Deuteronomy 12: 32
Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.
Proverbs 30: 6
Do not add to His Words lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar.
Revelation 22: 18-19
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the Tree of Life, and in the Holy City, which are described in this book.
God is serious about what He wrote to us. He told us everything we need to know to live our lives in this World in a godly and righteous way, and we need every word. He didn't put in anything superfluous, and He means every word.
The principles we learn in studying His Word apply to every circumstance we may face, every situation we could ever encounter in life.
We get into trouble whenever we either add something He didn't intend, or deny and leave out something He said or commanded.
O my Father, thank You for giving us Your written Word. Thank You that it is complete and finished. Father, strengthen us to be very careful to do everything You have told us to do, and not just talk about it, living our lives according to Your ways in everything we do.
Help us, Father, to be very careful, purposeful, and intentional to obey You. Let us not naturally fall and slip into error, into sin. Teach us to be very careful to do Your will, Your way.
Father, continue to wake us up to what is going on in the World around us, teach us how to promote Your righteousness in our society, and to build toward Your Kingdom.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Saturday, August 25, 2018
What Does God Require?
Deuteronomy 10: 12-13
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord's commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your own good?
For our own good! God wants to bless us with good. He has designed into this Earth everything everybody will ever need to enjoy an abundance of prosperity, if only we would respect God as God and obey what He tells us to do.
No one who buys a new car has a problem with obeying what the book in the glove-box says to do, concerning care of the vehicle. It only makes sense to follow the manufacturer's instructions so that this automobile will give you good service for the life of the vehicle.
Our Manufacturer has also given us His instructions to follow. And when we live our lives according to His ways, the result will also be that our lives will give us many years of good living.
But this World around us, our enemy the devil, and our own flesh all contrive to deceive us into thinking contrary to God's ways (Ephesians 2:1-3). Even our own hearts lie to us (Jeremiah 17:9). So I can't even trust my own thinking or logic.
I must consult my Maker's Book for instructions on how to live. I must let Him love me with His unmatched, eternal, unlimited, and unconditional Love; I must believe what He says about me so I can love myself; I must love Him back above all else; and I must display His love in all my relationships and dealings with others.
Then I will be obeying all the laws He gave us to guide us (Matthew 22:37-40).
This is everything God wants of us. Just to recognize Who He is, to know Him, to love Him back, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Simple, but not easy.
To live above with saints we love,
O won't that be glory!
But to live below with saints we know,
Well, that's a different story!
So we need God's Holy Spirit living in us, making our dead spirit alive, and teaching us God's Truth as we read and study His Word. So we can relate to those we are related to, and to deal with those we have dealings with, in Love.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord's commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your own good?
For our own good! God wants to bless us with good. He has designed into this Earth everything everybody will ever need to enjoy an abundance of prosperity, if only we would respect God as God and obey what He tells us to do.
No one who buys a new car has a problem with obeying what the book in the glove-box says to do, concerning care of the vehicle. It only makes sense to follow the manufacturer's instructions so that this automobile will give you good service for the life of the vehicle.
Our Manufacturer has also given us His instructions to follow. And when we live our lives according to His ways, the result will also be that our lives will give us many years of good living.
But this World around us, our enemy the devil, and our own flesh all contrive to deceive us into thinking contrary to God's ways (Ephesians 2:1-3). Even our own hearts lie to us (Jeremiah 17:9). So I can't even trust my own thinking or logic.
I must consult my Maker's Book for instructions on how to live. I must let Him love me with His unmatched, eternal, unlimited, and unconditional Love; I must believe what He says about me so I can love myself; I must love Him back above all else; and I must display His love in all my relationships and dealings with others.
Then I will be obeying all the laws He gave us to guide us (Matthew 22:37-40).
This is everything God wants of us. Just to recognize Who He is, to know Him, to love Him back, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Simple, but not easy.
To live above with saints we love,
O won't that be glory!
But to live below with saints we know,
Well, that's a different story!
So we need God's Holy Spirit living in us, making our dead spirit alive, and teaching us God's Truth as we read and study His Word. So we can relate to those we are related to, and to deal with those we have dealings with, in Love.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, August 24, 2018
Power To Make Wealth
Deuteronomy 8: 17-18
You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me."
But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who is giving you power to make wealth,
in order to confirm His covenant which He swore to your forefathers, and as it is today.
When it comes to financial matters, God has given us so many practical principles to observe and follow, many of which don't even seem to relate to money.
Yet when we set out to know His ways and His attitudes, and we determine to obey His commandments, laws, and rules, then we naturally prosper as the result.
Even when people do not acknowledge God at all follow His ways in loving one another, they also prosper, because that is how He designed our World to work.
Wealth is not static, not a set sum, that for some to have they must deprive others. No, wealth is made, it grows with the integrity of those who follow God's ways, and is to be enjoyed by all the people.
But even if some could manage to acquire ownership of all the World's resources for their own use, what would it profit them, if they only have it the few days of this life, and lose out on the eternal forever ahead of us all?
O Father, wake up Your Church! Continue to wake up Your Church! Wake us up to follow Your ways to love You and our neighbor as You love us, and to prosper to finance the coming of Your Kingdom.
Father, You know that our enemy is funding His minions to promote all kinds of perversions and twisting of Your beautiful Truth, making it into disgusting and despicable immitations to deceive and destroy the masses.
What You have told us to expect in the Last Days is all coming to pass right now. Please protect Your children, Father; so that even though a thousand perish at our side, and ten thousand on our right hand, it will not come near or touch us at all (Psalm 91:7-8).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me."
But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who is giving you power to make wealth,
in order to confirm His covenant which He swore to your forefathers, and as it is today.
When it comes to financial matters, God has given us so many practical principles to observe and follow, many of which don't even seem to relate to money.
Yet when we set out to know His ways and His attitudes, and we determine to obey His commandments, laws, and rules, then we naturally prosper as the result.
Even when people do not acknowledge God at all follow His ways in loving one another, they also prosper, because that is how He designed our World to work.
Wealth is not static, not a set sum, that for some to have they must deprive others. No, wealth is made, it grows with the integrity of those who follow God's ways, and is to be enjoyed by all the people.
But even if some could manage to acquire ownership of all the World's resources for their own use, what would it profit them, if they only have it the few days of this life, and lose out on the eternal forever ahead of us all?
O Father, wake up Your Church! Continue to wake up Your Church! Wake us up to follow Your ways to love You and our neighbor as You love us, and to prosper to finance the coming of Your Kingdom.
Father, You know that our enemy is funding His minions to promote all kinds of perversions and twisting of Your beautiful Truth, making it into disgusting and despicable immitations to deceive and destroy the masses.
What You have told us to expect in the Last Days is all coming to pass right now. Please protect Your children, Father; so that even though a thousand perish at our side, and ten thousand on our right hand, it will not come near or touch us at all (Psalm 91:7-8).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Respect For Parents
Deuteronomy 5: 16, 33, 29
Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
O that their hearts would be inclined to fear Me and keep My commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!
This is the only commandment of the ten that has a promise attached to it. It's also the only command God gives to children. If a person learns as a child to always honor and obey the parents God gave them to, then as they grow older they will also be able to obey the others God gives authority over them; grandparents, teachers, policemen, etc. Then they will not be as likely to get into trouble, and their life will go more smoothly.
And they will also be able to obey God's rules, that puts order into the Universe and our societies and our own lives.
When children grow up with no respect for their parents, then they also will not respect other authorities, either.
And may end up in prison.
O my Father, I pray for my adult children who do not know You yet. Please show Yourself to them, draw them to Yourself, and teach them Your ways. They all grew up in a good Church, but two of the three have left Your beautiful Truth!
Please remove the demon of "cut-off" from my children, that has plagued my family for at least several generations.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
O that their hearts would be inclined to fear Me and keep My commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!
This is the only commandment of the ten that has a promise attached to it. It's also the only command God gives to children. If a person learns as a child to always honor and obey the parents God gave them to, then as they grow older they will also be able to obey the others God gives authority over them; grandparents, teachers, policemen, etc. Then they will not be as likely to get into trouble, and their life will go more smoothly.
And they will also be able to obey God's rules, that puts order into the Universe and our societies and our own lives.
When children grow up with no respect for their parents, then they also will not respect other authorities, either.
And may end up in prison.
O my Father, I pray for my adult children who do not know You yet. Please show Yourself to them, draw them to Yourself, and teach them Your ways. They all grew up in a good Church, but two of the three have left Your beautiful Truth!
Please remove the demon of "cut-off" from my children, that has plagued my family for at least several generations.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Songs To A Troubled Heart
Proverbs 25: 20
Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on soda, is he who sings songs to a troubled heart.
Oh my, have I been guilty of singing songs to a troubled heart, instead of weeping with those who weep?
I know that I do rejoice with those who rejoice; but I also want to commiserate with the miserable, not condoning (or accusing of) the sin that brought on the misery, but encouraging the troubled heart to trust in God.
God's Word created, and our words also have great power: a soft tongue can break a bone (v. 15). Our words can build up and encourage, or they can tear down and destroy.
O my Father, please grant me the discretion and discernment, in Your wisdom, to tread lightly, thinking and considering my words before I open my mouth or approach my keyboard.
Father, keep me mindful of my words, that I may see with Your eyes, hear with Your ears, understand according to Your ways, filling my heart with Your love that will overflow my mouth to speak Your words: to commiserate, to encourage, to teach, to admonish, to reprove--to be Your hands and feet and mouth to accomplish Your purposes.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on soda, is he who sings songs to a troubled heart.
Oh my, have I been guilty of singing songs to a troubled heart, instead of weeping with those who weep?
I know that I do rejoice with those who rejoice; but I also want to commiserate with the miserable, not condoning (or accusing of) the sin that brought on the misery, but encouraging the troubled heart to trust in God.
God's Word created, and our words also have great power: a soft tongue can break a bone (v. 15). Our words can build up and encourage, or they can tear down and destroy.
O my Father, please grant me the discretion and discernment, in Your wisdom, to tread lightly, thinking and considering my words before I open my mouth or approach my keyboard.
Father, keep me mindful of my words, that I may see with Your eyes, hear with Your ears, understand according to Your ways, filling my heart with Your love that will overflow my mouth to speak Your words: to commiserate, to encourage, to teach, to admonish, to reprove--to be Your hands and feet and mouth to accomplish Your purposes.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Given To Change?
Proverbs 24: 21-22
My son, fear the Lord and the king; do not associate with those who are given to change; for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?
In America we don't have a "king:" our king is our Constitution, because we are not a Nation of Rulers, but a Nation ruled by our laws.
We had a man who wanted to be our Emperor, who promoted "Change;" and he barely succeeded, gaming the system to gather the Electoral votes needed. And everything he did divided and tore down this great Nation.
I believe that God allowed him this window of power in order to show us how detrimental his reign was, to overwhelmingly (geographically, look at the map) elect our present President.
And the "spirit of antichrist" is still working (I John 2:18), and will continue to deceive those of the World.
But, dear friends, we are not of the World, if so be that God has called you to faith to put your trust in our Lord as your Lamb of God.
Pray with me:
Dear Father, Thank You so much for loving us so much, in spite of our sin. Thank You for washing us in Jesus' Blood, cleansing us to be as white as snow, without spot or wrinkle; fit to live with You in Your Glory.
Father, thank You for Your power, Your goodness, Your wisdom! Thank You for giving us everything we need, and even so much of what we just want.
Help us, dear Father, to listen to You as Your Spirit whispers into our own spirits. Strengthen us to follow Your directions, walking each step in the path You have placed our feet upon, obeying every rule for our own benefit and Your glory.
Protect all who are working to return Your Righteousness to the governments of the World, to permit the peoples of the Nations to enjoy the benefits, the prosperity You have put in this Earth for our use.
Help us in America to reverse all the changes that pulled us away from Your goodness for us, and return our respect for the principles of our National Supreme Law, our Constitution, that acknowledges You as our Lawgiver, our National Motto being: We Trust In God.
And help us, O Lord, to continually seek Your Face, conforming our thoughts and attitudes to Your ways, being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then we will be able to test and approve what Your will is--Your good, pleasing, and perfect will for each of us (Romans 12:2).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
My son, fear the Lord and the king; do not associate with those who are given to change; for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?
In America we don't have a "king:" our king is our Constitution, because we are not a Nation of Rulers, but a Nation ruled by our laws.
We had a man who wanted to be our Emperor, who promoted "Change;" and he barely succeeded, gaming the system to gather the Electoral votes needed. And everything he did divided and tore down this great Nation.
I believe that God allowed him this window of power in order to show us how detrimental his reign was, to overwhelmingly (geographically, look at the map) elect our present President.
And the "spirit of antichrist" is still working (I John 2:18), and will continue to deceive those of the World.
But, dear friends, we are not of the World, if so be that God has called you to faith to put your trust in our Lord as your Lamb of God.
Pray with me:
Dear Father, Thank You so much for loving us so much, in spite of our sin. Thank You for washing us in Jesus' Blood, cleansing us to be as white as snow, without spot or wrinkle; fit to live with You in Your Glory.
Father, thank You for Your power, Your goodness, Your wisdom! Thank You for giving us everything we need, and even so much of what we just want.
Help us, dear Father, to listen to You as Your Spirit whispers into our own spirits. Strengthen us to follow Your directions, walking each step in the path You have placed our feet upon, obeying every rule for our own benefit and Your glory.
Protect all who are working to return Your Righteousness to the governments of the World, to permit the peoples of the Nations to enjoy the benefits, the prosperity You have put in this Earth for our use.
Help us in America to reverse all the changes that pulled us away from Your goodness for us, and return our respect for the principles of our National Supreme Law, our Constitution, that acknowledges You as our Lawgiver, our National Motto being: We Trust In God.
And help us, O Lord, to continually seek Your Face, conforming our thoughts and attitudes to Your ways, being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then we will be able to test and approve what Your will is--Your good, pleasing, and perfect will for each of us (Romans 12:2).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, August 20, 2018
Who Inherits The Kingdom Of Heaven?
I Corinthians 15: 50
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Paul follows this statement with revealing a mystery that was not known until now: that the Church will be "raptured" and we will all receive our Resurrection bodies, those "spiritual bodies" that will envelope our "natural bodies," and be able to live with God where He is.
I wondered who would enter Jesus' 1000-year reign to repopulate the Earth, and be gathered at the end of that 1000 years to surround the Holy City (Revelation 20:7-9). They will need to have "natural" bodies, but in the Resurrection we will be like the Angels, not marrying or having children (Luke 20:35-36).
I was fine without knowing, since I know that God knows what He's doing.
Since then, I've been continuing to study, muse, and connect more dots in God's Plan of the Ages.
So I think that all over the World, those people who have not received the "Mark of 666" to worship the statue and have escaped the extreme persecution, along with the Hebrew people who have survived, will all see the Return of Christ Jesus, and beholding Him will realize that He really is Messiah and King (Revelation 1:7; Romans 11:26), and enter His millennial Reign in their natural bodies.
Then by the end of that 1000 years, the whole Earth will be repopulated, under the rule of King Jesus the whole time: our Golden Age. Since those who have been born during that time will have never known any other government; when Satan is released, he will be able to deceive them into believing that King Jesus is too stern, too rigid, too whatever, and gather them in rebellion.
That's when the Earth will explode, the Universe will implode, and God will re-make the whole Universe with a New Heaven and New Earth (II Peter 3:10-11; Revelation 20:11, 21:1). That will be the Kingdom of Heaven. King Jesus' rule has begun in our hearts, will continue in His World-wide reign, and last forever on the New Earth.
O my Father, You are Great; You are Good; You are Love, and in Your loving wisdom You have planned out everything You will do. And You have graciously given us the whole Story of Man in Your written Word, from before the beginning to after the end.
Your power over all Creation is absolute. The "free will" that You have granted every person is limited to being able to only choose what will further Your Plan.
If someone refuses to do something pivotal in Your Plan, You will have someone else do it, and the first person will lose out on the blessing (Esther 4:14).
Please, Father, strengthen me to do whatever it is You would have me do to further Your Plan and promote Your Kingdom.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Paul follows this statement with revealing a mystery that was not known until now: that the Church will be "raptured" and we will all receive our Resurrection bodies, those "spiritual bodies" that will envelope our "natural bodies," and be able to live with God where He is.
I wondered who would enter Jesus' 1000-year reign to repopulate the Earth, and be gathered at the end of that 1000 years to surround the Holy City (Revelation 20:7-9). They will need to have "natural" bodies, but in the Resurrection we will be like the Angels, not marrying or having children (Luke 20:35-36).
I was fine without knowing, since I know that God knows what He's doing.
Since then, I've been continuing to study, muse, and connect more dots in God's Plan of the Ages.
So I think that all over the World, those people who have not received the "Mark of 666" to worship the statue and have escaped the extreme persecution, along with the Hebrew people who have survived, will all see the Return of Christ Jesus, and beholding Him will realize that He really is Messiah and King (Revelation 1:7; Romans 11:26), and enter His millennial Reign in their natural bodies.
Then by the end of that 1000 years, the whole Earth will be repopulated, under the rule of King Jesus the whole time: our Golden Age. Since those who have been born during that time will have never known any other government; when Satan is released, he will be able to deceive them into believing that King Jesus is too stern, too rigid, too whatever, and gather them in rebellion.
That's when the Earth will explode, the Universe will implode, and God will re-make the whole Universe with a New Heaven and New Earth (II Peter 3:10-11; Revelation 20:11, 21:1). That will be the Kingdom of Heaven. King Jesus' rule has begun in our hearts, will continue in His World-wide reign, and last forever on the New Earth.
O my Father, You are Great; You are Good; You are Love, and in Your loving wisdom You have planned out everything You will do. And You have graciously given us the whole Story of Man in Your written Word, from before the beginning to after the end.
Your power over all Creation is absolute. The "free will" that You have granted every person is limited to being able to only choose what will further Your Plan.
If someone refuses to do something pivotal in Your Plan, You will have someone else do it, and the first person will lose out on the blessing (Esther 4:14).
Please, Father, strengthen me to do whatever it is You would have me do to further Your Plan and promote Your Kingdom.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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