WHY DID I BECOME A CHRISTIAN?

Because I came to the realization one day that I was spiritually dead because of my sinfulness and lack of Jesus Christ in my life! I was left with a choice, either choose to continue in sin and misery and death or turn to God for the Forgiveness and New Life He promised through Faith in Jesus. I chose the later - I wanted to live and not die.

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ROMANS 6:4

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

HE will silently plan for thee,
Object thou of omniscient care;
God Himself undertakes to be
Thy Pilot through each subtle snare.

He WILL silently plan for thee,
So certainly, He cannot fail!
Rest on the faithfulness of God,
In Him thou surely shalt prevail.

He will SILENTLY plan for thee
Some wonderful surprise of love.
Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard,
But it is kept for thee above.

He will silently PLAN for thee,
His purposes shall all unfold;
The tangled skein shall shine at last,
A masterpiece of skill untold.

He will silently plan FOR THEE,
Happy child of a Father's care,
As though no other claimed His love,
But thou alone to Him wert dear.
--E. Mary Grimes


TODAY'S QUOTE: ‘God then began to show me that the word of God alone is our standard of judgment in spiritual things; that it can be explained only by the Holy Spirit; and that in our day, as well as in former times. He is the Teacher of His people. The office of the Holy Spirit I had not experimentally understood before that time.

‘It was my beginning to understand this latter point in particular, which had a great effect on me; for the Lord enabled me to put it to the test of experience, by laying aside commentaries, and almost every other book and simply reading the word of God and studying it.

‘The result of this was, that the first evening that I shut myself into my room, to give myself to prayer and meditation over the Scriptures, I learned more in a few hours than I had done during a period of several months previously.

‘But the particular difference was that I received real strength for my soul in so doing. I now began to try by the test of the Scriptures the things which I had learned and seen, and found that only those principles which stood the test were of real value.'

George Muller.

TODAY'S EXCERPT: We are expecting God, in the way of His judgments, to visit his earth: we are waiting for Him. What a thought! We know of these coming judgments; we know that there are tens of thousands of our professing Christians who live on in carelessness, and who, if no change come, must perish under God's hand. Oh, shall we not do our utmost to warn them, if God may have mercy on them. If we feel our want of boldness, want of zeal, want of power, shall we not begin to wait on God more definitely and persistently as a God of judgment, asking Him so to reveal Himself in the judgments that are coming on our very friends, that we may be inspired with a new fear of Him and them and constrained to speak and pray as never before.

TODAY'S BIBLE TEXTS: because He has appointed a day in which He is going to judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He appointed, having given proof to all by raising Him from the dead. ACTS 17:31

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive the things done through the body, according to that which he has done, whether good or bad. 2 COR 5:10

Therefore I solemnly witness before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is going to judge the living and the dead according to His appearance and His kingdom 2 TIM 4:1

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements, burning with heat, shall be dissolved, and the earth and the works in it shall be burnt up.
All these things then being to be dissolved, what ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness,
waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements, burning with heat, shall melt? 2 PETER 3:10-12

TODAY'S QUOTE: Newness of life is in dying daily to self - giving up sin and taking up the cross.

TODAY'S EXCERPT: Is there any ever any ground to be cast down? There are two reasons, but only two. If we are as yet unconverted we have ground to be cast down; or if we have been converted and live in sin, then we are rightly cast down.
From 'Streams in the Desert' for today's date.

TODAY's BIBLE TEXTS: And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. HEB 9:27,28

In your patience possess ye your souls. LUKE 21:19

TODAY'S BIBLE PASSAGE

JOHN 5:1-14 WEYMOUTH Translation.

5:1 After this there was a Festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
5:2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, called in Hebrew 'Bethesda.' It has five arcades.
5:3 In these there used to lie a great number of sick persons, and of people who were blind or lame or paralyzed.
5:4 [Weymouth leaves this verse out!]
5:5 And there was one man there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
5:6 Jesus saw him lying there, and knowing that he had been a long time in that condition, He asked him, "Do you wish to have health and strength?"
5:7 "Sir," replied the sufferer, "I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is moved; but while I am coming some one else steps down before me."
5:8 "Rise," said Jesus, "take up your mat and walk."
5:9 Instantly the man was restored to perfect health, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
5:10 That day was a Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, "It is the Sabbath: you must not carry your mat."
5:11 "He who cured me," he replied, "said to me, 'Take up your mat and walk.'"
5:12 "Who is it," they asked, "that said to you, 'Take up your mat and walk'?"
5:13 But the man who had been cured did not know who it was; for Jesus had passed out unnoticed, there being a crowd in the place.
5:14 Afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him, "You are now restored to health. Do not sin any more, or a worse thing may befall you."

COLOSSIANS 3:23

NASB: Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, (NASB ©1995)

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GWT: Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly as though you were working for your real master and not merely for humans. (GOD'S WORD®)

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KJV: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

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ASV: whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men;

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BBE: Whatever you do, do it readily, as to the Lord and not to men;

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DBY: Whatsoever ye do, labour at it heartily, as doing it to the Lord, and not to men;

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WEY: Whatever you are doing, let your hearts be in your work, as a thing done for the Lord and not for men.

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WBS: And whatever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men;

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WEB: And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,

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YLT: and all, whatever ye may do -- out of soul work -- as to the Lord, and not to men,

Waiting to be Led

TODAY'S EXCERPT (from 'Waiting on God' by Andrew Murray, Chapter 15 - Waiting on God For His Counsel)

'... we need to believe in the Holy Spirit as the Guide and Teacher of God's Saints when they wait to be led by Him into the things which God has prepared and which the heart cannot conceive - more stillness of soul to realize God's presence; more consciousness of ignorance of what God's great plans may be; more faith in the certainty that God has greater things to show us; that He himself will be revealed in new Glory: these must be the marks of the assemblies of God's Saints if they would avoid the reproach, "They waited not for His counsel"'

(See Jn 16:13; 1 Jn 2:27; Rom 8:14; Eph 2:10; 1 Cor 2:9; Ps 46:10; 2 Jn 1:2; Eph 3:20; Jn 14:12,21)

Don't kid yourself into thinking God's mercy can be used as an excuse not to obey Him; that He will sympathize with you and let you off the hook! The Holy Spirit may be the Comforter but the Spirit is the Lord (see 2 Cor 3:17) and why would you call someone Lord that you don't obey? (see Luke 6:46).

In order to be Saved by Jesus (see John 3:17) you must Live through Him (see 1 John 4:9); walking as He walked (see 1 John 2:6) and bearing the fruit He bore (see Eph 5:9, Heb 12:11, Col 1:10, Heb 13:21) being zealous for good works (see Titus 2:14, Rev 3:19).

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called. JUDE 1

To be 'preserved' or 'kept' in Jesus Christ does not mean you are saved and can never lose your Salvation - that your Salvation is safe for as long as you live. It does mean that assuming you have come to Jesus Christ and been born again - He will now try to keep you with/in Him by disciplining and correcting you. You are only preserved in Jesus Christ as long as you are abiding in Him and allowing His correction and tutelage. If you go astray (and so abide in death!) He will try to get you back with/in Him in the land of the Living but it is up to you whether or not you choose that Life.

God can't preserve or keep anyone against their will. If you choose His discipline you are receiving His Salvation. If you reject His discipline you are rejecting His Salvation.

I guess it's all about Love. God's Love to you is His discipline and correction and your Love to Him is your submission and obedience, that is to say your repentance.

Dying to be changed!

There is talk in the New Testament of our physical bodies being changed and transformed into glorious spiritual bodies like Jesus Christ's. I wonder if people confuse the physical for the same as the carnal nature - they aren't one and the same. If you think that people who have been living according to their carnal nature will be changed into a spiritual form like the angels and Jesus Christ you are mistaken because the New Testament clearly teaches that if you live after the flesh (carnal nature) you will DIE. No, flesh and blood will not inherit the Kingdom of God, only those who have in their physical bodies crucified the flesh and walk in the spirit daily, in-Christ partaking of the Divine nature. Them and them alone will be changed as long as they abide in Him right up until He returns from Heaven. There is no way round this. Theological 'understanding' or the holding and confession of creeds will avail you nada. Only a New Creation and it's nourishment, growth and maturity matters and will inherit Eternal Life.



For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. PHILIPPIANS 3:20,21

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ROMANS 8:13.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:50

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. GALATIANS 5:24

While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. HEBREWS 3:15

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: COLOSSIANS 1:14

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: COLOSSIANS 1:30

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 PETER 1:4

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:15

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 1 JOHN 2:28

Wherefore also there have been born of one, and that of one become dead, even as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the countless sand which is by the sea shore. HEBREWS 11:12 Darby translation.

In this I saw that Abraham's Faith enabled him to do the impossible. He was dead to the natural but alive to the Supernatural by Faith!

What is the worst sin a person can commit? [not that you have any say in the matter anyway]. God can forgive it, if the person who committed it truly repents of it!

God, thankyou for the cleansing Blood of Jesus that washes me whiter than snow. I hope and pray that despite the darkness of the times we live in that souls will still repent for the first time and taste the Graciousness of the Spirit of Jesus. Even so Lord, come quickly!

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" MATTHEW 25:34

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." JOHN 18:37

Psalm 101
A PSALM OF DAVID.
1 I will sing of mercy and justice;
To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way.
Oh, when will You come to me?
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me;
I will not know wickedness.
5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor,
Him I will destroy;
The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart,
Him I will not endure.
6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,
That they may dwell with me;
He who walks in a perfect way,
He shall serve me.
7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house;
He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.
8 Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
That I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.

"For with God nothing will be impossible." LUKE 1:37.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" EPHESIANS 3:20

14For we have become partakers of Christ IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast TO THE END, 15while it is said:
“Today, IF you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” HEBREWS 3:14,15.


Confidence in the Promises of the Gospel as True and in the Power of God to raise the dead and give New-Life to sinners by obeying the Gospel to the end.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; PSALM 46:1,2


5Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6So we may boldly say:
“The LORD is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?” HEBREWS 13:5,6


6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 PETER 5:6,7

2For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 CORINTHIANS 6:2


8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. ROMANS 13:8-14


1Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”
2And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
3Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”
5And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
9“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14“So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 17But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
21“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. 22For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.
24“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
28“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! 30Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
32“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—36lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37And what I say to you, I say to ALL: Watch!” MARK Chapter 13


1But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
12And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophecies. 21Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.
23Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
25Brethren, pray for us.
26Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.
28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 1 THESSALONIANS Chapter 5.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
PSALM 73:25 KJV.

Ever feel like that? I'm sure you do. I do too. I don't understand how people live for this world, for carnal things and carnal relationships. Now that I have been given the Grace and Privilege of getting to know God, things just aren't the same! I feel like Paul when he said he was crucified to the world and the world was crucified to him! I mean, what IS there in this world for a Pilgrim? For a citizen of Heaven? I guess there is daily manna from Heaven! I don't consider myself an expert seeker and gatherer and eater of daily manna but with God's help I will improve - I just hafta!

God guide me Home. Father teach me Your Ways. Lord sanctify me by Your Truth [Word]. Help me to be stout, focused and faithful. I feel unworthy of your Name yet glad I have it in me! Forgive my iniquities and keep me from them. Make me Yours alone, for Your plan and purposes. God bless those you have put around me and those whom I go around. Have Mercy and pity on those souls that are perishing without you and be kind to them in their lives so that they might be induced to Repentance. Bless all my brothers and sisters that I know and that I don't - confirm us to the end and cause us to keep your commandments. Let us not forget that Christ in us is the ONLY Hope of Glory and help us to consider all things as dung in comparison to sharing our lives with You in Your sufferings.

Lord Jesus Christ, have Mercy on us as sinners and make us Overcomers by the Power of Your Grace! Amen.

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST: Thoughts leading to the inward life - chapter 11 - Of the fewness of the lovers of the cross of Jesus.

Few Love the Cross of Jesus

JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and ot for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if He should never give them consolation, yet they would continue to praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks. What power there is in pure love for Jesus -- love that is free from all self-interest and self-love!

Do not those who always seek consolation deserve to be called mercenaries? Do not those who always think of their own profit and gain prove that they love themselves rather than Christ? Where can a man be found who desires to serve God for nothing? Rarely indeed is a man so spiritual as to strip himself of all things. And who shall find a man so truly poor in spirit as to be free from every creature? His value is like that of things brought from the most distant lands.

If a man give all his wealth, it is nothing; if he do great penance, it is little; if he gain all knowledge, he is still far afield; if he have great virtue and much ardent devotion, he still lacks a great deal, and especially, the one thing that is most necessary to him. What is this one thing? That leaving all, he forsake himself, completely renounce himself, and give up all private affections. Then, when he has done all that he knows ought to be done, let him consider it as nothing, let him make little of what may be considered great; let him in all honesty call himself an unprofitable servant. For truth itself has said: "When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: 'we are unprofitable servants.'"

Then he will be truly poor and stripped in spirit, and with the prophet may say: "I am alone and poor." No one, however, is more wealthy than such a man; no one is more powerful, no one freer than he who knows how to leave all things and think of himself as the least of all.