HOW DO YOU NOT LOVE A GOD LIKE THAT?

“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will! ”

What Jesus purchased for us at Calvary’s cross though it comes to us free of charge, it did not come without a cost; it’s just that we could never pay the price!

It cost the life of God’s only begotten Son; and it cost Jesus His All!

How do you not love a God like that?

Micah 7:18 (The Message)

^18-20Where is the god who can compare with you—
wiping the slate clean of guilt,
Turning a blind eye, a deaf ear,
to the past sins of your purged and precious people?
You don’t nurse your anger and don’t stay angry long,
for mercy is your specialty. That’s what you love most.
And compassion is on its way to us.
You’ll stamp out our wrongdoing.
You’ll sink our sins
to the bottom of the ocean.
You’ll stay true to your word to Father Jacob
and continue the compassion you showed Grandfather Abraham—
Everything you promised our ancestors
from a long time ago.

So how do you not love a God like this?

The Bible gives us the record, in the Gospel of John – Chapter one (in the Skip paraphrase version) that: “In the beginning, before time and space began (was created and set in forth in motion by God), that there was the Logos (the Living Word), and the Word was God.

It goes on to say that, “He was in the beginning with God. That all things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men; and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not comprehend it.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and yet the world did not know Him, nor did it recognize Him.

And though He came unto His own people (the Jews), even His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to as many as believed on His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

So then the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth!”

This is the way I understand the way the Trinity works: It is God the Father who originates ALL the thoughts, purposes, and plans of the God Head, He’s the BOSS; then God the Father speaks those thoughts plans and purposes with the Word of His mouth; and God the Son (Jesus) is that Word (the Living Word), who then goes out to implement the thoughts, plans and purposes of the Father; and then it is God the Holy Spirit, who is the POWER source, who brings it all together, and makes it happen!

Such as it is, this is the account given in Scripture for where we ALL came from; and as we read further the story even gets more interesting; for the Bible says that even the angels of heaven bend over in amazement and wonderment at what God is doing with the Sons and Daughters of Adam, which to them is a great mystery?

Not only that, but the Bible also tells us (in Romans 8:19): “That the whole of creation awaits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed!“

When we stop to consider all the trouble and bother that God has had to go through; and the enormous cost of our salvation to the God Head; and all the pain and suffering that Christ had to go through, the question naturally arises… why would God go through all of that?

Well the answer is because God loves you; for even as it says in John – Chapter 3, verse 16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life!”

Truly, when you understand it, the Bible is actually God’s love letter to us, where we are told all that He has had to do in order to have his lost children reconciled back unto His eternal family; not only that, but the Bible is also God’s road map, left behind for us, in order to show us the way home.

So then I ask the question again: How do we not love a God like this?

And what should be our response to such love?

Well the Bible says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Messiah Jesus, who being in the form of God, and being God incarnate Himself, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God; but He made Himself of no reputation, taking on the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of man.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him (Jesus) and has given Him the name which is above EVERY name, that at the name of JESUS every knee must bow, of those in heaven, and of those in the earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST is Lord, to the glory of God the Father!” (Phil 2:5-11) Amen

I believe it was St. Augustine who said it the best, when he said for us: “To love God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your strength, and do as you please!“

Christianity is not a religion, as many would call it, and many practice it!

To say that and to leave it there is a cop out, because Christianity is so much more.

Jesus did not come to this earth and suffer all that He suffered just so we could practice religion!

Religion attempts to earn God’s acceptance and approval through human effort and by our works; but the Bible says that Salvation only comes by Grace, as a free gift!

No, religion most often tends to cheapen all that God has done, by making some believe they can earn it; but the truth is nothing we can do will ever add to, or take away from what Christ has already done for us on the Cross!

So as you are collating all of this, and possibly asking yourself what side do I fall on, when it comes to this Man, Christ Jesus… please consider this last point that I will leave you with… and that is, though this gift of salvation comes to us free of charge, by GRACE, meaning we don’t deserve it; and even thought it comes totally by way of unmerited favor; nevertheless, there is however a cost involved for us; and therein lies a paradox, because we can only lay hold of this New Life, by dying to self, and our living for God!

Going to church and having a label doesn’t get anyone into heaven! Selah

For more information about how all of this works, and how to appropriate this awesome gift of salvation, and this New Life for yourself, here is a website that might be helpful, and will answer some of you questions: http://needhim.org/… beyond that, consult the Operations Manual (Book of Information Before Leaving Earth—the BIBLE).

Shalom,

Skip Barland

What to do when you hurt… and how to deal with the problems of life!

Listen up folks; this is the way you deal with life, and life’s problems!

Listen to what Jesus said on the Sermon on the Mound…

(Scriptures are from the Message Bible):

³ “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

⁴ You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

⁵ You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

⁶You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

⁷ You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

⁸You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

⁹ You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

¹⁰ You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

^11-12 Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.” (Matthew 5:3-11)

Jesus also said:

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)

“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:24)

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Below there is another very good devotional message by David Wilkerson; this one is on the subject of what to do when you hurt.

Before I begin with my message, let me say just one thing right off the top; and that is if life and also the Bible teaches anything, it is that most of the people are wrong most of the time!

What does that mean?

It means that our being successful at life, and being on God’s team has nothing at all to do with being friends with the world, and going with the flow of the world, or doing what most of your friends, or peer group are doing… and yet that is what most do!

The Bible is VERY clear on this point, in fact it is crystal clear on this subject, and it says unequivocally that we are to enter through the “Narrow Gate,” and it is narrow because few there are who will take it; for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to death and destruction, meaning eternal separation from God (Matthew 7:13).

This is very important because much of the world, meaning most of your friends and most of the people you encounter everyday, if we understand what this verse of Scripture is saying correctly, it is saying that most of them are on their way to hell… and believe me you do not want to be in that group!

Not only that, but the way you will end up in that group is by going with the flow, and being average and ordinary… being ‘Politically Correct!’

Being a Christian on the other hands means you are going against the flow of what the world calls average and normal, and by their standards you are abnormal and weird if you are a follower of Christ; and James 4:4 will tell you that by your being friends with the world, that makes you an enemy of God! So are you understanding the words that I am speaking to you… you most certainly DO NOT want to go with the crowd!

Now with that said, let me move on to my next point, on how the Bible presents us with many many paradoxes, and I believe the reason for that is because God is wanting to point out the fact that truly OUR ways are not His; for God says:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa 55:8-11)

Our mission in life as the Bible sets forth, is first to be Born-again, meaning that we receive by faith the forgiveness of our sins; and are reconciled back into God’s family through the Gospel message of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Kingdom of Heaven!

That will first necessitate our repenting, which means to literally change the way we think.

In other words God is wanting to completely rewrite our core programming that has been corrupted by the world; and He will rewrite that programming with His own… by the Holy Spirit.

However, for that to happen we have to first be willing to humble ourselves and be teachable; and that humility will first be experienced from your friends, who will not at all accept or understand what you are doing!

In fact, on that point… have you ever noticed how much people are like a bucket of crabs?

By that I mean, if you have ever seen a bucket of crabs, what you will find is that every time one tries to crawl out, the others will immediately hook them back in.

Well your friends will be exactly like that. They will also try and hook you back in!

So to start with, to be a follower of Christ means doing something quite different from what you have been doing, and what most of your friends are doing; it means being different… and it will humble you to be different, and to take the ridicule from your friends and the teasing for being different.

Being a Christian first means that we have to be willing to deny our self; meaning we let go of this idea of living our life as we see fit; and we begin to pursue an entirely new life in Christ; where no longer are we the masters of our destiny, and are seeking after our way, our ambitions, and wants and desires; but we instead are now bond servants of the Most High God… and a bond servant is someone who willingly relinquishes his or her freedom and will in order to follow and serve another.

Now in case there is still any doubt about what is being said here, let me make it a little clearer by quoting it directly from the Master:

Matthew 16:24-27

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”

In other words, and this is another one of those paradoxes… you can only live by dying!

Not only that but the very things you have been conditioned to rely upon, in the world, since your birth, such as your feelings and your understanding and reasoning, ALL of these things you are now being asked to deny, and to now order your life after God’s Word, and faith in God’s Word; which means you are now to guide everything you do, and hang your entire life and all of your circumstances, trials, and problems on the promises of God’s Word!

It means that you must learn to put on the mind of Christ and pursue His ways and His means of doing things… and now are forsaking your ways and that of the world!

Well some of you, and I used to be in this group myself, are saying I’m a member of such and such a church and I have been baptized; I’ve already had my First Communion, or whatever liturgical requirements are put forth in your denomination, in order to be a member; but yet according to what Jesus just said, ALL of that won’t even get you past the front door of heaven, if you haven’t first completely died to yourself, and made Jesus Christ Lord and Master of your life!

Folks this paradox is absolutely crucial that we ALL understand!

After all Christ did not come to earth, suffer all that He suffered, die a cruel death on the cross, all so we and I can attend church on Sunday and on holidays, or whatever; just so we could live our lives, and pursue our interests, and live as we please… that was NOT what Calvary was all about!!!

Does that not make sense to you? I mean are you getting my drift here, or not?

I ask this because I know sure as shooting that there are many people out there, and I know because I talk to them, and some of you right now, who are reading this message, are actually thinking that way; and are living your life hoping that just because of whatever label you have over your church, and the fact you are/or once were a member of that church, or denomination, you are right with God; and are of the mistaken opinion that having that label will get you in to heaven! Well, I’m here to tell you now that it will not!!! And mind you, that’s not according to my word, or my opinion; but that’s according to what Jesus has said, as you have just read.

For those of you who are currently on that broad road, trying to enter through that Wide Gate; if you would like to make your reservations for eternity, and accept Jesus as your personal Saviour and Lord, here is a website that will give you a road map: http://needhim.org/.

The next thing is, having been born-again, we now enter into the “Boot-camp” of the Holy Spirit; and we begin our training for eternity!

By that I mean God will use our circumstances, our trials and tribulations, and our challenges in life to teach us how to live by faith, and how to circumnavigate our problems, and cast mountains (spiritual obstacles) that Satan has placed in our path into the sea.

Now it doesn’t at all matter what those mountains are, whether we are talking about physical mountains, financial, emotional, or whatever… every problem, every demon, and ever situation must bow at the name of Jesus Christ!

Before that happens however, and this is MOST important, we have to be filled with the Person and also the power of the Holy Spirit, which is God’s POWER, which He provides that allows us to tap into His supernatural powers, and to see and experience signs, wonders and miracles in our life, and more importantly in our ministry to reach this lost world for Christ!

Without that power we are virtually helpless to have any kind of effectiveness at any level, not only in our personal life; but also in any kind of ministry we may be involved with.

That failure alone, to be filled with God’s power and guided and directed 24/7 through the ministry of the Holy Spirit will be a major handicapped in our trying to reach this world for Christ!

Even as Jesus has said… “Without me you can do NOTHING!”

And that is exactly why Jesus instructed ALL of His disciples to not do anything in the way of ministry, before they had been endued with POWER from on high, which power came on the Day of Pentecost!

Now the last Paradox that I’d to point out in this message is how Jesus said that by our having problems, and that by our learning to manage our way through our problems; and our gaining victory through faith in what Christ has already done, when we pray in His Name; Jesus said that by our having this experience, that our JOY would be complete!

In other words our Joy, which as the Bible says is the source of our strength, can only happen through our gaining victory over our situations and challenges; and by faith having successfully defeated the strategies of the enemy in our life!

That’s what Jesus meant when He said:
“In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world!” Selah

So your mission and mine today is to not be on the defensive, cowering in fear at what we think may happen; but rather God has given us an “E” ticket ride to have the thrill of a lifetime, which will be the most exhilarating experience anyone can ever have, in our riding the wave and flow of the Holy Spirit in our situations.

So instead of our shrinking back and hiding in the face of adversity, we are now aggressively charging the gates of hell, and those mountains in our path… because now through our own experience of having seen the Word in action and the power of God, we know beyond any doubt that GREATER is He that is in us, than he that is in the word… that truly now our JOY can be complete! Selah

Now go out today and kick Satan’s butt, in Jesus name! 🙂

Shalom,

Skip Barland

—–Original Message—–
From: DAVID WILKERSON TODAY [mailto:no-reply@lists.worldchallenge.org]
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 12:02 AM
To: devotions-en@lists.worldchallenge.org
Subject: WHEN YOU HURT

WHEN YOU HURT

by David Wilkerson | June 28, 2010

In one way or another, we are all hurting. Every person on earth carries his own burden of pain.

When you are deeply hurt, no person on earth can shut down the inner fears and deepest agonies. Not the best of friends can understand the battle you are going through or the wounds inflicted on you.

Is there a balm for a broken heart? Is there healing for those deep, inner hurts? Can the pieces be put back together and the heart be made even stronger?

Yes! Absolutely yes! And if not, then God’s Word would be a hoax and God himself would be a liar. That cannot be!

God didn’t promise you a painless way of life. He promised you “a way of escape.” He promised to help you bear your pain. Strength to put you back on your feet when weakness makes you stagger.

Our loving Father said, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Your heavenly Father watches over you with an unwavering eye. Every move is monitored. Every tear is bottled. He identifies with your every pain. He feels every hurt. He will never allow you to drown in your tears. He will not permit your hurt to deteriorate your mind. He promises to come, right on time, to wipe away your tears and give you joy for mourning.

You have the ability to make your heart rejoice and be glad in the Lord. God’s eye is on you—and he commands us to rise up and shake off all those fears causing doubt.

http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/devotions/2010/when-you-hurt

Faith is seeing things that are not as though they are…

Faith involves our broadening the vistas and boundaries of our imagination, and our being able to see things there that are not yet visible to our natural eye!

For truly, as we look at the definition of FAITH and we learn it is the substance of things hoped for; and the evidence of things not yet visible or felt in the natural; how else can we get there and see those things that are not as though they are except by way of a sanctified imagination?

As Jesus said:

“All things are possible if ONLY you can believe!”

Below is a devotional message on IMAGINATION, which I think you will like.

As we study the account given in Romans 4, where we are told of the encounter where Abraham, the father of FAITH, was informed by God that he and his descendants were to be given the entire earth as an inheritance; it is obvious that surely such a vision required Abraham to use his imagination to see it… especially since his wife, Sarah at age 90, was well beyond the age of child bearing.

Also we know from Scripture that most certainly this awesome gift was not being given to Abraham based on his obedience or his ability to keep the law; but rather the Bible says that it was based on Abraham having a right relationship with God, a relationship that can ONLY come by faith.

In James 2:23 we are told that, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and that Abraham was called a friend of God!”

Man, how cool is that, to be called a “Friend” of God? And yet does not Jesus say of us, in John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants, … instead, I have called you My friends!”

So the Bible tells us that this promise was received by faith; and that it was a free gift. And we are also informed that we may also receive this blessing, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses too, if we also have faith like Abraham had!

For Abraham as the Bible says, became the father of all who believe; and this is truly what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.”

The reason why this happened was because Abraham, again as we learn from Scripture, he believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing!

Do you not see that? Again… how does a person do this without a sanctified imagination?

But the Bible doesn’t stop there, because it goes on to say of father Abraham that even though there was no reason for his hope (in the natural), Abraham nevertheless kept on hoping — and believing that he would truly become the father of many nations.

For God had already told him to look at the stars in heaven, because: “That’s how many descendants you will have!”

The Bible goes on to tell us that Abraham not being weak in faith; that he did not consider his own body, though in a sense it was already dead (since he was about a hundred years old); nor did he consider the deadness of Sarah’s womb (with her being 90 years old).

Instead we are told that in spite of all these things that Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief; but that he was strengthened in faith, and in so doing he was giving glory to God.

We are told that he (Abraham) was fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was also able to perform… and therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Likewise, if we can lay hold of God’s promises in that same way, by FAITH, then we too can experience the impossible; but this will require our doing exactly as Jesus said, when he told His disciples that unless they became as children, they could not experience the Kingdom of Heaven.

Children can do this quite naturally, and they have no problem whatsoever seeing things that are not… and so did each of us once upon a time!

Folks if we are to navigate through this life successfully, and if we are to experience all that God has intended for us, and also be empowered to fight the battles and appropriate our inheritance, it will necessitate our using our sanctified imagination, and our hanging the total of our life, and our circumstances on the promises of God’s Word.

Therein concludes today’s lesson… so live long and prosper, and go forth and do likewise! 🙂

Have a blessed day!

Shalom,

Skip Barland

From:
On Behalf Of FullnessOnLine
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 4:06 AM
To: theskipper@cox.net
Subject: What The Lord Is Saying Today

What The Lord Is Saying Today

June 28, 2010:

You do love Me, don’t you?

Then how good and expansive is your imagination?

Can you see what you cannot see yet?

Can you hear what you cannot hear yet?

I know you to have a very active imagination. You use it all the time.

Some of the things you see and hear in what you call your imagination are nowhere in the ballpark of what I want to show, speak and bring into your life.

The only hope you have of attaining to this level of revelation is to step aside, relax and pray.

Let your spirit be opened like the doors of a huge cattle barn. You must not interfere, especially by acting too quickly, until you have received what I am giving and also until you have received instructions on how I want you to use it.

You do love Me, don’t you?

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NLT)

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. Ras Robinson

June 28, 2010:

I have for you areas to explore that are way beyond your magination.

You will be amazed at what you see and hear.

I have been waiting on you, for you to come to where you are now.

You are ready to discover. You had no idea this adventure was available for you, because you thought it was beyond what your mind could conceive. But this find will open up vistas and ideas that have never entered your mind.

The provision is there so you will not have to worry about that. It will be available for you to explore the different paths you will take. You’re ready so let’s go.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (AMP)

“But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]. Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny].” Bev Robinson

Mailing Address:
Fullness in Christ Ministries, P. O. Box 136117, Fort Worth, TX 76136

God made something beautiful out of my life!

Keeping our eye on the ball, and remaining focused on the what is the true meaning of Life…

His name is Jesus Christ!!!

Only He can make something beautiful out of our life!

Steve Apirana – Singer/Songwriter

Steve Apirana is one of the finest Christian musicians currently working in Australasia (this is a region of Oceania: and includes Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and other neighboring islands in the South Pacific).

He is a gifted communicator, highly skilled guitarist and vocalist with an extraordinary sense of humor.

As a musician, Steve specializes in blues and gospel. His pedigree reaches back into the seventies, having played support for such luminaries as Daddy Cool, Black Sabbath, Split Ends, and Dragon.

He was a member of the seventies band Butler and as well as doing much solo work he was involved with The Velvettes, a sixties spoof rock band. Equally at home with acoustic guitar or his trademark Fender Strat, Steve’s playing is matched by his rich bluesy voice.

Steve captivates audiences in a way that very few can. When performing, it’s not long before his charm, honesty, self – depreciating humour and excellent musicianship has audiences totally absorbed.

A former street kid, Steve found faith in Jesus Christ, graduated as a social worker, and then returned to the same streets, working with the Anglican City Mission to reach out to people in need. Steve’s life and experiences have been a perfect grounding for a style of communication that doesn’t threaten but dares to be honest.

I haven’t heard this song in a long time; and reading an old book today, I ran across the CD stuck in between the pages.

As it happens, I really like both the message and the song; and so I thought to share it with you.

I hope you like it too, and that it blesses your day!

Shalom,

Skip Barland

Our REAL problem in America is spiritual…

Man has the tendency to forget that the Lord God is God in heaven, it is He who has created us… not the other way around, we did not create ourselves!

If there is any one problem that we in the U.S. can attribute our current woes and calamities to, it is this one fact, that we as a nation have lost our way, and we have forgotten the Lord our God!!!

Let us heed God’s WARNING to His Covenant people Israel:

Deuteronomy 8

Remember the LORD Your God

¹ “Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers.

² And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

³ So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.

⁴ Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.

⁵ You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you.

⁶ “Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. ⁷ For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; ⁸ a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; ⁹ a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. ¹⁰

When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.

¹¹ “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, ¹² lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them;¹³ and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; ¹⁴ when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; ¹⁵ who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; ¹⁶ who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— ¹⁷
then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’

¹⁸ “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

¹⁹Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. ²⁰ As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.

I’ve included a very good devotional message (see below) from My Daily Bread, about “Toxic Living.” Be sure to read it, as I think it is very relevant to where we are today as a nation, and how we got here.

There are several important points that we can glean from this particular scripture in Deuteronomy 8:

“Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe…”

To the extent we as a nation have taken God out of our schools, the enemy (the Devil) wasted no time and came into fill that void, back in 1963. And by the way, this decision to take God out of our schools was brought about as the result of one woman’s lawsuit in 1963, for which the church remained virtually silent and accepted that decision; and our society has gone downhill ever since!

In an interview on September 13^th in 2001, right after 9/11 occurred, Anne Graham-Lotz (Billy Graham’s daughter) was asked the following question by Jane Clayson, on the CBS Early Show: “If God is good, how could He allow this to happen?”

To which Anne Grahm-Lotz responded: “I say God is also angry when he sees something like this. I would say also for several years now Americans in a sense have shaken their fist at God , and have said we want you out of our schools, out of our government, out of our business, and we want you out of our marketplace.

And so God, who is a gentleman (in response to this), has just quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life; and He has removed His hand of blessing and protection.
If it is raining and you leave home without your umbrella… whose fault is that?

We need to turn to God first of all and say, God, we’re sorry we have treated you this way and we invite you now to come into our national life. We put our trust in you.
We have “In God we Trust” on our coins, and we need to practice it.”
“And you shall remember that the LORD your God…”

Have you ever wondered why God picked Abraham to be the Father of His chosen people “Israel,” and also the Father of faith?

To find the answer to that question we have to look to Genesis 18, verses 16-19; where we are given the following account:

“¹⁶Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.

¹⁷ And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, ¹⁸ since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

¹⁹For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”

It is most apparent to me that our one failure in the church is that we have failed to pass the baton of our faith on to the next generation; and that mistake, at least here in the United States was compounded on that infamous day back in 1963 when our courts decided for the American people that belief in God and our teaching about God to our children, was of no importance and was irrelevant to their lives… and what you see today among out politicians and educators is the result.
In the next part of verse 2, we are told the reason why God at times will allow us to suffer lack: “God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.”

Often the question will arise in our lives, when we are beset with difficulties, tragedy, pain and/or suffering, as to why is my life so hard; does God not see what is happening to me… and does He not care?

Well the answer to that question is yes, of course He sees and of course He cares; but God’s priorities are very different from ours.

God is not so much interested in our being happy and comfortable in this life, as He is about our being trained and taught in the ways of faith, that we may be fit for His service; that we may learn to wage war against the enemy of our soul (Satan); that we may charge the enemy’s gates, and be about our Father’s business, which is to reach this world for Christ; and also that we may learn to put on the mind of Christ, and be molded into His image… as Jesus Christ is our model and our example in all things pertaining to this life! And it is also in Jesus, who is called “The Last Adam,” that we may learn our purpose and the reason for our existence… and that is that we may do the Will of the Father in earth, as it is in Heaven!

The overwhelming and all important message however, of Deuteronomy 8, and also God’s warning I might add, is that we NOT forget the Lord our God, and that we not begin to take credit ourselves for His many blessings, that He has given to us!

The sin of ingratitude is a very egregious sin, in God’s eyes; and add to it the sin and also the insult to God of our taking credit ourselves for all of His blessings, as though we could have done it without Him.

This is a direct offense to God, in that not only are we not honoring Him as God and are not thankful to Him; but to add insult to injury, we also begin to think of ourselves as gods, and we ignore the one true God!

I can only hope and pray that what God said in Romans does not happen to us here in America, where God grew so weary of the hardness of their hearts, that the scripture says “He gave them over to believe a lie!”

That certainly does seem to be the direction that our nation is headed; and that is why it is so critically important that we pray and intercede for our nation, for God’s grace and mercy… that He forgive us of our sin, as a nation, for having removed the land marks of his laws from our society and culture, and for having forsaken His ways… to follow our own!

Let us continue to pray for America that we find our way back home, as a nation; and that we humbles ourselves and repent; that we restore our Constitutional Republic; and that we clean house and remove those people from public office, who have secret agendas, who lie to us and are taking our nation further away from God!

Let us pray for the right kind of “Change,” that brings our nation back to God! Selah

Shalom,

Skip Barland

From: RBC Ministries [mailto:donotreply@rbc.org]
Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 9:10 PM
To: theskipper@cox.net
Subject: Our Daily Bread — June 28, 2010

June 28, 2010

Toxic Living

READ: 1 Samuel 13:7-14

Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord.” —1 Samuel 13:13

Picher, Oklahoma, is no more. In mid-2009, this once-bustling town of 20,000 went out of business. In the first quarter of the 1900s, Picher was a boomtown because of its abundant lead and zinc. Workers extracted the ore, which was used to help arm the US during both World Wars.

The town faded as the ore began to run out—but the biggest problem was that while the lead and zinc brought wealth, they also brought pollution. Because nothing was done to deal with the pollution, Picher became a toxic wasteland, and the government condemned the land.

What happened to Picher can happen to people. Prosperity can look so good that it’s hard to think about possible downsides.

Actions that are detrimental to long-term spiritual health are accepted, and unless the problem is corrected, destruction follows.

It happened to King Saul. He began as a good king, but in seeking success he failed to see the damage he was doing.

Turning his back on God’s commands, he acted “foolishly” (1 Sam. 13:13) and lost his kingdom (v.14).

In our attempts to find success, we need to watch out for spiritual pollution that comes when we fail to follow God’s clear scriptural guidelines. Godly living always beats toxic living. —Dave Branon

The Lord has given us commands
And told us to obey;
Our own designs are sure to fail
If we neglect His way! —Bosch

No one can be a real success without God.

To read today’s Our Daily Bread online visit our website.
Copyright © 2010, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA. Written permission must be obtained from RBC Ministries for any further posting or distribution. RBC Ministries produces a variety of Bible resources, which are available for the asking. RBC Ministries is not funded by any group or denomination, and support comes voluntarily from its members and friends. Write rbc@rbc.org for more information.

This message was sent from RBC Ministries to theskipper@cox.net.

It was sent from: RBC Ministries, 3000 Kraft Ave, Grand Rapids, MI 49512.

Prophecy is God’s News before it happens…

Prophecy is God’s News before it happens…

Listen to God’s heads up message and warning regarding events that are about to befall the earth!

But thus saith the Lord:

“Surely the Lord GOD does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”

Amos 3:7

Below I have listed a Prophetic Warning that was given back in March of 2009, by David Wilkerson, that I think you will find interesting; especially in light of the Prophecy you have just seen in the above video.

With that said, there are many voices that are out in the world today who are predicting the future; some of whom I believe are today’s modern version of what we would call false prophets, who are just as the false prophets were that we read about in the Bible.

The way we can recognize these false prophets is they are always telling the people what they want to hear, without any concern whatsoever, and with no respect or regard to what God has already spoken and revealed in His Word, the Bible.

The most noticeable of today’s modern day false prophets I believe can be found among today’s talking heads in the News Media; and I believe also that same lying spirit can also be seen and heard among many of today’s political leaders; many of whom have made their entire careers out of telling people just what they want to hear… again with no respect nor regard for what God has already spoken in His Word.

Last but not least there are also many voices that can be heard today, coming from God’s New Covenant people, who are described in the Bible as being neither Jew nor Gentile, but are of those who are, what the Bible calls, a New Creation in Christ.

Now I consider myself to be a part of that group; and even here it has been my observation that also in this group there are often conflicting voices and opinions, regarding last days events, and what is about to happen in the world.

So the obvious question is, how can we discern which voices are true and are from God; and which are false?

For me, I can only turn to the Bible to gain an answer to that question; because the Bible is the only accurate source we have, where we are able to discern and learn of pre-established patterns which God has already set forth, and has used in the past.

It is also only in the Bible that we find how God has interceded and intervened in the lives of His estranged children, who are among the sons and daughters of Adam, in order to bring correction.

The Bible tells us that there are basically four groups or categories, of people that are in the world today, as relates to covenant relationship with God.

The first are found among God’s Covenant people, who are His chosen people, who are of the “House of Judah,” and are called… the Jews;
The second are among what the Bible calls “House of Israel,” who are also known today as the “Lost Tribes of Israel;”
The third are among what the Bible calls “Neither Jew nor Gentile” and these are members of God’s new creation, called the Church;
And fourth we have those who are not a part of any covenant relationship with God at all, and are lost!

By the way, on the subject of “Saved” and “Lost,” this leads me to another important point, because there are many who are in the world today, who often hear this terminology being bantered about by Christians about the “Saved” and the “Unsaved” (or Lost), and they have no idea what those two terms mean… and often the question is posed by them: “What do I have to be saved from?”

Well, in a nutshell to be “Unsaved,” or lost, is a term that is used to describe people who pass from this life into eternity without the benefit of having a Covenant relationship with their Creator, as He has set forth in the Bible.

And also, on the subject of these two groups of which the Bible calls “House of Israel,” and “House of Judah,” for those of you who are unfamiliar with these two groups, listen here to what God has to say through the Prophet Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 3:8-18 (New King James Version)

⁸ Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. ⁹ So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. ¹⁰ And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,” says the LORD.
¹¹ Then the LORD said to me, “Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. ¹² Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say:

‘ Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD;
‘ I will not cause My anger to fall on you.
For I am merciful,’ says the LORD;
‘ I will not remain angry forever.
¹³ Only acknowledge your iniquity,
That you have transgressed against the LORD your God,
And have scattered your charms
To alien deities under every green tree,
And you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the LORD.

¹⁴ “Return, O backsliding children,” says the LORD; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. ¹⁵ And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

¹⁶“Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the LORD, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore.

¹⁷ “At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.
¹⁸ “In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers.

Now mind you, even though these events of which we read here in Jeremiah, about the reuniting of “House of Israel,” and “House of Judah,” are viewed by many in the church as having already occurred, they have not; and are yet to happen. This is in fact a prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled; but that I believe will be fulfilled very shortly… I believe after the church has been taken out of the picture and has been ruptured (or translated in the twinkling of the eye, to quote the Bible) to be with Christ.

So again I repeat the only accurate and reliable way for us to correctly discern and judge prophecy, as it relates to current events that are happening today, and are about to happen, is for us to look to the Holy Writ of Scriptures (in the Bible); and there to find the patterns that God has set forth through recorded biblical history of past events; and how God has in the past intervened in the affairs of man, in order to bring correction and repentance.

You see, just as the Bible says… “God changes not, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!“

Shalom,

Skip Barland

AN URGENT MESSAGE

by David Wilkerson | Saturday, March 7, 2009

I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world.

AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING; WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE – EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.

For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago.

There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression.

We are under God’s wrath. In Psalm 11 it is written,

“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (v. 3).

God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.

The prophet Jeremiah pleaded with wicked Israel, “God is fashioning a calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh, turn back each of you from your evil way, and reform your ways and deeds.

But they will say, It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart” (Jeremiah 18:11-12).

In Psalm 11:6, David warns, “Upon the wicked he will rain snares (coals of fire)…fire…burning wind…will be the portion of their cup.”

Why? David answered, “Because the Lord is righteous” (v. 7). This is a righteous judgment—just as in the judgments of Sodom and in Noah’s generation.

WHAT SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS DO? WHAT ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE?

First, I give you a practical word I received for my own direction.

If possible lay in store a thirty-day supply of non-perishable food, toiletries and other essentials. In major cities, grocery stores are emptied in an hour at the sign of an impending disaster.

As for our spiritual reaction, we have but two options. This is outlined in Psalm 11. We “flee like a bird to a mountain.”

Or, as David says, “He fixed his eyes on the Lord on his throne in heaven—his eyes beholding, his eyelids testing the sons of men” (v. 4). “In the Lord I take refuge” (v. 1).

I will say to my soul: No need to run…no need to hide. This is God’s righteous work. I will behold our Lord on his throne, with his eye of tender, loving kindness watching over every step I take—trusting that he will deliver his people even through floods, fires, calamities, tests, trials of all kinds.

Note: I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off. I have unburdened my soul to you. Do with the message as you choose.

God bless and keep you,

In Christ,

DAVID WILKERSON

Posted by David Wilkerson

Read this devotion online: http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/2009/03/urgent-message.htm

Here’s an awesome testimony of God’s healing power today…

Listen as Rolland Baker shares his testimony about how he was healed!

Rolland and Heidi Baker Iris Ministries
Pemba, Mozambique 21 June 2009

I am surrounded by the rolling green hills of western Germany. Rich groves of shade trees line the winding country lane on which I am taking my daily prayer walk. The day is beautiful, filled with blue sky and brilliant clouds. Cows graze lazily behind fences. An occasional farm tractor rumbles by. Hay is stacked high in the fields. Rabbits scurry under bushes. Grass is growing tall along the path, and I brush it aside as I walk. I’m a mile outside the little village where I am staying, enjoying my private time with Jesus…

Through the love and power of God I am coming back to the world of missionary ministry, in answer to the prayers of many. I am writing this to thank all of you who love me and have been praying for me with all your hearts. I am excited to tell you that you have not poured yourselves out in vain! I have been in a battle that has lasted almost two years. In July of 2007 I experienced a nervous breakdown that resulted in a lot of mental and emotional stress. Doctors prescribed medications that only partially helped and had negative side effects. I had a nervous tension that was oppressive and extremely unpleasant. As time went on my memory slipped more and more until I had signs of serious dementia.

Heidi was patient and loving, promising to take care of me, but was extremely concerned and beginning to prepare for the worst. I had a choice between giving in to despair, or inheriting God’s promises through faith and patience. There is only up and down, and I chose up. You my friends did not give up on me, but prayers began to rise up to heaven all over the world on my behalf. I was invited here in Germany a little over a month ago by a beautiful couple we have known for years, Wayne and Irene Negrini. They heard about my condition, and were determined to help me through their long experience with medical and natural remedies.

They run a red-hot, fervent Christian ministry called “Community without Walls” in English. They have loved on me and extended themselves to me financially and time-wise in an amazingly unique way. They also run a small hotel, restaurant and “Wellness Center” with saunas, a weight room, massage rooms, alkali scrub tables, all in a beautifully, meticulously built center — mostly the result of voluntary labor. And so I accepted their invitation and have been staying with them in their guest house. I have gotten a tremendous amount of treatment — they’ve spared nothing to get my body and me healthy again.

This has involved a sophisticated series of injections designed to build up depleted organs, like the adrenal glands (mine were down and out). Then I’ve had a lot of IV infusions designed to do many things, clean out brain capillaries, wake up my nervous system that gives me sleep and rest, give massive doses of needed vitamins and other things my body was very low on. And then I also got medications of all kinds for various purposes, restoring needed chemicals in the body and brain. It has been an all-out effort on the part of my hosts to do everything possible for me.

Doctors donated their time. Materials such as IV needles, bandages, misc. things, were donated. Nurses spent hours with me for free. All this past month Wayne and Irene and the staff here have also been praying for me, counseling me and interceding for me intensely. And I’ve been receiving email from so many of you, telling me of your heart and your prayers for me. The bottom line is that now I am thinking clearly and normally, which is huge. I do not have dementia. The road has been long and difficult, but I am greatly blessed and encouraged.

Thank you for not giving up on me, and for persevering with me through everything. I cannot thank you enough! I have a ways to go to settle my nervous condition down, but I am confident in the Lord of victory. Bless you for continuing to pray! My expenses here have still been considerable, so I want to thank from my heart those of you who are contributing to the mercy fund that was opened on my behalf. The beauty of the body of Christ is great, and I am blessed and moved by you and your sensitivity. Jesus knows what I need, and how to deliver it.

The ministry in Mozambique continues to thrive and grow. The presence of God is strong. Visiting teams are going out to the villages, seeing the blind and deaf healed. Our mission school is in session, and students are in training for a life of mission ministry. The children in our care are worshiping Jesus and praying their hearts out for people and the needs of our work. Churches are being added to our Iris family all the time. Our staff is busy, full of good works and the love of God. We are expanding in many other countries as well. All this requires a large financial budget, and again we owe you a huge debt of love for supporting us so faithfully, even in a depressed economy.

You are making possible our life work, and your continued sensitivity is a sign and a wonder to us. Bless you for fleshing out your spiritual life with concrete financial support. Thank you, thank you! Jesus knows what we need, and you are listening. That’s my news. I look forward to writing you again soon with more encouraging reports on all that Jesus is doing in our lives, and especially in my own life and body. May Jesus be with you in return in every way. May faith and patience be yours in abundance! Your replies to this newsletter at news@irismin.org will reach me, or you can write me directly at rolland@irismin.org.

The Dark Night of the Soul… a time common to ALL Christians!

The Dark Night of the Soul…

a common place for all Christians in these days!

Below is something I think will bless you…

This is the history behind the Devotional Classic,

Two Listeners:

The Story of the book – A. J. Russell

Here’s the story behind the book:

This devotional classic is the result of two anonymous authors, two ladies, who experienced and lived through the German Blitzkrieg, aerial bombing runs over England during World War II.

As the story goes it all started after one of the “Listeners” was first exposed to a copy of A.J. Russell’s book, For Sinners Only.

She was so impressed with it that she wrote down more than 100 names of people to whom she wanted to send it, and later went on to record the following:

“A few months later I read it again. It was then that there came a persistent desire to try to see whether I could get guidance such as A.J. Russell reported, through sharing a quiet time with the friend with whom I was then living.

She was a deeply spiritual woman with unwavering faith in the goodness of God and a devout believer in prayer…. We sat down, pencils and paper in hand and waited…. My results were entirely negative…. But with my friend a very wonderful thing happened. From the first, beautiful messages were given to her by our Lord Himself, and every day from then these messages have never failed us.”

This story of how the Two Listeners devotional classic was written I think is important because that same God in equally available to speak to each of us in our problems too, that is if we know how to listen.

Today’s message (below) I think certainly goes along with the times in which we are living in today!

I think for a lot of people today, they do feel as though they have been through a fiery furnace, and are being tested… and folks, from what the Bible says is going to happen in the last day, we can expect that things will get a lot worse!

Jesus called these times that we are in “The Time of Sorrows,” and that is exactly as it is; but from God’s perspective this is not at all about defeat and depression, rather this is a time which God has intended for the church to experience its greatest hour.

These trials and tribulation which are common to all mankind are allowed by God to train and to prepare His Children to fight spiritual battles; to teach us to live by faith in God’s Word; and to acquaint us with the strategies and battle plans of our enemy, who is the Devil.

And as I read the end of the Book… we win! Selah

Shalom,

Skip Barland

From: Two Listeners
Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2010 2:31 AM
To: theskipper@cox.net
Subject: GE – June 26 – Life’s Furnace

God At Eventide

Life’s Furnace

Life has its furnace for My children, into which they are plunged for the molding.

At their request I watch and watch until I can see them reflect My Glory. Then comes the further shaping into My Likeness. But the metal from which that Likeness is fashioned must be indeed pure.

So often My children are impatient for the molding, never thinking that the refining must come first.

To do My work there must be much refining.

blessings to you and yours this day and always …

www.twolisteners.org

In Luke 10:18 did Jesus reveal the name of the Antichrist? You decide…

Satan is banished from Heaven!

Jesus said to them:

“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven! “

(Luke 10:18)

Aren’t these truly interesting times to be living in? Challenging as they are… they are still nevertheless very interesting!

I dare say that the Old Testament Saints would have given anything to be where we are today, to be living in these times that will see our Lord return to earth!

I want to thank Laurel for passing this video on to me. I’ve used it before, but I think it is well worth our viewing it again.

The Bible truly is an amazing book; as there are many secrets which God has hidden within its pages… for us to find.

Question: Could this be one of those secrets… and did Jesus truly revealing to us in Luke 10:18, as the above video would suggest, just who the Antichrist is, and what his name is?

I have often said that if Obama were not the Antichrist, then certainly as I understand how the Scriptures speak of him and describes him as a very charismatic and popular figure, who would woo many over by his personality and popularity alone, and then later by signs and wonders in the supernatural, that he is able to perform. Certainly based on the first description alone, this man Barack Hussein Obama qualifies.

Though he speaks of himself as being a Christian, his actions and words show us differently.

Case in point, as any Sunday school student knows, as this is Christianity 101, and known by ALL of us who are born-again Christians… Jesus Christ is the ONLY way and ONLY door into heaven; and yet Barack Obama and also former President George W. Bush are both on record as saying that Jesus is NOT the only way; but that all roads lead to heaven!

Folks that is Pantheism, it is not Christianity!

So I certainly would say that based on the charisma and popularity description alone, Obama already fulfills that part of the description; and as such at the very least, as I have said before, if he is not the Antichrist, then he is most certainly a prelude to him.

Is he really the one… I don’t know! But I certainly have my eye on him; and I think it is not by accident that the above verse of Scripture, as we read what it says in the original tongues, says what it does.

What am I saying?

I’m saying this… be wise as serpents… and don’t be deceived; because as we know from what Jesus has already said, much of the world in the last days will be deceived; and even Christians will be fooled, when the Antichrist appears.

Regardless let us remember whether this is true or not, regarding Obama, and also with regard to former President Bush… they are both only men; and as such, they are not our enemy.

We also need to remember this, that except for the grace of God, and the influence of the Bible in our own lives, we would be just as wrong and just as decieved… and also just as lost!

As for what we should be doing for both Obama and also former President Bush… just pray for them!

Pray for God’s mercy and grace to be upon our entire country, and on us all.

Pray that we as a nation would humble ourselves and repent; and that Christians would fall to their knees all across our land, and that we would turn from our wicked ways, and that we would seek after God’s face, and pray for God to heal our land and put our country back on the right path! Selah

Shalom,

Skip Barland

So what must I do to be saved?

Life comes from only one source,

the Creator, Jesus Christ, who said…

“I am come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly!“

What provides the fuel that feeds your life?

Jesus said we cannot serve two masters, both God and Mammon (mammon is this world system, but it also is the name of a demon god)… for Jesus said, “We will cling to the one and hate the other.”

Jesus said that He is the life; that He came that you could experience life more abundantly!

Jesus also said that man does not live by just bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God!

So I ask you again, what is the source and fuel that runs your life?

To answer that question, just ask yourself what do you live for?

We each have been given a free will, but the choices that we make with that free will have eternal consequences!

In the end we ALL are accountable and we all will one day have to give account to God for how we lived our life.

So yes we all have been given a free will, but that only means that we are free to choose who or what we will serve.

Let us remember the first and second commandments:

I am the Lord your God… and you shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:1-3)

You shall not make unto yourself any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, in order that you should bow down to them and worship and serve them; for thus says the Lord your God:

“I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; but showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:4-6)

Now I ask again, what is the source that you derive fuel for your life?

You may say, “Well, I’m not religious; and I don’t go to church very often (if ever); but certainly I’m no better or worse than anyone else… and certainly I don’t hate God.”

Remember how Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and Mammon, for you will cling to one and hate the other!”

Well that means exactly what it says… and if you would like to hear it another way, God is saying that either you are in God’s camp by choice, as an act of your free will and volition, to serve Him; or you are in the camp of Mammon (the world and its system) by default… and you are serving him. But you cannot have it both ways!

Let me put it another way, or rather let me tell you what Jesus had to say:

Luke 9:23-26

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

²³ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,^[a] and follow Me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

²⁵ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”

Are you starting to get the picture? I’m not sure how much plainer it can be… and these are the words of Jesus himself!

Let me just say this, Jesus did not come to earth, and die a cruel death on the cross, just so that we could live as we choose, and attend church maybe sometimes, but nevertheless live our lives as we choose, in order to please ourselves!

As it says in Isaiah 53: “All we like dumb sheep have gone astray, each choosing his or her own way, and the Lord laid on Him (Christ Jesus our Lord) the inequity of us all!”

Folks I don’t know how it could be made any clearer, but this going your own way, and doing your own thing, as most of the world is doing… and in your doing what seems right in your own mind, but doesn’t match up with what God has written in His word… is taking you to straight to hell!

So that being said, if you would like to change the direction of your life, and plug into the true Source of Life… who is the one who created you and gave you your life to begin with… then just follow this road map: http://needhim.org/.

His name is Jesus Christ… and don’t you dare leave home without Him!

Shalom,

Skip Barland