Christian Living
This writing is simply a random collection of my thoughts concerning Biblical truth, faith, inspiration, encouragement and the Christian life. They continue to be a help to me each time I read them. Perhaps they will be useful to you as well.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
* I know that the day when my life on earth in over, my last breath here will be my first breath in Heaven. When my eyes close in death, they will then be immediately opened there to see the loving, outstretched arms of my Jesus welcoming me. I know that when I see Him, I will know Him by His shining, smiling face and by the scars in His nail pierced hands. What a day that will be!
* If Jesus should return in the next 60 seconds, would you be ready to meet Him? The Bible says that if we’re not looking for Him, He will come back at a time we least expect. His coming is very, very near. Are you watching, waiting and longing for Him? Have you invited Him into your heart as Savior and Lord of your life? You must be ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN you have done that because tomorrow might be too late.
Listen closely and you can almost hear the footsteps of the Master on the Hills of Glory as He prepares the way. He may already be at Heaven’s door about to tell Gabriel to sound the trumpet call, then, He will come for His children. If you don’t truly belong to Him, then He’s not coming for you.
* All throughout our lives we will experience hills and valleys. Sometime we might find ourselves in a very low valley and then must face a hill that seems like an un-surmountable mountain to climb. During the past few years due to serious health issues, I have faced both. You see, cancer interrupted my life in January 2000 and then again in January 2004.
However, I have learned that our God on the mountain is also our God in the valley. If we truly seek His face, He will take us by the hand in that darkest valley and will safely lead us out. He will put His strong arms around us and then carry us over the tough places in our pathway. He wants us to lean on Him all the way from that deep valley to the highest mountain peak.
He is just waiting patiently for us to be totally dependent on Him. Invite Him into your heart as Savior and Lord of your life today. He will lead you out of the dark valley and into the bright sunshine at the top of the mountain. I just praise Him and forever will be grateful to Him that I am cancer free today. What an awesome God we serve!
* God is so BIG He can cover the whole world with His Love and so small He can curl up inside your Heart.
* There are two books of the Bible that Satan hates. They are Genesis and Revelation.
Genesis because it reveals Satan’s wickedness, deceit and also prophecies his doom.
Revelation because the doom prophecy for Satan is carried out when he is thrown into the lake of fire forever.
* True faith is having a rock solid belief and unshakeable assurance in the promises of God.
* Ways/what people believe....or not.
1) Some don’t believe any of the bible.
2) Some think parts of it are probably true, but not all of it.
3) Some don’t want to believe all of it; they are in denial that it could apply to them.
4) Some want to pick and chose only the parts they want to believe. Might affect their lifestyles and/or the way they were taught to believe.
5) Some people, when a biblical truth is brought to their attention that they chose not to believe or agree with, then they play their “interpretation” card to twist it into something they want it to say.
* I don’t want to someday stand before the Almighty God (the Bible says all will stand before Him) and tell Him that I don’t believe some or all of what He had to say.
* The day is coming soon when the only things we’ll have is what we have given to God.
(our heart, soul, love, trust, acceptance, time, money and talents)
* Concerning the rapture, if you’re not anxiously waiting and watching for Him, then He’s not coming for you (Heb. 9:28, Luke 21:36, Acts 1:11, John 14:3, 2 Pet. 3:3-7).
* Our Almighty God created everything that exists and has a perfect plan for all that was, is and will be. He is in complete control of all His creation. He controls all life – even our next breath and heartbeat. Think about that the next time you want to do something that you know will tic Him off!
* Biblical prophecy is simply God writing history in advance – all with 100% accuracy.
* With God, Get right...or get left.
* A Christian must get on his knees before he can get on his feet.
* Today and everyday when storm clouds gather and life’s ups and downs begin to threaten on all sides, then lift up your head and rejoice in your salvation.
* Prayer is not getting God prepared to do your will, it is getting you prepared to do God’s will.
* God never intended for prayer to be a mindless repetition of memorized words.
* Your relationship to Jesus Christ is determined by one thing, doing God’s will. If you are not doing God’s will, then you are not in the family of God.
* When you pray you need to be so specific that when the answer comes, only God could have sent it.
* Just because one professes faith does not mean one possesses faith.
* If you wear a cross around your neck and you don’t truly have Jesus in your heart, then you are as pagan as savage tribes in the deepest jungles of Africa.
* Give the devil an inch...and then he’ll become a ruler.
* What you do with Jesus will determine what He will do with you.
* You can crown Him or you can crucify Him...but you cannot ignore Him.
* Just as the first coming of Jesus was prophecy fulfilled, the second coming will also happen exactly as prophesied. Be ready...do not miss it!
* Do you have in your life any love for anything or anybody that is greater than your love for Jesus? Is there anything God has given you that you would not be willing to give up or give back to Him if He asked you for it? (life style, possessions, money, your life, your family). If the answer is yes to ANYTHING, then God is not number one in your life.
* There is only one alternative to total obedience to God...and that is disobedience.
* When Satan tries to put doubt in your mind by reminding you of your past, then just hold your head up high and remind him of his future.
* If anyone says there are other ways to Heaven, they should be asked to explain why Jesus died on the cross. Why did God, who is the creator of all things and the giver of all life, have to send His Son to suffer and die on the cross for our sins if there was another way?
Would they have gone to the cross when Jesus was hanging there dying to ask Him why He didn’t come down from there? Would they tell Him they had heard there were other ways into Heaven and that He didn’t have to die like that for anyone? Heb. 9:22 clearly states that without the shedding of blood through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross there can be no remission of sins.
* “Hope” in the Bible means “absolute certainty” that an event will happen.
* In the Lord’s Prayer, why would He teach us to pray “Thy Kingdom come” if it wasn’t going to happen?
* Jesus is not in Heaven saying “let’s make a deal” – He’s saying “this is the deal”. Nothing is negotiable.
* Faith can do the impossible at the most impossible time – if God is in you and you are in Him. Heb. 11:1 Faith is being certain of what is hoped for but cannot see.
* Even though Jesus had all knowledge, when He talked to children they understood Him. When He talked to simple fishermen they understood Him. When He talked to the beggars and the sick they understood Him. However, when He talked to the educated intellectuals they would not and could not understand Him. Ref: Luke 18:17 and 1 Cor. 1:20,21
*If you aren’t...
Always mindful of the things of God.
Anxiously watching and waiting for His return.
Talking to Him in prayer daily.
Studying your Bible daily.
Regularly attending a Bible preaching church.
Finding the time or desire for some of the above.
Then, Satan has deceived you into believing his biggest lie…that you don’t need God!
* You will either please God and offend the world, or you will please the world and offend God. You can not have it both ways.
* The message of Jesus Christ always was the answer, it is the answer and always will be the answer.
* There was once a day when you ‘were not’, but there will never again be a day when you ‘won’t be’. You will spend all of eternity somewhere. The question is, do you know with absolute certainty where you will be? If your answer is ‘maybe’ or ‘hopefully’ or ‘perhaps’ or ‘wherever’, then you haven’t truly repented and invited Jesus into your life as Savior and Lord.
* If you don’t follow God, you’ll miss out on His plan for your life.
* If you don’t have God as number one in your life, then there’s at least one idol in your life. An idol is anything you fear more, love more, serve more, value more or embrace more than God.
* God has a moment chosen in time beyond which we will not live.
Psalm 139:16 Our days ordained before they came to be.
Eccl. 3:1,2 Time and season for everything; time to be born and die.
Deut. 30:19 God sets life, death, blessings and curses.
Acts 15:18 God knew all things from eternity past.
* Today as never before, people and churches are ignoring what God has to say and what He requires/demands of us through His Holy Word. Instead, they use “interpretation” as a means to justify twisting God’s Word into something they want it to say.
* Being a member of a certain church CANNOT save you. Being baptized as a baby CANNOT save you. The faith of your parents CANNOT save you. Good works CANNOT save you. A pastor or priest simply praying over you while you are dying CANNOT save you. The ONLY THING that can save you is putting your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. It is a choice, a conscious choice that YOU and YOU ALONE have to make BEFORE you die.
* God doesn’t want perfect people. He wants broken people. Until we realize we are broken and in need of God, the Holy Spirit cannot enter our lives.
* Have you ever thought about how long eternity is? Our human minds simply cannot comprehend it. Just imagine if you will a great mountain of solid granite. Also imagine a small bird with a silk scarf in its beak flying low repeatedly over the top of that huge mountain so that with each pass, the scarf brushes ever so lightly on that granite. Eventually, that silk scarf will begin to wear away the hard granite. When that great mountain has finally been worn down to the same level as the valley below, then the amount of time it took to do that will be but a brief moment in eternity.
* When we pray, we are talking to the God who created all things and it must be done as He commands in humbleness and true repentance. If He truly lives in us, if we are truly in Him and if we pray as He has told us to pray, then God will hear us. When He hears us, the heavens will begin to shake and the demons will tremble and flee. Whatever we ask in His name, He will do it (John 14:14). God will move mountains for us if we just ask and believe (Mark 11:22,23). He has promised the floodgates of Heaven will be opened up with blessings so abundant we won’t be able to contain them (Mal. 3:10). He’ll give us vineyards we didn’t plant, houses we didn’t build and wells we didn’t dig (Deut. 6:11). We will be like a tree planted beside the River of Living Water (Jere. 17:7,8; Rev. 22:1,2). God is patiently waiting for us to ask Him – just do it! What an awesome God we serve!
* You can laugh your way into hell, but you won’t laugh your way out after you get there.
* If Jesus isn’t the passion of your life, then you don’t know Him and He does not live in you.
* Christ is either Lord of all or He’s not Lord at all in your life.
* If you don’t believe in the rapture, not only are you denying the truth of God’s Word, but then how would you know if or when the real Jesus has come back? (Matt. 24:5, Matt.24:23-26, Mark 13:6, Mark 13:21-22, Luke 21:8) These scriptures tell us that men will come claiming to be the Christ showing great signs and deceiving many. Anyone can clothe himself in a white robe and call himself Jesus. Anyone can stand on the Mt. of Olives and declare himself King of Israel. Anyone can have scars surgically implanted and claim to be a descendant of David. DO NOT BELIEVE THEM!
The next time true believers see Jesus will be in the clouds at the rapture when He calls His own to be with Him as promised in 1 Thes. 4:16,17. The rapture is an event that simply CANNOT be duplicated by Satan!
* Jesus was called the great Physician, He is the great Physician, He is on the throne today and He always will be.
* If your church ever teaches ANYTHING contrary to God’s Word or condones ANYTHING that the Bible says is an abomination to God, then you must prayerfully consider leaving that church for one that faithfully preaches the complete Holy Word of God exactly as it was handed down by Him.
* The small amount of heat you might feel in this life for following Jesus is nothing compared to the heat you will feel for all of eternity for rejecting Him.
* Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except thru me.” He suffered and died on the cross in our place for all my sins and yours. After three days, He rose from the dead victorious over death and the grave. He ascended into Heaven and is preparing a place for us. Jesus, the Name above all names, is soon to return for us and will rule and reign forever and ever. He will be King of Kings, Lord of Lords and of His Kingdom there will be no end.
* If you were to be put on trial for being a Christian...would they find enough evidence to clearly convict you beyond any reasonable doubt?
* If you don’t believe in something, then don’t say that you do. But if you do believe it, then say it...and live it.
* Jesus is called the great ‘I Am’. He is not just the great ‘I was’, nor is He the great ‘I will be’ someday. He always was the great ‘I am’, He is the great ‘I Am” and He always will be the great ‘I Am’. The Bible says He never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
* If you don’t know Jesus, then one minute after you die, you will suddenly realize too late that you would have given up everything for only one more minute of life and breath just to have asked Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior.
* If during every day of your life you don’t feel you really have any problem with temptation, then you and Satan are going in the same direction and that direction is away from God.
*In Matthew 4:19 and Mark 1:17 Jesus said “Come, follow Me and I will make you fishers of men”. Notice here that He was not saying that we ‘can be’ or ‘might be’ or ‘should be’ fishers of men. He was saying we ‘WILL BE’ fishers of men - after we answer His call to follow Him. All born again believers are not only part of a larger ministry, but each is also called to proclaim the Gospel ‘in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2)’ wherever we are in this unbelieving world. Are we doing that? Do we have a burden and ministry to reach out to our lost family, friends and those we associate with each day? If not, then perhaps we have not followed Him because we do not truly belong to Him. We need to think about that!
* Are you eagerly watching and waiting for the return of our Lord? If not, that day will surely come upon you when you least expect it. 1 Thes. 5:4 says He will come suddenly as a thief in the night if we are not watching for Him. The Bible warns true believers to be ready and know the signs that His return is at hand.
Matt. 24:33 When you see all these things (signs), you know that it is near, right at the door. Matt. 24:42 Keep watch as we do not know what day He will return. Luke 21:28 When these things (signs) begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. Luke 21:36 Watch and pray always to be counted worthy to escape all that will come to pass. Phil. 3:20 Eagerly await our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Heb. 9:28 He will appear to those who eagerly wait for Him. 2 Pet. 3:12 We are to look forward to that day. Rev. 3:12 (NKJV) Behold, I am coming quickly (suddenly)! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
* Not all who talk about Heaven will actually go there. Not all who claim to be saved (born again) are really saved. The world is full of people who talk the walk, but don’t walk the talk. Keeping the commandments is not the way to salvation. But rather, it is a sign of a changed heart and our desire to walk as Christ walked after we become born again. 1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 1 John 2:4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
* It has once been said that the largest and greatest mission field is not somewhere in distant places around the world. It is in our own churches right here in our own back yard.
* God is seldom early and is never late. He is always right on time.
* If you pray and you don’t truly know the One you are praying to, then God will not hear those prayers. Your prayers will not even leave the room. The only prayer from a non-believer that God will hear is when they ask Him to ‘be merciful to me a sinner, I repent of my sins, forgive all my sins and come into my heart as my Savior and Lord of my life’.
* You cannot be a practicing born again believer and support any of those things that God in His Word says is sinful or calls an abomination. Also, you cannot believe that there is any other way to Heaven other than through Jesus’ shed blood on the cross.
* Because God is everywhere, you can pray anywhere and at any time
* When everything seems to be in a downward spiral, the world appears to be falling apart and the future seems bleak and hopeless, then know that God has a plan. He is in control and He WILL win the battle in His own time according to His plan. It’s all in His book – read it!
* Today it seems that we have so much of the world in the church and so much of the church in the world that it’s hard to find any difference between the two. There has been such a blending of the black and white (light and darkness) that all has become gray. One result is that the lifestyles of many professing Christians have become virtually indistinguishable from unbelievers. Much of this is caused by not preaching the solid Word of God and by not calling sin what it really is - all done to avoid offending anyone.
* God loves us. God hates sin. If we sin, and we all sin, the wages are death. That's what makes God's love to us, through the sacrifice on the cross, so astounding - He paid the price Himself. It isn't denying God's love to speak of God's wrath and His condemnation of sin. How in the world can we comprehend our need for salvation unless we understand God's condemnation against sin? It is the wrath of God against sin that makes my heart rejoice in His love and salvation. That's why His grace is so amazing!
Praise Him who died for us when we were yet sinners, and praise Him who paid the price for my sins so that I could escape the wrath to come. I am saved by GRACE, through faith, and by no works of my own.
* The beautiful hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ was written in the mid 1700’s by a man named John Newton who, before his conversion, was a hard, crusty captain of a slave trading ship. He, by the grace of God, became a born again believer and then left his ship to enter the ministry serving the Lord for 43 years until his death. He wrote numerous songs and was reported to have written over 50 sermons that he never preached during his life.
* If scriptures say something different than the way you have chosen to worship or live your life or conduct yourself, then the problem isn’t just your interpretation of God’s Word. The real problem is you and your relationship to the Lord.
* If you don’t believe the biblical fact that Jesus is coming back as He has promised, then whether you like it or not, you are fulfilling bible prophecy. 2 Pet. 3:3-5 and Jude 18,19 clearly state that in the end days, scoffers will deny that Jesus will return soon, if ever. We are clearly in those last days. He will return soon as prophesied, perhaps even today. You need to be ready for that hour.
* Seven things God cannot do.
1. God cannot be given a problem He cannot solve. 2. God cannot leave or forsake you. 3. God will not allow His people to be ashamed. 4. God cannot share His glory with anyone. 5. God cannot break His covenants. 6. God cannot change. 7. God cannot remember your confessed sin.
* Today there are major efforts underway toward establishing religious Ecumenism. Ecumenism is the opposite of fundamentalism. It is the bringing together of denominations and/or religions under one roof. However, the only way they can all unite is for each to give up their fundamentals. There can be no Ecumenicalism without the abolishment of religious fundamentalism.
The core beliefs of each would need to be compromised for it to work. The result would be the demonizing of all fundamentalists. For a Christian to proclaim that ‘Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that no one can come to God except through Him’ will soon be a criminal offense.
Revelation speaks of a lukewarm church and finally a world religious system of the last days. Today, lukewarm churches are everywhere and a world religious system is being developed rapidly. The infrastructure necessary to fulfill the Apostle John’s prediction of a global apostate church is alive and well. Watch for it, it is coming!
* In 2 Chron. 7:12 and following, we learn that God appeared to Solomon at night and spoke to him. Verses 14 and 15 of that chapter have tremendous significance for New Testament believers as they clearly define what God requires of us for our prayers to be heard and answered.
2 Chron. 7:14 If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn away from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (v15) Now My eyes shall be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.
This scripture states God’s requirements for His blessing: humility, prayer, devotion, and repentance. Only then, God in heaven will hear us, forgive our sins, answer our prayers and pour out His blessings on us.
* No one can ever be ‘good enough’ to get into Heaven by his own merits, nor do people just simply go there because God is a loving God. Also, no one can ever be ‘good enough’ by the things they do, or by being the kind of person they are, or by living a good life, to avoid going to Hell. Many ‘good people’ will never enter Heaven’s gate and many ‘good people’ will spend all of eternity in Hell.
The Bible teaches we are all eternally lost sinners that come short of the glory of God. It’s been that way since sin and death entered the world through Adam (Rom. 5:12) and then continued throughout all humanity. That includes you and me. However, God in His infinite wisdom made His plan of salvation available to us, but we must choose to accept it. We must realize that we are lost sinners, confess our sins to God, repent of those sins, invite Jesus into our heart and then live for Him.
You see, we can never see Heaven or avoid the torments of Hell by just being a ‘good person’. The only way is through Jesus’ shed blood on the cross. He is patiently waiting for us to choose Him – do it today!
* The God of the Bible, the one who simply spoke the universe into existence, has a love for us that knows no bounds. He sent His Son Jesus to suffer and die on the cross to shed His blood for all who would choose to accept Him. His love for you is so great that even if you had been the only person on earth, Jesus would have come here willingly to die for just you. Now, what do you choose to do about Him?
* When people are asked to explain or describe WHEN they became a Christian, many would say they have always been one as long as they can remember. They were born and raised in a Christian family always attending church even as a small child and then they just grew up living a Christian life.
However, one CANNOT ‘become’ a true Christian simply by believing in a loving God and/or by living a good life with long exposure to Christian values and principles. Just as there was a moment in time when we were all born physically, there is also a moment in time when all true Christians become RE-BORN spiritually. The Bible refers to that life changing MOMENT as being ‘born again’, which in spite of what many might think, is the ONE and ONLY way for us to have eternal salvation. For all who claim to be Christians, it is essential that they KNOW for certain their conversion moment or experience actually has occurred.
To become born again, we MUST become convicted of our sinful nature before God, confess and repent of our sins, humbly ask God to forgive us, and then invite Jesus into our heart and life as our Lord and Savior. The point in time when we DELIBERATELY choose to do that is the MOMENT we become born again. Have you chosen to do that? Have you been on your knees before Him? Or have you just always assumed you are a true Christian? Where we spend eternity is clearly a conscious choice we must all make and it’s our choice alone. To simply not choose IS YOUR CHOICE TO REJECT His message. Think about it!
* Buddhism is a false religion, Islam is a false religion and Hinduism is a false religion. New Age, Scientology, paganism and literally many, many dozens of others are also false religions and cults that are empty and can promise nothing. All of their prophecies are worthless. Their founders are all forever dead and rotting in a grave somewhere. It’s very sad, but their followers will be there with them as they have been blinded and deceived.
There is only one true living God of all creation, and there is none other. God through His Son Jesus suffered and died on the Cross of Calvary for the sins of all who would believe so they could receive His free gift of eternal life. Jesus died, was buried and then arose on the third day exactly like He said He would. He was victorious over death and the grave. He ascended into Heaven to prepare a place for us and will return soon for His own as He has promised.
Hundreds of Biblical prophecies have been fulfilled in exact detail and timing, all according to God’s perfect plan. No other religion or cult can make those claims or offer those promises. Praise Him, for of His Kingdom there shall be no end!
* The Bible tells us there are three Heavens. The first Heaven is the earthly realm up through the earth’s atmosphere. The second Heaven extends outward to the edge of the universe including all of the stars. The third Heaven beyond the universe is the abode of God.
In 2 Pet. 3 and Rev. 21, we are told that one day soon the first and second Heavens will be destroyed and replaced with a new Heaven and earth that will be pure, perfect and eternal.
The first Heaven is clearly seen in daylight.
The second Heaven is mostly visible at night.
The third Heaven can only be seen by faith, not by sight.
Don Mehl
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