing before our very eyes in order to usher in the Antichrist’s reign. Times are not going to get better or easier; quite the opposite! We must learn to encourage ourselves in the Lord in order to make it through these times.

I’m not trying to be a negative Nancy but Scripture warns us of these end times. Therefore, it is up to you to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and change your current habits about your relationship with the Lord. Get serious about your walk with Him and allow the Holy Spirit of God to lead and guide you. 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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