“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” --- (1 Corinthians 1:27)
--The people God chooses to do His work are plain, simple folks. All you have to do is look at the twelve men Jesus chose to be His disciples. Fishermen, a tax collector, a “zealot.” What a ragtag bunch! But they ended up “turning the world upside down.” And those who watched them exclaimed, “Why, these are ignorant and unlearned men!” (Acts 4:13). Maybe you didn’t make the “Who’s Who,” or worse, the “Who’s Not”! That’s all right. God has a plan for you. God knows what He is doing. He turns the table on the world’s idea of success. Wealth, fame, acclaim. None of these are necessary for you to be used of God.
-What a glorious truth for you to share with someone today who may be feeling like they’re not worth much. Ask God to lead you to that someone right now.~~ --Adrian Rogers~ "You are loved with an everlasting love and underneath are His everlasting arms." Yes, YOU, the person reading this right now. Jesus died for the sins of the entire world. You are included. 'Come unto Me all who are weak and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yolk upon you and learn of Me. You will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28) Jesus has his arms open for you to come to him. He loves you so much that He died to save you from the wrath to come. There is a Heaven and there most definitely is a Hell. In fact, Jesus spoke more about Hell than He did about Heaven. Why? So more people would come to Him before it is too late.
Jesus is the Door to Heaven and the Father. 'Come, now is the time to give your life to Him.' <https://youtu.be/OScMhYOALVY> -----
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
--Hold On to 'Your First Love, Jesus', and you will never lose your Crown of Righteousness.~~
-Do you remember when you first gave your heart to the Lord Jesus? You were probably very excited and wanted to tell everyone, especially those in your family. Some may have been excited for you, yet others didn't understand, perhaps because they do not have a 'personal relationship' with the Lord.
Jesus offers to all who will put their faith and trust in Him, eternal life with Him and other believers who have accepted His 'free gift' of salvation. It wasn't free for Jesus, of course. He paid our sin-debt by dying on the Cross. "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin." (Hebrews 9:22) -- Jesus gave his life as a propitiation for our sins. (see Romans 3:21-25)
The Bible tells us when we have sincerely made a confession of faith to Jesus, and asked Him to save us, and come live inside of us, He does, right at that moment. God can not lie.
Then other times, we may grow weary after a few years, and begin wondering if 'this new life in Christ' is all you expected. Many, as the Bible tells us, are falling away. That is predicted in the end times. Hold on to your faith in Jesus Christ and you will win the Crown of Righteousness to all who believe. He is coming soon. Remember His time is not our time, he lives outside of our time. He is the Creator, who always has been.
Why not go ahead, today, right now and ask Jesus to 'Light the Fire Again' -(Brian Doerksen). He never turns away a sincere seeker. <https://youtu.be/d0rthdHtf64>
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
-ONCE a week I volunteered at a nursing home in Peoria. I was a Eucharistic minister, so I prayed with patients and gave them Communion. When I arrived one day I was met by Margaret, another volunteer. "Nancy, there's a patient who's near death," said said. "She's all alone. Would you pray with her?"
"Of course." Death was no stranger here, but I never got used to it. I was glad I didn't have to go to this patient on my own. Once a month a priest visited the home with me to say Mass. As luck would have it, this was one of those weeks. He could pray with her too and give her Last Rites. It was good to know that she could have comfort in her final moments.
Father and I followed Margaret to the patient's room. As we neared the door we met a nurse just coming out. "I'm so sorry, you're too late," she said when she saw us.
Oh no, I thought. Had the woman died before we got to her room? "She's still alive," the nurse explained. "But she's no longer able to talk or understand things going on around her. So she won't be able to pray with you."
"We understand," the priest said. The patient lay in bed with her eyes closed. No reaction when we came into the room. Father went to her side and took her hand, whispering prayers into her ear. Still nothing.
At least she has someone to pray for her since she can't pray for herself, I thought.
The priest straightened up. "Our Father, who art in heaven," he said out loud.
Margaret and I stepped closer and joined in the prayer. "Hallowed be thy name..." We all clasped hands. Our three voices spoke the words together. Then---
A fourth voice joined in. It was the patient. Her eyes were still closed. She hadn't moved. But when she spoke, her words were as clear as day. She continued with us until the end of the prayer. Then, with a final "Amen" she went silent again. [Matthew 6:9-13]~
She died shortly after. But she couldn't have been blessed with better last words. ~~ --GUIDEPOSTS ["To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV)]/ 'Good, Good Father' -Chris Tomlin~ <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06ZN4wC-ono> ---
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
--IF YOU HAVE BEEN BORN-AGAIN, YOU BELONG TO JESUS! ----(Read: John 3:5-8)
---A Child of the King
“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;” -- Ephesians 3:8)
--Have you been complaining about your poverty? Listen, you may not have much money in the bank, but you are immensely wealthy. You’re in the King’s family! “For the Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” Romans 8:16-17.
“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor that ye through His poverty might be rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9. “In everything ye are enriched by Him.” 1 Corinthians 1:5.
I want you to remember that you’re a prince, a royal blueblood, if you’re born again. No matter how poor you may be in this world’s eyes, in Jesus Christ, you are rich. You are a child of the King! ~~ --Adrian Rogers ~~-'Born Again' - Third Day~ <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4tOdcZy-3o> ----------
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
-"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you." (John 14:27) ---- --JESUS promised His followers this peace when, after their last supper together, He prepared them for His death and resurrection. He told them that though they would have trouble in the world, the Father would send them the Spirit of truth to live with them and be in them. (John 14:16-17)-
The Spirit would teach them, bring to mind His truths; the Spirit would comfort them, bestowing on them His peace. Though soon they would face trials--including fierce opposition from the religious leaders and seeing Jesus executed--He told them not to be afraid. The Holy Spirit's presence would never leave them.
Although as God's children we experience hardship, we too have His Spirit living within and flowing out of us. God's peace can be His witness to everyone we meet--whether at a local market, at school or work, or in the gym. Jesus said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you. Lo, I am with you always even until the end of the age."
-Bob Russell, senior minister of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, told this story.....
-WHEN my father died, there was too much snow at our home in Pennsylvania to have a funeral procession. At the end of the service, the funeral director said, "I'll take your dad's body to the grave." I felt we were leaving something undone, so I gathered five of my relatives, and we piled into a four-wheel-drive vehicle, plowed through ten inches of snow into the cemetery, and got about fifty yards from my dad's grave.
The wind was blowing about twenty-five miles an hour. The six of us lugged that casket down to the grave site. We watched as his body was lowered into that grave.
I wanted to pray before we left. "Lord, this is such a cold, lonely place." I got choked up and battled to keep my composure. Finally I just whispered, "But I thank You that to be absent from the body is to be present in your warm arms, Jesus. Thank you for all the wonderful years you gave to us as a family. Amen~"
he said out loud.
~~