Category: Devotionals Page 26 of 50

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!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 4

By Kate Plourde

On March 8, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

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:

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)

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!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 3

By Kate Plourde

On March 6, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

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!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 2

By Kate Plourde

On March 3, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

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!

Comfort During the End Times – Day 1

By Kate Plourde

On March 1, 2023

In Comfort During the End Times, Devotionals

Psa 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Good morning, Reader! In my desire to continue the End Times “theme,” along with stressing the importance of salvation, I thought this new series would accomplish both goals. I pray it engages you as readers and it accomplishes my heart’s desire! So, why this theme? I realized there are people out there who are hurting, apprehensive, and afraid of what is currently happening in our world. They fear what is yet to come! And they should be scared if they are not born-again believers! But as Christians, should we be scared and caught unaware of times to come? Can there be comfort found as the world around us collapses?

Friend, we have the Bible as our guide which contains every prophecy and every detail that will happen. Nearly one-third of the Scriptures contains prophecy so it’s important for us to be familiar with what it teaches! The Bible is recorded fact of what has and will ever happen. Everything prophesied the past has happened, Friend! Not one prophecy has failed. God has a perfect track record in fulfilling each one. So there is no reason to doubt that future prophecy will happen just as He said it would. In fact, God was present in the past; He’s present today; and He is also present in the future when prophecy actually happened! I realize it’s hard to understand but to God, earth’s future has already occurred to Him because He exists in the future. God is not bound by time!

You have to understand that in order to understand why Jesus came in the first place! God knew very well that we could not live a sinless life and that there was no way we could gain entrance to His heaven! He saw it happening before it ever happened! (Isaiah 46:10) God’s compassion on mankind is so great that He took upon Himself the responsibility of paying our debt so that we could go to Heaven. Jesus Christ, God Himself, had to take on flesh so He could live that sinless life, become that sinless and spotless sacrifice for all sins. (2 Cor. 5:21) He died on that cross and shed His own blood (Matt. 6:28); He rose from the dead (Acts 10:41) and ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9). But don’t stop there! He IS COMING AGAIN, people! (John 14:3) He is coming to judge those who refused His gift of salvation. (Rev. 20:11-15) He is coming to destroy the efforts of the devil to rule this world. (Rev. 20:10) He is coming to rule and reign for a thousand years!

When Christians read the Bible, they prepare themselves for what is to come. For the unbeliever, this is not so. This is why they will live through the worse times ever to come on this earth. Before I begin the series, I just want you to see, at a glance, what is in store for those who will go through the Tribulation.

Things will get worse before the Antichrist is revealed when he signs the peace treaty with Israel. There can’t be peace until first there is war or a threat of war! The Bible says that Russia and countries supporting them will go against Israel. (Read Ezekiel 38 and 39) We see this unfolding today! Europe was getting its oil resources from Russia but have now turned to Israel because the Nord Stream pipeline was destroyed. It’s possible that this will cause Russia to go after Israel’s resources bringing on the war which will usher in the Antichrist. As soon as the Antichrist signs that peace treaty with Israel, the seven-year Tribulation begins and the first seven judgments begin, which are the 7 Seals in the first column listed below. Look at what happens with each judgment.

It won’t be a piece of cake for earth’s inhabitants as the world will experience war, famine, and one-fourth of the world’s population dies! (Rev. 6:8) Just because the Antichrist signs a peace treaty doesn’t mean that it will be peaceful and joyful at that time! Friend, we are seeing the birth pangs spoken of in Matthew 24! Look at how much happens with the second set of judgments. During this time, one-third of the population will die (Rev. 9:15).

Mat 24:7-9 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (8) All these are the beginning of sorrows. (9) Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

Just as birth pains come stronger and closer together, so will the judgments of the Tribulation. So what can you do? If you’re a believer, trust in the Lord and be ready for the Rapture. (1 Cor. 15:51-52) If you’re not saved, now’s the day of salvation! (2 Cor. 6:2) I pray that this series will bring comfort and encouragement to the believer as well as lead unbelievers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I start this first day of the series with Psalm 56:3. David was begging mercy from God because those against him were about to overcome him! (Psalm 56:1-2) David sets the stage and shares his pattern for achieving that comfort but it was only through God:

Trust in the Lord – Psalm 56:3 tells us that when David was scared, he trusted in God. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us that as we trust the Lord, He guides and directs us. We know that God is perfect and in Him there is no evil. He means only what is good for us. (Exodus 34:6)
Praise His Word – David praises God’s Word! Jesus is the living Word of God. (John 1:1) We have God’s Word in our hands and we should read it and be blessed by it. We should praise God for providing us with His Word so we can turn to it in time of need. We also turn to it to prepare ourselves for these end times! Something is frightening if you’re not prepared, i.e. a house fire or a thief breaking into your home. However, when we know what’s going to happen (as indicated in the chart above), we keep watch and we anxiously await for the Lord to Rapture us away!
Cry and share your tears with God – David was so good at this one! He shed so many tears that he knew that God had every one of those tears recorded. God sees us (Gen. 16:13) and He sees each tear! (Isaiah 38:5) I love how David says that God puts our tears in a bottle! Luke 12:7 says that God even numbers the very hairs on our head – each one of us! THAT is a personal God, my friend. God is for you and will help you! (Psalm 56:9)
Read the Word – You will see all the vows and commitments God has made. He has never gone back on His word; He has never broken a promise. When you are born-again, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and you are part of the Bride of Christ, the Church! You will be taken out before the wrath of God comes upon the entire earth. (Rom. 5:9, 1 Thess. 1:10)
Acknowledge that God has delivered you! (Psalm 56:13) Tell others about being delivered from the pits of Hell! Tell others what God has done for you since you accepted Christ as your Saviour. Tell others about Jesus and His precious salvation. Don’t be silent! You are the light to a lost and world! Shine forth and tell them about Christ’s love, His sinless life, His death on the cross to pay our penalty, His resurrection from the dead, His ascension into Heaven to prepare a place for us in His Father’s house (John 14:2), and His return (first in the clouds to pick up His Bride (1 Thess. 4:13-18) and then at the end of the Tribulation (to pass judgment on a Christ-rejecting world). (Rev. 19:11-21)

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 – Table of Contents

By Kate Plourde

On March 1, 2023

In Devotionals

Comfort During the End Times: In my desire to continue the End Times “theme,” I realized that there are many people out there who are afraid of what is currently happening. Whether you are a born-again Christian or not, the end times will be disturbing times. We are in 2023 and times have never been so frightening. The Bible states that it will get much worse before the Tribulation even begins. But as Christians, we should not be caught unaware of times to come. We have the Bible as our guide which contains every prophecy and every detail that will happen. When we read the Bible, we are prepared for what is to come. To the unbeliever, it is not so. I pray that this series will bring comfort and encouragement to the believer as well as lead unbelievers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Day 4	Day 5	Day 6
Day 7	Day 8	Day 9
Day 10	Day 11	Day 12
Day 13	Day 14	Day 15
Day 16	Day 17	Day 18
Day 19	Day 20	Day 21
Day 22	Day 23	Day 24
Day 26	Day 27	Day 28
Day 29	Day 30

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 20 – None Righteous

By Kate Plourde

On February 27, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Good morning! What has God impressed upon you the most during this series? One thing that has stood out for me is that ANY sin will keep a person out of Heaven. God is holy and cannot allow any sin in Heaven. This is the whole purpose of Jesus coming to earth to pay the penalty for our sins. God knew that we could not get to Heaven on our own. If you say you’re not “that bad,” then you lie to yourself! The Bible says:

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

There’s nothing you can do that will make up for your sins. You cannot live like Mother Theresa and get to Heaven on those merits. The Bible says:

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

If you could get to heaven by your good deeds, then you would be able to say, “Look at me! I’m a good person and look at all that I have done!” But friend, the Bible says differently in the verses above. Furthermore, if you could get to Heaven by your good deeds, then why in the world would Jesus come to earth to die for our sins??? That seems futile, doesn’t it?

Tit 3:3-6 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. (4) But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, (5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

You may think you’re not that bad a person and that you’ve never murdered anyone or did anything deserving of Hell. Jesus told us:

Mat 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The very first sin we covered in this series was fear. This same fear is what is preventing you from salvation. You may be afraid of what your family will think or that they will think you’re crazy. As well, you may fear that they will abandon you. But what if they do? Is this fear you bear on your shoulders worth eternity in a burning Lake of Fire? If you do reject salvation through Jesus Christ, this will affect those family members who love you. They will also reject the Lord and will also join you in that Lake of Fire. But you won’t see them there – you will be in utter darkness, alone in your pain. You influence your family and friends whether you believe that or not. How will they hear about Jesus and His salvation unless they see His miracle of a “new life” in you?

Friend, once you die, that’s it. Don’t be the one that has heard all about how sin can keep you out of Heaven but never did anything about it. Is a moment’s pleasure worth an eternity of pain and suffering?

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

You don’t know if today is your last day on earth. No one does. But one thing is for certain is that when you do die, you will be judged. If your name is not found in found in the Lamb’s Book of Life, then you will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life is so important that it is mentioned eight times in the New Testament; seven in Revelation alone! Philippians 4:3 tells us that our names are placed in the Book of Life while we are yet on earth so it stands to reason that “something” had to be done in order for our names to be recorded in the Book. That something is repentance and accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour!

(Phil 4:3) And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

(Rev 3:5) He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

(Rev 13:8) And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (speaking of those who worship the antichrist)

(Rev 17:8) The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

(Rev 20:12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

(Rev 20:15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

(Rev 21:27) And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

(Rev 22:19) And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

God does not change, Friend. (Malachi 3:6) You are running out of time! The Rapture can happen at any moment and the time to be saved is now. (2 Cor. 6:2) You don’t want to enter the Tribulation period without Christ. If you think you will be saved during that time, you may be right. But you will experience the worst judgment known to mankind coming down on an unbelieving and God-hating world. You will be martyred for your faith! Why would you choose this over getting saved now? Now is the day of salvation, Reader (2 Cor. 6:2)!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 19 – Heresies

By Kate Plourde

On February 24, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Good morning!

This word is hardly heard today. It is probably because “religion” has become an unpopular topic of discussion. Do you realize that as of 2022, only 22% of Americans attend church every week? This 22% covers all religions. I can’t even imagine what percentage of this 22% covers truly born-again Christians. (In 2017, 31% of Americans identified as born-again Christians.) It’s horrifying to me to see the spiritual decline of this nation. Going to church doesn’t make one a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car! True Christianity brings a change of heart through repentance and a desire to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Anything other than that is going against God’s Word.

So just what is heresy? Noah Webster defines it as:

A fundamental error in religion, or an error of opinion respecting some fundamental doctrine of religion. But in countries where there is an established church, an opinion is deemed heresy, when it differs from that of the church. The Scriptures being the standard of faith, any opinion that is repugnant to its doctrines, is heresy; but as men differ in the interpretation of Scripture, an opinion deemed heretical by one body of Christians, may be deemed orthodox by another.

Heresy, therefore, is the sin that has affected the Church in these past couple of centuries. Satan has managed to convince some to question God’s Word, even change God’s Word. His efforts began in the Garden of Eden when he questioned Eve:

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

From that point on, Satan’s efforts to corrupt God’s Word has been his main objective. The King James Version of the Bible was the only accepted English Bible. According to this article:

I am afraid no one can give you an exact number for the English translations and paraphrases of the Bible printed since Tyndale’s New Testament of 1526. In part this is due to the difficulty of determining what should be defined as a new translation as opposed to a correction or a revision of an existing translation. There is the additional question of how we should count translations that include not a complete Bible or Testament, but just a group of books or even a single book. And then, of course, there is the difficulty of sheer numbers. With all these caveats in mind, the number of printed English translations and paraphrases of the Bible, whether complete or not, is about 900.
https://news.americanbible.org/article/number-of-english-translations-of-the-bible

Do you think Satan has succeeded at causing doubt into God’s Word? I should say so! But the fundamental plan of salvation can still be found. The Church of England (Protestant in beliefs) is going to meet in the Spring to discuss a gender neutral reference to God. If they agree to this, the next step would be to change their Bible to reflect this belief. This is true heresy. Any time you change God’s Word to reflect the desires of man will accomplish the devil’s work! Any time you stray from God’s Word and change it, you are guilty of heresy.

Let’s look at a different form of heresy. I know of people who want to be considered Christian but they do not want to change the way they live; they do not want to repent of their sin. A good example of this is homosexuality. There are homosexual “Christians” who believe they can continue in their sin; in fact, they believe their sin is not a sin at all. They believe that Christ accepts everyone. But does He? If that is true, then God’s words in the Old Testament are a lie. The Bible says that God does not change! God’s Word is the same yesterday, today and forever! God’s Word is truth!

Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Since we know that God does not change and His Word does not change, then whatever was considered sin in the Old Testament is still sin in the New Testament. Let’s take a look at all the verses that deal with this:

Lev 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

Lev 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

1Co 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (10) Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

“Abusers of themselves with mankind” in the Greek is ἀρσενοκοῖτοι arsenokoitoi. According to Strong’s Concordance:

arsenokoites: a male engaging in same-gender sexual activityOriginal Word: ἀρσενοκοίτης, ου, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: arsenokoites
Phonetic Spelling: (ar-sen-ok-oy’-tace)
Definition: a sodomite
Usage: a male engaging in same-gender sexual activity; a sodomite, pederast.

Just to give you an example of how the world’s views on homosexuality have changed, just try to do a Google search for Bible verses againist it. You are hard pressed to find anything biblically and fundamentally sound! I did the exact same search in DuckDuckGo and found what I was looking for.

So to wrap this up, anything that is contrary to God’s Word is heresy. God does not take this lightly. Satan has succeeded in turning the world’s views on sin. We see this more and more with the LGBTQ agenda. But, friend, God does not change. Sin is still sin. We are running out of time! The Rapture can happen at any moment and the time to be saved is now. (2 Cor. 6:2) You don’t want to enter the Tribulation period without Christ. If you think you will be saved during that time, you may be right. But you will experience the worst judgment known to mankind coming down on an unbelieving and God-hating world. You will be martyred for your faith! Why would you choose this over getting saved now? Now is the day of salvation, Reader! 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!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 18 – Seditions

By Kate Plourde

On February 22, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Good morning, Friends! I hope you are receiving a blessing from this series. I would think that to the believer, this would prompt a deeper desire to lead others to Christ before it’s eternally too late. But to the one who doesn’t know Jesus Christ as their Saviour, I would imagine that this series would be convicting; at least I would hope and pray that it is.

Today’s word is “seditions” and, at first, I wasn’t 100% certain as to its meaning. I thought about presidential assassinations and betrayals to our nation like that of Benedict Arnold. But let’s take a look at what the word actually means:

A factious commotion of the people, a tumultuous assembly of men rising in opposition to law or the administration of justice, and in disturbance of the public peace. Sedition is a rising or commotion of less extent than an insurrection, and both are less than rebellion; but some kinds of sedition, in Great Britain, amount to high treason. In general, sedition is a local or limited insurrection in opposition to civil authority, as mutiny is to military.

We’ve seen this type of behavior promoted to push a specific agenda. Some claim that the pro-life movement would fall under sedition but is it truly? God’s Word is eternal and will never end. Jesus said that His words will not pass away – NEVER.

(Mat 24:35) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

God is against the taking of life and we know that life begins at the moment of conception. The moment the egg is fertilized, there is no stopping the growth of a baby inside the mother’s womb. When that baby has finished growing, it comes into the world and no one questions whether or not it is a baby. But the demonstrations and at times riots that have resulted because of the argument that the baby is not “alive” until birth is utterly ridiculous! We must obey God, not men! (Acts 5:29) This is a type of sedition where anger and strife is so great, it divides a nation.

Seditions occurred in early America as our nation was forming and we were going against England’s rule. This was in pursuit of freedom against the suffocating English laws. Everything our forefathers fought for was in jeopardy but they moved forward. Today’s seditions against the laws of our nation are stirred up by cunning people who want power over the people. They depend on the ignorance of people to accomplish their agenda. The laws of our land are in place but seditious acts to undermine the laws are in full force. Our immigration laws are being ignored, beginning with our own leaders! These are seditious acts committed by men and women guilty of the sin of sedition. Are you one of these people?

All will be held accountable for any of the sins pointed out in the Scriptures. There will come a time when everyone will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and give an account of ALL their actions and words. This will be a most miserable time for those whose name is not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life!

Rev 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Friend, if you are reading this and you have not made a decision to follow Christ, make it now! You don’t know if you are going to die in an accident on your way home from work or even wake up tomorrow morning! Hebrews 9:27 says that after you die, you will be judged! Do you really want to stand before God and He brings up the porn you watched? Do you really want to account for each lie you told? Everything you have ever done against God’s Word will be judged. At that point, if you still don’t believe that a merciful God would punish you, God will open the Lamb’s Book of Life and He will look for your name. If you are not born again (John 3:3, 3:7), your name will not be in it. God doesn’t send you to hell, YOU send yourself by not repenting of your sin while you yet have time!

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Mark 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Repentance means to feel great sorrow for your sins. But it does not end there. We all are sorry that we got caught with our hand in the cookie jar but if we continue to do it, that is not the sorrow generated by repentance. True repentance is a genuine sorrow for sinning against God. When that repentance comes and you understand:

Jesus Christ (God Himself) came to earth in the flesh;
He was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life;
He died on the cross as the payment for your sins;
He rose on the third day
He now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven waiting to come again at the end of the Tribulation to reign and rule.

If you believe this with all your heart and repent of your sins, you are born again. The Holy Spirit comes into you and abides in you. (John 14:16, John 14:26, John 15:26) He will teach you God’s Word and help you to grow spiritually.

We are running out of time! The Rapture can happen at any moment and the time to be saved is now. (2 Cor. 6:2) You don’t want to enter the Tribulation period without Christ. If you think you will be saved during that time, you may be right. But you will experience the worst judgment known to mankind coming down on an unbelieving and God-hating world. You will be martyred for your faith! Why would you choose this over getting saved now? Now is the day of salvation, Reader! 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!

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 17 – Strife

By Kate Plourde

On February 20, 2023

In Devotionals, What's Stopping You From Salvation?

Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Good morning, Friends! When the weatherman warns of an incoming hurricane or tornado, it is natural of viewers to take shelter to avoid its oncoming path of destruction. It always amazes me how people can ignore the warnings of the Bible. It was going on in the Apostle Peter’s day and is going on today!

2 Peter 3:3-7 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: (6) Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: (7) But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

By the same Word of God, the people of Noah’s day were warned of the upcoming storm that would destroy the entire globe. But did they heed Noah’s warning? No! It’s sad to say that only eight people were protected from that destruction.

It is the same today, Reader! Those people who choose to ignore the warnings of Christians all over the world will receive judgment unto fire! This warning goes to anyone who is not born-again! (John 3:3, 3:7) Those who hear these warnings and ignore them are the same who cause today’s sin (strife) and won’t see the Kingdom of God! This should bother anyone who is not saved! Paul warned the early Church night and day of those who led many astray with their false teachings.

Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Vine’s definition says that the Greek word for strife is:

eris (G2054), “strife, contention,” is the expression of “enmity,” “strife” (KJV, “debate”);

Is it any wonder that the world thinks Christians are nuts? There are so many different “churches” and beliefs today. Most “Christian religions” have deviated from God’s Word and allowed the world’s beliefs into their teachings. LGBTQ pastors are leading congregants to Hell. Preachers do not preach the Gospel but are merely using their position as a platform to push an agenda to distract and deceive their listeners. This is exactly what the devil hopes to accomplish in these end times. Satan wants people so distracted with the things of this world that they won’t have time nor desire to learn about Jesus Christ and the salvation He provides. This is when strife within the church comes up. People who are not saved and are “playing church” manage to cause dissension. Even in churches filled with born-again believers, Christians are blinded and unknowingly cause strife. What a poor testimony to the unsaved world.

The worst part of the strife within the church is the testimony it gives. It does not attract a dying world but it distracts. After all, if Christians have strife, how much the more will the unsaved? This sin is forgiven for believers who commit it and repent. But to the unbelievers, it is a sin that keeps them from entering the Kingdom of God! It is not a small thing. There is so much strife today. Heated conversations that end up in violent conflicts are the “norm”! Riots in the streets used to be far and few between but now they are an everyday occurrence? Why is this so? It is the evil intentions of men’s hearts that has come to the forefront. These evil intentions used to be hidden and behind closed doors. But now they are in the open and people have become desensitized to this sin.

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.

Category: Devotionals Page 26 of 50

Comfort During the End Times – Day 5

Comfort During the End Times – Day 4

In Times Like These Lyrics

Comfort During the End Times – Day 3

Comfort During the End Times – Day 2

Comfort During the End Times – Day 1

Comfort During the End Times – Table of Contents

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 20 – None Righteous

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 19 – Heresies

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 18 – Seditions

What’s Stopping You From Salvation? Day 17 – Strife