Be Not Deceived

 Monday, February 23, 2015

"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6).

 Hey Gang, while waiting for my car to be serviced, I read an interesting, but tragic, article about the rapid decline in the Church in America.  I have heard bits and pieces, about the material presented in the article, but, never before had seen a more comprehensive piece laying out the rapid decline in the Church.

 It egan with the tragic news that mankind had once again moved God aside and determined we had far more wisdom than that of the King of kings and Lord of lords.  It seems the leadership in a Historic Evangelical Church had recently presented a new doctrinal statement that virtually abandons the foundational truths that are laid out so clearly in the Word. 

 This Church determined, in their infinite wisdom, that such unimportant (in their view) principles as sinfulness, Jesus atoning death, and God's primary requisite of Holy Living should be set aside in the interest of political correctness.  This rational falls in line with an ever-growing belief, ‘If we cannot change them we should join them’.   As one pastor said, “Homosexual and gay rights have become prominent and will continue to grow in our society, therefore, the church is going to have to accept it in order to stay alive.”  What he was really saying in his rational for life of the Church; but it is really the sentence of death for the Church.

 In a recent study by the Pew Foundation, it was determined that more that seventy (70) percent of those interviewed believed that there are many religions that can lead to eternal life.    Our president recently made a profound statement that cut to the chase of why the American Church is in rapid free fall and one can find a church that believes anything they want to believe.

 He said, “We the United States of America are now a country of Christians, Muslims, Hindu's, Buddhist and ‘sommas’-  some of this and some of that, whatever fits your fancy.”   Ronald Reagan once made the statement, "We take far too many things for granted in our country".   Moses sent us a stern warning when he wrote, "He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."  (Exodus 34:7b). 

 Tragically, we are living in the harvest stage of that promise.   

 Soooo, my young friends, Jesus made it very clear throughout His earthly ministry that He was the only door to the Father.  The only way to the "Way, Truth and Life” was through a hill in Jerusalem, called Calvary".  It is so sad that many, who claim that they are born-again believers and committed to Yeshua, do not have a clue that there are prerequisites to hearing Jesus say, "Well down true and faithful servant."  Churches would grow if they taught these Biblical principles

Blessings,

Gramps

Israel, THe CenterFold of Prophecy

 Monday, February 16, 2015

  

God’s Power Principle For Today:  “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not comprehend it”  “Then Jesus again spoke to them saying, “I am the Light of the world, he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”  (John 1:5; 8:12).

Hey Gang: Several years ago, we were blessed to find a DVD Series titled, “Against All Odds".  I don't know how many times you can watch a DVD before it begins to go caput.  I pray it has a longer life than yours truly.  "Against All Odds” is centered on some of the many military miracles that have transpired in Israel since their becoming a State on May 15, 1948.

 In the book of Zechariah, which I believe is a book for today, we find one particular verse that gives us a precise picture of where we are, pertaining to the latter days of the Age of Gentiles.  In verse two of the twelfth chapter we read these words, "Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah".    It was recently reported that more than seventy-five percent of all the business that transpires at the UN pertains to Israel in some way.

 I would say that fits into the category of "a cup that causes reeling".  But Zechariah had much more to say about this in the following verse: "It will come about, in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured.  And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it." 

 One of my favorite verses in the Word is the eighth verse of this chapter: "In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them."   I believe that includes me!

 When the twin towers were hit, I wanted to volunteer, reenter the Air Force. Oh, I knew I was older than dirt and could not reenter the Air Traffic Control Squadron, but I could wash dishes and sweep floors or even answer the phone and make coffee for the active troops.  I have prayed many times that I would be part of God's army and be there when the evil one and his cohorts are put away for a thousand years.

  On one of our trips to Israel, we visited Masada which is a mountain where King Herod build one of his summer homes.  We were blessed to be able to watch a ceremony that every pilot in the Israeli military goes through.  They are given a challenge by their commanding office that the greatest gift they have to offer is the willingness to lay down their lives for their brothers and sisters.  

 The ninety-first Psalm is the creed of the Israeli Air Force; hearing the fifty cadets shout the words, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will abide in the shadow of the Almighty”.  I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust, for it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.” A Powerful experience.

 Soooo, Do you have a creed that is your covenant with Your heavenly Father this morning?  Do you have a special section of Scripture that you know in your heart will provide you with the strength and courage to stand fast no matter what the circumstances?  We are privileged, while working at VOM, to hear many stories of people around the world who face persecution and death daily. Their creed is not survival but witnessing to their enemies!

  Can there be any doubt we are in the winding down stages nearing the end of the Gentile age?   Jesus said we are to be a light unto this dark world.  As you prepare to face another day, do you have your armor in place and ready to be used by Abba Father to be a witness of His great love?

Blessings,                                                                                                                                                                      Gramps

Tribute to a Very Special Person

 Friday, February 13, 2015

 "Call unto me and I will answer you and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know".  (Jeremiah 33:3 - God's telephone number and never busy!)

 

Hey Gang:  Did you ever notice how many times Jesus went off by Himself to pray?  The Bible makes it clear that God wants His people to pray.  In I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Paul tells those who trust and love God to "Rejoice evermore and pray without ceasing in everything, giving thanks, for this is God's will" for each of us.  Praying Scripture and His promises unleashes the power prayer in our lives. But there is a prerequisite to praying God's promises, you must know what they are. 

 Through the Prophet Isaiah God promises, "It will come to pass that before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah. 65:24).  Isaiah followed this power verse with another that we need to program into our hearts and souls: "But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word" (Isaiah. 66:2B).  And where does this humbling and contrite of spirit and trembling come from?  His Word and relationship with Jesus.

 Jesus confirms this in our hearts in His Sermon on the Mount: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find, knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8).

 I have spent the past several weeks reading in Jeremiah.  I have read Jeremiah many times before but this time it has captured my whole attention.  Why, because as I read each page I could see the United States of America in each page.  And, as I read, I focused my study on two phrases that Jeremiah used:  God said, "Is not my word like fire and like a hammer which shatters a rock? (Jeremiah 23:29); the second phrase, which is found throughout the book, "They did not listen"(Jeremiah23:29).

 I was blessed with a sainted Grandma; however, at the time, I did not realize what a pure and true saint she was.  As I think back, I see her on her knees in the local Post Office scrubbing the floors.    Having lost two husbands, six mouths to feed, and limited education, she was restricted to menial tasks.  By the time I came on the scene she had retired and was living on the third floor of our tiny house.  It meant climbing two flights of stairs several times a day and the years on her knees on concrete had taken its toll.   

  We had a swing on our front porch and Grandma spent much of her awake hours on the swing.  She was a very avid embroidery addict and made many beautiful things.  She would take the floss that was left after clipping the end, put it in her mouth and then throw them up to the roof of the porch.  We had a very colorful porch. But her attention was not on the sewing, for that was automatic to her.  These were the prayers she sent heavenward from the prayer list that she had with her at all times.  Grandma was not known as a “prayer warrior", but a very special saint who knew how to reach the heavenlies with her prayers.

 As I think of her this morning, I would not call her a pastor, or even a teacher, even though she taught Sunday School for years, but rather a ‘beamer of light’.  She would share her faith in a way that was understandable and filled with the love of her Lord, but that was not what I remember about her.  She radiated Jesus every moment of her day, not by what she said or even her actions, but when you were around her you could feel the love of Jesus coming through her very being.  When I sing "This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine," which I do often, I think of my Grandma sitting on that swing with needle in hand, her lips praising her Lord and taking those who had heavy hearts to the Throne Room of Heaven.

 Sooooo, I have asked myself many times, how does one become a ‘radiator’ of God's love without saying a word?  Grandma would say, “Become a doer of the Word and an imitator of Jesus.”   When the little children (other than family) come to a person, you know that person is filled with the love of God - and the little children came to Jesus.  I look forward to the day I can give my Grandma a big hug.

 Blessings, 

Gramps

No Greater Miracle

 Friday, February 6, 2015

God’s Power Principle For Today: “Do not fear for I am with you: do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10). 

Hey Gang, as I reread this verse, for the umpteenth time, it brought to memory a story told by an old-salt evangelist (Herad Hill)  many years ago at the Christian Retreat Center in Florida.  He had been a very successful business executive, even an important cog in the early development of NASA.  However, he allowed alcohol to totally destroy his marriage and nearly his life.  But, when at the lowest point in his life, having lost his bride, his family and his business, God reached down, as He did with Saul on the Damascus Road, and said, “I’ll take that one”.
  

He told the story of a time when he was invited to visit and preach at the worst of the worst prisons in Georgia.  An invitation that he readily accepted.  When he arrived, he was ushered into the cell block that held the least dangerous prisoners, and from there worked his way in to the most restricted areas.
 

As he was preparing to leave, he asked if there were any prisoners that he had missed.  The warden warned, "Yes, one area, but you do not want to go there".  We cannot insure your protection. He would not take no for an answer. After signing a waiver saying he would not hold the prison responsible, if anything should happen to him, they opened the cell block door and let him enter.  

While ministering to a group of prisoners, one, who had a reputation for being the worst of the worse, came up behind him with a sheave, and threatened to kill him.  Hill’s response, “You can’t.  You can only kill this shell that houses me.  If you push that thing into me, I am immediately leaving to go and be with my heavenly Father, so go for it.”

To make the longer story short, not only did the con drop the sheave but also dropped to his knees and asked God to forgive him.   The con later related, “As the evangelist talked, the words planted by a saintly grandmother, many years before, began to surface in his mind and heart.  He not only went through a miraculous transformation but became a strong witness in the cell block until he was released. 

Soooo, friends and neighbors, it is not likely you will run into the worst con in the cell block today, but I suspect you can take it to the bank that you will cross paths with someone that is hurting deep inside’ someone who needs a friend to let them know there is a Savior, Christ the Lord, who stands at the door of their heart seeking entry.   There is no greater joy in the world than to witness the transformation of a person, who has no hope, to a Kings Kid.

Blessings, Gramps