Not being pushy, but you've got to decide

I have a friend who has cancer. His doctor's have reported there's nothing medically that can be done other than manage his pain with medication.  He continues to work as he normally has. I'm mainly concerned about the health of his soul over the health of his body.   I've tried my best over some weeks telling him it's not too late to make sure he knows for sure and is settled confidently on grounds spiritually speaking, of course, with God. I've made it very clear it's up to him to do that, but I am always available if he's not sure about his salvation and his eternal future. Clearly,  I would gladly do a Bible search to find specific scripture references so he would know God's Word on being back-slidden, being saved, or where your soul goes after the first death(death of the flesh), but more importantly, after the second death (spiritual separation from God). I can also ask my Pastor if there's something I can't locate in the Bible. Sadly, my friend has not asked me any questions, and every time I see him, I want to know if he's taken care of the most important decision of his life. He keeps telling me he doesn't want to talk about that right now. That's his decision and I am not going to corner anyone into making such a very important, personal, eternal decision. Against my normal character, I keep my mouth shut and pray one day he will bring the matter up to me.  Perhaps he just doesn't want me to know his decision. That's alright. I don't have to know. I've done what I could do in talking, writing, praying, and pointing to my friend to the one true source of hope and love and life.  God is always near, always eager to forgive, and always ready to welcome souls into the family of God.  He and anyone only needs to ask God, accept His Son as their Lord and Savior. I'm not being pushy to anyone to make their decision. When you get down to it, it really is a very critical decision because your decision will affect you for a very long time, like for the rest of eternity. And it's difficult for us mortals now to comprehend eternity. The best way I can explain it is, this decision for Jesus or not for Jesus will play on you forever and ever without end. So your decision best be the right one. That's not being pushy, just matter of fact.  Enough said, for now.

On Calvary, Jesus paid for mankind's sins. Ask Him into your heart.

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Jesus paid the ransom for all. God's Son is the Lord.

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Faithfully on that road to higher ground and wanting others on that same road forward road.

The Cross- a done deal

Yesterday a good friend asked me a question about her salvation. She's saved, but someone had told her something which got her doubting her salvation.  I told her that she has to remember what Jesus said as he died on the cross. Jesus said, 'It is finished."  My answer also included that you can't add nor subtract from the finished work of the Cross. Jesus did all the work of paying for the sins of mankind. That's a difficult thing for many to believe, and many doubt, but it's true.  All any person has to do is believe. That's what my pastor told me. Just believe. Some people still have the notion or doctrine that Jesus didn't complete his work on the Cross and we still have to perform and be perfect human beings, but of course we can't and fail, which makes us doubt our salvation.

Find peace with God and redemption of sins at the Cross

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 I also gave my friend five examples of people in the Bible, who even with their faults and sins, still went to heaven. Moses killed a soldier and when he found that someone saw him do this, he fled from Egypt. Moses is in heaven. Of the two men crucified on either side of Jesus, one believed. Jesus told him that that day he would be with Him in paradise. Mary Magdalene, the prostitute, whom Jesus rescued from being stoned, she believed. Jesus told her to go, and sin no more. She's in heaven. King David, had the husband of Bathsheba killed to cover a sin, then with the husband dead, he took Bathsheba as his wife because he had gotten her pregnant. David's in heaven. And Saul had Christians murdered before he had his life changing experience with Jesus. He believed and got a new name, Paul. He's in heaven.

God looks at the spiritual condition of your heart

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 God looks at the condition of the heart. There has to be a spiritual transformation in the heart- a welcoming of Jesus into your heart  is the only thing that can purify sin away. No one can save them self or anyone else. There's no humanly way anyone can do enough to gain God's approval, because you have to be perfect and without sin. It takes one that knows no sin to be an acceptable sacrifice and Jesus had and has the only seal of approval on that claim, so it's through Him that you can be saved and for your name to be written in the Lambs Book of Life to enter heaven. There is only one way- believe in Jesus.  First, admit you are a sinner in need of a savior. Believe Jesus is the Son of God. Believe Jesus died for your sins, and ask him into your heart and life by faith. Believe Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and is now seated at the right hand of God, our Heavenly Father interceding for his saints.  There. Done deal. If you meant that and believe that in your heart, you are now saved by the grace of God and your sins have now been forgiven, wiped away. You've by choice accepted God's one and only plan to be redeemed and saved from death to life. Praise the Lord!  You're still an imperfect human being. You're still gonna make lots of mistakes, and daily you're still in need of improvement and growth and maturity in being Christ-like-- that will be ongoing until you're called home. But one major difference in saved people compared to unsaved people is the condition of the heart. When you're saved, your heart is quickened to the things of God, the Holy Spirit is your counselor, the Bible is a living Word to you and God begins to open your eyes to His wisdom and mysteries contained in the Word, you're sins are forgiven and you're adopted into God's family instantly, with all rights and inheritances that belong to and are bestowed to sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father. Once you're adopted into his family, you can't be unsaved or kicked out of his family even if you make mistakes or sin. Sin doesn't have a hold on you like it used to.  You have a choice, and daily you should want to more and more refrain from things that are not of God. And adopted children have more legal rights than the blood children of a father.  By comparison, those people who chose not to accept Jesus and not to believe, can expect none of the above. Regretfully, they can't ever expect heaven to be their home. Sad, but that's God's plan for those whom don't have His Son.

Recap-
God doesn't expect us to be perfect. He only expects us to trust and believe in the Son that He sent to and for us.  But if a person chooses not to believe, God spells out what that person can have to look forward to. The choice God leave up to each individual. Just remember He's made our part the easiest. Jesus showed us the ultimate act of love in paying the penalty for our sins on the Cross- it was his blood that was shed, his flesh and bones that were beaten, he that died. Because of Him, we sinners don't have to face any of that.  He deserves all the praise and honor for doing so.
Remember, this is the spiritual part of your being. God looks at the spiritual condition of your heart. With Jesus in your heart, the filth of sin is wiped clean. Without Jesus in your heart, heaven is off limits. You may be able to fake others, but you can't hide the spiritual condition of your heart from God.  Is the Cross a done deal in your heart?


Supporting scripture:
Luke 23: 32-43
Acts 9:1
1 Cor 15:9
Exodus 2:11-12
2 Samuel 11:1-6,14-27

Until next time, I'm keeping my face upward and toward the Son.

Read About Me at my health site

Illusions and deceptions

Earlier this year I went to see a show held at a school auditorium. It was an illusion show. The illusionists were an entertaining, attractive young couple, a man and woman and their stage crew. The entire show was a top notch performance, and I admit I was stumped and mystified most of their entire act.  Since David Copperfield and his famous staged illusions, like making an elephant suddenly appear on stage, the term "illusion" really is a fitting term for how these entertainers mystify their spellbound audiences. Let me tell you, I was sitting pretty close to the stage and watched their every move without blinking, hoping to see a little fault of the hand to witness how the illusion was done.

When you're happy, that helps the illusion continue

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Torn newspaper illusion

 For instance, I watched the illusionist on stage tear the local newspaper into pieces, then he balled all the torn newspaper pieces in his hands.  He's on stage, wearing a t-shirt, standing in full view, with nothing around him.  Then he opens his hand, and unfolds the ball of newspaper and it's back to it's original condition. How?  It was an illusion. The hand can fool the eye. He's perfected his craft, and that's why the show was so entertaining. You know I got on the Internet and searched how to do that paper tearing illusion. I practiced and gave my own one-woman amateur show to some friends using a regular sheet of paper. It was fun to do, but I couldn't do it as well as a professional. Maybe with a dozen or so years of practice, I could perform that illusion and make someone wonder how did I do that.  But it's an illusion, and when done with precision, it looks real!

The master deceptor will gain the appeal of the masses

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If the right person could be so good convincing an audience, he could take it further and easily fool the masses. He could fool the world. He could have people eating out of his hand and believing everything he says and does. He could have people wanting and eagerly following his every suggestion. He could have people mesmerized with his craftiness. He could have people on the way to hell and they wouldn't even have an idea they were headed there because he's just that good. He has great communication skills, charisma, and power to give people the things they want so they will feel happy. But in reality he's an illusionist who's ultimate goal is to deceive. So in receiving things provided by this illusionist, in the end there will unfortunately be a dear, dear price to pay.

This all made me think that's what Satan, the fallen angel, is up to. He's the very best of the best at giving the illusion there's nothing wrong with taking what he's offering. Satan is offering the things that please and gratify the eye and the flesh right now, and feed your pride.  But he's failing to inform about his long term goal. His hidden agenda is to get your eyes off Jesus by any means possible. This very thing has been written in the Bible, and all should take note. Choosing against the things of God comes with some serious, adverse consequences.  The Bible tells you of these warnings to protect you from being hurt. God is Love and His Word is Truth. God desires you to seek Him, to know Him and praise Him for who He is, but He will not force you out of fear or trick you to honor Him. He wants you to do it willingly. Satan, however is about lying and deception to get you to praise him and give him attention instead of to God. He plays on your desires. The worse part is whatever he gives will never last and the price for it is hellish to pay. Satan's destiny is hell and the lake of fire. But before he's there he wants you to worship him and not God.  He's not giving that piece of information. He knows that if he gives you want you want, you'll be happy and therefore you won't see further than that.  He's pulling the wool over your eyes. And if you wear his mark, there's no way you'll get to heaven.  Satan wants to steal your praise and attention from God and Jesus- in other words, he wants you to suffer with him in hell.  Don't believe the devil's deception's.  Don't be in the crowd believing his illusions and deceptions. 

The Bible gives warnings

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Satan will 'burn' you

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Satan comes like a lion seeking to destroy

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Fire and brimstone

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The illusionist show I saw was entertaining. But the master illusionist is not about entertaining- he uses real things in order to get you hooked and turned away from the things of God.  If you're not aware of this, you wouldn't even know he was doing this. That's why he's the master of deception. In the Bible are many stories written about what happened when people turned from God, then when they came upon trouble, they cried out to God to deliver them. (the Hebrew people, David, Samson, just a few). The good news is God has provided all people a way to be saved from a dreadful and horrible ending. God desires all to be saved through His Son, Jesus, who defeated Satan and covered sin once and for all. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  No illusion of his crucifixion, nor of his resurrection, nor of the wounds he bore for us. Through Him alone, by faith be saved and never die a spiritual death. This is extended to every man and woman alike.  See my previous blog posting if you desire to know how to receive Jesus by faith as your Lord and Savior. What God offers is always good and lasting.


Scripture references: Revelation 12:9; 19:20; 20:10,14,15;  21:8
                                  1 Peter 1:3-12; 5:8-9
                                  Matthew 7:14-16; 10:32-33; 18:1-4; 24:51
                                  2 Corinthians 2:10-12; 4:4; 11:14
                                  2 Thessalonians 2:8-10
                                  2 Peter 2:4; 3:3-4
                                  1 Timothy 5:14-16
                                  Luke 12:5, and Chapter 21
                                  Isaiah 5:14
                                  Jeremiah 10:12
                                  Proverbs 27:20
                                  Mark 9:42-47 and Mark Chapter 13
                                  Acts 4:12
                                  Romans 1:16-32

(If you don't have a Bible handy, use this form to look up scripture-

Lookup a word or passage in the Bible

Sadly, many people think the things of God are foolishness, therefore they will not heed  warnings.  (1Corinthians 2:14)    Many prophets of the past foretold what was to come in the future. Wake up!  Those things are happening every day.  Right now, 1 out of 8 verses in the Bible deals with the times we're living in right now and what's going to happen in the future. The Bible can be trusted as God's Holy Word without a doubt.
Read what happened to this his man who called himself the "biggest skeptic in the world".  He set out on a mission to discredit the Bible. 

A friend took me to see the Cross Garden about ten years ago near Prattville, Alabama. The man who put up all these crosses was very adamant about warning everyone that it's not too late to get yourself in right standing with God. He was a missionary in the community he lived. The only time it's too late is after you've died a physical death, which is the first death.  If you've not accepted Jesus, who is the only perfect sacrifice God recognizes for payment of man's sins, then essentially the devil's got 'cha and final destination is the Lake of Fire, which is where your spirit will experience the second death, the worse kind of death possible.

This is a serious enough subject to communicate.  Your destiny is actually up to you.  God has already provided everything to lead and show you, but your will He will not violate. He will not force or deceive anyone. Satan even uses that in his deception plotting. Up front he makes everything look mighty attractive and tempting, with his promises and pleasing up front demeanor.  Many are and will continue to believe his illusions and deceptions rather than choose the way of true living God?  Remember the illusionist and so convincingly believable at making himself and things appear fantastic, so many would rather choose what he offers and turn from God. But only the true God loves you and knows what's ultimately best for you. Satan is not about love. The Bible tells you what Satan is all about, how he will carry off his plan, and why he's doing it.  Born again Christians,  are saved from an eternity separated from God, redeemed by the saving grace of Jesus, our Savior and Lord to a heavenly destination called home.  See these six steps to take right now to receive forgiveness of your sins and be saved from an eternity with Satan and his demons where your spirit will be tortured over and over without any hope of being rescued. Beyond horrible!



Yesterday I worked in the yard and forgot to apply sun protection on my face, so I figured it's a good time to make up a new facial mixture with pear and buttermilk.  So I did and included one drop of myrrh essential oil. Let me tell you I really like the myrrh in this facial- the aroma is so relaxing. I had to squeeze out as much juice as possible from mashing half a pear so this mixture wouldn't be too watery and drip right off my face. I applied this mixture to my face like a mask and enjoyed the aroma while making breakfast.  I'm going to add some aloe vera and yogurt to it for my next application, as you can see I made plenty.  I keep it in the refrigerator and the essential oils help keep it fresh for about a week.  Here it is below before blending in the myrrh oil.

My buttermilk, pear, and myrrh essential oil homemade facial

Humbly and graciously I keep my face before the Lord. Oh, by the way, my friends told me don't quit my regular job.


And lastly, I'll leave you with this video with a special message---

Mid Morning Watermelon and Three Converts

I don't know about you, but I sure do enjoy good watermelon.  I just had to include this photo after my last entry to show I'm still partaking of my garden surprise. While others may be thinking pumpkin this last Monday of October, I'm eating juicy watermelon from my garden, compliments of the One who gives me abundantly all good blessings. (See my previous entry about how I came upon this watermelon in my garden).

My mid morning watermelon plate

One additional thought for today's entry. Jesus started his public ministry when he was 12. That's pretty young if you think about a young man being about his Father's business.
Yes, young people can make the decision to serve God at an early age. If they are mature enough to make that decision about right and wrong and have knowledge to make that decision willingly, why shouldn't they?  It's my opinion that all parents should raise their children to be responsible, aim to have wisdom, and give them the foundation for serving God. The young are just as important in the family of God as anyone else.  God can use them just as he can anyone. So really, age is irrelevant.

Three young new Christians

The above is a photo I took of three wise young Christians. They understand what sin is, they know about Jesus and what did to pay for their sins,  and what it means to be saved. They each accepted willingly into their hearts Jesus as their savior and have also been water baptized to show our congregation symbolically what's happened in their life and hearts.   Their parents and grandparents must be so proud these precious children have come to want to accept Jesus at an early age. Praise God.

Scripture reference-
Luke 2:42-49
3 John 1:4

Keep forward facing in faith always

Love that never fails

I was thinking, love is what everyone's searching for? We all want it, need it, thrive on it.  Has love become what we seek for ourselves,  but not what we always want to give to our fellow man? Has love become such a fleeting emotion or choice? It seems it's so easy to dislike or find fault in others, but not so easy to love others who may be a little different in what they believe or different in how they look.
Everyday it's feeling more and more like Fall in the air. The leaves are starting to fall and the air is a bit cooler and less humid.

The seasons change. But God's love never changes.

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I'm studying about love in the Bible, I Corinthians,Chapter 13. When I read this chapter, I always receive a deeper meaning of this love.  The type of love that never fails, which has made me think about religion in current news events.  I'm well aware there are other religions besides what I practice, but my heart is saddened when I see unkind treatment to people associated with religion?  What kind of love keeps a gender subdued, confined or limited?  How could the God someone worships not call for love to all? I just don't understand. Women want to be loved unconditionally.  I am not going to hate anyone who doesn't accept the religion or God I serve and worship.  I am so pleased that my God loves unconditionally both men and women equally.  Because God loves us and shows us His love in everything, we are to love our neighbor, that means all people.  The entire message of the Bible is about love. God is love. And when we find that special person to love, we are to love them with another type of love one has for their spouse which binds them and their hearts together as one. That love should endure as well.

I believe God created man and woman to be together to love each other and be fruitful and multiply. This is God's idea of family. Anything else is not the designed family that God intended. A baby should grow up in a loving environment and see Mother and Father display unconditional love towards each other.

Father, Mother and child

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But getting deeper on the love in I Corinthians, Chapter 13, is the type of love many of us may never experience from the people around us- called unconditional love. Oh, we want others to have that kind of love for us, because that kind of love is not changed by circumstances or situations, or what bad might be going on at the moment. This kind of love is extra special, almost extinct now.  Unconditional love is not the here today and fade away tomorrow kind of love. This love is the I'd-give-my-life-for-you-kind of love. This is the love God has for us. God sent His precious Son, a part of himself in the flesh, to die a gruesome death in full public view. God and sin don't mix. All men and women have sinned and are sinners. Sin is disobedience against God, so Jesus took your place by dying for you. His dying was displaying the depth of his love, unconditional love, so your sins are wiped clean away, and you don't have to die. Your soul will be able to enter heaven.  No sin can enter heaven so it has to be cleansed away, and Jesus did that for you, but you must believe it to have your sins forgiven.  I don't know about your faith, but has your God shown unconditional love for you? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has cleared the way so the only two things you need to do is believe and accept his free gift? You don't have to work, or prove anything, or be perfect or perform anything. All you have to do is simply by faith believe and accept that God's love was sent in the body of Jesus, His Son, who died for your sins, and you, a sinner, by faith accept into your heart this free gift. It really is that simple. Then God's gift of unconditional love will live in your heart, and can then be displayed to others. Once you know what unconditional love is, you can share it. It's the greatest thing to experience and to share.
With Jesus in your heart, you can do it. And it's the greatest thing.

We know how to love because of God's love for us

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It's a matter of the heart and the heart has to be reborn to really know what unconditional love is. When you accept Jesus, you're born anew, reborn, saved.

                 

Bleeding Heart

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P.S. Love is what took Jesus to the cross. Love is what kept him on the cross until he fulfilled his mission. Love is what raised Jesus from the dead. Love is what will fill your heart when you accept Jesus into your heart by faith. You see, love never fails. Love is what will prevail in heaven, not hate. God is love. And love never fails. Get it?
In heaven there will be no need for hope and faith because Jesus will be there. Love will fill heaven.
Read I Corinthians Chapter 13, and I John 4:7-21, and Romans 10:9

Until next time, I'm putting my best face toward the Son.

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