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.
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!
Psa 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
Good morning, Reader! Although Springis 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!
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!!
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!
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.
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.
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 ishope 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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
Psa 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
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 soon. The Rapture could happen at any time, my friend! God is patient and doesn’t want anyone to die and go to Hell. 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. 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.
Notice as well that David mentions that he will seek after: to dwell in the Lord’s house, to behold the Lord’s beauty, and 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)
Behold the Lord’s beauty: We know that we born-again believers are saved from the wrath to come which gives us a fellowship with the Lord. We see Him in a new light since our salvation. We understand what He went through in order for us to be forgiven of our sins. 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)
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!
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 the Lord 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 cannot leave this task to other people as they will eventually let you down. 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 my circumstances.
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 will encourage you if 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. 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 these end times and the Antichrist’s reign. Times are not going to get better or easier. We must learn to encourage ourselves in the Lord in order to make it through these times.
There a beautiful hymn that tells us what to do during these times and I love the lyrics. Have you heard it?
In Times Like These Lyrics
In times like these you need a Savior, In times like these you need an anchor; Be very sure, be very sure, Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One, This Rock is Jesus, the only One; Be very sure, be very sure, Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these you need the Bible, In times like these, O be not idle; Be very sure, be very sure, Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This hymn reflects 2 Timothy 3:1 perfectly! 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!
Psa 57:1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
Good morning, dear Reader! Don’t you love today’s picture? It’s one of those pictures that makes you actually feel the comfort when the cygnet snuggles under the mother’s wing! Being under her wing keeps the baby safe from the scorching sun or horrible storms of life. The mother takes all the hardships that nature puts on her and her family. She absorbs it all so her babies don’t have to suffer. I liken this to my daily struggles and the times I need the Lord the most! Just as a parent’s heart is broken when their child suffers, so much the more does our Heavenly Father suffer when His child is hurting!
Let’s take apart this verse for a moment. When David wrote this Psalm, he was fleeing from King Saul who was trying to kill him! David was hiding in a cave and he was begging the Lord to have mercy on his circumstances… so much so, he begged for God’s mercy twice in the same sentence! When something is repeated like this, it tells you and I to “take notice”! David refers to his circumstances as a calamity. This isn’t just some small problem in his life – he called this “calamities.” Webster defines calamity as:
CALAMITY, n. Any great misfortune, or cause of misery; generally applied to events or disasters which produce extensive evils, as loss of crops, earthquakes, conflagrations, defeat of armies, and the like. But it is applied also to the misfortunes which bring great distress upon individuals.
Are you in great distress today, Reader? Are you going through experiences that you’ve never been through before and don’t know how to handle? Has your spouse left you or been unfaithful? Has one of your children died? Have you gone bankrupt? Did you lose your job and you have a family to support? I agree that these tragedies can be overwhelming. However, we must know what to do when these hardships come into our lives. What should we do? David had the answer when he wrote:
Psa 61:2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
David knew what to do when life was out of control and he couldn’t change his circumstances. Even more importantly, David knew what to do when he had sinned against God. (Psalm 51:4) David was an ordinary man with the same sins as you and me. In case you haven’t read this yet, David lusted after a married woman (Bathsheba) and had an affair with her while he was King. To top it off, David had her husband, Uriah, (one of his best military soldiers) killed in battle to cover up the affair, just so he could have her. It’s hard to imagine David doing this. This was the same man that wrote 75 of the psalms in the Book of Psalms!! The key here, however, is that David repented of his sin and did not practice sin thereafter. The point here is a person who loves the Lord and obeys His Word will be able to go to that rock that is higher than his circumstances when his heart is overwhelmed.
Are you overwhelmed with today’s world news? Are you fearing the next pandemic? Are you apprehensive that you will lose your retirement pension when the one-world currency and government comes to fruition?
If you are not born-again, you don’t have a way to comfort yourself. You may turn to alcohol, sex, or drugs but these won’t bring you comfort! All they will do is desensitize you and get you deeper into trouble. You will continue to live in fear. The more important issue at hand is that you should be fearing where you will spend eternity! Once you settle that matter in your heart and become born-again, you won’t have to fear where you spend eternity because the Bride of Christ (every born-again believer since Christ ascended into Heaven) will be Raptured and will spend eternity with the King of kings and Lord of lords! However, if you refuse to get saved, there is no guarantee that you will get saved during the Tribulation – you may one of those who will have his/her conscience seared! (1 Timothy 4:1-2) Furthermore, if you do get saved during the Tribulation, you will lose your life for your testimony! (Revelation 20:4) Your fears will be greater during the Tribulation than they are currently!
There’s no need for fear today because Christians are comforted by the Holy Spirit through God’s Word every day! (John 14:26, John 15:26) If you are a believer and you still live in fear, all I can say is you are not submitting yourself to God’s Word. You have to be IN the Word in order to get comfort FROM it! You are being willful and want to get through life on your own terms. But that is not God’s way! As your heavenly Father, He wants to be Abba Father to you! He wants you to turn to Him with your problems just as you turned to your earthly father when you were little! He wants to gather you under His wings and hide you during the storms of life. But you must let Him. I know a few people in my circle who seem to be totally absorbed with worry. I talk to them and all I hear is “woe is me”! Or, there’s no positive thing that comes from their mouth. I understand that there are different people in this world and some have their glass half full, and some have their glass half empty. I get that! But how awful is it to carry our burdens alone! Jesus said:
Mat 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jesus relieves us of our burdens and gives us His Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to help us! Unbelievers do not possess the Holy Spirit as He comes to those at the moment of salvation. This is when He seals them with eternal life in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:13, 4:30) Christians do not have to be concerned with our circumstances in life. In fact, if the believer walks closely with the Lord, that believer need not concern himself with the world around him. He can hide himself in the shadow of God’s wings and be protected from the “heat” of problems and the storms of life! No amount of worry can change anything in our lives! (Matthew 6:27)
The Lord protects His own! He loves Israel and He loves his “grafted” in children, the born-again believers! He longs to comfort us and take us under His wings! (Matthew 23:37) I love the hymn, “Under His Wings”! It totally encompasses today’s message through Psalm 57:1!
Under His wings I am safely abiding; Though the night deepens and tempests are wild, Still I can trust Him, I know He will keep me; He has redeemed me, and I am His child.
Under His wings, under His wings, Who from His love can sever? Under His wings my soul shall abide, Safely abide forever.
Under His wings–what a refuge in sorrow! How the heart yearningly turns to His rest! Often when earth has no balm for my healing, There I find comfort, and there I am blest.
Under His wings–oh, what precious enjoyment! There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er; Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me; Resting in Jesus I’m safe evermore.
Reader, can you look at today’s picture, read today’s post and lyrics without feeling? A child of God receives great comfort in doing so. But to the unbeliever, today’s message is really not all that comforting. If you are the latter, ask yourself if you are a religious person? Being religious does not get one to Heaven. Being religious doesn’t bring you comfort when you read things such as this. Everyone is looking for someone or something to help with or decrease life’s problems. Look to the only One who can deliver you from eternity in Hell AND draw you under His wings to give you protection and comfort!
Times are not going to get easier, Reader. 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!
Psa 57:1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
Good morning! Are you troubled this morning with the horrifying news about East Palestine, Ohio? What about the latest news on the war with Ukraine and Russia? Ask Jessica Tapias why she was fired from her teaching position for not lying to parents or refusing to allow students with “male genitals” into the girls locker room. Where are your thoughts as they relate to current events? Does it discourage you? Are you angered? Wow, is my post making you more discouraged than when you arrived on my blog? Please continue to read and you’ll see how you can turn that discouragement into joy!
In my experience, the only way to cure discouragement was to change the attitude of my heart. If I concentrate on the circumstances around me, it will most certainly lead me to negative thoughts and add to that discouragement. Watching the news was my “trigger.” However, when I turned to the Lord and gave all my worries to Him, those same worries were not so important anymore. I am not able to change any of the world’s tragedies but I know the God who can. With that in mind, my thoughts focused on the only One who could help me!
Let’s get back to today’s Psalm; there we find the solution! Let’s pick this Psalm apart and see what the Lord is trying to teach us. 🥰
Psa 57:7-11 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. (8) Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. (9) I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. (10) For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. (11) Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
David starts off with saying his heart is fixed. Noah Webster defines the word “fixed” as “Settled; established; firm; fast; stable.“ Ask yourself if you are settled in God’s Word? Are you established in your faith; are you standing firm on foundation of the Word of God; can you turn to a place in your Bible to encourage yourself when you need it quickly; are you stable in your walk with the Lord or do you keep stumbling? David was able to do this because he said “My heart is fixed, O God”! He even says it twice which emphasizes his point. If you are tired of being discouraged by everything in your life and you want to change your heart, it will take work on your part. It’s not earth shattering work but you will have to form new habits. Let’s learn from David. Here are three areas that impressed me. David said:
My heart is fixed: Your heart can only be “fixed” on God if you surround yourself with the things of God. Start your day in your Bible or devote a special time in your day. Dedicate that specific time to read God’s Word and allow Him to use what you have read to teach you. Pause after each segment you read and ask Him to show you what He would have you to learn. He desires to have a seat right next to you and fellowship with you. (Revelation 3:20, Zephaniah 3:17, Matthew 11:28-29) Pretend He is sitting in the chair beside you, if you have to. David says he wakes up early as part of his time with the Lord. When I was a young mother, if my children saw the tiniest ray of light from under their door, they would cry for me to get them up. It was impossible to have that quiet time with God in the wee hours. However, once they were in bed at night, I was able to devote my time to Him! Now in this stage of retirement life, I am able to spend all the time I want. To be honest, the more time I spend with Him, my heart desires more. Reading God’s Word is what transforms our way of thinking and what is in our hearts. Remember Paul’s exhortation in Romans 12:2! It is by the renewing our minds that we can be transformed! How do we do that? We do that by not conforming to this world!
David continues with:
I will praise thee: Is there a song from your youth that brings back good memories? I think we all have those songs. But there’s something different about hymns. They contain a mini Gospel and words to change the heart. Singing hymns and spiritual songs will encourage your heart. Singing always changes the attitude of my heart. When my husband was sick, even near death, I would encourage myself with godly music. It changed my focus to the Lord and not on my circumstances. One of my absolute favorites is “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” When I sing this song, I think of God’s amazing grace that saved my lost soul. I think of Him shining into my dark night and restoring my vision so I can focus on Him! 🤗 Just read these words and see how they affect you:
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
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
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
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
It reminds me of my previously lost condition and how grateful I am to now be considered His child. It takes my eyes off ME and turns them on HIM. It encourages me to tell others! Which leads us to David’s next instruction:
David sang among his people and the nations. Honestly, I can “sing” and make a “joyful noise” in my church but to sing to the nations is quite another thing. 😆 The point is that David was not afraid to sing about the Lord to anyone. Where do you stand when it comes to telling others about your spiritual story? Are you afraid to do so? Do you share how you came to know the Lord with others? When I tell someone about what led me to the Lord and how I was saved, it lifts my own spirits and it blesses me. If that story leads a person to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, then it’s like an energy shot in the arm for me! It is such a huge event that it even brings joy in Heaven! (Luke 15:7, 15:10) This is an excellent way to chase away discouragement, Reader! Share your story with others! Praise the Lord openly and don’t be afraid if others look at you strangely. The more you do this, the easier it gets.
All this takes work, Reader. You also have to remove yourself from discouraging surroundings. If that means not watching the news or listening to negative podcasts, then so be it. (Psalm 101:3-8) If it means not hanging around with people who encourage wrong behavior, then don’t. (Proverbs 22:24, 2 Corinthians 6:14) You may lose friends or fellowship with some family members but you will be happier for it in the long run. It’s amazing what angry and sinful people bring into your life! Proverbs 12:21 is a good warning to all!
You have to start somewhere. If you are truly tired of being discouraged, then do something about it! But, friend, do something that is Christ-centered, not world-centered. The world will suck you into anything that is against God. Remember, the adversary does not play fair. He wants to kill you, both spiritually and physically. (1 Peter 5:8) But what is the heart of God?
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
The Lord does not want you to be discouraged. He is love and He is the Good Shepherd! Psalm 23 shows us just how good He is! This Psalm tells you everything that He desires to do for you. He loves you so much and wants you to trust Him. He knows what is best for you. If you focus your thoughts around Him and His Word, He will encourage your heart during these tumultuous times. The world will not get better. Matthew 24:8 says that all these things that are currently happening in our world are the “beginning of sorrows.” This is terminology for birth pains. The pains that come with child birth start off slowly and they are “not so bad.” However, those birth pains grow closer together and stronger until the blessed event of the baby’s birth occurs!
Times are not going to get easier, Reader. 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!
